ANCIENT WORKS IN THE BASIN OF THE PISHTAKA RIVER.
This stream is usually called Fox River; but, to distinguish it from the numerous other rivers of the same name, it is necessary to call it the Fox River1 of the Illinois. It originates in the northeastern part of Waukesha County, and runs in a southerly direction through the western part of Racine and Kenosha counties into Illinois. It thence passes by way of the Illinois River into the Mississippi. Within the State of Wisconsin its basin covers an area of nine hundred and forty-five square miles.
The ancient works in the valley of the Pishtaka extend as far down as to the place where Major Long and his party crossed it, a little north of west from Chicago. At this point, says the narrator, the river has a fine gravelly bottom, and was very easily forded. On the west side we reached a beautiful but small prairie, situated on a high bank, which approaches within two hundred and fifty yards of the edge of the water; and upon this prairie we discovered a number of mounds, which appear to have been arranged with a certain degree of regularity. Of these mounds we counted twenty-seven. They vary from one to four feet and a half in height, and from fifteen to twenty-five in length; their breadth is not proportioned to their length, as it seldom exceeds six or eight feet. They are placed at unequal distances, which average about twenty yards, and are chiefly upon the brow of the hill; but some of them stand at a greater distance back. Their form appears to have been originally oval; and the slight depression in the ground observed sometimes on both sides of the mound, seems to indicate that it has been raised by means of the earth collected in its immediate vicinity. Of their artificial nature no doubt could be entertained.1
About a dozen localities are known along this stream and its branches, within the limits of Wisconsin, at which mounds have been erected by the ancient occupants of the country. Near the southern boundary of the State are a few works, as on the northwest side of Silver Lake, in the town of Salem (section eight, township one, range twenty), where there are some burial mounds; and a little north of the road (southwest quarter of southeast quarter of section five, township one, range twenty) are two oblong mounds, which, from their position, are supposed to be [page 24:] look-out stations. They are situated near some quite remarkable bluffs of limestone gravel, and command an extensive view of the valley towards the south, with its beautiful lake and ancient remains.
Mound Prairie, in the western part of Wheatland (township one, range nineteen), is a small and beautiful prairie lying between two line groups of lakes; and is so named from some artificial works near the centre of the prairie. We found six or eight circular mounds, and one that appeared to have been a turtle. They were nearly destroyed by the plough.
Near the village of Geneva (section thirty-five, township one, range seventeen), there were two turtle mounds, and several of the ordinary circular or conical form. They are situated near the lake with their heads towards the water. A road passes directly over them, and they are now (1850) nearly destroyed. Further search would probably reveal the localities of other works about these lakes.
Five miles south of Burlington (on the northwest quarter of section twenty-six, township two, range nineteen), is a solitary animal mound, with curved tail, and enlarged at the extremity, as shown in the figure. (Plate XIII. No. 1.) It is situated on a gently sloping hill side, and the road passes directly over it. It is a very unusual circumstance to find such a mound disconnected from other works; but we could not learn that any others existed in the vicinity.
On the east bank of the river, opposite the village of Burlington, is a series of mounds arranged in an irregular row along the margin of the stream. (See Plate XIII. No. 2.) The largest of the series, near the middle, is ten feet high, and fifty feet in diameter at the base. It is connected with the next 