94 Indian Mounds and Earthworks. 



letter T, might on further inspection have been found to approach 

 to the bird form also. 



Forms supposed to represent turtles have also been seen in more 

 than one situation, constructed on an equally large scale. Of this 

 class I cannot speak with sufficient certainty from personal obser- 

 vation. We know that there existed the " Turtle Tribe" of 

 Indians, which had that animal for its badge. The " Walking 

 Turtle" family, according to McKenney, was one of the highest 

 distinction in the Winnebago tribe. 



To the above notices may be added some memoranda of certain 

 other points where I observed, or have knowledge of the exist- 

 ence of tumuli or mounds in the shape of animals in this western 

 region. 



At the great savanna or prairie on the south bank of the Wis- 

 consin river, called English prairie, are earthworks having the 

 circular, the oblong, and the usual animal forms, and also some 

 which bear resemblance to the Roman letter T, as shown in PI. 

 II. Fig. 1. 



Animal effigies occur fifteen miles to the southwest of the last 

 mentioned locality, along the course of an ancient trail, and also 

 of the present military road to Prairie du Chien from Fort Winne* 

 bago. Numerous others may be recognized between these and 

 the Mississippi. 



In the vicinity of the remarkable hills called the Blue Mounds, 

 they occur abundantly. These hills were, until very lately, a 

 great resort of the Indian inhabitants ; as their existing paths, 

 converging hither in singularly straight lines from every point of 

 the compass, amply testify. 



In the centre of the territory, at sites which it would be tedious 

 to enumerate, we repeatedly passed by similar mounds, almost 

 invariably contiguous to Indian paths, whose deeply-worn, but 

 narrow tracks, attest their extreme antiquity and long use. 



Between the interesting limestone hill, styled Sinsinnawa 

 Mound, and the town of Galena, these animal representations are 

 seldom out of sight, and are accompanied by earthworks of sim- 

 pler forms. They prevail equally in the low meadow sites, as 

 upon the higher prairie ridges. 



Elevated circular tumuli rise from the fiats on the margin of 

 the Mississippi, at the old French village or trading station of 

 Prairie du Chien. 



