1^6 Finch on the Celtic Antiquities of America. 



In Machenzie's tour from Quebec to the Pacific ocean, 

 there is noticed a circle of stones, artificially laid on a high 

 rock, upon the banks of the river Winnipigon, which dis- 

 charges itself into a lake of the same name. The Indians 

 are accustomed to crown this circle of stones with wreaths 

 of herbage, and with branches; for this reason, the carry- 

 ing place which passes it has received the appellation of Le 

 Poitage de Bonnet. 



In Purchas' Collection of Voyages, vol. 3, page 1052, 

 one of the historians of Peru, in describing the manners and 

 customs of the children of the sun, says : "To make the 

 computation of their year sui'e and certain, they did use this 

 industry ; upon the mountains wiiich are about the city of 

 Cuzco, where the kings held their court, there were twelve 

 pillars set in order, and at such distance the one from the 

 other, as that every month one of these pillars did note the 

 rising and setting of the sun. They were called Succanga, 

 and by means of these stones, they taught the seasons fit to 

 sow and reap, and other things; they did certain sacrifices 

 to these pillars of the sun." 



These are no doubt connected in their history with the 

 other Celtic remains, and resemble those druidical circles, 

 which are so common in Europe and Asia, and which from 

 their immense size and the majesty of their appearance, re- 

 ceived from Tacitus the expression " rudes et informes sax- 

 orum compages," and from Cicero the appellation " mi- 

 rificae moles. But the scientific assistance of individuals 

 who reside near these monuments is requested,thai an accu- 

 rate account of them may be published, and thus a small 

 ray of light be thrown over the history of the Aborigines of 

 America. 



Tradition sometimes conveys along the stream of time a 

 name attached to these stone u)onuments, which informs us 

 of their use. In Erin's bright green isle, which was a fa- 

 vorite resort of the Druids, these stone circles, placed upon 

 an eminence, are called in the Irish language Carrich Brau- 

 da; and in Wales, similar structures have retained the 

 name Cerrig Brudyn, to the present time; the appellation 

 is the same in both countries, and means Astronomer's cir- 

 cles. And thus in ages long since past, perhaps at the 

 same instant of time, though under different skies, the Dru- 

 ids of England, and the priests of Cuzco, the astronomers of 



