in the valley of the Mississippi two or three hundred years ago, as described by the chroniclers of De Soto's expedition, or by the followers of Loyola, who, carrying the cross through prairie and desert and wilderness, ever had an eye open and a pen ready to record the character, customs, habits, and superstitions of the strange race about them, then the line of demarkation fades away, if it does not entirely disappear. Here we find mound-builders, fort-builders, manufacturers of stone implements, pottery, bark-cloth, feather cloth, ornaments-in short, a race of men dependent on their own resources for supplying their wants of every nature, physical or mental.

A dying race-a race crushed out by the struggle of nations for room in the world, with no human heart to appreciate and no historian to record its wrongs, its own virtues lost, and to its vices added the vices of civilization, is not a fit subject for the scientist, but rather for the moralist.

THE GLIDWELL MOUND, FRANKLIN COUNTY, INDIANA.

BY DR. G. W. HOмSHER, of Fairfield, Ind.

This mound is two miles south of the village of Fairfield, Franklin County, Indiana, and is situated upon a very high hill, or bluff, and on the East Fork of the White Water River. It faces the river on the east side, almost opposite the mouth of Wolf Creek. To the south and east of the hill is Templeton's Creek, both creeks emptying into the White Water. On the south side and at the foot of the hill are two very fine springs which never run dry.

From the water's edge of the river to the summit of the hill is 796 feet. Surrounding the hill, facing the river and Templeton's Creek are five terraces, commencing at a ravine on the north side of the hill, passing across the west side, thence around the south side, about two-thirds of the distance. Time and constant washing have obliterated them beyond that point.

These terraces originally were from 30 to 50 feet wide, but at the present time they measure, commencing at the base of the hill, the first, 32 feet in width; the second, third, and fourth, 24 feet in width; and the fifth, 48 feet in width. The distance from the water's edge to the first terrace is 300 feet; from the first to the second is 64 feet; from the second to the third, 80 feet; from the third to the fourth, 104 feet; from the fourth to the fifth, 80 feet; and from the fifth to the summit of the hill is 168 feet. On the west side (where these measurements were taken) the bank facing the river is almost perpendicular. It is almost impossible for one to climb the hill from the fifth terrace to the summit on the west side, or that side facing the river. These terraces are also broader on that side and are the least washed, in fact, there are no gullies cut down through the hill or terraces. Large oak, maple, elm, hickory, iron-wood, beech, and gum trees are growing all over them. H. Mis. 26- -46

From the summit of this hill one has a grand view of the valley extending north about 7 miles, and can see the locations of other mounds that dot the hill-tops and second terraces of this beautiful and productive valley, and those along Wolf Creek and other tributaries that empty into the White Water.

The Rev. J. P. MacLean, of Hamilton, Ohio, claimed these so-called terraces to be land-slides, but acknowledges those surrounding the fortified mound on the Templeton hill to be the work of the moundbuilders. Now, the terraces surrounding the fortified mound on Tem

pleton's hill are five in number, the same as that of the Glidwell mound; their width ranges from 24 to 30 feet. The distance from one to another is from 60 to 120 feet. Again, it is not likely that three terraces surrounding the same hill would measure the same in width and run parallel with each other from one side to another, and be land-slides. Such, it will be noticed, is the case with the second, third, and fourth of those surrounding the Glidwell hill.

Furthermore, no land-slide has been found across any of the hills or bluffs, along the White Water, without a break at least every hundred or two hundred feet. But such is not the case in any of the above-mentioned five terraces, which measure from 700 to 900 feet in length, without a break or gully, and they are sufficiently wide to drive two roadwagons side by side from one end to the other. The similarity of the two fortified mounds is almost complete. The measurements of the length of the terraces and the height from the water's edge of the

FIG. 1.-Copper bracelet from Glidwell Mound.

Templeton hill was not taken, but the Templeton hill is much higher than the Glidwell hill, and commands a fine view of the White Water south to Brookville, where the East and West Forks unite into one stream.

The first time the writer visited the Glidwell mound was in April, 1871. It was then 15 feet high and 60 feet in diameter. Mr. T. L. Dickerson assisted in taking these measurements.

O

The composition of the mound is of fine brick or compact clay, which has been brought from Wolf Creek, almost three-quarters of a mile from the mouth of the creek and one mile from the summit of the hill or mound. This mound was covered with flat, shelly limestone, one overlapping another, similar to shingles FIG. 2.-Copper ring upon a roof. Over this was a deposit of loam varying from Glidwell Mound. from 1 to 3 feet. On the west side are still standing two iron-wood trees about 13 inches in diameter, also a large maple. On

the north side, about one-third the distance up the mound is a large maple 24 feet in diameter. On the east side are large beech, maple, and iron-wood trees. At the edge of the mound and on the south side is a stump of a large maple, very much decayed. There are five distinct strata (see vertical section): No. 2 is 5 feet thick and of compact clay; No. 3 is 1 feet thick and is composed of ashes and clay; No. 4 is 8 inches, and consists of ashes and coal; No. 5 is 23 feet thick, and made of burnt clay; No. 6 is 2 feet deep, and composed of clay and burnt stones. Between the strata Nos. 4 and 5 were three hearths made of sand and limestone, one in the center, one in the northeast, and the third in the northwest part of the mound. (See foregoing sketch, A.) In June, 1879, in company with Mr. T. L. Dickerson and Thomas Glidwell, the writer sunk a shaft 12 feet deep into the center, and in the

course of the work removed one skeleton with several fragments of pottery and one fine copper bracelet (Fig. 1). The copper had been pounded into a thin sheet and then rolled. A similar one, but smaller, was found some time afterwards by Mrs. A. Crist in the same mound, and is now in Mr. A. W. Butler's collection (Fig. 2). The above-mentioned skeleton was 6 feet 3 inches below the slabs or rock covering (base section, center figure, head to the east.)

In July, 1880, the writer visited the mound in company with Mr. C. W.

FIG. 3.-Bone awl from Glidwell Mound.

FIG. 4.-Arrow point from Glidwell Mound.

Ruse, and commenced a trench 5 feet wide in the southeast side, about 5 feet from the base (base section, dotted line), and trenched to the When within 3 feet of center shaft we came upon and re

center.

moved a skull, which was 5 feet from the top of the mound and 3 feet below the rock covering. But, strange to say, no other part of the skeleton could be found, or any marks of decayed bones. After the center shaft was reached it was sunk 2 feet deeper, and trenched back to the place of beginning. In the process six skeletons were removed in a very good state of preservation, two with heads to the east; one to the south; one to the north; one to the southeast; one to the northeast. Over one skeleton, whose head pointed to the east, were laid two others (see base section), the head of one to the south, of the other to the north. With this group were found one bone bodkin or needle (Fig. 3); two

arrow-points (Fig. 4); several pieces of animal bones, with a few fragments of pottery (Fig. 5).

In August, 1880, in company with Mr. J. E. Snider, the writer continued his investigation by commencing a trench on the west side about 4 feet from the base (base section, dotted lines), and trenched to the center shaft, removing four skeletons. Three of these lay with their heads to the east; one with the head to the south, or rather a little to the southeast (see base plan of sketch

A). With the group of three were found several pieces of pottery, one