THE PASSENGER PIGEON IN PENNSYLVANIA 151 



descending the Allegheny, 15 leagues below the mouth 

 of the Conewango and 3 above the Venango, we were 

 invited by the Chief of the ^enecas to attend a re- 

 ligious ceremony of his tribe. We landed, and drew 

 up our canoes on a point where a small stream entered 

 the river. The tribe appeared unusually solemn. We 

 marched up the stream about half a league, where the 

 company, a large band it appeared, had arrived some 

 days before us. Gigantic hills begirt us on every side. 

 The scene w^as really sublime. The great Chief then 

 recited the conquests and heroism of his ancestors. The 

 surface of the stream was covered with a thick scum, 

 which, upon applying a torch at a given signal, burst 

 into a complete conflagration. At the sight of the flames 

 the Indians gave forth the triumphant shout that made 

 the hills and valleys re-echo many times. Here, then, 

 is revived the ancient lire-worship of the East; here, 

 then, are the children of the Sun." 



Ancient oil pits, sometimes containing trees of the 

 growth of centuries, are said to have been found in the 

 vicinity of Oil Creek, w^here erosion had cut through 

 the covering and exposed the stratum of oil-saturated 

 sand. The oil then floated upon the surface of the 

 pools that formed below the source of it and the In- 

 dians threw poles across the stream, in time of flood, 

 to hold back the oil, which accumulated in thousands' 

 of gallons, and when lighted, burned slowly for ten 

 or twelve hours on the surface of the stream. Truly, 

 a wonder, sending a black smoke-column thousands of 

 feet high, in the still air. 



