134 Indian Stone Graves. [Februa 
tleman, and in order to learn whether he still dwelled among { 
living, I addressed, a short time ago,a note of inquiry to 
trict to which Monroe county belongs. In his reply of June 2 } 
1882, he states as follows: “He still resides on his farm where l 
you saw him, and has attained to the advanced age of f eighty-t 
years. Strange as it may seem, he still has his little old wagot 4 
or gig with two wheels, in which he drives about, practisi 
medicine in his neighborhood,” | 
In the early part of this century the Kickapoos inhabited the te i 
country bordering on the central waters of the Illinois, andt 
head waters of the Kaskaskia and Embarras rivers in Illi 0 
but they roamed over the whole territory now forming that stat, 
and far beyond it. The last of these audacious and enterprising j 
Indians were removed in 1833 from Illinois to a reservation noth 
of Fort Leavenworth, and they are still located in that neig 
hood. A large number of Kickapoos had gone to Mem 
many of them have returned to the United States. 
I have not met with any account in which stone-grave b 
proper is mentioned as being practised by modern Indians; 
something similar was observed by John D, Hunter, who 
many years among the Kickapoos, Kansas, Osages, and 
Indians of the West. He says: “This ceremony [the burial 
performed differently, not only by different tribes, but by the 
dividuals of the same tribe. The body is sometimes placed 
the surface of the ground, between flat stones set edge up 
and then covered over, first by similar stones, and then | 
earth brought a short distance ; occasionally this stone ca 
only applied to the head, and en again, it is altogether omi 
Others excavate the earth to the depth of two or three feet, 
deposit their dead below tits surface.” 
It appears to me most probable that the stone graves owe © 
origin to the race inhabiting within historical times, Or % 
earlier, the districts where they are found. The method of bt 
very simple itself, was suggested by the facility of obtainit 
stones suitable for the construction of these primitive CO 
which protected the dead most effectually from the attac 
wild beasts. If, finally, due consideration is given to the 
-l Hunter; Manners and Customs of several Indian Tribes located wel 
Mississippi. yer chile 
