in
circumference, the wall being 6 feet in height. To the north of this
is an avenue leading from the circle to an octagon of fifty acres, in
the wall of which are eight gateways, which, however, are covered by
mounds five feet in height. From this strange eight-sided figure run
three parallel walls. Those to the south are about two miles in
length, and those running towards the east are each about one mile in
length.

About a mile east, where the middle line of parallel walls terminates,
is a square containing twenty acres, within and around the walls of
which are disposed seven mounds. To the north-east of this is an
elliptical work of large dimensions. On the south-east is a circle, in
the centre of which is the form of a bird with wings expanded. The
body is 155 feet, the length of each wing 110 feet, and the head of
the bird is towards the opening. When this structure was opened, there
was found an altar, proving that, in this circular place, this ancient
people must have assembled for worship.

There is a place three miles north of Chillicothe, where an extensive
enclosure--now called "Mound City"--contains 26 well formed and
regularly disposed mounds, covering an area of 13 acres. Many of those
mounds contained altars at their base, but have been subsequently
converted into ordinary mounds. One mound, which is 90 feet in
diameter at the base and 7-1/2 feet in height, contained an altar,
within the basin of which was found a layer of solid ashes three
inches thick, in which were numerous pieces of pottery and
shell-beads. On the top of the altar was a layer of sand, then gravel
for two feet, then a thin layer of sand, then one foot of gravel.

Buried three feet below the apex of the mound, were found two well
developed and highly preserved skeletons, which, however, were not
those of Mound-builders, but rather of the Indians who were buried
there long after the mounds were abandoned. One altar was covered by a
layer of opaque mica, which must have been brought from a great
distance. In the centre of the basin was found, besides numerous other
relics, a large heap of burned human bones, which would indicate it an
altar of human sacrifice. From other evidences, we may safely conclude
that they were Sun or Fire-worshippers. As to the cause of these
altars being afterwards changed into common mounds, it is difficult to
determine. Many such mounds are found, which for a long time were used
for purposes of sacrifice