notoriety as the site of Gilder's
discovery of the "Nebraska Man." The claim is made that human bones
were found at a depth of 14 feet in absolutely undisturbed loess. The
hill is a narrow ridge, facing the river on one side and a deep ravine
on the other. It is somewhat winding in its course and is connected
with the more level land in the rear at about half a mile from its
end. A wagon road up the point, from the river bottom to the hilltop,
shows undisturbed loess the entire distance. There is no possibility
of accumulation by wash or in any other manner except decaying
vegetation on any part of this ridge.

Along the crest are several small mounds. Some of these, as shown by
excavation, cover graves, and the presumption is that all of them mark
burial places.

It is needless to make any resume of Gilder's report, as it is so well
known, further than to say that he found burials and fragmentary human
bones at various levels from 21/2 to 14 feet. At 41/2 feet were burned
bones lying upon burned earth and mingled with it. This layer, burned
hard as a brick, served to prevent water from penetrating the earth
immediately below; and it is in this earth that the deepest remains
were found.

There are three ways, and only three, in which they could get there:

1. They were washed in when the loess was deposited, as claimed by the
discoverers and by some of the Nebraska geologists.

In support of this view is the assertion that the bones were
water-worn. On this point I can not venture any opinion, as I have not
seen them. But I have found bones in mounds and in other situations
where such wear was impossible and yet having the smoothed and rounded
appearance characteristic of such action by water or the elements.

In support of this theory, too, is the positive statement of Nebraska
geologists who have had ample opportunity to become familiar with
loess in all its phases; and they claim the deposit is the original
and has not been disturbed.

It is necessary for these advocates, however, to tell where such
fragments of bones could have come from and how they could have been
washed to the place where found, when all these bluffs were covered
with water, as they had to be at that time.

2. The bones could have been carried by rodents into their burrows or
runways, as Hrdlicka suggests. In this case the material in contact
with the bones would have to be somewhat different in appearance and
consistency from that whi