318 ETHNOLOGY. 



Figure 139 is a curved chisel or " gouge" proper, and is a most beau- 

 tiful specimen of workmausliip in stoue, being an absolutely perfect 

 tool fashioned for some single particular purpose. It needs but one 

 glance to see what the implement is and what was its use. It is a 

 gouge (figure 139) of exactly five inches in length ; is polished over its 

 entire surface, and hollowed throughout the upper side. The depth of 

 the depression is uniform, but it narrows equally with the slope of the 

 sides of the implement, giving the ridges above the depression a uni- 

 form thickness. At about one inch from the cutting end, the depres- 

 sion descends rapidly until it meets with an upward curve of the bottom 

 or under side of the gouge. At this angle is a sharp edge, beautifully 

 worked and still well preserved, which describes mathematically nearly 

 one-half of a circle. No modern gouge of steel is more accurately out- 

 lined than is this one. 



Figure 140 represents one of a pair of very beautiful gouges on the 

 cabinet of Michael Newbold, esq., of Burlington County, New Jersey. It 

 is of serpentine, very accurately cut, and highly polished. It measures 

 three and three-quarters inches in length, and one inch and seven-eighths 

 in width at the blade, which width does not alter as it nears the cutting- 

 edge. The blade is just two inches long, and is headed with a curved 

 knob, which is separated from the blade by a "neck" measuring 

 about two-thirds of the width of the head or " knob." The back 

 of this implement is moderately curved, but less so than the gouge we 

 have already figured. The front side is hollowed out, and shows, by the 

 character of its edge and the curved surface of the blade that the spec- 

 imen was intended as a gouge; but there is no indication of hammering 

 upon its head, and this, we think, gives occasion for the question 

 whether it could be used as a gouge in the absence of a hammer. It is 

 just possible that wooden mallets were sometimes used, but we do not 

 believe they were, as, with the tools in use, a jjiece of wood of suitable 

 size and shape would be difficult to procure, and we know stone ham- 

 mers were in use. We shall find that this objection is urged with refer- 

 ence also to another curious implement figured in chapter xxv, which 

 bears much resemblance to a chisel. 



"We have seen no other specimens of this style of "gouge," except the 

 two mentioned as in Mr. Newbold's cabinet ; and that gentleman in- 

 forms ijs that he has seen no other specimens from his neighborhood, 

 where these were found, or in any cabinet. The ridges at the sides of 

 the blade in the one figured are quite thick and uniform, while the whole 

 appearance of the specimen is that of a well-finished metal tool. 



Mr. Squier has figured in his monograph on New York aboriginal 

 monuments,* a very symmetrical " stone ax," which has a well-marked 

 rim about it, and an edge very similar to that of figure 140. Although 

 there is so great a difierence in the size, w-e doubt not there was a simi- 

 larity in the uses to which the two implements were put. The one 

 *Abor. Mod. of New York, p. 77, fig. IG. 



