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Notes on Sites of Indian Villages

Townships of North and South Orillia (Simcoe Co.)

Reprinted from the Ontario Archaeological Report for 1 903

By ANDREW F. HUNTER, M.A.

Reprinted from the Ontario Archaeological Report for 1903.

Notes

on

Sites of Indian Villages

IN THE

Townships of North and South Orillia

(Simcoe County)

BY

ANDREW F. HUNTER, MA.

TORONTO

WARWICK BRO'S & RUTTER 1904

Arc-biological Map of the Orillia Townships, (South Orillia and part of North Orillia).

The numbers of the sites on the map correspond with the numbers given to

them in the text.

INDIAN VILLAGE SITES IN NORTH AND SOUTH ORILLIA TOWNSHIPS.

The settled parts of both townships are hilly. The ends of two long ridges come out of the adjoining1 townships along the west side, — the one out of Medonte into North Orillia, the other out of Oro into South Orillia. Besides these, a long ridge runs through both townships, near Lake Couchiching and parallel with it, for several miles. This prominent line of high ground, which takes a north- easterly direction, is known locally in North Orillia as " The Ridge ." It extends as far as the ninth concession of that township, and owing to its isolated position, it is quite a conspicuous feature in the land- scape. It deserves our special attention, as it is, in a sense, the barrier that holds back the waters of Couchiching from pouring directly over to Georgian Bay, deflecting them by the Severn River.

At the town line between the north and south townships, there is a break where "The Ridge" in North Orillia is cut off from the high ground in South Orillia. Branches of Silver Creek take rise in this gap, becoming fair-sized streams ; and the Midland Railway utilizes it for a passage. Village sites of the early Huron period, some of them quite populous, are found generally along " The Ridge," but are more numerous in the vicinity of the Silver Creek open- ings than elsewhere.

The " Algonquin " shoreline girdles these hills or ridges, as else- where ; and this extinct shoreline is marked on the accompanying map to give the altitudes of the different parts of the townships. The " Algonquin " is a strong shore- line everywhere, but in the Orillia townships it is even stronger than elsewhere. The main cutting is very distinct, and about sixty feet lower the base of the submerged filling also becomes a well-developed shoreline. The term, as used in this report, applies to the main cutting. This main strand of the shoreline, in the vicinity of Silver Creek, attains an altitude of 875 feet above sea level, or 155 feet above Lakes Simcoe and Couchiching.

North Orillia is a large township, but parts of it are still covered with original forest. It has, accordingly, been found unnecessary to show more than a portion of this township on the accompanying map.

[3]

The Village Sites.

The list of 34 sites (12 in North Orillia and 22 in South Orillia) may not contain one-halt the sites that will ultimately be recorded for these townships. It is necessary to emphasize that i make no claim for completeness or perfection of the lists, especially that for the north township. But the sites I give are the more conspicuous ones, and will lay a foundation for future work by showing the lines of early occupition and travel. Even these show evidences of a consider- able population in the early Huron epoch, — the first half of the seventeenth century.

The plan followed here being the same as in earlier reports, the task of collecting the data and its attending difficulties have been sufficiently dwelt upon in those reports. In the present one, equal pains with those previously issued have been taken to make the observations correct, and the features described may be verified in most cases by everyone for himself.

The Huron occupation of the region now under consideration, in relation to its physiography, was not different from that of the town- ships previously examined. The Hurons, kept to the high ground or ridges, as we found them doing elsewhere. The ground in the south part of South Orillia was not well adapted for occupation by Hurons and their allies. It is too stony and gravelly, and the small ridges there are too abrupt and narrow for their settlements. The high ground above the " Algonquin" shoreline in the north half of South Orillia, according to the remains that have been found, was their favorite habitat. Besides this, Brough's Creek and its branches, falling into Shingle Bay, made a wide obstructive marsh.

Like the other townships of this district, each of which has an important feature of some kind, the Orillia townships have one of their own not less interesting than the others. They contain the line of contact between Huron tribes and tho>e named Algonquin in the Jesuit " Relations." Some of the village sites *how differences of their own, when compared with villages in other townships known to be distinctly Huron. Hence, I am of the opinion that the former were the villages of the Algonquins. There may have been some overlap- ping of the Arendarronons (the most easterly Huron tribe) with the Algonquin*, so that some sites belonged to one and some to the other. And as the sites here as elsewhere do not all belong to the same year, or even to the same period, one may have followed the other over the same ground. Further study of the sites will, perhaps, reveal some movement of this kind. But in any case, the sites which I am inclined to call the Algonquin sites have distinct characters, and might almost be said to preponderate over the tfuron sites in the Orillia townships.

The Indians who inhabited the sites which show the differences just referred to, when compared with those of known Huron sites, show marked development along certain lines. The more conspicuous of the differences are as follows : —

1. Disks. There is an abundance of stone and pottery disks. These are found in small numbers on some known Huron sites, but not in such profusion as we find in the present instances.

2. Individual burials. A patch of single graves is to be found at every one of the sites in question. This is unlike the mortuary practices of the true Hurons who practiced scaffold burial, combined with boriepits. In most cases, however, the patch of single graves is accompanied ly a bonepit or two.

3. Highly decorated pipes and pottery. In the ornamentation of clay pipes, the pictorial art had a more extensive development in the Orillia townships than in the townships farther west where the true Hurons were located. We may safely conclude this ornamenta- tion was due to Algonquin influence, whenever it is found on Huron sites. It is not to be understood that modern Algonquins necessarily show a continuation of the skill of their ancestors, or any trace of it. It was the Algonquin-speaking tribes of three centuries ago to which our remarks apply.

4. Bone needles, awls, etc. The greater abundance of these on the sites called Algonquin, by us, may have been due to better sup- plied hunting grounds than the Hurons possessed. The latter tribes were more agricultural in their pursuits, and more populous

5. Flints. These are more abundant than on true Huron sites.

6. The Algonquins showed remarkable ingenuity in forming arrow-heads out of pieces of brass from worn out brass kettles.

Some of the features just mentioned resemble those of some sites in the district near Balsam Lake, lor the descriptions of which we are indebted to Geo. E. Laidlaw. The Orillia townships are not far dis- tant from some of the sites which Mr. Laidlaw has described, and the points of similarity of some sites are therefore not to be wondered at. His descriptions in former Archaeological Reports bring out well the points of contrast between a proportion of the sites in his district, near Balsam Lake, and true Huron sites.

For locating the position of Ste. Elizabeth, the miNsion of the Jesuits among the Algonquins of whom we have been speaking, Ducreux's map, although it gives this mission, fails to help us much, as there is a confusion of North River with Severn River, and the entire omission of one of them, as I previously pointed out. It is possible, however, that Ste. Elizabeth was in the distinctly defined group of villages near Silver Creek. In townships previously examined, we found evidence to show that a mission often belonged to a district marked off or isolated by physical features ; and the one in question is so distinctly defined as to lead us to make this conjecture* with a fair degree of probability. On the other hand there is a group of sites north of Bass Lake, partly in Medonte township, occupying a similar position with reference to North River that the Silver Creek group does with reference to Lake Couchiching and the Severn, and it will be impossible to settle the question definitely without taking into account the group partly situated in Medonte.

European relics are abundant in the Orillia townships, and this is one of their chief characteristics: Iron or "white-men's" relics have been definitely reported from 26 of the 34 sites, or 76 per cent of the whole. In this respect, the Orillias agree with the northerly tier of townships — Tiny, '1 ay and Medonte.

Some people have claimed that Cahiague, the Huron town visited by Champlain, was situated near Lake Couchiching, and was perhaps

6

the Mount Slaven site. The improbability of this site having been Cahiague is discussed in the description of the site itself.

Burials.

There are eight bonepits reported, viz., at Nos. 6, 7 and 10, North; and at Nos. 3, 4 (2), and 15 (2), South, Two pits each are reported for the two last mentioned sites. Patches of single graves or indivi- dual burials occur at even a larger proportion of sites than in town- ships hitherto examined in our passage through the district of the old Hurons. Figures thus based on aggregate results afford us reliable and instructive data. In short, we have found this practice of bury- ing in single graves where we locate the Algonquins; and we may, therefore, conclude that the single burial grounds in the other town- ships (such as No. 41, Oro), were due to the presence or influence of Algonquins. Bonepit and scaffold burial was evidently the rule among Hurons.

Trails.

In these townships, as elsewhere, the Indian had his trails in accord with the hills, valleys and streams, following their natural order and positions. The white man pays but little attention to these circum- stances, and has almost forgotten to take them into account in his re- flections on Indian days and ways, except in one or two cases, notably the Coldwater Road. The Town of Orillia, like most other towns of our fellow-Caucasians, is built at the meeting-place of several Indian trails. It is, or was in the days of the forest and the red men, the centre point of branching routes. These were for the most part, not canoe portages, but forest trails, pursued by the Indians when journey- ing without canoes. It may be expedient to take these trails in order, passing around the various trails as around the spokes of a wheel.

The Muskoka Road. From the abundance of relics and sites found along the high ground in South Orillia, and thence along " The Ridge " in North Orillia as far as the ninth concession of the latter and beyond it, it is evident that a trail followed the ridge parallel with Lake Couchiching, but inland some distance from the lakesh<>re. The writer has frequently pointed out in connection with other townships, that the ridges, which were wooded with hardwood chiefly, invariably had trails along them. The low, flat land contained •swamps or thickets and were less penetrable for walkers. The present instance is no exception to the rule. From Orillia town to Washago, the Muskoka Road, opened prior to 1858, along the east flanks of the ridges, and also parallel with Lake Couchiching, is the modern representa- tive of the old forest trail. The present road, however, runs perhaps a little nearer the lake than did the old trail itself, yet the two follow the same course. This trail was in use down to modern times, The Rev. Dr. Gray and other early settlers testify to the existence of the trail here within their remembrance. There were also portages to the Severn River, and these crossed the Muskoka Road or trail to Washago.

The Coldwater Road. This was a long portage from the Narrows, or rather from Lake Couchiching at the point where Orillia town now stands, to Coldwater on Matchedash Bay, its length being fourteen

miles. In 1830, when Sir John Colborne, the Governor of Upper Canada, collected the Chippewa tribes of the district into a reserve here, extending al6ng the portage, the original trail was cleared out as a road for vehicles, and it has remained an important highway to this day. Northwestwardly from the fourth line (S. Orillia), at the Orillia Cemetery, this road now runs through flat ground. But there is a conspicuous bar of gravel and sand, or old lake ridge, across this valley or channel, only 15 or 20 rods north of the present surveyed road. This bar would carry the original trail. A similar remark applies to the crossing of another channel nearer Bass Lake. Elsewhere the present course for the road is almost identical with the trail.

The Huron trail out of Oro to Orillia town site. This trail, which is the one Champlain evidently followed, is now represented by the Oro Road. Although the latter follows a straight course along surveyed lines, it carries a large traffic over the same route, the lines of transportation for white men being almost the same as those for their red predecessors, as in so many other places.

The Atherley Road. This evidently follows the old trail from Orillia town to the " Narrows ", used when the aborigines travelled without canoes.

CATALOGUE OF SITES— NORTH ORILLIA.

On the east half of lot 21, concession 5. This place is far down the North River. Cranberries and huckleberries grow plentifully in the neighborhood, and have attracted the aborigines thither from time immemorial. Surface rocks make their appearance a little way off (viz., about lot 22) and extend northward indefinitely. In the summer of 1902, Fred Longhurst, the owner of this lot, plowed up an Indian's skeleton and an iron tomahawk.

ii.

On the east half of lot 11, concession 3. Jay Walker. This site- occupies a hill, and numerous relics have been found, including iron tomahawks. Flint arrowheads are plentiful.

iii.

On the west half of lot 6, concession 2. Chas. Clark. They have found numerous relics and fragments, especially in their garden, but the site has been partly obliterated by cultivation. It extends into lot 7, formerly owned by the Drink water Brothers. The land hereabout is flat, but a little way east drops at one of the " Algon- quin " shore lines.

iv.

On the east half of lot 2, concession 1. A. Margrett. On the south side of North River numerous remains have been found. Chas. H. Moffatt once lived here and found numerous relics of the usual kinds, but it is noteworthy that his family found no relics of Euro-

8

pean make. They found many good flints here, but pottery frag- ments were not so abundant as at their present place in South Orillia. This was Jacob Powley's homestead in former years, and many surface pits (i.e., empty caches, or, perhaps, single graves) were to be seen at that period.

v.

On the east half of lot 1, concession 2. R. J. S. Drink water. His father, the late Capt. John Drinkwater, settled here in 1832. They have found many iron tomahawks, arrowheads, and stone axes on this farm, and north of Mr. Drink water's house some pottery frag- ments, showing occupation. Mr. Drinkwater has been very obser- vant in matters of this kind ; but although he has found numerous relics he has given them all away without making a collection of his own. This locality was once a favorite place for beavers, especially on a small stream running into North River here. The place is surrounded by streams, and thus somewhat protected as the site for a village.

vi.

On the east half of lot 2, concession 4. Ref Dre the year 1870, Edward Turner discovered a bone-pit here, near the camps. He wTas following a path through the woods when he noticed a depression in the ground, and having seen such burial places before, he resolved to dig into it. On doing this, he found the deposit of human bones. He also found in the pit five brass kettles , one of these contained the moccasined toes of a squaw, which had been preserved by the copper oxide, but this relic decomposed when exposed to the air. According to Mr. Turner's description of the pit, it contained hundreds of skeletons. The soil is very sandy at the place. The pit is half way west in lot 2, and on a low ridge, along the crest of which the above- mentioned path followed. F. W. Fraser, of Toronto, who took part in the opening of this pit in or about the year 1885, was the first person to give me information of it. There were various single graves- found around about the large bone-pit In one of the isolated graves there were three skulls, one of which was supposed to be that of a European person, though with what certainty of proof I have been unable to find. Altogether there were some thirteen kettles found in the pit, and some wampum. In the single graves were found a clay pipe, a stone pipe and an iron tool.

vn.

On the east half of lot 1, concession 4. John Ego. This lot was formerly occupied by the late Thomas Campbell. Some years ago, a large bone-pit was found on the southeast face of a hill, about half a mile west of Silver Creek. It was dug out at the time. Mr. J. H. Hammond, of Orillia, who gave me the particulars of this pit, also informed me that the soil at the place is sandy, and would be easy for the aborigines to dig with their roughly-made wooden tools.

Vlll.

On the southwest quarter of lot 2, concession 5. Archibald Fyfe. This site is on the northwest side of Silver Greek, and close to it. Soil, sandy. It occupies a hillside. Mr. Fyfe has found numerous remains here, including stone axes, clay pipes, beads, etc.

IX.

On the southwest quarter of lot 1, concession 5. Geo. Greer (who lives upon east half lot 2). The site is on a sandy plain, on the north side of Silver Creek. Iron tomahawks were found at or near this site, and Wm. Rouse, junr., of Mitchell Square, found a clay pipe of the " pinched -face " pattern, which is a distinctively Huron or Tobacco Nation form, belonging to the early French period or earlier. Mr. Rouse also found a part of the blade of a rapier. Mr. Greer has found, besides iron tomahawks, a steel knife, flat wampum beads, pottery disk and clay pipe bowls (Huron forms). There are or were some artificial depressions in the surface of the ground at this site.

x.

On the west half of lot 3, concession 6. William S. Brennan. On the ridge at the rear of the dwelling-house, considerable quantities of pottery fragments and other remains are found. The pottery here was highly decorated. Mr. Armson, a relative of Mr. Brennan, while once excavating for the foundation of the house, found a large bone pit almost underneath the front door.

xi.

On the west half of lot 5, concession 8. Robert W. Holmes. This site is a patch on the summit or brow of the Algonquin shoreline and consisted of ashbeds, with pottery fragments, some brass arrow- heads, etc. It had a defensive position. Mr. Holmes has found iron tomahawks (French make) by dozens, and these are also to be found on other farms about here.

xn.

On the east half of lot 6, concession 9. Charles Brailey. This site is near a small .stream, and is in a line with the east end of " The Ridge " and a nice cove or bay of Lake Couchiching, the head of which is at the end of the eleventh line. The camps are about three- quarters of a mile from Lake Couchiching. There were ashbeds and empty caches or surface pits. In the ashbeds they found, in former years more frequently than in late years, brass arrowheads, bane needles, clam shells, etc.; and in the vicinity, iron tomahawks (French pattern) and stone skinners.

10 CATALOGUE OF SITES— SOUTH ORILLIA.

On the south half of lot 1, concession 1. Henry W. Smith. Here was once the Indian Agency on the Coldwater Road, and at an early date a clearing had been made in connection with it, in which rhe Indians grew corn. Remains of this have been found. A site of the early Huron period also, yielding some relics of various kinds— stone axes, pottery fragments, etc. — has been found half way east in this farm, but no iron relics. A human skeleton was found at the place. This site extends a little way into lot 2 (Chas. H. Moffatt's), but is a distinct site from the one at Mr. Moffatt's house and at some distance from it.

ii.

In the west half of lot 2, concession 1. Frank Nelson. Some camps occur at a place on this farm, at or near the boundary of Mr. Goss' land (lot 3). Pottery fragments were abundant, and human face pipes in considerable numbers were found in the refuse many years ago, before the place had been much cultivated.

iii.

On the north-east quarter of lot 2, concession 1. Charles H. Moffatt. (Mrs. Nelson also occupies part of this lot). An important village site occurs in the extreme north-east corner of the lot, covering five or six acres. It includes Mr. Moffatt's garden, and extends beyond it, crossing the boundary into lot 1. It also extends across the road here (second line) into the lots of the second concession. There is a small stream through the adjoining lot 1, and the Indian remains have been fonnd along the south side of the stream. The Indian cabins were placed along the banks of the stream, chiefly, the village being thus long and narrow and accordingly not palisaded. As no iron or other European relics have been found at this site, it probably belonged to an earlier period than that in which there was a misunderstanding with the Iroquois, and hence, there was no great need of palisading. There are numerous refuse heaps here, one of them being two feet thick, and showing that the place was occupied for a long time. Mr. Moffatt has lived here since 1900, and as this village site is near the house, his family has paid close attention to the numerous articles that have turned up from time to time. Bone needles and awls were uncom- monly plentiful, some twenty having been found. Other articles were: — Wampum beads (bone and stone, but no shell wampum), a dozen stone axes, clam shell fragments, bears' teeth (some of them with holes for suspension as bangles), teeth of beavers and porcupines, thirty or more stone and pottery disks, many flints, a bone arrowhead, corn grains, etc The pottery fragments found here are highly decorated, one of the pieces showing a human face as part of its decorations The pipe fragments of this site well repay a careful study. The clay specimens show an uncommon development of the pictorial art, per- haps not even so much as a single plain pipe having been found, but all being decorated. Here is a partial list of some of the pipes : —

11

Human effigy pipes in considerable numbers, several of the cornet or flared-mouth pattern, a square mouth specimen (modification of the cornet pattern), numerous specimens of the belt pattern (one of them showing a modification of the basal line of dots into dashes), an effigy- pipe (the bowl being the open mouth of a snake, similar to the figure in First Archaeological Report, p. 23). The fragments of stone pipes found show also attempts at animal and human designs. At some little distance from this site a bonepit was once found. It probably belonged to this site, although it is unsafe to conclude definitely, because there are other sites within moderate distances of the pit. In 1892, or thereabout, Mr. T. F. Milne, who then taught the Marchmont school, made some littlev examination of this pit, but found no remains of any importance. There were no whole skulls, and the other bones were saturated with water or otherwise decayed. Altogether, the information gleaned from this pit has been too insignificant to add much to our knowledge ; yet, the pit may have been opened many years ago, as the late Wm. Smith, who lived on the next farm north (father of the present occupant, Henry W. Smith), was aware of its existence.

iv.

At the extreme south-west corner of lot 3, concession 2. beside Bass Lake. William Jackson. On a terrace in Mr. Jackson's field the usual pottery fragments and other relics are found. Gouges and arrowheads were numerous. Also on the higher hill eastward, some remains appeared. Beside the road, which passes along the shore of Bass Lake here, some of the immense boulders have mortars on their tops. No iron, or other relics of European make, are reported for this site, although some are said to have been found in one of the bone- pits. Part of this site occurs over the line of the adjoining farm, viz., the west half of lot 4, now occupied by Julius Crockford. In the latter farm, there was a large hole in the clay hill, supposed to be the place where the clay for pottery was obtained, as pottery fragments were numerous round about. This hole, the late Richard Rix, who formerly occupied the farm, filled in when he found it. George Rix, now of Orillia town, formerly occupied the farm of Mr. Jackson, On the same farm, some distance north from the easterly end of Bass Lake, R. J. S. Drink water discovered a bonepit when the place was in woods. The date of finding this pit was September 8, 1868, as Mr. Drinkwater finds by his diary, which he was kind enough to look up at my request. His knowledge of the surface indications of such pits he had obtained from his grandfather, the Rev. Geo. Hallen, of Pene- tanguishene. A year or two later, while a camp-meeting was in progress beside Bass Lake, some of those who attended the meeting dug out the contents of the bonepit, which Mr. Drinkwater had left undisturbed. Its position was near the Coldwater road. The late Capt. Peter Lyon, who saw it at that time, informed me that it had a diameter of about twelve feet. Some brass kettles, clay pipes, etc., are reported to have been found in it. When the curiosity-seekers dug out this bonepit, at the time of the camp meeting, a doctor who was present put together the bones of a skeleton for the edification of the spectators, thus combining anatomical recreation with divinity. A second and smaller bonepit was found near the larger one.

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v.

On the west half of lot 5, concession 1. The Basil R. Rowe home- stead, now occupied by Chas. H. Rowe. The site is on the lower ground near Bass Lake, and extends across two fields. Pottery frag- ments, pipes, etc., were found at it, especially a number of years ago. Many stone skinners, and French (iron) tomahawks, have been found all over the adjoining fields. Dr. Tache got some of the relics from this site when he carried on his archaeological explorations some forty years ago, and these are probably in the Laval museum in Quebec city.

vi.

On the west half of lot 1, concession 4. Edward Turner. He has found a few reHcs of the usual kinds, but the village was small. Iron tomahawks have been found in the neighborhood of the site, but none immediately at the place itself.

vii.

On the east half of lot 1, concession 4, Richard Vanderburg, sr. This place is situated on the east side of a part of Silver Creek, one of the branches of North River. There have been extensive ash beds and refuse heaps, mixed with clay pottery and pipe fragments, but the ground is all cultivated now. Archibald Fyfe, of North Orillia, once owned this farm and lived on it for a length of time. He found various relics while here. Edward Turner, now owner of the west half, also cultivated this land and observed the remains. Iron toma- hawks have been found in the neighborhood of the site.

viii.

On the west half of lot 1, concession 0. Mrs. Emma McPhie and family, who occupy this land, find in their field south of the residence an important village site, the distance being not far to Mud Lake which is also partly on their land. The late Alex McPhie found many relics here, including a few iron tomahawks ; and his brother, J. W. McPhie, now of Epworth, B.C., also made a collection at this site. These were purchased in 1884, by Mr. George W. Dryden, of Whitby, Ont., in whose possession they are still preserved. In reply to my enquiries, Mr. Dryden informs me the collection he obtained from the McPhie brothers contains ten or twelve pipeheads (clay) some of which represent the following: — Wolf, owl, snake, frog and human faces. There are also some half-dozen iron axes, beads, wampum, bone needles, stone disks, etc. Mrs. McPhie's sons are close observers of this village site, at which there are numerous deep ash heaps. It extends into the land of Mr. Jesse Ryerson (west half of lot 2). It is worthy of note, that arrowheads made from pieces of brass (probably pieces of old kettles) are quite numerous here, and some of them were very neatly formed. Stone and pottery disks were numerous.

ix.

On lot one, concession 7. George Annis. This lot is broken by Lake Couchiching, at the shore of which high terraces of former lake

13

margins appear. On one of these terraces, Mr. Annis has found pot- tery fragments, pipes, iron tomahawks, etc. There is higher ground beside the site, so it was evidently not palisaded. The occupants of other farms adjoining this one have found stone and iron axes on their lands, showing this was a rendezvous in early times, as indeed we might expect from the fact that there is a cove in the shore of Lake Couchiching at this place.

x.

On Chief's Island, Lake Couchiching, a few remains have been found. This island has been a rendezvous for Algonquins, both ancient and modern. After the exchange of the Coldwater Tract for the Rama Reserve in 1839, the island became the headquarters of the Chippewas for a time, as its name implies. Relics from an island in Lake Couchiching (probably this island) are in the museum of the University of Toronto, marked thus : — "169, Two large circular silver brooches, one small brooch, three silver buckles, two horn spoons, two small hawk bells, etc., from a grave on one of the islands in Lake Couchiching. T W. Harris." (Compare these relics with those from Present Island, Report on Tiny, p. 21). See also Sir Daniel Wilson's article on "Cranial Types" in Canadian Journal, second series, vol. 2, (1857), pp. 406-435, for measurements of Chippewa skulls from Lake Couchiching.

Some reefs on Cedar Island, in Lake Couchiching, are sometimes miscalled the old "Indian Fort" by a few people, but they are the work of the ice of the lake at a former higher level.

xi.

On the east half of lot 9, concession 1. William Harvie. Many camps, where ashbeds were as much as four feet thick, were to be seen here, strewn with pottery fragments, pipe fragments, etc. Iron tomahawks (early French make) and other relics have been found. The site covers three or four acres, and is on the opposite side of the valley of the same stream as the next site, and upward of a quarter of a mile from it.

xii.

On the west half of lot 10, concession 1. David T. Strathearn. Mr. Strathearn, sr., found pottery fragments and other relics at a place near a water supply, as Ions: ago as 1859, or earlier. At later dates, also, other camps strewn with pottery fragments, etc , have come to light on the farm. The relics gathered included two steel knives. About 1888, Mr. Strathearn found a large mealing stone here (or at the next site), but, unfortunately, it was broken in removal. Three large ash heaps, or possibly more, are still quite distinct, notwith- standing the effects of cultivation.

xiii,

On the west half of lot 13, concession 1. This site is on the north bank of Brough's Creek, beside what was known as Edmondson's or Salter's Mill Pond. (This mill pond was broken down by the flood

14

of June 5th, 1890, and has not been rebuilt). Before 1889, when I first became acquainted with the site, it had been ploughed two or three times, and remains of camps exposed, strewn with pottery and pipe fragments, and other relics including iron tomahawks. At that time the occupant was Richard Frost.

xiv.

On the north-west quarter of lot 10, concession 3. Thomas Day. Near a stream which flows into Shingle Bay. John Sanvidge, now of Magnetawan, lived formerly on the part of this farm on which were remains. During the time he lived here, copper kettles or pieces of them were found abundantly, also iron axes of early French make. Geo. McKinnell, of Orillia town, obtained twelve of these French axes from this site. Two of them are now preserved in the Grierson Museum, in Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, Scotland. Richard O. Bell, Oro Station, obtained two French axes here on which the triple marks were unusually well defined and large, each tomahawk having a distinct pattern. Large ash heaps, mixed with broken pottery, pipeheads, etc., occur here. Mr. J. H. Hammond, Orillia, giving his recollections of the place in the early seventies, says : " It was on the south side of Barrie road, about a mile and a half out of Orillia, on the edge of the old mill pond between the road and the mill pond. This plot or site would be two or three acres in extent, and it was on sandy soil. In the field where the village site was, a great many remains of the Indians, such as broken pottery, pipes and broken pipe heads, skinning stones and quantities of ash heaps and remains of fires were scattered over the ground. The pipes were ornamented by a sort of basket-work pattern around the head of the pipe and near the top. Some of the pipes had stems, others only the pipe-head with a hole for a stem. The skinning stones were all of a green stone, different from any around here, and were all chisel-edged. I recollect two grooved stones. These had a chisel edge and were large, about nine inches long, a half to three- quarters of an inch thick, and about three inches wide with a depression around the centre, apparently for the purpose of holding the handle. The soil of this village site is red sand, and it is on a level bench, about twelve feet above the level of the water of the dam." (The dam in the stream here is known as Thomson's Mill Pond, and formerly as Dallas', from Fred. Dallas, the earliest settler at the place.) About 300 yards to the west of the village site is the cemetery, with which it was probably connected. This burial-ground consisted of single graves, situated on the Cuppage farm (north-east quarter of lot 10, concession 2.) Nearly all, or quite all, of the graves have been rifled of their contents by curiosity-seekers. From all that can be learned, I regard it as a noteworthy archaeological feature. In company with Dr. Jas. N. Harvie, of Orillia, I made a visit of inspection to this aboriginal cemetery on June 24, 1889. A tiny stream, emptying into the larger stream, divided the burial-ground into two parts. About thirty holes in the surface of the ground (presumably graves) were to be seen on one side, and about ten on the other. A tree whose stump showed about 115 annual rings, and had been fifteen years chopped, had grown out of one of the holes, thus

15

showing a minimum age of 130 years for the cemetery. Yet, this is much less than the actual age of the graves, as some French tomahawks furnish evidence that they were much older, and belonged to the seventeenth century. The ground at the place is sandy, while surrounding parts are clay and gravel. A little west (not above a quarter of a mile)'! and slightly higher, is the Algonquin raised shore- line. The surface of each grave was depressed below the level of the ground by sinkage, probably ; and thus each grave could be seen. It is now close to Thomson's Mill Pond, but at the time of its use by the Indians it would be at the edge of a swamp. It resembles the Coleman cemetery in Oro (No. 41), and belongs to the type peculiar to the early Algonquins, and perhaps, also, to the Arendarronons, the Huron tribe, who were nearest the Algonquins, and were most influenced by their customs. The graves are said to have yielded a few pipes, (chiefly clay), tomahawks (stone and iron), pottery fragments and stone disks.

xv. THE MOUNT SLAVEN SITE.

Indian remains have been found quite extensively in what is known as the Mount Slaven Annex. This is really a part of Orillia town, but the land is not yet within the corporation limits. On both sides of the Mount Slaven Creek numerous remains have been found. For the most part, the plot in question is a large burial-ground. Whether it was the regular camping gruund of the Indians who buried so extensively here, or whether their camps were at some little distance, is not very evident. But it is certain that many ashbeds, mixed with the usual pottery fragments, etc., occur here as weJl as graves, and the probability is that the aboriginal occupants lived right here and buried their friends close to their dwellings. The remains have been found within the space enclosed by the Fourth Line of South Orillia and O'Brien Street on the west and east respectively, and by Missis- saga and Lavicount Streets on the south and north respectively. Within this rectangular block is enclosed a space of about 68 acres. Graves and other remains cover about half of this area, which is now partly covered with houses and gardens. Placed as it was on lower ground than anywhere else around it, and occupying both sides of the creek, the sheltered position of this site would make it a desirable wintering spot ; and I incline to think it was used for this purpose for a long period. The mixed character of the relics found here tends to confirm this view. For example, French iron axes of the pattern belonging to the seventeenth century, as well as pipe-tomahawks (steel) have been found on the site. The latter are not found on early sites, but occur on recent camping grounds ; and they are to be re- garded as belonging, not to the French period of Canada, but to the early British period, that is, after 1759. It is probable this camping ground was used in both periods. The settlers in the Mount Slaven suburb tind many iron and steel tomahawks of both the aforemen- tioned kinds.

Besides the series of isolated or single graves, which have been thoroughly ransacked for relics by curiosity seekers during the past

1.6

forty years, there were at least two communal ossuaries or bonepits. The first of these was found about the year 1870, on or about lot No. 212, south of Mary Street, and thirty or forty yards from the creek before- mentioned. Very few buildings were in thac part of the town at the time. A pine tree had partly grown over the pit. A large number of skulls and other human bones were found in it.

A smaller communal grave came to light in September, 1902. Mr. Harry Willey was levelling up his lot on the north side of Mary street, and came across a number of skeletons, ten of which were to- gether, the skulls occupying the small space of two square yards. Particulars of the discovery appeared, at some length, in the Orillia Packet, of October 2, 1902. The character of the deposit of bones in- dicates that the communal idea underlay the placing of them to- gether. At a former time some beads and tomahawks were found with a few other skeletons some yards nearer the street ; and again, in August, 1903, Mr. Willey found an earthen pot (Indian make, com- plete) beside some other skeletons.

As to the question of what kind of Indians inhabited this site, Mr. C. A. Hirschfelder once informed me that he made openings in a few of the single graves some years ago, and obtained some European relics. He concluded that the burials he saw had been of later Al- gonkin origin. On the other hand, Mr. Lawrence Hey den, Toronto, stated to me his opinion that this was a Huron site, giving as his reason the occurrence of a communal grave, out of which he took no less than 38 tibiae (shin-bones). This implies that the communal bone pit was a Huron institution only. Perhaps both gent emen are correct in holding these divergent opinions, as I have mentioned above, the probability that the site was occupied by Indians in widely different periods. Mr. Hoyden communicated to me some facts bearing upon these burials, as follows :—

"The ossuary or rather series of ossuaries found about quarter of a mile west of the Orillia Town Hall, contained copper kettles, re- mains of blades of knives, pipes, pottery as well as stone beads, etc. So any village in the vicinity of these ossuaries must have been popu- lous and post French (that is, after the French arrived in the country, and not after they had quitted the district, when the Hurons dis- persed). Hatchets and other remains are frequently found scattered within a pretty large circumference of which these ossuaries might be taken as a centre."

Some persons have advanced the theory that this site was Cahi- ague, the town from which Champlain set out in 1615 on his expedi- tion to the Iroquois. The characters of this site forbid the theory, even if we had not Champlain's explicit statement, that Cahiague was three leagues from Lake Couchiching. In the first place, the relics found here indicate that the site was inhabited at widely different times, which would account for the large extent of ground strewn with remains. Yet, large as the site is, it is doubtful whether it could be the spot on which the 200 cabins of Cahiague were placed. And still further, it lacks a defensive position, which was essential for a large village or town like Cahiague. It occupies flat land, with higher ground on two sides of it, and is on both sides of the Creek. A position of this kind was anything but defensive, according to our

17

knowledge of what other fortified villages are like in the matter of position. The site was probably Algonquin, both early and modern, and not Huron.

While preparing these descriptions of sites, I was favored by Mr. J. H. Hammond, of Orillia, with the perusal of some notes on this site, written by him to preserve some record of the place, as its present condition scarcely admits of making a definite account, owing to the presence of so many buildings. Mr. Hammond has granted my request to publish the following extracts, a favor that will be appreciated by students of archaeology and history generally, as there are but few left who witnessed the exhumation of the most important part of the remains about thirty years ago. Mr. Hammond, whose remarks on the orientation of the burials, and other mortuary practices of the Indians who deposited the remains of their dead here, are very interesting, says — " In the early seventies, as a schoolboy, I spent the greater part of some Saturdays and holidays with my play- mates in excavating Indian graves on the lots north of the extension of Mississaga street, on Mount Slaven, near Orillia Town. Our school- master (Samuel Mcllvaine) urged us to make all available collections of any objects such as beads, wampum and the like. He was making a collection, and utilized our muscles in furthering that object. It was then called the Indian graveyard. These excursions lasted over three years, and were pursued by us every convenient Saturday during the summer seasons.

" The graves were single and extended in (four) lines from the bank of the creek toward the hillside at the Cold water Road, in a north-westerly direction. All of the bodies were buried in a sitting posture, facing the east or morning sun. In every case we came on the skull first. The hands and arms were always in front of and crossing the leg bones.

•' In only one case were there more than one body in a single hole. In this case the bodies were laid flat, head and feet regularly. This hole was oval, about fifteen feet long and seven or eight feet wide, and placed between the second and third lines of

f raves, twenty or thirty yards from the bank of the creek. In this ig grave we found a large quantity ot wampum about the size of a ten cent piece, with a drilled hole in the centre of each piece ; some round blue beads ; and some red beads of a bugle shape, an inch to an inch and a half long, pierced like the others. Also, a quantity of flint arrowheads and spear heads. No iron axes that I remember, though we had plenty of them from the neighborhood.

" In only one case was any kettle found, and this was southeast of the big grave, on a level place about half way down to the water .edge. It was upside down and under it was a large quantity of thigh bones, which were in no case broken. These had been boiled or were in the process of beincr boiled when the kettle was upset and the fire put out by the liquid in the pot. On top of this pot a big pine stub was standing, and the main root of the stub ran down in the earth until it reached the bottom of the kettle, and then grew around the urlace of it. Ths stub would be at least two feet through, and we had to cut through the big root to free the kettle before we could get it out of the hole. Underneath the kettle and bones, as above

18

described, were the remains of the fire, some of the wood partly burnt, some burnt to coal and some to ashes. This kettle was brass, and had holes for the bail. The rim was flared, and was of the same material as the pot itself. It was about two and a half feet across the top and about twenty inches deep. The bail holes were about an inch and a half in diameter, and about half an inch from the edge of the pot. Inside of the pot was a collection of green matter, hard and sticking fast on the pot when we found it. The surfaces of the bones were of a brown yellow color ; no marks upon them. Underneath the kettle the ashes were bright and clean ; no trace of any rotted flesh, only pieces of charred wood and coal and ashes underneath the bones.

" The graves were in a succession of lines about twenty feet apart each way, and apparently followed a fixed plan of burial. There were, at least, four lines of graves, (possibly more), and they extended through the sand (a coarse grey and well drained sand) to the gravel under the hill at the Coldwater Road. The ground was nearly level, having a slight upward trend toward the Coldwater Road or Trail, a distance of a quarter of a mile or more. The ground had at one time been cleared of trees, for the trees were nearly all of one size, viz., about a foot through, while the woods on both sides of the graveyard were larger and contained pine trees, some large, others smaller. There were a few butternut trees along the edges of the graveyard, but none on it. The spring creek, which ran to the east and south, had cut a channel from fifteen to twenty feet deep below the level of the graveyard, and it was at this time a running stream all the year round.

" One of the graves that we excavated was of an exceptional character, as the bones were of an enormous size. The skull was intact, with the exception of a break in the middle of the crown. This was two or three inches long, and about half an inch wide, apparently made by a blow with a blunt axe or pointed stone. The cut ran from the back toward the front of the skull, and was widest at the middle of the cut tapering to a point both ways. The lower jawbone of this body was in place, and I tried it over my own head and face, and it passed clear of my face, without touching it at any place. Our schoolmaster measured the thighbone of this body on his own leg, and it extended beyond his knee several inches, and he was a tall man, too. We found in this grave a quantity of hair, black and long, apparently attached to what we then thought to be a scalp. This was on the knees of the body. I also got out of this grave a black amulet shaped like a bird, which had apparently hung on the breast of the man in life. It was of stone, polished and perfect. We also got some flint arrowheads out of this grave, but nothing else that I can recollect."

xvi,

On the west half of lot 6, concession 5. In the north and highest part of the Town of Orillia, numerous remains have been found along the brow of the Algonquin shoreline. The relics found on this high ground site belong more distinctly to the early Huron period than do those of the Mount Slaven site. The Huron forest

19

trail appears to have passed along the brow of the ridge here. The following list of some of the remains found is only a partial one : — In the woods on a lot belonging to Lawrence Heyden, Toronto, east of the upper end of Peter street, partly within the town limits, there were found several hatchets. At another place in the vicinity of the same, numerous pottery fragments were found, at a short distance from a spring, as Mr. C. H. Hale informs us. On a lot on Matche- dash street, sold by Lawrence Heyden to the Rev. Mr. Creighton, there were found, on clearing off the surface stones, a human skeleton with a hatchet (French, of the early Huron period) lying beside it. In the spring of 1903, F. Webber, lot 25, North Borland street, found a string of wampum (55 beads) while digging a celery trench in his garden. C. E. 0. Newton, Esq., found in his garden on Borland Street, near the High School, in August, 1903, a fine brass crucifix, 5 inches long and well preserved. In the Orillia Packet, of July 16, 1903, A. C. Osborne describes a St. Bartholomew medal, bearing the date August 24, 1572, which W. J. Powley found near where the Cold water road ascends the ridge. All these finds, and many other similar ones, in the highest part of the town, indicate an extensive occupation and travel here, in the early period.

xvn.

On the old Asylum ground, now the Park, in the town of Orillia (parts of lots 7 and 8, concession 5). This was a prehistoric site or landing, as well as a noted camping-ground for Indians as late as the time when the first settlers came to Orillia. Iron hatchets have been, and are being turned up.

xviii.

On the west half of lot 21, concession 1. William Anderson. Members of Mr. Anderson's family have found stone axes, clay pipes, pottery fragments, an iron tomahawk, etc., at a place near their boat- house. One of the pipes was of the belt pattern, an early Huron type. The site is at the west end of the portage across the neck of land at Carthew's Bay. The Indians use this portage to the present day, the trail passing across the neck on the north side of the swale which occurs there. Modern Indians carry their canoes across this neck of about 25 rods, rather than paddle round the point (Eight Mile Point), a distance of more than a mile around, and also exposed to winds. The evidence at hand also shows that Indians at a very early period preferred to do the same.

Local newspapers of June, 1888, mentioned the finding of a human skeleton (supposed to be an Indian's) with coins of about the year 1800, at what was called Cameron's Point, two miles to the east- ward of this portage. The action of the waves had washed the skele- ton partly out of the bank where it had been buried. It proved, how- ever, to be the remains of an old trader, who carried on his trath'c among the Indians at an early date. When he died they buried him in his old butternut canoe. There were brass buttons on his coat by which the remains were identified.

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xix.

In the central part of lot 12, concession 3. Now the grounds of the Provincial Asylum for Idiots, near Orillia Town. The position of the place is at the north-west part of Shingle Bay, where the land rises high above the lake level. There was a landing here in the time of the aborigines. The late John Burkitt lived here in former years and found numerous relics, especially many pottery fragments, etc. Mr. Burkitt's name appears in early Assessment Rolls (1858 and later) as owner of the whole of lot 12. And Mr. C. H. Hale informs me this was known as Burkitt's farm after 1868.

On part of lot 11, concession 6. F. S. Smith. Numerous relics have been found on his farm, which is on the shore of Monk's or Smith's Bay. A favorite landing-place of the Indians existed here from early times. Metal tomahawks have been found, indicating the occupation of the place during historic times ; but there have been also relics found of prehistoric dates. Several years ago, on the narrow tract of land between the two lakes (Simcoe and Couchi- ching) many stone axes were found. The place was near the Atherly Road, on the way to Invermara, and also near the bay just mentioned.

xxi.

At Invermara, in the grounds of Oichard Point House (summer resort), formerly the Red Cross Hospital, which is the property of Mr. J. P. Secord, Orillia. A paragraph appeared in each of the three Orillia newspapers of May 1, 1890, mentioning the finding of a human skeleton, with accompanying Indian relics, and also other articles in the vicinity of the find. There were numerous prehistoric, as well as recent relics, the remains thus belonging to all periods from the earliest downwards. Beside the single skeleton (apparently a woman's) there were some stamped out metal ornaments ; three brooches, a double-barred silver cross, about four inches long, with "Montreal" and the maker's mark upon it. At a little distance away were found fragments of roughly ornamented pottery, clay pipe heads, stone axes, a bone disk, etc The relics found with the skeleton indicated that it belonged to a comparatively recent period ; but the clay pipe-heads and fragments mostly belonged to the early Huron period. The latter included a Huron flared pipe (plain), six belt pattern pipes, and five images from pipes (an owl's head, a hawk's head, the head of another bird, a nondescript image, pig-nosed or wolf-nosed, and a human face). The foregoing relics indicate various periods of occupation of the site, as we might expect from the fact that the fishing station at a little distance north, and, in fact, along the entire length of the Narrows, attracted Indians thither at all times.

xxii.

FISHING STATION AT THE NARROWS.

Remains of the fishing station and fish weir of the Hurons at the Narrows. The position of the old weir is north of the present bridges and south of the old railway bridge. In 1887, the late Joseph

21

Wallace, sr , a local archaeo ogisfc, of Orillia, identified this as the fish- ing station mentioned in Champlain's Journal (1615), at the time when he had extracts from that Journal printed in the Orillia Times. (See Champlain's Works, Vol. 4, page 84). Mr. Wallace also contri- buted an article on the subject to The Canadian Indian (Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.), and it appeared in the issue of that periodical for February, 1891, pages 134-13*, under the heading " A Fishing Station of the Ancient Hurons Identified." Owing to the rarity of that publication, it is worth while reprinting here Mr. Wallace's words in reference to the fish stakes. After some general remarks on the ob- ject of Champlain's expedition, he says ; —

" The Narrows presents much the same features as in Champlain's days. But its fame as a fishing ground has long vanished ; bass may still be caught with the rod, or trolling ; and in the winter season, some scores of Indians and whites may ba seen spearing herrings through holes cut in the ice. Still, there is no doubt that at the time to which reference is made, all those Idkes were literally swarming with fish. Are there any remnins to point out the exact locality where these stakes crossed the strait ? In answering this question in the affirma- tive, I would state that some years since, my friend Gilbert Williams, an Indian, informed me that he had seen very old stakes which were used by the Mohawks for catching fish. Some time after, when I was writing out the story of Champlain for one of our local papers, I was conversing with Charles Jacobs on the subject, who said he had also seen the stakes, and further, that the locality was known to this day as " mitchekun,'' which means a fence, or the place which was fenced or staked across. He said that if a strange Indian were to ask him where he came from, he would answer, "mitchekuning," the termina- tion "ing" signifying "from," that is, from Mitchekuu. We were, at the time, standing on the Orillia wharf, and within sight of the end of the Narrows. Charles Jacobs said, ask old Mr. Snake (who was standing near by), where Mitchekun is. As soon as I asked the old man, he turned and pointed to the Narrows, which was between two and three miles distant. In September, 1886, 1 walked down to the Narrows, and entered into conversation with Mr. Frank Gaudaur, who is of Indian extraction, and the keeper of the Midland railway bridge, who immediately took me to the side of the bridge, and only a few paces distant, and shewed me a number of the stakes which remained. Dredging the channel for the purpose of navigation had, of course, removed the greater part of them, only those on the outside of the dredged portion being left. Mr. Gaudaur said that there were some other places where stakes might be seen, but that this was the most complete part. The stakes as might be expected, were a goo deal twisted by the current, but the ends were still close together, and firmly embedded in the clay and mud at the bottom, so that it was only after considerable pulling with a spear, that one was brought to the surface. The stakes would be about five or six feet long, and thicker than a walking stick. It is to be observed that they are not placed across in a straight line ; indeed, one portion is continued in a direction half-way down the stream, and would thus produce an angle when the line was changed upwards, and at the opening of this angle would be placed the net ; and this is in exact accordance with the

22

method which Champlain describes, when the Indians were hunting deer ; that is by staking out a large space in the woods, with an angle into which the game was driven. It is not difficult to account for the stakes lasting for so many years when we consider that the tops were under the surface of the water, thus escaping the action of the air, and also that of the ice, which in this locality is never of great thick- ness because of the rapidity of the current. It must be understood that we do not assert that these identical stakes existed there in Champlain's time, although it is possible that some of them may be part of the original construction. It was probably used for fishing purposes long after the time of Champlain, and even after the destruc- tion of the Hurons, for I am strongly inclined to suspect that a portion of the Mohawks settled down on the vanquished territory, and re- mained there a considerable time. If such was the case, the fence would be repaired from time to time, as circumstances required, with- out altering the site to any material extent. The stake which I had, had been pointed with an axe of considerable sharpness, as evidenced by the comparatively clean cuts made in the operation. Our present Indians, who are Ojibways, know nothing' about them, except the tradition before mentioned. Mr. Snake is an old man, and he stated to me that the old Indians, when he was young, referred the whole construction, and its use, to the Mohawks. I have no doubt, if they are not molested, the remains will be in existence a century hence."

A paragraph in the Orillia Packet of June 21, 1889, affords some further information upon the important fishing station : — " During his stay here, Mr. A. C. Osborne, of Penetanguishene, accompanied by Mr. Joseph Wallace, sr., visited Mr. F. Gaudaur, and they made a most interesting discovery. A copy of Champlain's journal de- scribes the method by which the Indians took fish in 1615. They had rows of stakes driven into the bottom of the Narrows, in such a way as to corral the fish in passing from one lake to the other. In this manner enough fish for the commissariat during the expedition in which they engaged against the Iroquois, were taken in five or six days. When this part of the journal was read to Mr. Gaudaur, he took his visitors to where the rows of stakes could be seen under water. The Ojibways, he said, found these stakes there when they came a hundred and fifty or eighty years since, knew what they were for, but did not use them. They were in large numbers, and at one time extended quite across the Narrows, but very many were thrown out in dredging the present channel. The stakes are of tamarac. Mr. Osborne secured two — one had evidently been put down to re- place another at a date subsequent to the other, which was soft, like cheese, when pulled out. The top is desiccated, and is covered with slime. Though only some six inches were visible they extend a long distance into the mud. Mr. Osborne believes that the older stick is one of those there when Champlain encamped at the spot. Mr. Gaudaur says that these under- water " fences " probably suggested the Ojibway name of Orillia, or the Narrows — Michikaning ; " The Place ot the Fence."

Following the publication of the foregoing paragraph, the present writer communicated a letter to the Oriliia Packet of July 5, 1889, suggesting that the early French name of Lake Simcoe, viz., Hurdle

23

Lake, (Lac aux Claies), was derived from this fishing contrivance at the Narrows. C. C. James, M.A., made a similar suggestion in a letter to the Toronto Globe, May 26, 1896. And in a letter to the Orillia Packet of April 2, 1903, Aubrey White, Deputy-Minister of Crown Lands, Toronto, also suggests, or rather points out as an established fact, (though without citing any authority,) that the early French adopted the idea of the name Hurdle Lake from the same Indian fish fence. These three suggestions appear to have been made inde- pendently of each other, making the validity of the suggestion very strong. [See also Gen. John S. Clark's article in Ontario Archaeologi- cal Report for 1899, p. 195.]

A. F. HUNTER. BARRIE, December, 1903.