From the Baltimore Amer1cdn.
INDIAN MOUNDS.
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Ever since the discovery Of our continent the
remains of antiquity found in various portions OF
it, and particularly in the western regions, have
continued to excite the curiosity and engage the
attention Of the antiquary and the scholar. In
the last number Of Silliman's Journal Of science
and art, we find an elaborate article from the pen
Of r. G.. Taylor, ESQ.,, treating Of the s.Indan
Mounds and Earth works in the form of animal
efiges, chiefly in the Wisconsin Territory
The mounds, it appears, generally found in the
prairies of this interesting section Of the country,
are usually about fifty feet in diameter, and not
more than ten or fifteen feet in elevation, but fire.
quently are not more than half that extent. That
these accumulations of earth were originally
burial places may be inferred from the fact that
at the present day, in Missouri and other places,
they are found to contain graves Of deceased In
dians who have died at a late date, thus render
ing it probable that in the selection of their de-
positories for the dead, the savages followed the
example Of people that existed in times un-
known.


1t is stated that in the American Bottom no
less than two hundred of these t,,nuH are visible
from single spot, the largest of which is ninety
feet high and 2,40O feet in circumference. In
Iowa, and particularly in the neighborhood of
the -Four Lakes, earth works in the form of ami
mails are very numerous. In eroup Of these





Lakes there are seen the efigies Of at least s;x
quadrupeds, six parallelograms, circular mmu-
lus, one human figure, and one circle or ring,
probably the scene Of festive or warike dances
or the place in which captives were tortured ol
put to death. The great Indian war patl, leading
from Lake Michigan near Milwaukee to the Mis-
sissippi above Prairie du Chen, passes along by
these earth works.


Much speculation exists as TO the precise kind
Of quadruped intended to be portrayed, some
persons supposing it to be the horse, and some
the Buffalo, to the latter of which two opinions
the writer in the Journal seems to incline, although
he admits that the hump, most striking cha
racterstic of that animal, is not deineated These
representations of animals vary from 90 to a
hundred and twenty-six feet in length. In the
centre of the group referred to above is the figure
Of human being, lying in east and west di-
rection. the head being towards the west and the
legs and arms extended. It's length is one hun
dred and twenty-five feet and SO clearly defined