76 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XIX. No. 470 



SCIENCE: 



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INDIAN OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK. 



We have not learned all that will some day be known of 

 the aboriginal occupation of New York, but occasional con- 

 tributions or systematic statements have a present value. 

 We are thankful for much that has been written, and only 

 wish that more had been done before so many works were 

 obliterated and relics destroyed. 



It is quite likely that erroneous estimates have been made 

 in regard to some remains, for fewer occupied spots have 

 been overlooked or forgotten than would be supposed. I 

 have consulted all accessible authorities, certainly the most 

 important, and find less than one hundred and ninety defen- 

 sive earthworks described or even mentioned, while of 

 stockades which have left traces there are between twenty 

 and thirty. We know that more of the latter were in use, 

 from history; but there are special reasons why the traces of 

 these were fewer than of earthworks. A liberal allowance 

 for undescribed or indefinitely mentioned defensive banks 

 might bring this class of fortifications up to two hundred 

 and fifty, which is probably a fair allowance for the State 

 of New York. It is to be i-emembered, however, that some 

 have been reported where none existed, and that others have 

 been confused. It is not my purpose now to point these out. 

 With a considerable outlay of field and home work during 

 many years, I have collected notes and collated accounts, so 

 that I have on the map before me a pretty fair view of the 

 field of Indian occupation in New York. In the central part 

 of the State very few sites have escaped my attention, even 

 wheii small, and this long continued study presents some 

 curious results. 



My present intention, however, is merely to show the 

 grouping and nature of the more important known works, 

 although by far the finest articles of stone have come from 

 open villages, hamlets, and camps occupied by early trav- 

 ellers, fishermen, or hunters. The fort builders here had in 

 a measure left the stone age behind them, and stone gouges, 

 gorgets, amulets, and kindred articles, are to be looked for 



where camps or unenclosed villages stood. The fort build- 

 ers preferred working in clay, bone, and horn, using no 

 flint scrapers or drills, and even making stone arrows some- 

 what sparingly. 



When known sites are placed on the map, especially 

 when unimportant ones are eliminated, it will be found that 

 there is a very distinct arrangement in groups, nor does the 

 presence of even small camps change this materially. Hun- 

 ters, of course, camped on most large streams and lakes, but 

 the rivers had the larger number. Defensive works are 

 oftener at some distance from navigable waters, though 

 having a tendency to the sides of broad valleys. It will be 

 found that some counties present scarcely a trace of settled 

 occupation, while others have them in abundance. 



One large group lies in the south-west part of the State,, 

 where Cattaraugus County has eleven defensive earthworks 

 mentioned, with others undescribed, and also at least ten 

 burial mounds. Chautauqua has even more abundant re- 

 mains of this group, having forty-four earthworks and fif- 

 teen burial mounds of various kinds. There have been re- 

 ported also seven ossuaries or bon^jpits, similar to those 

 found in the Huron country, in Canada. A very few of 

 these defensive works seem to belong to the historic period, 

 containing European relics. With all the descriptions we 

 have of these works, it is a pity that no systematic, and 

 hardly general, report has been made of the articles found, 

 such as has thrown so much light on works further east. In 

 general, the indications seem Iroquoian, though presenting- 

 some features of a border land. It is doubtful whether all 

 the works there are of a northern character. 



Forming another group, slightly connected with this, Erie 

 County has seventeen earthworks, seven mounds, and four 

 ossuaries. Others have been obliterated before description, 

 but probably not many have escaped mention. The forts 

 are mostly smaller than in the last group. Niagara has 

 three earthworks, six mounds, and four ossuaries. In a 

 general way, the seven earthworks and three mounds of 

 G-enesee County may be placed in the same group, and 

 Orleans lies on the border with one earthwork, one ossuary, 

 and traces of works now obliterated. In this group are found 

 many quite recent villages, especially of the Iroquois. Most 

 of the remains, however, are prehistoric, the Eries and Neu- 

 trals barely coming in contact with the whites. 



In the territory further east, acquired by the Senecas in the 

 seventeenth century, recent villages predominate, but the 

 broad valley of the Genesee has many prehistoric sites, 

 mainly grouped towards the mouth of the river. Monroe 

 County seems to afford twelve earthworks, one recent 

 stockade, and twelve mounds; Livingston County, eight 

 earthworks, one stockade, and twelve mounds, some of these 

 being recent. Wyoming County has one small earthwork 

 and one mound. Ontario County has two earthworks and 

 three stockades, part of both these being recent, as are most 

 of the village sites and burial places. Yates has two earth- 

 works described and some indefinitely reported. One other, 

 planned and described, is evidently erroneous. Tompkins 

 has four earthworks, one in combination with a stockade, 

 and all prehistoric. Allegany has three earthworks and some 

 recent Seneca villages. 



Between this and the Cayuga group there is a less distinct 

 line. Seneca County belongs to this, but has but two earth- 

 works described, though reference is made to others by De- 

 Witt Clinton. Wayne has one very small work, in good 

 preservation. Cayuga has five earthworks, part of them 

 recent, and three early stockades. It abounds in recent vil- 



