Indian Sepulchre. 



9 



often seen the myrmelion forraicarius, or ant-lion, form its cone-in- 

 verted cells for the capture of unwary insects. 



Rains, frosts and winds, assist in the disintegrating process. In 

 this manner large exca\ations have been formed, and are still form- 

 ing, in the faces of the river cliffs, along the narrows of the Ohio. 

 Large masses of these cliffs are detached, from time to time, and fall 

 down the sides of the declivities into the bottom below, or rest on the 

 sides of the hills. The rock under which these relics were found is 

 of this description : — as it rolled down the side of the hill, it rested 

 with the oven shaped cavity underneath, being about eight feet long, 

 six wide, and five ligh in the centre, but lower at the sides. A 

 small opening however was left, which by a little enlargement ena- 

 bled the Indians to enter and deposit these skeletons, which are not 

 less than fifty or sixty in number. They were of all ages, and of 

 both sexes, and generally in a perfect state of preservation. They 

 are most probably of very ancient sepulture, as no relics, implements 

 or ornaments of a metallic nature, were discovered. Many interesting 

 memorials of their own arts, and of their affection for their relatives, 

 were found, consisting of pots and vases of coarse earthen ware ; 

 some of them were formed with much taste and beauty of outline. 

 The figures of two of them now in my possession are given below. 



No.l. 



No. 2. 



Is 8 inches high ; 5 inches in diameter at 

 the broadest part, and 4^ inches at the neck. 



Is 6 inches high ; 6 inches in diameter in 

 the largest part, and 5 inches at the top. 



They were of various magnitudes, from the capacity of a gallon 

 down to a pint, and would amount in number to not less than one 

 for every two skeletons, or thirty or forty pots, several being broken 

 in taking out. A number of the vases still contained relics of the 

 food, consisting of the bones of turkies, opossums, &;c., left for their 

 Vol. XXXI.— No. 1. 2 



