YARROW. ] MOUND BURIAL—NORTH CAROLINA. 121 
but had gradually been plowed down; that several mounds in the neighborhood had 
been excavated, and nothing of interest found in them. I asked permission to ex- 
amine this mound, which was granted, and upon investigation the following facts 
were revealed : 
Upon reaching the place, [sharpened a stick 4 or 5 feet in length and ran it down 
in the earth at several places, and finally struck a rock about 18 inches below the 
surface, which, on digging down, was found to be smooth on top, lying horizontally 
upon solid earth, about 18 inches above the bottom of the grave, 18 inches in length, 
and 16 inches in width, and from 2 to 3 inches in thickness, with the corners rounded. 
Not finding anything under this rock, I then made an excavation in the south of the 
grave, and soon struck another rock, which, upon examination, proved to be in front 
of the remains of a human skeleton in a sitting posture. The bones of the fingers of 
the right hand were resting on this rock, and on the rock near the hand was a small 
stone about 5 inches long, resembling a tomahawk or Indian hatchet. Upon a further 
examination many of the bones were found, though in a very decomposed condition, 
and upon exposure to the air soon crumbled to pieces. The heads of the bones, a con- 
siderable portion of the skull, maxillary bones, teeth, neck bones, and the vertebra, 
were in their proper places, though the weight of the earth above them had driven 
them down, yet the entire frame was so perfect that it was an easy matter to trace 
all the bones; the bones of the craninm were slightly inclined toward the east. 
Around the neck were found coarse beads that seemed to be of some hard substance 
and resembled chalk. A small lump of red paint about the size of an egg was found 
near the right side of this skeleton. The sutures of the cranium indicated the subject 
to have been 25 or 28 years of age, and its top rested about 12 inches below the mark 
of the plow. 
I made a further excavation toward the west of this grave and found another skele- 
ton, similar to the first, in a sitting posture, facing the east. A rock was on the right, 
on which the bones of the right hand were resting, and on this rock was a tomahawk 
which had been about 7 inches in length, but was broken into two pieces, and was 
much better finished than the first. Beads were also around the neck of this one, but 
were much smaller and of finer quality than those on the neck of the first. The mate- 
rial, however, seems to be the same. A much larger amount of paint was found by 
the side of this than the first. The bones indicated a person of large frame, who, 
I think, was about 50 years of age. Everything about this one had the appearance of 
superiority over the first. The top of the skull was about 6 inches below the mark of 
the plane. 
I continued the examination, and, after diligent search, found nothing at the north 
side of the grave; but, on reaching the east, found another skeleton, in the same 
posture as the others, facing the west. On the right side of this was a rock on which 
the bones of the right hand were resting, and on the rock was also a tomakawk, which 
had been about 8 inches in length, but was broken into three pieces, and was composed 
of much better material, and better finished than the others. Beads were also found 
on the neck of this, but much smaller and finer than those of the others. A larger 
amount of paint than both of the others was found near thisone. The top of the 
cranium had been moved by the plow. The bones indicated a person of 40 years of 
age. 
‘There was no appearance of hair discovered; besides, the smaller bones were almost 
entirely decomposed, and would crumble when taken from their bed in the earth. 
These two circumstances, coupled with the fact that the farm on which this grave 
was found was the first settled in that part of the country, the date of the first deed 
made from Lord Granville to John Perkins running back about 150 years (the land 
still belonging to the descendants of the same family that first occupied it), would 
prove beyond doubt that it is a very old grave. 
The grave was situated due east and west, in size about 9 by 6 feet, the line being 
distinctly marked by the difference in the color of the soil. It was dug in rich, black 
