148 



evening with a lecture on the prehistoric inhabitants of 

 this country, known under the general name of the 

 " Mound Builders." 



After stating the conclusions reached by Squier, Davis, 

 Haven, Wilson, Lubbock, Whittlesey, Foster, Newberry, 

 Jones and others, and his own views derived from a 

 careful comparison of the facts that had been gradually 

 ascertained, and calling attention to the different views 

 that had been presented relating to the origin, course 

 of migration, and decay of the mound building race; 

 he called special attention to the large number of for- 

 tifications and fortified towns that had been discovered 

 in various parts of the country, from New York and 

 Pennsylvania west to the Wabash River and in the Mis- 

 sissippi Valley south to Tennessee; and gave an account 

 of a recent examination he had made of an 



\N( li:\T FORTIFICATION ON THE WABASH RIVER. 



After the adjournment of the Indianapolis meeting of 

 the American Association for the Advancement of Sci- 

 ence in August last, it was his good fortune to be able to 

 take advantage of the kind oiler of Prof. Cox, State 

 Geologist of Indiana, to make an examination of an 

 ancient earth work at Merom, Sullivan Co., Ind., which 

 had been christened "Fort Azatlan" by Mr. John Col- 

 lett. Assistant of the Survey, and is so designated on the 

 geological map of the County. Accompanied by Messrs. 

 Cox,Collett, Cooke and Emerton, and provided with free 

 passes over the Terre Haute and Indianapolis, and the 

 Evansville and Crawfordsville Railroads, by the open- 

 handed liberality of the officers of the roads ; and cordially 

 entertained and greatly assisted by T. Kearns, Esq., Pres- 

 ident Holmes, the Doctors Harper and other kind friends 

 in Merom ; he was able to make a partial examination of 



