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level traril-s of Blagden's, above the quarry. This village 
site was discovered by the speaker when the war gardens bared 
the soil undisturbed by the plow for more than a century. 
The river life of the Potomac in 1608 must have 
been very interesting. John Smith tells of divers savages 
in canoes, well laden with the flesh of bears, deer, and 
other beasts. Some of these dug out canoes are in the Potomac 
mud no doubt now. There were many places to paddle not open 
today. Boats could move about freely where the new Government 
buildings are going up, and the Eastern Branch was a great 
river 300 years ago. 
At night reflected in the undulating Potomac were 
the lights of the torches of fishermen and over the smouldering 
fires of the primitive gridirons the catch was smoked for the 
• , f 
winter. Down the river and around the coast went canoes 
filled with furs, meat, and corn for aboriginal trade. 
Land trails also centered in the District, leading 
to the Susquehanna and on to the West. Braddock used an old 
trail to Cumberland worn deeply in old times by Indians in 
moccasins. Railroads must follow these old trails in another 
day, giving little thanks to the native road builders. 
Sometimes among the debris of lost villages one 
comes upon a bit of fashioned soapstone, a shard of an ancient 
vessel. Thin, smooth, and well formed, this bit shows the 
skill of the Indians of the District of Columbia. Not 
satisfied with determining the size and shape of a soapstone 
pot from a fragment. Dr. Holmes sought out the places where 
