Pre-Colombian Jamaica: Caribbean Archeology and Ethnohistory

Aboriginal Indian Remains in Jamaica by J. E. Duerden / 221
length, the ascent being easily made in an hour. At present the way is being considerably
improved for a driving road, but previously the climb must have been
rugged and somewhat difficult to make.
The hill is steep on the south side facing the sea, on its northern aspect it
has a gradual descent, and is more rugged, the limestone being much honeycombed
in places. No caves, however, are known to occur in the immediate
neighbourhood. Much further to the north are seen the higher elevations of the
Blue Mountain Range. The elongated top of the Long Mountain is in places
flat, and the view from it all around is one of exceptional extent and beauty.
To the west can be seen the details of the Liguanea Plain, with Kingston to its
southeast; beyond this, the whole extent of Kingston Harbour, the Palisadoes,
and the sea and coast line for miles around.
Surrounding the residence, Weireka, recently built on the top, are to be
found extensive accumulations of shells, bones, fragments of pottery, ashes, etc.
Some are raised above the general surface of the ground, but others are more irregularly
scattered.
On the plateau they are seen, more or less washed out at the surface, over
an extent equal to about an acre. The principal mounds are immediately behind
the house. A section through one showed an accumulation of light grey
ashes to a depth of about eighteen inches, then a layer of brownish marl of six
inches thickness, and ashes again for a few inches, before coming to the solid
rock below. Shells were thickly distributed throughout. In another spot remains
were found to a depth of three [13] feet, in others again to only a few
inches. Many loose marine shells occur for some distance down each side of
the hill, having evidently been washed from the top by the rains. Deposits have
also been noted scattered over numerous spots on the less elevated portions of
the mountain. The accumulations as a whole are very loose. A small pond with
dirty water, found on the lower part of the north side, is, as far as could be gathered,
the only source of water, the residents at Weireka have to depend for their
supply upon the rain water collected from the roofs of the buildings.
Shells. The shells are characterized by an abundance of species, including a
number of forms not usually met with elsewhere.
Of the Gastropods, Strombus pugilis is the most abundant, and many are
perforated; Nerita antillarum and N. versicolor, and the brackish Neritina virginea
are common, the latter retaining much of its original colour markings;
nearly all the shells of Pyrula melongena have large perforations; the terrestrial
Helix acuta is represented by numerous examples, but was evidently not so important
an article of food in this locality as the var. patina was on the north side;
Murex pomum and M. brevifrons are not rare.
The five species of ark shells, Arca noae, A. occidentalis, A. orbignyi, A. deshayesi,
and A. scapha, are the most abundant of the bivalves. The two halves are