316 TRAVELS' THROUGH UPPER CANADA: 
After having passed over a great number of 
these plains of different sizes, we entered once 
more into the thick woods: but the country 
here appeared much more diversified with 
rising grounds than it was in any part we had 
already traversed. As we were ascending to 
the top of a small eminence in the thickest 
part of these woods, towards the close of our 
second day’s journey, our Indian chief, China - 
breast-plate , who received that name in conse¬ 
quence of his having worn in the American 
war a thick china dish as an ornament on his 
breast, made a sign to us to follow him to the 
left of the path. We did so, and having pro¬ 
ceeded for a few yards, suddenly found our¬ 
selves on the margin of a deep extensive pit, 
not unlike an exhausted quarry, that had lain 
neglected for many vears. The area of it con¬ 
tained about two acres, and it approached to a 
circular form ; the sides were extremely steep, 
and seemed in no place to be less than forty 
feet high; in some parts they were consider¬ 
ably higher. Near the center of the place 
was a large pond, and round the edges of it, as 
well as round the bottom of the precipice, 
grew several very lofty pines. The walls of 
the precipice consisted of a whitish substance 
not unlike lime-stone half calcined, and round 
the margin of the pit, at top, lay several heaps 
of loose matter resembling lime-rubbish. 
