NO. 2042. ARCHEOLOOICAL INVESTIGATIONS— BUSHNELL. 649 



paratively large settlement. This was a well-chosen position for a 

 village, protected on three sides by water, and probably on the south 

 by a line of palisades. Only during the greatest floods did the waters 

 of the Mississippi cover the site, and probably at such times the near- 

 by hills were occupied. 



The site was partially examined, the principal excavation having 

 been made at a point just w^est of the mound, about midway between 

 the Saline and the old bed of the Mississippi. Here the surface was 

 a few inches higher than that of the surrounding ground. At the 

 present time the high, level portion of the peninsula is covered with 

 old pecan trees, but it was plowed a few years ago, and in former 

 years was cultivated every season, therefore the entire surface has 

 been modified since an Indian village stood here, and consequently 

 any slight inequalities of the surface are of no importance. 



The principal excavation extended about 20 feet east and west, 

 and a little less from north to south. The undisturbed clay was 

 reached at an average depth of about 18 inches. This we may 

 assume to have been the exposed surface when the site was first 

 occupied. Two rather small fire beds were met with on the clay 

 surface, and near one, resting upon the original surface, was an 

 implement of the form usually described as a "notched hoe." This 

 specimen measured a trifle more than 7^ inches in length, being quite 

 thin and having very narrow notches. The material was evidently 

 derived from a quaiTy in Union County, Illinois. The stratum 

 above the clay was composed of wood ashes and charcoal, vegetable 

 mold and alluvium, the latter having been deposited during the 

 floods of the Mississippi. Throughout the mass were many frag- 

 ments of large pottery vessels, some animal bones, and a few mussel 

 shells. Several broken bone implements were discovered, and also 

 some chips of wliite and pink flint. The large "hoe" was the only 

 perfect object found in the excavation. Many of the fragments of 

 pottery bore the imprint of a well-made fabric. Smaller excavations 

 made in other parts of the site discovered the original surface, but at 

 a point about 100 yards southeast of the mound no signs of Indian 

 occupancy were encountered. 



From the mound to the mouth of the Saline the surface slopes 

 gradually, but on the opposite side of the river the bank is very 

 abrupt. Fragments of pottery and traces of fires are met with 

 along the high bank, but all such remains which may have existed 

 on the right bank have been covered or washed away by the action 

 of the waters. 



A single mound stands near the center of the village site. This, 

 at the present time, is about 90 feet in diameter and less than 4 feet 

 in height, but originally it must have been somewhat higher and of a 

 lesser diameter; its change of form may be attributed to the action of 



