252 



MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



gashes in the side, one of which is 25 feet deep, it could be seen that it 

 was composed chiefly of red and yellowish clay. In one of these cuts 

 was exposed a layer of charred cane 1 foot thick extending back into 

 the mound. 



Fig. 156 shows mound 6. This is 15 feet high, 90 feet long, and 75 

 feet wide. Two excavations made in it proved it to be composed of a 



very hard, greasy 

 clay. 



Mound No. 5 is 

 200 feet long-, 90 



long, 

 feet wide, and 8 

 feet liigh, and cov- 

 ered witli modern 

 graves. In dig- 

 ging these, skele- 

 tons and pottery 

 are frequently 

 thrown out. 



Mound No. 4 is 

 nearly destroyed, 

 but according to 

 local information 

 was originally 20 

 feet high. 



Mouuds 2 and 3 

 are also nearly 

 destroyed. Num- 

 bers 8, 8, 8, 8 indi- 

 cate four artificial 

 poiuls which were, 

 and to a certain 

 extent are still, 

 connected with 

 each other and 

 with the bayou on 

 the southwest by 

 canals which are 

 still from 10 to 12 

 feet wide and 5 feet 

 deep. 

 As the bayou connects with the river 3 miles below, it is apjiarent 



that canoes could reach the inclosure by this loute. 

 Two conical mounds, one 12 and the other 7 feet higli, are situated ou 



the plantation of Mrs. Brisco, in Tensas parish, 4 miles southeast of St. 



Joseiih ; but as they are occupied, one as a graveyard aud the other 



as a rain-water cistern, thej^ cimhl not be excavated. 



