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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.