AND THEIR REMAINS. PIERS. 115 



the best explanation, to my mind, of their use, was given me 

 by an Indian who says that years ago a very old Micmac woman 

 informed him that they were employed as whorls in spinning 

 thread from beaver's fur to make cloth in which to encircle a 

 couple at the conclusion of the marriage ceremony in pre-his- 

 toric times. 



Pipes are somewhat rare. Sixteen are in the collections 

 referred to; namely, three complete ones and one incomplete 

 ; n the Patterson collection; and twelve in the Provincial 

 Museum (seven complete ones, one of which is probably of 

 European manufacture for barter, and one in process of manu- 

 facture, in the general collection; and three complete and one 

 under construction in the DesBrisay collection). Besides these 

 there is an old pewter pipe such as was used in barter by the 

 early traders. , ; >ij 



What is considered as the typical Micmac pipe has a pear- 

 or barrel-shaped bowl upon a keel-shaped base, the latter with 

 one or more holes to suspend it about the neck to prevent loss. 

 A remarkable example in the Provincial Museum has bowl and 

 stem in one piece, the former with a boldly executed carving 

 of a lizard with a tail lying along the lower surface of the stem. 

 The whole pipe is about seven inches long, and it is formed of 

 a light grey pipestone, finely polished. It was discovered near 

 Upper Rawdon in 1870 with some iron implements, etc. In 

 this part of the Dominion it is unique, and is doubtless not the 

 work of Micmacs, but must have been secured by trade or con- 

 quest.* A pipe almost identical in form has been found in 

 Pennsylvania (Dr. Eau) and a similar one in Ontario (D. 

 Boyle). Another remarkable pipe was found at Musquodoboit, 

 Halifax County, and is of the typical mound-builder's form, 

 with flattened base, and like the preceding pne must have been 



*I cannot agree with Dr. Ganong (Denys, p. 424, note) that this may be of Micmac 

 manufacture. Dcny-^ (p. 424) mentions stone pipes with bowl and stem in one piece- 

 and probably one from LaHave, N. S., in the DesBrisay collection, is such a one as the 

 old writer refers to. 



