The Russellville Democrat., 1893-09-14

LII WH&AAAS AhJdAA 2NNt~VW SAts@ WV were sitting on an Indian mound, 90 called, and mentioned that fact to our party.
 Oscar Donnelly was regarded as a well-read young man, and could quote Byron by the page. He was also authority on all small subjects 1 turned to him to know what about the mounds.
 "They are not Indian mour ds at all, they were here when the Indians came. Perhaps they were built by the Aztecs, perhaps the "cliff dwellers," but as they left no record we are in the dark on the subject They left no record, as l read an article the other day of place in New Mexico, called Inscrip- ton Rock, on whose polished surfaces tke old Aztecs carved their hieroglyphics, and where the Spanish cavaliers have made sculptured record of their presence. On this rock, together mith many names and dates, is one which reads as follows;
 Passed by this place with dis patches, April l6, l606."
 Who was the messenger, whence and whither was he goingi Had he left full record, as he ought and could have done, we would know his errand, but the simple announce ment that be passed there is all we have from him. It stands on the rock silent, like the Sphinx in the desert at the base of the great pyra- mid on the banks of the river Nile, and just so the mound builders left no record.
 "Gee- whillikins, how edicated he is," whispered Willie Goldman to me. "Now, ask him who built the bear trap on this ridge we are on, from which 1t takes it's namef' 1 did so, and he haughtily turned up his nose and re- piled: q do not investigate such little things as rotten bear traps.a
 "IIow far are we from the divid- ing ridgef" some one asked.
 {" Dividing ridge That reminds me of dividing lake in Africa and also dividing ridge in the Rocky Mountains, murmured Oscar Donnelly.
 "What about iti"
 "Well, they say that on the back bone of the continent, in the Rocky Mountains, there is a little lake in Arizona, high up among the craigs, called Stern Peak Lake, only 150 miles across, but ono side it sends forth streamlet which runs into the Gila, thence into the Pacific Ocean. On the other side 1t gives forth similar stream, which finds 1t way into the Rio Grande and fl. nally into tho Atlantic Ocean, v Oscar Donnelly continued. IA lake has been discovered in Africa 4000 feet above sea level between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans and dis tributes its contents impartially be- tween the two seas. A drop of rain blown by the wind to the one or the other end of the lake may reinforce the tumbling floods that roar through the channels of the Congo river and rush sixty miles out into the salt water of the Atlantic; or may make north the Zambisi river, the dizzy leap through the great Victoria Falls, and mingle with the waters of the Indian Ocean.
 It was time for me to speak. Could not i discount Oscar Don nelly, and not half tryf called the crowd to order and began.
 The dividing ridge not far from here is not mountain, nor hill, it is small ridge in Buzzard Bay neighborhood, with a slash or pond on each side. From shower of rain small stream will start down the east side and run over leaves and sticks and vines and roots and snakes anu frogs until it reaches Crooked Creek, which is ten times as crooked as rattan vine. Continuing it's course, the same water passes down into and through Big Creek, and eventually works it's way at the speed of freight canal boat into Wbite river and then into the Mississippi, and winds up in the Gulf of Mexico; while the same shower of rain will start little water course winding its slow, tedious way on the right side of the ridge into the Warrior Montezuma slough and then Cypress Creek and Turtle branch, and through Piney flats into White river, and from thence"
 "Hold on; that's not a-diyidin' It's comin' back into the same water, White river" said John Me Knight.
 "Well, it was divided for awhile, ' l replied.
 II hear the dogs; less go," and in less than half a minute we had our axes and guns on onr shoulders and were hurrying on in the direc- ton of the barking of the dogs. It did not take us long to reach the place where they had "treed" " All the dogs were barking and scratch ing around a tall gum tree. We felt sure it was coon, but we couldn't see him. Some insisted on cutting the tree down, while others said "Less shine his eyes and shoot