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 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).