MATERIAL CULTURE OF THE INDIANS OF SAMANA 45 



Fish preserves or inclosures fashioned by closely spaced reeds or 

 jDoles forced into the shallow bottom of a la<roon were observed by 

 the Spanish in general use at time of the discovery. 



A group of bilaterally notched sandstone net weights may be seen 

 in Plate 4, These weights have two notches placed in mid-section, 

 with the exception of No. 2, where three well-defined notches indent 

 the edges bilaterally and at one end. As the edges of each of these 

 net weights have been shaped in part by flaking, it is possible that 

 the flattened surfaces may also have been intended as points of 

 attachment for net-suspension cords. The end sections of No. 2 

 have been so abraded through use that it is impossible to determine 

 whether it might not have originally been used as an ax, similar 

 to the grooved axes of the Caribs. Fracturing of the end sections 

 may indicate secondary usage as a hammerstone. These net weights 

 were uncovered at Anadel. They are of sandstone of a uniform thiek- 

 ness of 2 centimeters (0.8 inch) and a length of 10 centimeters (3.9 

 inches). Each of these objects has been given the Mus. Cat. No. 

 341052, U.S.N.M. 



In Plate 2, Nos. 1, 2, and 3 (Cat. No. 341052, U.S.N.M.) are un- 

 usually small net weights, No. 1 being but 3.5 centimeters (1.5 inches) 

 in length and 3 centimeters (1.2 inches) wide. Bilateral notches have 

 been fractured. No other evidence of w^orking or of use is apparent. 

 No. 4 of Plate 2 is a hammerstone, roughly rectangular in shape 

 and originally part of an oblong polished celt. It is much worn 

 through use at the transverse edges and is fractured at the ends. It 

 was recovered from the San Juan site. Dimensions: 4.3 centimeters 

 (1.9 inches) long, 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) wide. This object is a 

 good example of secondary use. It is remarkable that only a few 

 unbroken petaloid celts were recovered along with the hundreds of 

 fragmentary and broken examples. Most of the broken celts show 

 evidence of use after the original fracturing. No. 5 of Plate 2 is 

 another example of a stone celt which has been converted into a 

 tool of another description. (Cat. No. 341018, U.S.N.M.) The 

 larger end section shows many facets and some rechipping, enough 

 to form a comparatively sharp perforating or cutting point. This 

 specimen is one of the few objects uncovered at San Juan revealing 

 evidence of rechipping. Dimensions: 5.5 centimeters (2.2 inches) 

 long, 4 centimeters (1.6 inches) wide, 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inch) 

 thick. 



Native canoes in aboriginal Haiti varied in size, but each possessed 

 the common quality of having been cut from a single tree trunk. 

 Columbus wrote that " the dugout canoes of Haiti were of solid 

 wood, narrow, and not unlike our double-banked boats in length and 

 shape, but swifter." The Caribs of the Lesser Antilles were in the 

 44055—29 i 



