June 1, 1834
We took a trip to the other side of the Mississippi to visit the Indian mounds described in Major Long’s travels. From the city marketplace, we followed a street down to the riverbank and crossed over on a steam ferry that had an airy room on the upper deck of its pavilion. There was room enough on the ferry for our gig and horse. On the opposite side, houses were located in the shadows of tall trees. [There were also] a few inns and stores. From here, fish and various turtles, as well as vegetables and the like, are taken daily to the market in St. Louis.
A path led from here through low, marshy soil alternating with open, bushy areas up to the edge of the prairie. Afterward we crossed a wooden bridge [over] the deeply carved Cahokia Creek, overgrown picturesquely with tall trees. Its water is dark brown and forms a nice camera obscura. In this area, there are still [descendants of the] original French settlers. The open flatlands that we reached were overgrown [and] a lovely green everywhere from new grass and low bushes. Here there was an inn called Prairie House, where we refreshed ourselves. As soon as we left the wooded area along the Mississippi behind us, [we saw] a row of much-flattened ancient Indian mounds [that] extended parallel to the river. Another row cut through the prairie at an angle with the former. [The second row] has a few higher mounds, and at the corner where the two [rows] meet, the largest of the mounds, about 60′ high, is located. [This mound] was not yet visible [from our vantage point]. It is called Trappist’s, or Monk’s, Hill [Monks Mound], because several years ago some French monks of the order de la Trappe lived there; [they] have since left the area.
![Figure 22.4. Mound locations: “‘a’ Trappist’s Hill; ‘b’ Row of mounds along the river; ‘c’ [Row of mounds] cutting through the prairie; ‘d’ Road from St. Louis; ‘e’ Cahokia Creek.”](https://maximilian-bodmer.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/figure22-04-1024x611.png)
The blue iris that I mentioned earlier grew in the marshy areas of the trail. On the prairie [there was] a beautiful large-flowered, dark red Rudbeckia, perhaps purpurea, as well as other nice plants. The bushes consisted of hazel, Prunus padus, oak, and the like. Cattle rested or grazed in their shade. [There were] umbrellalike Gleditsia triacanthos, especially along the fences—their shape resembles the form of South American trees and reminds me of them. From the river it is 6 miles to Monk’s Hill [Monks Mound], which was soon visible. It was large [and] overgrown with grass and some tall trees; a few new, yellowish white wooden houses were located on it [and] could be seen from a distance. A herd of cattle rested under a copse of tall cottonwoods on the prairie. We drove there and left the wagon standing, but the bull that reigned [over the place] apparently wanted to dispute our right to remain there. The beautiful Icterus phoeniceus (le commandeur [the commander]) inhabited these tall trees. The big lark, as well as several other beautiful birds, enlivened the area; [there were] also many blackbirds and diverse butterflies. The view of the numerous, diverse Indian mounds was interesting—some of them in pairs, most [of them] isolated, located in a row. A few were still cone-shaped, others [were] already much flattened. There are 50 to 60 of them. Mr. Bodmer sketched some of them in a hurry. The heat was oppressive, but some wind rose that was refreshing. We returned [to St. Louis] and arrived shortly before two o’clock.
Numerous turtles live in Cahokia Creek. Lesueur’s geographica can be found there; [there is] also one very similar to the picta. Dreidoppel shot an Emys with two red stripes at the back of its head.60 It seems to be identical to the one I [obtained] at the Wabash.
It is known that many mounds [such as those at Cahokia] were located next to the city of St. Louis; [although] most of [them] have been destroyed by construction, some still exist.61 These old remains offer a broad, interesting field for research, but they are [a mystery] difficult to fathom. Many authors have written about the subject—Smith Barton, Atwater, Say, and others—but sufficiently extensive excavations have not been carried out. I spoke earlier about a relationship of this old nation with the [indigenous] Mexicans in regard to the flint knives found in Harmony on the Wabash.
Another curiosity of the Mississippi riverbank near St. Louis is that its limestone contains ? various impressions or petrifications of conchylia and zoophytes, among them the beautiful Seetulpen ([——]), that are found in great perfection. Mr. Lesueur sent many of them to France, and additional information can be found in his writings and publications. On my walks [in the area], I could [not?] find small exemplary specimens; many ? places were inaccessible, because of the construction of new houses.
After I had given my crates to Mr. Edward Tracy, we took leave of our friends [and made ready] to embark the following morning.
