TRAVELS IN 
jiB 
chunk yards*, and obelilks or pillars of wood, ar© 
the only monuments of labour, ingenuity and 
magnificence, that I have feen worthy of notice, 
or remark. The region lying between Savanna 
river and Oakmulge, Eaft and Weft, and from 
the fea ooaft to the Cherokee or Apalachean 
mountains, North and South, is the moft remark-' 
able for thefe high conical hills, tetragon terraces 
and chunk yards. This region was poffefled by 
the Cherokees, fmce the arrival of the Europeans, 
but they were afterwards difpofTeffed by the Muf- 
cogulges, and all that country was probably, 
many ages preceeding the Cherokee invafion, 
inhabited by one nation or confederacy, who were 
ruled by the fame fyflern of laws, cuftoms and 
language , but fo ancient, that the Cherokees, 
Creeks, or the nation they conquered, could ren- 
der no account for what purpofe thefe monuments 
were raifed. The mounts and cubical yards ad- 
joining them, feem to have been raifed in part 
for ornament and recreation, and likewife to ferve 
fome other public purpofe, fince they are always 
fo fituatedas to command the moft extenfive pro- 
fpedt over the town and country adjacent. The 
tetragon terraces feem to be the foundation of a 
fortrefs ; and perhaps the great pyramidal mounts, 
ferved the purpofe of look out towers, and high 
places for facriftce. The funken area, called by 
white traders the chunk yard, very likely ferved 
the fame conveniency that it has been appropri- 
ated to it by the more modern and even prefen t 
nations of Indians, that is, the place where they 
burnt and otherwife tortured the unhappy cap- 
# Chunk yard, a term given by the white traders, to the oblong four fquare 
yards, adjoining the high mounts and rotundas of the modern Indians.-— In. 
the centre of thefe ftands the obeli fk, and at each corner of the farther end 
Hands a flave poll or ftrong flake, where the captives that are burnt alive are 
hound. 
fives 
