22 Ancient Remains, Animal Mounds, fyc. in Wisconsin. 



America are descendants from the Israelites, and probably from 

 the lost ten tribes. Historians also inform us that tumuli, similar 

 to those found in this region, were constructed by some nations 

 of antiquity, among whom were the Scythians and Tartars. 

 Could we be led to believe that North America was originally 

 peopled by these wandering hordes, we might safely conjecture 

 the origin of the myriads of various formed monuments of anti- 

 quity throughout the "great west." One matter, however, at the 

 threshold of investigation, casts an almost insuperable difficulty 

 in our way ; and this is, the fact of the non-existence of tradition 

 among the present generation of the Indian race, by which we 

 can have the least hope of unraveling the mystery. This mat- 

 ter I have made a subject of inquiry whenever meeting with an 

 intelligent, communicative Indian, and I have found that the 

 various tribes which inhabit this section of country, express total 

 ignorance on the subject of the origin of the mounds ; some 

 however are impressed with a. belief, founded upon their super- 

 stitious notions, that those in the form of animals were construct- 

 ed by the " great Manitou" — that they are indicative of plentiful 

 supplies of game in the world of spirits j they are, therefore, 

 looked upon with reverence, and are seldom molested by them. 

 Tribes and even bands differ in their conjectures with regard to 

 them. In conversing with an intelligent French gentleman, 

 who, as a trader, resided near the Pembina (Selkirk) settlements 

 on the Red River of the north, upon the subject of the antiquities 

 of that region, he related a circumstance, which, it would seem, 

 throws a glimmering light upon the origin of one class of these 

 ancient works. After the termination of a battle between the 

 Chippeways and Sioux Indians, (in which in self-defence it be- 

 came necessary for him to participate,) the women and children 

 of the former, who were the victorious party, in celebrating the 

 achievement, created a mound, from the adjacent surface, about 

 five feet in height, and in diameter eight or ten feet, upon the 

 summit of which a pole ten or twelve feet in length was planted, 

 and to this pole tufts of grass, indicating the number of scalps 

 and other trophies achieved, were tied; around this mound, the 

 warriors, with their usual ceremonies, indulged in mirth and 

 exultations over the scalps of their ill-fated foes. 



In this territory we find these works of antiquity in the dense 

 forest, giving nurture to the largest trees, which measure in some 

 instances three feet in diameter, and are frequently based upon the 



