The Holly chieftain., 1923-09-06

ture. The highest point Of this mound as 1t ex-
lists today is 102 feet Its longest axis is 1850 feet
and 1t covers slightly more than 16 acres. The
great pyramid Of Cheops In Egypt is 748 feet
square, and the temple of the Aztecs In Mexico,
$50 feet square In volume, therefore, this Ca
hoka pyramid is the greatest structure Of Its kind
found anywhere In the world.
'"There is 20 much about the huge Cahokia Mound
that Is similar to the works of the Aztecs that 1t
undoubtedly was from that part of the world that
these people came, bringing their religion, their
priesthood their corn, their mode Of life, and their
middle order Of primitive civilization. It Is gem
orally accepted, however, that the mound builders
Of Illinois did not observe the harbarous human
sacrifices of the AztecS.
Eminent psychologists estimate that the settle
ment of the Cahokia mound builders numbered
10000 at the height Of Its prosperity.
'"They probably fshed and hunted to some ex-
tent, but they likely depended for their subsist-
ence upon their labor In the field. and their staple
food was unquestionably corn"
Now for the historical associations Of national
importance Kaskaskia was the first permanent
European settlement in the Upper Mississippi Val
ley. well as the first capital Of the Inois Ter
ritory." Fort Chartres, named for the son Of the
regent Of France, was built in 172O by the French
with the idea Of giving protection to the operations
of the Company of the West-John Laws famous
mississippi Bubble"-organized in 1717. The Tort
was abandoned in 1872, the British garrison going
by the state and its powder magazine the Oldest
building in Illinois, will be used as a historical
museum. When in 1783 the Jesuits were sup
pressed in France and their property confiscated
to the crown, the decree was enforced by the
French commander against the Jesuits In Kaskas-
kia The priests were expelled and their proper
ty, including 200 acres of cultivated land, many
cattle and brewery, sold. This was Just
before the British occupation.
During the Revolution, Hair Buyer" Hamilton,
the British commander of the region with head
quarters at Detroit, necessarily harried the Amer
cnn settlements in Kentucky by Indian raids
George Rogers Clark, heaven-born military
genius raised up by Providence for the OCCASION
conceived the plan Of winning peace for Kentucky
by carrying the war to Hamilton at Detroit. He
began operations by capturing Kaskaskia, taking
1t by SURPRISE without bloodshed.
The French Of the Illinois territory called the
Americans Long Knives" and believed them to be
boodthirsty and cruel. They had no love for
their British overlords, but feared the Americans
exceedingly. When Clark captured Kaskaskia
without bloodshed, treated the Inhabitants with
Kindness and announced that there would be no
interference with their church and religion the
simple villagers were overjoyed and enthusiastic
cally took the oath OF allegiance to the United
States. They raised a company of militia and
accompanied Major Bowman to Cahoka, where
there was another bloodless victory Then they
volunteered to take vncennes the same way
which they did. So Clark got possession of every
British post In the Illinois country without bat
tie and without the loss of life. Later that fall
as everyone knows Hamilton led an expedition
from Detroit and recaptured yIncennes, only to
lose 1t to Clark the next spring and be taken to
Virginia as a prisoner.
Ciark's sudden appearance and rapid capture OF
these western posts of the British astonIshed be.
yond measure the Indians and their chiefs for 800
miles round about hocked to see the mighty war