The paged version of this document contained the following header content in the margin: 192 May.
informed by the officers that in their several perambulations, the like appearances had preſented themſelves ſo repeatedly, and in ſuch abundance, as to produce an idea that the environs of Port Diſcovery were a general cemetery for the whole of the ſurrounding country. Notwithſtanding theſe circumſtances do not amount to a direct proof of the extenſive population they indicate, yet, when combined with other appearances, they warranted an opinion, that at no very remote period this country had been far more populous than at preſent. Some of tin; human bodies were found diſpoſed of in a very ſingular manner. Canoes were ſuſpended between two or more trees about twelve feet from the ground, in which were the ſkeletons of two or three perſons; others of a larger ſize were hauled up into the outſkirts of the woods, which contained from four to ſeven ſkeletons covered over with a broad plank. In ſome of theſe broken bows and arrows were found, which at firſt gave riſe to a conjecture, that theſe might have been warriors, who alter being mortally wounded had, whilſt their ſtreiigth remained, hauled up their canoe for the purpoſe of expiring quietly in them. But on a further examination this became improbable, as it would hardly have been poſſible to have preſerved the regularity of poſition in the agonies of death, or to have defended their ſepulchres with the broad plank with which each was covered. The few ſleletons we ſaw fſ carefully depoſited in the canoes, were probably the chiefs, prieſts, or leaders of particular tribes, whoſe fol- lowers moſt likely continue to poſſeſs the higheſt reſfpcft for their memory and remains: and the general knowledge I had obtained from experience of the regard which all ſavage nations pay to their funeral ſolemnities, made me particularly ſolicitous to prevent any indignity which might be wantonly offered to their departed friends. Baſkets were alſo found ſuſpended on high trees, each containing the ſkeleton of a young child; in ſome of which were alſo ſmall ſquare boxes filled with a kind of white paſte, reſembling ſuch as I had ſeen the natives eat, ſuppoſed to be made of the ſaranne root; ſome of theſe boxes were quite full, others were nearly empty, eaten probably by the mice, ſquirreld, orbirds.
