CHAPTER II.
EARTH-WORKS, ENCLOSURES, ETC.
For the sake of convenience and easy reference, the enclosures of earth are arranged
according to counties, and so described. Works which were constructed of palisades simply, without embankments or ditches, do not fall within this arrangement, but will be
described collectively in a separate chapter, under the head of "PALISADED ENCLOSURES."
ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY.
A FEW aboriginal monuments are said to have existed in this county. One or
two of these occurred near Pottsdam; but it is probable they are now nearly, if not
quite, obliterated.
A mound, eight feet in height, still exists on St. Regis Island, in the St. Lawrence River. It is crossed by the boundary line separating the territories of the
United States and Great Britain. It was excavated by Col. Hawkins, of the United States Boundary Commission, in 1818. Near the surface were human bones
in considerable numbers, and in good preservation; but at the base were found
traces of fire, charcoal, burned bones, and fragments of pottery, together with some
stone implements and ornaments.
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Figure 1. Terra Cotta Mask. |
Upon the Canada shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Morrisville in this
county, a singular aboriginal deposit was discovered some years ago, in making
the excavations for the St. Lawrence Canal. The principal facts concerning them
were communicated to the author by Dr. T. Reynolds, of Brockville, C. W., and
are embodied in Vol. I. of the "Smithsonian Contributions to Knowledge," pp.
201, 202. Amongst the relics of copper and other materials discovered at this
spot and described as above, was a small terra cotta mask of very good workmanship. An engraving of the size of the original is herewith presented (Fig. 1). Mr. Reynolds, who has the
relic in his possession, describes it as follows: "It is
of clay, and represents the contour of the Indian head,
after which it appears to have been moulded. It corresponds very nearly in shape with the skulls discovered at the same place, and the foramina, or holes found
in the skull, are well represented,—showing that it was
modelled to resemble the bony structure of the head,
not the flesh or living subject. It seems to have been
broken off from some idol or image."
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