American Scenery, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Land, lake, and river illustrations of transatlantic natureWillis, Nathaniel Parker
General
American Scenery, Vol. 1 (of 2): or, Land, lake, and river illustrations of transatlantic nature
Willis, Nathaniel Parker
United States -- Description and travel
double-fortified town: they were the remains of two forts. The first
which he visited, as above, contained about four acres of ground: the
other to which he proceeded, distant from this about two miles, and
situated at the other extremity of the ancient town, enclosed twice that
quantity of ground. The ditch around the former, which he particularly
examined, was about five or six feet deep. A small stream of water and a
high bank circumscribed nearly one-third of the enclosed ground. There
were the traces of six gates, or avenues, round the ditch; and near the
centre a way was dug to the water. The ground on the opposite side of
the water was in some places nearly as high as that on which the fort
was built, which might render this covered way to the water necessary. A
considerable number of large thrifty oaks had grown up within the
enclosed ground, both in and upon the ditch; some of them appeared to be
at least two hundred years old, or more. The ground is of a hard
gravelly kind, intermixed with loam, and more plentifully at the brow of
the hill. In some places, at the bottom of the ditch, Mr. Kirkland ran
his cane a foot or more into the ground, from which circumstance he
concluded that the ditch was much deeper in its original state than it
then appeared to him. Near the northern fortification, which was
situated on high ground, he found the remains of a funeral pile, where
the slain were buried, in a great battle, which will be spoken of
hereafter. The earth was raised about six feet above the common surface,
and betwixt twenty and thirty feet diameter. The bones appeared on the
whole surface of the raised earth, and struck out in many places on the
sides. Pursuing his course towards Buffalo Creek, (his ultimate
destination,) Mr. Kirkland discovered the vestiges of another ancient
fortified town. He does not in his manuscript delineate them, but, from
the course he described, they might be easily ascertained. “Upon these
heights, near the ancient fortified town, the roads part; we left the
path leading to Niagara on our right, and went a course nearly
south-west for Buffalo Creek. After leaving these heights, which
afforded an extensive prospect, we travelled over a fine tract of land
for about six or seven miles; then came to a barren white oak-shrub
plain, and one very remarkable spot of near two hundred acres, and
passed a steep hill on our right, in some places near fifty feet
perpendicular, at the bottom of which is a small lake, affording another
instance of pagan superstition. The old Indians affirm that, formerly, a
demon, in the form of a dragon, resided in this lake, and had frequently
been seen to disgorge balls of liquid fire; and that, to appease his
wrath, many a sacrifice of tobacco had been made at that lake by the
fathers. The barren spot above mentioned is covered with small white
stone, that appears like lime and clay; in some spots, for a
considerable distance, there is no appearance of earth. Notwithstanding
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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