26 JAMES AND POTOMAC ARCHEOLOGY [e?hnology 



stratum of gravel and bowlders, some of tliem as large as a flour barrel. 

 Many large stones were ia the earth containing tlie bodies. Several 

 skulls were flattened by rocks thrown or laid on them at the time of 

 burial. Two skulls had transverse incisions on the left side, such as 

 might have been made by an iron tomahawk or small hatchet. In one 

 grave were found nearly all the bones of a skeleton except the skull; 

 in another all the bones of the body and arms were recovered, but not 

 the skull or leg bones. Altogether portious of 01 ditterent skulls were 

 obtained, showing that at least 03 persons were buried here, besides 

 the 30 or 40 reported by the railroad excavators. 



A battle was fought at this point in the year 1700 between whites 

 and Indians, 25 or 30 of the former being killed; but the number of 

 of skeletons of persons who could not have been engaged in such an 

 affray, especially those of children, precludes the idea that this was the 

 burial place of the slain ou this occasion. 



Just south of the southern pit were two barbecue holes, near each 

 other, containing only a few deer bones ; and northwest of the northern 

 pit, beyond where any remains were found, was a fire bed about 8 feet 

 across, the earth' burned red to a depth of G inches, and covered by a 

 layer of ashes from 2 to 3 inches thick. Not even a potsherd was 

 found in it. 



There are no traces of a village site in the vicinity. Two miles 

 north is a place where it is said bones have been exposed by plowing, 

 but no art relics have been discovered. 



INDIAN DliAFT. 



This is a small tributary of Jackson river, flowing into it 6 miles above 

 Covington. A level bottom of about 50 acres, subject to overflow, 

 extends along the river above the creek. Excavation was not per- 

 mitted excei)t in a narrow strip a few yards in length along the road- 

 side. In this small space 10 skeletons were found from a foot to 2 feot 

 beneath the surface, the bones being much decayed. Among them were 

 the remains of 2 small children and also of a child apparently about 14 

 years of age. All were crowded into the smallest possible space. They 

 lay ou either side, with the heads in various directions. Most of the 

 bodies had been buried with the flesh; of 2 or 3 apparently only the 

 skeletons had been interred. With one this was very plainly the case. 

 The bones were at a depth of 2 feet; the femurs lay side by side, but with 

 the ends reversed ; some ribs were at the top of the skull, which lay on 

 the left side; the sacrum, one scapula, and some vertebrte lay at the 

 base of the skull, while other vertebra^ lay at the top in front of the 

 face. 



The only articles found with the bones were a few pieces of pottery, 

 including some that had formed part of a vessel of 2^ to 3 gallons 

 capacity. 



Half Avay between Falling Spring and Indian Draft, and a little more 

 than a mile from each, is a mound 3 feet high and 30 feet in diameter. 



