At this favored place, sheltered from the west winds, provided with abundant water and nearby access to the river, the unfailing signs of Indian residence were found in masses of oyster-shells "abundantly strewn over the hill on the western side of the lake."

Modern excavations on the line of Pearl street reached these old shell-beds, indicating the existence of a native station situated about the line of that street, where it passes through the one-time Kolch hill on its way to join Broadway.

There were peculiar advantages for Indian residence in this situation, which become evident on examination of its original features. These have been brought

AND MONOGRAPHS

INDIAN PATHS

together in the accompanying Map II. The outlines of the ponds as related to our present street system, are preserved in the map by John Hutchings, 1846, which accompanied the description of the experiments of John Fitch with his steampropelled boat in 1793. 3

The surrounding contours are redrawn from the survey of 1766 by Lieut. B. Ratzer (see Map II). Such a combination of fresh-water supply and of shelter from the northwesterly gales of the winter season, with a natural grade for its drainage, as existed on the west side of the little lakes, would today invite the exploration of the expert investigator, who would confidently expect, on the removal of the surface of turf and leaves, to find the familiar shells and carbonized debris that proclaim aboriginal occupancy.

The position of native lodges and firepits would be predicted almost certainly on the west bank of the lake, on which side alone no marshy fringe existed, and at that point where shell-beds were present there must undoubtedly have been a number