102 MICMAC INDIANS OF NOVA SCOTIA 



hair loose over their shoulders, the men triissiiig it upon the 

 crown of the head, some four fingers length, with a leather 

 lace, which they let hang down behind. Lescarbot says, "All 

 those I have seen have black hair, some excepted which have 

 Abraham [auburn] color hair." They greased their bodies and 

 anointed their shoulders with oil, to defend them from trouble- 

 some flies. They wore ■matacJiias hanging at their ears, and 

 about their necks, bodies, arms, and legs. These the women 

 made of porcupine quills dyed black, white and red. They 

 more esteemed matachias made of shells by the Armouchiquois 

 (Indians of N'ew England), which were difficult to get owing 

 to the continued wars between the tribes, Matachias of quills 

 of glass, interspersed with tin or lead, w^ere traded with them 

 by the French. They passed their time in war or hunting, or 

 making implements therefor, or in play. Their bows were 

 strong and without fineness. Lescarbot marvels at how long 

 and straight thev could make their arrows with a stone when 

 they had no metal knives, and these they feathered with 

 feathers from the eagle's tail. Such as had traffic with the 

 French headed the shaft witli iron. They had quivers, and their 

 bow-strings were made of intestines, and snOwshoes or racquets 

 were strung with the same material (Denys says with thongs 

 of moose-hide). They also had wooden clubs ''in the fashion 

 of an abbot's staff'' and shields which covered all their body. 

 They bartered with the French, for fishing lines and hooks. 

 Canoes were made of birch-bark, and they "also make some of 

 willows very properly which they cover with gum of the fir- 

 tree." The French writer tells us that anciently they made 

 earthen pots and also did till the ground, "but since that 

 Frenchmen do bring with them kettles, beans, pease, bisket 

 and other food, they are become slothful, and make no more 

 account of these exercises." It was found by experiment that 

 they had rather go without bread than have the trouble of 

 grinding corn. The women peeled birch-trees for bark for their 



