676 MOUND EXPLOKATIONS. 



uietliod supposed to be indicated by these remaius. Donnan says: 

 "Humau sacrifices never i)revailed to auy extent among the barbarous 

 tribes of the north. Very few eases of compulsory human sacrifice 

 are found." ' 



This author quotes several authorities showing that hiiuiau sacrifice 

 was practiced by Indian tribes in that part of the United States now 

 under consideration, but a careful examination of these shows that they 

 do not sustain the allegation. For example, he says,^ " Human sacrifice 

 was practiced among the Miamis, for we are told by Mr. Drake that 

 Little Turtle, the famous Miami chief, did more than any other toabol 

 ish human sacrifice among his peoi)]e.'' An examination of Drake's 

 remark shows that it was (pioted from Schoolcraft, and that it refers 

 not to true sacrifice, but to the torture of prisoners by the use of fire. 



He also refers to Haywood's statement that " there are mauj- evi- 

 dences of the practice of human sacrifice among those tribes living on 

 the Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers,"^ when reference to that 

 author's work shows that it is only an opinion based upon what is found 

 in the mounds of these regions. 



The other quotations, except those relating to the Natches Indians 

 and the nations of Mexico, Central America, and Peru, furnish nothing 

 to sustain the theory that the mound-builders were in the habit of offer- 

 ing human sacrifices, in the true sense of the word. There is some evi- 

 dence that they were in the habit of torturing prisoners with fire. By 

 referring to the description of ancient works in Union county, Illinois, 

 given in the first part of this volume, the reader will find an account 

 of a stone pavement which was probably a place where prisoners were 

 burned. This was found at the depth of 1 foot below the surface of 

 the ground, was neai-ly circular, and about 9 feet in diameter. It was 

 formed of flat stones so closely joined together that it was almost impos- 

 sible to run an iion prod down between them. Scattered through 

 the earth resting on it were the charred fragments of human bones, 

 ashes, and charcoal. 



In several of the mounds opened by Mr. Emmert in Monroe county, 

 east Tennessee, circular beds of burnt clay were discovered. In the 

 middle of more than one of these were the remains of a burnt stake, 

 around which were ashes, charcoal, and charred human bones. 



Haywood* and Dr. Ramsey' say that a Mrs. Bean, who was captured 

 by the Cherokees, was taken to a mound in this section to be burnt, 

 but was saved by one of the Indian women. It is a fair inference, 

 therefore, that these beds of burnt clay and charred remains mark the 

 places where prisoners were burnt. 



I have exjiressed my doubts as to their resorting to cremation as a 

 means of disposing of their dead, but since the discussion of this ques- 



' Origin Prim. Superst., p. 209. * Nat. and Ab. Hist, of Teiinesaee, p. 278. 



'^ P. 200. 6 AuDals of Tennessee, p. 157. 



3 Lot', i'it. 



