36 Ancient Remains, Animal Mounds, fyc. in Wisconsin. 



undertaken an interesting subject, and being desirous of embra- 

 cing in it, with the antiquities of the western part of the terri- 

 tory, those of the ruins of Aztalan, I could conceive of no bet- 

 ter mode of acquiring facts concerning them, than soliciting the 

 aid of a friend, in whose probity and competency every reliance 

 may be placed, to furnish me with a description of those ruins, 

 as well as the character of the adjacent country. He has given 

 me the following interesting account, which, depriving it in a 

 measure of its epistolary form, I will here introduce. 



" In answer to your enquiries respecting the ancient remains 

 some years since discovered in the eastern portion of this terri- 

 tory, known as the 'ruins of Aztalan,' I regret that the limited 

 opportunity afforded me of a minute examination of the same, 

 will preclude the possibility of affording you such a description 

 at this time as I could wish ; although I have no doubt that a 

 thorough examination would throw much light upon this myste- 

 rious subject. One thing I am convinced of, and that is, that 

 I with many others who have looked upon the different ac- 

 counts which have from time to time appeared, respecting the 

 ancient works in this widely extended valley, as a deception 

 and the ephemeral efforts of a penny-a-liner, have been mista- 

 ken, for it is no deception, but is well worthy of attention and 

 investigation. 



" Ancient embankments and tumuli of different form and con- 

 struction are, as you are aware, abundant in many portions of 

 our territory ; I have examined many of these remains, but in 

 my different researches have not as yet discovered the objects 

 of the constructions which appeared to me at first view so 

 distinct, or which forced upon my mind so strongly the con- 

 viction of the existence hereabouts of a former race of beings 

 more skilled in the arts, than any of the present tribes of savages 

 now known to us, as the appearance of the ancient mounds at 

 and near to the town of Aztalan. The l ruins' you particularly 

 refer to, are to be found in the midst of a beautiful rolling coun- 

 try, conveniently interspersed with timber, and watered by Rock 

 River and its tributaries ; the principal remains, or what has been 

 termed the c walled city,' is situated in township seven, of range 

 fourteen, east, in the Milwaukie land district. I know not that 

 a better idea of the present appearance of these ruins can be 

 conveyed than by the accompanying sketch, prepared some time 



