New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-01-03

the work upon one side steep but not more than ten
feet in hight. Upon the brow Of this bank when the
stream approaches the work the entrenchmen
il n,errtpted and the slope toward the water Il more
gentle than elsewhere-indcaiing an artificial grade
The ulsn ohvia,es the necessity for detailed descrp
ton The entertainments will now probably measure
x feet In average hight from the bottom OF the trench
In the part of the work under cultivation II - easy u
trace the sncent lodges Here too Is 10 be found the
uning suppy OF broken pottery At the sides OF the
principal gateway Al leading into the enclosure from
he East ! was informed by an intelligent aged gen
teman who among the earliest settlers IN THIS re-
sou that traces of osken palisades were found upon
excavation, some thirty years ago. Iney were OF
course almost entirely decsyed / mention the cir
stance merely observing that there can De no poe
.ibiy of sn intentional mistake IN the part OF my in
formsnt. This work visited by Kirkland Mission
srv 10 the senecas in l7ss. tie regarded IL as pos
sessinc the highest antiquity, whence we may nieE
the were no traces OF recent occupation visible Al that
period.
lsres enclosure but which 10 now entirely destroyed
II was called the hone Fort from the Circumstance
that he early settlers found within i mound sN iee
in hight BY thirty feet base which was entifey MADE
up et human bones, slightly covered with earth
lew fragments OF these bones, scattered over the sur
lace alone mark the site OF the aboriginal sepuehre
The popular opinion 70 the origin ol this accumulation
. thai n contained the bones of the slain thus hehped
together alter some severe battle. | have, however
found quite a number OF similar bone mounds seal
tered ri intervals through the western Counties and
are convinced hs, they owe their origin 10 pfaeuee
common % of the north western tribes OF saihr
Ing together fixed intervals. the bones OF their dead
"A practice which il minuiely described oy braoeul
Charevoix and other early writers his ceremony
which ChsrleyoiN pronounces the most curious and
important Of all connected win the indian rrl.lon
took place among the Hurons and lro4uols once 10
every eight yeGrs snd was called the ftsta g nc
DEAD Upon this occasion. the families which had ost
any OF their members during the preceding period Of
eight years collected their bones, snd Win mlch eefe
mony brought them - place previously desisnaIel
when pin trench eNcayated IN which iney were
F.A FEsHu
during which time there were professions. games,
songs and dances. Sometimes presents were made
- the dead. and utensils OF various kinds, ornaments
and weapons were deposited Win The bones IN some
AT these pits recently discovered near PentAnqueshlne
e. W these presents for the desd were iound AZ
ranged AZ the bottom Of the pit In the form Of cross
We can discover u this arrAng cement the influence
which the Jesuit. exercised upon the customs Of the
sborsnes and which may be traced In various cid guar
modihc Of their religious notions aad ceremonies
Several OF these bone pits fell under my nonce N
his state one exists near the village Of BROWNSVILLE,
Ie.rson County and several % be found IN Gene
see Orleans, Niagara and Erie Counties In some n
stances the bones appear 10 have been deposited Win
some degree Of regularity n oiters promise lo1s.y
1901 together one Of these pits. discovered few
ve.r. $50 in the town OF Cambria Nsgsrs County was
estimated 10 contain several thousand skeletons An
other which visited in Clsrenee TOWNSHIP hrie Oouh
~ contained not less than 400 skeletons 80
The Festival Of the Dead was observed ~ The no
rdisn tribes Of Indians but the period OF rs occur
renee varied With them the bones were Arranged 10
LAYERS alternately Win efoeits
10 FUNDS Ills not unlikely that this practice was ioi
owed - some extent By the Northern Indians and
,bs, the bone mounds already mentioned owe TO
4 their origin. ~
There are a few mounds In this state which mo d
clearly sspulchrAl differ materially from those soove
| referred TO They generally occur upon eominsnalns
~ -,uarksble positions Most Of them have been eN
cavsed under the impulse OF An idle curiosity or nsTe
had their contents scattered by money cigser'
ghosiv rsca Of WHICH singuarly enough, even . ~
day representatives may be found IN almost every W
lace I Was fortunate enough 10 discover EiSIhn
upon TonnewsndA Island In Nisssrs River ~n,cn -
escaped their midnight attentions. IL was orlslnsy
scout ffteen feet In hight. At the BASE sppssa :.
s.vs hesn circle Of stones perhaps ter eet N dam
s,er within which were several small heaps Of 0on''