Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-09-04

ago. IL does not require great elior'
OF the imagination to again people
this ridge with race defending
their homes from an enemy. and gIanc-
ing oil into the woods that skirt the
creek bottom we can almost see the
hosts Of the fee as they prepare to
scale the walls. We can hear the wh'z
Of the arrow and see the CLEAN OF the
sunshine on the polished stone battle
axes. What dark scenes were enacted
here when the world was young VINO
can tell? The ruthless assailants and
the gallant defenders have passed away
and left nothing to mark their coming
and going except these ruins and the
arrow-heads and the stone battle-axes
found.
This stone fort appears to have been
the first of series Of Notifications
running in a line almost due north.
| The various forts were, as ! have SAID,
connected by signal mounds, 50 placed
that signals given from one could be
readily seen at another, and thus COM
munications could be rapidly conveyed.
So. running north from the works above
described, we find these signal mounfs
until we come to the second fort in the
series. This enclosure is circular
carthwork, about eight miles north oil
the stone fort.
This is entirely of earth, no stones
being found. 1t has circumference OF
about 1000 feet. The embankment is
about twelve feet wide, but owing to
the action of the elements and the cut
ting of the piow in cultivation its pre-
sent height is about two feet. From a
careful examination Of the surrounding
land. and a consideration of the wash
ING away that must have taken
place in the centuries that have
elapsed since it was built, am
led to believe that it was originally
eight or ten feet in height. In form it
is almost perfect circle. with an open
ing to the northeast this gap is seven
feet wide. Like the "stone fort" 1t
occupies a commanding site. being about
thirty feet above the bed of the creek,
which flows about one thousand feet to
the north. Pottery, kitchen refuse,
fresh-water shells, and fragments of
bones of various animals have been
found in great abundance, showing that
the place was inhabited for a long
time. 1t is singular, however, that
but one skeleton has ever been found
there. The one found was that
Of a man. 1t was lying under a fiat
stone. 1t may be possible that the
burials Of the occupants of the fort
were made in some Of the numerous
mounds found about half a mile to the
south. These mounds have never been
examined. 1t is hardly probable that
such an extensive work would have
been erected and then abandoned with
out struggle, and as the mound-build-
ers were usually careful in burying
their dead, the remains must be some
where in the vicinity. No search has
ever been made for them, and their dis
cOyery might not add anything to eth
nology, but it might be that a careful
study Of the crania would help to de-
termne to what race this mysterious
people belonged.
The third fertilization visited lies in
the northwestern edge of Jefferson
county, and in a stone enclosure. It's
on the banks Of Big creek, and is
eighty feet above the creek bed. The
ridge on which it is situated is very
commanding one, and susceptible of
easy defence. On the north and south
sides the enclosure is protected by natu-
raj walls from sixty to eighty feet high.
On the east they are connected by
maidstone wall more than four hun
bred feet long. This wall is curved so
as to protect all points, and was origi-
daily at least ten feet high and twelve
feet thick. On the west the natural
walls come closer together, form
ing narrow neck. Across this neck
an artificial stone wall was thrown.
The area enclosed is about ten acres.
A magnificent spring in the enclosure
furnished the inhabitants an abundant
supply of good water. The site COM
mandS view of the country for many
miles in every direction. The stone
walls have now almost entirely disap-
peared, the material having been taken
away by the neighbOring farmers and
used for building foundations for their
houses and barns. In few years the
last memento Of this interesting relic of
antiquity will have disappeared.
A short distance south of this en-
closure are three curious stone mounds.
The largest Of the three is egg-shaped,
with a diameter of 40 feet at the
widest part and of GO feet at the mar
rowest. The other two are much
smaller, one having diameter OF ~
feet and the other Of ID feet. Large
! quantities of stone have been carted
away from these mounds, and they
are now mere ruins. The only
relics hat have been found in
them are stone axes and flint
arrow-heads. believe that with
the exception of two very curiously-
shaped mounds in the Ohio river, few
miles above the "stone FORT these
are the only stone mounds that have
been found. This section of the State
has been settled since the year 1900
and these mounds were then found al
most intact. They evidently were not
burial mounds, nor yet is it likely they
were erected as signal-stations, for 4
such had been their purpose they would
not have been so extensive nor so close
together. We know that the old lie
brews, as we'll as other nations, wer,
accustomed TO erect stone pillars OF
mounds to commemorate important
events. Thus Noah builded an alta
when he came out of the ark, and JscOt
set up pillar at Bethel. May it no
be possible that these singular stone
mounds were erected to commemorat,
some important period in the history o
the people? can conceive Of no Other
4 object for their construction. But BIZ
this as it may, they form a curious
study, and it is much to be regretted
that efforts have not been made tc
preserve them.
TOLSTOI INSANE.