ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK I9 



New York. A map accompanied the manuscript report and out 

 of this grew a more extended description, taking in the whole state, 

 with both Iroquois and Algonquin villages, and earlier towns, 

 camps and burial places. This has been gradually enlarged from 

 time to time, though still capable of expansion. Several counties 

 have been minutely explored and much material was thus prepared 

 for pubHcation, but other counties have had so little attention that 

 no complete account can yet be given. A few months' field work 

 might yield some important results, but much information has been 

 rapidly gathered from intelligent and experienced correspondents. 

 There has been however a demand in the present work for at least 

 a preliminary map of the early aboriginal occupation of New York, 

 which may prove the simplest and quickest preparation for some- 

 thing more complete. The following notes are arranged by coun- 

 ties, with proper numbers for each. Quotations are made from 

 many works, usually with references, as a full transcript would 

 often occupy too much space. Many uncredited accounts are the 

 result of the waiter's own field work or research, continued through 

 many years. Other notes may be adopted according to the faith 

 reposed in their authors. 



Reference has been made to Mr Squier's change of opinion re- 

 garding New York earthworks. His words in regard to these may 

 well be quoted here, as they appear in his Antiquities of New York 

 and the west, published in 1851. On page 9 he says, in speaking 

 of earlier writers whom he had mentioned, " By none were pre- 

 sented plans from actual surveys, of any of the ancient works of 

 the state; a deficiency which, it is evident, could not be suppHed 

 by descriptions, however full and accurate, and without which it 

 has been found impossible to institute the comparisons requisite 

 to correct conclusions as to the date, origin and probable connec- 

 tions of these remains. It has all along been represented that some 

 of the inclosures were of regular outHnes, true circles and elHpses, 

 and accurate squares, features which would imply a common origin 

 with the vast system of ancient earthworks of the Mississippi valley. 

 Submitted to the test of actual survey, I have found that the works 

 which were esteemed entirely regular are the very reverse, and 



