Privately printed for the writer by
Alphonse Pelletier
Printer to the Numismatic and Antiquarian Society of Montreal
1898
The above title is provisional as respects the term "Hochelagan." All
those who are interested in the Indians of old Hochelaga, or in the
Mohawks with whom they seem to have had a close and not yet fully
ascertained race relationship, will be pleased to learn of the
discovery of a prehistoric burying-ground which is probably one of
their race, the only one heretofore known having been on the borders
of their town itself, about upper Metcalfe street, Montreal. The new
one is on the upper level (not the top) of Westmount, which is the
south-western prolongation of Mount Royal, and the four or five graves
thus far found are scattered at considerable intervals over an an
area of about 600 by 300 yards, nearly bounded by Argyle, Montrose
and Aberdeen Avenues and the Boulevard, three of the graves being a
little outside of these limits. A number of years ago a skeleton was
discovered, near the surface, on the cutting of Argyle Avenue on about
a westerly line from the residence of Mr. Earle. As the remains were
rumored to be possibly Indian, Mr. Earle secured the skull, which
had been used as a football by boys, some of the teeth, which had
originally been complete in number, being thus lost. This head is
identical in form with those last found. Roots of grass interlaced
in it show the lightness of the covering. On another occasion many
years ago, a skeleton was found, also lightly buried, and with the
knees drawn up, just east of the residence of Mr. John Macfarlane
on Montrose Avenue, during the digging of a flower-bed. It was over
six feet long. After being exposed for a few days it was re-interred
in the same spot by order of Mr. Macfarlane, and could doubtless
be obtained for examination if desirable. At a later period, the
gardener, Mr. Latter, who had found the Macfarlane skeleton, dug up
and re-interred another just within the bounds of his own property
adjoining the head of Aberdeen Avenue opposite the St. George's
Snowshoe Club-house. On the 22nd of July last (1898) a gardener
excavating in the St. George's Club-house grounds found three
skeletons interred at a depth of from two to two and a half feet and
with knees drawn up. A report of the find was made to the Chief
of Police of Westmount and to Mr. J. Stevenson Brown, and Mr. A.S.
Wheeler, respectively President and Vice-President of the St. George's
Club, the former being also an ex Vice-President of the Natural
History Society. They examined the spot and remains, Mr. Brown
concluding them to be probably Indian from the prominent cheek bones
and large mouths. Having just been paying some attention to the
archaeology of the Iroquois, which had been taken me on a flying trip
to their former country in the State of New-York, I, on seeing in a
newspaper at the seaside, a short item concerning the skeletons, was
immediately interested, and especially in the possibility of their
being Hochelagans, and having particularly commenced some inquiries
into the relations between the latter Indians and the Mohawks, I
wrote, as Chairman of Health of Westmount, asking Chief Harrison to
note the manner and attitude of burial and any objects found, and to
enquire concerning previous excavations in the neighborhood and save
the remains for scientific purposes. (They had been sent by him to the
City Morgue.) The above information concerning the previous skeletons
was then collected and I found that the witnesses concurred in
agreeing that the attitude seems to have been in all cases with
knees bent up. No objects seem to have been noticed in any of the
excavations then made, though some may have been overlooked by the
workmen, particularly as the soil of the locality is full of pieces of
limestone and small boulders, closely resembling arrow heads, hammers
and celts. Several bones which are not human have however been since
found with these three skeletons, one possibly of a dog, another of
a squirrel. They may be those of the funeral feast Sir William Dawson
mentions in his work "Fossil Men," as usually to be looked for over
the Hochelagan graves.
Mr. Beauchamp, the New-York authority, writes concerning the Mohawks;
"Burial customs varied greatly among the same people, but usually the
knees are drawn up. The face might be turned either way in contiguous
graves. I have seen many opened with no articles in them." By the
kindness of Dr. Wyatt Johnston, Pathologist to the Provincial Board
of Health, the three skeletons have been preserved and are now in
the Chateau de Ramezay Historical Museum where they will doubtless
be regarded with interest by scholars. The skulls have been fully
identified as of the Indian type, and found to be those of two
powerful males in the prime of life and one young woman. The skull
in possession of Mr. Earl is doubtless of the same race. Some large
stones were found placed above the bodies, and also a number of
naturally flat stones which appear to have been used as scoops to
excavate. The plateau where the remains were found is about half way
up the side of the "Mountain" or hill, as it more properly is, the
total height being only about 700 feet. The plateau slopes somewhat
and looks towards the south-east, and being protected by the hill
behind it from prevailing winds, and having a good light soil,
constitutes a very favorable situation for the growth of the Indian
crops of corn and beans. The Mountain being an isolated rise in the
great plain of the St. Lawrence, the plateau was also most favorably
placed for look-out and defence. A hundred yards or so to the west is
a fine perennial spring, and a short distance further is another which
has always been known as "the old Indian Well," having been a resort
of Indians at a later period. Only a few spots on the plateau have
so far been excavated; but with approaching improvements I have no
doubt that other graves will soon be found. The ground to the west,
in the neighborhood of the two perennial springs, has in particular,
never been much disturbed. If therefore, as on the site of the old
Hochelaga, this burying-ground is on the out skirts of a town site,
relics of a much more interesting character may be looked for in
the undisturbed neighborhood just referred to, the Raynes and Murray
farms, and those on, the southern slope of the Mountain.
Should a town-site be fortunately discovered I have no doubt that
progressive Westmount will see to proper care being taken in the
matter. Such a town would likely be older than Hochelaga and thus
afford a fresh step in tracing the record of this mysterious people.
Such towns were frequently moved, when the soil or supply of wood gave
out, or disease or enemies made removal imperative. As to the remains
already unearthed being prehistoric, there can be no doubt. The Island
was deserted after the destruction of Hochelaga by the Hurons about
1560. The next Indian inhabitants were Catholic converts and therefore
were buried at full length in a consecrated Christian ground.
The village of the converts was at the Old Towers of the Fort des
Messieurs, some quarter of a mile eastward of the plateau referred to.
In tracing back the history of the land in which these discoveries
have been made, we learn from the _terrier_ or land book of the
Seminary of St. Sulpice, that it was conceded about 1708, and that it
has ever since remained in private hands. Had the site been known as
a burial place, even years previous to that date, it is altogether
unlikely that such a concession would have been made; especially as
there was abundance of unoccupied land in the vicinity. The faint
doubt which arose as to whether the interments were made subsequently
to the founding of Montreal, is therefore eliminated. The authorities
of the Seminary, who conceded the land, state not only that they have
no record of a burying-ground there, but agree with me that the space
covered is too large, to be consecrated ground, as it would be in
Christian times, and they also state that the burials of the mission
of the Mountain where the Montreal Indian converts lived, were made
chiefly at the cemeteries of Montreal and were very few. These
Indians had originally been assembled around Ville Marie but were
removed to the Fort des Messieurs where Montreal College stands in
1662, and thence, towards the beginning of the 18th century, to
Sault-au-Recollet and in 1717 to Oka. The method of burial, also, is
not Christian, but pagan, and similar in every respect to early Mohawk
burials.
On Saturday the 10th September, 1898, I went with two laborers granted
by the Town of Westmount to the excavation on the club house grounds,
and choosing a spot on its edge cut a short trench some two feet deep.
About ten feet southward of the three skeletons previously found, this
trench revealed two large stones placed in the form of a reversed V,
clearly in order, as it afterwards appeared, to partly cover a body.
On raising these, a skeleton was found of a tall young man laid on the
hard-pan, on his right side, with face down, head towards the west,
knees drawn up, and covered with the mealy dry whitish earth of the
locality, to a depth of about two and a half feet. Mr. Earl assisted
in carefully uncovering the remains, of which Mr. Charles J. Brown
then took two excellent protographs in situ. The form of skull was
similar to the others, the teeth fine and perfect except a grinder
which had been lost years before. One armbone showed that it had once
been broken and healed again. No objects were found, though the search
was very careful. On the 17th, the excavations were continued in the
hope of finding objects of value to science. On this occasion there
was present, besides the writer Mr. Earl, Mr. C.J. Brown, Mr. Wheeler
and others and Mr. R.W. McLachlan, one of the excavators of old
Hochelaga. About four or five feet north of the grave last-mentioned,
large stones were again struck and on being lifted, the skeleton
of a young girl was unearthed whose wisdom teeth had just begun to
appear in the jaw. The large bone of her upper left arm had at one
time been broken near the shoulder. Her slender skeleton was in the
same crouching position as the others but much more closely bunched
together; the top of the head was laid towards the north and looking
partly downwards. Above her were found several flat stones which
may have been used as scoops for the excavation. Under her neck was
discovered the first manufactured object found, a single rude bead of
white wampum of the prehistoric form, and which is now deposited in
the Chateau de Ramezay. As white wampum was the gift of a lover, this
sole ornament tells the pathetic story of early love and death. Mr.
Chas. J. Brown again protographed the remains in situ. The work will
still proceed and no doubt more important discoveries are yet to be
made.
Montreal, September 20th, 1898.