mists have risen in the valley below, along the
gently swelling ridge on which the ancient roadway lies. They near the
mound, and a solemn stillness succeeds their chanting songs; the priests
ascend the hill of sacrifice and prepare the sacred fire. Now the first
beams of the rising sun shoot up athwart the ruddy sky, gilding the
topmost boughs of the trees. The holy flame is kindled, a curling wreath
of smoke arises to greet the coming god; the tremulous bush which was
upon all nature breaks into vocal joy, and songs of gladness bursts from
the throats of the waiting multitude as the glorious luminary arises in
majesty and beams upon his adoring people. A promise of renewed life and
happiness. Vain promise, since even his rays can not penetrate the utter
darkness which for ages has settled over this people." Thus imagination
suggests, and enthusiasm paints a scene, but, from positive knowledge,
we can neither affirm nor deny its truth.

Most of the works of the Mound Builders are noticeable for their
solidity and massiveness. We see this illustrated in the great walls
of Fort Ancient. Some of our scholars think this is a distinguishing
feature of the Mound Builders' work.<74> It seems to us that it is
difficult to make this a distinguishing feature, as we have no means of
knowing how much "massiveness" is required in a work to entitle it to
be considered a work of the Mound Builders. Should this distinction be
established, however, we have to notice that while in the western part
of the State of Ohio the Mound Builders' inclosures are more often of
the defensive sort, the type changes to the eastward, where, as in
the Scioto Valley, we find the so-called sacred inclosures in larger
numbers. In the State of Ohio, then, there were at least two well
defined types of works by the Mound Builders. But if we split the Mound
Builders up into tribes, where shall we draw the line between them and
our later Indians?

Illustration of Fortified Headland, Northern Ohio.------

Illustration of Inclosures, Northern Ohio.--------

Scattered through Ohio, but especially abundant in the northern part of
the State, is a class of works which has excited considerable comment.
This cut illustrates a work of this kind. It was located near where
Cleveland now stands. The defense consists mainly in the location. The
wall seems to have been rather of a secondary affair. The hill was too
steep to admit approach to it except from the rear,