THOMAS/) GEORGIA. 297 



that direction being about 270 feet. On the top is a nearly level area of about an 

 acre, the average height of which is 50 feet above the base. A broad ramp or graded 

 way (1) winds upward from the plain, around the south face of the mound, to the area 

 on the top. 



Like some of the pyramids of Egypt it has two smaller ones as tenders : one on 

 the south, C; another to the southeast, B; each about 100 feet distant, their bases 

 nearly square, and of nearly equal dimensions. If they were not in the shadow of 

 the great mound they would attract attention for their size and regularity. The 

 ground at 15 is 3 feet higher than at C. All of them are truncated. The mound C 

 is not a perfectly regular figure, but approaches a s(juare with one side broken into 

 three lines. Its height above liase is IH feet. The bearing of its western side is 

 north 10 degrees west, and the length on the ground 47 paces, having been somewhat 

 spread out by plowing aroimd the foot. On the east is a ramp, with a slope of 1 to 

 2 degrees, which allows of ready ascent by persons on foot. 



The slopes of all the mounds are very steep and quite perfect, in some places still 

 standing at an angle of 45 degrees. B is a regular truucated pyramid, with a square 

 base about 106 feet on a side, two of the faces bearing 5 degrees west of the merid- 

 ian. Its elevation is 22 feet. There is no ramp or place of ascent which is less steep 

 than the general slopes. Towards the southeast corner of the surface of B is a 

 sunken placi', as though <a vault had fallen in. 



The proprietor has nmnaged to cultivate the summits of all the mounds, regarding 

 the group in the light of a continual iujury by tlie loss of several acres of ground. 

 Most of the material of the mounds is the rich black mold of the bottom laud, with 

 occasional lumps of red clay. The soil on their sides and summits produces corn, 

 cotton, grass, vines, and bushes in full luxuriance. The perimeter of the base of the 

 great mound is 534 paces. As the ground had been recently plowed and was soaked 

 with a deluge of rain, a pace will represent little more than 2 feet. I give the cir- 

 cumference provisionally at 370 yards. The area on the top is like the base, oblong 

 north and south, but its figure is more regular. Its perimeter is 231 paces. 



From the center of the pyramid C a line on the magnetic meridian passes a few 

 feet to the west of the center of the platform on the summit of A. Its sides are 

 nowhere washed or gullied by rains. Prior to the cle.aring of the land, large trees 

 flourished ou the top and on the slopes. I estimate its mass to contain 117, OoO cubic 

 yards, which is about four-fiftlis of the Prussian earth-monument on the field of 

 Waterloo. 



At the Ijase the ramp is 50 feet broad, growing narrower as you ascend. It curves 

 to the right, and reaches the area on the top near its southwest corner. Twenty- 

 five years since, before it was injured by cultivation, visitors could easily ride to 

 the summit on horseback along the ramp. From this spot the view of the rich valley 

 of the Etowali tow.ards tlie west, and of the picturesque hills which border it ou 

 either side, is one of surpassing beauty. 



About 300 yards to the north rises the second terrace of the valley, composed of 

 red clay and gra\el. Near the foot of it are the remains of a ditch, inclosing this 

 group of mounds in an arc of a circle, at a distance of about 200 yards. The western 

 end rests on the river, below the mounds, into which the high waters back up a con- 

 siderable distance. 



It has been principally filled up by cultivation. The owner of the premises says 

 there was originally an embankment along the edge of the ditch on the side of the 

 pyramids, but other f)ld settlers say there was none. If the last statement is cor- 

 rect, a part of the earth composing the mounds can be accounted for by the ditch. 



Its length is about one-fourth of a mile, and it does not extend to the river, above 

 the mounds. Near the upper cud are two oblong, irregular pits, 12 to 15 feet deep, 

 from which a part of the eartli of the mounds may have been taken. The diameter 

 of the pits varies from 150 to 200 feet, and the l>readth from 60 to 70. The ditch is 

 reputed to have lieen 30 feet wide and 10 feet deep. Two hundred yards to the 



