262 NATIVE VILLAGE. [CH. VI. 



right, we encamped ou its banks, near a small hill, over- 

 looking the river, and a little beyond the camp, in the direc- 

 tion of our line of route. On this hill, were three large tombs 

 of the natives, of an oval shape, and about twelve feet in the 

 greater axis. Each stood in the centre of an artificial hol- 

 low, the mound, or tomb in the middle, being about five feet 

 high ; and on each of them were piled numerous withered 

 branches and limbs of trees, no inappropriate emblem of 

 mortality. I could scarcely doubt, that these tombs covered 

 the remains of that portion of the tribe, swept off, by the fell 

 disease, which had left such marks on all who survived. 

 There were no trees on this hill, save one quite dead, which 

 seemed to point, with its hoary arms, like a spectre to the 

 tombs. A melancholy waste, where a level country and bound- 

 less woods, extended beyond the reach of vision, was in perfect 

 harmony with the dreary foreground of the scene. (See plate 

 16.) At the base of this hill, on the west, the river took a very 

 sharp turn, forming there a triangular basin, much wider 

 and deeper than any of the reaches. Near it, we found a native 

 village, in which the huts were of a very strong and perma- 

 nent construction. One group was in ruins, but the more 

 modern had been recently thatched with dry grass. Each 

 formed a semi-circle, the huts facing inwards, or to the 

 centre, and the open side of the curve being towards the east. 

 On the side of the hill of tombs, there was one unusually 

 capacious hut, capable of containing twelve or fifteen per- 

 sons, and of a very substantial construction, as well as com- 

 modious plan, especially in the situation for the fire, which, 

 without any of the smoke being enclosed, was accessible from 

 every part of the hut. 



J'lan iij' roiif i)f u iKtIive's /int. 



