SKETCH OF FLINT RIDGE, LICKING COUNTY, OHIO. 871 



ever been discovered except such as may have been lost or abandoned 

 by wandering, hunting, or exploring parties. 



While on this part of the subject it may be stated that the "trail" 

 from Grave Creek, West Virginia, to the lakes led past the captain's 

 and close to the cross-roads. Old settlers speak of seeing the Indians 

 follow it many years ago. 



A so-called "furnace," which many of the inhabitants believe to have 

 been used by the Indians to melt gold out of the flint (every man who 

 comes to the country will be assured that this is " a solemn fact"), lo- 

 cated half a mile south of the captain's, proves to be an old camp site. 

 Being close to three large springs, it would naturally be selected by 

 hunters and movers, and was much used, a large amount of burned 

 sandstone being scattered around, of which fire-places were constructed. 



A "mound" on the Muskingum line proved to be a spot where an 

 excavation had been begun but soon abandoned ; a crescent-shaped 

 hole has the dirt from it throwu on the surface between the horns. 

 Most probably made at an early day by whites seeking material for 



millstones. 



To return to the argument : This scarcity of the evidences of perma- 

 nent settlement on a scale commensurate with the amount of work done 

 offers another solution of the unfinished state of so many implements, 



which is this : 



It is well known that the celebrated "red pipe-stone quarries" were 

 held as sacred and neutral ground by all the tribes which were accus- 

 tomed to gather there for the purpose of procuring this rare and, to 

 them, valuable stone. No matter what feuds may have existed between 

 tribes, or what deadly enmities may have been held by individuals, 

 when workers met in these quarries it was always in a state of peace, 

 even if their differences would not allow friendly intercourse. 



Some such feeling as this may have influenced the natives of this sec- 

 tion of the country. With that disposition characteristic of the super- 

 stitious, nations as well as individuals, to attribute everything by which 

 they are benefited to the direct and friendly interposition of a beneficent 

 Superior Being, it is easy to believe that these people may have held this 

 Flint Eidge as a sacred gift from their Great Spirit. All the ditterent 

 tribes may have resorted to this place to obtain material from which to 

 fabricate weapons, and also, it may be, to secure the more brilhant stone 

 for making totems or insignia, or for some tribal or religious ceremonies. 

 The stupendous works at Newark, and the connected system ot 

 mounds, &c., could have been built only by a nation that possessed the 

 territory for a great length of time and were in large numbers. Ihey 

 would claim dominion over all the country round for many eagues, ex- 

 cept perhaps this sacred ground, if so it was held, and would jealously 

 guard their territory against the hunting parties from other regions j 

 and although they would not, from religious motives, molest outside 

 parties engaged in procuring flint, yet when these same parties went 



