Dec. 1900. An Aboriginal Quartzite Quarry — Dorsey. 239 



which had been worked over by silicious waters, thus forming quartz- 

 ite. This stratum is of variegated color, passing from yellowish 

 brown to violet gray, varied with shades of pink, violet, yellow, pur- 

 ple, etc., the whole stratum thus producing a most beautiful and 

 remarkable color effect. The upper two or three feet of rock is very 

 brittle and does not chip well; indeed, it occurs not as a solid mass, 

 but, owing to long weathering, in long thin sheets or irregular blocks. 

 Lower down, on close examination, there may be found irregularly 

 rounded or elliptical masses which are of a dense and compact 

 nature (see PI. XXIX). These rounded masses are evidently results 

 from the solidification of silicious water percolating into cavities, thus 

 presenting a geodic phase which is tougher and more coherent than 

 the surrounding quartzite rock, and hence better adapted to a 

 chipping process. Evidently it was these compact masses which the 

 aboriginal workmen were seeking. Also at irregular intervals may 

 occasionally be found small nodules of jasper, and chalcedony, and 

 agatized masses which were also highly prized as they afforded most 

 excellent material for small arrow points, and especially for the small 

 scrapers which are found in so great an abundance around the tipi 

 circles throughout the entire region. Curiously, in two places (see 

 PI. XXX) were observed jasper nodules projecting from the wall, and 

 they had been much battered, and the surrounding quartzite had 

 received many blows in the vain attempt of the workmen to dislodge 

 them from their position. 



All along the wall of this wash was presented evidence of much 

 work. The upper beds of weathered quartzite had been dislocated, 

 probably by means of wooden wedges and bars, to a depth of from 

 seven to fifteen feet, for a distance of several hundred feet. As a 

 result the bottom of the wash, and especially its banks, were covered 

 to a depth of several feet with long, thin, irregular masses usually 

 averaging a foot in length and from two to four inches in breadth. 

 That the proper variety of flint was not easily found until considera- 

 ble depth had been reached, and not then except at irregular inter- 

 vals, was apparent from the almost total absence of rejects, flakes, 

 or hammer-stones in the immediate vicinity of the wash. 



CHARACTER OF WORK DONE IN THE PITS, AS DETERMINED 

 BY EXPOSED QUARTZITE STRATUM IN RAVINE. 



Although there was no time for other than a superficial exami- 

 nation of the pits higher up on the eminence, yet the evidence 



