100 THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 



by some noting sailors a few years later. It is possible that the 

 stone, deemed too heavy to be worth transport in the deeply-laden 

 pinnaces, was left on a building later burnt, in which case the flaking 

 of the back, already mentioned as suggesting the action of fire, would 

 be explained. A later fall to the beach in the disintegration of the 

 bank, with a long exposure to the waves, would complete a reasonable 

 outline for the stone's experiences. 



Summary 



The conclusion to be drawn from the foregoing considerations 

 seems accordingly this: — 



The Utopia Medallion is a genuine ancient relic, zvith an honest 

 record. Although direct testimony as to its origin is wanting, many 

 items of circumstantial evidence, all in harmony with contemporaneous 

 probabilities, unite to indicate for it a continuous history consistent 

 with its various pecidiarities . This leads back to the French colony on 

 St. Croix Island in 1604-5, where it was probably carved, from a natural 

 slab occuring on the Island, by some member of the expedition who, 

 a competent stone cutter but indifferent artist, made the work an occu- 

 pation for the too-abimdant leisure of a trying winter. In this case the 

 head is probably an attempt at a portrait, possibly of De Monts or 

 Champlain. 



Accessory Matters 



For the completion of our subject, it is necessary to notice 

 two other matters associated with the medallion, — a reputed altar- 

 temple near by, and a recent fraudulent head suggested by the 

 medallion. 



Reputed altar-temple. In local writings occur references, usually 

 or always in association with mention of the medallion, to a stone 

 altar or temple said to have formerly existed on the granite hills 

 near the Canal, not far from where the medallion was found. The 

 following, from that excellent guide-book, Osgood's Maritime Pro- 

 vinces (2nd edition, 1880, 32) is typical: — 



Lake Utopia On a bluff over this lake the earliest pioneers found 



the remains of an ancient and mysterious temple, all traces of which have now 

 passed away. Here also was found a slab of red granite, bearing a large bas-relief 

 of a human head, 



Mr. I Allen Jack, in his article afore-cited on the medallion, 

 (p, 670) says: — 



