FACULTY IN ABORIGINAL RAGES. 91 



class of works the modelling of the human form is generally inferior to that of other 

 animate designs. All of those curious relics are found in graves, which, judging from 

 the condition of the human remains, are of great antiquity ; if, indeed, they do not point 

 to the central cradle, and common source of Aztec and Peruvian art. 



It is thus apparent that the imitative faculty, which manifests itself in very different 

 degrees among diverse races, was widely diffused throughout the native tribes of the 

 American continent. But, while a certain aptitude for art is seen to be prevalent among 

 some of the rudest tribes, there were, no doubt, among all of them exceptional examples 

 of artistic ability. There were the Jossakeeds and the Wabenos, skilled in picturing on 

 bark and deer-skin; and the official annalists or " Wampum-keepers," who perpetuated 

 the national traditions. Among the arrow-makers were some famed for their dexterity in 

 fashioning the horn-stone or jasper into arrow-heads ; and, while the art of the potter 

 proved no less easy to female hands than that of the baker, there were, doubtless, among 

 them some few rarely-gifted modellers, whose skill in fashioning clay into favourite forms 

 of imitative art won them a name among the ceramic artists of their tribe. Pabahmesad, 

 an old Chippewa, whose dwelling in recent years was on the Great Manitoulin Island, in 

 Lake Huron, was widely famed for his skill in pipe-carving. He was generally known 

 among his tribe as PivaUguneka, the " pipe-maker," literally " he makes pipes." He was a 

 thorough Indian in all his habits and feelings ; and, though brought in contact with the 

 Christian Indians of the Manitoulin Islands, he resisted the eucroai?hments of civiliza- 

 tion, and adhered to the creed and pagan rites of his fathers. It was even with reluct- 

 ance that he turned to account any facilities derivable from tools of European workmanship 

 in the exercise of his art. His materials were the muhkuhdu-piuahgunahbeck, or black pipe- 

 stone of Lake Huron ; the icahbe-piuahgunahbec, or white pipestone procured on St. Joseph 

 Island, and the misko-pwahgunahbec, or red pipe-stone of Coteau des Prairies. He con- 

 descended to turn the metal of European manufacture to account ; but his saw, with 

 which the stone was first roughly blocked out, had been made by himself out of a bit of 

 iron-hoop, and his other tools were correspondingly rude. But his carved works show 

 much ingenious skill ; and he was unusually successful in his miniature sculptures of 

 the human figure.' 



The little remnant of the once powerful Huron race now settled at Lorette, near Que- 

 bec, expend their ingenious art on the manufacture of bark canoes, snow-shoes, lacrosse- 

 clubs, basket-work, and mocassins. In this they show much skill and dexterity ; but 

 among their most adroit workers in recent years was Zacharee Thelariolin, who claimed 

 to be the last full-blood Indian belonging to the band. He manifested great ability as an 

 artist, had an apt faculty for sketching from nature, and painted in oil with considerable 

 success. A portrait of himself, in full Indian costume, now in the possession of Mr. Clint 

 of Quebec, is a relic of much interest as the work of an untaught native Indian, in whom 

 the hereditary imitative faculty thus manifested itself under circumstances little calculated 

 to favour its development. He was sixty-six years of age when he executed this portrait. 

 Had it been his fortune to attract the attention of some appreciative patron in early years 

 he might have made a name for himself and his people. 



Another curious and exceptional example of native artistic ability may be noted here. 



1 See Prehistoric Man, 3rd Ed., Vol. i. Fig. 84. 



