6 



ered from a battlefield, and the dismembered bones interred in 

 groups. The " femur " bones were in some cases curved, in- 

 dicating that the Indians thus buried when alive had been plain 

 Indians, and accustomed to ride on horses. 



With these bones were buried certain articles showing the 

 state of advancement of the Indians. There were lumps of 

 red ochre, plainly for purposes of painting; there were like- 

 wise bits of charcoal mingled with the bones, but no trace of 

 burning was observable on the bones examined. Pieces of 

 broken pottery were also found with the usual markings. 

 These seem to have belonged to pots or vessels used in cook- 

 ery. The stage of art was rude; the soft clay had evidently 

 been marked with little skill or care, and the work done by 

 hand. Probably, the most interesting objects found among 

 these bones were two tubes, the one about six inches long, the 

 other two, and of about half an inch in diameter. These 

 tapered slightly, and are made of a soft, dark grey, or blackish 

 stone. Their object is not very evident. At one end of each 

 there are raised rings, and on one, between the rings, the tube 

 is evidently much worn by teeth, the tooth-marks being quite 

 perceptible. They could not have been used as smoking pipes, 

 being straight. Schoolcraft, an authority on Indian customs, 

 asserts instruments of this kind to have been used by the Saga- 

 mores for looking at the stars, but the presence of tooth-marks 

 renders it unlikely that -these were used for that purpose. 

 Other Indian authorities state that tubes of various kinds were 

 used by the " medicine-men " in removing disease. The con- 

 jurer placed the tube on the diseased member, and seizing the 

 end of the tube adapted for the mouth in his teeth, proceeded 

 to suck away the disease. The size and appearance of these 

 tubes would agree very well with such a use. 



Leaving this part of the mound with its superficial inter- 

 ments, some of the workmen had, a few feet further to the 

 north, struck upon a number of flat stones, lying in an im- 

 bricated manner in three layers, the uppermost being a foot 

 or more below the surface of the mound. These heavy stones 

 were each two feet square and four or five inches in depth. 

 They were of the Silurian limestone found at the foot of the 

 river bank, where, since, quarries have been opened. The 

 workmen were directed to clear off the earth, and leave the 

 stones undisturbed. This done, a surface some thirty square 

 feet in extent was exposed. Some of the observers, with the 

 legend in mind, suggested that the stones were very much 

 in the position they would have been had the stone chimney 

 of a dwelling been toppled over and covered in the falling 

 ruins of a cave. This, however, was, on closer observation, 



