ETHNOLOGY. 377 



for doubt bat for the timely arrival of confirmatory evidence while the 

 engraving was being executed. Prof. William M. Gabb has sent to the 

 National Museum, with the joint compliments of himself and Mr. 1). R. 

 Frith, of Turk's and Caicos Islands, two wooden stools, facsimiles of 

 those spoken of in Herrera, (Figs. 23 and 24.) Fig. 25 is an attempt 

 to restore Fig. 24, which has been mutilated, not by the tooth of 

 time, but by the hatchet of the vandal. These objects are made 

 of a very hard dark wood, and are just fitted to an ordinary man 

 wheu reclining as in a hammock, from which the pattern of a stool is 

 possibly derived. These two specimens were found in a cave. The 

 stone stool described above is a fac-simile, except in size, of those sent 

 by Professor Gabb, the scrolled ornamental band across the stone stool 

 being represented in one of the wooden ones by au elaborate scroll- 

 work in relief. The mathematical accuracy in this and other drawings 

 is no exaggeration of the originals. In the wooden objects, as in the 

 stone one, the eyes excavated for precious stones are plainly visible, 

 but the jewels are wanting. (Figs. 2G, 27, and 28.) Fig. 20 is the 

 tail ornament of Fig. 23, and is somewhat effaced. Figs. 27 and 28 

 are the head ornament and scrolled baud of Fig. 24. The use of 

 these stools of state is frequently meutioned by the historians of the 

 voyages of Golumbus. (Irving's Columbus, i, 194, 234.) One of the 

 provinces of Cuba paid tribute in them. (Stephens's Herrera, i, 03, 74.) 

 Especial thanks are due to Professor Gabb and Mr. Frith for the timely 

 opportunity of illustrating what was previously a rather dark text to 

 me. 



SPHEROIDAL AND DISCOIDAL STONES. 



It is impossible to tell the uses to which these stones were put. 

 It is something to know that they show signs of use, and testify that in 

 the Autilles, as elsewhere in the world, nature has gently led her child- 

 ren by the hand, furnishing them with their simplest implements ready- 

 made, and thereby imparting the first lessous of civilization. 



17040. A small kiduey-shaped pebble, with natural perforations. 



17034. A small egg-shaped bowlder, similar to those used by the Da- 

 kota Indians in their flail-like war-clubs. 



17058. A spindle-shaped pebble, covered with a deposit of iron. It 

 seems to have been used in grinding paiut. 



17009. A spherical stone, diameter 3.G inches. 



17070. A similar stone, 2.75 inches in diameter. 



17071. A rough spheroidal stone. 



17072. A discoidal granite pebble. 



17131. A massive spheroidal stone, diameters 8.95 and 10.2 inches. A 

 small perforated disk of soft material like soapstone, and carved to re- 

 semble the spindle-whorls found in various countries is shown in Fig. 29. 



BEADS. 



17042. An oblong syenite bead, not perforated. 



17043. A similar bead to the foregoing. The hole not coming out as 



