1869.] . 399 [McGuier. 



(which admits of the clearest legal verification) of the developments 

 at this famous spring. 



In 1865, Messrs. Ainsworth and McCaffrey became the proprietors 

 of the Spring, and immediately commenced to remove the rock or 

 cone, and excavate quite down to the solid rock, out of which the jet 

 of water issued, to establish again, if possible, the overflow of the 

 fountain, at the same time extending to me an invitation to watch 

 the progress of the excavation and note the developments thereof, 

 which invitation I accepted, and the following are the results; — 



1. Seven feet of commingled muck and tufa were passed through, 

 length of time requisite to deposit which not estimated. 



2. Two feet of compact tufa, estimated time requisite to deposit 

 which, six hundred years. (See pamphlet, p. 12.) 



3. About two feet of muck, in which was imbedded a tree (Pinus 

 albus) having one hundred and thirty annular rings of growth, with 

 its upper surface smooth, as if having been trodden upon, lying in 

 close proximity to the jet of water; age of the tree estimated, but 

 not of the muck. 



4. Three feet of compact tufa, time requisite to deposit which 

 estimated at nine hundred years. 



5 . A stratum of muck two feet thick, time of depositing not* es- 

 timated, resting ujion clay containing boulders. 



Upon the surface of this clay, and beneath all of the before enumer- 

 ated strata, I discovered a rude, primitive fireplace, the stones of 

 which it was composed bearing evident marks of the action of fire ; 

 some of the stones had been removed by the workmen, but most of 

 them were in place. Within the circle was found a considerable 

 (piantity of charcoal. 



Stone arrow-heads were obtained during the progress of the exca- 

 vation (one of which I have) , precisely resembling those found upon 

 the surface of this region occupied by a portion of the Iroquois 

 Confederacy. 



Now if the data, upon which I have based my computation of the 

 time requisite to deposit the cone of the spring and the two strata of 

 tufa beneath (five feet in the aggregate) , are correct, we have the 

 sum of five thousand three hundred and forty years, and if to this we 

 add the further sum of one hundred and thirty years, the age of the 

 tree, we shall have a total of five thousand four hundred and seventy 

 years; Avhich is in all probability .quite within the true sum, as 

 no allowance has been made for erosive action during all this time. 



