igoi] SowTER — Prehistoric Camping Grounds. 149 



against possible contingencies, for these makers of flint arrow- 

 heads and stone axes were, as the Pathfinder would call it, 

 "judgmatical" in the selection of their camping grounds. 



Occupying a strategic position, between the upper and lower 

 portages of the north shore of the Ottawa, this rocky and well 

 wooded inlet possessed exceptional facilities for the formation of an 

 ambuscade, that would not fail to be taken advantage of under the 

 conditions of primitive warfare. 



Standing amidst the debris of this pre-historic Indian work- 

 shop, one cannot fail to be carried back, in imagination, to a time, 

 when this intricate system of islands and channels, rapids and falls 

 was clothed in the sombre garments of the primeval forest. One 

 pictures to himself the peaceful condition of this northern wilder- 

 ness ere the once powerfnl Algonkin-Huron combination, that 

 claimed sovereignty over it, had dwindled into insignificence before 

 the superior military and diplomatic genius of the five confederated 

 'nations to the south of the great lakes; ere the Algonkin name, 

 which once carried terror to the council fires of its enemies, had 

 become a term of contempt, through that lack of military 

 organization which led to the downfall and final dispersion of that 

 nation. 



One sees a dense cloud of spray hovering over the spot where 

 the downward sweeping waters take their final plunge into the 

 lower river, with a green tree-clad eminence in the background, 

 and is reminded that this place was known to the Mohawks as 

 " Tsitkanajoh," or the "floating kettle; while the Onondagas 

 called it " Katsidagwehniyoh," or the chief "Council Fire."* So 

 that either of these names may have been a shibboleth on the 

 Ottawa during the closing acts in that tragedy of the middle of 

 the 17th century, which resulted in the wiping out of the once 

 dominant Algonkin-Huron confederacy. 



But, by the subtle magic of these names, the retrospective 

 scene is changed and the inner circle of the council fire of this 

 ancient camping ground is occupied by the grim war chiefs of the 

 Iroquois. For this wonderful race of sagacious warriors, in con- 

 formity with a well planned and far-reaching scheme of conquest, 

 has sent war-parties to secure among other places the passes 

 of the Chaudi^re and intercept the Huron traffic with the French 



*See Ontario Archaeological Report of 1898. 



