338 THE INDIAN OCCUPANCY 



The chert used by the Indians of the Frontier was obtained 

 mainly from the outcrop of Onondaga rock at the head of the 

 Niagara River. This contained nodules and layers of a fine, 

 black, or dark- gray chert, which fractured with the true con- 

 choidal fracture, flaked well into keen- edged fragments, and was 

 usually free from such flaws as, under the chipping hammer or 

 in use, were apt to cause breaks at unexpected places. 



In the drumlins and moraines of Western New York great 

 numbers of chert nodules are to be found, some in their lime- 

 stone matrix, some free from it. This does not seem to be the 

 same chert as that at Fort Erie. It is apt to be grayer or 

 browner, more brittle, and harder to work. 



Besides these two main sources of supply the Indians prob- 

 ably made use of the nodules found in the stream beds and in 

 the outcrops at the "Ledge" and the "Mountain Ridge". 



The outcrop of silicious limestone at Fort Erie is nearly 

 horizontal and at the level of the river. At many points it is 

 now covered by blown sand ; and for a century stone has been 

 quarried from it for building purposes. Yet the shore at Fort 

 Erie on this outcrop is strewn with chips, flakes, blocks and 

 half-formed implements, the waste of aboriginal quarrying and 

 manufacture. Modern quarrying operations have destroyed all 

 vestiges of aboriginal quarries, yet there can be no doubt that 

 chert was obtained here, not only by the local Indians, but by 

 more distant nations. 



Though the great outcrop at Fort Erie was quarried for the 

 indispensable chert, the sources of supply on the drumlins and 

 moraines were not neglected. On every glacial hill may be 

 found the traces of some Indian's successful search for chert. 

 The surface of many hills is littered with chert debris, flakes, 

 chips and implements broken under the hammer. Broken chert 

 nodules from the till were found in the refuse heaps of the 

 Buffum Street site. 



Though it was probable that some of the chert taken from 

 the quarry at Fort Erie was worked up into implements on the 

 spot, it is certain that much of it was taken away either unworked 

 or only partly worked. A family coming to the outcrop for a 

 season's supply of chert would not work it up into implements, 

 for they could not know just what they would need for the sea- 

 son. On the other hand they would hesitate to carry away a 



