THOMAS.] BOWLDER CIRCLES. 39 



formed by throwing up the dirt from the inside. At one point it inter- 

 sects a low niouiid, seated upon the original surface, in which the owner 

 of the land discovered a skeleton. The inclosure embraces about 10 

 acres, but uo survey could be made at the time it was visited on account 

 of the high corn crop that covered it. The group of mounds and stone 

 circles above described has been accurately surveyed by Mr. F. W. Pet- 

 tigrew, of Sioux Falls. 



BOWLDER CIRCLES. 



In addition to the bowlder circles above described there are some of 

 another class, which, from all accounts, appear to be finite common 

 throughout the Dakota country. They differ from the others in that 

 they are unaccompanied by mounds, and average as a rule oidy 

 17 feet in diameter. The bowlders are much smaller and are scat- 

 tered about irregularly instead of approximating a perfect circle like 

 the others. They are, however, like these, half imbedded in the soil. 

 Formerly they were doubtless much more common, but now they are 

 found principally, if not altogether, upon the highest ridges or buttes 

 overlooking the valleys. Those visited by the Bureau agent were sit- 

 uated on Medicine Butte, near Blunt, South Dakota, and Snake Butte, 

 G miles up the Missouri river from Pierre, South Dakota. They occupy 

 the most commanding ])oints of the buttes. In fact theu" locations are 

 the very best in all tliose regions for grand, extensive views. No relics 

 of any description are found about them, and everything seems toijoint 

 to temporary occupation only. Their positions and character indicate 

 that they are the sites of old teepees, and this is confirmed by the tes 

 timony of all the old Indians and " squaw men " who were questioned 

 as to their arigin. In former times, they say, bowlders were the chief 

 means by which the Indians held down the skins of their lodges, and 

 even now it is resoi'ted to in some of their teraijorarj' camps. Bacli of 

 these groups of stone circles is accompanied by the outline figure of an 

 animal, made with such small bowlders as are available upon the site, 

 and similar to tliose composing the circles about them. Like the lat- 

 ter, they are half embedded in the grouud. The figure accompanying 

 the group upon Medicine Butte is a snake outlined with two rows of 

 bowlders. These boulders vary in size, those of the body being larger 

 than those of the tail, and that forming the nose or mouth larger than 

 those forming the head. The curvature of the body, the head, and the 

 eyes are all well defined. A sketch of this snake figure is given with 

 others of the same type by Mr. T. II. Lewis in the American Anthro- 

 pologist, vol. 9. His description is full and accurate. The figure ac 

 compauying the group on Snake butte above Pierre is that of a turtle, 

 the figure of which, with dimensions as ascertained by our assistant, is 

 given herewith (Fig. 3). It is 15 feet in length, and 7 feet across the 

 body, and is composed of 83 stones varying somewhat in size, though 

 not as much so as those forming the snake above described. A uum- 



