half a dozen
generations of men, to lose the memory of so great a catastrophe as
the destruction of a former populous race. Then some 400 years ago
would agree with the time of extermination of the Hochelagans, or with
the destruction of the Eries, who according to Labontan were blotted
out before the French came to the continent. The Hochelagans, Eries,
and Takawgamis being northern in their habitat, I take it were among
the last of the Toltecans who survived. The white man but arrived upon
the scene to succeed the farmer, the metal worker and the potter, who
had passed away so disastrously, and to be the avenger of the lost
race, in driving before him the savage red man.

THE EARLIEST MOUND.

[Illustration: FIGURE 3.]

I believe our grand mound to be the earliest in the region of the
Takawgamis. It is the largest in the region. It will be seen by
reference to figure 3 that I arrive at its age in the following way.
Where it now stands, so striking an object, it is about one-third of a
mile above the point where the Bowstring River enters the Rainy River.
If however from the top of the mound you look southward through the
trees a view may be got of the silver stream of the Bowstring, coming
as if directly toward the mound. Originally no doubt this tributary
flowed close by the mound, for the mound would undoubtedly be built on
the extreme point. But as from year to year the Bowstring River
deposited the detritus carried down by it, it formed a bank or bar,
and was gradually diverted from its course, until now, the peninsula
some hundreds of yards across its base, has become upwards of a third
of a mile long. I infer that this peninsula, which I should say
contains some seventy acres has been formed since the mound--which
from its position seems for observation as well as for sepulture--was
begun. Some 200 yards down the point from the grand mound occurs
another small mound. This is some eight or ten feet high, and fifty or
sixty feet across. Along the point and close past this small mound
runs an old water course, now a treeless hay meadow. At high water in
spring, as I ascertained, the river still sends its surplus water by
this old channel. My position is that the 200 yards of earth between
the site of the grand mound and that of the small mound was deposited
after the grand mound was begun, and before the commencement of the
small mound. Undoubtedly this small mound as well as a similar one not
far up the river