PEOCEEDINGS OF THE EEGEXTS. 87 



most interesting on the south side of Owl creek. I noticed one at the 

 village of Savannah, and a very remarkable circular mound, raised by a gradual 

 and equal slope from all sides to the centre, "which (the centre) I judged to be 

 about 3 feet higher than the sides, and the diameter of the whole about 100 feet. 

 I regretted that I had not more leisure to devote to the study of these singular 

 antiquities, but my mission was one of mercy, and afi'orded me little time for 

 antiquarian research or speculation. 



When peace shall be restored to our distracted country, it would be avcII for 

 some one or association to pursue a systematic and thorough exiimination of 

 all our antiquities, and to trace the progress of those remains from the rude 

 structures in Canada, south to Central America ; for, from my OAvn observations, 

 I am satisfied that these remains attest a gradual improvement of the race or 

 races that constructed them from the north to the south. The Missouri cities 

 and villages were doubtless mere mud huts, and perhaps adobes, such as still 

 are used in northern and New Mexico, which in central and southern -Mexico 

 and Central America are improved into structures of solid masonry, with sculp- 

 tures and hieroglyphics. Whether these were all the work of one race of men, 

 CixUed by some the mound-builders, or of several distinct races, may never be 

 latisfactorily settled; but a systematic study of the Avhole will afi'ord an in- 

 seresting chapter in the unwritten history of man. 

 Truly yours, 



I. DILLE. 



Valparaiso, September 17, 1862. 



Dear Sir: 1\\ reply to your esteemed favor of the 23d July, I beg leave to 

 state, what I had omitted in my former communication, that the case of 

 skulls, &c., from Patagonia, was forwarded by me to the care of the United 

 States consul at Panama, by the British mail steamer, expenses thereon paid 

 by rae in advance as far as Panama. ■ I would gladly have done so to the port 

 of delivery, but found no means of effecting it. By this time I shall hope that 

 they are in your possession. Since you manifest an interest in the subject, I 

 •shall take an early opportunity of /orwardmg to the Institute the specimen of 

 an Atacama mummy — one which I found myself several ycai's ago in the 

 neighborhood of the volcano of that name, and which I lefi deposited with a 

 friend. I. have ordered it to be sent to the coast, along with the utensils and 

 articles of dress and use that were found with the body. At the same time 

 1 shall take the liberty of adding a few observations explanatory of the circum- 

 stances under which these relics are generally Ibund, and the probable origin of 

 the custom. 



Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



AQ. PJED, M. D. 



Joseph Kkxry, Esq., 



Umitlisonian Institution, Washington. 



The account of the human remains mentioned by Dr. Eied in the fore^-oin"- 

 letter v/ill be found in the appendix to the present report. 



261 Greene Street, New York, 



November 7, 1862. 

 Dear Sir: I enclose herewith a draft of the proposed circular (philological) 

 accompanied by the alphabet drawn up by Pi-ofessor Whitney, and the standard 

 comparative vocabulary used by Gallatin and Hale. It was at first my inten- 



