UNION COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 419 



The parts of skeletons found here are very long. The skulls crumble at 

 the slightest touch, but the thigh-bones cau be handled, with care. 



About five miles north of this are other mounds, located on the banks 

 of Running Lake. There are four mounds in this group, but only two 

 have been opened. Some years ago it became necessary to build a 

 bridge across the lake at the site of the mounds. The dirt for this pur- 

 pose "was taken from two of them, leaving about one-half of each. The 

 skeletons appeared to be scattered promiscuously through the earth 

 composing the mounds, and no stones were placed around them. These 

 mounds are formed of black sand and gravel mixed in with pieces of 

 shell. There are also found pottery-ware, stone and flint spear-heads, 

 stone axes, &c. The pottery has beeu in the ground so long that it is 

 almost impossible to preserve it. 



Between these mounds and those five miles south appears from the 

 remains to be what was once quite a settlement, which is now, however, 

 covered with a dense forest of large growth, as well as the crumbling 

 trunks of trees half hidden in the accumulating soil. 



In Pope County, in this State, and about fifty miles east of this, there 

 is another ver^' interesting earth-work. It occupies the summit of the 

 highest hill, very steep, and with but one approach, and this is pro- 

 tected by a stone and earth embankment across a narrow neck. The 

 defenses consist principally of stone work. Some of the stones are very 

 large, and yet have beeu brought from some other point, as none of the 

 same formation are found in this hill. Of course nothing like a true 

 wall now exists. This remain is known as the stone fort. 



Within a mile of this place, and on a high ridge, are two sepulchral 

 stone circles, but nothing has been found in them. They are evidently 

 very ancient. 



Since writing you I have made another visit to the mounds in the 

 " Mississippi bottom," and as I have obtained some rather interesting 

 additions to what I communicated before, I have concluded to write 

 again. We first opened the mound described as the large mound in 

 front of the opening of the earth- works. It was my intention to have 

 dug a ditch through the mound, but the weather was so warm the men 

 could not endure the work, so I commenced by sinking a hole in the 

 center where the depression which I mentioned exists. After going 

 down about three feet we came to what looked like a chimney made of 

 sun-burned brick, and on removing some four feet of this we came to 

 the foundation. We then ditched both ways, east and west, and came 

 on one side to a wall, on removing the earth from which, we found it to 

 be arched. The arch appeared to have been formed in three layers of 

 stone with a layer of grass between each, but looked as though it had 

 b6en exposed to fire. At the bottom and around the chimney there ap- 

 peared to have been placed a matting made of cane, but not firm enough 

 to be moved only in small particles. Here we found earthen pots re- 

 spectively of the capacity of one, one and a half, and two gallons j the large 



