AMERICAN ANTIQUITIES. 37 



cxte3nding several miles into the country, and others on the 

 east, joined to a square fort containing twenty acres, not 

 lour 1 miles distant. From this latter fort parallel walls ex- 

 tendled to the harbour, and others to another circular fort one 

 mile? and a half distant, containing twenty-six acres, and sur- 

 roumded by an embankment from twenty-five to thirty feet 

 highi. Further north and east the elevated ground was pro- 

 tected by intrench ments. Traces of other walls have been 

 foumd, apparently connecting these works with those thirty 

 mile3S distant. When we come to reflect that there were many 

 huntdreds of similar forts, some of which were of equal size, and 

 otheers even of still greater magnitude, we cannot help believing 

 thatt an enormous population, considerably advanced in the arts 

 of ciivilization, must at one time have existed in the country, 

 oveir which for ages past the untutored savage has roamed in 

 almcost a state of nature. And now these wild tribes are 

 rapkdly disappearing before the advancement of a still greater 

 mulltitude, and a far more perfect civilization. Whether these 

 anciient races were the ancestors of the present Indians or not, 

 it is-; difficult to determine, as are the causes of their disappear- 

 ances. It is possible that, retreating southward, they established 

 the empires of Mexico and Peru, or, overcome by more savage 

 tribces, were ultimately exterminated. 



