410 INDIAN MOUNDS IN SOUTHERN FLORIDA. 



lying in the same direction as the other. It differs from other mounds 

 of this class in sloping gradually from the southern to the northern end- 

 No doubt the northern end was once level and contained a dwelling. 

 At the highest point it is about 4J feet above the level of the earth. 

 Excavations here brought nothing to light worthy of note. 



MOUND AT BAYVIEW. 



We now have arrived at a mound which, though of insignificant size, 

 yielded a rich and valuable collection of Indian relics. It is situated on 

 the south side of Alligator Creek, which empties into Old Tampa Bay, 

 one mile north of Bay view Post Office. It is located in a dense spruce- 

 pine scrub, on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter section 

 8, township 29, range 16 east, half a mile north of the residence of Mr. 

 Bufus McMullen. So low and flat was this mound previously to the exca- 

 vation that one might have walked over it without noticing it. I am 

 indebted to the courtesy of Mr. McMullen for my knowledge of this 

 mound, for without his assistance I should never have been able to 

 find it. 



The mound was circular in shape, 4G feet in diameter, and not above 

 3 feet above the level of the ground iu its highest part. It was a mass 

 of human bones, disposed in three strata or layers, the mode of burial 

 differing very slightly from that figured in Plate III. 



In the lower stratum I found no ornaments and but little pottery, 

 but in the middle and top layers, especially the latter, nearly every cra- 

 nium was encircled by strings of colored beads, brass and copper orna- 

 ments, trinkets, &c. Among other curious objects were a pair of scis- 

 sors and a fragment of looking-glass. By using patience and care I ob- 

 tained many strings of beads in the order they were worn by their own- 

 ers. In two cases fragments of string remained in the beads, preserved 

 by the copper. The beads, many of them being of cut glass and of va- 

 rious colors, were very beautiful. 



The latest interments in this place evidently took place after the in- 

 vasion of the peninsula by the Spaniards, and cannot possibly be older 

 than three hundred and forty years — probably much less. The peculiar 

 pattern of the scissors may throw some light on the subject when exam- 

 ined by persons competent to judge. It is possible that many of the 

 heads and trinkets may have been obtained from De Soto's expedition, 

 for tradition points out Phillippi's Point, eight miles north of this, as the 

 place of his landing. I also obtained thirty-four skulls, carefully selecting 

 the best specimens from each layer, together with numerous fragments 

 of ornamental pottery. These, all carefully labeled, were sent to the 

 Smithsonian Institution at the time. 



MOUND AT PHILLIPPl'S POINT. 



This is one of the largest mounds on Tampa Bay, and it is unfortu- 

 nate that there are impediments in the way of exxdoration. The struct- 



