352 CERTAIN ANTIQUITIES OF THE FLORIDA WEST-COAST. 



During the summer of 1899, G. W. Rossignol, formerly captain of our steamer, 

 and thoroughly familiar with aboriginal remains, accompanied by a companion 

 knowing the territory, made a journey along the coast from Anclote Key on the 

 north to the Caloosahatchee river on the south, including the shores of Tampa Bay. 

 Great numbers of mounds and shell heaps were located by him and the addresses 

 of the owners l secured, from nearly all of whom we obtained in advance permission 

 to investigate, so that our labors were greatly expedited. Never before had we set 

 out so thoroughly prepared for work and never did our efforts meet with so little 

 success. 



Our journey extended from near Clearwater Harbor on the north to Tampa 

 Bay, and to such mounds on the Bay as seemed of most interest, including parts of 

 the Alafia, the Little Manatee and the Manatee, rivers ; through Sarasota Bay ; 

 down Pine Island Sound, including some of the keys described by Mr. Cushing ; 

 part of the Caloosahatchee river ; Estero Bay with Mound Island • Key Marco ; 

 and the Ten Thousand Islands to the Chatham river, not far from the North-west 

 Cape. 



Four Mile Bayou, Hillsboro County. 



Four Mile Bayou was the northernmost point on the coast visited by us. 



On the east side of Four Mile Bayou, beginning at a small bayou that connects 

 with the greater one, is a ridge of shell, 640 paces in length, running parallel with 

 the water and only a few yards back from high water mark. The ridge, which 

 runs N. by W. and S. by E., has been cut into to a certain extent by the removal 

 of shell for use on streets of the town of Clearwater Harbor. The section exposed 

 showed no artifacts other than a few bits of pottery with the check stamp. One 

 hundred yards from the northern end the ridge is 64 feet across and 5 feet high. 

 Two hundred yards farther along its altitude is 3 feet 7 inches; its breadth, 76 "feet. 

 Five hundred yards from the northern extremity it is 79 feet across and 4 feet 10 

 inches high. The southern end, for the last 150 feet, has a breadth of 50 feet and 

 is 8 feet 6 inches high. 



On the east side of Four Mile Bayou, on the property of Mr. J. F. Girard, 

 living near by, is a mound 4 feet high and 58 feet across the base. This mound 

 had a top layer of shell and black loam 1.5 feet thick. Next came about 1 foot of 

 yellow sand and finally a layer of shell and loam about 1 foot 4 inches in thickness. 

 A central excavation and lateral trenching indicated this mound to be of a domi- 

 ciliary character. 



About 300 yards in a northerly direction from Mr. Girard's place, in woods, 

 on property belonging to Mr. George T. Chamberlain, of Tampa, is a mound 

 thickly covered with scrub growth, having an irregular basal outline. Excava- 

 tions, whence came material for the mound, are near its base, and a person 

 standing at the bottom of one of these would form an incorrect idea as to the 

 height of the mound, which, measured from the western side, apparently from the 



1 To owners of mounds who so readily and so cordially granted us permission to dig, we wish to 

 tender our warm thanks. 



