THE ARCHEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK 27 



far as it has been possible to enumerate them, they are less than 

 30,000 in number. 



It must not be supposed that the areas here described as the 

 bounds of certain linguistic stocks were fixed or even entirely 

 agreed upon by the native peoples. In certain regions boundaries 

 were definitely fixed and there were patrols who marched back and 

 forth from one landmark to another to prevent any outer tribesman 

 from trespass. In other places certain boundaries were regarded as 

 the proper limitations of tribal hunting grounds and any foeman who 

 ventured into these limits did so at the risk of his life and perhaps 

 at the risk of an intertribal war. With the Iroquois each tribe 

 occupied a definite area, the bounds of which were agreed upon in 

 council. By these agreements one tribesman might not hunt in 

 another's territory, and if through the chance of the chase a deer 

 was pursued from the Onondaga country, for example, into the 

 land of the Oneida, it might be slain but its pelt must be left hanging 

 conspicuously near the trail and marked in such a way to show that 

 a person without the group had killed it. The meat being more 

 perishable might be taken away by the hunter, but not if very near 

 a settlement, without permission. 



In general, however, the boundaries between stocks were flexible 

 and gave way to the pressure of the stronger group. Agreements 

 and the possession of force might even permit fragments of some 

 stocks to live surrounded by others. Stocks have ebbed and flowed. 

 Some have grown and others, no doubt, have become entirely 

 exterminated. Many tribes belonging to certain stocks have adopted 

 the customs of other stocks and finally become entirely absorbed. It 

 may be that changes in dialects to some extent came in this way. 



Great stocks and highly specialized culture did not develop, as a 

 rule, where warfare continually raged. Development came during 

 times of peace. Peace was the result of several factors, among 

 which may be mentioned isolation, abundance of food, satisfaction 

 with territory, agreement with other tribes. Natural barriers had 

 much to do with cultural development. The Pueblo peoples of the 

 southwest were safe enough in their desert region, and during times 

 of peace they were able to build up their fortified pueblos that 

 afforded protection against raids. 



In aboriginal times there seems to have been little extended war- 

 fare. Indians were not always fighting. Such wars as occurred, gen- 

 erally speaking, were more of the nature of local skirmishes in which 

 n few warriors were engaged. The greater wars were waged by 



