WASHINGTON, DISTEICT OF COLUMBIA. 431 



greatest number of these implements on the west side of the Potomac, 

 directly opposite the city, along the shore from Analostan Island to the 

 Long Bridge. The number of remains found here is supposed to war- 

 rant the conclusion that this was a favorite resort of the ancient people. 

 From Analostan Island to the Long Bridge, the remains of i)ottery 

 and stone implements are sufficiently numerous to warrant the con- 

 clusion that the whole space was occupied, either at once or at many 

 times, as a continuous town. This space, which now forms a part of 

 the main land, was apparently once an island. 



Another locality which exhibits abundance of remains is at the 

 Little Falls of the Potomac, about five miles above the city. At this 

 place, on either side of the river, on the rising ground, the implements 

 are found. They consist of arrow-heads, hatchets, chisels, and earthen 

 ware. This locality was probably resorted to for fishing, as it is at the 

 present day. The fish, ascending the rapids in the spring to deposit 

 their spawn, were readily caught by the spear, the net, and the line — 

 the use of the latter being indicated by the number of stone sinkers 

 which are found. 



The materials of which the stone implements are formed consist of 

 quartz, jasper, and slate or horn-stone. The latter is not found in this 

 vicinity in place, but in the drift. At least four-fifths are of quartz. 

 The arrow-heads, as usual, are of two kinds, one apparently for war, and 

 the other for the chase ; the first is of a triangular form with a re-entering 

 angle at the base, by which it was attached to the shaft in a notch at 

 the end. This form of arrow was adopted in order that when the shaft 

 was withdrawn from the wound, the arrow-head might remain. 

 The other arrow-head is also of a triangular form, with sides 

 slightly convex, but terminated at the base with a projecting point 

 forming two notches, one on each side, by which it was permanently 

 attached by thread, probably of sinews, to the shaft. The second form 

 of arrow-head is by far the most numerous. Besides the arrow-heads, 

 there are found many of the fragments of quartz which are in reality 

 perfect instruments intended for cutting, carving, &c. When these are 

 critically examined they are seen to have a cutting edge or a point 

 carefully worked, while the opposite side is left rough to be inserted in 

 a handle of wood or horn, which completed the perfect instrument. In 

 some of the specimens there are notches on the upper side of the knife 

 or chisel by which they could be more securely fiistened to the handle. 

 The other implements, hatchets, adzes, chisels, and hammers, are usually 

 made of trap-rock, which is found among the bowlders of t\iG drift. Some 

 of these are polished with care. Pestles of the same material are also 

 found, though these are not as numerous as in other localities, particu- 

 larly in those of Pennsylvania. 



Fragments of pottery occur of porous clay, hardened in the fire, and 

 almost in all cases ornamented with impressions of the corn-cob, indicat- 

 ing the use of this article of food at an early period, and marking a 



