64 ABORIGINAL MONUMENTS OF NEW YORK. 



palisades can now be traced only at intervals ; but from the nature of the ground and 

 the recollection of persons familiar with the site before it was disturbed by the 

 plough, it was found easy to restore with accuracy the parts which have been 

 obliterated. The sole entrance which can now be made out is at the point 

 marked by the letter a, where the pahsades were carried for some distance inwards, 

 leaving an open rectangular space, which may have been occupied by a block- 

 house or something equivalent. Nearly in front, and at the bottom of a deep and 

 narrow ravine, a copious spring starts out from the hill ; probably the one alluded 

 to by De Nonville in his letter of the 25th of August, 1687. 



" On the next day," says this commander, " the 14th of July, we marched to one 

 of the large villages of the Senecas, where we encamped. We found it burned and 

 a fort quite nigh abandoned ; it was very advantageously situated on a hill. * * * 

 We remained at the four Seneca villages for ten days. All the time was spent in 

 destroying the corn, which was in such great abundance that the loss, including the 

 old corn which was in cache which we burnt, was computed at 400,000 minots 

 (1,200,000 bushels) of Indian corn." 



The large village alluded to here is no doubt the one which was situated on the 

 eminence now known as " Boughton's Hill," where abundant traces of Indian 

 occupancy at this period are found. These consist of copper kettles, French 

 hatchets, broken gun-barrels, arrow-heads, pipes, pottery, burnt corn, etc. The 

 iron recovered here at the time of the first settlement of the country, was suffi- 

 ciently abundant to repay the cost of clearing the grounds. Indeed it was the source 

 whence the early blacksmiths, for a long distance round, derived the iron for 

 ordinary consumption ; and even now the smithies in the vicinity consume large 

 quantities of the metal which the operations of agriculture continue to bring to 

 light. 



The remains upon Boughton's Hill are mentioned by Mr. Clinton as corre- 

 sponding in all respects with those which he observed in Onondaga county, and 

 to which he was disposed to ascribe a high antiquity. They may all be referred 

 to the same period, and no doubt mark the sites of Onondaga and Seneca villages 

 in the 17th century. 



PLATE XIV. No. 2. 



ANCIENT WORK OF THE SENECAS, LIVONIA TOWNSHIP, LIVINGSTON COUNTY, 



NEW YORK. 



The traces of another palisaded work, no doubt erected by the Senecas, but 

 probably at a later period than that near Victor, may still be seen on the farm of 

 Gen. Adams, in Livonia township, Livingston county, two miles northeast of the 

 village of Livonia. 



