114 MICMAC INDIANS OF NOVA SCOTIA 



cIouble-gTOOved, and in this respect it is unique in this province. 

 They are well formed from water-vv^orn oval quartzite boulders 

 with the groove and edge "pecked" into shape. The grooves 

 completely encircle the implement. 



Hammer- (or club-) heads are very rare. I have only seem 

 two — one in the DesBrisay collection in the Provincial Museum 

 and one in my own possession. The latter was dug up at 

 Dartmouth, and is neatly formed from an egg-shaped quartzite 

 boulder. 3.50 inches long, entirely encircled by a pecked groove 

 for the purpose of lashing it to a handle. It was no doubt used 

 as a weapon, and the present Indians have a tradition that 

 such hammers on occasions were thrown at an enemy and I 

 have heard them say that a man could be thus struck with them 

 when he was sheltered by a tree, attributing this to some magic 

 properties of the weapon. The experiment might be tried to 

 see if when hurled they can be made to take a laterally curved 

 tiajectory, somewhat after the manner of a boomerang, 

 although the symmetry of the hammer would make it seemingly 

 impossible for it to do so. 



Pendants or "sinkers" are rare. Two are in the Patterson 

 collection, and nine are in the Provincial Museum (namely, 

 seven in the DesBrisay collection and two in the Fairbanks 

 collection). Dr. J. B. Gilpin figured one, and I have seen one 

 belonging to the late W. C. Silver, of Halifax; a total of 

 thirteen. All are carefully fashioned, of graceful outline, and 

 while of the same general appearance, differ very much in detail 

 of form. ISTone have a hole for suspension, but they have a 

 little knob on top. I do not believe they were used as sinkers, 

 as they are far more elaborately wrought than would be 

 necessary for such a purpose. More likely they were used in 

 some way as charm-stones, or in some religious ceremony, and 

 I think I have heard Chief Noel affirm that they were employed 

 as a charm to bring fish to a fishing place, while there are 

 Indians who believe they were used as "sling-shots." Perhaps 



