Page:Notes on the State of Virginia (1802).djvu/147

Rh indeed it would be the Barrows, of which many are to be found all over in this country. Theſe are of different ſizes, ſome of them conſtructed of earth, and ſome of looſe ſtones. That they were repoſitories of the dead, has been obvious to all: but on what particular occaſion conſtructed, was a matter of doubt. Some have thought they covered the bones of thoſe who have fallen in battles fought on the ſpot cf interment. Some aſcribed them to the cuſtom, ſaid to prevail among the Indians, of collecting, at certain periods the bones of all their dead, whereſoever depoſited at the time of death. Others again ſuppoſed them the general ſepulchres for towns, conjectured to have bee d n on or near theſe grounds; and this opinion was ſupported by the quality of the lands in which they are found, (thoſe conſtructed of earth being generally in the ſofteſt and moſt fertile meadow-grounds on river ſides) and by a tradition, ſaid to be handed down from the aboriginal Indians, that, when they ſettled in a town, the firſt perſon who died was placed erect, and earth put about him, ſo as to cover and ſupport him; that when another died, a narrow paſſage was dug to the firſt, the ſecond reclined againſt him, and the cover of earth replaced, and ſo on. There being one of theſe in my neighborhood, I wiſhed to ſatisfy myſelf whether any, and which of theſe opin i ons were juſt. For this purpoſe I determined to open and examine it thoroughly. It was ſituated on the low grounds of the Rivanna, about two miles above its principal fork, and oppoſite to ſome hills, on which had been an Indian town. It was of a ſpheriodical form, of about 40 feet diameter at the baſe, and had been of about twelve feet