34 A N C I E N T M O N U M E N T S . 



Ohio J and consists of a high promontory, bounded on all sides, excepting an 

 interval at the west, by a precipitous limestone clifi'. Across the isthmus, from 

 which the ground gradually subsides towards the plain almost as regularly as an 

 artificial glacis, is carried a wall of earth and stones. This wall is now about 

 ten feet high by thirty feet base, and is continued for some distance along 

 the edge of the clift' where it is least precipitous, on the north. It is inter- 

 rupted by three narrow gateways, exterior to each of which was formerly a 

 mound of stones, now mostly carried away. Still exterior to these are four short 

 crescent walls, extending across the isthmus. These crescents are rather slight, 

 not much exceeding, at the present time, three feet in height. The cliff has 

 an average height of upwards of twenty-five feet, and is steep and almost inac- 

 cessible. At d d are breaks in the limestone, where the declivity is sufficiently 

 gentle to admit of a passage on horseback. At E is a fissure in the cliff, where 

 persons may ascend on foot. The valley, or rather ravine, C C, is three hun- 

 dred feet broad. Massie's creek, a considerable stream, washes the base of the 

 promontory on the north. The area bounded by the cliff and embankment is not 

 far from twelve acres. The whole is now covered with the primitive forest. 



The natural strength of this position is great, and no inconsiderable degree 

 of skill has been expended in perfecting its defences. A palisade, if carried around 

 the brow of the cliff and along the summit of the wall, would render it impreg- 

 nable to savage assault. About one hundred rods above this work, on the 

 opposite side of the creek, is a small circle, two hundred feet in diameter, 

 enclosing a mound. About the same distance below, upon the same bank, is 

 a large conical mound, thirty feet in height and one hundred and forty feet in 

 diameter at the base. No other works of magnitude are known to exist, nearer 

 than the great defensive structure on the Little Miami (Plate VII.), twenty-one 

 miles distant. 



PLATE XII. No. 4. 



This work, unlike those just described, occurs upon the high table-land bordering 

 the Scioto river bottoms, on the west bank of that stream, twelve miles above the 

 city of Chillicothe. It consists of a single wall and ditch, cutting off a high 

 promontory, formed by the declivity of the table land, and the bank of a wide 

 and deep ravine. These banks are not far from one hundred feet in height, and at 

 most points are absolutely inaccessible. It has a single gateway, opening towards 

 a copious spring, at the head of the ravine just mentioned. The wall is four 

 feet high, and the ditch of corresponding depth. There are no mounds within 

 this enclosure, nor in its immediate vicinity ; but a number of natural elevations 

 are discernible, which an unpractised eye might mistake for works of art. In 

 this instance, they may have subserved some of the purposes of the mounds. 



