the general surface of the soil, and thence ran a trench 6 feet wide towards the west 10 feet. The composition of the mound from surface down was as follows: thin layer of humus; then yellow clay and humus mixed, becoming more largely mixed with humus as it reached the level of the surrounding country, this layer being 2 feet 10 inches; then a thin, light colored layer one-half an inch to an inch in thickness, which I suppose to be ashes of grass and leaves, as there was no sign of charcoal in any part of the layer; then a layer of a few inches thickness, similar to the surrounding soil; then a firm yellow clay, that had no appearance of having ever been disturbed. The ash layer was undermined to the extent of two feet on each side. It was found to lie horizontally and at about the level of the surrounding ground. Nothing else was found.
No. 2, on the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter section 16, township 11 north, range 2 east, Knox County, Illinois, is 36 feet across, and on the east side of a ravine that runs into Court Creek from the north. The land is lightly timbered. A quarter to a half a mile nearer Court Creek, however, there are some fair-sized trees (2 feet). The ground immediately surrounding has hazel brush and scrub oaks, black-jack, &c. In height the mound is similar to No. 1. Its envelopes are similar, but the ash layer contains decided traces of charcoal. Nothing found by a very positive excavation carried to the depth of 3½ feet below level of surrounding surface. In the fields around for a quarter of a mile a great many arrow-points have been found. The twenty-eight nearly or quite perfect ones sent in package to the National Museum were found within this area.
To the north and a little to the east, about 100 rods, there is a very high point of land, from the summit of which an extensive view may be had of the surrounding country. This hill is and has been for thirty or forty years under cultivation, and upon it arrow-points in large numbers have been found. There are places on it where the ground is white with flakes and chips of the same material as the arrow-points. The stone hatchet of Witterell's collection was found about 40 rods east of the top of the hill. Between this point and where the hatchet was found, the old trail running from Maquon, on Spoon River, to Henderson Grove, on the head of Henderson Creek, was easily recognized thirty years ago. Upon the eastern slope of this hill and upon both sides of the old trail, and upon the south slope, towards the mound, are found numerous deposits of small, mostly flat-faced stones. The stones are found now but 2 or 3 inches beneath the surface. These are so placed that their flat faces are on the same horizontal plane, and cover a space of a foot or two, with intervals of a rod or two between them. Many of them are reddish, as if some ore of iron might enter into their composition, which upon being heated had become changed to red. The stones present other appearances of having been subjected to the influences of fire.
