Jioticc of an Ancient Mound. 167 



the top, and the form of other mounds in the neighborhood, 

 it is reasonable to conclude that its jperpendicular was once 

 twenty or thirty feet higher. 



It is composed of a soil similar to that of the plain which 

 surrounds it, but there are no local marks to determine 

 from whence such a quantity of earth could have been 

 taken, as the surface of the plain is nearly level. The 

 mound itself is covered with trees, consisting of white and 

 black oak, beech, black walnut, white poplar, locust, &:c. 

 and many of them are of a large size. 



A white oak, in particular, on the verge of the summit, 

 measures twelve feet in circumference, three feet above 

 the surface of the ground. From its size, and the decayed 

 appearance of some of its branches, it must have been the 

 growth of four or five centuries. There are several others 

 of nearly equal size. The vegetable mould in the centre 

 of the basin, is about two feet in depth, but gradually di- 

 minishes on each side. About one eighth of a mile distant 

 on the same plain, in a northeasterly direction, are three 

 smaller tumuli of similar construction ; and several other 

 small ones in the neighborhood. Near the three alluded 

 to, on the most level part of this plain, are evident traces 

 of ancient fortifications. The remains of two circular en- 

 trenchments, of unequal size, but each several rods in di- 

 ameter, and communicating with each other by a narrow- 

 pass, or gateway, are to be seen, and also a causeway lead- 

 ing from the largest towards the hills on the east, with 

 many other appearances of a similar nature, all exhibiting 

 marks of a race of men more civilized than any of the 

 tribes found in this section of the country when first visited 

 by Europeans. 



Several attempts have been made to open the principal 

 mound, but they were arrested by the proprietor of the 

 ground. 



In stamping or striking with a club on the top of this 

 huge heap of earth, a hollow, jarring sound may be heard 

 and felt, similar to that which we feel in walking heavily 

 on a large covered vault. 



With regard to the object of these structures, it is now, 

 I believe pretty well agreed, that they were repositories 

 for the dead. A good evidence of this is, that a substance 

 resembhng decayed bones has generally been found in 

 those which have been opened, with implements of war 



