Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Anthropology/Aboriginal Works at the Mouth of the Klikitat River, Washington Territory

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1670301Miscellaneous Papers Relating to Anthropology — Aboriginal Works at the Mouth of the Klikitat River, Washington TerritoryThomas Martin Whitcomb

MISCELLANEOUS PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY.


ABORIGINAL WORKS AT THE MOUTH OF THE KLIKITAT
RIVER, WASHINGTON TERRITORY.

By T. M. Whitcomb.

The works represented in the accompanying sketch consist of a stone wall 5 feet high, filled inside with earth, except the two squares within. These are 8 feet deep and 15 feet on each side, the whole work being about 200 feet on either side. There was formerly some kind of wooden structure on the stone wall, as the remains of cedar timbers occur at certain points on the top. The wooden work was evidently destroyed by fire, since all the cedar is charred.

ABORIGINAL WORKS

None of the Indians in this country have any knowledge of the builders or of its use. There is a tradition among them that it was finished a long time ago. Large quantities of arrow-heads are found in and about the works. The place is eminently adapted for defense, being 100 feet above the river. The scarcity of aboriginal works of a permanent character on the Pacific coast makes this an object of peculiar interest to the archaeologist.