I 



Antiquities of New- York. 227 



sippi in 1679, he discovered a large plain between the lake ot 

 ■the Hurons and that of the Illinois, in which was a fine settle- 

 ment belonging to the Jesuits. 



The traditions of the Indians agree in some measure with the 

 French relations. They represent that their forefathers had 

 several bloody battles with the French, and finally compelled 

 them to abandon the country ; that the French, after being dri- 

 ven to their last fortress, capitulated and agreed to depart on 

 being furnished with provisions ; that the Indians filled their 

 hsLgs with ashes covered with corn, and that the greater part of 

 the French in consequence fell victims to famine at a place 

 called by them, Anse de Famine, and by us, Hungry Bay, on 

 lake Ontario. There is a hill in Pompey, which the Indians will 

 not visit, and which they call Bloody Hill. It is surprising that 

 no old Indian weapons, such as stone-knives, axes, and arrow- 

 heads are found in this country. It appears that they were su- 

 jicrseded by French substitutes of iron. 



The old fortifications were erected previous to European inter- 

 course. The Indians are ignorant by whom they were made ; 

 and in the wars which took place in this country, it is probable 

 that they were occupied as strong holds by the belligerents ; 

 and it is likely that the ruins of European works of a different 

 construction may be found in the same way that Roman and 

 British fortifications are to be seen in the vicinity of each other 

 in Great Britain. It is remarkable that our ancient forts resem- 

 ble the old British and Danish. Pennant, in his Tour in Scot- 

 land says, " On the hill, near a certain spot, is a circular British 

 jntrcnchmcut, and I was told of others of a square form at a few 

 miles' distance, I suppose Roman ;" and in his To2ir through 

 Wales, he describes " a strong British post on the summit of a 

 hill in Wales, of a circular form, with a great foss and dike, and 

 a small artificial mount within the precinct." How exactly 

 does this correspond with our old forts. The Danes, as well as 

 the nations which erected our fortifications, were, in all proba- 

 bility of Scythian origin. According to Pliny, the name of Scy- 

 ihian was common to all the nations living in the north of Asia 

 and Europe. 



