THE ST. JOHN'S RIVER, FLORIDA. 63 



The finding of an entire vessel of any size in the mounds of the St. John's is 

 of such rare occurrence that special stress is laid upon this discover}-. 



Not far distant from the vessel above described, with human remains, was an 

 elongated bowl of graceful pattern, 7-75 inches in length with a maximum width 

 of 6 - 5 inches. Its depth was 3 inches. A portion of the bottom had been 

 knocked out. At either end the rim became concave to the extent of '25 of an 

 inch. When inverted the pot much resembled in shape the carapace of a turtle. 

 In immediate association was a fragment of human skull, calcined, and the crown 

 of a human molar blackened by fire. 



On the base of the mound was a bit of pottery, the fragmentary condition of 

 which was a matter of regret. In shape it strongly suggested the beak and canal 

 of the Fulgtir when given the form of a cup (Plate XV, fig. 1). Reproductions 

 in clay of drinking cups of shell are reported from other sections. In this speci- 

 men the curve was peculiarly graceful. 



Twelve feet from the surface on the base of shell was a fragment of a small 

 jar with curious ornamentation (Plate XV, fig. 2). 



In former excavations three small pots were found by us at Tick Island. All 

 were imperforated as to the base and lay with original burials. Two were imdec- 

 orated, one of a design previously unreported is figured in the American Naturalist, 

 July, 1892. 



On the base also in the various trenches were sherds of excellent material and 

 artistic decoration (Plate XV, fig. 3), quite unlike any met with in numerous 

 excavations in the adjacent shell heaps. 



Many small bits of pottery placed with bodies had been intentionally given the 

 form of an arrow head. We shall refer again to this custom. 



It will be noticed that at the Tick Island mound the perforation of the bot- 

 toms of vessels, either by intentional fracture or in construction previous to baking, 

 did not obtain to the same extent as in certain other mounds of the river. 



CONCLUSIONS. 



During our extended investigations in the Tick Island mound absolutely 

 nothing indicating contact with the whites was met with, nor were objects of pol- 

 ished stone found other than superficially. In comparison with the mass of mate- 

 rial handled the objects discovered were but few, and when we consider the results 

 yielded by the mounds at Dunn's Creek, at Norwalk Landing, in the pine 

 woods near Blue Creek, and at Mt. Royal, we are led to believe that poorer and 

 probably earlier Indians piled up the sand mound at Tick Island . 



Sand Mound Near De Leon Springs, Volusia County. 



To reach De Leon Springs it is necessary, after leaving the St. John's, to pur- 

 sue a somewhat devious course as shown by the map. A considerable shell deposit 

 borders the Springs. 



