PrOWKB | ABORIGINAL FLINT QUARRIES 537 
The more nearly the material approaches a pure silica, the less will 
be the alteration in the structure; some of the nodules are weathered 
throughout, others only very slightly. Those on or near the surface 
of the ground deteriorate rapidly. Those which le deeper tend 
to retain their hardness, density, and their quality of breaking into 
thin flakes suitable for chipping. The Indian became aware of this 
fact, and consequently when he discovered a deposit that was suitable 
he went as deeply into the ground for it as the means at his command 
would allow him to excavate. 
Swallow is in error in placing the “ diggings” on sec. 34; they are 
on sec. 24. The quarry he mentions is on the adjoining farms of 
Richard Preston and S. W. Gordon. The chert cap rock has pro- 
tected from erosion a nearly level space of 50 or 60 acres with an 
irregular outline, the sides sloping toward lower ground in every 
direction except for a narrow ridge extending toward the northwest- 
The whole top of this space has been dug over except along the 
margins where the limestone has been so denuded that it lies near 
the top of the ground. The surface has the appearance of random or 
interrupted excavating, being a succession of pits separated by ap- 
parently undisturbed ridges; but the latter are merely the material 
that was thrown back or out as the quarrying proceeded. At least 
30 acres have been thoroughly cleared out. There is no great depth 
to any of the pits, as the solid limestone is usually reached within 
a few feet. An exception to this character of excavation appears 
wherever there is a crevice of sufficient width to allow a man to work 
in it; in such places the digging was carried much deeper. How 
deep, can not now be determined without clearing the pits of their 
accumulated débris. In one of these crevices the trench left by thus 
removing the clay is fully 150 yards long, terminating at a pit now 
more than 6 feet deep after logs, brush, and rocks have been dumped 
in, thus adding to the earth that has caved in from the sides. The 
unsuitable material that was thrown back as the work progressed 
vauses the trench to appear quite shallow for most of its length; but 
the pit at the end may serve as a measure of the depth that was 
reached. Lateral trenches from this one show where branching 
crevices on either side were followed. 
The ground where these excavations exist is strewn with frag- 
ments and broken nodules, a large proportion of them showing the 
“bulb of percussion” or the corresponding depression, where they 
were broken in order that their quality could be determined. Search 
was made for hammerstones showing marks of continued use, but 
none could be found. Any nodule could be used for striking any 
other nodule until one or both yielded to the blows. 
At the foot of one slope of this knoll is a spring around which 
was a blocking-out shop. The ground is covered with spalls, many 
55231°—28- 35 
