218 REMARKS on THE ANCIENT Works, &c. 
who conftructed them. were not altogether in a ilate of 
uncivilization: they muft have been under the fubordina= 
tion of law, a ftridt and well governed police, or they 
could not have been kept together in fuch numerous bo- 
dies, and made to contribute to the carrying on fuch ftu- 
pendous works. But my bufinefs is to give you fads, and_ 
not to form conjectures. 
There are other matters with refpe& to this country: 
worthy attention, viz. the quantities of- SHELLS, Con- 
CRETIONS, PETREFACTIONS, BONES, &c. the marks: of 
high water, andthe NaruraLt Meapows, or as they are 
called Praires. On the head waters of the Mobile is the. 
true oyfter-fhell of a monftrous fize, and in fuch quanti- 
ties that I cannot conceive that they were tranfported from 
the fea, which is three hundred miles off. The Chickafaw. 
fay thefe fhells were there when they came into the coun- 
try. They ufe thefe fhells in making their earthen-ware.. 
The foffile-thells are found in great plenty in all parts of | 
the country, and petrefactions are very frequent, particu- 
larly at the falls of the Ohio,. Near the. bottom of the 
falls there is a {mall rocky ifland which is overflowed at 
high water. ‘This ifland is remarkable for being the. feat - 
of petrefaGions. I faw no petrefactions on it myfelf but 
wood, fifh-bones, and the roots of fhrubs which grow on 
the ifland: of thefe there was a great plenty. Gentlemen 
who have refided near, and whofe veracity is not to be 
doubted, aflured me that they had feen many different ar- 
ticles petrified, as part of a hornet’s neft, fifhes, and in . 
one inftance an intire bird. But what is more particular- 
ly to be remarked is that this petrefying quality is. confi- 
ned to the ifland, and does not fo often afford famples of 
it on the oppofite fhores: yet, there is no {pring of running 
water, and fcarcely a green thing on the ifland. Neither 
does this quality exift, in any remarkable degree, either 
above 
