The mounds have long been known as occurring in Central America, in
Mexico, and along the whole extent of the Mississippi valley from the
Gulf of Mexico to the great lakes. Our Northwest has, however, been
neglected in the accounts of the mound-bearing region. Along our Red
River I can count some six or eight mounds that have been noted in
late years, and from the banks having been peopled and cultivated I
have little doubt that others have been obliterated. One formerly
stood on the site of the new unfinished Canadian Pacific Hotel in this
city. The larger number of those known are in the neighborhood of the
rapids, 16 or 18 miles below Winnipeg where the fishing is good. In
1879 the Historical Society opened one of these, and obtained a
considerable quantity of remains. It is reported that there are mounds
also on Nettley Creek, a tributary of the lower Red River, also on
Lake Manitoba and some of its affluents. During the past summer it was
my good fortune to visit the Rainy River, which lies some half way of
the distance from Winnipeg to Lake Superior. In that delightful
stretch of country, extending for 90 miles along the river there are
no less than 21 mounds. These I identify with the mounds of Red River.
The communication between Red and Rainy River is effected by ascending
the Red Lake River, and coming by portage to a river running from the
south into Rainy River. Both Red and Rainy River easily connect with
the head waters of the Mississippi. Our region then may be regarded as
a self-contained district including the most northerly settlements of
the strange race who built the mounds. I shall try to connect them
with other branches of the same stock, lying further to the east and
south. For convenience I shall speak of the extinct people who
inhabited our special region as the _Takawgamis_, or farthest north
mound builders.