SKINNER, INDIANS OF MANHATTAN ISLAND 185 



to point to these as being burials of early settlers, but Mr. Chenoweth holds 

 that they are Indian. Several of the skeletons have been preserved in the 

 Museum. A parallel condition to this at the Knoll was found at 211th 

 Street and will be spoken of later. The Knoll site had undoubtedly been an 

 ancient Indian camp. Probably Sherman Creek was open up to this point 

 to Indian canoes. 



Cold Spring. Cold Spring is situated at the extreme northern end of 

 Manhattan Island on the southern shore of Spuyten Duyvil Creek. The 

 Indian remains consist of three rock-shelters and three refuse heaps. The 

 rock-shelter is a formation where the overhanging rocks form a small cave 

 or shelter which the Indians used as a dwelling place. All their rubbish, 

 such as oyster shells, broken pottery and broken arrow heads, were dumped 

 near by, forming the so-called shell heaps. INIessrs. Calver and jNIcGuey 

 explored the shell heaps; but IMr. Chenoweth was the first to suspect the 

 existence of the shelters. There is only one which is likely to have been used 

 as a dwelling place, the others being places where food was stored or shelters 

 for fires used in cooking. These shelters face east, and are at the foot of the 

 hill (formerly called Cock Hill) which forms the most northern part of 

 INIanhattan Island. The largest one was formed by several of the rocks 

 breaking off the cliffs above and falling in such a manner that, by digging 

 out some of the earth from beneath them, the Indians could make a small 

 shelter. Probably it was occupied by one family, while the others lived in 

 bark wigwams near by.^ Another of the shelters is simply an excavation 

 under the end of a huge fragment which also dropped from the cliffs above, 

 and the third is a large crevice in the foot of these cliffs. When Mr. Cheno- 

 weth first explored them, all these shelters were completely filled with earth 

 which had gradually worked its way in since their occupation, and much 

 credit is due him for suspecting their presence. In them he found frag- 

 ments of pottery and stone implements, together with the bones of turkey 

 and deer. The largest of the refuse heaps is situated on a rise directly in 

 front of these shelters. It consists of a layer of shells, in places several 

 inches thick, found under a layer of fine loam, a black earth which has 

 been deposited since the shells were scattered over the original sandy 

 yellow soil. The sheltered position of this place made it an especially de- 

 sirable camp site. The hills to the south and west formed a protection to 

 the camp from winds, and by Spuyten Duyvil Creek access could be had to 

 either Hudson or East River; while the Cold Spring, from which the place 

 takes its name, furnished an abundant supply of fresh water. 



1 Memorial History of New York, Vol. I, p. 33, for picture of houses, and p. 39 for descrip- 

 tion. 



