dead, renders their ancient grave yards, barrows
and moundsthe principal repositories of these
arts. They arc, in effect,* so ; many museums of
antiquity.
The field for this species of observation is so
large and attractive to the antiquarian, that ifar
more time than was at my command, would
be required to cultivate it. Early in the. year
1845, Mr. Joshua Y. H. Clark visited some of
the principal* scenes mentioned. Subsequently,
at my suggestion and solicitation, he revisited
the same localities, and extended his inquiries
to oth%b of an interesting character; in the
county of Onondaga, ' description's bf which are
presented in a subsequent part o'f this work.- * jj
ANCIENT FORTIFICATION' OF &S$%* ,
The éminence'called Fort Hill, in the southwestern
sÊltts of the village of - Auburn, has attracted
notice from the earliest times. • Its height
is such as to render it a very commanding spot,
* This ancient name for the site^oflAn.hnrtt,‘was1commifni-
catedto toé by' thé intelligent Onondaga, Taht-'kdï t" IS&;’or.
Abraham Le'Fjarti' It-ls' deScrirftive of''the-ijbtif or crowing
place,-which'anciently existed abovelhe falls, near1:tlraS»'®; pf
the present tulnpike bridgé. This was crossed by1 -stepping
stones, &c. The barks,. tyhic|ï ton.de a part of a rüdédoedipn
bridge, wrerej &t. the .time the, name was bestowed, pearly
Overflowed ; |Be crossing was very dangerous, as itjva$ ju&t
above the brink of the ‘falls, anditjwas an act-df* daring to
pass over, The name bestowediât this time became perpétuai, '
although therë may have been but littlë dangér in crossing
afterwards. >
and crowned, as it was, with n pentagessimal
work,; earthern ramparts and palisades of entire
efficacy against; Indian missiles* it must have
been an impregnable stronghold during the periods
of their early intestine wars. The following
diagram, drawn by James H. Bostwick,
surveyor, and obligingly- furnished by S. A.
Goodwin,’ dimensions :|
The site of this work is the highest land in
the vicinity, and a visit to it affords one of the
best andjnost varied views of the valley of the
Gwasco, and the thriving and beautiful inland
town of Auburn, with Its public buildings, prill
.26 '