THOMAS.) SIMII.AIilTV OF FORTIFICATIONS. 667 



FORTIFICATIONS, ETC. 



Mr. Sqiiier, who caretully studied the antiquities of Ohio aud arrived 

 at the coudusion tliat they are to be attributed to a people occupying 

 a much liigher culture-status than the Indians, subsequently entered 

 upon the investigation of those of New York, little doubting that he 

 would arrive at a similar conclusion in reference to their origin. The 

 result of this examination is best given in his own words: 



111 full view of tbe facts before presented, I am ilriveu to a coucliisiou little antic- 

 ipated when I started upon my trip of exploration, that the earthworks of western 

 New York were erected by the Irocjuois or their western neifjihbors, aud do not pos- 

 sess an anti(|uity goiuj; very far back of the discovery. Their general occurrence 

 iipou a line parallel to and not far distant from the lakes favors the hypothesis 

 that they were built by frontier tribes, an hypothesis entirely conformable to abo- 

 riginal ti'aditions. Here, according to these traditions, every foot of ground was 

 contested between the Iroquois and Gah-kwahs, and other western tribes ; and here, 

 as a consequence, where most exposed to attack, were permanent defenses most 

 necessary.' 



The facts presented by this author are sutficient to satisfy anyone 

 not wedded to a i)rec()nceived opinion of the correctness of his con- 

 clusion as to the authors of these works. Here we hnd earthen embauk- 

 nients and inclosures often, with accompanying ditches, which this 

 author has satisfactorily proven mark the sites of palisaded inclosures 

 similar to those observed by Champlain during his vo,yages of dis- 

 covery. (See also the evidence presented in the preceding part of this 

 volume relating to the antiquities of New York.) 



As similar earthworks are ftmnd in Ohio, in the Soutliern states, and 

 elsewhere, and, as we know from what is stated by the narrators of De 

 Soto's expedition and by other authorities, that Indians in different 

 parts of the country when first encountered by Europeans were in the 

 hiibit of fortifying their towns with palisades, there is good reason for 

 believing that many of these remains had a similar origin to those of 

 New York. That some may owe their existence to different customs, 

 of which no notice has been preserved, is true, but, the correctness of 

 Mr. Squier's conclusion being admitted, we certainly have a satisfactory 

 explanation of the origin of a large portion of them. 



The (rentleman of Elvas, as already quoted, states that " The wall, 

 as well of that town as of others wliich we afterwards saw, was of great 

 posts thrust deep into the ground, and very rough and many long rails 

 as big as one's arm laid across between them, and the wall was about 

 the height of a lance, and it was daubed within and without with clay, 

 and had loopholes."^ The decay of a work like this would leave a cir- 

 cular wall of earth like those seen in various sections ot the countiy. 



Caleb Atwater states that the wall of an inclosure at Circleville, 

 (.)hio, showed evidences of having supported a palisade or wftoden 



I Alinri^'iii:il %rniiiHiH-iits ,.r New Vnrk.p.H:!. '' French's Hist. Coll. La., vol. M, p. IfiX 



