THOMAS. 1 MOUND-BUILDERS AND INDIANS. fi59 



tribes, ou tlie burial of a thief or braA'e of distinction, tu coiisidi'f his 

 grave as entitled to the tribute of a portion of earth from each passer-by, 

 which the traveler sedulously carried with him on his journey. Hence 

 the first grave formed a nucleus around which, in the accumulation of 

 the accustomed tributes of respect thus paid, a mound was soon formed."' 



According to the same author^ the tumulus at the Great Butte des 

 Morts (" great hill of the dead ") was raised over the bones of Outaga- 

 mie (Fox Indian) warriors slain in l)attle with the Prencli in 1706. 



lu 1706 au expeilition, under Capt. Monmd, was sent from Michilimackinack 

 against them, and in the attack upon them by surprise at this their stron;;hold 

 more than 1,000 of their warriors perished, and tlie " great hill of the dead" was 

 raised over their bones by the survivors, who, a few years afterwards, left this part 

 of the country and removed further to the west. Other accounts ditter in regard to 

 the time when the great battle was fought which nearly destroyeil the tribe and 

 caused their removal; but all agree that the mound was raised and received its sig- 

 niticant name from such an event. 



There is given in the lirst reportof the Wisconsin Historical Society^ 

 a Winnebago tradition, in which it is stated that mounds of certain 

 localities in the state were built by Winnebagoes and others by the 

 Sacs and Foxes. 



There is also an Indian tradition, apparently founded on fact, that 

 the Essex mounds, Clinton county, Michigan, are the burying places of 

 the dead killed in a battle between the Chippewas and Pottawatomies, 

 which occurred not many generations ago.'' 



Other instances of Indians, both of the northern and southern sec- 

 tions, erecting mounds over their dead in modern times might be 

 referred to, but the evideiifc adduced is sufficient to show that history 

 bears out the assertion thiit the Indians found inhabiting this country 

 were in the habit of building mounds. 



A COMPARISON OF THE WORKS OF THE MOUND-BUILDERS WITH 

 THOSE OF THE INDIANS. 



The historical evidence adduced is apparently sufficient to prove 

 beyond a reasonable doubt that some Indian tribes inhabiting the 

 southern portion of the country at the time it was first visited did 

 erect mounds and construct walls for defense. ^Nevertheless, as this 

 evidence does not appear to be wholly satisfactory to a number of 

 archeologists, and applies almost exclusively to one section, it is neces- 

 sary, in order to clear the question of doubt, to present such other 

 proofs as the subject will admit of. From the character of the subject 

 these pioofs must consist, to a great extent, of comparisons. 



As has already been stated, every similarity shown between the 

 works, art, customs, etc., of the mound-builders and the Indians is an 



I Smith's History of Wisconsin, Tol. in. pp. 245, 246. s pp. $8, 89. 



'Lor. cit.. ni. p.262. 'Smithson. Reji., 18«4, p. 848 



