THOMAS.] ALABAMA. • 283 



ridges, wliicli differ so inateriiilly from tliose already mentioned as to 

 lead to the belief that tliey are the work of a different people. They 

 range in size from 30 to SO feet in diameter and from 4 to 10 feet in 

 height, but are all true circular mounds and more than usually sym- 

 metrical in form. By excavations made in them it was ascertained 

 that they are composed almost entirely of tine, soft, molding sand, un- 

 stratified and without any intermixture of clay or other material; nor 

 were there any fire-beds, aslies, charcoal, or vestiges of art, or indica- 

 tions of burial in them, save here and there an occasional rude stone 

 scraper. 



While the material of the other mounds of this region is evidently 

 from the earth immediately about them, these circular mounds are 

 formed of a very fine molding sand from some unknown source. 



A few mounds were observed in Ballard county about 5 miles above 

 Cairo, but no sijecial examination of them was made. 



ALABAMA. 

 LATTDERUALE fHIUNTY. 



This, the extreme northwestern county of the state, is bounded along 

 its entire southern margin by the Tennessee river. The works described 

 are situated on or near the north bank of this river. 



STAFFORD MOUND. 



This is an elongate oval mound, located a little over a mile south 

 of Florence on the farm of Mr. S. C. Stafford, some 35 or 40 yards from 

 the river bank. It is 8 feet high, flat on top, the length on toj), north 

 and south, 85 feet, and at the base about 125 feet; width about half 

 the length. 



A trench 10 feet wide and 15 feet long was dug in the northern end, 

 the remainder of the upper portion having been much disturbed. When 

 the trench had been extended southward the distance of 15 feet a layer 

 of burnt clay was encountered at the depth of 2 feet, the 2-foot layer 

 above it consisting of sandy soil. Immediately under the clay was a 

 layer of ashes. Immediately under this was the much decayed skele- 

 ton of a half-grown i^erson lying on its side. At the back of the head 

 was a wide-necked, bottle-shaped water vessel, tipped sidewise; by the 

 side of it lay a stone disk which had apparently been used as a cover 

 to the vessel. At each side of thp head stood a small pot. Here 

 the clay layer was between 4 and 5 inches thick and below this was a 

 layer of ashes and charcoal 3 inches thick. The charcoal in this layer 

 was burned from small sticks and brush. A few inches from the head 

 of the skeleton mentioned was a piece of charred wood firmly fixed in 

 the earth, apparently the remains of a post. A few inches from the 

 skeleton at the outer edge of the burnt clay, on the east side, were 



