370 



MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



Iiuuiediiitely below this was a horizontal layer of charcoal (c <■), 4 to G 

 inches thick, extending horizontally over nearly the entire area of the 

 mound at this height, excejit where interrupted at the center by the 

 conical mass {a a). The coals composing this layer were of cane and 

 small boughs and very closely packed. The earth next under it was 

 very hard for a depth of several inches. From this layer {d d) down to 

 the natural surface of the ground the mound was composed of dark earth 

 similar to that in the upper layer (/> h), and in this part w^ere found all 

 the skeletons hereafter mentioned, with tlie exception of No. 34. Ex- 

 tending down through the center from the top was a conical mass (a a) 



Viu. 246.— Diagram of McMurray mound, No 



8 feet in diameter at the top and 4 at the bottom, composed of alternate 

 layers of burnt clay and ashes. The clay layers were quite hard and 

 slightly dished, and some of them a foot thick. The layers of ashes 

 each measured 4 or 5 inches. As these beds were undoubtedly burnt 

 in places it is plain they were made as the mound w-as built up. Occa- 

 sional small fire-beds at various depths in the entire layer {d d) bear out 

 this opinion. 



In Fig. 246, which is a horizontal section or i)liiii of the mound, are 

 shown the skeletons in tlieir respective positions. All these, except 



