184 I)avp:xi'<)kt academy of xaturai. scien^ces. 



high, and close to it on the north side, is a ditch five feet in depth 

 ajid twenty feet wide. (See diagTani.) 



The nortlierly wall is five feet high, and ininiediately north of it is 

 also a ditch, five feet wide and twelve feet across. Both walls and 

 ditches are of course very much worn down by the action of the ele- 

 ments during- the lapse of many years. 



The two ravines on the east and west sides of this spot are conver- 

 gent and both unite with a still larger one which runs eastward near- 

 ly pai-allel with the walls above described, at a distance of 35 rods 

 from the southerly wall. 



The ravines are lUO feet or more in deptli and very steep. These 

 ravines and the south wall thus enclose a sul)-rectangular area of 

 about five acres. 



On the steep slope of the ravine on the west and near the toj), 

 three rods south of the south wall, is a circular excavation, nerly 100 

 feet in diameter, and ru)\v fifteen to twenty feet deep, tnade partly by 

 excavating and partly liy fjuilding up a wall around the west or down- 

 hill side. At the lower side is an opening or passage-way through this 

 wall, which was formerly very narrow, but now somewhat worn away. 



This passage way may bn of lat ?r date, but no one knows, and it is 

 impossible now to ascertain the fact. Directly west of- this, at the 

 bottom of the ravine, are two flowing springs, (OO) some three 

 or four rods apart. The water of tlie northerly one is very cold ami 

 pure; the southerly one is a sulphur s]iring. 



Over this whole area ai-e scattered the stumps of large trees, sev- 

 eral of which are directly upon the walls and in the ditches; showing 

 that many centuries have elapsed since the construction of the work, 

 and probably since its final abandonment. 



As a work of defence, it is pretty well adapted for resisting assault, 

 the hills on three sides being very steep, and the two earth- walls — 

 which probably were formerly much higher than now — each having, 

 outride of it, a once very deep ditch. The spring water close at 

 hand would also be an indispensable requisite to sustaining a siege. 

 It would seem, however, to afford not nnich ])rotection, except by its 

 distance, against missiles from the ])luffs on three sides. 



It has been conjectured — Ijut never determined bv (Exploration — 

 that, possibly, the circular depression may be the remains of a well 

 or passage-way down to the level of the springs, to reach the wa- 

 ter without exposure to the attacks of an enemy. 



