PROCEEDINGS OF THE REGENTS. 99 



Lausanne, January 7, 1862. 



Sir: I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter dated July 

 18, 1861, and of a copy of my paper on arcJucohgt/, which has ap- 

 peared translated in the Institution's report to Congress printed in 

 1861. It is a great honor which has thus been conferred on my little 

 tract, and I hereby express my sincere thanks for the favor. The 

 translation is, as you remark, rather literal, but it is wonderfully cor- 

 rect, as far as the sense is concerned, and this is the capital point. 

 In due course of time I hope to publish some more papers on the same 

 subject, and I shall not fail to communicate them to the Institution. 



The United States are at present going through a crisis which, for 

 the moment, cannot be favorable to scientific pursuits. Let us hope 

 that Providence will so lead matters that the final result shall turn in 

 favor of the great and noble cause of liberty and of progress. Switzer- 

 land has seen sad times of intestine discord and of ferment from 1830 

 to 18-17, when a short but decisive civil war settled the question, and 

 now we are enjoying a state of prosperity such as we never knew 

 before. May a similar fate await your own country. 



As you mention that some more copies of rny paper might be sent 

 to me, I take the liberty of letting you know tliat they would be very 

 acceptable. 



Believe me, sir, to be yours, very respectfully, 



A. MORLOT. 



The Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. 



St. Paul, Minnesota, August 13, 1861. 



Sir: A friend of mine, Mr. Byron M. Smith, tells me that on the 

 occasion of a short sojourn in Washington last winter he paid a visit 

 to the Smithsonian Institution, and, amongst other things, understood 

 that there was in preparation, under your authority, a general map 

 of the aboriginal or other earthworks of North America. 



As this is a subject in which I have always taken a great interest, 

 I shall be pleased to assist in the compilation of such a map. If I 

 can be informed by the draughtsman, of the scale intended, I will for- 

 ward a correct geographical outline of the country between Lake 

 Superior (west end of) and the Missouri river. On a map sent to-day 

 by mail, I have marked in red the localities of such groups of small 

 mounds as exist to my knowledge. Although these works are utterly 

 insignificant when compared with those of Ohio and Wisconsin, yet a 

 knowledge of their exact localities may be useful in connexion with 

 inquiries in reference to the movements and history of the modern 

 tribes. 



Respectfullv, sir, your obedient servant, 



ALFRED J. HILL. 



Prof. Joseph Henry, 



TVashington, D. C. 



