San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-07-29
Indian Mounds.

TFrom Advance Sheets Of "The Cosmos" @. Vo-
gelsang, Editor.I
The origin of the numerous mounds in
North America aud other countries has puz-
zled the scientists who have. examined
them. Finally they agreed to attribute
their origin to an extinct race of people
called mound-builders, who built those
mounds for monuments or some other pur-
pose But it is not reasonable to suppose
that there ever existed race of people who
were so devoid of common sense as to have
such desire for the hard labor which was
required to build such mou nds, which
eould be no use to them or any one else.
The accumulation of the debris of camp
grounds or Indian villages for many thou
sand years is the only reasonable explana-
ton of the origin of those mounds. The
soil of the Indian mounds is different from
that of the surrounding country, and is in
termingled with the remains of pottery,
bones, shells, curious shaped fiihts and
remnants of fire-plsces or affairs. There
can be no doubt of the possibility of the de-
bris accumulation from villages or camp
grounds to such heights from the fact that
prouLd made from debris does not wash
away in heavy rains like other ground when
cultivated or otherwise disturbed. The
ground where Jerusalem stood several thou
sand wears ago is covered now with debris
from rs to 125 feet. The debris in Jerusa-
lem and other ancient cities was formed in
short time, because the white rnce makes
at least ten times more debris than the In
dams, who have but few wants. IF in a
soldiers camp or village oil debris was
left between the tents or in the streets, the
soil would increase several inches in less
than twenty years. Although Indians occu-
by less space in camp than white men, still
| it must have taken 1T least 5000 years to
form the larger mounds from Indian
debris
Most mounds are impracticable at present
for camps or village sites on account of their
steep sides; but it must be remembered
that those mounds formed contemporary
with the falling of species of cosmic dust,
which in a condensed state is called clay,
and by the corrosion of this clay in the
course of centuries, those camping or vii
| lnQe ElIeb DtChlliO lNOlhtSu itOh bAO qua
surrounding country, and consequently
we're abandoned for such purposes.
The descent of this cosmic dust was moi
uniform over the surface of the earth, but
we are inclined to believe that this dust fell
in regular streaks over certain portions OF
land like the regular wind or rains. In
Peru and other locations the Oldest open
prehistoric structures are filed up with such
cosmic clay.
Based upon the supposition of debris de-
posits. cosmic dust and clay corrosion, the
ancient mouud-builder carrying dirt from a
great distance for the sake OF building O
mound becomes a myth. The celebrated
effigy mounds in Ohio and other states
are the outlines of Indian camps and vii
lagos They were designed by people
who believed in q great spirit. The modern
Indian has not entirely lost the art OF sell
ecting camp-ground and designing the To-
cation of the tents or camp-fires on it.
The North American Indian is and always
was averse TO bard labor. The living in
large settlements by agriculture without
horses, cattle and iron tools demands very
hard labor. Taking into consideration the
present soil aud climate OF the mound
countries. but admitting q time Of regular
seasons of rain and cosmic dust as fertilizers.
then the Indians may have lived as happy
farmers on this continent for thousands 81
years. II is not generally known that the
streams Of Western Texas are lined by
broad levees, the proiuct Of the hunting
tribes along those streams, and IN future
wears the ancient levee-builder Of Wes-
tern Texas and other locations may become
as important a topic IN literature a. the an
Gent rnound builder S at present