Mr. Palmer began his explorations early in July, 1881, and continued
with marked success until the end of the year.
He first paid a visit to the Cherokee Indians of North Carolina, and
collected a large number of articles manufactured or used by this
people, besides a number of antiquities from the same region.
From Carolina he crossed into Tennessee, and began work by opening
a number of mounds in Cocke County. In September he opened a very
important mound, which I have named the McMahan Mound. It is located
in the vicinity of Sevierville, Sevier County. Afterwards mounds were
opened on Fain's Island, at Dandridge, and at Kingston.
In September he crossed into Arkansas and made extensive explorations at
Osceola, Pecan Point, Arkansas Post, and Indian Bay.
It has devolved upon the writer to examine and catalogue this fine
collection.
In preparing the catalogue the plan of arrangement already adopted by
the Bureau has been carried out; that is, a primary classification by
locality and a secondary by material.
The descriptions of specimens are taken from the card catalogue prepared
by the writer on first opening the collection, and will be given in
full, excepting in cases where detailed descriptions have been furnished
in separate papers, either in this or the preceding Annual Report. Cuts
have been made of a number of the more interesting specimens. The
localities are named in the order of their exploration.