28 ANTIQUITIES OF THE OUACHITA VALLEY. 
This ground, planted in oats at the time of our \ isit, gave по каре indi- 
cation of what lay beneath, and was hardly perceptibly above the murron 
level. Its history, however, was widespread, it being generally known that years 
before, a member of Mr. Соје в family had made a small с lection of earthenware 
vessels from the place which had been brought to his notice through discoveries 
made by employees while digging post-holes. f | | 
Trial-holes sunk by us where the relies had been found came immediately 
upon traces of human remains and vessels of earthenware. Guided by the results 
obtained in the holes, a rectangular area 54 feet long by 51 feet wide, the longer 
dimension running E. and W., was entirely dug through by us, largely with the 
use of trowels, especially where grave-pits were encountered, the deepest of which 
extended 38 inches below the surface. | А | 
The space dug through, consisting of sandy clay, contained burials in consider- 
able numbers, with the exception of the final seven feet of the eastern end. Sub- 
sequently, digging in irregular spaces, amounting to 847 square feet, was done 
contiguous to the N., S. and W. parts of the area already dug (making the total 
digging somewhat less than one-tenth of an acre), in order to determine if burials 
extended beyond. 
While some burials were encountered in this latter digging, they were much 
less numerous in proportion to the space covered than were those in the portion 
first dug, and it was evident, when our digging was discontinued, that we had 
reached a tract in which burials were widely apart. 
As we have said, the deepest grave-pit found by us had a depth of 38 inches. 
There were many of almost equal depth. Some were comparatively small and cir- 
cular, indicating the bunched burial ; others, by their shape, showed that the ex- 
tended form of burial had been employed. 
Human remains were encountered at 121 places in the cemetery, and, as a 
rule, consisted of hardly more than traces of bones—sometimes crowns of teeth only, 
which were crumbling into dust. 
It is impossible to form an estimate of the number of individuals who had been 
interred, since not only were the remains decayed as we have described, but there 
had been great aboriginal disturbance in the cemetery, caused by interments cutting 
through others previously made; and these disturbances had created sad һауос 
among bones and pottery. 
In this cemetery little of interest had been placed with the dead, with the 
exception of vessels of earthenware. Glass beads were found at six points and 
ornaments of sheet-brass eighteen times, in connection with human remains. 
In some instances the alloyed metal was corroded through and through, traces 
only remaining; in others, however, the brass was better preserved and was found 
in the form of small cones; disks of various diameters; tubular beads; wide, 
annular ornaments which possibly had been worn on the fingers. 
We shall now give in detail a description of all objects found with human 
remains in this cemetery, excepting, however, glass, brass, and vessels of earthen- 
