clxxxv 



foundations for houses. But the farmers have never, it seems, been aware 

 of the antiquarian importance of this wall. Prof. Gage employed laborers 

 and uncovered a portion of the wall 20 feet in width and 175 feet in length, 

 but, on removing the soil here and there, he traced it 600 feet. The work- 

 men uncovered the wall to a depth of six feet, but lower than this the ex- 

 cavations were not continued. 



Large forest trees of pine and oak, several hundred years old, are grow- 

 ing on top of the wall. The blocks are limestone and belong to the tertiary 

 formation. They were hewn out of this formation, and are 3 feet in length, 

 20 inches in width, and 22 inches in thickness. One of these blocks has 

 been shipped for St. Louis, and is expected to be on exhibition in the geo- 

 logical department before the close of the Fair, and then it will be sent to 

 Philadelphia for the Centennial. 



The wall from which the block is taken forms two sides of a rectangle, 

 one portion running east and west and the other north and south. The 

 excavations were made near the angle. Three miles due south from this 

 point another portion of the wall reappears on the banks of Bayou Pierce, 

 owing to the washing out of the creek, making it a large exposure, and it 

 is therefore judged that this is a continuation of the ancient wall. The 

 wall was built on the side of a ridge overlooking a swamp which, in ancient 

 times, was evidently the bed of a lake, and the inference is that the wall 

 was erected by the ancient occupants as a barrier against an enemy. From 

 other evidences of the extent of this wall, as described by the people in 

 other sections, it is evident that it included a large area of land, covering 

 probably 400 square miles and extending to the Mississippi River. 



He states that within a few miles there are ancient mounds scattered 

 all over the valley. Specimens of pottery, vases, stone axes, arrow-heads, 

 skulls, bones, and sea-shells, have been found in any quantity. The local- 

 ity where this remarkable wall exists is in the neighborhood of the Natchez 

 Indians, who were found in a state of considerable civilization when first 

 visited by the French, and these remains, it is conjectured, may have some 

 connection with the occupation by the war-like ancestors of this interesting 

 and famous tribe. 



Mr. Riley suggested, as a matter worthy perhaps of going on 

 record, the fact that the events of the past summer had fully borne 

 out his conclusions, given at the meeting for May 17, and the 

 called meeting for May 31, regarding the probable doings of the 

 Rockv Mountain locusts. 



November 15, 1875. 

 Dr. G. Engelmann, Vice President, in the chair. 

 Fifteen members present. 



