ABORIGINAL USE OF WOOD IN NEW YORK III 



of one slope is a shelf, intended to show the gallery. The real 

 requirements are a line of upright posts, sufficiently far apart to 

 admit the sloping timbers between them at the top. The writer 

 found, in examining one stockaded site a space of 30 inches from 

 center to center of the post holes. If the upright posts in these 

 were each a foot thick there would remain 18 inches for the two 

 intervening and sloping ones, or 9 inches for each. If all were of 

 the same size, they might average 10 inches at the base. Figure 13 

 will show the middle, perpendicular post, mentioned by Cartier, with 

 the others like a sharp pyramid, laid across above. The gallery 

 can not be so easily shown, but its principle will be readily under- 

 stood. By the intersection of the three and probable projection of 

 part or the whole, angles were formed above, ready for the recep- 

 tion of riders, running lengthwise of the wall. At the beginning 

 the upright and sloping poles were firmly bound together; the new 

 addition was securely bound to all, adding greatly to the strength 

 of the wall. A line of saplings on either side of the central post 

 would suffice for this. The forest warrior did not stop here. While 

 binding these together and looking on the ground below, he became 

 conscious of the advantage of his position. By binding a few more 

 poles to the projecting posts and securing bark to them, he could 

 have a battlement well worth having. Figure 10 shows a section 

 of one thus made. Accustomed to close encounters, where simple 

 missiles were of use, he might gather stones suitable for casting 

 down on any foe, as he did, for men have used these in every age 

 and clime. The ladders were rude. A notched pole, or one with a 

 few projections, would be all that sailor or Indian would require. 

 Figure 1 1 is a view, showing the battlements, pickets and the breast- 

 work below. 



It will be observed that for a triple stockade of this kind, but one 

 line of post holes was required. The cross poles needed none, and 

 for some stockades no holes at all were used. Passing from 

 Hochelaga, we may consider Van der Donck's account of early fort 

 building in New York: 



First they lay along on the ground large logs of wood, and fre- 

 quently smaller logs upon the lower logs, which serve for the founda- 

 tion of the work. Then they place strong oak palisades in the 



