The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-11-22

inches in length. We could see them
adhering to the foliage and the bark Of
trees, and underbrush. There we're
myriads OF them, and we had seen them
no place else They swarmed upon us
and their ugliness made us shudder.
Each OF us carried a heavy stick with
which to knock them off the other, and
every few steps we halted and facing
each other spent afew moments at clap.
jacket" Imagine one OF these minia.
ture, half-starved alligators crawling on
your neck! Ugh
Collins, although he had a scientific
name for them, and assured us they
were harmless, was nevertheless, more
than half convinced that they were
really animated by the souls ofthe legions
who had gone down here In death, and
were resenting and resisting our intru.
sion upon their sacred repose.
After two hours of tramping, we began
to think we must have forgotten our
flag in the excitement of our frequent
encounters with the "devil horses" as
Charlie called them. But, we kept on,
on, making the welkin ring with our
unanswered shouts for Frank, and at
last caught sight of our futtering ban
ner through the distant trees.
Reaching our starting point once more,
We had the satisfaction of knowing that
we had passed entirely around one of
the largest and most perfect earth works
in existence, "a fortification on mountain
which, defended with modern. weapons
of warfare, would be all but impreg-
nable, and, commanding, as it must
have done when cleared of timber,
clear view for miles in all directions, it
surely could not have been approached
without ample warning to those within.
In its center is cleared enclosure of
over forty acres. The wall is between
one and two miles in length. Had we
judged by our tramp around it, we
should have said at least five miles.
Like other earth works of the same
character it exhibits military knowledge
and constructive skill. Scientists find
in it indications of mathematical and as.
Economical knowledge.
There is so much of interest in this
fort on the mountain top that 1t should
be bought by the State or National Gov.
ernment, the timber cleared away and
everything restored as nearly as possible
to it's original condition. Either this,
r.it should fall into the hands of some
association such as purchased the Ser.
pent Mound.
Near this fort and, almost south OF it,
and on either side of the creek are two
mounds or tumuli, and not far from them
is the sight Of an old Indian village.
The tumuli were probably erected by
the same race who built the fort. In
such tumuli are often found copper inn
plements well wrought, sometimes oxi
died iron and mirrors Of isinglass, all
tending to show a degree of civilization
not approached by the later race of red
men, or by the intermediates race which
many suppose came between the two.
Now, If three races haves each been
swept across and beyond this continent
by succeeding races, .'like wave on wave
impelling." the query presents itself ir.
resistibly, "How long before the present
race shall be driven westward and
crowded into the sea ?"
But, we have succeeded in getting an
answer to our halls. Frank is still below
US on the mountain, and We begin our
rough descent to the carriage.
Our space has been more than absorb
ed, and We must reserve until next week
the story OF how we got lost in the
mountains.