26 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [But 37 
worn. Of the skulls, only part of the top of one and part of the 
orbit of the other remained; but these were solid and strong, the 
latter especially so, having a smooth polished appearance as if it had 
been much handled. 
Near the center, just above the bottom, lay loose in the earth a 
lower jaw of a young person, well polished. It is not unusual to 
find bones, especially skulls, which seem to have been long preserved 
and much worn by rubbing or carrying around. Three or 4 feet 
from the jaw was the right half of a frontal bone, with the orbit, of 
a young infant. 
MOUND NO. 8 
The eighth mound was almost effaced. On the ground were a piece 
of a tibia and a broken columella. No grave could be found. 
THe Dawson Mounps (9) 
On the farm of Mr. A. R. Dawson, a mile west of Hartsburg, were 15 
mounds. Two of these, situated on a high point from which the 
ground slopes in every direction, have been much ravaged and were 
not examined. The others ranged in close order along the winding 
crest of a narrow ridge or spur, whose general trend is from northwest 
to southeast; this slopes gently on one side toward Bonne Femme 
creek, and more steeply on the other to the Missouri River bottom 
land. On the latter side, toward the foot, are bluffs which forbid 
ascent except at two points, where ravines are eroded. The longer 
axis of those mounds, which had an elliptical outline, followed the 
direction of the ridge at the points where they were located. In each 
mound opened every part was excavated except a narrow strip around 
the margin. 
MOUND NO. 1 
This mound was the farthest from the end of the ridge; it measured 
70 feet in length northwest and southeast, 35 feet in width, and 34 
feet in height. 
At a distance of 12 feet west of the center was a pavement of lime- 
stone slabs, 13 in number, covering a space 26 by 40 inches, the 
greater dimension being exactly in line with the major axis of the 
mound. Most of the slabs were broken by the weight of earth resting 
on them. Apparently they had been supported by some perishable 
material whose decay allowed them to settle unevenly into a small 
pit, dug to a depth of 8 inches in the soil, in which lay on its back, 
with the head toward the southeast, a closely folded skeleton; the 
knees were brought up to the chest, the feet were in contact with the — 
hips, and the face was turned to the left. The joints in the sacrum 
were closed solid and the teeth were much worn. The lumbar verte- 
bre and some of thé cervical vertebre were still firm enough to be 
ee 
