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Rh north side of the Bayou Cock d'Indes near its mouth, a few miles distant from Bayou La Batterie, in the extreme southern part of this county. But comparativeiycomparatively [sic] a small part of the large mound is left, and what remains serves as a beautiful site for a farm house, shaded by magnificent live oaks of the growth perhaps of scores of decades, offering under their shade, from an elevation of from 25 to 35 feet, a fine view of the surrounding country, and the island-studded waters of the Gulf. A quarter of a century ago these banks furnished this city for years with lime for building, and are still much used for the construction of roadbeds; having, however, passed of late years into the hands of farmers, the application of lime for agricultural purposes tends now, more than anything else, to their demolition and rapid disappearance. Considerable quantities of remains of the industries of these shell-bank builders have been found, mostly in the shape of ornamental pottery, as testified by a collection of these relics in the hands of Major Walthall. They consist of a pipe, bowls, handles of pots, mouthpieces of jars, representing heads of birds and animals, and human heads with a most characteristic and impressive cast of features, reminding me strongly of the faces of Mexican idols. Some of these are almost identical with those mentioned by Mr. Putman, in his report on the Peabody Museum of Archæology and Ethnology, published in the June number of the American Naturalist, and figured under Nos. 7775-76, specimens representing female heads bearing the very same features and the same style of head-dress as No. 7778. They are all made of soft clay found on the bay shore, mixed with very small particles of burnt shell. What interested me mostly in looking over these remains is the occurrence of the same double concave, rounded, and polished disks, agreeing exactly with those of No. 7838 in the same paper.

I learn that near Mount Vernon Arsenal, 30 miles distant from this city, and about 3½ miles from the Alabama River, are ancient burial grounds, and that the exploration of the same has, from time to time, been attempted by different persons, I do not know with what result.

 

The two silver crosses, correct representations of which are herewith presented, were taken, in November, 1832, from a grave-mound at Coosawattee Old Town, in Murray County, Georgia. Indian relics were found associated with them. We incline to the opinion that they may properly be referred to the expedition of Hernando de Soto.

If we interpret aright the wanderings of the Adelantado over the