NO. 2042. ARCHEOLOGWAL INVESTIGATIONS— BU8HNELL. 667 



Game was abundant and undoubtedly served as the principal food 

 of the people, but by separatmg into small groups the hunters could 

 more easily secure the necessary supply. This condition undoubt- 

 edly explains the occurrence of the many widely separated camps, 

 as indicated by the small gi^oups of graves. However, such would 

 not have been possible in a country surrounded by enemies. There 

 is little doubt but that the remains of camps and cemeteries met with 

 in this section may be attributed to the Illinois tribes. Their nearest 

 neighboi-s on the west were the Osage, whose chief towns were many 

 miles away. The Kaskaskia and Osage were friends. Charlevoix ^ 

 wrote in 1721: 



"The Osages, a pretty numerous nation settled on the banks of the 

 river bearing their own name, which runs into the Missouri about 

 forty leagues from its confluence with the Mississippi, depute some of 

 their people once or twice every year to sing the calumet among the 

 Kaskasquias, and they are now actually here at present. " 



This explains the possibility of having small, scattered settlements, 

 and undoubtedly many were occupied during comparatively recent 

 days. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES. 



Plate 50. 



The northern section of the map of the ' ' Course of the Mississippi ... in the latter 

 end of the year 1765. By Lieut. Ross . . . London . . . 1775." The position of 

 the village of Ste. Genevieve, as it was before the year 1782, is indicated by the name 

 "Misere." During the year 1782 the settlement was moved to the higher ground 

 some 2 miles westward, above the flood plain of the Mississippi. 



Plate 51. 



Section of the lower portion of a cache or pit which was probably used for the 

 storage of grain. It is exposed on the side of the road immediately north of the salt 

 spring. Width about 4 feet 6 inches. 



Plate 52. 



Eleven objects, discovered beneath the left shoulder of the upper skeleton, near 

 the center of the mound on the village site at the mouth of the Saline. Upper row, 

 beginning at the left, 3 pieces of gypsum, 1 granite pebble. Second row, hematite 

 plummet; 3 bone implements. Bottom row, chipped celt, length 7^ inches; pair of 

 arrow-shaft rubbers. 



Plate 53. 



A. — Scapula of an elk, probably hafted and used as a hoe. The flat surface is polished 

 from use. Found on the high ground just south of the spring. (Cat. No. 278693, 

 U.S.N.M.) 



B and C. — Two views of a small carving in limestone, representing a human head. 

 Probably a fragment of a tobacco pipe. Extreme height, 3 inches. (Cat. No. 278688, 

 U.S.N.M.) 



1 Journal of a Voyage to North America, London, 1761, vol. 2, p. 224. 



