374 



ETHNOLOGY. 



even attributed the peculiar formation lining the sides of the grave 

 to the coagulation and final hardening of blood, accounting for its pres- 

 ence in such large quantity by presuming a battle to have been fought 

 in the vicinity. 



The few fragments of human bones which on this occasion were 

 exhumed with the pottery were in the last stages of decay. 



A large mound, which stands near the northwest shore of Chambers 

 Island, in Green Bay, Wisconsin, I have thought worthy of mention 

 here from having been the burial-place of platycnemic men, and as 

 belonging to the lake region, though lying outside of the State of Mich- 

 igan. It has been explored by a friend of mine of much experience in 

 such operations, and I have had opportunity to examine the contents. 



The accomijanying sketch [Fig. 5] sufficiently shows the location, 

 surroundings, &c., of this mound, which unquestionably is of great age. 

 Among a large number of relics of the description generally found in 

 the burial-mounds, there were exhumed here human remains, mostly in 

 the latter stage^of decay; a few rude stone implements; an urn (pro- 

 vided with a lid) of the old i3ottery, of uncommon design and curious 

 indented pattern, formed largely of curved lines in a sort of scroll-work ; 

 and a broad, pointed copper-knife, well wrought, and resembling those 

 found in the works of the " ancient miners " of Lake Superior. Frag- 

 ments of prepared hide, like rough leather, adhered to the knife; prob- 

 ably the remnants of a rude sheath. One of the skulls, in fair condition, 

 presented decided indications of artificial flattening, while the tibice aL 

 exhibited the peculiar compression already referred to, though not to 

 the extent found to i)ertain to the tihiw of the mounds along the 

 Detroit, Eouge, and Saint Clair Rivers. The bones of one of the earliest 

 of the interments gave unequivocal evidence that cremation had been 

 practiced here. Large pieces of charcoal, well preserved, remained in 

 the vicinity of the burnt bones. 



The annexed table gives the dimensions of some of the tibice preserved 

 from this mound, from measurements which I have carefully made. 

 The piatycnemism of those bones is of importance, as still widening the 

 area over which the peculiarity prevailed. 



Table III. — Dimensions, ^-c, of iib'uBfrom Chamhers Island, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. 









6 



























11 



a 



^ * ^ 



^■. 



M 







=2 



.2^3.2 







^ 



^ 



o5 



g2 



a 



p 



6 -£ <o 4i 



J 



a 

 '5 



a 



■CD 





a 



ntor 

 ame 

 vera 

 sbaf 



3 



1 



!zi 



h^ 



bi^ 



I-; 



■^ 



Ph 



I-) 



1 



15.54 



3.05 



3.00 



153 by 95 



0.190 



0.G20 



2 



15.48 



3.00 



3.07 



155 by 86 



0.198 



0.554 



3 



14.15 



3.15 



3.00 



152 by 8S 



0.212 



0. 579 



4 



13.80 



3.10 



3.04 



155 by 93 



0. 220 



O.COO 



Mean 



14. 74 



3.07 



3.02 



153 by 90 



0.205 



0.588 



