310 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



The construction of the mound, commencing at the bottom and going 

 upward, is as follows: First, a layer 2 feet thick of dark red clay rest- 

 ing on the original surface of the ground ; mixed and scattered through 

 this layer was a considerable quantity of pure charcoal, also water- 

 worn bowlders, all thoroughly burned; next above and lying on this a 

 2-inch stratum of river sand which had been burned, and, lastly, the 

 remainder of the moiind was finished up with clay of a deep red color 

 without any admixture of ashes or charcoal, though the bottom portion, 

 which rested immediately on the sand, presented some indications of 

 heat. This layer was so hard that it was difBcult to penetrate it. 



In the 2-inch sand stratum were two small pieces of very distinctly 

 glazed pottery and lying at the bottom of the mound, on the natural 

 surface of the ground, a piece of unglazed, ornamented pottery and a 

 broken clay pipe. 



The bright red clay of this mound is similar to that in the laud 

 around it, while the darker variety is like that found a quarter of a 

 mile away. 



An examination was also made of the strip of land on the east side 

 of the mounds and along the north bank of the Etowah river. This 

 land, it is proper to remark, has been under cultivation for many years. 

 This examination was made by sinking pits, from 5 to 7 feet square 

 and from 2 to 4J feet deep, at various places over the area, carrying 

 them down in all cases to what appeared to be the second and undis- 

 turbed natural layer. 



The variation in the depth of the top layer is due in part to overflows 

 from the river, the soil in some places having been washed out and 

 deposits made in other places by this agency. But the examination 

 made shows this layer over the entire area, to be, in the main, one 

 vast refuse heap, as it is composed of sandy loam, ashes, red clay, frag- 

 ments of pottery, charcoal, and other refuse matter. In some places 

 the appearance of the red clay shows that it has been dropped here 

 in "batches" of a half bushel or less; in other places it is in a con- 

 tinuous mass, forming a layer; moreover, it must be borne in mind that 

 it does not belong here, but was brought from a distance of nearly or 

 quite half a mile, the nearest i)oint \phere it could be obtained. 



This made earth is literally full of mussel shells, terrapin shells, animal 

 bones, small fragments of pottery, with patches of charcoal and ashes 

 scattered through the mass. The ])ottery and animal bones were broken 

 into minute fragments. Among the animal bones (no human bones 

 were found here) are many of the bear and hundreds of the turkey. 

 Waterworn bowlders were also found scattered throiigh this deposit 

 and in every case .showed very distinctly the action of fire. 



In some instances the charcoal found was in cylindrical pieces 3 or 4 

 inches long, but never more than 3 inches in diameter. These were evi- 

 dently sections of pine saplings. In the bottom of one of the shafts 

 were two post holes sunk into the natural soil beneath to the depth of 



