of a once formidable tribe of the aborigines of this country; at least during the hunting and fishing season: probably the Penobscot tribe* ; and while residing here, the mound was gradually raised over their dead. The same passion which first led to the raising a mound to mark the place where the dead were deposited, might, as man advanced in improvement, lead to the erection of a pyramid and thence to a mausoleum.

Nor is this the only curiosity which this meadow contains. About half way between the mound and the western shore of the lake, are the remains of the fort built by the brave Capt. Lovewell just before he fell in the celebrated battle near Lovewell's pond in Fryeburg. At this fort, he left his physician and eight men, together with the principal part of his provisions. A coward, at the first fire which Lovewell and his other brave companions received, fled from the hattle-ground, and informed those left at the fort, that the whole party were destroyed. Had this man behaved as he ought to have done, in all probability more of the wounded of that brave company would have been saved. This fort, which was built almost a century ago, appears to have been only palisaded, or a stockade fort. Its eastern face fronted the lake, and was situated on the top of a small bank, which ran along from the river before mentioned to the southward. At the north and south ends of the fort, considerable excavations of earth were made resembling cellars in size and appearance. The ditch, in which the palisades were set, can be traced round the whole tract which the fort contained, which appears to have been about an acre. The excavation at the north end of the fort is much the largest. This almost reaches the river; and here the water for its supply was probably obtained. It is dif ficult to determine the exact size of the fort, as its site is now (1822,) covered principally with trees and bushes. The owner is now clearing them away for the purpose of tilling the ground where the fort stood. It was therefore thought proper to give this sketch, while something remained to point out the exact spot, where the brave Lovewell and his followers thought fit to provide a refuge in case of disaster. Time will soon throw its mantle of eternal oblivion over this and every other monument of that brave, hardy, enterprising, but unfortunate adventurer.

B.

[*We are inclined to believe it was the Ossipee tribe, which, with the Newichawannocks, was estimated to contain 1000 souls about the time of the settlement of Dover.--Editors.]

INDIAN ANTIQUITIES IN OHIO.

The editor of the Ohio Monitor, published at Columbus, has recently devoted his attention to the antiquities of that section of the country, and furnishes some interesting and valuable descriptions.

Formerly, near the south line of Columbus, there stood a mound of earth, in structure an obtuse cone, having a base of about 70 feet diameter. Its base was on ground gradually elevated about 70 feet above the adjacent plain; distant from the Scioto River, at the west, more than a hundred rods. The height of the mound was about 16 feet, covered with trees of the size and kind of the surrounding forest, when the hand of man transmuted this monument of superstitious grandeur to practical utility. The main street of the town was laid directly over it, on account of which, it was demolished, and the massive heap, consisting mostly of clay, was burned into brick; by which the walls of our Legislative Hall and State offices were erected of earth much mixed with calcined human bones. For, on levelling this mound, the pile was found to consist in large portions, of decayed human bodies, mingled with their fellow earth. Unnumbered skeletons, less decayed, were thrown to the winds with as much carelessness as the surrounding dust. Several other things, the product of labor and art were discovered in this ingens bustum, which were dissipated with tasteless indifference. This was done 10 and 12 years ago, when the building of the town was progressing.

Hav

The mound was not quite razed to its foundation. ing occasion to remove more of it at this time, we daily make many remarkable discoveries, by ocular inspection. The workmen have, in many places, excavated six or seven teet below the base of the mound, whose difference they. can easily discover by the quality of earth. Bones are deposited at the depths of 4 and 5 feet, at small distances from each other. Within six or seven square rods superficies, probably as many as two large cart loads have been exhumated. Some of the skeletons lay entire, others scattered and confused. In general their size and shape do not differ from modern skeletons of the common varieties of age. One skull, being considerably decayed, is remarkable for its thickness, being five eighths of an inch thick. The upper jaw contains the whole of the teeth, which are all double, and larger than usual. There is also one tooth within all the rest, of regular shape and growing downwards, in the

direction of the others. But the most singular discovery was two small pits of 4 feet depth, situated a few feet east of the site of the mound. One we examined minutely. Its bottom was covered with coals, ashes and bones, apparently the bones of infants nearly consumed by fire. These were overlaid by a stratum of clay and loam, the natural soil. This earthen urn was easily distinguishable amidst the ruins of its form, made by the lapse of time, by the earth which covered it differing from the hard, solid gravel that surrounded it. The pit was four feet diameter.

Some small white stones are found on the skulls of some of the skeletons, wrought into wide, thin beads, as handsomely polished as by any modern lapidary. In the same situation were found pieces of brass and copper, irregularly shaped into thick beads. They are as large as a hickory nut, their form cylindrical, with a tube as large as a pipe

stem.

But few of these curiosities have been preserved at all. Some of them are in the possession of those, who will not readily part with them.

In the county of Belmont, Ohio, about half a mile from the river Ohio, one of the ancient mounds has recently been opened and penetrated. It was 40 feet diameter at the base, 16 feet high, and flat at the top, bearing upon it large trees, with marks of a succession of growths which had decayed. The fifth stratum in this mound consisted of several layers of human bones, laid transversely, in a great mass of decaying matter five or six inches thick. These bones, when exposed to the air would moulder away [although they seemed solid when taken up,] the toe and finger nails were nearly entire; the hair, long, fine, and of a dark brown color, and by letting the dirt dry, and brushing it off, it would bear to be combed and straitened out. Under the bones were flint-stone spear heads, suitable to be inserted into the end. of a long pole, and some pieces of iron two or three feet long, a kind of cut-and-thrust-sword in their make, their handles were ornamented with rings or ferules of silver and lead, on which were the representations of terrapins and birds; and had also various triangular, rectangular, circular and elliptical figures, made with great mathematical ex

actness.

CURIOSITIES-Natural or Artificial.--The last number of the valuable Journal conducted by Professor Silliman contains a description of a rock found at St. Louis, on the western

shore of the Mississippi, in which are distinct impressions of two human feet. They are said so exactly to resemble nature, as to render it questionable with persons who have seen them, whether they were formed by some man standing on the spot while the rock was very soft, or were the work of art. However, the rock is stated to be calcareous, and so very hard, that it has been but little worn by the sand and gravel washed over it during the periodical floods. The National Intelligencer mentions a rock in the District of Columbia, and the Compiler one in the vicinity of Richmond, on both of which something resembling the impression of the human foot, on soft earth, can be most distinctly traced.

About 150 yards from the foot of Pocahontas Bridge (says the Petersburgh Intelligencer) on the north side of Appomattox river, is to be seen a rock, in which appears a regularly formed basin, about 8 inches diameter by 6 inches deep. The spot in which this curiosity is embedded, is said, traditionally, to have belonged to the Indian Princess Pocahontas, and accordingly to this day the rock bears the name of her Wash-Basin. Our decided impression, upon inspecting it, is, that it is the work of some rude sculptor among the aboriginal inhabitants of this territory; and, if our conjecture is not erroneous, this rock is certainly one of the most interesting specimens which time has spared of the skill and ingenuity of the once powerful and savage tribes of Virginia.

On the celebrated Table Rock, in Pendleton district, S. C. is a curiosity which has recently excited some notice among visitors. On the highest part of that rock there are innumerable impressions of horses' hoofs, promiscuously scattered over its surface, having every appearance of having been done by the stamping of horses, worried by flies, when the rock was in a soft state. It is not to be supposed that an artist so excellent at his profession as he must have been to imitate nature so admirably, would have given himself a six months' job in cutting these marks to excite the wonder of visitors. Similar marks were visible on another rock in an adjacent mountain.

Paper Money. The first paper money issued in the colonies was in 1690, when, having no money to pay their troops, the government of Massachusetts issued bills of credit, to prevent a mutiny.

From the New-Hampshire Republican, published at Dover.

INDIAN ORTHOGRAPHY.

We have been favored by a gentleman of this town, who has paid considerable attention to the subject, with the Indian names of those streams which make up the Pascataqua river.

The Indian antiquities are rapidly disappearing; and it seems to be the peculiar duty of American scholars to preserve what remains of them.

Whilst the learned of Europe are seeking with avidity every species of information respecting the manners, institutions and languages of the Aboriginals of America, the indifference which prevails on these interesting subjects, amongst our own scholars is equally surprising and disgraceful.

Our correspondent is of opinion that the true orthography of our river is Paskataquagh (the Indians pronouncing the last syllable with a forcible expression of the breath); its proper limits are from the ocean to Dover, or Hilton's point, where it divides into several branches ;-the eastern branch as far as the north-east corner of Dover (Pinkham's landing) was called by the natives Winnakahannet; thence to Waldron's falls, and perhaps farther, Quocheecho, vulgarly Cocheco; at the north-west corner of Dover, at BlindWill's neck, (so called because a blind Indian was there killed by the natives on account of his friendship to the English) this branch is again divided; one half of it is traced to Bowpond in Barrington, and has lost its ancient name in that of Ising-glass river; the other passes on through Rochester, to which place it is called Squamanagonick, and afterwards is named from the towns through which it passes and is finally lost in New-Durham.

The other half of the eastern branch, (which may be followed through Berwick and up to the ponds in Wakefield) from Pinkham's landing to the Great Falls is called Newichwannock; the Indian name is then lost in the English one of Salmon Falls.

The western branch passes through Pascataqua Bridge and receives in little bay the Oyster river, which has lost its old name; then the Lamprey river, of which the Indian name is Piskassett; thence the main branch is called the Squamscott, into which a stream flows through Stratham whose name is Winnicutt; and beyond Exeter, the river is subdivided into many lesser streams, whose names are not known.