Crossed the river -- turned to the east ; in about half a mile came to the old fort ; examined it, and found myself lost in conjectures. Rode 4 miles to M^. Hockley's on the North branch. This is about 4 miles above the junction of the 2 branches -- about 4 1 miles from Ontario. This is as fine a tract of country as I think I ever saw. It is heavy timbered ; but the land is as rich as land can be. This is a rich country from here to the Black river. This town, and undoubtedly all this country, has been, in some ancient period, thickly inhabited. In many places there are evident marks of houses having stood as thick as to join eacli other. The remains of old fire-places built of stones -- wells evidently dug and stoned, to a considerable depth • and the remains of old forts and entrenchments, -- are all evidences of this fact. The fort on the south branch is ploughed, and the old fire-places appear to have been about two rods apart, thro'out the whole. The earthenware of a peculiar structure, and of singular materials, is scattered over the ground. The point of a steel sword -- 2 edges-- about 1 foot I long, was found last spring in ploughing in the fort. The fortification is regularly built with

1140 MISSIONARY TOUR THROUGH THE

5 sides, and 5 gateways -- is about 20 rods from the river -- ^npon the N. bank ; 1400 or 1500 rods to the North-East. Near the North branch, is another Fort ; West of which 150 or 200 rods there is an intrenchment lately found, half a mile in length, in a straight line -- and also a breastwork. 2^ north of this, is another fort, regularly built, containing about 10 acres.