THOMAS. 1 



GEORGIA. 315 



inches of sandy loam; (9) 2 feet of dark, rich loam; and, lastly, resting 

 on the original surface, 2 feet of river sand. In the sixth and ninth 

 layers were a few ii-agments of pottery. 



ELBEKT COUNTY. 

 THE REMBERT MOTTNDS. 



These mounds were visited by Bartram in 1773, who thus describes 

 them : 



These wonderful labors of the ancients stand in a level plain very near the bank 

 of the river ; now 20 or 30 yards from it ; they consist of conical mounts of earth 

 and four square terraces. The great mount is in the form of a cone about 40 or 50 feet 

 high, and the circumference of its base 200 or 300 yards, entirely composed of the 

 loamy rich earth of the low grounds; the top or apex is flat; a spiral path or track 

 leading from the ground up to the top is still visible, where now grows a large, beau- 

 tiful spreading, red cedar. There appear four niches excavated out of the sides of 

 this hill, at different heights from the base, fronting the four cardinal points. These 

 niches or sentry boxes are entered into from the winding path and seem to have 

 been meant for resting places or lookouts. The circumjacent level grounds are 

 cle.ired and planted with Indian corn at present and I think the proprietor of the 

 lands, who accompanied us to this place, said that the mount itself yielded above 

 100 bushels in one season.' 



In 1848 George White (author of White's Statistics of Georgia) vis- 

 ited this group, in regard to which he remarks as follows: 



The large mound corresponds exactly with Baytram's description of it, with this 

 exception, that the sides and summit are covered with a growth of cane and several 

 large trees. The smaller mouuds have been almost destroyed. Capt. Rembert has 

 excavated the smaller mounds and found human skeletons, jars, pipes, beads, breast- 

 plates, stone hammers, hatchets, arrowheads, etc. Some of these are now in our 

 possession and are really objects of curiosity.' 



If these descriptions were correct at the time they were made, very 

 decided changes have taken i)lace in the appearance of the works since 

 then. The group, consisting of 2 mounds, is situated on the farm of 

 Mr. Z. A. Tate, near the bank of the Savannah river, 4 miles above the 

 mouth of Broad river. They stand on the level bottom, one 130 and 

 the otlier 320 feet ftom the bank of the river. This l)ottom extends 

 several miles north and south, and three-fourths of a mile back from 

 the river to the liills. As will be seen by reference to Fig. 193, which 

 shows a section, north and south, of the area, there are 2 "washouts" 

 flanking these mounds. The one on the north (a), commencing at the 

 river, extends a fourth of a mile back in a southwest direction, covering 

 an area of 7 or 8 acres. This approaches within about 200 feet of the 

 large mound (h). The one on the south (v) also commences at the river 

 and extends back southeastward only a few hundred feet beyond the 

 mounds and runs within a few feet of them. These excavations are 

 denominated " washouts " because the present owner of the land, Mr. 

 Tate, remembers when they were made by high water. Nevertheless, 



' " Travels," pp. 324 to 325. » Statistics of Georgia, p. 230. 



