650 MOUND EXPLOEATIONS. 



besides the iiielosure of timber and earth, it was nearly surrounded by 

 a jjreat river."' 



He describes the Indian fortress called Alibanio as being "quad- 

 raugular, the four fronts of eciual length, built of jointed timbers, each 

 front being 400 paces. On the inside there were two other palisades 

 from side to side. The front wall had three small gates, quite too low 

 for a horseman to enter. One door or gate was in the center of the 

 front and two others at the sides, next to the corners. On the right 

 [rear] of those three gates each front has three other walls, so that if 

 the Spaniards should gain the first the second would be defended, and 

 so with the third and fourth. The gates of the posterior front (or face) 

 opened upon a river which flows by the rear of the fort. This river 

 though narrow is very deep, and the banks very high and difficult to 

 ascend.'" It will be observed that this fort, between 1,000 and 1,200 feet 

 square, corresponds very well with the average size of the mound - 

 builders' inclosures. The method of strengthening the main entrance 

 by inner walls was also followed in some instances by the mound-build- 

 ers, as is shown in some of the Ohio works, as, for example, " Fortified 

 Hill," Butler county. Other quotations of a similar tenor to those 

 already given might be made from this book, but these will suffice. 



Herrera's account of De Soto's wanderings is taken chiefly from Gar- 

 cilasso's work, which he says he consulted, still, as it is possible, in 

 fact certain, that he had access to documents not now obtainable, the 

 following quotations are given from Stevens's English translation : 



.Some made their escape to tlie Lord's house, which stood on a ridge to which there 

 was no way up but by stairs." * » * 'pjjg frontier town to Casiiuiu was fortified 

 with a Ditch * * full of water, conveyed to it througli a canal from the great 



River, being the distance of three leagues. The Ditch enclosed three parts of the 

 town, the fourth being secured with high and thick Palisades.' 



Having entered the province of Amilco they traveled 30 league* through it to a 

 town of 400 houses, and a large square, where the Cacique's house stood upon a 

 mount made by art on the bank of the river.'' 



Entered upon a woody desert, and came into the province of Ouachacoya; the 

 first town they came to being the cai)ital thereof, seated on hillocks by the great 

 river's side, on one of which was the Lord's house.'' 



As heretofore stated the town which Moscoso and liis companions 

 occupied on their return to the Mississippi, which was 17 leagues above 

 Guachacoya and in the province of Aminoya, must have consisted of 

 houses i^laced on mounds and surrounded by an earthen wall as it is 

 stated that " when they were at the procession of Palm Sunday * * * 

 the water brol:e in at the gates of the toirn so that there was no going 

 along the streets two days after without canoes."' 



The next evidence is found on a plate by Le Moyne, in the Brevis 

 Ifarratio.' Here a small mound' is figured in the scene which is repre- 



■ Lib. ni, cap. xxiu, p. 144. = Vol vi, p. 5. Oi-ig. Sp., Vol. iv, Dec. vil, p. 132. 



2 Lib. IV, cap. I, p. 173. ' Vol. vi, p. 6. Orig. Sp., Vol. IV, Dec. vu, p. 132. 



'Vol. v, ]!. :W. Orig. Sp.. Vol. IV, Dec. vu, p. 31. ' Vol. VI, p. 18. 



-" Vol. V. p. :i:it). Orig. S]!., Vol. iv, Dec. vu, ii. :'.:!. ' I'mv.s. i. Tab. xi. 



