Indian Sepulchre. 9 
often seen the myrmelion formicarius, or ant-lion, form its cone-in- 
verted cells for the capture of unwary insects. 
Rains, frosts and winds, assist in the disintegrating process. In 
this manner large excavations have been formed, and are still form- 
ing, in the faces of the river cliffs, along the narrows of the Ohio. 
Large masses of these cliffs are detached, from time to time, and fall 
down the sides of the declivities into the bottom below, or rest on the 
sides of the hills. ‘The rock under which these relics were found is 
of this description :—as it rolled down the side of the hill, it rested 
with the oven shaped cavity underneath, being about eight feet long, 
six wide, and five high in the centre, but lower at the sides. A 
small opening however was left, which by a little enlargement ena- 
bled the Indians to enter and deposit these skeletons, which are not 
less than fifty or sixty in number. They were of all ages, and of 
both sexes, and generally in a perfect state of preservation. They 
are most probably of very ancient sepulture, as no relics, implements 
or ornaments of a metallic nature, were discovered. Many interesting 
memorials of their-own arts, and of their affection for their relatives, 
.were found, consisting of pots and vases of coarse earthen ware; 
some of them were formed with much taste and beauty of outline. 
The figures of two of them now in my possession are given below. 
Is 8 inches high; 5 inches in diameter at 
No. 1. the broadest part, and 43 inches at the neck. 
Is 6 inches high; 6 inches in diameter in 
| the largest part, and 5 inches at the top. 
They were of various magnitudes, from the capacity of a gallon 
down to a pint, and would amount in number to not less than one 
for every two skeletons, or thirty or forty pots, several being broken 
in taking out. A number of the vases still contained relics of the 
food, consisting of the bones of wie, opossums, &c., left for their 
Von. XXXI—No. 1. 
