590 MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS. 



aud regular; the complete duplicate in appearance of many artificial 

 mounds lo be seen east of the Mississippi.* 



The region at the head of the Osage River, particularly the district 

 lying between its main branches, the Marais des Cygnes and the Little 

 Osage, is mostly prairie, rising in graceful undulations aud ridges, and 

 isohited conical mounds, with broad valleys between, eroded by aque- 

 ous or glacial action, combining in landscapes of charming interest and 

 beauty. 



Prof. G. O. Broadhead, late State geologist of Missouri, in treating 

 of the geology of Vernon County, remarks: "It is here diversified by 

 clusters of mounds, reaching more than 100 feet above the general sur- 

 face of the i)rairie. Blue Mound is 150 feet high, and can be seen for 

 a long distance. Timbered Hill, near the mouth of Marmaton and 

 Little Osage is a round, isolated mound, IVO feet above the Marmaton, 

 and over 100 feet above the surrounding plain. Being several miles 

 from other marked elevations, it is seen for many miles off. North of the 

 Little Osage a series of mouuds extends east and west along the county 

 line at an elevation of over 100 feet above the gently stretching val- 

 ley at their base. - - - Further west, in range 32, we find the 

 mounds rising still higher. These mounds continue on southward 

 through the county, interrupted sometimes for several miles by the 

 streams. From Moundville a high ridge or series of mounds connec- 

 ted, trends off to the south line of the county, rising near the northern 

 and middle line to 140 feet above the lower valleys, or 80 to 100 feet 

 above Moundville Valley. ■ - - The occasional occurrence of these 

 mounds gives a charming variety to the landscape. Many of them can 

 be seen at a long distance, aud from their summits the views are often 

 very fine. - - - Undoubtedly this county has been subjected to 

 glacial agency at some former period of time. Its results may be seen 

 in isolated mounds and deep valleys between. The amount of erosion 

 must hav^e been of great force and of long continuance, if we view the 

 mounds and long stretches of distance from one to the other. When pro- 

 tected by the upper series of limestones, the erosion was not complete; 

 but if these limestones were much broken, or entirely absent, leaving 

 the sandstones exposed, the waters would rush down with resistless 

 force, and bear away all the softer material.'"! 



In a foot note on page 83 of his exhaustive monograph on " The 

 Mouuds of the Mississippi Valley Historically Considered," Prof. Lucien 

 Carr, in discussing the trustworthiness of a book puri)orting to have 

 been written by one J. D. Hunter, ('- Memoirs of a Captivity," etc., Lon- 

 don, 1828,) remarks: "To go no further than the instances (juoted in the 

 text, we find undoubted evidence that the Osages have, within the pres- 

 ent century, built both stone heaps and burial mounds." 



* These dimensions are not exact, but given from memory, the writer not having 

 seen the moiiuil since lb60. 



t Report of the Geological Survey of the State of Missouri, Garland C. Broadhead,, 

 State geologist, Jefferson City, 1874, pp. 120, 121. 



