SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, 1 928 153 



but slight evidence of human occupancy. The most interesting of 

 these inland sand mounds was a large one at Citrus Center, oval in 

 outline, with three projecting arms 40, 100. and 300 feet long. There 

 was no evidence that any burials had been made in it and of cultural 

 material only a few potsherds were found. In appearance it was some- 

 what similar to the effigy mounds of the north and this resemblance 

 was increased by a semicircular embankment, averaging three feet 

 high and 10 feet wide, inclosing the greater part of the mound. 

 Another evidence of aboriginal construction undoubtedly bearing some 

 relation to this mound was a canal, still quite distinct, beginning less 

 than half a mile away and extending to the westward for about a 

 mile and a half, finally to lose itself in a swamp. 



While the much larger shell heaps examined along the coast and 

 on the keys had not in a proper sense been constructed at all, a few 

 of them appeared to have been partially leveled oiT. Another work of 

 intentional nature was a trench or canal passing through one end of a 

 large shell heap on Captiva Island. This canal extended for a short 

 distance beyond the shell heap, bordered b\- a low narrow embankment 

 of sand which continued to the northward for a quarter of a mile, at 

 which point it suddenly turned and formed a partial inclosure. The 

 piling up of the shells forming this great heap and of others similar 

 to it was, however, in no way intentional or premeditated. The heaps 

 are true kitchen-middens, having resulted from the gradual accumula- 

 tion of refuse through many years of occupancy by the Indians. This 

 is proved by the stratified condition of the middens, which is especially 

 noticeable in a number of places where they have been partially exca- 

 vated for road material, leaving banks and sections exi)osed showing 

 from top to bottom layers of ashes, burned shells and earth mixed 

 with potsherds, animal bones, and other debris. 



A short distance from the large shell heap on Captiva Island was 

 a small sand burial mound, which, like every other mound examined, 

 had been dug into by treasure seekers. For some reason Indian 

 mounds seem to be the favorite digging grounds for people in search 

 of treasure. There is always a local legend to justify the belief that 

 treasure is buried in the vicinity. Along the Gulf Coast it is usually 

 some well-known pirate who planted his golden horde ; in other places 

 it may be some historic Indian chief whose reputed wealth increases 

 with the passing of the years. The result is that there is scarcely a 

 mound in the entire Gulf region that has escaped this kind of investiga- 

 tion and many valuable bones and other specimens have thus been 

 destroyed. From the size of the excavation in this Captiva burial 



