Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-12

these mounds their builders displayed no
mean comprehensivsness of design and
no lnconsioerable engineering skill. The
implements left by these builders are OF
tne stone age. They are all of peaceful
cnaFacter-boes, spades, avis, axes,
Knives, saws, pipes, beads, etc., SYM
metrlcal in shape and wrought from the
nara stone with mature skill. The alb
sence OF instruments of war leans TO the
celiet that the piles we're built by royal
priesthood In honor OF their god-the sun.
Two hundred OF these great artificial
heaps stood about the village. North of
Chlpquaw-Kay were 81 OF them, ordered
ike city, with streets leading directly
to the cardinal points. Two hundred
years have worked no changes in these
piles. Two thousand more will find them
asmajestic and as placid as we found them
yesterday.
There is nothing ordinary about these
mounds. From their bases they tower
nearly 200 feet above the surrounding
plain The sides of their bases are slight
ly greater than their height. Within
their bosoms have been found innumera-
ole relics Of the lost race. Three of the
mounds are more majestic than the 9TH
ers, and on their fiat tops were, doubtless,
the affairs Of the priesthood when sacri-
hoe was offered to the god OF bounty. To
the right and left OF these were the
sepulchral mounds. Their tombs have
been violated, but they have yielded no
secrets save human skeletons and a few
pieces of round .bOttomed pottery. Yet
others of the mounds were designed for
babltations, and upon them are the ruins
OF walls Of stone, the foundations doubt
less of structures of some architectural
pretensions.
But Chipquaw-Kay has other claims to
interest than these monuments OF I'M
recorded time. Hither, in 1888, came the
French voyagers. followed in 1902 by the
missionaries of the cross, with their doc
trine of 'peace and good will" Sixty
years later the lion standard, by right of
conquest, courted the breeze above the
village. In the heart OF the town you may
see to-day where Fort Sackville was
built and to the north stood the stone walls
of Fort Knox, which gave it's name to the
present county. Long years ago Chip
quaw-kay became an almost forgotten
name. and the French occupation be-
came immortalized In the name OF Vim
cennes.
When the sword was drawn for the lib
Grafton Of the American colonies the "Old
Post" as Fort Knox was called, became of
Importance to the battling patriots. and
Gen. George Rogers Clark was sent to
wrest 1t from England. How he marched
his little band around one of the great
mounds until he magnltied it to the Brit
1sh eyes and frightened their commander
ana his superior force into surrender is
part of history. The mound which thus
served the cause of liberty now bears the
name OF Bunker Hill.
Before the present century was year
old the territory OF Indiana. comprising
an underlined area north of the Ohio river
and west of the Buckeye State, was erect
ed and Vincennes became It's capital.
William Henry Harrison was made Gov
ernor. and in the northern part of the
town the curious may yet see his execu-
tive mansion. Its rough boards were
sawed out by hand, and the nails which
held them together were hammered into
rude shape upon blacksmlth's anvil.
Beneath the family room was the powder
magazine, placed there, 1t is said, by the
General for the purpose of blowing up
his family should the post fall into the
hands of the Indians. In the cellar may
be seen the cells in which prisoners were
kept.
AS one dashes across the bridge which
spans the Wabash he may see from the
car windows TWO venerable trees standing
near the river bank. Until within few
years there were three of them, and be-
meath their shade Gen, Harrison held con-
ference with the Indian chiefs. Here
treaties were made and here gathered the
pride and wisdom OF the red nations and
of the pioneers of the great West.
stroll through the streets OF the old
town to-day is full of reminders Of the
time when ''StOut st. Louis golden lilies"
flew the breeze a hove it