GASS ON MOUND EXPLOKATIOXS. 95 



Star, about three inches in diameter ; 2d, two carved stone pipes, one 

 liaving the form of the ground hog (Fig. 4, PI. lY, Vol. I), and the other 

 a plain one : 3d, several canine teeth of the bear, etc., etc. ; 4th, one arrow 

 head; 5th, one large broken pot (which is represented, restored, in Fig. 1, 

 PL VIIl. Vol. I), with bones of the turtle adhering to the inside of the 

 fragments ; 6th, two pieces of galena ; 7th, a lump of yellow ochre. 

 Here I would also mention that at each end of this grave were found 

 several stones of a few pounds weight each. 



The fact that the bottom of this grave sloped upward and outward in 

 all directions, confirmed our opinion that all the contents of this mound 

 had been discovered, and a further search would be useless. Messrs. 

 Farquharson, Tiffany and Pratt, to whom full permission was given to 

 prosecute a further research, concurred in this opinion, and did not think 

 it advisable to avail themselves of the opportunity. The work on this 

 mound was therefore discontinued, and operations commened in an adja- 

 cent one. 



EXPLORATION OF 1877. 



In tilling the field containing these mounds, many shells were turned 

 up by the plow last summer on the north side of Mound No. 3. This cir- 

 cumstance led me to believe that the shell layers extended further to the 

 north than I had formerly supposed, and to consider it probable that on the 

 side opposite to the former excavation, i. e.,on the northern slope of the 

 mound, a second grave might be ftmnd north of the first, or some other 

 reason must exist for the extension of the shell layer so far in this direc- 

 tion. 



My intention to begin in the latter part of the summer, the work 

 of a second excavation was repeatedly frustrated by the unusual wetness 

 of the ground and various private hindrances, luitil the early setting in 

 of severe winter weather made it seem advisable to postpone operations 

 until spring. Learning, however, in December, that the farm was 

 rented to a new tenant, who was to take possession on the 1st of March. 

 1877, and that after that date the permission to excavate, which had here- 

 tofore been freely granted, could no longer be obtained, the shortness of 

 the time remaining induced me to commence a new exploration, in spite 

 of the difiiculties attending such work in winter, the ground being frozen 

 to the depth of about two and one-half feet. Accordingly, on the 10th of 

 January, the weather having somewhat moderated, I commenced the 

 work, assisted by Messrs. Willrodt and Stoltzenau, aided also by five 

 other men, whose curiosity attracted them to the spot. 



Commencing on the north side of the mound, about fifteen feet north- 

 west of the grave A, and, as we afterward found, about six feet from the 

 grave B, we made an opening several feet in diameter. Five or six 

 inches below the surface we came upon a shell layer (c), one or two inches 

 thickness, which sloped downward toward the southeast until at a dis- 

 tance of four or five feet it reached the depth of two feet, or rather more, 

 from the surface. 



Between the surface and this first layer of shells, a number of 



