THOMA?.] MOUNDS OF PIKE COUNTY. 117 



to fill the crevices. It was uot possible to decide from the iudications 

 what kiud of implement liad beeu used in peeling and slabbing the logs. 

 The larger logs extended a foot or more, irregularly, bej^nd the side 

 walls. Over the whole vault had been spread layer after layer of mor- 

 tar-like material evidently containing lime or ashes, a foot or more of 

 ordinary soil, forming the outer or top layer, completing the mound. 



No. 12 was opened some years ago by Dr. Campbell, who found in it 

 a vault similar iu character to the one described. 



PIKE COUNTY. 



On the spur of the ridge upon which the Welch mounds of Brown 

 county, hereafter noticed, are situated, and about midway between 

 them and Chambersburg, in Pike county, is a group of circular mounds, 

 possibly the work of another people than those who built the effigies. 



They are mainly on the farm of Mr. W. A. Hume, who assisted in 

 opening eight of them, of which but two are specially noticed here. 



The first was 5 feet high and but 2.5 in diameter, of true conical form. 

 It was composed of the usual hard "burial earth" throughout, with 

 nothing of interest at the bottom ; but near the top, scarcely covered 

 with earth, was found the skeleton of an adult, doubtless an Indian 

 intrusive burial. 



Tlie other, situated on the iioint of a commanding bluff, was also 

 conical in form, 50 feet in diameter and S feet high. The outer layer 

 consisted of sandy soil, 2 feet thick, filled with slightly decayed 

 skeletons, probably Indians of intrusive burials. The earth of the 

 main portion of this mound was a very flue yellowish sand which shov- 

 eled like ashes and was everywhere, to the depth of from 2 to 4 feet, as 

 fullof liunian skeletons as could well be stowed away in it, even to two 

 and three tiers. Among these were a number of bones not together as 

 skeletons, but mingled in confusion and probably from scaffolds or 

 other localities. Excepting one, which was rather more than 7 feet 

 long, these skeletons appeared to be of medium size and many of them 

 much decayed. Some feet beneath all these was a single skeleton of 

 ordinary size, much decayed, and with it a bone and skull of some quad- 

 ruped. 



The other mounds of the group are circular, varying in diameter 

 from 30 to 50 feet and in height from 4 to 8 feet. In the six opened the 

 only things found were the bones of intrusive burials near the top and 

 sides, with a few arrow points and rude, chipped stone implements, 

 probably scrapers. 



From a line of ancient fire beds and kitchen heaps along a rivulet 

 that runs into ilcGee creek, near these mounds, some pieces of bones, 

 a number of rude stone implements and ft-agments of pottery were 

 obtained. 



