The mound when seen from the plains, stands out from them in a manner so isolated and prominent, that it seems at the first glance, to be unquestionable that it must have been raised by human labour; but upon a closer investigation there are good reasons for believing it to be a natural formation of the land, shaped originally like a rounded hillock, and subsequently terraced and altered in such a manner as to make it appear to be altogether artificial. It is ninety feet high, and the base, if the whole of the irregular and spreading area is included, covers a space of about nine acres. The summit is level, and contains nearly two acres. Upon this was established a substantial farmhouse, which I found to be tenanted by a kind and hospitable family, who were evidently in a prosperous condition, and able to cultivate their land advantageously. The hillock has been given locally the name of Monks Mound, in consequence of its having been for several years the site of a small monastery, belonging to some of the brethren of La Trappe, who, towards the close of the last century, emigrated to this remote spot when the monastic orders were suppressed during the French Revolution. The monks used the lower slopes as a garden, and there still remain the indications of the terraced ground which was used by them for their solitary walks. The Trappists are supposed to have left Cahokia at the time of the restoration of the Bourbons. Probably they returned to France when the Monastery of La Trappe was re-established, in the reign of Louis XVIII. Before the mound was used as a farm there was on its summit an Indian tumulus. The farmer taking a practical view of this burial heap, destroyed it and spread the contents over his land. The accompanying sketch of the mounds was taken from the slope of the Cahokia Mound, at a height of about forty feet above the plain. It represents what now remains of these singular earthworks; they must originally have been much more numerous. On the plain below, there exists a remarkable group of circular and platform mounds, which, in consequence of their unusual position and ground plan, demand careful attention. They differ from the earthworks in Ohio, and appear to have been raised by a tribe having exceptional customs and habits of life. The mounds are not surrounded by any embankments, and were entirely unprotected. They were probably raised to make high platforms for the dwellings of the chiefs. One of them was used, at the time of my visit to Cahokia, as the site of the village schoolhouse.