HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY  11

sand, the same as that on the margin of the river, which leads to the
conclusion that the natives carried and deposited this sand. To strengthen
this theory, its advocates assert, with a great deal of assurance, too, that
the depression, or channel, yet plainly visible just a few rods to the east,
was the bed of the river at the time the mound was made. Furthermore,
the assumed artificial construction of this knoll is attested by the fact
of an underlying foundation of timber, as though to provide a burial
ground above high water mark. But whether or not the natives made
the knoll for the purpose, it is evident that they used it as a burial place.
It has been frequently visited by curiosity seekers at home and from
abroad. Dr. Absalom Briley, deceased, who was somewhat of an
archaeologist, gave the matter much thought and attention, and in his
researches exhumed bones, teeth, beads and other specimens. Others
have also digged out similar remains. Som,e of the beads and trinkets
exhumed were in a state of good preservation. One family near the
knoll, during, the time of these investigations, collected about a half
bushel of the beads exposed by the excavations made from time to time,
which were preserved for some years as curios, then buried out on the
farm at the request of the woman of the house, who thought it wrong
to despoil the graves of the simple natives of their treasures to gratify
the curiosity of their pale faced cousins. The place of their deposit in
Mother Earth was unmarked and efforts since made to locate and recover
them have been unsuccessful. All the skeletons discovered were of
giant proportions, a stature of seven feet, or thereabout, all in the sitting
posture, with fractured femurs, or thigh-bones, a phenomenon unex-
plained. John B. Poe, one of the early pioneers, himself six feet in
height and proportionately developed, who made many excavations and
tests, found the tibia (bone of the lower-leg) in all cases from one to
two inches longer than his own, and could place the maxillary (lower
jaw-bone) over his own, flesh and all.
    It is related that a party of young folks from Illinois, on a visit to
friends in the locality, some years ago, visited the knoll to test the truth
of what had been told them of its history. The party consisted of
several young men and women. They carried with them the necessary
implements to make the desired excavations. Soon after the work had
been commenced, one of the young men uncovered and exposed the skull
of a huge Indian, of which the open mouth and protruding teeth pre-
sented a sight so unexpected and ghastly that the doubting and inquisi-
tive Sucker scattered unceremoniously his implements of research and
beat a hasty retreat.
    This knoll has not been well preserved, having been plowed over
and cultivated for several years past, so that, partially, it has lost its
identity. In making the excavation for the foundation of the brick
dwelling-house erected on this knoll, by Foster Miller, several years ago,
numerous relics were thrown out similar to those mentioned.
    On the east side of Eel river, about three miles above Bowling
Green, in the Walker settlement, on the former Toelle place, was an-
other aboriginal burial ground. At this point a natural elevation was
selected. Here, too, excavations were made and the remains of bodies
exhumed, but not at any late date. It is related of Dr. Davis, a pioneer
physician near Bowling Green, that he collected “several sack-fulls of
bones,” intending to construct an artificial skeleton for professional use,
but deterred by public sentiment from doing so, re-interred them. A