The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mound-Builders, by William J. Smyth

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Title: Mound-Builders

Author: William J. Smyth

Release Date: March 12, 2006 [EBook #17969]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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MOUND-BUILDERS

BY

REV. W. J. SMYTH, M.A., B.Sc., Ph.D.

_Pastor of St. Joseph Street Presbyterian Church, Montreal._

PUBLISHED BY REQUEST OF NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY,
TORONTO.

MONTREAL:
GAZETTE PRINTING COMPANY.
APRIL, 1886.

MOUND-BUILDERS

BY REV. WILLIAM J. SMYTH, M.A., B.Sc., Ph.D.

When the early settlers began to pioneer the unbroken forests of North
America, they considered the various Indian tribes to be the true
Aborigines of this continent. But long before the red man, even long
before the growth of the present forests, there lived an ancient race,
whose origin and fate are surrounded with impenetrable darkness. The
remains of their habitations, temples and tombs, are the only voices
that tell us of their existence. Over broad areas, in the most fertile
valleys, and along the numerous tributaries of the great rivers of the
central and western portions of the United States, are to be found
these wonderful remains, of the existence and origin of which, even
the oldest red man could give no history.

Following in the track of these ancient tumuli, which have been raised
with some degree of order and sagacity, we are bound to believe that
they were constructed by a very intelligent and somewhat civilized
race, who during long periods enjoyed the blessings of peace, but like
most nations of the earth, at times were plunged in the horrors of
war. We cannot tell by what name these strange people were known
during their existence. But archaeologists, to keep themselves safe,
have given them the name of "Mound-builders," from the nature of the
structures left behind them