“O matre pulchra filia pulchrior, Pout if you will, but sulk not into war. Had Adams stayed, this danger had not been, This less than kindness of two more than kin.” The singing of “Auld Lang Syne” was the fitting conclusion to an interesting day. Professor Wyman told me that, before leaving the States, I ought to visit the shell mounds at Damariscotta in Maine and also those near Concord. The latter were considered to be remarkable on account of their being composed of fresh-water shells. Mr. Emerson had offered to help me in my examination of them, but not wishing to occupy his time in this unusual manner, I went down to Concord and tried to find them by myself. In this attempt I failed, and, finally, I decided to obtain his help. Fortunately, he was at home and at once put the harness on his pony and drove me down to the place. We crossed some fields and found the shell heaps near a sharp bend of the river. They were about a hundred and fifty yards long, twenty yards wide and twelve feet high, and were chiefly composed of mussel shells. For more than an hour we worked zealously and made slight excavations at different parts of the banks, and found some fragments of bones which had been shaped by hand, but we were not successful in seeing any stone celts. We then went to an adjoining hillock upon which the Indians were accustomed to encamp and there we picked up three rudely-made arrow heads which had been formed out of hard porphyritic stone. After finishing the inspection of the middens, we went back to the house, and remained for an hour or two in the library where we had tea. Mr. Emerson told me that in order to pass through, with comparative comfort, the long winter, he and others had formed a society of twenty-five members and arrangements were made for meeting at their respective houses. Each member gave a reception in turn upon Tuesdays. When the time was at hand for going to the train he went to the stable, and again harnessed the pony, and drove me to the station. When saying “Good-bye,” he expressed many kind wishes with regard to my projected journey. Americans must naturally feel interested in whatever relates to the past history of the native races who were the original inhabitants of their country, and who possessed, in combination with their savage nature and cruel practices, certain qualities of honour and fortitude which seem to point to the existence of latent conditions of mind placing them upon a different footing from other ordinary savage races. Theories which relate to the migrations of the tribes who entered Mexico from the North have also much attraction. As years roll onwards, and the events, that then occurred, are more distant or obscure, the causes of those movements and the origin of the influences that created the subsequent advance in civilisation amongst those Indians are becoming almost incomprehensible.