400 FRESH-WATER SHELL-HEAPS 
what abruptly to the height of fifteen feet above the lake; on 
the top is a plateau, on which formerly stood a hotel 
_ several out-buildings, and to the eastward the surface falls off 
by a gradual slope. On this side there is an extensive 
swamp, separated from the lake by a beach-wall of shells, 
consisting of the same species as those found in the blufi, 
and extending several hundred yards along the shore. As 
there are mingled with these shells the fragments of pots 
and bones of animals, they were all no doubt derived from 
the mound, and have been scattered by the action of the 
water. On the westerly side is a spring discharging highly — 
sulphuretted water, and flowing into the lake through a small 
morass. The mound extends back from the shore about five 
hundred feet, but is of a very irregular shape, being much 
narrowed in its middle, and spreading out again in the reat 
portion into two unequal and irregular transverse ridges. 
While on the front the mound is composed of the three kinds 
of shells, the rest consists almost exclusively of Paludinas. 
That a large portion of this mound has been destroyed, and 
that the shore of the lake is receding, is obvious from its | 
abrupt front, the distribution of its material along the shore; 
and the fact that twelve palmetto trees to the eastward of it 
are now surrounded by water, and their roots denud to 
the depth of from two to three feet. sip 
In consequence of the undermining of the front, and 
looseness of the materials, which generally are neither com 3 
pact or stratified, excavations were easily made. They we 
continued through several days, many cartloads of ma 
were moved, and collections made from all depths i i 
the surface, of whatever objects were mingled with 
shells. These objects consisted of the articles already eE 
tioned in connection with the other localities, an 
various fragments of worked shells which will be d 
farther on. Although several arrow-heads and many 
or “chips” of flint were picked up along the shores 
were actually found in the mound. 
escribed 

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