330 AVOYAGETO 



»773- tools. For, as far as we know, they ufe no other ; at lead, 



April. 



^. — - — -J we faw only one chiflel of bone. And though, originally, 

 their tools miifl: have been of different materials, it is not 

 improbable that many of their improvements have been 

 madefince they acquired a knowledge of that metal, which 

 now is univerfally ufed in their various wooden works. 

 The chifTel and the knife, are the only forms, as far as we 

 faw, that iron aflumes amongfl; them. The chifTel is a 

 long flat piece, fitted into a handle of wood. A flone ferves 

 for a mallet, and a piece of fifh-flcin for a poliflier. I have 

 feen fome of thefe chiflcls that were eight or ten inches long, 

 and three or four inches broad ; but, in general, they were 

 fmaller. The knives are of various fizes ; fome very large j 

 and their blades are crooked, fomewhat like our pruning- 

 knife; but the edge is on the back or convex part. Mofl of 

 them that we faw were about the breadth and thicknefs of 

 an iron hoop ; and their fingular form marks that they are 

 not of European make. Probably, they are imitations 

 of their own original inflrumcnts, ufcd for the fame pur- 

 pofes. They fliarpcn thefe iron tools upon a coarfe flate 

 whetftone; and likewife keep the whole inftrument con- 

 Itantly bright. 



Iron, which they Q-dX\ feckemaiU^ (which name they alfo give 

 to tin, and all white metals) being familiar to thefe people, 

 it was very natural for us to fpcculate about the mode of 

 its being conveyed to them. Upon our arrival in the Sound, 

 they immediately difcovercd a knowledge of tralHc, and an 

 inclination for it ; and we were convinced afterward, that 

 they had not received this knov^dedge from a curfory inter- 

 view with any flrangers ; biu, from their method, it feemed 

 to be an eflabliflied pradlice, of which they were fond, and ia 

 v;hich they were alfo well Ikilled. \Yith whom they carry 



on 



