PALMER ON UTAH MOUNDS. 167 



September 10th and lltli ; also, to the Y. M. C. A. for the use 

 of their rooms for said lectures. 



The following persons were elected regular members of the 

 Academy : Mr. John Balils, Mrs. Karolin Fejervarj, Mrs. D. 

 S. True, Mrs. L. S. Davies. 



The following paper was read : 



A Review of the Published Statements regarding the Mounds at Payson, 

 Utah, with an Account of their Structure and Origin.* 



BY DR. EDWARD PALMER. 



In Vol. II, Part 1, of the Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of 

 Natural Sciences, on page 24, it is stated that Dr. C. C. Parry read some 

 interesting extracts from a letter by a correspondent in Utah, Miss Julia 

 J. Wirt, describing the recent exploration of a mound near Utah Lake, 

 situated on the farm of Mr. Amasa Potter, adjoining Payson, Utah. As 

 the substance of tliis communication has created much unfavorable com- 

 ment, and as I have recently made a systematic examination of the 

 mounds at Payson, I beg leave to review what has been published. 



The first thing commanding our attention is the remains of a skeleton, 

 said to have been found therein, measuring six feet seven inches in 

 length. Mr. Potter, in answer to questions about this, stated to me that 

 the people carried it away, piece by piece, until notliing but the skull was 

 left, which latter his wife gave to an Indian. This appears unusual for 

 an Indian, as they do not like to look upon, much less to handle, the 

 bones of the dead, and. according to my knowledge, they will not do so 

 willingly. The correspondence further states that between the teeth of 

 the skeleton was inserted the stem of a pipe, the bowl weighing hve 

 ounces. How it happened that several feet of earth and rubbish could 

 fall upon that skeleton witliout breaking or displacing tlie pipe is some- 

 what surprising ! Mr. Potter informed me that he did not have the 

 pipe, that it was borrowed by one of his neighbors, who, on being 

 questioned, declared slie never saw it. The pipes found by me in the 

 ruins of Utah are very small and made of clay, the bowl and stem being 

 straight and continuous. There was no necessity for large pipes with 

 the ancient people of Utah. The native plants used as tobacco by them 

 was so strong that a small quantity suflSced, and hence the pipes were 

 small. 



The following, if true, would have been a most wonderful discovery : 

 "An air-tight stone box, encased in morter or potter's clay, containing 

 another stone box of about two quarts capacity, was found at the head of 

 the above mentioned skeleton. The second box contained, on opening, 

 about a quart of light mouldy wheat, of which a few of the best giains 

 were planted and grew." On making inquiry of the residents of Payson 



♦Ante, pages 28 and 82. 



