126 MATERIAL FOR PIPES. 



beautiful variety of brown porphyry, granulated with various- 

 colored materials, the whole much changed by the action of 

 fire, and somewhat resembling porcelain. It is intensely 

 hard, and successfully resists the edge of the finest-tempered 



knife. The length of the 

 base is five inches; breadth 

 of the same one ineh and a- 

 quarter. The bowl is one 

 inch and a-quarter high, 

 slightly tapering upwards, 

 but flaring near the top. The 

 hollow of the bowl is six- 

 tenths of an inch in diameter. 



The perforation answering to the tube is one-sixth of an 

 inch in diameter, which is about the usual size. This cir- 

 cumstance places it beyond doubt that the mouth was applied 

 directly to the implement, without the intervention of a 

 tube of wood or metal." 



This is an account of a simple pipe, with a small bowl ; but 

 most of the pipes found in the mounds are highly ornamented 

 with elaborate workmanship, representing animals such as 

 the beaver, otter, bear, wolf, panther, raccoon, squirrel, wild- 

 cat, manotee, eagle, hawk, heron, swallow, paroquet, etc. 

 One of the most interesting of the spirited sculptures of 

 animal forms to be found on the mound pipes, is the repre- 

 sentation of the Lamantin, or Manotee, a cetacean found only 

 in tropical waters, and the nearest place which they at 

 present frequent is the .coast of Florida at least a thousand 

 miles away. According to Sir John Lubbock, these are no 

 rude sculptures, for the characteristics of the animal are all 

 distinctly marked, rendering its recognition complete. Many 

 modern Indians are possessed of a wonderful aptitude for 

 sculpture, and they appear to gladly exchange their work for 

 the necessaries of life. 



The material most prized for the purpose of pipe-making 

 is the beautiful red pipe-stone of the Coteau des Prairies, 

 which is an indurated aluminous stone, highly colored with 

 red oxide of iron. It is frequently called " Catlinite," out of 

 compliment to George Catlin, the distinguished collector of 

 Indian traditions, who claims to be the first European that 



