British Inch as the Unit of Measure of the Mound Builders. 6}^ 



groupings themselves, show, by the extraordinary variety, yet per- 

 fect dependence, or rather inter-relation, the one upon or with the 

 other, that the surveys were actual, and the aieasures correct as re- 

 ported. The impression produced by the investigation of the re- 

 ported measures of these works, is almost irresistable that they are 

 constructions of to-day, made by use of our standard measures, in 

 the familiar denominations thereof. So strong is this impression 

 that unless fortified by proof made positive, it would appear that 

 no reasonable man can believe that the exact measures were cor- 

 rectly reported by Mr. Charles Whittlesey, and by Messrs. Squier 

 and Davis; and this even in the face of the high standing of these 

 gentlemen, and their reiterated averments that their measures were 

 carefully and minutely taken "with compass, line and rule," and 

 were reliable. 



I have tried as far as possible to make their own assertion as to 

 their measures good, by intrinsic evidence, and judge that this has 

 been done; for certainly no one could suspect them of purposely 

 making so elaborate and coherent a system'of interrelated measures? 

 either when taking the surveys, or as an after-thought, when the 

 "field notes" were brought together. It would have been prepos- 

 terous for them to have attempted such a thing; nor had they tried, 

 could they, unless by notable perversions, and with very great 

 labor and ingenuity, have fabricated with a different set of measures 

 than used by the Builders, a fraud which would have borne the 

 test of such an analysis as the above. 



The discovery of a unit of measure, which exactly fits to the 

 construction of all these works, showing so perfisct a system, as re- 

 ported, was the one thing wanting to justify the measures themselves 

 as being rightly taken, and perfectly satisfy the most skeptical. 

 This discovery was made, as already stated, by Mr. R. B. Moore, 

 in the elliptical stone in the treasures of the Natural History Soci- 

 ety. It is simply our '■'■two foof rule over again, but connected 

 with another unit of measure, which we do not possess, viz , that 

 of 9 inches. 9X12 inches =108 inches, i2X-|=io-5) or 9-pi2 

 divided by 2 equals 10.5 inches, while 12X44=528 inches. The 

 application of these very simple grades of measure explains the 

 base of the construction of all the ancient "Sacred Enclosures" of 

 the Ohio Valley. Dr. Drake reported the measure of the ellipti- 

 cal mound in which the measuring stone was found, as about 440 

 feet in circumference. 



(to be continued.) 



