A. Bigelow on Mounds on the Tensaw River. 187 
North of the Tensaw, land of a similar character extends for ten 
miles. 'The tract between the two rivers is intersected by seve- 
tal creeks and rivers; Middle river, which is wide and deep, 
flows out of the Tensaw soon after the latter leaves the Mobile, 
and running southeast, empties again into the Tensaw; thus cut- 
ting off a triangular portion from the northeast corner of the 
tract. Again, Bottle creek leaves the Tensaw not far to the east 
of Middle river, and running south or west of south, empties 
into Middle river. In this latter triangular piece, are the mounds. 
This area is also intersected by the Dominique creek, which runs 
near to the west side of the mound field, and with which the 
mounds are connected by a series of small mounds now concealed 
by the forest. Along with these creeks and rivers are numerous 
lakes or lagoons, which are affected by the tides, and contain an 
abundance of fish ; indeed the waters teem with them, to an ex- 
tent which surprises one accustomed to throw the line in clearer 
streams. Among the inhabitants of these waters, the alligator is 
hot the least abundant, and in a young state, it is yet used occa- 
Sionally for food, as it appears to have been by the former dwel- 
banks 
“nes, with few shells intermixed with the earth. In sich cases 
they look like small portions of levees, elevated just above the 
high floods, They contain no perceptible relics of former life ; 
@ppear to me to have been thrown up, as places of security 
“sainst high water, by some former people, if not for constant use, 
at least for a summer residence, for the convenience of obtaining 
7 a people unaccustomed or unwilling to till the soil, 
there existed an unfailing source of food, of a kind which is even 
W much used by the ereoles and negroes living there. "The 
abundance of food and the facility of obtaining it, the convenience 
of communication by the various creeks, isolation from disturbing 
tribes, healthiness of the locality,—for the French even went from 
Nobile to their swamp plantations in sammer,—and the mildness 
the Winter, would induce a tribe to make this region their per- 
ent a There is nothing to disprove such a supposition, 
