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ee ET EE LL LT A A CACO a

  

22 Chronicles of the Cape Fear Rwer

The skeletons were too much decomposed to permit the dis-
tinguishing of the sexes of the individuals to whom they be-
longed; but the size of the crania (adults) and other bones seem
to indicate that a portion of the skeletons were those of women.
One small cranium found was evidently that of a child—the
second and third pairs of incisor teeth appearing beyond the

gums.
Mound No. 2.—Located 134 miles east of Hallsville, Duplin

County, on a somewhat elevated, dry, sandy region. Base of
mound nearly circular, 22 feet in diameter; height, 3 feet, sur-
face rounded over the top. Soil similar to that which surrounds
the mound—light sandy. Excavations of one-half of the mound
exposed portions of eight skeletons, fragments of charcoal and
pottery, arranged in much the same way as described above in
case of Mound No. 1. The bones being badly decomposed, and
the mound being thoroughly penetrated by the roots of trees
erowing over it, the excavation was stopped. No implements or
weapons of any kind were found. There was no evidence of
any excavation having been made below the general surface, in
the building of the mound, but rather evidence to the contrary.
The third cranium (C) of the above table was taken from this

mound.
Mound No. 3.—Located in a dry, sandy, and rather elevated

place about one-third of a mile east of Hallsville, Duplin
County. In size and shape this mound resembles those already
mentioned: Base circular, 31 feet in diameter; height 214
feet. No excavation was made other than what was sufficient
to ascertain that the mound contained bones of human skeletons.

Mound No. 4.—Duplin County, located in a rather level
sandy region, about one mile from Sarecta post office, on the
property of Branch Williams. Base of mound circular, 35 feet
in diameter; height 214 feet. Soil sandy, like that which sur-
rounds it. Around the mound, extending out for a distance
varying from 5 to 10 yards, there was a depression, which, in
addition to the similarity of soils mentioned above, affords
ground for the conjecture that here, as in a number of other
cases, it is probable the mound was built by the throwing on of
soil from its immediate vicinity. Only a partial excavation
was made, with the result of finding human bones, and a few
small fragments of charcoal and pottery.

Since the above mounds were visited, I have obtained in-
formation as to the localities of mounds, similar to those de-

 

 

Exploration and Settlement 23

scribed in the eastern, southern, and western portions of Duplin
County; and I can hardly doubt but that a closer examination
of this region will prove them to be more numerous than they
are now generally supposed to be.

In Sampson County, the localities of several mounds have
been noted ; only one of these, however, so far as I am informed,
has been examined with care. This one (Mound No. 5), ex-
amined by Messrs. Phillips and Murphy of the Clinton School,
1s located about 214 miles west of Clinton (Sampson County),
on the eastern exposure of a small hill. In general character
it resembles the mounds already described. Base circular, 40
feet in diameter; height 314 feet; soil sandy loam, resembling
that surrounding the mound. Contents consisted of small frag-
ments of charcoal, two bunches of small shell “beads,” and parts
of 16 human skeletons. These skeletons were not distributed
uniformly throughout the portion of the mound examined. At
one place there were 9, at another 6, and at a third 5 skeletons
lying close to, and in some cases on top of, one another. In this
pipet as In the position of the parts of the skeletons (“doubled-
up”) this mound resembles those described above. The bones
were generally soft from decay. The small shells were found
in bunches under two skulls; they are of the same kind (Mar-
ginella roscida, Redfield) as those from Mound No. 1, and their
ends were ground off in the same way. No bones were found
below the surface level, and there was no evidence of excava-
tions having been made below this point. No stone implements
of any kind were found in the mound. One-half of this mound

was examined.

; In Robeson and Cumberland Counties several mounds have
een examined; and for information concerning these, I am

indebted to Mr. Hamilton MeMillan.

Five mounds are reported as having been examined in Robe-
son County, averaging 60 feet in circumference, and 2 feet
high, all located on elevated, dry ridges, near swamps or water-
courses ; and all contained bones of human skeletons. One of
these mounds, located about two miles east of Red Springs,
examined by Mr. MeMillan in 1882, contained about 50 skele-
i Many of these bones near the surface of the mound, in
Sa atone opinion, had been partly burned—those nearer
" ottom were in a better state of preservation. There was an

entire absence of skulls and teeth” from this mound—a some-
what remarkable fact. A broken stone “celt” was found among