150 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES. 



mixed earth above it. This clay siu-face was therefore the bottom of an 

 excavation which had been made about one a half feet below the natural 

 grade in the middle, and of a shallow basin or saucer-like form, and, as 

 nearly as could be determined, about six by eight feet across, and largest 

 from north to south, the slope being gradual from the middle upward on 

 all sides. Very few and poorly preserved fragments of bones were to be 

 found, amounting to less than two ounces probably in all. At some dis- 

 tance south of the center was the body or solid portion of a human cer- 

 vical vertebra, the processes being decayed, worn, or broken off. Near 

 the middle were a few small bits of bone, as soft and friable as the clay it- 

 self, and quite undistinguishable as to the portion of the skeleton to which 

 they belonged. None of the leg bones, which are usually best preserved, 

 and none probably belonging to a skull were found. A little to the south 

 of the center we discovered a very perfectly wrought stone pipe of the 

 ordinary pipe stone, red and gray colors mixed. It is of the type inva- 

 riably found in the mounds of this region, i. e., the base being about 

 three times as long as wide, curved slightly upward in the middle, and 

 transversely convex on the under side, the bowl, which in this case is a 

 plain round one, standing upon the middle of the base, and a small hole 

 drilled through the base from one end to communicate with the cavity of 

 the bowl. A flattened oval stone, of dimensions about IfxH inches and 

 1 inch thick, apparently artificially wrought or worn by use, was found. 

 A fragment of pottery, about an inch square, was all that was discovered. 

 All of these articles were placed, not at the bottom of the excavation, 

 but about three feet down, or slightly below the level of the natural grade. 



Eev. J. Gass, W. H. Pratt and John Hume were appointed 

 a special committee on Mound Explorations. 



July 4th, 1877.— This morning at about 9 o'clock. Judge Wm. Cook 

 hauled the first load of stone for the new building of the Academy, and 

 Mr. A. C. Fulton brought a corner-stone. About fifteen members were 

 present, and Mr. Hunting made a brief informal address. 



July 13th, 18Y7. — Historical Section. 



J. A. Crandall in the chair. 



Seven members present. 



Mr. W. C. Putnam read the second part of his paper upon 

 "Davenport and Yicinity in the War of 1812," giving an 

 account of the defeat of Major Taylor and several hundred 

 Americans by a large force of British and Indians, in August, 

 1813, on the three willow islands opposite the lower part of our 

 city, and his subsequent retreat down the river to St. Louis. 



