THOMAS. I 



HOUSTON COUNTY, MINNESOTA. 



45 



HOUSTON COUNTY. 



Tbe extreme southeast corner of this county, which is also the south- 

 east poiutof the State, is Just north of the town of New Albin, Iowa, 

 at the confluence of Winnebago creek with the Mississippi river. 

 About 1 mile uortli of this point, upon the summit of a cliff rising 

 vertically 400 or 500 feet from the eastern or Mississippi valley side, 

 and barely accessible for a pedestrian up the steep and somewhat rocky 

 slopes on the south, west, and north sides, three mounds were found 

 and excavated, with the following results: 



No. 1, about 30 feet in diameter a-nd 6 feet high, of the usual conical 

 form, on the summit of the cliff, had already been opened sufficiently to 

 remove therefrom the skeleton of an Indian warrior, together with his 

 gun, hatchet, etc. The excavation which had been made was still 

 partly open, and extending downward only about half the depth of the 

 mound. Digging down about a foot farther into the hard, lightcol 

 ored earth, apparently a mixture of clay and ashes, a stone slab was 

 encountered something over 2 feet long, something less in width, and 5 

 inches thick, of the same kind of rock as that found in the clift". 

 This was lying flat upon others of various sizes, which were placed 

 edgewise, so as to form an oblong cist or coffin, but so small that its 

 contents, the decayed bones of an adult, were nearly in a heap, as 

 though the skeleton had been folded and deposited after the flesh was 

 removed. No implements oi' other vestiges of art were found. 



Fig. 5. — Mound vault, Houston county. Minnesota. 



No. 2. This interesting mound, situated about 50 feet south and 

 somewhat down the slope from No. 1, is circidar, about 25 fee^in diam- 

 eter and G feet high. An excavation had been made in the top to the 

 covering or top slabs of a stone vault or chamber which further explo- 

 ration showed the mound to contain. The form of this vault is shown 

 in Fig. 5. It was about G feet in diameter throughout, and before it 

 was disturbed probably reached nearly or quite to the top of the 

 mound. 8ome of the top rocks had been thrown down, and, with some 

 small human bones, were lying on the slope of the mound. The floor 

 of the inner area was filled to the depth of about 2 feet with charcoal, 

 ashes, and split bones of animals, among which were found two roughly 

 chii)ped scrapers or skinners. This accumulation had not been dis- 

 turbed by those who made the first partial opening above, and who, as 

 was learned, had unearthed the skeleton of an Indian child, with some 

 modern beads and other trinkets. 



