Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-05

placed as a covering over the contents of the
mound. As the e1cavating proceeded the
dirt removed from the trench west of the
center became dark and rich looking. Ex-
pectations of find were exc1ted and ex-
treme care was exercised by taking the dirt
away with the hands. A hard substance
was come upon which proved to be a stone
ak, followed bv two large stone celts or
skinning knives. These implements were
laying side by side as indicated in the figure.
A couple of pieces of decayed bone were also
found. At point opposite the center a
hand full of large shell beads, aboutthe size
of turtle eggs, rolled out from the side, quite
close to the bottom. This first trench re-
vealed nothing furthur, but there was
abundant evidence of the main contents of
the mound being near the center.
The next trench would pass directly
through the center, and work was at once
begun on it, starting from the top and going
down. 1t was of similar width as the first
trench, but not so long. The same peculiar
reddened clay, bits of charcoal and mixture
of clay and .op soil were met with as in the
first cut. When the ash layer was reached.
more beads were rolled out Then thin fiat
shell with bright spots of green and red
upon it. was picked out. At the exact
center of the mound the dirt was soft and
oozy, and there rolled into the hands of one
of the workmen big roll of something
about the size and shape of a roll of butter.
1t was red clay, or Indian paint and quite
heavy and damp, but firm and solid.
FIRST FIND OF COPPER.
The removal of the paint exposed to
view sharp edge of green material.
Alongside of it was found another roll OF
paint, in the top of which was small, cone
shaped stone partly embedded. Upon re-
moving the paint more large beads were
found, arranged in a row as il upon string.
The string was missing, however. Before
removing the green looking plate its posi-
tion was carefully noted. 1t was copper
Strange to say there was nothing under it
except the black looking dirt already men
toned, containing few fragments of bone.
Right close to it was one half of a lower hu-
man jaw, with teeth intact, the only solid
portion of bone found. 1t was clearly evil
dent that skeleton or body had once lain
there, but scarcely more was left of it than
the dark line of black soil which marks the
spot in forest where tree fell, decayed
and moldered away, leaving only a hard,
scrubby knot as the last of its substance to
disappear.
The excayating was continued, and three
small pieces of folded copper found, followed
by handful of small disk-shaped beads of
bone, curiously arranged about two large
bear tusks, still attached to a fragment of
the jaw bone, which held couple of small
teeth. A little further work disclosed
another copper plate similar to the first, but
smaller In size. Care was also exercised in
its removal. 1t was lying in direction op-
posite to the first plate. Under it was found
evidence of human remains, and close to it
two more tusks, one of them sheathed in
copper. A second copper shield was found
detached. A little distance from these
things another stone celt was found.
Additional trenches were dug on both
sides OF the center line, but no further finds
made. The excavation or opening of the
mound was considered thorough and COM
plete. 1t occupied a whole days time.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELICS.
The large copper plate was lying almost
north and south, inclining towards the west.
and the small plate almost cast and west. in
clining towards the north. The skeletons or