e water's edge is about 50 yards. The mound
strikes you with great surprise as your eye first catches it. Its
crest is covered with lofty trees, which overtop the surrounding
forest. These thriving trees, elm, soft maple, basswood and poplar, 60
or 70 feet high now thrust their root tendrils deep into the aforetime
softened mould. A foot or more of a mass of decayed leaves and other
vegetable matter encases the mound. The brushy surface of the mound
has been cleared by the owner, and the thicket formerly upon it
removed. The circumference of one fine poplar was found to be 4 feet
10 inches; of another tree, 5 feet 6 inches, but the largest had
lately fallen. Around the stump the last measured seven feet. The
mound is eliptical at the base. The longest diameter, that is from
east to west, the same direction as the course of the river, is 117
feet. The corresponding shorter diameter from north to south is 90
feet. The circumference of the mound is consequently 325 feet. The
highest point of the mound is 45 feet above the surrounding level of
the earth. As to height the mound does not compare unfavorably with
the celebrated mound at Miamisburg, Ohio, known as one of the class of
"observation mounds," which is 68 feet high and 852 feet around the
base. In addition to its purpose of sepulture, everything goes to show
that the "Grand Mound" of Rainy River was for observation as well.

THE EXCAVATION.

Two former attempts had been made to open this mound. One of these had
been made in the top, and the large skull before you was then
obtained. A more extensive effort was that made in 1883, by Mr. E.
McColl, Indian agent, Mr. Crowe, H. B. Co. officer of Fort Frances,
and a party of men. Their plan was to run a tunnel from north to south
through the base of the mound. They had penetrated some ten or fifteen
feet, found some articles of interest, and had then given up the
undertaking. Having employed a number of men, settlers in the
neighborhood, I determined to continue the tunnel for a certain
distance through the mound, all the way if indications were favorable,
and then to pierce the mound from the top. The men in two parties went
industriously to work on the opposite sides, working toward each
other, making a tunnel about eight feet in diameter. The earth though
originally soft soil had become so hard that it was necessary to use a
pick axe to loosen it for the spade. A number of skeletons were found
on the south side, but