[GANONQ] HISTORIC SITES IN NEW BRUNSWICK 219 



follows must bo very incomplete, though it is as full as I have been able 

 to make it. In the yet unsettled parts of the province these sites are 

 still used somewhat by the Indians and by white hunters, so they may 

 still be identified ; but in extent and importance they are far behind those 

 in the settled parts. Much the same motives that attracted the Indians 

 to certain sites attracted the early settlers, and many of the most 

 important camp sites are now covered by villages or towns, and every 

 trace of Indian occupation is obliterated. As to the sites of such settle- 

 ments we have four sources of evidence : first, historical references m 

 documents and on maps, of which use has been made in the list that fol- 

 lows, many of the earlier references being, however, too indefinite for 

 fixing exact sites ; second, there is tradition, still near enough to the 

 time of Indian occupation to be of some value, especially if backed by 

 relics found upon the sites ; third, there are the great shell-heaps on the 

 coast, best of evidence of a camp site, since they give a rough quantitative 

 measure of the extent of its use and even of its antiquity ; fourth, there 

 is the testimony of place-names, those marvellously persistent memorials 

 of past events and conditions. The tendency to give descriptive names 

 is very strong in early settlers, the stronger the more illiterate they are, 

 and the presence of Indians at a given place affords one of the best of 

 descriptive terms. The name Indian Elver occurs in New Brunswick 

 once, Indian Cove once, Indian Falls once, Indiantown twice, Indian 

 Beach twice, Indian Camp Point once, Indian Brook twice, hidian Bay 

 once, Indian Lake twice, Indian Mountain once, Indian Island eight 

 times, Indian Foint at least twelve times. These names in some cases are 

 the last memorials of their presence in those places. 



Of the several influences determining the situation of camping sites, 

 the first would be nearness to a river, for the birch canoe was the Indian's 

 sole vehicle of locomotion. Undoubtedly the next would be the abundance 

 of game, particularly of game occupying a fixed position, as shell- fish do, 

 or following definite paths through places where their flight may be inter- 

 rupted, as fish do. In such places the Indians could remain for long periods 

 of time ; whilst in the pursuit of the wide-wandering large furred and 

 feathered game they must keep always on the move. Consequently, 

 next to the few villages already mentioned, their camp sites were most 

 abundant in the following situations : — first, near the great clam beds 

 of the Bay of Fundy, in particular about Passamaquoddy Bay, where 

 they are marked by the great shell heaps, chief among which are 

 those at Oak Bay, Minister's Island, Bocabec, Fryes Island, with others 

 of lesser extent, too many to mention. Some of these shell-heaps have 

 been studied with care by Professor lUiird, and the one at Bocabec with 

 particular care by Dr. Gr. F. Matthew, whose paper detailing his results 

 is by far the most important contribution we have to the knowledge of 



