FOWKE] EXPLORATIONS IN RED RIVER VALLEY 419 
over, had any excavation been made in the topmost layer after it had 
settled firmly the marks would still be visible. 
Nothing more was found in the upper portion of the trench. 
All the loose earth was dragged to the outside with scrapers and 
the removal of the 5-foot stratum at the bottom was begun. 
The face of this, at the base, was a little more than 22 feet south 
from the center, which was assumed to be directly under the high- 
est point of the mound as it stood when the excavation was started. 
All the material in this block was exceedingly diversified in 
composition and color. 
Within a few inches, west of the center line, was the edge of a 
shallow, saucer-like depression nearly 4 feet across and less than 
6 inches deep, its bottom within 6 inches of the base of the mound. 
It was lined with decayed bark on which were soft fragments of 
bones, the teeth showing them to be those of an infant. At the 
head was a small vase, apparently of “ flowerpot” shape, in many 
pieces. The body had been covered with a mass of clay which 
was 6 inches thick at the center and thinned to an edge around 
the margin. Over this was more bark, the two layers uniting 
beyond the clay. 
A foot above this, extending for several feet north and a little 
to the east, was a similar but much larger grave. In this, also, 
were some pieces of bone too decayed to identify; with them were 
fragments of a small pot, apparently of globular form. 
Near the center line, 3 feet up, was another grave, as indicated 
by two layers of bark separated by 6 inches of earth. There was 
nothing in this grave, not even a trace of bone. 
West of the center line, 214 feet up, was a grave with traces of 
an infant’s bones, and pieces of a small pot so soft and crushed 
they could not be saved. 
Toward the east side was a grave, with a pot crushed flat. 
These five graves lay within the zone from 15 to 22 feet out from 
the center; all the bodies were buried, or placed, in the mound while 
the work of construction was going on. 
Near the center line was an irregular hole 2 feet deep, of several 
bushels capacity, which was filled with material washed into it from 
a limited space close around it; successive laminae of silt and coarser 
earth showed that they were the result of many rainfalls. Yet there 
was no trace of vegetable growth around it; nor was there in any 
part of the mound so far as it was examined. Apparently the proc- 
ess of construction was sufficiently continuous that not even weeds 
gained a footing. There was nothing to indicate the purpose of 
this hole. 
