According to John S. Clark , a surveyor and historian active in the area until the early twentieth century , the topography and size of the site was appropriate to correspond with Brûlé 's description of Carantouan ; Brûlé described a palisaded town , populated by approximately 800 warriors and 4 @,@ 000 individuals in total . He also described the dwellings and fortifications as being similar to those utilized by the Wyandot people . Clark 's conclusions was based in part on surveys he conducted at the site in 1878 , when he observed what he believed was fortifications atop the hill . Amateur archaeologist Ellsworth C. Cowles conducted an excavation at the base of the hill in 1932 , uncovering what he described as " seventy five postholes extending east and west , " as well as the " effigy of a huge animal . "