Ancient Bones. 243 
below the surface. This skeleton was seen by several per- 
sons ; and among others, by Dre Daniel Turney, an emi- 
nent surgeon of this place ; they all concurred in the belief, 
that it belonged toa human being. Pickaway plains are, or 
rather were a large prairie, before the land was improved by 
its present inhabitants. This tract is alluvial to a great 
depth ; greater, probably, than the earth has ever been 
perforated, certainly than it has been here by the hand of 
man. The surface of the plain is at least one hundred feet 
above the highest freshet of the Scioto river, near which it 
lies. On the surface is a black vegetable mould, from three, 
to six, and nine feet in depth—then we find pebbles and 
shells imbedded among them: the pebbles are evidently 
rounded and smoothed by attrition in water, exactly such 
as we now see at the bottom of rivers, ee and lakes. I 
hand of man, for there are no marks of any grave; or 
of any of the works of man, but the earth and pebbles 
appear to lie in the very position in which they were de- 
posited by the water. This skeleton is ‘no more, but one 
skull found nearer still to this town, a drawing of which ac- 
companies this communication, I have been careful to pre- 
serve fora similar plate. (See 2d plate. 
On the North side of a small stream, called Hargus 
creek, which at this place empties into tne Scioto, in dig- 
ging through a hill composed of such pebbles as I have de- 
scribed in Pickaway plains, at least nine feet below the 
surface, several human skeletons were found, perfect in ev- 
ery limb. The drawing* which I have annexed, is exactly 
One fourth part as large as one of these skulls which is inmy 
‘possession. ‘These skeletons, thus found, were promiscu- 
* Although I profess no skill in drawing, I believe the draft is correc’. 
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