736 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



shows no action of fire, and no remains of any description were found 

 within it. It cauld not have been a resident mound, a burial mound, or 

 a sacrificial mound. In either case fragments of some kind would have 

 remained to tell its story. 



ISTumber 27 is in Sec. 8, T. 10 N,, R. 2 W., in the northwest corner of the 

 southeast quarter section, on the highest terrace formation, at the apex 

 of the hill, and on the north side of Bloyd's Creek. East of the mound, 

 about 100 yards, is a small ravine, fed by springs. The tumulus is 7 

 feet high, with a base diameter of 48 feet. It had been explored to 

 some extent about a year before the M'ork of 1880, and the parties 

 who sunk the pit in the center found, while so doing, a jiart of a 

 pendant and a small celt, also, a few bones, ulna, radius, tibia, 

 and a portion of the spinal column, but no fragments of the cra- 

 nium. They, like a great many other curiosity hunters, placed 

 no value on these bones, but threw them out among the brush. The 

 exploration herein described commenced with a trench on the north side, 

 1 foot below the base, which ran longitudinally through the mound. 

 An unfinished gorget was found, one corner of which having lain in the 

 fire had become calcined to some extent. This ornament and the " finds'' 

 of the other parties are made of striped slate. This mound will be fully 

 explored in the near future as opportunity oifers, being only 1^ miles 

 northwest of the village of Fairfield. The construction of this mound 

 is different from that of any other of the numerous mounds explored. 

 No distinct strata occur but patches of ashes and charcoal are inter- 

 spersed throughout the mound. There have been seven hearths, and 

 the fires kept burning there were intense, for the clay beneath each is 

 burnt to a brick, red and hard, also giving evidence that the fires have 

 been extinguished at different times, and covered over to be rebuilt in 

 another i^lace. The construction of this mound is similar to that on 

 Shaw's Point, on Manatee River, Florida, described by Mr. S. F. Walker. 

 In its use, however, it was entirely different, for no charred animal 

 bones occur, nor were the bones removed by the first explorers in any 

 way buint. From this mound can be distinguished mounds 12, 28, 34, 

 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 4G, 47, 48, 49, 50, 76, stone grave 55, work- 

 shops 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, cemeteries 64, 65. From off this mound an 

 enchanting scene is presented to the observer in whatever direction he 

 may choose to turn, with the exception of the west. No doubt this 

 would be as beautiful as that to the north, east, or south, were it not for 

 a dense woods that obstructs the view. You have not only a plain view 

 of the valley, but also of the uplands as far as the eye can reach to the 

 east. A fire built upon this mound at any time and in any season of 

 the year, could be j^lainly seen at all the mounds, &c., specified in the 

 figures given above. We are justified, therefore, in terming this struct- 

 ure not only a burial mound but an observatory, or signal monnd as 

 well. 



Number 28 is in Sec. 5, T. 10 N., R. 2 VV., on the highest terrace for- 



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