52 Some Considerations on the Mound Builders. 



been for the residence of chiefs, or for the elevation of 

 temples, or for the performance of public rites. 



Others are long rectangular inclosures, apparently 

 places for public games or sports. 



Others comprise a vast series of embankments ; cir- 

 cles, squares, connecting avenues, and other geometrical 

 figures, as surprising by the precision of their outline 

 as by their magnitude. At these, conjecture is baffled. 



Others again are simply raised figures of men, ani- 

 mals, birds, reptiles, on a gigantic scale. Here, too, 

 even guessing fails. 



From the predominance of mounds in these struc- 

 tures, their unknown architects, long since extinct, are 

 called the Race of the Mound Builders. They left no 

 history but their works. The Indians who lived in 

 the last two hundred years knew nothing, and say the 

 tribes who preceded them knew nothing of them. If 

 we would learn their history we must appeal to the 

 works themselves. 



The study that has been bestowed upon them is not 

 wholly without result. What I have to say of their 

 builders will be grouped under the following heads: 

 Where did they live? When did they live? How 

 did they live? Who were they? What became of 

 them ? 



Upon all these points, except the last, something can 

 be said that is not pure guess-work. 



WHAT ARE THE WORKS ? 



The first step is to determine what are the works 

 of this distinct race — to eliminate mounds thrown up 

 by the present race of Indians. The groups of small 



