bushnell] 



ITATIVE CEMETERIES AND FORMS OF BURIAL, 



53 



stream to the Illinois, wlio undoubtedly crossed back and forth as 

 wants and desires made necessary. Across from Kaskaskia, a few 

 miles northward, was the Saline River, a small stream along which 

 were many salt springs, and these served to attract both Indians and 

 French, who, by evaporating the brackish waters, secured a supply 

 of salt. An extensive camp site stood near the mouth of the Saline, 

 and stone-lined graves cov- 

 ered the summits of the sur- 

 rounding hills. Four graves 

 were encountered on the 

 highest point just south of 

 the site and proved of more 

 than ordinary interest. None 

 of the small group contained 

 an extended burial, but in 

 one which measured 5 feet 

 in length and 18 inches in 

 width were seven skulls and 

 a large quantity of separated 

 bones, all in a greatly decom- 

 posed condition. Another of 

 the graves presented several 

 very interesting and unusual 

 features. " The pieces of 

 limestone used in forming 

 the walls and bottom were 

 rather smaller than were 

 often emploj^ed. The ex- 

 treme length was just 6 feet, 

 and the width at the widest 

 point 15 inches. This was 

 divided into two compart- 

 ments, the larger being 4 feet 

 6 inches in length. In this 

 were the bones of a single 

 skeleton, disarticulated be- 

 fore burial. Near the skull lay a small earthen vessel (Cat. No. 

 278697, U.S.N.M.), which was saved. The smaller compartment was 

 occupied solely by a skull, facing upward, and resting upon the stone 

 which formed the bottom of the grave. It was quite evident that 

 both sections were constructed at the same time, as stones on the 

 bottom extended on both sides of the partition, and likewise the stone 

 on the north wall. Another curious feature of this grave was the 

 converging of the north and south walls to complete the inclosure 



Pig. 



-Stone-lined grave, Ste. Genevieve, Mo. 



