80 MOUND EXPLOKATIONS. 



extending in a nearly straight line along the margin of the sandy level 

 known locally as "Sand Prairie," where it descends to the lower bot- 

 tom lands of Raccoon river. This level extends to the bhiffs about a 

 half mile distant, which are here very high and steep. A plan of the 

 group is given in PI. ii, from which it will be seen that it contains 22 

 mounds of various sizes. 



No. 1 of this group, 35 feet in diameter and 3 J feet high, was composed 

 throughout of black, sandy soil similar to that around it. Six inches 

 below the surface, at the center, fragments of a red earthenware vessel 

 were found, but so rotten that they fell to pieces on being handled. A 

 little north of the center, at the bottom, lying on the natural sand 

 stratum, were the remains of four skeletons, heads north. Another 

 skeleton was found in the .southern side at the same depth, folded, 

 head south, face east; over tlie skull was a snuill lance head. 



No. 2, immediately north of No. 1, touching it at the base, was 45 feet 

 in diameter and 3 feet high. It was composed throughout of earth 

 similar to the surrounding soil. Five skeletons were found at various 

 depths, from 2 to 4 feet. Some weie lying at full length, others folded 

 with heads in various directions, but were all so soft that none could 

 be saved. 



No. 3, 100 feet north of No. 2, 40 feet in diameter and 4 feet high, was 

 not stratified. The skeleton of a child was lying near the center at the 

 depth of IS inches, head west. Under the head was a brass ornament 

 wrapped in cotton cloth, and about the position of the brea.st the frag- 

 ments of another metallic ornament, also a few glass beads. This skele- 

 ton had evidently been incased in a wooden coffin of some kind, but 

 whether of bark or boards could not be determined. In the southwest- 

 ern side the skeleton of an adult was discovered at the same depth, 

 folded, with head south. Nothing else was observed, save a few fi-ag- 

 ments of pottery near the surface. 



No. 4, about 100 feet northeastof No. 3, measured oO feet in diameter 

 and 4 feet high, unstratified. Nothing was discovered in this mound. 



No. 6, 160 feet northwest of No. 5, oblong, 50 feet in diameter north 

 and south, and 4 feet high, was composed of black, sandy soil from the 

 fields. In the northern side, at the depth of 2 feet, were ten skeletons, 

 some folded and others stretched out on their backs, heads in every 

 direction. A little west of the center, at the depth of 4 feet, two more 

 were found'fokled, with the heads west. On the skull of each of these 

 was a thick copper plate, apparently beaten out of native copper with 

 rude implements. The larger, over the southern skull, represented in 

 Fig. 37, is 8 inches long by 4i inches wide. About G inches above it 

 was a fine large lance head. The other plate is nearly square, 4^ inches 

 by 4J inches. The bones were so rotten and soft, except immediately 

 under the copper plates, that none of them could be i)reserved. Fresh- 

 water shells were scattered through the mound at various depths. 



