ABORIGINAL SKIN-DRESSING. 573 



upon the grouud aud with an instrument resembling an adz, used in 

 the manner of our carpenters, the adherent portions of dried flesh are 

 removed and the skin rendered much thinner and lighter than before. 

 The surface is then plastered over with the brains or liver of the ani- 

 mal, which have been carefully retained for the purpose, aud the warm 

 broth of meat is also poured over it. The whole is then dried after which 

 it is again subjected to the action of the brains or broth, then stretched 

 in a frame aud while still wet scraped with pumice-stone, sharp stones, 

 or hoes until perfectly dry. Should it not be sufficiently soft it is sub- 

 jected to friction by pulling it backward aud forward over it twisted 

 sinew. 



This generally terminated the process. On the commencement of it 

 the hides are almost invariably divided each longitudinally into two 

 parts for the convenience of manipulations and when finished they are 

 agaiu united by sewing with sinew. This seam is almost always pres- 

 ent in the bison robe, but one of the largest we have seen is used for 

 covering ou one of our beds, and has been dressed entire, being desti- 

 tute of a seam. When the process of tanning and dressing is com- 

 pleted and the inner surface of the skiu dry, figures are traced upon it 

 with vermillion aud other showy colors. These are designed as orua- 

 meuts, but are sometimes the record of important facts. (Long's Ex., 

 Vol. I, pp. 221, 440.) 



The Senecas used to tan green hides. If a hide was dry it was soaked 

 in the water of a running stream, after which it was stretched on a 

 smooth log the size of a man's leg. With a knife-blade, placed in a 

 curved stick, all the hair aud outside skiu was scraped off. After that 

 the flesh was scraped off and the skin thoroughly dried. It was then 

 soaked in a suds made of deer's brains aud warm water, one or two In- 

 dians rubbiug with stones, much like those called axes plowed up in 

 the fields, aud often pulling the skin. A hole 18 inches in diameter 

 was then made in the ground and the skin suspended above it on upright 

 sticks aud smoked, until the desired color is produced, by burning 

 rotten wood beneath. The skin was then ready for use. 



Skin-dressing among the Eastern Indians is thus described : 



These skins they convert into, very good leather making the same plume and soft. 

 Some of these skinues they dress with haire on and some with the haire off. The 

 hairy side iu winter they weare next their bodies and in warme weather they weare 

 the haire outwards. They make likewise some coates of the Feathers of Turkies 

 which they weave together with twine of their owne makinge very prettily ; these 

 garments they weare like mantels knit over their their shoulders and put under their 

 amies. They have likewise another sort of mantels made of Mose skinnes, which 

 beast is a great large Deere so biggo as a horse. These skinnes they commonly dresse 

 bare and make them wonderous white and stripe them with size round about the 

 borders, in form like lace set on byataylor and some they stripe with size in works of 

 severall fashions very curious, according to severall fantasies of the workmen where- 

 in they strive to excell one another. And mantels made of Beares skinnes is an usuall 

 wearinge among the natives that live where the beares doe haunt. They make 

 skinnes of Mose skinues, which is the principal lether used to that purpose and for 



