On the Mounds of the West. 241 
the class. 
It will be seen, by the section, that, at a point about three feet 
below the surface of the mound, a human skeleton was found. 
It was placed a little to the left of the centre, with the head to 
the east, and was so much decayed as to render it impossible to 
extract a single bone entire. Above the skeleton, as shown in 
the section, the earth and outer layer of gravel and pebbles, were 
broken up and intermixed. Thus while, on one side of the shaft, 
the strata were clearly marked, on the other they were confused. 
And, as this was the first mound of the class excavated, it was 
supposed, from this cireumstance, that it had previously been open- 
ed, by some explorer, and it had been decided to abandon it when 
the skeleton was discovered. Afterwards the matter came to be 
fully understood. No relics were found with this skeleton. 
It is a fact well known, that the modern Indians, though pos- 
sessing no knowledge of the origin or objects of the mounds, 
were accustomed to regard them with some degree of veneration. 
It is also known, that they sometimes buried their dead in them, 
in accordance with the almost invariable custom which leads them 
to select elevated points, and the brows of hills, as their cemete- 
ries. That their remains should be found in the mounds, is 
fore a matter of no surprise. 'They are never discovered at 
any great depth, not often more than eighteen inches or three 
feet below the surface. Their position varies in almost every 
case ;—most are extended at length, others have a sitting posture, 
_ and others still seem to have been rudely thrust into their shallow 
graves, without care or arrangement. Rude implements of bone 
and stone, and coarse vessels of pottery, such as are known to 
crosses, gun | 
skeletons in the mounds, yet it is not to be concluded that the 
monnd builders were Catholics, or used fire-arms, or understood 
Seconp Serixs, Vol. III, No. 8.—March, 1847. vt 
