ANTIQUITIES OF THE OUACHITA VALLEY. 
By CLARENCE B. MOORE. 
INTRODUCTION. 
Ouachita! river has its source in central western Arkansas, and flowing east- 
erly and southeasterly, enters the State of Louisiana, through which it follows a 
southerly course to its union with the Tensas and Little rivers, where the three 
combine to form Black river. 
Black river is a tributary of Red river which, as the reader is aware, joins the 
Mississippi on its western side. 
The principal afluents of Ouachita river, in order from north to south, are : 
Little Missouri river, Saline river, Bayou Bartholomew, Bayou Ф Arbonne, and 
Boeuf river. 
We have considered Little river to belong to the Ouachita valley, while Tensas 
river, paralleling the Mississippi, may be regarded as having a drainage basin of its 
own. 
This report has to do with the antiquities of that part of the Ouachita valley 
which was investigated by us in November, 1908, and in January, February, March, 
and April, 1909. 
` We shall now indicate the extent of our season's work, explaining that it is 
our custom to have Mr. J. S. Raybon, for many years captain of the steamer from 
which our work is done, examine in advance such territory as it is our intention to 
explore, that the exact position of mounds and cemeteries may be determined and 
permission to investigate may be obtained from the owners, previous to our visit. 
In pursuance of this custom part of the summer and of the fall of 1908 was devoted 
to this work by Captain Raybon, travelling in a small, covered boat, with a com- 
panion, and stopping at each landing and at every other point on the rivers, which 
gave promise of revealing aboriginal remains. In this way were traversed the 
navigable length of the Ouachita river, which lies between Camden, Arkansas, and 
its union with Black river, a distance by water of a little more than 300 miles; the 
navigable part of Little river, from Georgetown down, about eighty-five miles by 
water. | 
! Locally pronounced Washtaw. 
