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* 
- Use of Copper by the American Aborigines. 317 
abundant, and much used for implements, among all the semi- 
civilized nations of the continent. Columbus, when at Cape 
Honduras, was visited by a trading canoe of Indians. Amongst 
the various articles of merchandise which constituted their cargo, 
equally for an ornament as for the field of battle. We first 
thought these axes were made of an inferior kind of gold; we 
therefore commenced taking them in exchange, and in the space 
of two days had collected more than six hundred; with which 
We were no less rejoiced, as long as we were ignorant of their 
real value, than the Indians with our glass beads.” In the list of 
articles exacted as an annual tribute from the various departments 
of the Mexican empire, as represented by the Mexican paintings, 
were “one hundred and sixty axes of copper” from the southern 
divisions. * * * 
The Peruvians used copper for precisely the same purposes 
With the Mexicans. Says La Vega, “hey make their arms, 
knives, carpenters’ tools, large pins, hammers for their forges, and 
their mattocks, of copper; for which reason they seek it in pref- 
erence to gold.” And Ulloa adds, “ The copper axes of the Pe- 
ruvians differ very little in shape from ours; and it appears that 
these were the implements with which they performed most of 
their works. They are of various shapes and sizes; the edge of 
some is more circular than others, and some have a concave edge.”f - 
The knowledge of alloying was possessed by both the Mexi- 
cans and Peruvians, whereby they were enabled to make instru- 
ments of copper of sufficient hardness to answer the purposes 
for which steel is now deemed essential. ‘Their works in stone 
and wood, whether in dressing the huge blocks of porphyry 
composing some of their structures, or in sculpturing the unique 
Statues which are found scattered over the seats of their ancient 
‘Cities, were carried on entirely with such instruments, or wih 
still rader ones of obsidian and other hard stones. — Res 
The metal used as an alloy was tin; and the various Peruvian 
articles subjected to an analysis, are found to contain from three 
to six per cent. of that metal. The chisel analyzed by Humboldt 
contained copper 94, tin 6.{ A copper knife found in Peru by 
. J. H. Blake, Esq., of Boston,’contained about four per cent. of 
* Herrara, vol. i, p. 260. a. Vol. i, p. 483. ¢ Res, vol. i, p. 260. | 
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