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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. 


12 

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. 


20 

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.