10 
its location as about half a mile west of the prehistoric cemetery next des- 
cribed, whereas the writer found it to be three-eighths of a mile northwest 
across the cove. 
Prehistoric Cemetery. A prehistoric cemetery was located on the farms 
of Mr. James McGlashan and Mr. Donald McGregor, the McGregor 
land now being owned by the son, Mr. George McGregor. Patterson 
claimed that it had been disturbed in a search for specimens before he 
excavated it, and a number of stone axes (probably adzes) and arrowheads 
taken away. He states (b, pages 29, 30, and 31); 
"Mr. Donald McGregor of the Big island, in ploughing a spot in his field, where 
the vegetation was ranker than usual, turned up a human skull. 1 On examination, there 
was found a mass of human bones much decayed, among them a skull, transfixed by a 
flint arrowhead, which yet remained in its place. Along with these remains were a large 
number of ancient implements, stone axes, flint arrowheads, etc., but none of them giving 
evidence of intercourse with Europeans . . . . 
I visited 2 the place in 1874. The spot is small, not more than 8 or 10 feet in 
diameter, and as soon as the ground is turned, it will at once be distinguished from the 
surrounding soil, being a loose black mould, containing fragments of bone so decayed 
that they can be crushed between the fingers . . . This pit, if it can be called such, 
is very shallow, being not more than 15 to 20 inches deep. At the bottom I found decayed 
fragments of the birch bark, in which, according to the custom of the ancient Micmaes, 
the dead were laid. Below this was a hard subsoil, which plainly had never been 
disturbed 
One curious fact was manifest in this cemetery, w'hich has not hitherto been noticed 
in connexion with Micmac customs, viz., the use of fire in some way in connexion with 
the dead. Some of the graves give no indication of this, and in one I was able to trace 
the position in which the body had lain, viz., on its side in a crouching posture. But in 
other cases the remains were mixed with ashes, small pieces of charcoal and burnt earth, 
showing the use of fire for some unexplained purpose. In another I found just a quantity 
of ashes with small fragments of burnt bones, none of them an inch long. The whole 
had been carefully buried, and were probably the remains of some captive whom they 
had burned.” 
In another place (c, page 675) he states: 
“I could see no plan of arrangement in the graves. They would be found at dis- 
tances of from 3 to 5 feet apart, and over a space of about 50 feet square, lying to the 
west of a pit. I was not able to find any to the eastward, that is farther away from the 
shore. The graves formed a layer of brown, velvety mould, 2 or 3 inches deep, and con- 
taining fragments of bones. The ground is gently sloping and facing southwestwardly. 
In only one instance could I detect the posture of the body. This one was lying on its 
side, and doubled up. In other instances there were plainly a number together, and 
the bones were so decayed and seemingly so mixed, that I could not trace any order. 
I did not particularly observe, but I think the body lay north and south with the face 
to the west. The graves were shallow, not more than from 9 to 12 inches deep. There 
was no evidence of desiccation. 
In all these cases with a single exception,” 
Patterson (a, page 233, b, page 30) 
“found prehistoric implements, stone axes [probably adzes], knives, arrow and spear 
heads, portions of bone spear heads, small copper knives, with fragments of pottery,’' 
and a broken pipe. He states (a, page 233) that 
“It thus appeared that the people to whom these remains belonged had the practice. . .of 
burying with the dead the implements which they were accustomed to use when in life.” 
1 Afterwards lost, according to Patterson (a), p. 231. 
2 The commencement of Patterson’s archaeological work. Cf. Patterson (a), p, 232. 
