12 NEW YORK STATE Ml/SEUM 



3 feet. Some digging has been done in the center. The disturbed 

 earth is black, containing burnt stones, but there are no signs of 

 organic or artificial remains. Not far away there are many spots 

 where the flat rocks form the natural surface, and about these the 

 spring saxifrage was abundantly in bloom. The low, symmetric 

 mounds themselves formed a pleasing feature of the scene, full in 

 view from the modern ruins as the land descended toward the lake. 

 The spot is so convenient and beautiful that one might have expected 

 to find more there, but for the evident tendency to place them in 

 pairs or small groups. 



It was late in the morning, and no satisfactory photographs could 

 be obtained from lack of shadows. At a subsequent visit many 

 mounds were examined in the rain, and others in the depths of 

 woods and undergrowth. Many sketches were made, some of which 

 are here given, but in no place could the camera be used to any 

 great advantage. 



A second visit was made in the middle of September 1901. A 

 map of the vicinity had been secured, on a scale of a mile to the 

 inch, and the general grouping will appear on this, shown on plate I. 

 As there was no special plan in the location of these structures, no 

 necessity is felt for more exact details. They were placed where per- 

 sonal or family taste or convenience required. No rule appears in 

 this except ease of access to the lake or streams. Some were on 

 quite elevated land ; others on broad hummocks, surrounded by 

 marshy spots but little above the lake. In a few cases they were 

 on the high banks above rocky streams, at some distance from the 

 shore. The unpropitious weather prevented a personal examination 

 of those at the south end. 



As far as I could ascertain there are none now remaining on the 

 west side of Hyde creek and northwest side of Perch lake. The lake 

 may once have been higher than now and thus larger, but this did 

 not affect the situation of the mounds, nor their probable age. 

 Beginning on the west side of Hyde creek a long line of cliffs runs 

 parallel with the present shore toward the southwest, and between 

 these and the lake is a broad expanse of swampy land, well covered 

 with trees. No one could have lived in this swamp, nor was access 



