PRATT ANTIQUITIES OF ILLINOIS. 359 



are four holes, about one-eighth of an inch in diameter, but differing 

 slightly. They have the appearance of having been drilled with a tool 

 not much, if at all, tapering in form, and with a square cutting-edge, 

 which was not worked entirely through, as there remains in each hole, 

 on the inner side, a little edge which is not quite cut away. Across the 

 bone, near the larger end, are two rows of holes — Ave and six in a row — 

 one-tenth of an inch or less in depth, drilled with some round-pointed 

 instrument. One curved line is cut across, as shown in the figure. 

 The article seems much worn by handling. What was its use, we can 

 scarcely conjecture; and some Indians (Sacs and Foxes) to whom it has 

 been shown, can give no clue. 



The mound numbered 5 on the plan is like the others in material and 

 structure, except that it is much larger, being about sixty feet long, 

 thirty feet wide, and seven feet high. In this mound an excavation 

 was made in the middle, only about five feet square, which we hope to 

 work out more thoroughly at another time. 



About two feet below the surface was found a much-decayed frag- 

 ment of the " shin-bone" of some mammal, iiossibly the bison ; and a 

 little deeper, two fragments of pottery, parts, apparently, of the same 

 vessel, and bearing impressions on the outer surface of some kind of 

 woven or matted fabric. At the depth of nine feet was discovered a 

 large and remarkably well-preserved skeleton, almost entire, wanting 

 only a few of the very small bones, fingers, and toes, and the more per- 

 ishable portions of a few of the larger ones. 



The skull (No. 6) is in tolerably good condition, and contains the en- 

 tire set of sound teeth. The pelvis was obtained almost perfect, which 

 was the case in no other instance. This skeleton, also, was lying at 

 full length, with the face upward and head to the east, in the direction 

 of the transverse diameter of the mound. 



Immediately south of this was another skeleton, and over these some 

 others, all in a less perfect state of preservation than the one first men- 

 tioned, and the bones somewhat intermingled with it and each other. 

 One was that of a child of ten or twelve years. Close to the skeletons, 

 and immediately north of the first named, were a number of stones 

 lying, whether by accident or design, in a very irregular row, probably 

 accidental. Among the human bones was a piece of the lower jaw of 

 the deer or elk, containing four molars, all well preserved. 



So far as our observations go no metallic articles of any kind are 

 found there, though it is reported that some 5'ears since a copper kniCe 

 was taken from one of the mounds. 



Many of the mounds have been opened and partially explored by cit- 

 izens and visitors in search of curiosities, and of late such visits are 

 more frequent than ever. That these structures were merely burial- 

 places and nothing more, is evident from the fact that, ordinarily, there 

 is in them no trace of floor or roof, and no charred wood or boues^ or other 

 indications of fire. 



