ABORIGINAL SITES ON TENNESSEE RIVER. 221 
This mound, which was of sandy loam in the upper two-thirds, lent itself to 
the use of sounding-rods, and in consequence was prodded in all parts by us. In 
addition, numerous trial-holes were put down, but nothing of interest was 
encountered. 
MOUNDS on THE WILLIAMS PLACE, HARDIN County, TENNESSEE. 
The Williams Place, two miles below Savannah, Tenn., on the same side of 
the river, is described in the Smithsonian Report for 1870 (p. 416 et seq.) as having 
a number of mounds which were investigated by the agent of the Smithsonian 
Institution. Results are detailed that show the lack of success which is likely 
to follow mound exploration along Tennessee river. 
We did not attempt further investigation at this place, having learned that 
some of the mounds there had been plowed away since the investigation referred 
to and that no discoveries had been made during the cultivation of the property. 
MOUNDS AT SAVANNAH, HARDIN County, TENNESSEE. 
This aboriginal site, originally of importance, was surveyed and investigated 
for the Smithsonian Institution, the results being detailed in the Smithsonian 
Report for 1870 (p. 408 et seq.), and in the Twelfth Annual Report of the Bureau 
of American Ethnology (p. 578). Since the visit of Mr. J. Parish Stelle, who 
conducted the investigation, the mounds of the group have been destroyed wholly 
or in part owing to their presence within the limits of the town. No further 
investigation was considered by us to be feasible or desirable. 
MOUNDS OPPOSITE WOLF ISLAND, HARDIN County, TENNESSEE. 
On the right-hand side of the river, going up, opposite the lower end of Wolf 
Island, on property controlled by Mr. J. F. Williams, of Crump, Tenn., are two 
mounds about 150 feet apart, near the river bank and in full view from it. 
The larger mound, which has a flat top and probably has been quadrangular, 
is said to have had a house upon it. Its shape at present is somewhat irregular. 
Several small holes, no doubt unambitious efforts of treasure-seekers, were in the 
summit-plateau. The height is 12 feet; the diameters, 115 feet and 165 feet. 
We were unable, by systematic prodding and by trial-holes, to get any trace of 
burials in the superficial part of this mound. 
The smaller mound, very symmetrical, about circular as to the base, which 
had a diameter of 50 feet, almost without summit-plateau, was on the end of a 
ridge about 2 feet above the general level, which gave the mound the appearance, 
from one side, of having a height of about 7 feet; but this in reality, was not the 
case, the base of the mound being on the upper surface of the ridge, as was shown 
by a central hole 8 feet by 10 feet sunk by us to the undisturbed soil and into it. 
. The mound had been made of clay on top to a depth of about 1.5 foot when 
sand having a slight admixture of clay continued 3.5 feet to the bottom of the 
mound. 
