PEATT ON ALLEN MOUNDS. 149 



mounds were in a curved row, corresponding to the contour of the bluff, 

 and nearly in a north-east and south-west direction. They were of 

 different sizes; from two and a half to five feet in height, and from 100 

 to 150 feet apart, and had never been disturbed by cultivation. The 

 locality was formerly covered with brush, but no large trees were there. 



In the first mound, counting from the east end of the row, stands a tall 

 flag staff, in excavating for which we learn that a quantity of bones were 

 discovered, but we have no details of its contents or structure. 



The fifth mound, the largest of the group, was removed in excavating 

 for the cellar of the mansion built by Col. Allen in 1871, and now occu- 

 pied by his family. A considerable quantity of human bones were 

 exhumed, probably five skeletons, and one or two quite well preserved 

 skulls, and some trinkets of brass, now lost, which last probably belong 

 to modern Indians, who may have been buried there, as is not unfre- 

 quently the case wherever the ancient mounds are found. 



The sixth or most westerly one of the group was also removed several 

 years since to level the earth for a croquet ground. Some pains were 

 taken in the exploration of this, and portions of several skeletons were 

 found with some relics, the principal of which were two eartlien vessels 

 of rather light structure and well burned. One of these, which is now 

 in the possession of the family, is of the capacity of about one quart, 

 rounded at the bottom so that it will not stand, and has four ears or lugs 

 on the outside at the top, only two of which, however, were perforated so 

 as to admit of any attachment by which to suspend it. The other vessel 

 was sent to the Smithsonian Institution by Capt. Joseph A. Crawford, 

 who, I believe, also sent an account of the mound and contents. 



The fourth mound was also removed and explored some years ago. It 

 was four or five feet high, and contained the bones, it is said, of three 

 skeletons ; also a sea shell, which is still preserved. 



Mound No. S— Special Description. — The third mound from the east end 

 was the one selected for our examination at this time. It was nearly cir- 

 cular, from thirty to forty feet in diameter, and two and a half feet high. 

 Near the middle the surface was flattened or very slightly depressed, as 

 if some excavation had been made there at some time, and it is reported 

 that some boys once dug down a sliort distance in it, and found some 

 arrow heads. We made an excavation about five feet wide, across nearly 

 the whole diameter of the mound from north to south, and found it to be 

 composed of mixed clay and black earth, containing very few small 

 gravel stones, two or three small flint flakes, no shells, no ashes, charcoal 

 or other indications of the action of fire, and only one piece of limestone. 

 This was a rough fragment, about ten inches long and one and a half by 

 three inches in thickness and width, and was near the south side of the 

 mound, and standing in an upright position, its upper end, which was 

 rather pointed, being about one and a half feet below the sod. The mixed 

 earth above mentioned extended down to four feet below the surface in 

 the middle of the mound, where we found the natm-al undisturbed yellow 

 clay very distinctly defined, and easily distinguished from the darker and 



[Proc. D. A. N. S. Vol. II.] 21 [April, 1878.] 



