256 TRAVELS THROUGH UPPER CANADA i 
just as the Creeks abovementioned were going 
to Philadelphia, were observed, ail on a sudden* 
to quit the straight road by which they were 
proceeding, and without asking any questions* 
to strike through the woods in a direct line to 
one of these graves, which lay at the distance 
of some miles from the road. Now very near a 
century must have passed over since the part 
of Virginia, in which this grave was situated* 
had been inhabited by Indians; and these In¬ 
dian travellers, who went to visit it by them¬ 
selves, had, unquestionably, never been in that 
part of the country before; they must have 
found their way to it simply from the descrip- 
lion of its situation that had been handed 
down to them by tradition. 
The Indians, for the most part, are admi¬ 
rably well acquainted with the geography of 
their own country. Ask them any questions 
relative to the situation of a particular place in 
it, and if there be a convenient spot at hand, 
they will, with the utmost facility, trace upon 
the ground with a stick a map, by no means 
inaccurate, of the place in question, and the 
surrounding country; they will point out the 
course of the rivers, and by directing your at¬ 
tention to the sun, make you acquainted with 
t)ie different bearings. I happened once to be 
sitting in a house at the western extremity of 
Lake Erie, whilst we were detained there by 
