burnt mound at the ancient fort near Bournville, it could be seen over
a large portion of the valleys, where numerous works are found. No
doubt, this was a signal mound, where the appointed watchman, like the
watchman of Scripture, could give the alarm of the coming foe,
enabling the industrious people to reach the fortress in safety.

On a hill 600 feet high, near Chillicothe, Ohio, there is a mound,
which in the days of the Mound-builders must have been a signal mound.
A light on this can be seen for twenty miles either up or down the
valley.

The great mound at Miamisburg, Ohio, which is 68 feet high and 852
feet in circumference at its base, served, no doubt, this important
department of warfare, as a fire kindled on it could flash light into
Butler county, near Elk Creek, where it would again be taken up by the
watchman there, and light flashed in the direction of Xenia, and from
one signal mound to another until it would reach the great works at
Newark. Thus in the course of an hour the whole southern portion of
the State of Ohio could be warned of danger and prepare for combat or
shelter.

Such a system has been used by all nations, both civilized and savage.
We need not wonder that the Mound-builders with such sagacity and
forethought, should establish such a system of alarm by which the
inhabitants could be apprised of invasion.

_Indefinite Mounds_.--Of this class there are many. Thousands of such
indefinite mounds and squares and circles are to be seen scattered
over the various States of the Union. Their structure, composition and
contents, give us no clue by which they may be assigned a place. It is