From this it will be seen that the Red River mound skulls agree with
the Toltecan Brachycephalic type; and the Rainy River skull while not
so distinctly Brachycephalic yet is considerably above the average of
the Dolichocephalic type.
2. _Wood_. As already stated it is only in some of the mounds that
charred wood is found. This specimen is from the mound at
Contcheteheng, at the head of Rainy River. It stands beside the
Rapids. This mound has supplied many interesting remains. From this
fact as well as from its situation, I would hazard the opinion that
here, as at the great Rainy River Falls, three miles farther down,
there were villages in the old mound building days. It is a fact
worthy of notice that the site of the first French Fort on Rainy
River, St. Pierre built by Verandrye in 1731, was a few hundred yards
from this mound.
3. _Bark_. Specimens of birch bark were found near by the bones. It
was no doubt originally used for swathing or wrapping the corpses
buried. That a soft decayable substance such as bark, should have
lasted while a number of bones had decayed may seem strange. No doubt
this may be explained in the same way as the presence among the
remains in Hochelaga, on the Island of Montreal, of preserved
fragments of maize, viz., by its having been scorched. The pieces of
bark seem to have been hardened by scorching.
4. _Earth_. The main earth of the mound is plainly the same as that of
the soil surrounding it. By what means the earth was piled up, is a
question for speculation. It seems a matter of small moment. Possibly
that the earth was carried in baskets, or vessels of considerable size
is sufficient to account for it. My theory is that the mound was not
erected by a vast company of busy workers as were the pyramids, but
that it was begun at first for purposes of observation, that as
interments were from time to time made in it sufficient earth was
carried up to effect the purpose, until in centuries the enormous
aggregate of earth was formed. Among the earth of the mound are also
found in spots, quantities of red and yellow ochre. The fact that the
skulls and bones seem often to have a reddish tinge, goes to show that
the ochre was used for the purpose of ornamentation. Sometimes a skull
is drawn out of the firm cast made by it in the earth, and the cast is
seen to be reddened by the ochre which was probably smeared over the
face of the slain warrior. The ochre is entirely foreign to the earth
of which the mound is made, but being earthy remains long after even
pottery has gone to decay.
5. _Ore_. Lying near this skull as if they had been placed in the
hands of the corpse were two pieces of metallic ore, one of which is
before you. A fresh section of it shows it to be Arsenical Iron
Pyrites, each piece weighing four or five ounces. No doubt the shining
ore and its heavy weight attracted notice, although it is of no
commercial value. The probabilities are that this ore was regarded as
sacred, and possibly having been considered valuable was placed beside
the corpse as the ancient obolus was laid beside the departed Greek to
pay his fare to crusty Charon.
[Illustration: FIGURE 1. MOUND BUILDERS' IMPLEMENTS.]