Description of some Sepulchral Pits of Indian Origin. 93 



pit No. 2, as well as two other varieties. One of them consisted of 

 cylindrical bodies, resembling the porcelain just noticed, but of a dif- 

 ferent material ; they averaged three-eighths of an inch in length, 

 and two-eighths broad, — had a large central perforation, and ap- 

 peared to have been formed of shell, the convolution of which is 

 shewn on some of them in a small oblique groove. The other va- 

 riety was a small oval bead of glass or porcelain, which had pro- 

 bably been used for ornament, and some pieces of shell of various 

 shapes, also found thei'e, seemed to have been applied to the same 

 purpose. 



The red stone beads (fig. 10), were five-eighths of an inch broad, 

 and three-eighths thick, irregularly circular, with flat ends, with two 

 small holesat one end uniting with the other. 



It is perhaps worthy of remark, that no hair was found in this pit, 

 as in two of the others. This fact might tend to prove a difference 

 in the date of their formation. 



There is every reason to believe that the above noticed form but 

 a small part of the number of such collections of bones that are to 

 be found in the neighbourhood. The French Canadians, now that 

 their attention has been directed to the subject, and they have been 

 made familiar with the appearance of the pits, say that they have in 

 several places observed them during their rambles in the bush, though 

 at the time they paid but little regard to them. 



But besides these, larger and more evident excavations, which, 

 once seen, would not again be passed unnoticed ; smaller ones of the 

 same shape and apparent character are frequently met with. The 

 Canadians now often notice them ; and people accustomed to the 

 woods can easily recognise their peculiar features. It is not unusual 

 to hear them called " potato-pits," as supposed to have been made 

 by the Indian inhabitants, for the purpose of preserving that vege- 

 table in. No less than five of them were found by a farmer within a 

 quarter of a mile of the second pit just described ; they were close 

 together. One of them he carefully dug out to the depth of six feet, 

 as the ground appeared to have been disturbed to that extent, vvhen 

 he came to solid clay. It was about four feet in diameter. The 

 only relic it contained, but which satisfactorily proved its connection 

 with Indian customs, was an iron or steel arrow-head, fia. 9. 



A second of the same description that has been examhied, is situ- 

 ate about a hundred yards from the beach, in a little sandy bay in 

 Penetanqueshene harbour, generally called Colbourne Bay. There 

 can be little doubt of its artificial origin, though the most minute 

 search failed to detect anything that would explain the pui-pose to 

 which it liad been applied. 



There is another on a piece of high land opposite the garrison, 

 which forms a part of the government revenue at the entrance of the 

 harbour. The spot is nearly bare of trees, and has the appearance of 

 an old clearing ; it is about two feet and a half deep, throu'di lifrlit 



