ABORIGINAL SITES ON TENNESSEE RIVER. 369 
In sight from Mound A, did not the building intervene, was a low mound, or 
the remainder of a mound, which had been under cultivation. Its height at 
the time of our visit was 18 inches; its diameter, 50 feet. A central excavation 
12 feet square was put down by us, about in the middle of which was a skeleton, 
closely flexed on the left, which evidently had been placed on the original surface 
of the ground and earth piled over it. At the lower part of the pelvis, not in a 
pile but scattered along near one another, were twenty-three triangular arrow- 
heads of flint, having concave bases, some slightly broken, the smallest of which 
was .75 inch in length. 
This mound was on a slope, consequently the outer part of it on one side 
was of greater depth than were the central parts, and that portion which was 
higher on the slope. А burial found considerably away from the center and in 
that part of the mound which descended the slope, was at a depth of 3.5 feet. 
The mound at this point was 27 inches to the base, and the grave in which this 
burial lay extended 16 inches into underlying soil, the grave being 4 feet wide 
by 6 feet 2 inches in length. The skeleton lay at full length on the back, without 
artifact of any kind. 
About 250 yards W. by N. from Mound A was another which probably had 
been about 3 feet in height, but which was so thoroughly gutted that marginal 
parts only surrounded an excavation. 
Approximately 180 yards NNW. from Mound A was one 3.5 feet in height 
and 45 feet in diameter, filled with comparatively recent burials in coffins. 
In the neighborhood of 315 yards NE. from Mound A, on the summit of a 
low hill overlooking the river, was a mound 5.5 feet in height and 35 feet in 
diameter of its circular base. This mound, which culminated almost in a peak, 
had trees upon it and evidently never had been under cultivation. An excava- 
tion 12 feet square reached a distinct, dark, basal line resting on clay and gravel 
at a depth of 6 feet 3 inches from the summit of the mound. No sign of bone, 
sherd, or chipped stone was encountered in this mound, and no grave had cut 
through the base. 
DWELLING-SITE ON CHATTANOOGA ISLAND, HAMILTON COUNTY. 
Opposite the city of Chattanooga is a small island, the property of Mr. 
Joseph Willis of Chattanooga, which has some history of burials and artifacts 
discovered there in the past. A careful examination of the island showed it 
to have been an aboriginal dwelling-site, but its proximity to a large city pre- 
sumably had been the cause that but few objects of interest were visible on the 
surface. No fragments of human bones were to be seen, nor was there any rise 
of the ground or marked darkening of the soil to indicate the presence of 
burials. 
A number of trial-holes were put down in different parts of the island, one 
of which came upon a skeleton lying closely flexed to the right, the right forearm 
flexed back against the humerus, the left forearm diagonally up across the thorax. 
37 JOURN. A. N. S. PHILA., VOL. XVI. 
