File:Antiquities of the southern Indians, particularly of the Georgia tribes (1873) (14590823137).jpg

Identifier: antiquitiesofsou00jone_0 (find matches)
Title: Antiquities of the southern Indians, particularly of the Georgia tribes
Year: 1873 (1870s)
Authors: Jones, Charles C. (Charles Colcock), 1831-1893
Subjects: Indians of North America Indians of North America
Publisher: New York : D. Appleton and Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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f the bright blade of the Vir-ginia chieftain, that we speak. It is not our purpose topursue the track of the Spanish expedition, or to recountthe traditions of the locality. Our object is simply tochronicle the existence and perpetuate the recollectionof the prominent physical peculiarities of a markedgroup of ancient tumuli resting upon the left bank ofthe Savannah River, some twelve or fifteen miles bywater below the city of Augusta. Thirty-five years*ago this group numbered six mounds, but the restlessriver, with recurring freshets, encroaching steadily uponthe Carolina shore, has already rolled its turbid watersover two of them, while other two have so far yieldedto the levelling influences of the ploughshare as to bealmost entirely obliterated. Consequently but two re-main, and they only in major part, one-third of eachhaving been washed away by the current; and the dayis probably not far distant when tradition only will 1 Vol. ii., p. 89, et seq. Philadelphia, 1812. 7>lateM.
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AM. PHOTOLITHOGRAPHIC CONT. ,OSB0HHiS PffOCESS. TUMULI ON MASONS PLANTATION. 153 designate the spot once memorable in the annals of aformer race as the site of monuments of unusual sizeand interest. These tumuli are located on Masons Plantation,upon the very edge of the Savannah Elver, and in themidst of the wide, deep swamp, which here on eitherhank stretches away for miles, exhibiting one uniform,level, alluvial surface. What was once a mighty forest,grand and impenetrable in its majestic trees and tan-gled brakes, is now a rich cornfield whose harvestshave for many years with a yield of a hundred-foldrewarded the toil of the intelligent husbandman. Thesurrounding space being thus denuded of its originalgrowth, the tumuli loom up in uninterrupted propor-tions, while from the river, which has wellnigh cutthem in twain, the observer enjoys a most favorableopportunity, as presented by their perpendicular fronts,for closely examining their physical composition. Fresh-ets have performed

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