40 



salines are scarce, such remains have but rarely 

 been found. Between the Wabash and the Il- 

 linois, a considerable space of a plain is occu- 

 pied with bones of all descriptions, some on 

 the surface, and some beneath the ground. 

 At a considerable cHstance back of St. Louis, 

 in Upper Louisiana, there is a large parcel or 

 body of both animal and human bones, mixed 

 altogether promiscuously, over a space of 

 ground of 300 yards, some lying, and others 

 sticking up. Some of the largest order were 

 presented to the Baron Carondolet, while in 

 that country, who pronounced them to belong 

 to an elephant. 



Upon either margin of the Big- Bone-Lick, 

 which is a shallow stream of salt water, in the 

 state of Kentucky, flowing into the Ohio, there 

 lies a stratum, extending a considerable dis- 

 tance, composed entirely of the bones of the 

 buffalo, elk, deer, and other smaller animals, 

 as alluded to in the Indian tradition, where it 

 beautifully observes, " the groans of expiring 

 animals were every where heard." But, judge 

 of my surprize, when attentively examining 

 the bones, I discovered, that almost every one 

 of any length, had received a fracture, occa- 



