There remain two other weapons figured above, d and m, characterized by the deep square serrations. These are formed of obsidian and are from California, to which State they appear to be confined. In a Californian magazine, The Land of Sunshine (Oct. 1899), Mr. H. C. Meredith gives figures of a number of very remarkable forms of these deeply serrated obsidian weapons, some curved like a broad bladed knife, others shaped like an Australian boomerang, while some are bent at right angles. They are about two or three inches long, with one end formed to be fastened to a handle, and would then be a very formidable weapon to throw in an enemy's face. There are also some fine obsidian spearheads, four and a half inches long. Mr. Barr, of Stockton, has a very fine collection of these obsidian weapons of varied shapes, especially the curious “curves.” They have been found only in the central valley of California.

From these we pass to more perfectly formed barbed arrow and spear-heads, such as the three examples in Fig. 8, the exceedingly broad and delicate type on the right being from California. These very small arrow-heads are often formed of agate, jasper, cornelian or other gem-like stones.

Among the very interesting

a

d

e

FIG. 8.

f

forms of arrow-head are those represented in Fig. 9, in which the two faces are bevelled off on opposite sides, so as to produce the effect of a slight screw or twist. In some cases the whole arrow-head appears to be twisted, probably owing to favourable grain in the stone. These specimens have been found in the ancient mounds of Wisconsin, Ohio, Georgia, and Alabama, and seem to have been designed for the purpose of giving a rotation to the arrow about its axis, thus counteracting any slight curvature in the shaft and producing a straighter flight.

The next set shown in Fig. 10 are flat and finely chipped tools of uncertain use. The upper one, a, was of a black flinty material from Oregon and was fourteen inches long,

but there was a still slenderer one of the same type that was no less than two feet long. The others, b and c,

were probably the heads of ceremonial spears and were also from a foot to two feet long. They were found in California.

Fig. 11 shows a series of flat discs of flint or shale of

various round oval or elongate shapes, perhaps used in some game.

The set of seven articles in Fig. 12 have the common feature of being nearly circular in section, and having a constriction at one end or projection at both ends, so as to facilitate suspension by a string. They are very numerous,

Numbers of flat flint hoes have been found of consider

able size, having a projection like that of the best-formed arrow-heads for fastening to a handle; and some of these have the outer edge highly polished, evidently by use as a

FIG. 13.

hoe in fine alluvial soil. Fig. 14, b, shows one of these hoes or spades about fifteen inches long with a hole near the base evidently for the purpose of tying it more firmly to the handle ; while Fig. 13 is a curious tool notched on each side at the base, perhaps for the purpose of cutting through roots, and with a long projection, giving a very firm attachment to the handle. This was formed of a tough black stone, perhaps basalt, and was found in Louisiana.

Among other tools we find numbers of hammers, pounders, grinders, pestles and mortars, rubbing stones, crushers, club-heads, weight-stones for diggers, as now used by some Indians to assist in piercing the earth, and many others of unknown use. Fig. 14, a, and c, are some kind of knife or cutting tool, the lower edge being finely ground, and the base fastened to

a wooden handle to allow of

a

great pressure. Fig. 15, a, and

b

FIG. 14.

b, shows two

C

small oval pebbles carefully grooved round the longer diameter, to be used apparently as well secured weights.

a

FIG. 15.

b

The great variety of cutting tools, such as axes, adzes, chisels and gouges, are often beautifully worked, of the hardest finegrained rocks, such as syenite or hæmatite, and are sometimes highly polished. The gouges especially are often deeply hollowed out and ground to a perfect cutting edge.

The tools and household implements here noted show that those who made them were an agricultural people, cultivating the ground largely and with skill, as did most of the tribes on the eastern coast and in California when Europeans first encountered them. We have heard so much of late years of the warlike and nomad character of the American Indian tribes that we are apt to forget that many of the more peaceful agricultural peoples have been exterminated. Yet the early settlers in the north-eastern States were often saved from famine by the stores of maize of the peaceful Indians.

The extensive use of roots, nuts, acorns, maize, &c. as food required facilities for cracking, crushing, or grinding; and hence some of the most common implements, both of modern Indian tribes and throughout all prehistoric ages, are hammers, grinders, pestles, and mortars, of varied sizes, forms, and workmanship. The pounding, crushing, and grinding stones are of very varied forms, from the unworked pebble up to the most elaborate grinder with a broad handle, something like a tailor's iron, but carved out of solid stone. Corresponding to these are the grindingstones and mortars, of equally varied forms and sizes. Some are flat, some slightly hollowed; some have numerous small pits or cups in them, probably to hold nuts of various kinds, so as to prevent them from flying away when being cracked. From these we pass on gradually to shallow basins and large deep mortars, some of the latter found in California being a foot or eighteen inches wide, and having corresponding stone pestles, some of which are two and a half feet long.

We now come to a series of implements or articles for domestic use of varied form and size, but often involving a large amount of labour.

In Fig. 16, we have representations of five types of stone spoons or cups with handles, some of the former are only two inches diameter, while the latter are often six or eight inches. These are very nicely finished. Others were somewhat ruder, and there are many of larger size used as plates, or bowls, up to ten or twelve inches across. These are all from California, where stone work attained a high degree of perfection.