350 ETHNOLOGY. 



considered as an emblem of peace, it is frequently introduced as such 

 in tlieir public orations. Therefore, when they wish to show a peaceful 

 disposition toward other tribes or nations, they paint themselves and 

 their belts blue. The figures painted upon their faces are of various 

 kinds. Every one follows his own fancy, and exerts his powers of in- 

 vention to excel others and have something peculiar to himself. One 

 prides himself with the figure of a serpent upon each cheek, another 

 with that of a tortoise, deer, bear, or some other creature, as his coat 

 of arms and signature." 



We have not been able to determine what minerals were used as 

 paint prior to the advent of the European settlers. That it was some 

 mineral, naturally red, or made red by burning, we have no doubt, as 

 we have found faint traces of a reddish powder in many of the Indian 

 graves, which latter are usually only to bo recognized by the black stain 

 in the soil — naturally a light-colored sand — by the decomposition of the 

 body, or by the relics which they may chance to contain. This reddish 

 powder is always, as found, so mixed with the surrounding soil that we 

 have not been able to separate a sufficient quantity for conveniently 

 determining its composition. It has, however, invariably a marked 

 pungent odor, not at all disagreeable. To what extent this may be due 

 to chemical action that may have been caused by the decomposition of 

 the body, with which the pigment had been buried, it is not possible to 

 tell. 



Describing an Indian burial, Loskiel says :* " They used formerly to 

 imt a tobacco-pouch, knife, tinder-box, tobacco and pipe, bow and arrows, 

 gun, powder and shot, skins and cloth for clothes, painty a small bag of 

 Indian corn or dried bilberries, sometimes the kettle, hatchet, and other 

 furniture of the deceased, into the grave, supposing that the departed 

 spirits would have the same wants and occupations in the land ot souls." 



Seeing that not only paint but such a multitude of other articles were 

 placed with the body in the grave, it is not to be wondered at that the 

 light-colored soil should be stained black, but that any trace of the red 

 paint should now remain. Of course, as the practice of burying the 

 paint and other eftects of the deceased with the body is still continued, 

 it cannot be doubted that these reddish patches of earth which we have 

 described as still existing in the almost obliterated graves of Indians, 

 are really deposits of paint, such as Loskiel mentions as one of the list 

 of articles usually buried. 



Chapter XXII. 



nOES AND SHOVELS. 



The cultivation of maize or Indian corn was carried on extensively 

 by the aborigines throughout the southern, or more properly the cen- 

 tral counties of the State. The fertile tract, comprising Burlington 



* L. c, p. 1^0. 



