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ABORIGINAL SITES IN LOUISIANA AND IN ARKANSAS. 79 
somewhat more than 4 feet in height, measured from the western side, though 
from the eastern side, the mound being on a slope, the height seems considerably 
greater. The base of the mound, irregularly circular, is about 75 feet in diameter; 
the summit-plateau is 32 feet across. 
Seven trial-holes dug from the summit-plateau of the mound showed it to 
be of raw clay and sand without admixture of dark material indicating the 
presence of burials. "These holes, earried below the base-line which was at a 
depth of from 6.5 to 7 feet, intersected no pits of any kind, nor was there any sign 
of a central pit extending below the base. 
Five feet below the central part of the summit-plateau was a basin-shaped 
fireplace, З feet 8 inches across at the top and 21 inches deep. Filling the lower 
part of the fireplace was a layer of ashes and burnt material 9 inches in thiekness. 
In sight from the principal mound, in a southwesterly direction from it, 
are two other mounds, while a third lies a short distance to the westward. "These 
mounds, irregularly circular as to the bases, the diameter of each of which is 
about 50 feet, are respectively 2 feet 2 inches, 1 foot, and 2 feet 3 inches in height. 
They are composed of raw, yellow clay without any indication of use for burial, 
as was shown by many trial-holes sunk through them to sand on which they rest. 
South of the mound is a great field, fallow at the time of our visit, on which, 
here and there, were relies of aboriginal life, including two arrowheads of flint. 
Doubtless the grass covered much that could have been apparent on plowed 
land, and possibly through the presence of vegetation an aboriginal cemetery 
was concealed. 
SALINE RIVER, ARKANSAS. 
Saline river has its source in central Arkansas, not far west of Little Rock, 
and pursues a southeasterly course to its union with Ouachita river, about a 
dozen miles above the Louisiana border. 
Navigation on this stream is blocked by a bridge, 58 miles by water above 
its mouth. The territory from this bridge to the river’s junction with the 
Ouachita was searched by Capt. W. D. Platt prior to our coming, who found great 
difficulty in obtaining information as to mounds, owing to the sparse population 
along the banks of the stream. 
'The river was investigated by us for a distance of 50 miles, as the river 
runs, no aboriginal sites of interest having been discovered farther north. 
Along that part of Saline river investigated by us no burials were found in 
cemeteries, only in mounds, and all mounds found by us along this stream were 
low and without symmetry—mere irregular rises of the ground, none apparently 
having been otherwise in earlier times. 
The custom of placing artifacts with the dead evidently was not practised 
along that part of Saline river investigated by us, with the exception of pottery, 
and that to a very limited extent. This pottery is of inferior ware and without 
polish, though, as might be expected of a region lying south of Arkansas river, 
