USA > Wisconsin > Buffalo County > History of Buffalo County, Wisconsin > Part 6
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Oxycoccus.
Arctostaphylos.
Epigæa.
Gaultheria.
Cassandra.
Ledum.
Pyrola.
Kalmia.
Chimaphila.
Primulacec.
Primula. Dodecatheon.
Lysimachia.
Plantiganacec.
Plantago.
Lobelia Family.
Indian Tobacco. Bellflower Family.
Bellflower or Harebell. Venus' Looking-glass. Heath Family.
Whortleberry or Huckleberry. Cranberry.
Bearberry. Trailing Arbutus. Wintergreen. Leatherleaf.
Labrador Tea.
Wintergreen or Shineleaf.
Mountain Laurel. Prince's Pine.
Primrose Family.
Primrose or Cowslip. Shooting Star. Loosestrife.
Plantain Family.
Plantain or Ribgrass.
Lactuca.
Sonchus.
61
NATURAL HISTORY.
Lentibulacec.
Utricularia.
Orobanchacec.
Broomrape Family.
Beech Drops. Figwort Family.
Verbascum.
Mullein.
Linaria.
Toad Flax.
Scrophularia. . Collinsia.
Collinsia.
Chelone.
Snakehead.
Pentstemon.
Beard Tongue.
Monkey Flower.
Hedge-Hysop.
Veronica.
Speed well.
Gerardia.
Gerardia.
Painted Cup.
Pedicularis.
Melampyrum.
Verbenacec.
Verbena.
Verbena. (Wild and cult.)
Fogfruit.
Phyma.
Lopseed.
Mint Family.
Teucrium.
Germander.
Isanthus.
Blue Gentian.
Mentha.
Mint.
Lycopus.
Water Hoarhound.
Pycanthemum.
Mountain Mint.
Hedeoma.
Pennyroyal.
Collinsonia.
Horse Balsam.
Monantha.
Horse Mint.
Blephilia ..
Hairy Blephilia.
Nepheta.
Catnip.
Sinandra.
Bluecurls.
Scullcap. Hoarhound.
Marubium.
Galeopsis. Stachys.
Hemp Nettle.
Hedge Nettle.
Mimulus.
Gratiola.
Castilleja.
Lousewort. Cow-wheat.
Verbenà Family.
Lippia.
Labiata.
Dracocephalum. Brunella. Scutellaria.
Bladderwort Family. Bladderwort.
Epiphegus. Schrophulacec.
Figwort.
62
NATURAL HISTORY.
Leonurus. Lamium.
Borraginaceæ.
Symphitum.
Lythospermum.
Echium.
Myosotis. Echinaspermum.
Cynoylossum.
Hydrophyllaceæ.
Hydrophyllum.
Convolvulacea.
Convolvulus.
Cuscuta.
Solanacec.
Solanum.
Physalis.
Datura.
Gentianaceæ.
Frasera.
Helenia.
Gentiana.
Meny anthes.
Bartonia.
Asclepiadaceæ.
Asclepias. Acerates.
Oleaceœ.
Fraxinus.
Aristolochiacec.
Asarum. Nyctaginacec.
Oxybaphus.
Phytolaccacec.
Phytolacca.
Chenopodiacec.
Chenopodium. Blitum. Atriplex.
Motherwort. Henbit.
Borrage Family.
Comfrey. Gramwell. Viper's Bugloss.
Scorpion Grass.
Burrseed.
Hound's Tongue. Waterleaf Family.
Waterleaf. Bindweed Family.
Bind weed. Flax Dodder. Nightshade Family.
Nightshade.
Henbane or Groundsel.
Thornapple. (Jimsonweed.) Gentian Family.
Columbo.
Felwort.
Gentian.
Buckbean.
Screwstem.
Silkweed Family.
Silkweed.
Green Silkweed.
Olive Family.
Ash. (5 var.) Birthwort Family.
Wild Ginger.
Four-o'clock Family.
Vinegar Saucer.
Pokeweed Family.
Pokeweed.
Goosefoot Family.
Goosefoot. Blite. Orache.
63
NATURAL HISTORY.
Salsola.
Soda Plant.
Amaranthacec.
Amaranthus.
Polygonacec.
Polygonum. Tagopyrum. Rumex.
L .: uracec
Sassafras.
Thymelacec.
Dirca.
Urticec.
Ulmus.
Elm.
Hackberry.
Urtica.
Laportea.
Humulus.
Cannabis.
Hemp. (Run wild.)
Planetree Family.
Platanus.
Juglandacea.
Juglans, cinerea. Juglans, nigra.
Carya.
Cupuliferæ.
Quercus. Corylus.
Ostrya.
Caspinus.
Betulaceæ.
Betula.
Alnus.
Salicacec.
Salix.
Populus.
Coniferæ.
Pinus. Abies.
Amaranth Family. Pigweed. Buckwheat Family.
Knotgrass. Buckwheat. Dock.
Laurel Family.
Sassa.ras. Mezereum Family.
Leatherwood. Nettle Family.
Celtis.
Nettle. Wood Nettle. Hop. (Wild.)
Platandcec.
Sycamore. (?) Walnut Family.
Butteruut. Black Walnut. Hickory. (4 var.) Oak Family.
Oak. (11 var.)
Hazlenut. Ironwood. Hornbeam.
1
Birch Family.
Birch. (5 var.)
Alder. Willow Family.
Willow. (17 var.)
Poplar. (5 var.) Pine Family.
Pine. (3 var.) Spruce or Fir. (4 var. including Hemlock.)
64
NATURAL HISTORY.
Larix. Thuja. Cupressus. Juniperus. Taxus.
Aracea.
Arisæma.
Calla. Symplocarpus. Acorus.
Lemnacec.
Lemna.
Typhaceæ.
Typha.
Spargamium. Naiadacec.
Naias.
Zannichellia.
Potamogetan. Alismacec.
Triglochia. Alisma.
Sagittaria.
Hydrocharidacea.
Anacharis.
Valisneria.
Orchidacec.
Orchis or Habenaria.
Spirianthes.
Calopogon.
Liparis.
Corallorhiza.
Aplectrum.
Cypripodium.
Iridaceae
Iris.
Sissyrinchium.
Smilacea.
Tamarack. Arbor Vitae. White Cedar. Juniper and Red Cedar. Ground Hemlock. Arum Family. Dragon Root. Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Northern Calla. Skunk Cabbage.
Sweet Flag. Duckmeat Family.
Duckmeat, Cat-tail Family.
Cát-tail. Burr Seed. Waternymph Family.
Water Nymph. Horn Pondweed.
Pondweed. Water Plantain Family.
Arrowgrass. Water Plantain. Arrowhead. Frog's Bit Family.
Waterweed. Tape Grass.
Orchis Family.
Orchis. Ladies' Tresses.
Grass Pink.
Tway-blade.
Coralroot.
Puddygrass. Ladies' Slipper. Blue Flag Family.
Blue Flag. Blue-eyed Grass. Green Briar Family.
65
NATURAL HISTORY.
Smilacec.
Smilax.
Liliaceæ.
Lily Family.
Trillium.
Trillium.
Ovularia.
Bell wort.
Convallaria.
Solomon's Seal.
Streptopus.
Twistfoot.
Erythronium.
Lilium. Allium.
Erythronium. Lily. (Red and Yellow ; Wild.) Garlic. Rush Family.
Juncacec.
Juncus.
Rush. (15 var.)
Luzula.
Field Rush.
Cyperaceæ.
Sedge Family.
Cyperus.
Sedge.
Eleocharis.
Club Rush.
Eriophorum.
Cotton Grass.
Rhynchos pora.
Carex.
Bog Rush. Carex. (78 var.)
Of Sedges proper (Carex) there are about 160 species, several of which contribute, more in bulk than value, to the hay of low coarse meadows and half-reclaimed bogs. (Gray.) Gramineæ.
Grass Family.
Leersia.
Cut Grass.
Zizania.
Indian Rice.
Alopecurrus.
Foxtail Grass.
Phleum.
Timothy.
Agrostis.
White Top.
Orizopis.
Mountain Rice.
Stipa.
Feather Grass.
Aristida.
Poverty Grass.
Dactylis. Poa.
Orchard Grass.
Spear Grass.
Triticum (caninum.) Hosteum (juratum.) Elimus. Avena (stirata.) Holcus. Hierochloa.
Dog's Couch Grass. Squirreltail Grass. Wild Rye. Animated Oats. Soft Grass. Seneca Grass.
7
Green Briar Family. Green Briar.
66
NATURAL HISTORY.
Phalaris. Milium.
Canary Seed. Millet.
Panicum.
Finger or Crab Grass. (12 spe.) Wild Timothy.
Setaria. Genchrus.
Sorghum.
Zea.
Burr Grass. Broom Corn. Maize or Indian Corn. .
Equisetacec.
Equisetum. Filices.
Horsetail Family. Horsetail. (Scouring Rush.) Fern Family.
Poly podium. .
Adiantum.
Pteris.
Brake.
Asplenium.
Spleenwort.
Shield Fern
Ophioglossacec.
Ophioglossum.
Botrychium.
Adder's Tongue. Rattlesnake Fern. Clubmoss Family.
Lycopodiacec.
Lycopodium.
A PARTIAL LIST OF THE FUNGI OF WISCONSIN.
is omitted advisedly, since all those who might profit by it must be in possession of much more knowledge about them, than could be conveyed here, or would interest the general reader.
In the following "Appendix " I will endeaver to enumerate the most important of such plants as are cultivated or domestic- ated here, not because there are none who are informed on that subject, but to point a road for the information of those who are yet deficient in that kind of knowledge.
Appendix.
PHÆNOGAMOUS PLANTS. CULTIVATED. A. Useful.
Crucifera.
Mustard Family.
Cochlearia. Brassica. Raphanus.
Horseradish. Turnip and Cabbage. Radish.
Clubmoss.
Flowercup Fern. Adder's Tongue Family.
Aspidium. Woodsia.
Poly pod. Maidenhair.
67
NATURAL HISTORY.
Nasturtium. Sinapis.
Linacec.
Linum.
Vitacec.
Vitis Vinifera. Leguminosæ.
Pisum. Trifolium.
Phaseolus.
Rosacec.
Prunus.
Cerasus.
Malus
Pyrus Coronasia.
Rubus.
Fragaria.
Cucurbitacec.
Cucumis.
Cucurbita.
Grossulacec. (See Saxifragaceæ above.) Ribes (rubum and nigrum.) Ribes Grossularia. Umbellifera.
Carum. Petrosilenum. Pastinacca. Fœeniculum.
Daucus.
Coriandrum. Pimpinella.
Apium.
Composite.
Helianthus. Helianthus Tuberosus. Anthemis. Artemisia. Tanacetum.
Cress.
Mustard.
Flax Family.
Common Flax. Vine or Grape Family.
Wine Grape. Pulse Family.
Pea. Clover.
Bean.
Rose Family.
Plum.
Cherry.
Apple.
Crab Apple.
Raspberry.
Strawberry. :Cucumber Family.
Cucumber and Melon. Pumpkin and Squash. Gooseberry Family.,
Currant.
Gooseberry.
Parsley Family.
Caraway. Parsley.
Parsnip. Fennel.
Carrot.
Coriander.
Anis.
Celery.
Aster Family.
Sunflower. Jerusalem Artichoke. Chamomile. Wormwood. Tansy.
68
NATURAL HISTORY.
Cicorium. Lactuca.
Chicory and Endive. Lettuce.
Mint Family.
Salvia.
Thymus. .
Origanum.
Marjoram.
Borraginacec.
Borrage Family.
Borrago.
Solanacec.
Nicotiana.
Tobacco.
Capsicum.
Cayenne Pepper.
Potato.
Tomato.
Buckwheat Family.
Fagopyrum.
Urticec.
Cannabis.
Iridacea.
Crocus.
Liliaceae.
Allium.
Asparagus.
Graminec.
Alopecurus.
Phleum Pratense.
Milium.
Panicum.
Finger Grass.
Oat.
Spear Grass. (Blue Grass. Barley. Broom Corn.
Sorghum.
Sorghum Sacharinum.
Triticum.
Secale.
Zea.
Chenopodiaceae.
Beta.
Atriplex.
Buckwheat. Nettle Family.
Hemp.
Iris Family.
Saffron. Lily Family.
Onion, Leek, Garlic, etc. Asparagus.
Grass Family.
Foxtail Grass.
Timothy.
Millet and Hungarian Gras
Avena.
Poa.
Hordeum.
Sugar Corn. Wheat. Rye. Maize or Indian Corn. Goosefoot Family. Beet. (Diff. kinds.) Orach.
Labiatæ.
Sage. Thyme.
Borrage. Nightshade Family.
Solanum Tuberosum.
Solanum Lycopersicum. Polygonacec.
69
NATURAL HISTORY.
ORNAMENTAL PLANTS. Names taken from the catalogue of Jas. Vick. Arranged by families.
Absonia, Didiscus. Umbellifera.
Rannuculaceae.
Adonis, Delphinium, Aquilegia. Labiatæ.
Alyssum, Asperula, Molucca Balm, Perilla, Salvia. Composite.
Ageratum, Aster, Brachycome, Centaurea, Cacalia, Calendula, Calliopsis, Crepis, Double Daisy, Gaillardia, Helianthus (Sun- flower), Kaulfussia, Marigold, Obeliscaria, Oxyura, Palafoxia, Sca- biosa, Zinnia (Everlastings), Apocilium, Ammobium, Gomphrena, Helichrysum, Helipterum, Rhodanthe, Waitzia, Xeranthemum, Dahlia.
Primulaceæ.
Anagallis, Primula. Caryophyllacec.
Agrostemma, Catchfly, Saponia, Dianthus, Gypsosphila. · Amaranthacec.
Amaranthus, Celosia.
Scrophulariaceae.
Alonsoa, Antirrhinum, Collinsia, Mimulus, Salpiglossis, Mau- randia, Digitalis, Browallia.
Papaveracea.
Argemone, Poppy, Esscholtzia.
Gentianacec.
Bartonia.
Balsaminacec.
Balsam.
Malvacec.
Callirhoe, Malope, Holly hock. Scitaminec.
Canna.
Cruciferæ. Candituft, Erysimum, Ten Weeks Stack. Portulaccacea.
Calandrinia, Portulacca.
70
NATURAL HISTORY.
Campanulacea.
Campanula.
Valerianacec.
Centranthus.
Caparidacea.
Cleome.
Solanacec.
Datura, Nolana, Petunia.
Euphorbiacec.
Euphorbia Marginata, Ricinus. Hydrophyllace. Eutoca, Nemophila, Whitlavia.
Onagracea.
Godetia, Oenothera. Polymoniacec.
Gilia, Phlox, Phacelia, Cobea. Lobeliacec.
Lobelia.
Leguminosc. Lupinus, Medicago, Sensitive, Dolichos Pea, Viburnum. Resedacec.
Mignonette.
Pedaliacec.
Martynia.
Borraginacec.
Forget-me-not.
Nyctaginacea.
Four o'clock.
Mesembryacec.
Mesembryanthemum. Magnoliacec.
Nigella, Pæony.
Violacea.
Pansy, Violet.
Crassulacea.
Sedum.
Tropæolacec. Tropæolum, Minus and Major.
71 -
NATURAL HISTORY.
Verbenaceae.
Verbena.
Apocynacex.
Vinca.
Convolvulacec.
Convolvulus. Ipomœa.
Bignoniacec.
Calampelis.
Sapindacec.
Cardiospermum.
Cucurbita.
. Gourds of all kinds.
Loasacec.
Loasa.
Acanthacec.
Thunbergia.
Plumbaginacec.
Statise.
Saxifragacec.
Hydrangea.
Caprifoliacec.
Honeysuckle.
Liliacec.
Hyacinthus, Lilies of all kinds, Yucca Tulipa. Araliacec.
Ivy (engl.)
Jasminacec.
Jasminum.
Rosacea.
Roses of all kinds, Spirea. Oleacec.
Syringa or Lilac.
Nymphacec.
Waterlilies.
Passifloracea.
Passion-Flower.
Geraniacea.
All kinds of Geraniums. My object in using Vick's Catalogue for the basis of the enum-
72
NATURAL HISTORY.
eration of ornamental plants was two-fold. 1. It was sure to contain the most important and withal a generous number; 2. It was in the hands of not a few of the population, by which at least some of the names in the list were already familiar to many read- ers. I might have swelled the list to a great extent by repeating the names of some plants which appeared among annuals and perennials, but I think it is sufficiently large.
It occurred to me while writing out these lists, that I really know but very few inhabitants of this county, who ever showed to me a considerable acquaintance with the vegetable kingdom or of any special part of it. Though not by far as well informed on the subject myself, as I would wish to be, this lack of informa- tion in others surprised me as being extraordinary for people yet in neighborly contact with objects under consideration, and other- wise mostly intelligent and some of considerable accomplishments. Not the least of my aims in giving this very extensive list of plants, was to arouse among the younger generation a more intense curiosity in regard to the knowledge of the Vegetable Kingdom.
73
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
This is the name of a race, of which numerous traces remain, mostly in the shape of larger or smaller mounds, conjectured vari- ously to have been the ancestors of the Aztecs; the original immi- grants from Asia by way of Behring Strait; the descendants of the Welshmen, who crossed the ocean with a fleet under a Captain Madoc; some people saved by forethought or accident when the Atlantis, the supposed connection of Africa and America was sunk beneath the water of the ocean; the lost tribes of the Israel- ites; and so forth, as fancy or prejudice may lead people in their explanations of the indisputable relics of a race, of which its mysterious disappearance is not the least perplexing character- istic. To enter at length upon the subject and the different hypo- theses concerning that people and its monuments can not be my intention, so much the less, because we have no authenticated mo- numents of its presence in this county or its immediate neighbor- hood. One thing seems to be conceded: the Mound-builders were not the ancestors of that Indian race, which was in possession of the country at the time of its discovery by the Europeans. The reasons for this assertion or belief are two: 1. The Indians had no traditions of a race that was in possession of the land before their own race, and knew nothing of the purposes for which the monuments or mounds seem to have been constructed. 2. The mounds or monuments contain almost incontestable proofs of a higher civilization than that of the Indians, to have been prevalent among the mysterious Mound-builders. It might be said that this civilization was lost in the lapse of a long time, as there are instances of whole nations receding from the high standard of a civilization once attained, but these instances are not very numer- ous nor the changes quite so marked and radical.
The French, the earliest pioneers in the northern and north- western part of this continent, seem to have taken no special notice of these mounds. Their missionaries had seen among the Hurons how such hills originated, and probably concluded that all of them had the same origin. To Captain Jonathan Carver the
74
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
credit seems to belong, to have first called the attention of civilized or educated men to the existence of the monuments in question. He had no propensity for rooting among them, nor was archaeo- logy at that time addicted to the use of the spade as it now is, or perhaps this science did not not form any part of his stock of in- formation. Among such monuments described by him one is within the horizon of our county, at Wabasha, Minnesota. For that reason I will transcribe his description, without, however, vouching for the perfect reliability of the source, from which, for want of a better, I had to take it. He says:
" One day I walked some miles below Lake Pepin to take a view of the adjacent country. I had not proceeded far, before I came to a fine, level, open plain, on which I perceived, at a little dis- tance, a partial elevation that had the appearance of an intrench- ment. On a nearer inspection I had greater reason to suppose that it had really been intended for this many centuries ago. Notwith- standing it was now covered with grass, I could plainly discern that it had once been a breast work about four feet in height, ex- tending the best part of a mile, and sufficiently capacious to cover five thousand men. In form it was somewhat circular, and its flanks reached to the river. Though much defaced by time, every angle was distinguishable and appeared as regular, and fashioned with as much military skill, as if planned by Vauban himself. The ditch was not visible, but I thought on examining more curi- ously, that I could perceive there certainly had been one. From its situation, also, I am convinced that it must have been designed for that purpose. It fronted the country, and the rear was covered by the river; nor was there any rising ground for a considerable way that commanded it; a few straggling oaks were alone to be seen near it. In many places small tracks were worn across it by the feet of the elks and deer, and from the depth of the bed of earth by which it was covered I was able to draw certain conclu- sions of its great antiquity. To show that this description is not the offspring of a heated imagination, or the chimerical tale of a mistaken traveler, I find on inquiry since my return, that Mons. St. Pierre and several traders have, at different times, taken notice of similar appearances on which they have formed the same con- jectures, but without examining them so minutely as I did."
The statement appears to be highly colored by the captain's
75
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
military enthusiasm, especially as to the extent of the supposed fortification, for which according to the Indian mode of warfare there seems to be no occasion whatever. It might also be asked, how far his knowledge of the system of fortification introduced by Vauban extended, since there is no probability that any extensive works after that model existed in America.
In opposition to Carver's view we may be allowed to quote the opinion of a modern observer, Mr. Thos. E. Randall, in his " History of the Chippewa Valley." He says: " I have frequently passed over, and examined the "earthworks" spoken of by Carver and Featherstonehaugh as vast, ancient fortifications, situated on the west bank of the Mississippi between the village of Wabasha and what used to be known as the Grand Encampment, and must say a great stretch of the imagination is required to make any- thing more of them than the formations of nature's own handi- work. And until further excavations shall disclose more con- vincing evidence of human agency in their construction, I shall be slow to accept their conclusions."
This opinion of Mr. Randall's is entitled to some considera- tion as he had, according to his statement, some previous experi- ence in the matter.
Judge Gale in his work entitled "The Upper Mississippi", after enumerating monuments of the Moundbuilders in different other states of the Union says : "Wisconsin can scarcely dignify any of her old earthworks into fortifications."
After describing the most important one at Aztalan, in Jeffer- son County, more extensively, he still comes to the following conclusion:
" But what destroys the probability that the Aztalan works were a fort, is the fact that it was commanded by a ridge on the west side, and the bank on the opposite side of the creek, both within an arrow-shot of the enclosure." The judge then discusses the other kinds of mounds, especially those supposed to have been used for religious purposes, and which in the main consist of trun- cated cones or pyramids, which he finds to be much less in size than in other states, and to have been noted only at three locali- ties; viz: at Aztalan, Ontonagon River and Trempealeau Village. The mound at Trompealeau is about seven feet high, with a level surface at the top about twenty five by fifty feet, with graded ways
76.
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
from each of the four sides, about twenty-five feet long, with the full width of the sides. Others may yet be discovered. This is the nearest authentical structure of the kind.
The works at Aztalan are mentioned and described in the work of I. A. Lapham on Wisconsin, printed 1846. He is not very positive in regard to the purposes for which they were erected, but seems inclined to the Aztek origin of it.
As the subject is too extensive, and as there is really no proof of any such structure existing or having existed within the terri- tory under consideration, we may dismiss all speculations on the subject.
While there are no mounds or hills of the kind we have hith- erto considered, there are still some others, quite numerous in some localities, especially along the lowlands of the Mississippi, yet but rarely on the prairies. The locations are frequently at the entrance of the valley of some creek or river from the main val- ley. Some of them are near the mouth of Beef River, or rather its junction with Beef Slough in clayey soil. The next collection is on the level space above Deer Creek, on the east side of the road branching off from the Alma and Durand road, near the school- house of Dist. No. 3 Town of Nelson. There these knolls are quite numerous, but partly obliterated. Another considerable group we find in the neighborhood of Misha Makwa, on the prai- rie plateau close to the foot of the bluff near the junction of the north side road of Little Bear Creek Valley with the Alma and Durand road. These latter mounds seem to distinguish them- selves from the other two groups, by being, even down to the surrounding level spots, composed of a very dark sandy loam, quite in contrast with the soil in the next vicinity, while in the others no other soil appears, but such as is similar to the next surrounding.
There is no order or arrangement among those knolls, and it seems evident, that, though they were erected within a short time of each other, and long ago, they were not erected at the same time, nor any of them for another purpose than the remainder. Their form tends somewhat to the elliptical cone, the slopes are moderate, and there is usually no level space on the top, and their depth is not often four feet, though, possibly, sometime that or more. It is very probable that small collections of such hills are
77
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
to be found at other places, and they are indeed to be looked for in locations similar to those described. Some knolls to be seen at different places along sloughs or along places reached by high water, one or two at a place may also occur.
These knolls I consider Indian graves. They occur in greater number where it is most probable that Indians would congregate for purposes connected with their mode of life,'as. for hunting, fish- ing or fighting. Especially the latter seems to have given a cause to start up these grave-yards. As far as I have learned there has no evidence been found, which might controvert my opinion, but I think that all articles found in or about such grave-yards, as ar- rows, stone-hatchets, pipes and stone implements in general, have been such as are known to have been used by the Indians before their contact with civilization.
Nor is it to be supposed that these knolls are so very ancient. It is less than three hundred years since the first permanent set- tlements along the Atlantic and almost to a year but two hundred since the first explorers entered upper part of the Mississippi Val- ley. This seems more then time enough to efface almost any knoll of so small a size. Hence, we are not justified in ascribing these monuments to any race anterior to the Indians.
The possibility of their having remained as perceptible eleva- tions is due to their situation, almost always a dry one, not swept by occasional surface currents of any considerable force, with a dry and solid substratum. They also indicate the Indian mode of burial, which was not by digging a grave, but by heaping earth upon and around the body until it was not only covered or hid from sight, but also from the scent of beasts of prey. This seems to have been a good deal of work, yet it was much easier for a people without spades, mattocks and shovels, than to dig a ditch. Many of these burial spots were probably intended to be but temporary, and knolls would assist in the finding of the place, and earth heaped up would be drier and less difficult to remove for the recovery of the remains. About implements and other objects obtained from any of these graves or burial-knolls, we shall speak in the chapter on Indians.
The foregoing was written down a short time ago and laid aside for future consideration, experience having taught me, as well as others, that it is sometimes necessary to change our opini-
78
THE MOUND BUILDERS.
ons. I have also, in the meantime, procured a book on the sub- ject, entitled, "The Mound-Builders, being an account of a re- markable people that once inhabited the valleys of Ohio and Mis- sissippi, etc., by J. P. MacLean." This book is, like all books on such subjects, rather enthusiastic, though on the whole fair and candid. In the chapter on Preliminary Observations the author says of the
" Distribution of the Works :
These works are very irregularly distributed, being found principally along the river valleys. They are only occasionally met with in the hill or broken country, and when thus found are always of small size.
Their number is very great; in Ohio alone there are not less than thirteen thousand, including both mounds and enclosures. Within a radius of fifty miles from the mouth of the Illinois River in the State of Illinois, there are about five thousand mounds. All the mounds located in the territory occupied by the Mound-Builders do not belong to that ancient people, for many of them have been constructed by the Indians, and doubtless many in Ohio have been assigned to the epoch of the former, when in reality they belonged to the latter."
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