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2 respecting the formation of saltpetre, which is published in the 1 Vol of the Transactions of the Geol. Soc. of Pennsylvania, from which it appeared that a constantly dry atmosphere circulated through them and of course no putrifaction can go on in these subterraneous places.

But though the investigation of the antiquities of our Aborigines does not form my favourite occupation, I could not fail to be struck, during my excursions through our partly wild state, with many circumstances connected with the existence of old races of men which seem now wholly extinct - These races were very numerous - they were Idolaters and perhaps, like the initiated in the mysteries of Osiris and Isis, they worshiped the Phallus.

They came from the south from a tropical region. I say they seem to be extinct - A few Years ago my attention was attracted by a fine tumulus situated in a romantic spot on the junction of the French Broad and Holston rivers in East Tenne., on the summit of which the present owner Dr. Ramsey, has made a flower garden - He gave me permission to dig here and there around this tumulus and I had the good luck to find a whole skeleton, the bones were much mouldered but the head was entire and by imuring it with some varnish I succeeded in giving some consistence to the bone which enabled me to carry it home - Shortly after Dr. Morton in Philadelphia commenced his valuable work on the crania Americanis and requested me to contribute to it. I sent him amongst some drawings of the skulls of modern Indians, that of the above mentioned skull, this skull differed so much from all of the American skulls in his possession, and he has the most numerous collection of them in the U.S., that he suspected the correctness of the drawing and it was only when he had compared the drawing with the object itself, that he gave it a place in his work - this skull is subscribed in the plate of Doct Morton from a Mound in Tenne.

I have since discovered more of these skulls, males and females they have all a lateral compression, which