THOMAS] EARTHWORKS IN WISCONSIN. 47 



Mound No. 2 seems to have been purposely built upon the sunny 

 slope of the cliff just below the summit, so as to be sheltered from the 

 cold northwest winds and partly also from observation, while its oc- 

 cupants had a nearly unobstructed field for observation aud signals. 

 Unlike the other mouiuls near it which were opened, it was composed 

 wholly of the rock and soil taken fr(jni around it. Possibly it may 

 have been used as a sentry post or signal station. The charcoal, ashes, 

 aud split bones of animals wei'e doubtless the remains of the feasts 

 and fires of the watchmen; the burial of a child in the uKmnd was 

 intrusive and by modern Indians. Not a fragment of pottery was found 

 at this locality, although within 10 miles of the pottery circle in Iowa, 

 which will be noticed hereafter. 



WISCONSIN. 



The explorations in this State were confined chiefly to the southwest- 

 ern counties, though brief visits were made to some other localities, 

 where a few mouuds were opened aud some interesting groups sketched. 



DANE COUNTY. 



One group near Madison, which does not appear to have been no- 

 ticed by other explorers, was examined. This is situated about 2 miles 

 southeast of the capital and just Ijeyond the mounds near Lake Wiu- 

 gra, described by Dr. Lapham. The works consist chiefly of earthen 

 circles and ovals, which in some cases surround excavations, and are 

 shown in the annexed Fig. 6. As will be observed, with the exception 

 of No. 8, which is a low mound, situated a short distance southwest of 

 No. 7, they are in a single straight line running northwest and south- 

 east. No. 1 is a double excavation, one portion oval, the other in the 

 form of a horseshoe and surrounded by a ring of earth 1 foot high ; 

 depth of excavation from 3 to feet. Nos. 2, (J, and 7 are low mounds, 

 but the others, which are rings of earth, are about 5 feet high on the 

 outside and 4 feet on the inside, the surface of the inner area being 

 raised about a foot above the surrounding level. The respective diame- 

 ters are as follows: No. 2, 32 feet; No. 3, 3-4 feet; No. 4, 36 feet (great- 

 est diameter) ; No. 5, 28 feet; No. 6, 2G feet; No. 7, 28 feet. No. 1 is 45 

 feet long. No. 4 is not a complete circle, having a wide opening toward 

 the southwest. 



These are certainly not the work of the white man, as they present 

 nothing in common with his habits or customs. They appear now just 

 as they did in 1844, except that some of those in the field at the north- 

 west cud of the row have since been nearly obliterated by the plow. 



CKAWFOBI) COUNTY. 



The first group of mounds of this county noticed here is found on the 

 bluff just above the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers, 

 and about 5 miles southeast of Prairie du Chien. The blutts at this 



