422 ETHNOLOGY. 



huniiiu osseous remains were seen. If this mound was made to cover 

 the dead, the bones have either been entirely destroyed in the lapse of 

 time, or the bodies were laid in the outside circumference of the mound, 

 around the fire, perhaps so that they were beyond the hole made by Mr. 

 Fisher. This question may, however, be settled by digging a trench 

 across the diameter of the mound. 



The copper of which these ax-shaped and ornamental articles are 

 made is doubtless the native metal. I can discover no sign of any in- 

 scription or carving upon them. The great length of time during which 

 they have been buried is shown by the conversion of the whole thick- 

 ness of the copper, in some places one-fourth of an inch thick, as in the 

 little axe, into carbonate and red oxide of copper. 



As you will see, the carbonate of copper from the copper pieces has 

 been diffused over the charcoal and other surrounding objects, so as to 

 serve as a cement attaching them firmly together. 



It is diflicult to imagine the use of the flat square, or oblong square 

 copper articles with the two curved horns at one end. Perhaps they 

 were ornaments to be suspended from the neck ! Neither can we tell 

 the object or applications of the stone shaped like the button of a door, 

 with the two bored holes through them. 



On October 20, 1838, I made a measurement of this ancient work, 

 partly on the Meredith farm, and I give you the sul)joined extract from 

 my notes made at that time : 



" This large, nearly circular work is situated on a slight hill, where 

 the corners of the Meredith, Breckinridge, (Dale,) and Meore larms 

 meet near the North Elkhorn Creek. It consists of a ditch, in some 

 places, six feet deep. The earth has been thrown up generally on the 

 outside, but sometimes on the inside, with no raised pathway at present 

 visible. 



" This work where the native forest is still left, covered with as 

 large timber as in any part of the surrounding country-, and trees, as 

 large and old as any, are growing in the ditch and on the embankment. 

 Measured in a direction north 53° east, it is 1,138 in diameter. In the 

 direction south 72° east it is 1,221 feet in diameter. Its circumference, 

 taken by carrying the chain around in the middle of the ditch, is 3,079 

 feet. 



" About 2,100 feet distant from this old circular work, in a northeast 

 direction, on a higher hill or ridge, on the farm of C. Shelton Moore, is a 

 smaller but better preserved work, of somewhat similar construction ; 

 the ditch is still very regular, being fully eight feet deep. The circular 

 platform defined by this ditch is on a level with the top of the outside 

 wall, and seems to have been raised above the common surface of the 

 ridge. It has large trees growing on it and on the sides of the ditch. 

 It is perfectly circular, and measures 132 feet in diameter. A raised 

 passway on a level with the platform interrupts the ditch on the north- 

 west side. • 



