Evening star., 1928-03-18
sFomd Area aOH
Mode eofLn Deerbab Capt. John

| from the waters of A,hamarle Sound
! TO the Potomac. and probably also the
| basin of the Patuxent, although the
! Maryland branch. at least after the
death of Powhatan. appears to have
! had but slight connection with the
main body,
Their principal location. according to
S. V. Proudtit, an authority on the
Rborigines of the lower Potomac, seems
10 have been about due cast of the
Capitol. for the fields at this point give
greater evidence of occupation than
most others. though indications OF IN
dian occupation have been found at
nearly all points Of the valley.
1t should be noted that the dwellings
were in most cases close to the bank
of the stream. A line drawn parallel
with the shore and 500 feet distant
would include the greater part OF the
houses
Within the area thus indicated may
be found today every variety of stone
implement common to the North
American Indian-arrowheads, spear
heads. knives. drills, perforators. scrap
ers, SinkerS, polished axes, sharpening
stones. pipes. slate tablets, pestleS, NOR
tarS, cup stones. hammer stones. as
well as that rude ax-Shaped imple-
yet TO receive a name. Associated with
these. and forming no inconSiderable
part OF the remains. are found part
ly worked implementS-Some broken,
others worked into the first rude forms
of the arrowhead or knife and then
abandoned. and, abounoing everywhere,
flakes. clips and pebbles Of quartz and
Quartzite having but chip or two
struck from the original surface.
The fields have been under cultiva-
ton for many years. and are regularly
visited by local collectors. yet there are
today places fairly strewn with wreck
of the old village life
Il i X T.
CAPT JOHN SMITH. whose life was
- saved by PocahontaS--so he said
and who is credited with visiting these
Indians in 1908. has this to say of their
mode of living Their houses are in
the midst of their fields or gardens.
which are small plots of grounds, some
20 tacresl, some 40 some 100. some
more, some less: sometimes from to
100 of these houses together. and but
little separated by groves OF trees. Near
their habitations is but little small wood
or old trees ON the ground. by reason
Of their burning Of them for fire."
UNSupaCu tttC
eastern bank Of the Anacostia River,
from Giesboro Point on the south to
within short distance Of Bladensburg
on the north succession Of them,
as 1t were. at short intervals and at
points convenient to the river.
This was not very large community
as Smith tells us: And lastly, Ma
cotchtanke. with 30 able men. The
river 10 miles above this place maketh
its passage down q low. pleasant val
lev. overShadowing in mamie places
with high. rocky mountains, from
whence distil innumerable sweet and
pleasant springs"
On Smiths way up the Potomac ne
met "a show OF hostility at several
places" as he puts 1t, but at Moya-
ones. Nacotchtant. and Toags. the peo-
pie did their best to content U.s." The
Moyaones were about on the eastern
side Of the Potomac. opposite Mount
about II miles below Washington. on
the Mount Vernon or Virginia eide.
The Eacotchtanks and kindred tribes
Of this vicinity were usually kept be-
tween the devil and the deep sea. living
In constant dread. as 1t were, OF the
Susquehannocks and .other TroQuois
tribes from the North. OF the depreda-
tons Of the Cherokees from the South,
and the encroachments of the colon:sts
on the East. their incursions ultimately
almost resulting In the annihilation of
Poor Lo A few OF the remnants Of the
Tauxenents, whose principal village was
near Mount Vernon. Joined the survivors
OF the Virginia Powhatans. and retired
10 the Pamunkey River.
The only treaties with the indians
bearing on events in this locality. which
would at all At In with the Widows
Mite legend. was one made In 1662
when the Susquehannocks successfully
fought for a while the whites and In
dams of the lower Potomac and Pa