1792. birds. On the next low point fouth of our encampment, where the
J 1 gunners were airing the powder, they met with feveral holes in which
human bodies were interred flightly covered over, and in different Hates
o f decay, fome appearing to have been very recently depofited.
About half a mile to the northward o f our tents, where the land is
nearly level with high water mark, a few paces within the fkirting of the
wood, a canoe was found fufpended between two trees, in which were
three human fkeletons ; and a few paces to the right was a cleared place
o f nearly forty yards round; where from the frefh appearance of the
burnt flumps mofl of its vegetable produftions had very lately been con-
fumed by fire. Amongfl the afhes we found the fculls, and other bones,
of near twenty perfons in different flages o f calcination; the fire, however,
had not reached the fufpended canoe, nor did it appear to have
been intended that it fhould. The fkeletons found thus difpofed, in
canoes, or in bafkets, bore a very fmall proportion to the number of
fculls and other human bones indifcriminately fcattered about the fhores.
Such are the effefts ; but of the caufe or caufes that have operated to
produce them we remained totally unacquainted ; whether occafioned by
epidemic difeafe, or recent wars. The character and general deportment
of the few inhabitants we occasionally faw, by no means countenanced
the latter opinion; they were uniformly civil and friendly, without
manifefting the leaf! fign of fear or fufpicion at our approach; nor
did their appearance indicate their having been much inured to hoftili-
ties. Several of their floutefl men had been feen perfectly naked, and
contrary to what might have been expelled of rude nations habituated
to warfare, their fkins were moflly unblemifhed by fears, excepting fueh
as the fmall pox feemed to have occafioned; a difeafe which there is
great reafon to believe is very fatal amongfl them. It is not however
very eafy to draw any juft conclufions on the true caufe from which this
havoc of the human race proceeded, which muft remain for the invefti-
gation o f others who may have more leifure, and a better opportunity,
to direft fuch an inquiry: yet it may not be unreafona-ble to conjecture,
that the prefent apparent depopulation may have arifen in fome
meafure
meafure from the inhabitants of this interior part having been induced
to quit their former abode, and to have moved nearer the exterior
coaft for the convenience of obtaining in the immediate mart, with
more eafe and at a cheaper rate, thofe valuable articles of commerce,
that within thefe late years have been brought to the fea coafts of this
continent by Europeans and the citizens of America, and which are
in great eftimation amongfl thefe people, being pofiefied b y all in a
greater or lefs degree.
V ol. I. ■ L I CH A P T E R