50 RELICS OF THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA PIERS. 



Dartmouth. It is known that the Micmacs assembled about the 

 French camp, and the presence of an Indian implement in the 

 burial-ground of their allies is not to be wondered at. The 

 weapon may even have been placed in one of the coffins as a, 

 savage mark of respect for the alien dead. 



Pendants and Sinkers. Two well-formed specimens of this 

 class one perfect, the other nearly so are in the Fairbanks 

 collection (Figs. 75-76). They are both somewhat pear-shaped 

 and much resemble plummets. The lower extremity is pointed, 

 and the upper end expands into a knob to facilitate suspen- 

 sion. They thus resemble figure 106 in Dr. Rau's description 

 of the archaeological collection of the U. S. National Museum 

 The larger one (Fig. 76) is formed of dark red sandstone, and 

 measures four inches in length. The greatest diameter is toward 

 the lower end. The other is made of a dark hard stone. Its 

 length is three inches, and the largest part is situated about 

 midway between the ends. It is not so elongated as the other 

 example. The two sides, including the knob, are somewhat com- 

 pressed, thus making the diameter T40 inch in one direction 

 and 170 in the other. 



A third " sinker " (Fig. 80) has been kindly lent me by W. C. 

 Silver, Esq., of Halifax. It was found in the bed of the Salmon 

 River, adjoining that gentleman's property at Preston, about 

 seven miles to the east of Halifax. He informs me that the place 

 where it was discovered was an old spawning ground. The 

 specimen is a very beautiful and perfect one, fashioned with 

 great pains from a reddish stone, like sandstone, containing small 

 particles of mica. Its length is 3'25 inches, and its greatest 

 diameter (1*20 inch) is near the upper end or point of suspension. 

 The groove just below the knob at the top, is distinctly 

 smoothened by a thong bv means of which it must have once 

 been suspended. The discovery of the stone in a river, tends to 

 strengthen the view that it had in some way* been employed in 

 connection with fishing. Whatever may have been its use, it 

 shows what skilful work our Indians bestowed upon the manu- 

 facture of some of their implements. 



