122 ' Major Macintosh on some Tumuli [Fe*. 



Article V. 



An Account of some Tumuli near the Falls of Niagara. 

 By Major A. F. Macintosh. 



(To the Editors of the Annals of Philosophy.) 

 GENTLEMEN, 



About three miles from the falls of Niagara, near the house 

 of Sir P. Maitland, there is a ridge of rising ground, which 

 commands an extensive view of Lake Ontario and the surround- 

 ing country, which is for the most part in this vicinity covered 

 with wood. 



On the most elevated part of this ridge, which is now called 

 Mount Dorchester, about two years ago, a large oak tree, 

 measuring at the base five feet in circumference, was blown 

 down, and an opening made in the soil by the roots of the tree 

 being torn from the earth, which exposed to view a quantity of 

 human bones. The person who discovered that the accident 

 had happened caused an excavation of about ten feet in diameter 

 to be made, and found a deep stratum of human bones regularly 

 disposed, and forming a vast number of perfect skeletons. The 

 wrist bones of many of the skeletons had a species of armlets 

 upon them ; the head of a tomahawk, several Indian pipes, 

 beads, and other ornaments, were also found interred amongst 

 the skeletons ; and the conjecture suggested by the discovery 

 is, that the remains in question are those of some of the abori- 

 ginal inhabitants of the country who had fallen in some sangui- 

 nary conflict on this spot, and found their graves upon the field 

 of battle. 



The most interesting part of the discovery, however, consists 

 in the circumstance of many large conch shells, some of them 

 bored so as to be used as a rude kind of musical instrument; 

 having been found disposed under the heads of several of the 

 skeletons. Several fragments of the shells were also found 

 near the upper parts of the bodies, and seem to have been Worn 

 upon the shoulders and arms, either as armour, or for the pur- 

 pose of ornament, as they are perforated with holes, which 

 probably were intended to put fastenings into to secure them 

 upon the person. I was assured that these shells were of 

 a species which is only found on the western coast of America^ 

 and on the shores of the neighbouring islands within the tropics. 

 On seeing the shells, I immediately recollected that in the 

 Museum at New York, there is a dress which belonged to the 

 son of the King of Ovvhehee, which was brought to Europe 

 originally by one of Capt. Cook's vessels, and that upon the 

 ssanje dress there is a conch shell of the same species of the 



