General Parsons' Discoveries in iJic Western Countr}/. 121 



Allegany river (which extends abont two hundred miles 



N. E. from this place) and the Monongahela; which in its 

 meanders waters a country south eastward about three hun- 

 dred miles. From this point begins the river Ohio^ which 

 after running in its serpentine, course, more than eleven 

 hundred and eighty miles, and receiving in its progress ma- 

 ny large rivers from the east, and from the west, falls into 

 the Missisippi in about Lat. 36° 40^ At Bedford, on my 

 road to this place, I was informed by Col. Wood, of many 

 curious discoveries lately made in the West Country :. among 

 others, that, in digging a celhir at a place called Wheeling^ 

 ninety seven miles down the Ohio, at several feet depth in 

 the earth, was discovered a stone wall laid in lime. I ar- 

 rived at Wheeling the 3d of November, and made strict in- 

 quiry into this account; and was informed by Mr. Zancs, 

 an intelligent, sensible man, and one of the legislature of 

 Virginia, that in digging for a cellar, not far from that 



had been discovered a wall some feet under the earth, 

 yery regularly laid up, apparently the work of art; but he 

 knew nothing of the circumstance related of its being ce- 

 mented with lime. From this, on the fourth, I went to 

 Grave Creek, twelve miles down the river. Here is a 

 mound of earth, plainly the work of mens' hands, called an 

 Indian grave. It is of a conical form, in height about 

 eighty feet. It ascends in an angle of about 45"*. The di- 

 ameter at the top is about sixty feet, the margin enclosing a 

 retrular concave, sunk about four feet in the centre. Near 



top stands an oak, about three feet in diameter. I did 



not 



O 



