MOUND-BUILDERS IN ILLINOIS. 255 



Thus it will be seen that three types of the mounds are found in this 

 county. The oblong ones are not numerous. Circular mounds, from 10 

 to 15 feet in diameter and from 2 to 6 feet high, abound. An interest- 

 ing group of large ones almost surrounds the oblong and turtle mound 

 above referred to. There is a large group of the circular variety on the 

 north bank of Rock Eiver, about six miles below the city. They exist 

 in manj^ places aloug the stream in scattered groups. But the locality 

 where they are met with in the greatest numbers is on the banks of the 

 Kishwaukee, in the southeastern part of the county, near the confluence 

 of the two streams of that name. Scores of them are scattered about 

 here, and scores more have been well-nigh obliterated by the plowshares. 

 This was a favorite spot with the mound-builders. Many relics, includiug 

 some of copper, have been picked up, disturbed in their places of deposit 

 by continued cultivation and plowing. 



Jo Daviess County, contains great numbers of these mounds. Dr. J. 

 S. Love, of Hanover, writes me that there are from three to four hun- 

 dred around that place, mostly on or near the banks of Apple Eiver. 

 The locality is one of wild beauty, and such as would attract the mound- 

 builders and become a swarming center of population. Among these 

 are two well-marked chains of fortifications — a rather unusual kind of 

 works for this part of the country. 



From excavations made in these mounds have been taken many beads; 

 arrow-poiuts and spears made from red, white, and black chert aud flint; 

 one large battle-ax, 8 inches long, 5 inches wide, and 2 inches thick ; 

 pestles for pounding corn ; one chisel of flint, and one carved stone 

 pipe. No galena, so far as I know, has been found in these mounds, 

 although they are not far distant from the famous Elizabeth diggings. 

 Mounds abound near this latter place, but I have no special information 

 of their character or numbers. 



In Carroll County there are some interestiog works of the mound- 

 builders. About two miles northeast of the city of Mount Carroll, in 

 the southern margin of Arnold's Grove, three mounds, of rather large 

 size, and somewhat oblong in shape, stand side by side. They were 

 opened a few years ago, but nothing except remains of ashes and char- 

 coal, with a few fragments of bones far gone in decay, were found. On 

 section 32, in the town of Woodbind, about six miles west of Mount 

 Carroll, are several groups of mounds. Most of them are the small, 

 common, round mounds. But one group is an exception to this rule. 

 Some of these seem to be unfinished works, some are circular in form, 

 some have a simple depression in the middle, and some are the common 

 round mounds. Ashes and burnt bones were found a few years ago by 

 digging into a few of them. The jaw-bone and teeth of a skeleton were 

 exhumed at the same time, but these evidently belonged to a later time. 

 There is an old tradition coming down from the later Indian tribes which 

 once dwelt here that these were cremation mounds. The internal evi- 

 dences found by digging them open would seem to confirm this tradition. 



