184 Ancient Works in the Ohio Valley. 



in nature or in art can view with indifference this magnificent work ; 

 not in nvins, except so far as it may have been crowned with palisades, 

 but as perfect as on the day of its abandonment. " Here," as Squier 

 well remarks, "covered with the gigantic trees of a primitive forest, 

 the work truly presents a grand and impressive appearance ; and in 

 entering the ancient avenue for the first time, the visitor does not fail 

 to experience a sensation of awe, such as he might feel in passing the 

 portals of an Egyptian temple, or in gazing upon the ruins of Petra of 

 the Desert." 



Passing out of the gateway, a broad passage, lined by walls of no 

 great height, leads to an irregular square, containing about twenty 

 acres. A low mound marks each corner, and also each central entrance, 

 except in the west wall. From the northeastern gateway there ex- 

 tend parallel lines, connecting with a series of low walls, as intricate al- 

 most as a Cretan labyrinth, and there is an arched line of circumvalla- 

 tion, embracing numerous low mounds and one small circle. Near the 

 center of the northwest wall there is another gateway, with a broad 

 and gently curved avenue, leading to the octagon, which incloses an 

 area of fifty acres. The angles of this structure are not coincident, al- 

 though the sides are nearly equal. Opposite each entrance there is a 

 pyramidal mound, about five feet high, and eighty by one hundred 

 feet at the base. From the gateway on the southeast side, parallels, 

 three hundred feet long and sixty feet apart, conduct the observer 

 into another true circle, about one-half mile in circumference, and en- 

 closed an area of twenty acres. Outside the circle and opposite gate- 

 way there is a work of peculiar structure. "It would seem," remarks 

 ^Ir. Squier, " that the builders had originally determined to carry out 

 p.irallel lines from this point, but after proceeding one hundred feet, 

 had suddenly clianged their minds and finished the inclosure, by throw- 

 ing up an immense mound across the uncompleted parts. This wall, 

 which may be taken as constituting a part of the wall of the inclosure, 

 is one hundred and seventy feet long, eight feet higher than the 

 uoneral level of the embankment, and overlooks the entire work." 



From the octagon, parallel lines diverge southwest, which may be 

 traced for two miles. Similar parallels, nearly a mile in extent, 

 diverge eastward, inclosing a series of circles about two hundred feet 

 in diameter, together with a series of less diameter, and form a line 

 of communication between the different parts of the system. 



A pond, occupying an area of about one hundred acres, now drained, 

 existed just outside the works, and its western mai'gin was marked by 

 four inconspicuous mounds. 



No one, I think, can view the complicated system of works here 



