Massachusetts spy and Worcester advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1823-1825, 1825-04-20
atsceIIaMD.
Iumui near the Falls of .Nriognra.

1amui near the Falls of Niagara.
By Maj. A. F. Macintosh of the British Army.
About three miles from the Falls of
Niagara, near the house of Sir P. Matt
land, there is range of rising ground.
commanding an extensive view of Lake
Ontario and the surrounding country.
which is for the mos, part in this yicin-
ity covered with wood.
On the most elevated part of this
ridge, which is now called Mount Dor
chester, two years ago. a large oak tree,
measuring at the base five feet in cir
conference, was blown down, and an
opening made in the soil by the roots
Of the tree being torn from The earth.
which exposed to view quantity of hui
man bones The person who discover
ed that the accident had happened,
caused an excavation of about ten feet
in diameter to be made, and found
deep stratum of human bones regularly
disposed, and forming vast number of
perfect skeletons. The wrist bones of
many of the skeletons had species of
armlets upon them; the head OF "A tom
ahawk, several Indian pipes, beads, and
ornaments, were also found inferred
amongst the skeletons and the con-
lecture suggested by the discovery is,
that the remains in question are those
of some of the aboriginal inhabitants of
the country, who had fallen in some Sans
culinary conflict on the spot, and found
their graves upon the field of battle.
The most interesting part of the dis
covery, however, consists in the circum-.
stance of many large conch shells,
some of them bored so as 10 be used as
rude kind of musical instrument, hav-
ing been found disposed under the heads
of several skeletons. Several frag-
ments of shells were also found near
the upper parts of the bodies, and seem
to have been worn upon the shoulders &
arms, either as armour, or for the pur-
pose of ornaments, as they were per-
forated with holes, which were proha-
bly, intended TO put fastenings into to
secure them upon the person. | was
assured that these shells were of a
species which is only found on the
western coast Of America, and on the
shores of the neighboring islands With
in the Tropics. On seeing the shells.
| Immediately recollected that, in the
museum at N. York, there is dress
which belonged TO the son of the King
of Owhyhee, which was brought to
Europe originally by one of Captain
Cooks vesseles and that upon the same
dress there is conch she'll of the same
species as the Niagara ones, which
forms very conspicuous ornament.
Does not an investigation of this sub
ject promise to throw some light on the
history of the original population of the
American continents, aHd the Islands Of
the Pacific?
The spot where these remains were
found, bears every appearance Of hav4
ing been an. Indian encampment. The
ground on the side of the lake, which
is distant about seven miles, seems to
have been rendered steep by artificial
means ; and Mr.. Rorbach. who frss
discovered the bones, says, that when
the ground is freed from the leaves Of
trees, which are every where strewed
over it in great thickness, that holes,
resembling the marks of pickets, may
be seen surrounding the space Of sew
eral acres. We should hence infer, that
those warriors who have fought with the
tomahawk, and who used shells as nlu.
steal instruments, and as defensive arr
mour, were not ignorant of the art of
war, so far as the construction of an ex-
iensive encampment, defended by works
possessing some pretensions to regular
fertilization, goes.
could not help regretting that the
tumuli of Niagara had not been inspect4
ed by some of those literary characters
who have exhibited so much learning
and brought to light so much interest
ing and curious knowledge in their
treatises upon the harrows and tumuli OF
Europe, Asia and Africa, as undoubt-
eddy those at Niagara, when taken To-
gether, with the remains of similar
character, which Baron Humboldt de-
scribes az existing in Mexico, might be
the means of throwing light upon &c.
riod of the history Of the world, where
records entirely fail us, and which seem
buried in the darkness Of The most rg-
mote sniiquity,