6 2 IN WINTER. 



cent was every fire-mark, so fresh the bits of 

 charcoal, so sharp the fragments of roasted 

 shells, it would not have startled the relic-hunt- 

 ers had the Indians filed past on their way to 

 the adjoining fishing grounds ; and yet, when 

 critically examined, this particular spot had evi- 

 dently been long deserted. Careful and long- 

 protracted search failed to bring to view any 

 trace of other than most primitive Indian handi- 

 work. One patient searcher, in fact, had to con- 

 tent himself with a few flint flakes and the tiniest 

 bits of rude pottery ; while another hunter was 

 more fortunate and drew from the side of a deep 

 and narrow path a pretty quartz knife ; and later, 

 two slender, shapely arrow-heads were found. 



A beggarly show, perhaps, but what if our 

 hands were not busy picking up relics ; our fan- 

 cies were up and doing. We had evidences and 

 to spare that a primitive people had once dwelt 

 here, and imagination supplied all deficiencies as 

 to the matter of when and why and of the man- 

 ner of their simple lives. Such ever is the charm 

 of an outing like this. One has to deal so con- 

 tinually with stern facts in every-day life that 

 fancy is the better company when out for a 

 stroll. Nor need we deceive ourselves. A bit 

 of burned clay in hand means the primitive potter 

 in the near foreground. Given a single flake of 

 stone, and the knife, spear, arrow, and all their be- 



