MOUNDS NEAR QUINCY, ILLINOIS, AND IN WISCONSIN. 343 



stone was not ascertained, but there is no stone in these regions resem- 

 bling* it. 



In none of these excavations have copper or copper implements been 

 found. Three pieces of lead have been dug up, weighing G, 8, and 1 1 

 ounces respectively. The lend had no special shape, but had evidently 

 been melted and thrown into the mounds. Lead is found in these re- 

 gions, but not in abundance. A few stone adzes and flint arrow-heads, 

 &c., have been unearthed. In the center of one mound a body was 

 found in a sitting posture, its head resting on its knees and the hands 

 clasped around the ankles. Around the body was a limestone box, 

 which had fallen to pieces. With this body were buried two pipes and 

 a quantity of broken pottery. 



In opening the mounds one thing is noticeable in regard to the posi- 

 tion of the skeletons. tSome of them have been found with their feet 

 lying as near as inches from the head, and the whole skeleton in a dis- 

 ordered condition. Around it the coflin was disturbed in a similar way, 

 the stones lying far apart. In several cases the skeletons and the cof- 

 fins have the appearance of having been disturbed by a movement of the 

 earth. 



About three miles north of Quincy, built upon the highest of a range 

 of hills, is a lookout mound. The tumulus itself is about 15 feet in height, 

 while the hill is over 300 feet high. This is the highest mound in this 

 vicinity, and from the top one can obtain a view for nearly 18 miles 

 around. 



WISCONSIN MOUNDS. 



Near Madison, Wis., there are hundreds of animal mounds, averaging 

 about 3 h, feet in height. The burial mounds are very low and poorly made. 

 Eight of these have been opened, and all without exception have been 

 built in the same way, with only one layer of earth, and that a large layer 

 of simply black dirt. The earth is very firm and hard, making the work 

 of excavation exceedingly laborious. These mounds are about 4 feet 

 high, and are all circular. Skeletons are found as near as 12 or 13 inches 

 from the surface, but are in a very poor condition and can hardly be 

 removed. 



There are no sarcophagi or coffins of any description, nor were the 

 bodies buried as most of the bodies of the regular mound-builders were. 

 In all cases the head points toward the west. On the foreheads of two 

 skeletons there were found two stones weighing about two pounds each. 

 Pottery is found buried in these mounds, rudely decorated and generally 

 broken. One vessel, when restored, was found to hold about a gallon. 



From one mound was taken a large clay platter 11 inches in diameter 

 and 1 inch in thickness. This was covered with charcoal, and the .uround 

 around it for a radius of aboul 8 inches had the appearance of having 

 been burned. But in this mound there were no skeletons, only some, 

 flint. About a foot under the surface of the ground was found a layer 



