HOLMES] SPINDLE WHORLS OF CLAY 33 



the fire, ^vhich are watched liy an olil woman, while another, seated, kneads with 

 the hands this thickened liquid, now in a condition to acquire the consistency of 

 sugar loaf. " 



This plate was reproduced iu an article on maple-sugar making ))y 

 H. W. Henshaw, published in the American Anthropologist for Octo- 

 ber 1890 and is given in figure 3. 



The following extract from Hunter indicates that the making of 

 maple sugar by the Indians was very general^ practiced. He is 

 speaking of the Osage Indians and their neighbors. 



In districts of country where the sugar maple abounds the Indians prepare con- 

 siderable quantities of sugar by simply concentrating the juices of the tree by boiling 

 till it acquires a sufficient consistency to crystallize on cooling. But as they are 

 extravagantly fond of it, very little is preserved beyond the sugar-making season. 

 The men tap the trees, attach spigots to them, make the sap troughs; and sometimes, 

 at this frolicking season, assist the squaws in collecting sap.'' 



Dr Lyman C. Drajx-r makes the following statement, which suffi- 

 ciently indicates the nature of the sugar-making industry in recent 

 times: 



From twenty-five to thirty years ago, when I resided at Lockport, iu western Xew 

 York, I well remember that large quantities of stirred maple sugar were Isrought into 

 the country, made by the Indians in the Mackinaw region, and put up in small bark 

 boxes, containing from one to several j)0unds each. <- 



Sugar is still made by a num))er of tril)es. but earthen vessels have 

 probablj- not been used in its manufacture for many years. 



Spindle Whorls of Clay 



The state of culture of the eastern tribes had not yet led to the gen- 

 eral employment of many earthenware articles beyond the mere vessel 

 for cooking and containing. The clay effigies so common in some 

 sections were generally vessels shajjed exteriorly to resemlile animal 

 forms, exceptions being noted especially in Florida, where various 

 mortuary figures having no practical function wer(> manufactured. 

 Spindle whorls ajjpear to have been used to a limited extent in the 

 South, and in Adair's time clay was used for weighting the spindle. 

 Speaking of the use of wild hemp, that author remarks that — 



The old women spin it off the distaffs with woorlen machines having some clay on 

 the middle of them to hasten the motion.'' 



As found on ancient sites, however, there is difficulty in distinguish- 

 ing such articles from beads, gaming disks, or other perforated Ijits of 

 clay, and I have discovered few examples of fully authenticated si:)indle 

 whorls within the area here considered. 



"Lafitau. Mceurs des sauvages ameri'iuains. vol. ir: Explicntion des planches et des figures, 

 planche vii. 



^Hunter, John D., Memoirs of a captivity among the Indians. London, 18'23, p. 290. 



(■Draper, LjTnan C. in Grignon, Augustin, Recollections; Third .\nnual Report and Collections of 

 the Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, 1857, p. 255. 



d Adair, James. History of the American Indians. London. 1775, p. 422. 



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