The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-01
TRACES OF A LOST RACE.
DISCOVERIES MADE IN THE MOUNDS
OF LOUISIANA.
Explorations By Pror. Boyer show That They
Were Built By n People DiHerent from the
Indians Found by the First White settler
An Antiquity OF 900 Years Given TO Them.

AADIOtLtIDun % HEots hbeJSF bno" Hbot hhtJ
Were Built By n People Different from the
Indians Found by the RiFpt White Settiers-
An Antiquity OF 900 Years Given TO Them.
NEW ORLEANS, July 31.-Prof. George E.
Boyer Of Tulane University has just returned
from his explorations Of the so-called Indian
mounds along Red River. and between that
stream and the Mississippi, in Franklin. Match
itoches, and other neighboring parishes, which
he investigated for Tulane University and tho
Louisiana Historical Society. He was engaged
In the work for more than five weeks, and he
might have stayed ten times as long, for no
found the mounds far more common than he ex-
pected; SO common, in fact, as to indicate that
the alluvial lands of the Red River and the
country between that stream and the Missis-
sippi must have been far more densely populated
at the time the mounds were built than when
the white man pushed his way into the country.
Prof. Boyer was chosen for this work because
Of his recent great success in exploring the Cat
ahoula mounds, also in the great swamp. Tho
latter he examined far moro thoroughly than
any previous explorer. and he was able to show
that each mound was not a single body erected
at one time, but. like Schliemann's Iium, a suo.
cession OF mounds or settlements built one on
top of the other. He was able TO distinguish the
several layers of earth, shell. and clay deposited
at different times. and 20 demonstrate a greater
hAiHGaA " LAO lohLil lhah LaA Z ny
posed-an antiquity OF at least 900 years. Tho
skeletons and implements discovered proved
further that the inhabitants OF these mounds
were not of the race Of the ordinary red Indians
who were found there by the French and Span
fsh explorers, but a race akin to the Aztecs or
Toltecs, Of q more peaceful disposition than the
neiGhboring Indians and originally more civil
lied. They had apparently been forced into the
great swamp by the surrounding lnGinn tribes,
and their civilization had deteriorated under
the unfavorable conditions in which they lived.
Prot. Beyer's later explorations confirmed his
former ones, or rather showed that there were
two varieties OF mounds in the country he ex.
p!orcd. one variety, on the higher land, APP
parently erected oy Indians and used mainly for
Gent race, and containing skulls OF the same
kind as those found in Catahoula. Tia Indian
with heaas d:Stinctiyeiy Indian, arrows. ,oma-
hawks, sc. The other mounds were in the
swamps or lakes, ike those of Mexico. Such
lakes were once abundant along the Red River,
but nearly ali have been drained dry today by
the removal OF the Red River raft. The number
On Browns bayou, in NatShitoches. he found
no fewer than hfty clustered together
from Browns Bayou 10 Ii,tle Deer CrecE.
They were so close together-orly so feet apart
as TO make what must have been in old days a
number OF scattering mounds in the swamp. bus
these Aft, were built with something like Seomet.
t'Noi sc ohN4 - Ia ~ tNllI
known as the Brsnnin Mound. ana the only rec
%tangular one west OF the Mississippi. secmci .
was much higher than the Others. ana con-.
nianded a fine view OF the surrounding country.
There were evidences that a hre had besn Kept
lighted on it, either for religious purposes or 10
give warning 10 the neighboring settlements,
At the time these mounds were erected
all the surrounding country, was subject 10
overflow. or rather must have been under wA'er
all the time. 50 that the settlement, was or. 81.
| the several islands. The mOuniS had been
ouill at different times. the original material
used being shells, and subsequently clay and
mud. Unlike the Indian mounds, there were no
skeletons IN them. and few relies o. any hlnd.
Inc mounds were evidently erected for Y.r-
live, on, and, except tho central one, were not
Tor burial or religious purposes. -,
in the surronndiins conn., !. ihI a. %Icn TGFF X ," 'Hns
q large round signal mound, and around it fifty
mounds. all lying in the hc4 OF. Clear Lake AMI
under the direct control o. lne big mount. Tho
latter commanded n range OF from invent! 20
thirty miles OF circumjacent country. =,
some handsome vases were found there. and
pottery identical in character and design with
mat found among tho ahorigines OF tn l@s,er
tanned. but these showed the mound people 10
have been OF the same race as those in Gaia
houla parish In Lake Larto, and OF the Indian
explorers.
AtCemo a mound 900 feet long was expIoredI
put ike most OF those in the swamp it yielded
very little rs tho result of excavation into IT,
The more mounds Prot. Boyer examined, mo
moTo were Drought 10 MS attention, ana II NO.
came evident that il would take months to make
even a hasty examination OF all OF them, The
country was originally. and even in his'ori, al
times, g great swamp, owing TO Goods OF IL" Ms,
sissippi and the Red rivers, which were DAMNED
up 6,y the RATS formed by the trees and truuHs
carried down by these streams. Through ,his
swamp were scattered hundreds OF lakes, some
Of which ike lakes, Catahoula, Iatt, Black. ADD
Clear, still survive, but most OF which have been
drained and brought under cultivation. II IL IN
these lakes that the mound settlements are
round clustered together very much like those
OF the aborigines OF Mexico.
Inc explorations have not yet determined cI'
actiy now these lake dwellers lived, hut only
that they lived on these mounds, at least /.
thousand years ago, and probably died ON or
were killed of before DE So,o's day. ,Wl'tl,cr
inrther explorations will bring 10 ligh, ne
story OF their origin and fate remains u be- DE-,
termined, but there is little doubt thar they fell
VICTIMS TO the ficrcer Indian tribes around lhcm.
The recent, explorations OF Tulane lniyrr.
sity and tho Louisiana Historical Society have
aroused an interest In archaeology in Louisiana;
and there Is scarcely a planter fn the a%l.UYial
olstrict VINO mas not SOME mounds on A!s p.h'o
which he wants TO have examined or wA.ch no
mas undertaken to examine himself.
lastly Relieved from jury Duty.