26 MOUND BURIAL— NORTH CAROLINA. 



The funeral ceremonies are concluded with the solemnization of a festival 

 called the feast of the dead." 



Mr. Florian Gianque, of Cincinnati, Ohio, furnishes an account of a 

 somewhat curious mound-burial which had taken place in the Miami Val- 

 ley of Ohio : 



"A mound was opened in this locality, some years ago, containing a 

 central corpse in a sitting posture, and over thirty skeletons buried around 

 it in a circle, also in a sitting posture, but leaning against one another, 

 tipped over towards the right, facing inwards. I did not see this opened, 

 but have seen the mounds and many ornaments, awls, &c, said to have 

 been found near the central body. . The parties informing me are trust- 

 worthy." 



As an example of interment, unique, so far as known, and interesting 

 as being sui generis, the following is presented, with the statement that 

 the author, Dr. J. Mason Spainhour, of Lenoir, N. O, bears the reputation 

 of an observer of undoubted integrity, whose facts as given may not be 

 doubted: 



11 Excavation of an Indian mound by J. Mason Spainhour, D. TJ. 8., of Lenoir, 

 Caldwell County, North Carolina, March 11, 1871, on the farm of B. V. 

 Michaux, esq., near John's River, in Burke County, North Carolina. 



" In a conversation with Mr. Michaux on Indian curiosities, he informed 

 me that there was an Indian mound on his farm which was formerly of 

 considerable height, but had gradually been plowed down ; that several 

 mounds in the neighborhood had been excavated, and nothing of interest 

 found in them. I asked permission to examine this mound, which was 

 granted, and upon investigation the following facts were revealed : 



" Upon reaching the place, I sharpened a stick 4 or 5 feet in length 

 and ran it down in the earth at several places, and finally struck a rock 

 about 18 inches below the surface, which, on digging down, was found to 

 be smooth on top, lying horizontally upon solid earth, about 18 inches 

 above the bottom of the grave, 18 inches in length, and 16 inches in width, 

 and from 2 to 3 inches in thickness, with the corners rounded. 



" Not finding anything under this rock, I then made an excavation in 



