TnoMAB.] TENNESSEE. 391 



they are marked No. 13 on PI. xxv. There are two on the north side 

 of the river, on the Cobb farm, near Baker's creek, and three on the 

 south side, on the Tipton farm. 



Two of tliosc on the south side were examined. They stand on the 

 second bottom, about 200 yards from the river and 00 feet apart. In 

 one, 04 feet in diameter and 7 feet liigh, composed throughout of red 

 clay, were four badly decayed skeletons, at the bottom. The original 

 surface of the ground on which they lay was thinly covered with coals. 

 The other mound was similar in every respect t<j the first, except that 

 it contained but two skeletons. 



Another mound near Morganton (not given in the plat), but .situated 

 on Mr. Samuel Lane's farm, close to Baker creek, was examined. This, 

 which measured 4S feet in diameter and 4 in height, stood on the bot- 

 tom or lowest level of the valley, about 200 feet from the creek. The 

 composition, commencing at the top, was as follows: First a foot of 

 yellow clay, then a stratum of dark rich earth S inches thick, and last 

 a bed of lighter colored earth extending down to and resting on the 

 natural surface of the ground. 



Below the last layer, excavated in the original soil, was an oblong 

 pits feet long, .5 feet wide, and 1 foot deej). Kesting on the bottom of 

 this pit were two adult skeletons with heads to the east. Near the 

 head of one were eight arrow points. The bottom of the pit, previous 

 to the deposit of the bodies in it, had been covered to the depth of 2 or 

 3 inches with coals and ashes. The remainder of the pit to the level 

 of the natural surface of the ground was tilled with very dark colored 

 earth. 



THE BAT CREEK MOUNDS. 



Two miles below Morganton, on the west side of the Little Tennessee 

 river, Bat creek joins this stream. Both above and below the mouth of 

 this creek there is a pretty level valley, extending back from the river 

 at some points half a mile to the base of the steep hills which border it. 

 Immediately in the angle wliere the creek joins the river is a compara- 

 tively large mound, and on the opposite or west side of the creek are 

 two other mounds (Nos. 2 and 3). The first is on the bottom land, the 

 others on a level terrace some 20 or 30 feet higher than the first bottom 

 or lowest valley level ; the latter are about 100 feet distant from one 

 another, measuring from center to center. 



These (No. 14 on PI. xxv) are on land owned by Mr. M. M. Tipton, 

 but are different from those previouvsly nienticmed, which are about 2 

 miles farther up the river. 



Mound 1, measuring 108 feet in diameter and S feet in height, was 

 composed wholly of very dark soil, containing a great many small shells; 

 these were in fact so abundant in places as to present the appearance 

 of a shell heap. This condition cf)ntinued to the depth of 3i feet to a 

 layer of hard yellow sand; under this the remainder of the mound to 

 the original surface, except a central, (urcular area 2 feet in diameter, 



