232 PREHISTORIC FISHING. 



visitors that vegetation is rendered impossible, whereas one step across its limits 

 brings you to a luxuriant growth of heather and such other grasses as usually 

 flourish contiguous to the sea in this latitude, and springing from a soil into 

 which the feet sink several inches. 



" Scattered throughout its precincts at irregular intervals are the remains 

 of several hundreds of what I shall call camp-fires small conical elevations 

 composed of clam, oyster, and mussel-shells, mingled with charcoal. These 

 mounds vary in size and in seeming entirety. Some appear to have successfully 

 resisted the force of the elements, and retained their original form almost intact, 

 whilst others have partially succumbed to the wash of the winter-tides that have 

 occasionally gained access through apertures in the sand-bluffs and submerged a 

 part of the surface. There are still others that have been entirely effaced from 

 the same cause, and their positions are only distinguishable by the chalky appear- 

 ance of the ground, and the presence of myriads of broken shells that have 

 bleached by centuries of exposure. 



"At the Rehoboth encampment there are no large mounds, and presumably 

 never have been, as the number and positions of those extant preclude such a 

 supposition. 



" The positive evidence of their origin is found in the fact that in the im- 

 mediate vicinity as well as mingled with the mollusks are fragments of pottery 

 in large quantities, celts, arrow-heads, and a variety of other stone implements 

 and ornaments ; the bones of animals, and many pieces of calcined stone that 

 once played an important part in the construction of their long since extinct 

 fire-places. Indeed, in almost every stone picked up within the confines of the 

 camp-ground can be traced the fragment of an implement of domestic use, the 

 chase, or war. It should be borne in mind that stones are not found in this part 

 of Delaware." 



The remainder of the account treats more specially of the artefacts discov- 

 ered at this place of encampment, such as the fragments of clay vessels, celts, 

 hammer-stones, etc. " Large quantities of flint chips," the author says, " and 

 unfinished and broken arrow-heads, as well as numerous perfect specimens are 

 to be found wherever a mound is to be seen, and lead to the opinion that the 

 manufacture of these implements was largely engaged in by the camp-dwellers. 

 The prevailing form is the triangular variety without the notched base, which 

 distinguishes those usually obtained from Pennsylvania and New Jersey." 



It must be considered as fortunate that Mr. Jordan has recorded the exist- 

 ence of this camping-place, as its vestiges will soon be obliterated. " Even as I 

 write," he says, " embryo streets traverse its domain in every direction, and in 

 the space of perhaps only a few months lofty hotels and comfortable cottages 



