648 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



strings of colored beads, brass and copper ornaments, trinkets, etc. Among other 

 curious objects were a pair of scissors and a fragment of looking-glass. By using 

 patience and care I obtained many strings of beads in the order they were worn by 

 their owners. In two cases fragments of string remained in the beads, preserved by 

 the copper. The beads, many of them being of cut glass and of various colors, were 

 very beautiful.' 



These facts form a cliaiu of evidence relating to the authors of these 

 ■works so complete as to leave no doubt regarding the conclusion to be 

 drawn. Some at least of these mounds were there when De Soto 

 landed and were then occupied by the Indians who evidently informed 

 the Spaniards that they had built them. 



In one low mound but 3 feet high are found three tiers of skeletons, 

 the mode of burial alike in all and similar to that in other neighboring 

 mounds, but during the time that elapsed between the deposition of 

 the lower and middle tiers the Europeans had appeared on the penin- 

 sula and brought with them the implements and ornaments of civilized 

 life. 



Tiu'uing again to the chronicles, let us examine what further is said 

 in Them in reference to mounds. 



It is quite probable that where Biedma says, speaking of what was 

 seen at Cutifachiqui, " the governor opened a large temple btiilt in 

 the woods, in which were buried the chiefs of the country, and took 

 from it a quantity of pearls amounting to six or seven arrobes, which 

 were sj)oiled by being buried in the ground,"* he really alludes to a 

 burial mound opened by the Spaniards. The Gentlemau of Elvas, men- 

 tioning the same transaction, states that ' "the lady [of Cutifachiqui], 

 perceiving that the Christians esteemed the pearls, advised the gover- 

 nor to send to search certain graves that were in the town, and that he 

 would find many; and that if he would send to the dispeopled towns he 

 might load all his horses." These two statements together probably 

 justify the conclusion that burial mounds are alluded to. 



The extravagant and probably somewhat imaginative description, 

 given by John Cole to Garcilasso, of the temple at Tolomeco (the 

 adjacent " dispeopled town " mentioned by the Gentleman of Elvas) 

 doubtless relates to what the Eidalgo calls the "barbacoas," in which 

 he says " were large quantities of clothing, shawls of thread made from 

 tlie bark of trees, and others of feathers, white, gray, vermilliou, and 

 yellow, rich and proper for winter; * * * also many well-dressed 

 deerskins, of colors drawn over with designs, of which had been made 

 shoes, stockings, and hose."'' There is, however, one statement in this 

 fancy sketch worthy of notice in this connection. " It [Tolomeco] is 



'Loc. cit. 



^Hist. Coll. La., n, p. 101. Buckingham Smith's translation varies slightly from that given here. 

 He uses the word "mosque" instead of "temiile," and adds after " buri.il in tin- ground." tlie words 

 *' and in the adipose substance of the dead." 



' Hist. Coll. Louis.in.i, 11, 144 ; Bradford Club Scr. 5, p. (i3. 



* Bradford Club Series, .'i, p. (5:1. 



