858 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



with the sand, formed, when melted, a strong slab of cement over the 

 grave. The rosin from tbe wood also assisted in the formation and the 

 penetration of the loose sand to a depth of two or three feet below the 

 lime formed a very effective covering for the grave. 



Tbese slabs are of all sizes, from 6 to 12 feet in diameter, and are 

 from 2 to 4 feet in thickness. Evidences of intense and long-continued 

 beat are plain in every case. The slabs are from 6 inches to 1 foot 

 below the present surface of the soil, and were accidentally discovered 

 in plowing the field. Ten or twelve were located by sounding with an 

 iron rod, all in the area of 2 or 3 acres. Some time previous to the 

 exploration above mentioned a complete skeleton had been washed out 

 of the bluffs on the northern shore; but portions of the indurated sand 

 slab are still in sight in the bank, and many fragments lay in tbe water 

 at the base of the bluff. One of these pieces had some rude carvings 

 of arrow or spear-heads cut into the surface. The fragment having 

 these marks upon it seemed to be formed by the union of pine tar or 

 pitch with sand, and was quite soft. 



The field in which these graves are located was in cultivation at the 

 time, and it was almost impossible to dig witbout disturbing the grow- 

 ing crop. Fortunately a grave was found at the intersection of two 

 walks, and the penetration of the cement discovered portions of a hu- 

 man skeleton, very much decayed, and quantities of broken pottery. 

 Tbe work, however, was extremely laborious, owing to the hardness of 

 the cement and its great thickness. The tenant on the place stated 

 that he started a well near his door, and that on penetrating a slab he 

 came upon a human skeleton, whereupon he filled up the well and dug 

 in another place. About half a mile north of Escribano Point there is 

 a small sand mound, but it contains no relics. 



From this point the waters of East Bay continue very shallow for a 

 considerable distance from the shore: oyster banks are numerous, and 

 the beach is covered with shells and broken pottery. At the mouth of 

 East Eiver the shell heaps increase in size, and there are several quite 

 large and of irregular shape. On the north bank of the East Eiver, 

 and about 1 mile from its mouth, there is a small earth mound 4 or 5 

 feet high and about 75 feet in diameter. The mound is situated within 

 a short distance of the Mormon church, and as religious services were 

 in progress at the time no examinations were made. On the opposite 

 bank of the river, beginning in the field of Mr. Axelson, there are hun- 

 dreds of shell heaps of various sizes, which extend along" the shores for 

 nearly a mile. No doubt this is the site of an ancient village. Imme- 

 diately in the rear of Mr. Axelson's residence, on the slope of a hill, at 

 the foot of which is an excellent spring, is a large quadrangle formed 

 by shell banks, which evidently marks the site of an Indian village. 

 Numerous arrow heads and other relics have been obtained here, and 

 no doubt many more will be brought to light as the lands are cultivated. 



