196 CERTAIN SAND MOUNDS OF 



charge for the privilege of excavation is disproportionately great considering the 

 unimportance of the mound. 



Two Mounds at Orange Park, Clay County. 



In the town of Orange Park are two mounds which have been dug into to such 

 an extent that farther investigation was deemed inadvisable. 



Smaller Mound Near Beauclerc, Duval County. 



This mound, on property controlled by W. D. White, Esq., of Mandarin, was 

 courteously placed at our disposition by him. 



The mound, about one-half mile east of Beauclerc, has been under continuous 

 cultivation and its height, 5 feet 7 inches, was no indication of its altitude in former 

 times. Its base diameter was 68 feet. 



The mound was completely demolished. 



It was composed of brownish sand. On one portion of the summit was sand 

 of a terra-cotta shade similar to the upper stratum of the mound at Julington 

 Creek. Probably the remainder of this layer was wanting through the agency of 

 the plough. 



The base of the mound, somewhat below the surrounding level, had been one 

 vast fireplace. On it at one point, covering a number of square feet, were scattered 

 fragments of human bones and of bones of lower animals charred and calcined by 

 fire. Immediately above these, occupying a central position on the base, was a 

 solid mass of human bones in the last stage of decay. These bones, owing to ad- 

 vanced state of decomposition and pressure from the sand above, had virtually lost 

 their distinctive shapes, and lying in a compact mass, closely resembled a rotten 

 plank. They were unaccompanied by relics of any sort and showed no marks of 

 fire, proving that, previous to burial, the flames that charred the bones below, had 

 been allowed to cool. Local fireplaces were in various portions of the mound. 

 Rising from the base in the form of a cone beneath the yellow sand was a mass of 

 sand darkened by admixture of charcoal. Its exterior was marked by a black line 

 indicating the base of another fireplace. Toward the center of the mound the 

 apex of this cone was within one foot of the surface. In various portions of the 

 mound were fragmentary burials, representing portions of the skeleton, while upon 

 two or three occasions, not far from the surface, were skeletons in anatomical order. 

 One of these, the bones of which fully retained their organic matter, presented a 

 rather gruesome appearance, and doubtless belonged to a colored man who, we are 

 informed, had been interred there some ten years previously. 



An ocasional Fulgur (carica) lay on the base, where also, at different points, 

 were found a small arrow head and two oval pebble-hammers. 



One lance point and three "celts" were found separately from two to three 

 feet from the surface. 



Sherds plain or stamped were abundant. 



