صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني

to settle the interior country, contiguous to the great waters of that mighty river. Here, it is true, are no cities, like Mexico, to shew their relative connection; but here are to be seen extensively, the fortified camps of a people who had the arts, (see the descriptions of these works in all the Geographies of our country,) here are to be found the impressions of the feet of men, horses, and numerous other animals, curiously engraven upon the flat rocks of the Enchanted Mountains (so called) of Tennessee, here have been found inscriptions upon large flat rocks, in various parts of this country, in a character unknown. These inscriptions have been exactly transcribed and sent to the several Universities of our country to be decyphered, where they have been supposed to be Phoenician, because the characters so nearly resemble the Hebrew and Chaldean, from whence sprang the Phoenician character, which is now lost.

Dr. Morse in his Geography says, that a copper coin has lately been found near the Wabash, several feet beneath the surface of the earth, which retains distinctly its Persian stamp and inscription. It is well known that the Phoenicians sprang from the Persians, or Chaldeans; that their intercourse was mutual and reciprocal, and that they used the same coin. All these facts being united, have fixed a strong degree of probability upon my mind, that these works of art are the monuments of the labours of a part of the Mexican Colony, in their attempts to settle this western country, and may possibly lead to others that may serve to unfold the mystery still more clearly*.

For a more particular description of the works of antiquity, see the following extract from Dana's Sketches of the western states.

"Near the confluence of the Ohio and Big Miami, on the west bank, is an extensive rich bottom, consisting of several thousand acres ; on, and in the vicinity of which, are several ancient mounds. Northwardly of Hardensburgh, one half. mile from the Miami, on the top of a hill, supposed to be ele

1

Thus far I have accomplished my task of unfolding the ways of God to men, in tracing the rise and progress of the Puritan Church, from the days of John Wickliffe, in the 14th century, down to the days in which we live, and shewn the special designs of Almighty God in planting his church in this modern Canaan.

In the course of my narrative I have undeavoured to exhibit to view, the more prominent characters which God in his providence has been pleased to use, as his special instruments in carrying forward his great work of planting his church, and building up a great nation in the wilds of America.

vated above the adjoining bottom 150 feet, is a fortification inclosing ten or twelve acres. The wall of earth, from four to five feet high, does not conform to any exact figure; but is regulated in its direction by the extremities of the level ground round the top of the hill, at the highest points of declivity, in an irregular form, so as to enclose all the level ground. There are two or three gate-ways. On the south, near where the hill is very steep, within the fort, is a considerable mound; and on the south side of the hill, about one third of the distance from the base to the top, is a spacious highway, more than thirty feet in width, remarkably level and straight; the excavation on the upper side of which, in some parts of the hill, is twelve or fifteen feet deep this highway extends in length, on the side of the hill 160 rods, each end terminates at points where the declivity was gentle, and the ascent easy to the fortification; within which are two considerable artificial concavities. The numerous human bones washed bare by the rains, on the sloping places, indicate that the ancient population was great.

On the opposite side of the Miami, on the top of a hill, is another extensive fortification, described in Dr. Drake's picture of Cincinnati. Another is discoverable on a hill near Hamilton, containing more than 50 acres, near which is a mound; various monuments of ancient labours appear in the Miami country.

Mounds vary both in magnitude and form. Some are conical, from the base to the top; others present only the lower segment of a cone; others are semi-globular; others in the form of a parallelogram. At Marietta, is one of a conical figure, seven rods in diameter at the base; fifty feet high, and twenty feet at the top.

The largest mound that has been found in the Ohio Valley, stands at Big-Grave Creek, near the Ohio, 14 miles below

It was also a part of my design to have shewn how this church, in connection with the mother church in Europe, is designed to open the way for the second advent of our Lord Jesus Christ, by unfolding the wonderful exertions that are now making, through the medium of the numerous Bible Societies, Missionary Societies, and Sunday Schools; together with the extensive out-pourings of the Divine Spirit, as they are now displayed in various parts of the United States; but I have already so far exceeded the limits prescribed for this work that I must omit the whole, and refer the reader, for the first, to the various Bible Society any Missionary Society reports, so common in our country; and for the latter, to a work, upon the revivals of religion in the the United States, now about to be published by the Rev. Dr. Mc Cawley, of Schenectady. I can

Wheeling. It is between fifteen and twenty rods diameter, at the base; its perpendicular height seventy feet, and on the summit nearly sixty feet diameter, in the centre of which is a regular cavity, consisting of about 3000 cubical feet, on which is a green white-oak tree, three feet in diameter, and more than seventy feet high; within a few rods stand five other smaller mounds. (Quere. What analogy may there be between these mounds, and the pyramids of Egypt, in their original design.)

The most remarkable mounds, or pyramids, in the western country, are on the Mississippi, consisting of two groups. The one about ten miles above the Kahokia, which empties near St. Louis; and the other nearly the same distance below it; which in all exceed one hundred and fifty. The largest of these mounds is a stupendous pile of earth, to form which must have required the labours of thousands, for years. It stands immediately on the banks of the Kahokia; the form is a parallelogram, from north to south; on the south is a broad apron, about half way down, and from this another projection, nearly fifteen feet wide; the whole circumference 800 yards, and the height of the mound about 90 feet. The Monks of La Trappe have settled near it, who have made the apron into a kitchen garden, and sowed the top with wheat

Near St. Louis is a curious work called the Fallen Garden. It suggests to the spectator the idea of a situation for assembling the people for public councils."

Numerous other similar ruins are noticed by the same author, extending from the lakes of Canada to the confines of Mexico.

[blocks in formation]

1

450

HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.

only add, that within the period of nine months past (since I commenced this work,) the most powerful, as well as most extensive revival of religion that has ever been recorded, has sprung up, and diffused itself over more than one half of the towns in the State of Connecticut; and in this parish of Wethersfield, in which 1 now write, more than one hundred and fifty converts have been added to the visible church of our Lord Jesus Christ, the three months past, and the work is still progressing, not only in this parish; but throughout the state.

Who, that examines with attention this vast field of instruction, can fail to see, that the days are fast approaching, "when the stone that was cut out of the mountain without hands, shall become a great mountain, and fill the whole earth." And when "the mountain of the Lord's House shall be exalted upon the tops of the mountains, and all nations shali flow unto it and be saved."

FINIS.

« السابقةمتابعة »