INDIAN HISTORY. 25 



hence the name. From thence to this v.illaofe would he 

 l)ut one portage, and here another — whore, upon the " fair 

 hosom " of Crystal Lake, he could again launch his tiny 

 Ijark and hold his course by Avater. Then another portage 

 via Butternut Flats in Sutton, — relieved, to be sure, by 

 Bean aiid two other ponds on the summit, then longer and 

 deeper than now, — to the head waters of the Passumpsic ; 

 thence with the flow of that river to the Connecticut. 

 Thus, according to tradition, did Indians of the Coossuck 

 and St. Francis tribes, pass upon friendly or hostile expe- 

 ditions from the lodges, villao^es and huntinof (rrounds of 

 the one to those of the other ; which, it w'll l)e noticed, in 

 the main lay outside the limits of Vermont. 



Besides this, there Avere other routes of Indian travel 

 across the state, more used ancrbetter known in its early 

 annals. They lay along the present course of the Vermont 

 Central and Rutland and Burlington Railroads, as this one 

 lies along the Passumpsic road. 



Thus do we see the civilization of to-day, following the 

 trail of the untutored child of the forest through the great, 

 natural gateways of our state, between tide water on the 

 north and tide water on the south; though instead of the 

 birchen caiioe, propelled by the puny arm of man, science, 

 invention, and the mechanic arts have stepped in, and the 

 transit is now made upon the velvet cushion of a palace 

 car — drawn by a horse of iron, whose breath is flame, ♦nd 

 whose nerves are steel. 



It might be proper to add, that as the name of the 

 " Landing," is first traceable to hidian tradition, so it was 

 perpetuated Ijy the pioneer settlers of this town ; who, 

 without water comm*unication to the southward and without 

 roads, shipped their salts and other products to Montreal, 

 navio-atino- Barton River from the " Landinii- " with flat- 

 boats ; also the Lake, and returning with hoiischohl 

 necessities in exchange, were there again (•()nii)elled to 

 make a " Landing." Such is the origin, history and 

 signification of a term# which, to the stranger, is suggestive 

 of wharves, steamboats, sloops and ships of the line. 



