ANCIENT MOUNDS OF DAKOTA. 



By C. Thomas, Ph. D. 



While at the j^orthern Pacific crossing of James Eiver, in Dakota 

 Territory, during the past summer, I was informed by the officers of the 

 military post at that place that there were some mounds in the vicinity 

 which were supi^osed to be artificial. 



Colonel Burkej who was in charge of the post, very kindly consented 

 to allow several soldiers and some Sioux scouts, who were willing to 

 accompany us to assist in opening one Of these to test the correctness 

 of this opinion ; and General H. W. Thomas, who took great interest in 

 the subject, agreed to conduct the operations. 



These mounds are situated on a high prairie east of Pipestone Creek, 

 about two miles southeast of Jamestown, near the bluff which over- 

 hangs the narrow valley of the creek. The position is a commanding 

 one overlooking a large extent of country toward the north and west, 

 but to the south and east the j)rairie rises a little higher than at this 

 point, but between this point and the higher ground in the latter direc- 

 tion there is a broad slight depression. 



The three mounds in this group are situated in relation to each other 

 as represented in the annexed wood-cut, and are connectetl with each 

 other by low ridges, evidently the remains of walls of some kind. 



A, the central mound, is the largest, being about 210 feet in circum- 



Fig. 56. 



ferenceat the base, asl judged 

 by carefully pacing it; it is 

 about 8 feet high in the cen- 

 ter, the top having evidently 

 been worn down considerably 

 by the wind, rain, &e., and 

 the material deposited around 

 the base perhaps slightly en- 

 larging its original circumfer- 

 ence. A badger-hole entered 

 near the apex, penetrating it 

 obliquely some 4 or 5 feet. 



B, situated to the southwest 

 of A, about 144 feet distant, 

 is nearly as large as the lat- 

 ter, and apparently similar in 

 every respect except that it 

 appears to be more worn and not quite so regular in its outlines. 



C, the third, is situated about 36 feet almost directly east of A, and 

 is about half the size of that mound. 



I) and E are the low ridges connecting these mounds -, they are about 

 15 to 18 feet broad, and from 2 to 3 feet high. Another broad and 

 soniewhat indistinct ridge, marked F in the cut, runs southeast from 

 A, fading out at the distance of about 400 feet. 



Commencing on the north side of A at G, we made an opening about 

 3 teet wide and extending a little beyond the center. About 2 feet from 

 the surface, near the center, we began to find human bones and the bones 

 01 an animal, apparently those of the buffalo; the remains of only one 



