I goo] SowTER — Arch.'Eology of Lake Desch^xes. 233 



the lake, it is altog-ether likely that, after the scalping-knife had 

 done its work, the victors, instead of giving- their slain enemies a 

 decent burial, such as the above grave would indicate, would have 

 left them, in conformity with Indian usage, to the wild beasts of 

 the forest, while their own dead would have been interred at 

 leisure in accordance with tribal custom. 



As a suggestion, in explanation of the presence of this 

 ossuary, may it not have been likely after the great Huron- 

 Iroquois family quarrel that one of the remnants of the fugitive 

 Huron nation may have found an asylum in this vicinity, have 

 lived in friendly intercourse with the native population and held 

 the " Feast of the Dead " on this island burial place. Iron toma- 

 hawks, scalping-knives, gun and musket flints, porcelain beads, 

 &c., have been found on this island at different times. A stone 

 slab bearing the letters J POT was found by Mr. Boucher in what 

 was probably the grave of a white man. 



The most unique isolated burial, however, that has yet been 

 discovered on the island, was that recently laid bare by the light- 

 house keeper, Mr. Frank Boucher. 



After the destruction of the old lighthouse, in the early part 

 of last summer, and before the erection of the new structure by 

 the Marine Department, while Mr. Boucher was sinking holes for 

 the reception of a tripod to support a temporary light, he unearthed 

 a skele^ton together with a large array of implements. The skele- 

 ton was in a reclining position with the implements placed beneath 

 the shoulders. Mr. Boucher very generously presented me with 

 the skull, the bones of the pelvis and the implements. These 

 latter consisted of an iron tomahawk, three knives, five gouge-like 

 iron tools, some beaver teeth, a bone gouge, a bone skin-dresser, 

 a bone harpoon and a bone netting needle, a copper kettle with an 

 iron handle, a bar of wrought iron perforated near the middle, 

 .some pieces of sheet lead, a number of shell beads or disks, a flint 

 for making fire, and a quantity of human hair made into fringe and 

 wrapped in birch bark. 



Sketches of this tomahawk and of the one found by Mr. Edey 

 were sent for identification to Mr. David Boyle, curator of the 

 Archaeological Museum at Toronto. As Mr. Boyle is one of our 

 most distinguished archfeologists, and one who has had large 



