Ancient .American Utensil. 65 



exist. As a proof of this fact, we find occasionally that their inhab- 

 itants leave those dreary regions, and by pursuing the streams, find 

 their way to the surface of the earth. In what other way can we 

 account for the appearance of fish in ponds, whose waters are clear, 

 and whose depth is sufficient to keep cool through summer, and of 

 a regular temperature during winter. Fish find their way into ponds 

 in the course of one or two years } where they continue to improve 

 in size. 



We witnessed a very remarkable fact of this kind, in the case of 

 a fish which visited the surface, a few years ago. The passage which 

 enabled him to reach the light of the sun, was connected with a hole 

 at the bottom of a ditch, of about three feet in diameter, and two 

 feet deep. This canal was . made to drain a small valley, of rain 

 water; during the winter and spring*seasons, the water rose quite as 

 high as the bottom of the canal ; but did not during summer ap- 

 proach nearer the surface than twelve or fifteen feet. This fish was 

 about eight inches in length, and perhaps of equal circumference. 

 The hole occupied was filled with water, and there was not a suffi- 

 cient quantity in the canal to enable him to pass up or down the val- 

 ley. He was remarkably shy : many attempts were made to ap- 

 proach the spot so near as to enable one to thrust a pole into the 

 crevice ; into this he would retreat, when alarmed ; but all efforts to 

 approach him proved unsuccessful. He would sometimes be absent 

 for two or three days in succeession. After a stay of about three 

 weeks, and not being able to find a large stream, or a fit habitation on 

 the earth, — he disappeared. 



Art. XI. — JVotice of an Ancient American Utensil; by Prof. 

 Walter R. Johnson. 



Philadelphia, August 9, 1832. 



TO PROFESSOR SILLIMAW. 



Deal- Sir — The early state of the arts among the aborigines of 

 this country, is a subject of much interest to the American antiquary. 

 Under this impression, I take the liberty of forwarding to you the 

 following description, and the accompanying sketch, of an article of 

 American manufacture, of a date probably anterior to the time of 

 any European discoveries on the North American continent — per- 

 haps anterior even to the age of mounds and mummies. For the 



Vol. XXIIL— No. 1. 9 



