274 



IN AUTUMN. 



a very marked preponderance of argillite imple- 

 ments on the crests of the uplands, and a very 

 great excess of jasper and quartz on the bottom- 

 land, or that directly adjacent to the stream. 

 From this condition I am led to infer that, when 

 these higher points were occupied, the present 

 streams maintained a uniform flow as high as 

 the freshet stage of these water-courses ; and the 

 fact that an Indian village site near by will be 

 much nearer the river or creek shows clearly, I 

 hold, that on a small scale the same conditions 

 were repeated that occurred in the gradual 

 change from glacial to post-glacial times. The 

 volume of water in all our streams, comparing 

 century with century, is gradually lessening. 



Comparing then the rude objects of argillite, 

 specialized as they are, with the magnificent flint- 

 work of the historic Indians, I would designate 

 the former as fossil implements, the latter as 

 relics. 



To this point I feel that I have been handling 

 facts only, and deducing from them only logical 

 inferences ; but now looms up the natural and 

 ever-interesting question, Who were these 

 people? The origin of any race is a difficult 

 problem to solve, but none can compare with 

 these misty vestiges of prehistoric humanity. 

 It seems to me but one inference is permissible : 

 they who fashioned these rude argillite imple- 



