MONUMENTAL REMAINS. 571 



penultimate grinder of the adult. This bone was white, all the 

 others of a sand colour. The bones of infants being soft, they 

 probablv decay sooner, which might be the case so few were found 

 here. I proceeded then to make a perpendicular cut through 

 the body of the barrow, that I might examine its internal struc- 

 ture. This passed about three feet from its centre, was opened to 

 the former surface of the earth, and was wide enough for a man to 

 walk through and examine its sides. At the bottom, that is on 

 the level of the circumjacent plain, I found bones ; above these a 

 few stones, brought from a cliff a quarter of a mile off, and from 

 the river one. eighth of a mile off; then a large interval of earth, 

 then a stratum of bones, and so on. At one end of the section 

 were four strata of bones plainly distinguishable ; at the other, 

 three ; the strata in one part not ranging with those in another. 

 The bones nearest the surface were least decayed. No holes were 

 discovered in any of them, as if made with bullets, arrows, or 

 other weapons. I conjectured that in this barrow might have 

 been a thousand skeletons. Every one will readily seize the cir. 

 cumstances above related, which militate against the opinion that 

 it covered the bones only of persons fallen in battle ; and against 

 the tradition alo which would make it the common sepulchre of a 

 town, in which the bodies were placed upright, and touching each 

 other. Appearances certainly indicate that it has derived both 

 origin and growth from the accustomary collection of bones, and 

 deposition of them together ; that the first collection had been de. 

 posited on the common surface of the earth, a few stones put over 

 it, and then a covering of earth ; that the second had been laid on 

 this, had covered more or legs of it in proportion to the number 

 of bones, and was then also covered with earth, and so on. The 

 following are the particular circumstances which give it this as- 

 pect. 1, The number of bones. 2. Their confused position. 

 3. Their being in different strata. 4. The strata in one part 

 having no correspondence with those in another. 5. The different 

 states of decay in these strata, which seem to indicate a difference 

 in the time of inhumation. C. The existence of infant bones 

 among them. But on whatever occasion they may have been made, 

 they are of considerable notoriety among the Indians : for a party 

 passing, about thirty years ago, through the part of the country 

 where this barrow is, went through the woods directly to it, with- 

 out any instructions or enquiry; and having staid about it some 



