THOMAS.] MOUND WITH A SAND CORE. 147 



No. T), a small inouiid, was coinpoiseil wholly of sand; No. 2, of the 

 black waxy soil; No. 1, the largest of the group aud somewhat oval in 

 form — longest iliameter, 110 feet; shortest, 100 feet, about 8 feet high — 

 bore a sti'ong resemblance in its construction to No. 6. 



The central jiortion of the last was filled with black waxy soil mixed 

 with sand containing particles of wood coal. The diameter of this por- 

 tion was 44 feet. A few flint implements such as spear heads and 

 arrow i^oints were obtained from the surface of this mound. 



A very iuteresting feature of this group is the platform or low, flat, 

 rectangular mouiul, marked No. 9 on the plat. This is about 100 feet 

 Iffiig, 50 feet wide, and 2 feet high. It is quite level on top and stands 

 on the edge of a low bench, so that the eastern side is somewhat higher 

 than the western. The sides run a little west of north. 



A short distance northeast of mound No. 4 is a circular sink (No. 8 

 on the plat), about 80 feet in diameter and li feet deej), which appears 

 to be an artificial excavation. 



Flo. 75. — Section of mouud on Schlinipert's place, Jarkson county, Illinois. 



Some small mounds on Big Muddy river, in Sec. 22, T. 10 S., K. 3 W., 

 were also examined. 



No. 1 is about 75 feet in diameter, 4 feet high, and flat on top. At 

 the depth of 4 feet, on the natural surface of the ground, but at dif- 

 ferent points, were two skeletons of adults extended, with the heads 

 west and faces up. Several layers of stone were placed over them, in 

 fact the mound, to the depth of 3 feet, was comjjosed in great part of 

 flat stones, some of which would weigh probably 150 pounds. The only 

 relic found in this mound was a broken flint implement. 



No. 2, a quarter of a mile south of No. 1, although only 3 feet high 

 and of the same diameter as the preceding, was largely occupied by 

 stone graves. 



Grave No. 1, 2i feet long aud 9 inches wide, contained the badly 

 decayed bones of a child. 



Grave No. 2, 3 feet long aud 10 inches wide, also contained the bones 

 of a child; badly decayed. 



Grave No. 3, 3i feet long and 1 foot wide, was occupied by the bones 

 of an adult. There was no stone layer in the bottom of this cist. 



Grave No. 4 was 6 feet long and 1 foot wide; No. 5, 4 feet long and 1 

 foot wide; No. fi, same size as No. 5, and No. 7, 2 J feet long and 1 foot 

 wide; each contained the bones of a single adult. 



