28 TRANSACTIONS OF THE [NOV. 9, 
wassee River north to Chattanooga, south where it dips below the 
bed of the Tennessee River. 
The surface of the west side of the inner course of stones is cut 
into rounded ridges with hollows between, and the characters are 
raised on the crest of the ridges, and are from two inches to three 
inches in width, with a few larger groups. 
Mr. J. Hampden Porter says, in a letter from Chatata, October 
Q1st: ‘It is not a wall but a red sandstone ridge, faced with red, 
slaty, and yellow clays to an unknown depth. No implements and 
no traces of previous excavations have been found.” The faces of 
the other course of stones are level and not cut into grooves. Be- 
tween the courses is found a dark-red cement, which is probably 
formed of red clay with salts carried down by water. 
Mr. Porter says: “As a rule inscriptions are intended to be 
read. . . . . I do not remember any instance of a designed con- 
cealment like this.” 
The architect of the Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt, cut his name 
on the stone, covered it with plaster, and moulded Pharaoh’s name 
in the covering. Time tore off the plaster and exposed the builder’s 
name. This concealment in Tennessee may have been effected in a 
time of invasion or some great social calamity. 
Hight hundred and seventy-two characters have been examined, 
many of them duplicates, and a few imitations of animal forms, the 
moon and other objects. Accidental imitation of oriental alphabets 
are numerous. 
The rock was chiseled in the form of letter intended, a hard 
cement worked in and raised above the surface, and a cement placed 
over the whole, against which the outer course of stones was placed, 
fitting closely. A piece of this covering cement with the letter-form 
in its surface is engraved here. The bird or other animal is the 
largest of that kind of figures that is found on the wall. Some of 
these forms recall those on the Dighton Rock, and may belong to 
the same age. How many other hidden inscriptions there may be 
in this, the geologically oldest continent, it is impossible to say but 
delightful to conjecture. This wall would be a valuable and in- 
teresting addition to the Metropolitan Museum. 
Considerable discussion followed the reading of this paper, and _ 
was participated in by Drs. JuLieNn and Boiron, and Pror. Marvin 
and others. 
Prof. D. S. Martin spoke at some length upon the features of 
peculiar interest connected with the series of scientific meetings 
held during August, 1891, at Washington, particularly the Inter- 
national Geological Congress. He described in outline the general 
plans and arrangements “for the session and the topics that were 
discussed on the several days. The exhibition of geological 
material and literature was referred to and some of its leading 
features specified; among these, the great display made by the 
