158 APPENDIX. 



which it occurs, as may be seen from ancient deeds. Indian tradition says that a 

 Mohawk murdered his brother on this spot, and that this heap was erected to 

 commemorate the event. Every individual who passed that way added a stone to 

 the pile, in propitiation of the spirit of the victim." — {Hoive's Gaz. of New York, 

 p. 278.) 



Dwight, in his travels, mentions a heap of stones of this description, which was 

 raised over the body of a warrior killed by accident, on the old Indian trail between 

 Hartford and Farmington, the seat of the Tunxis Indians, in Connecticut. Rude 

 heaps of stone of similar character are of frequent occurrence throughout the 

 West. A very remarkable one occurs upon the dividing ridge between Indian and 

 Crooked Creeks, about ten miles south-west of Chilicothe, Ohio. It is immedi- 

 ately by the side of the old Indian trail which led from the Shawanoe towns, in 

 the vicinity of Chilicothe, to the mouth of the Scioto River, and is described in 

 detail in the first volume of these Contributions, p. 184. 



Another heap of stones, of like character, but somewhat less in size, is situated 

 upon the top of a high, narrow hill overlooking the small valley of Salt Creek, 

 near Tarlton, Pickaway county, Ohio. It is remarkable as having large numbers 

 of crumbling human bones intermingled, apparently without order, with the stones. 

 A very extensive prospect is had from this point. Upon the slope of a lower hill, 

 near by, appears to have been formerly an Indian village. Many rude relics are 

 uncovered on the spot by the plough. 



Smaller and very irregular heaps are frequent among the hills. .These do not 

 generally embrace more than a couple of cart-loads of stone, and almost invariably 

 cover a skeleton. Occasionally the amount of stones is much greater. Rude im- 

 plements are sometimes found with the skeletons. A number of Such graves have 

 been observed near Sinking Springs, Highland county, Ohio ; also in Adams 

 county in the same State, and in Greenup county, Kentucky, at a point nearly 

 opposite the town of Portsmouth, on the Ohio. 



A stone-heap, somewhat resembling those first described, though considerably 

 less in size, is situated on the Wateree River, in South Carolina, near the mouth 

 of Beaver Creek, a few miles above the town of Camden. It is thus described in 

 a MS. letter from Dr. Wm. Blanding, late of Camden, addressed to Dr. S. G. Mor- 

 ton, of Philadelphia : 



" The land here rises tor the distance of one mile, and forms a long hill from 

 north to south. On the north point stands what is called the ' Indian Grave.' It 

 is composed of many tons of small round stones, from one to four and five pounds 

 weight. The pile is thirty feet long from east to west, twelve feet broad, and five 

 feet high ; so situated as to command an extensive view of the adjacent country as 

 far as ' Rocky Mount,' a distance of twenty miles above, and of the river for more 

 than three miles, even at its lowest stages." 



A large stone-heap was observed, a number of years since, on a prairie, in 

 one of the central counties of Tennessee. " Upon removing the stones, near the 

 centre of the pile was found a stone box, six feet long and three broad, formed by 

 joining with care the edges of flat stones. Within it was found the decayed skele- 

 ton of a man. No weapons or other rehcs accompanied the skeleton." 



