51 8 TRAVELS IN 
chunk yards *., and obelilks or pillars of wood, are 
the only monuments of labour, ingenuity and mag- 
nificence, that I have feen worthy of notice, or re- 
mark. The region lying between Savanna river 
and Oakmulge, Eaft and Weft, and from the lea- 
coaft to the Cherokee or Apalachean mountains, 
North and South, is the raoft remarkable for thefe 
high conical hills, tetragon terraces and chunk 
yards. This region was poflefTed by the Cherokees, 
fince the arrival of the Europeans, but they were 
afterwards difpolTeffed by the Mufcogulges, and ail 
that country was probably, many - ages preceding 
the Cherokee invafion, inhabited- by one nation or 
confederacy, who were rilled by the fame fyftem 
of laws, cuftoms and language, but To ancient, that 
the Cherokees, Creeks, or the nation they con- 
quered, could render no account for what purpofe 
thefe monuments were raifed.' The mounts and 
cubical yards adjoining them, feem to have been 
raifed in part for ornament and recreation, and like- 
wife to ferve Tome other public purpofe, fince they 
are always To fituated as to command the moil ex- 
tenfive profpecl over the' town and country adja- 
cent. The tetragon terraces feem to be the foun- 
dation of a fortrefs ; and perhaps the great pyrami- 
dal mounts, ferved the purpofe .of look out.towers, 
and high places for facrifice. The furiken area, 
called by white traders the chunk yard, very likely 
ferved the fame conveniency that it has been appro- 
priated to it by the more modern and even prefeni 
nations of Indians, that is, the place -where they 
burnt and otherwife tortured the unhappy captives 
* Chunk yard, a term given by the white traders, to the oblong four 
fquare yards, adjojning the high nvounts and rotundas of the: modern 
Indians.--- -In the centre of thefe Hands the ohelilk, and at each corner of the 
farther end ftands a flave poll or ftrong flake, where the captives that are 
burnt alive are .bound. , . ' . , M , .... , 
that 
