68 



MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



The sm'face of tlu' field around the mouuds is xiueveu and looks as 

 though the latter had been heaped up with dirt taken from about theui, 

 leaving irregailar depressions. 



THK DOUSF.MAN MOUND. 



A mound of the usual conical form, about a mile and a half north of 

 Prairie du Chien, 75 feet in diameter and 5 feet high, situated on the 



land of Mr. H. L. Douse- 

 man, was opened with the 

 following result: It was 

 composed throughout of a 

 black sandy loam, like the 

 surface soil of the field in 

 which it stands, the mate- 

 rial probably coming from 

 what seems to be an artifi- 

 cial depression immediate- 

 ly southeast of it. The an- 

 nexed figure (Fig. 27) is a 

 horizontal plan showing 

 the relative positions of the 

 skeletons and other things 

 discovered therein. Fig. 28 

 is a vertical section. About 

 (i feet east of the center (at 

 />), and 2 feet below the sur- 

 face, was a regularly built, solid, oblong pile of small rough sandstone 

 and limestone fragments 2 feet long east and west, 18 inches wide, and 

 15 inches high. Under it were portions of a human skeleton, but the 

 skull was wanting ; the bones were very soft and badly decayed. 



Fig. 27. — Douseman mound (pl.in), Prairie du Chien.Wis. 



North of the center, at c, 2 feet below the surface, was another pile of 

 similar dimensions, but oval and hollow. At d was a third of similar 

 size and form, and at e a fourth. These three were regularly built of 

 soft, coarse-gi-ained sandstones, which bear indications of fire, though 

 no charcoal or ashes were on or about them. No bones were seen in 

 or under either of these three piles or little vaults. Quite a number of 

 shell beads were found some 10 or 12 inches below the surface, imme- 

 diately under which was a folded skeleton /, head south, face west. Re- 

 mains of two other skeletons were found, one in the center at f), at the 

 base of the mound. This was so completely decayed that fragments of 



