THOMAS.] Moimo NO. 6. 183 



No. wus subsequently partially explored. A trench was carried 

 down only to the depth of 5 feet. Nothing- was found in it at a greater 

 depth from the surface than .'^.} feet. Near the foot of the mound and 

 2 feet below the surface was a skeleton with the bones rather firm; 

 probably an intrusive burial, as they are not uncommon in this partic- 

 ular locality. This was extended, head south; near it was a Unio shell. 

 About 2 feet west of tiiis skeleton and lying parallel with it was 

 another of smaller size, probably of a female; bones firm, but the skull 

 broken when found. Near the skull was a bottle-shaped water vessel. 

 Other vessels were f(mnd at different ])oints and at tlie ileptli of only 1 

 or 2 feet. 



About 2 feet down on the top and side of the mound were lumps 

 of burnt clay, which appear to be fragments of pla.stering with which 

 the walls of a dwelling or other house had been coated. As furtlier 

 evidence of this is the following tVict, given in the words of the last ex- 

 plorer: "In the top of the mound, in a small circular depression, I dug 

 down abimt 2 feet, when I came to a sort of platform of burnt clay. It 

 seemed to be made of irregularly shaped pieces, one side being smooth 

 and the other rough. And what was peculiar, the smooth side was 

 down. I did not dig enough to ascertain tlie extent of the platform." 



It is easy enough to account for the smooth side being down if we 

 suppose it to have been (as we sliall hereafter see there is reason for 

 believing) plastering from the wails of a liouse, for when the building 

 was burned it would not be unlikely that the stiff and tliictk coat of 

 ])lastering should fall over in a sheet and that jiieces of it should roll 

 down the side of the mound. 



Numerous other objects were discovered in this mound, as pieces of 

 Unio shells, some of which had holes bored through them, and were ap- 

 ])arently untinished beads ; many fragments of pottery scattered promis- 

 cuously through the outer layer, and quite a number of animal Imnes, 

 from the skull of a deer down to the delicate bones of very small birds. 



Permission could not be obtained to make further exploiation in this 

 interesting and important group, nor to complete the excavation of the 

 mounds partially examined. 



SCOTT AND MISSISSIPPI COXTNTIES. 



In 1879 and 18S0 the people in the neighborhood of Charleston, Mis- 

 sissippi county, discovered that the pottery, in which the mounds of 

 this region seem to have been unusually rich, had a considerable com- 

 mercial value. A regular mining fever at once broke out and spread 

 so rapidly that in some instances as many as twenty-live or thirty men, 

 women, and children could be seen digging for pottery in one field at the 

 same time. 



The specimens obtained were taken to Charleston and sold to the 

 merchants, who in turn sold them to vari(nis nniseiims, scientific insti- 

 tutions, and relic hunters. It is said that this trade brought to town 

 several thousand dollars. 



