MOUNDS IN IOWA. o87 



farm as well was of a very fine-grained compact wood, differing- widely 

 from the oak. 



Judging from the great difference (in many respects) in the mode of 

 burial, the state of preservation of the bones, etc., it seems not improba- 

 ble that they are the remains of a different tribe of the mound-builders 

 from those who erected the line of mounds, and that the interments 

 were made at a period considerably prior to those interments in the 

 line. 



The material of all the mounds, except the charcoal and burned clay 

 mentioned, is a black, homogeneous drift soil, such as everywhere occu- 

 pies the surface of the region. No "dugholes," ditches, or excavations 

 of any kind (with the two exceptions noted) were observed near or ad- 

 jacent to the mounds, from which earth miglit have been taken for 

 their construction. The diameter of the mounds and their distance 

 apart has been ascertained by pacing.* 



One-third of a mile ta the south of the line of mounds, and at a lower 

 level, are situated several circular mounds (now nearly obliterated by 

 the cultivation of the soil) similar to those already described, none of 

 which have been explored. 



At Floyd, 4 miles farther up the Cedar from these mounds, there are 

 several other ancient mounds which in general form and appearance 

 approach those already described. 



About 8 miles to the northeast from Charles City, on the southwest 

 part of the northwest quarter of section 36, township 96, range 15, 

 Floyd County, an ancient earth-work or fortiiicatiou occurs on the east 

 side of the Little Cedar liiver.t The topography of the region in the 

 immediate vicinity of this stream is broken and possessed of considera- 

 ble beauty of natural sceuerJ^ The valley of this stream is from one- 

 fourth to one-half a mile in width, and its sides rise to a height of from 

 50 to 300 feet above the stream. 



This fortification, as will be observed by reference to the accompanying 

 map, is located about 150 feet distant from the bank of the abandoned 

 channel of the Little Cedar River, and about the same distance from a 

 ravine, which is located near the southeast extremity of the fortification 

 and which is tributary to the Little Cedar. The bottom of this ravine 

 and the abandoned channel of the Little Cedar, is from 18 to 20 feet 

 lower than the base of the fortification. This fortification is located in 

 the valley of the Little Cedar, the east valley side being one-fourth of a 

 mile from it and, as before stated, rises many feet above it. The earth- 

 work itself is 124 feet in length, 16 feet in width at the base, and 2f 

 feet in height. The top is gently oval, sides gradually sloping to the 



* Thanks are here due Mr. Scriuger, who, although most of the area occupied by the 

 mounds was also possessed by fine growing crops, willingly allowed an exploration 

 of the mounds to be made. 



tThis stream is little more than" a large creek, although receiving the appellation 

 of "river." 



