Ancient Rem,ai?is, Animal Mounds, fyc. in Wisconsin. 37 



since by Judge N. F. Hyer, a gentleman who has taken much 

 interest in reference to this subject, and to whom I am indebted 

 for much interesting matter respecting the same during a hasty 

 ramble over the embankments and mounds, and through the im- 

 mediately adjacent country. The drawing is faithfully execu- 

 ted ; the 'citadel,' as there represented, consists of a brick wall, 

 which at the bass is from twenty to twenty five feet wide, at the 

 present time, and, I should judge, about five feet in height ; the 

 projections of the wall indicated upon the plat, have certainly 

 the appearance of buttresses, as constructed upon military works 

 at this day ; they are constructed also of brick, regularly built at 

 intervals of from two to five rods, and extending beyond the wall 

 about seventeen feet, of the same height as the main wall. The 

 eastern wall, parallel with and immediately upon the bank of the 

 river, is, at this time, but slightly visible, nor are there any ap- 

 pearances of buttresses, as upon the other portions of the wall. 

 In proceeding upon the supposition that these are the ruins of an 

 ancient fortification, we may conclude, that inasmuch as the 

 eastern side was defended from egress by a deep and rapid 

 stream, a wall and buttress similar to the one I have attempted 

 to describe as bounding the western side, would have been un- 

 necessary. The whole area, within the wall, comprises about 

 twenty acres ; within the enclosure are a number of square 

 mounds or elevated plains, of the height of fifteen or twenty feet, 

 as I should judge, and perhaps forty or fifty feet square upon the 

 top, while others are of a more conical shape, and from their situa- 

 tion appear as what might now be termed block-houses, or places 

 of look-out ; that such were the objects of their construction, I 

 am not prepared to say. There is also a distinct ridge running 

 east and west, connecting two of these towers or mounds, as 

 well as two parallel ridges running north and south, and extend- 

 ing nearly the whole length of the enclosure. There is also a 

 cellar and stairway, I am informed, yet visible, descending within 

 the mound of the northwest angle of the ruins ; this, in my hur- 

 ried examination, escaped my notice. I can therefore say noth- 

 ing respecting it. The same remarks must also apply to the 

 termination of a sewer, which is said yet to be perceived at a 

 bend or angle, about midway in the eastern wall designated on 

 the plat above referred to ; this sewer is said to be about three 

 feet below the surface, and arched with stone. Whether through 



