78 



ANTIQUITIES OF WISCONSIN. 



Isolated tumuli exist near the waters of the Mississippi along this part of its 

 course ; and at the place where the road turns off towards Springville, at Bartlett's 

 Landing, is a very considerable assemblage, mostly of circular and oblong mounds, 

 occupying the summit and sides of a narrow ridge. (Plate LIT.) The river is here 

 divided into several distinct channels, called " sloughs." 



At La Crosse there is a prairie between the river and the bluffs, which has always 

 been a favorite place of resort for the Indian. The conical tumuli forming a row 

 parallel with the river, manifest also the residence of the mound-builders. The 

 materials of these works being sand, they are now much reduced, and can be dis- 

 covered only upon close inspection. I could find none that appeared to have had 

 any animal or other imitative forms. 



On the immediate brink of the river are excavations bordered by embankments. 

 Some are circular, and resemble the remains of the Indian caches ; while others are 

 of a different form, as represented in Fig. 35. Several were observed in the shape 



Fia. 35. 

 Mississippi river. 



Ancient Works on tlie bank of the Mississippi, at La Crosse. Forty feet to an inch. 



of a crescent, the excavation gradually deepening from the horns towards the centre. 

 All have the elevated ridge on the side furthest from the river ; so that if these 

 works were intended for defence, it was against an enemy from the land. They are 

 of no great extent ; many of them would not protect more than two or three persons. 



Perhaps it was to excavations of this kind that Lieutenant Pike alludes in his 

 journal (page 19), where he says : " The Sioux have a mode of defence or secre- 

 tion by digging holes in the prairie, and throwing up a bank around it, into which 

 they put their women and children, and then crawl in themselves." The soft sandy 

 nature of the ground here would easily admit of the employment of that kind of 

 protection. 



On the eastern border of this prairie are some very high bluffs, presenting towards 

 the top perpendicular cliffs of limestone. On one of these, known as Gale's Bluff, 

 we found a large crevice or cave, in which, among some loose stones and sand, were 

 several human bones ; and a skull has been taken from the same place. No bones 

 of animals could be found. The rock above the cave is perpendicular for a great 

 height. 



