TRAVELS IN 
^88 
walk of about a mile and an half down the river, to 
view the ruins and fite of the ancient Apalachucla : 
it had been fituated on a peninfula formed by a 
doubling of the river, and indeed appears to have 
been a very famous capital by the artificial mounds 
or terraces, and a very populous fettiement, from 
its extent and expanfive old fields, ftretching be- 
yond the fcope of the fight along the low grounds 
of the river. We viewed the mounds or terraces, 
on which formerly flood their town houfe or ro- 
tunda and fquare or areopagus, and a little behind 
thefe, on a level height or natural ftep, above the 
low grounds, is a vafl artificial terrace or four fquare 
mound, now feven or eight feet higher than the 
common furface of the ground ; in front of one 
fquare or fide of this mound adjoins a very exten- 
five oblong fquare yard or artificial level plain, funk 
a little below the common furface, and furrounded 
with a bank or narrow terrace, formed with the 
earth thrown out of this yard at the time of its for- 
mation : the Creeks or prefent inhabitants have a 
tradition that this was the work of the ancients, 
many ages prior to their arrival and pofTeiTing this 
country. 
This old town was evacuated about twenty years 
ago by the general confent of the inhabitants, on 
account of its unhealthy fituation, owing to the fre- 
quent inundations of the river over the low grounds; 
and moreover they grew timorous and deje£led, 
apprehending themfelves to be haunted and pof- 
feffed with vengeful fpirits, on account of human 
blood that had been undefervedly * fpilt in this old 
* About fifty or fixty years ago almoft ail the white traders then in the 
nation were maffacred in this town, whither they had repaired from the dif- 
ferent towns, in hopes of an afylum or refuge, in confequence of the alarm, 
having been timely apprized of the hoftiie intentions of the Indians by their 
temporary 
