PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 797 



section of the country was first known, between 1730 and 1736, and 

 they so continued for a long period subsequent. The evidences of this 

 conflict are still apparent in the skeletons which from time to time are 

 exhumed. 



On the farm of Mr. William Hebb, distant 2 miles west of Sharpsburg, 

 and near the Potomac Eiver, vast quantities of arrow-heads, pestles, 

 skinning-knives, and tomahawks of exquisite workmanship have been 

 found. Mr. Hebb, one of the oldest inhabitants, remembers distinctly 

 numerous earth mounds formerly on his farm ; but the constant tilling 

 of the land has obliterated all traces of them, so much so that it would 

 be impossible for him to determine their exact location. 



On the farm of Mr. Lafayette Miller, distant 1^ miles westof Sharpsburg, 

 and adjoining the lands of Mr. Hebb, an abundance of stone implements 

 have been brought to light. Mr. Miller has a number of them in his 

 cabinet. These implements were found in the fields, and in some places 

 they were particularly numerous. Some curiously wrought stones, per- 

 fectly round in shape, varying from 6 inches to 4 and 3 inches in diam- 

 eter, and about 2 inches in thickness, have been found from time to 

 time on this farm. The stones are perfectly flat on both sides and are 

 polished. 



A short distance from this farm, and bordering on the Potomac Eiver, 

 is the farm of Mr. Samuel Beeler. On this farm were two small stone 

 mounds, one of them about 12 feet in length and 6 in width. They 

 were composed of very small stones. One had been opened years ago ; 

 the other was excavated by the writer of this pajier. The removal of 

 the loose stone revealed a grave, which was very ingeniously constructed. 

 The bottom of the grave was laid with large flat stone ; the sides and 

 ends also composed of the same. The covering was of large, flat stones, 

 built in the form of the comb roof of a house. In this mound were 

 found some bones, broken pieces of pottery, and a stone knife, now in 

 the National Museum. 



On the farm of the heirs of the late Jacob Miller, 2 miles south of 

 Sharpsburg, on a high bluff bordering on the Potomac River, are two 

 exteasive stone mounds, which had been partly exj^lored twenty years 

 ago, and on a recent examination revealed bones, pottery, flints, etc. 

 These mounds, as near as I can judge, were about 12 feet in length and 

 6 feet in height, and were entirely of stone. The interior was con- 

 structed in the same manner as those on the farm of Mr. Beeler above 

 mentioned. The bones in these mounds were so much decayed that 

 they crumbled on being handled. A few years ago some workmen were 

 quarrying limestone near this mound when they came upon a skeleton 

 which was buried in an upright position. At the head was a small 

 vessel of pottery, holding about a quart, which fell to pieces on being 

 handled. 



About half a mile from this i>oint, on the farm of Mr. William Black- 

 ford, several articles of pottery have been unearthed. Traces of some 



