CHAPTER XXVIII.

Indian Antiquities. Traces of old villages. Barrows. Barrows. Embalming. A well. A well. Burying the dead. Idol. Forts.Inscriptions. Subterranean wall. Cup. Vases. Giants. Mammoth. Present state of the Indians in North America. In South America. Towards the Pacific Ocean. Within the United States. Their numbers greatly diminished. Warriors. Northwestern forts taken. Indians still numerous around the lakes. Capture at Detroit. Indian hostilities renewed in 1812.

A complete description of Indian antiquities alone, would make a volume. Every part of America can furnish some of these. Vestiges of old fields and villages may be traced in every region and in every climate. Barrows for the sepulture of the dead are yet to be seen. Near Lexington, Kentucky, bodies have been dug up in such a state of preservation as to excite a suspicion that the natives were not strangers to the art of embalming. In the same town was also discovered a well artificially stoned, beneath a flat rock which had long concealed it. From coals, ashes and burnt bones, found on the Scioto mingled together, it has been conjectured that it was once customary there to burn their dead on the funeral pyre. Near East-Hartford Connecticut, was found an Indian Idol, about 22 inches high, made of white granite, with the figure of a cap on its head; and so lately as the last century, a powaw and religious rites were performed before it, on occasion of interring a sachem of the Farmington tribe. The Chippewas retain still their ancestorial ceremonies of religion. The Indian Forts at the westward are great curiosities. The one at Chilicothe is a mile in diameter.You can scarcely ride twenty miles in Ohio without meeting with some of these. That at Marietta has been examined with the greatest accuracy. It lies on an extensive plain.The square Fort alone contains 40 acres, surrounded by walls of earth from 6 to 10 feet high, and from 25 to 36 feet thick. It has 12 gateways, 3 on each side at equal distances.

It has a covered way once ending at the river Muskingum, with parallel walls, 231 feet apart, with a crowning road between, like a turnpike. Within the walls of the fort, there is an oblong, elevated square, 188 feet by 132, and 9 feet high, with regular steps to the top. There are, near this, two other similar squares. Near by is a circular mound, 30 feet in diameter and 5 feet in height. A mound also guards the opening in the walls for gates. Towards the southeast is a smaller fort, covering 20 acres. On the outside of this, is a large mound in the shape of a sugar loaf, 115 feet in diameter, 30 feet in altitude, surrounded by a ditch, 4 feet deep and 15 wide, defended by a parapet 4 feet high, with a wide gateway to the fort 20 feet wide. Near these are mounds, in which the dead were deposited. The earth composing these works was brought from a distance. About 90 miles further up the Muskingum, there is a much larger fort, two miles in extent, On all these grow trees of great magnitude. The present race of Indians have no traditions concerning these works, by whom they were built, what was their use, or who were the enemy or conquerors. The timber and other circumstances show, that the events, which these works recognize, took place over 1000 years ago. It is probable that these forts were the last stands that some ancient people made against a victorious foe. America also has had her Goths and Vandals, and barbarism has triumphed over a race that once were making approaches towards civilized life.

Ohio and Kentucky, Pennsylvania and New-York are the States principally distinguished for Indian antiquities. Georgia, it has lately been discovered, contributes her proportion. In Jones' county, there are 2 tumuli, 20 feet high and 150 in circumference. While digging into one of the barrows, they found several mutilated remains of guns, the plates of whose locks were much longer than those now in use. Several farming tools, axes and hoes, of a singular structure, were found. Among other things, was discovered the clapper of a bell, which now weighs 7 pounds, although it has lost much by the influence of oxydizement. Near the same spot, was a medal, with obscure hieroglyphic figures upon it, and the word, "Roma," very distinguishable. There was every appearance that this place had been an encampment for 100,000 men. On Cedar Creek, 10 miles distant, a hill is fortified, whose works are still more striking in appearance. Heaps of ashes, containing from 1 to 500 bushels, are common, and

several on a single acre. In these are pieces of earthenware curiously figured, one of 20 inches in diameter. Pound Weights avoirdupois, made of polished flint stone, and circular in shape, were among these. Roads are yet visible, in the middle of which the venerable oak now stands. The Indians declare, these were not their productions. Tradition does not reach so far back into the lapse of ages.

In the fortified camp at Redstone, are certain inscriptions to be seen, earthern urns are dug up, and stone pipes found. On the Muskingum, are tasselated stones; hatchets, heads and shells are common. Although the Indians were supposed to be unacquainted with the use of salt, yet a pan which seemed designed for making it, has been found. In NorthCarolina has been discovered a prodigious subterranean wall. At Nashville Tennessee, 6 feet below the surface, was dug up a cup in the shape of a frog. From the bank of the Wabash was washed out a vase of Indian manufacture, originally in possession of gov. W. H. Harrison. In Chenango county New-York, was found another vase, holding nearly 2 quarts. Near Chilicothe are found rusty coat of mail, evident traces of about 30 furnaces, all on an area of about 100 acres, surrounded with a stone wall, which, judging from the present quantity of stone, might have been 15 feet high and 5 thick.

There are 10 known inscriptions on rocks, all near by water, within the U. States. The most remarkable is at Digh. ton in Massachusetts. It is a hieroglyphical representation, whose meaning has never been decyphered. On one side, it takes up a space a little more than 10 feet by 4. It has some resemblance of human beings, of triangles and parallel lines, but none of them could be designed as such. What it was intended to represent, is as yet uncertain. The ancient race of Indians were of a gigantic stature. The mode of burying men of distinction it appears, was to lay them in the grave, and place a large flat stone over them. The Osage Chief on the Missouri, is 7 feet high. With the ancient race of Indians, that of ancient animals also has become extinct. The Mammoth, the largest of land animals, is no more. His bones, defying the attacks of time, are the admiration of passing ages. Of the present race of Indians much less is known than what might have been expected. In South America, their population is very great. Though taxed and oppressed, they are not destroyed. In Chili, they are yet too powerful for a complete conquest by the Spaniards. Chi

li can raise about 60,000 warriors, and Paraguay as many more. Some of the islands are both populous and powerful, and Europeans have not been able to take possession of St. Vincent. Amazonia and Patagonia are still invincible; and but a small part of Guiana can be held by the Dutch and the French. New Mexico has a great variety of nations, of which the Apaches are the most noticed; and they have been rather appeased than conquered by the Spaniards. The Californians are numerous, and at Quito seem to enjoy a good degree of happiness.

North America had less numbers, but still was every where settled. The coldest regions are not deserted by them. The Arathapescows and Esquimaux live beyond the 70th degree of north latitude. The English northwestern company has established trading houses some thousands of miles higher up than the cities of Quebec and Montreal. The fur trade is of great value to them, and by it they keep the savages in subjection to their wishes. Sir John Johnson, in time of war, resides among the warriors, and has some thousands at the control of government, by whom they are clothed, fed and paid. The British nation had adopted the barbarous policy of employing them against their protestant brethren in the United States. The Indians say, that the British give them "a great deal of money, and the United States a great deal of good advice."

Beyond the Rocky Mountains to the west, on the way to the Pacific Ocean, are very many, and some highly populous nations of Indians. Their population may have been increased by the tribes which have been driven away by Europeans from the shores of the Atlantic, unwilling they should find a settlement on the eastern side of the great mountains of America. In the Floridas and Louisiana, east of the Mississippi, are the Hoamas, of about sixty persons only, 25 leagues above New-Orleans; and, west of the river, near Pointe-Coupee, are several tribes, but greatly diminished in population. Within the United States, many tribes are still remaining. Others dwindled down to a small number, have lost their names by a consolidation with other nations. Few are to be seen in any part of New-England. In 1790, there were about 30 churches of Indians, but most of them are extinct. In Maine and Massachusetts there may be 100 plantations each. In 1730, Rhode-Island could number 985 in all, but these are no more, By a late estimate the six nations a

mounted to 6330 souls. The Mohawks have all settled on Grand River in Upper Canada. There are 2 villages of Senecas on the Allegany River. A few Delawares and Skawaghees are settled on Buffalo creek. The Stockbridge and Mohegan tribes are at Oneida. These adopted the Tuscaroras from North-Carolina and Virginia. All but the 2 last, sided with the British during the Revolutionary contest.

All the tribes are greatly diminished, and some entirely extinct. In Georgia, the Creeks composed of about 20 ancient tribes, amount to 17,280 persons and 5860 warriors. The Chactaws were estimated at 12,123 souls, and 4000 fighting men. The Chickasaws can raise 500 warriors, and their number formerly was 1725. The Catabaws, the only tribe in South Carolina, amount to only 450, and 150 fighting men. The Cherokees, in Tennessee, were once numerous; 45 years ago they amounted to 2000 fighting men; they have now not half that number. The Hurons, 60 years ago could raise 700 men; they now hardly exist. The most numerous tribes reside near the lakes in Canada; the Chippewas and Ottawas on lake Superior; the Winnebas west of lake Michigan; and the Saukies and Ottigamies occupy the whole extent of country from the lakes to the Mississippi. The Missouri tribe is powerful, has horses, cultivates the ground, and several years ago this tribe traded with the United States 70,000 dollars annually. An estimation of the tribes has been made by several, but it is too imperfect to be recorded at the present time.

Fort Michillimackinac is the most northern as well as the most important of any post on the northern and western frontiers. The commerce it controls brings into the revenue of the U. States more than $60,000 pr. year. Here, and at Prairie des Chiens connected, from 3 to 5000 Indians at a time, of various tribes, meet in peace, to trade, and transact their private and national business.

The savages at the northwest are still exceedingly numerous as well as warlike. In the war between Great Britain and this conntry, declared 17th June, 1812, almost all the tribes have taken part against the U. S. Even the Wyandots, Chippewas, Ottawas, Pattawatamies, Munsees, Delawares, Sious and other tribes, who had lately made the warmest professions of friendship to the government, now became most hostile, and going over to the enemy, accepted the tomahawk and scalping knife. In the taking of the important forts