MONUMENTS OF THE SOUTHERN STATES. 117 



of the compass ; a feature not observed in any of the others above noticed. They 

 all, however, appear to have been placed with some reference to these points, — 

 probably as near as they could be located without instruments. 



At the junction of the Washita, Tenza, and Catahoola rivers in Louisiana, is a 

 most remarkable group of ancient remains, of which no plan has yet been pubhshed. 

 They have nevertheless been often referred to, and are described as consisting of 

 a number of mounds, some rectangular and others round, embraced within a large 

 enclosure of not far from two hundred acres area.* The principal mound is said 

 to be circular, four hundred feet in diameter at the base, ninety feet in height, 

 truncated, and having a level area at its summit, fifty feet in diameter. The 

 summit is reached by a spiral pathway, which winds with an easy ascent around 

 the mound, from its base to its top. This pathway is sufficiently broad to permit 

 two horsemen to ride abreast. From the sununit a wide prospect is commanded. 

 Here, upon penetrating the earth to a slight depth, strong traces of fire are visible. 

 The ground upon which the mound stands is somewhat elevated above the sur- 

 rounding plain, which is low and marshy .f 



The great mound at Seltzertown, near Washington, Mississippi, is one of very 

 singular construction. It consists of a truncated pyramid six hundred feet long 

 by about four hundred broad at its base, covering nearly six acres of ground. Its 

 sides correspond very nearly with the four cardinal points, its greatest length 

 being from east to west. It is forty feet in perpendicular height ; and is surrounded 



* Stoddard, in his History of Louisiana, p. 349, gives an account of some works near the junction of the 

 Washita, Acatahoola, and Tenza, probably the very ones in question. His account is subjoined : 



" Not less than five remarkable mounts are situated near the junction of the Washita, Acatahoola, and 

 Tenza, in an alluWal soil. They are all enclosed in an embankment, or wall of earth, at this time ten feet 

 high, which contains about two hundred acres of land. Four of these mounds are nearly of equal dimen- 

 sions, about twenty feet high, one hundred broad, and three hundred long. The fifth seems to have been 

 designed for a tower or turret ; the base of it covers an acre of ground ; it rises by two stages or steps ; 

 its circumference gradually diminishes as it ascends ; its summit is crowned by a flattened cone. By 

 admeasurement the height of this tower is found to be eighty feet. Perhaps these works were designed 

 in part for defence, and in part for the reception of the dead." 



There is a shght discrepancy in the dimensions of these works, as given by Prof. Rafinesque and Mr. 

 Stoddard. Both agree, however, respecting their vast size, and general character. 



f This monument is not singular. Mounds with spiral pathways are frequent at the South, and are 

 occasionally found at the North. Bartram describes one on the Savannah river in Georgia : — " Tiiese 

 wonderfid labors of the ancients stand in a level plain near the bank of the river. They consist of conical 

 mounds of earth and four square terraces, etc. The great mound is in form of a cone, about forty or fifty feet 

 high, and the circumference of its base is two or three hundred yards ; it is entirely composed of the loamy 

 rich earth of the low grounds ; the top or apex is flat ; a spiral path or track leading from the ground up 

 to the top is still visible : there appear four niches excavated out of the sides of this hill, at Jifi'erent 

 heights from the base, fronting the four cardinal points ; these niches or sentry-boxes are entered into 

 from the winding path, and seem to have been meant for resting-places or look-outs." — Bartram s Travels 

 in N. America, p. 323. 



The niches here mentioned have been occasionally observed in Mississippi and Louisiana, placed at 

 rio-ht ano-les in respect to each other, and not always, though sometimes, corresponding to the cardinal 

 points. It has been suggested that they were designed as recesses for idols, or places where altars were 

 erected. It seems likely that proper investigation would throw light u[)ou this point. 



