HOLMES] ABORIGINAL AMERICAN" ANTIQUITIES PART I 365 



This author also describes in detail a method of arrowhead making 

 employed by the Seri Indians of western Sonora, Mexico : 



I watched this particular artist for several hours, until he had completed 

 an arrow-head that now reposes in my desk, and here is a description of the 

 manner of his labor. Putting three small pieces of Hint among the coals of a 

 hot fire on the ground, he places a small stone basin containing a little water 

 within his reach ; beside this are placed several straws or reeds of different 

 sizes, together with a few smaller stems of native grass. I'resently the first 

 piece of flint placed in the fire is dragged out upon a flat stone by means of a 

 hooked stick, and as the end of the larger straw or reed is dipped in the basin, 

 it will be observed that a drop of water clings thereto; this is lightly touched 

 to the thoroughly heated stone and a small chip flies from the surface. This 

 performance is repeated with astonishing rapidity, until the stone refuses to 

 respond to the touch, when it is returned to the fire and the second stone is 

 treated in the same way, the chips always flying fast and furious. As the work 

 progresses, and the stones are reduced in size and begin to assume the required 

 shape, smaller straws are used, until the final pointing, sharpening, and smooth- 

 ing is done with the small grasses that pick up a very tiny drop of water and 

 safely remove a very diminutive cliip.' 



That several hours should have been consumed in the work is diffi- 

 cult to understand, considering the rapidity with which the work was 

 carried forward. A much shorter time would ordinarily be required 

 in producing a like result with hammerstone and bone flaker. A 

 small arrowhead can be made from a good quality of stone in a few 

 minutes, while larger ones usually require a somewhat longer time. 



According to Wilfred Powell, a most remarkable process was em- 

 ployed in perforating stone club heads by the natives of New Britain. 

 His account is as follows : 



The native first takes a piece of suitnlile granite, which he places in a slow 

 fire of cocoa-nut shells, which give an innnense heat, and allows it to become red 

 hot. He then, by the aid of a split bamboo in the place of tongs, removes it 

 from the fire and begins to drop water on it drop by drop, each drop falling 

 exactly on the same place. 



That portion of the stone on which the water falls I)egins to fly and crack 

 off, until the heat has gone out of the stone. He then repeats the operation, until 

 an irregular hole is formed through the center ; he then fixes a stick through it 

 and takes it off to a place where there is a large granite rock in whicli is a dent 

 like a small basin. He hits the stone upon the rock until all the rough corners 

 are knocked off and it is worn fairly round ; then takes the end of the stick, 

 and pressing the stone down into the hollow of the rock makes the stick revolve 

 rapidly between his hands, weighting it with other stones fastened to the top 

 of the stick, until that side of the stone is worn perfectly smooth and round. 

 He then shifts the other side of the stone downward and works at that until 

 both are smootli and even, choosing a handle of tough wood, about four feet 

 long, on to which he fixes the stone with gum from tlie bread-fruit tree, leaving 

 about four inches protruding at one end beyond the stone.* 



1 Fraser, Touching Aboriginal History, p. 68. 



2 Powell, Wanderings in a Wild Country, pp. lGl-162. 



