Occurrence of Jade in British Columbia. 365 



remarks on this point, bearing on this particular district, 

 are quoted further on. In addition to the facts above 

 stated, it may be added that the numerous jade implements 

 which have been examined from different parts of the coast 

 and from the Fraser valley, give evidence among them- 

 selves of local peculiarities of colour and texture. 



Though much valued, I am not aware that there is any 

 reason to believe that superstitious or sentimental feelings 

 have been entertained respecting jade by the natives. In 

 the absence of metals, its useful properties were alone suffi- 

 cient to recommend it to their attention, as it is the best 

 available non-metallic material from which to manufacture 

 tools with permanent cutting edges. Its compactness in 

 texture and toughness are very considerable, its hardness 

 (6 - 5 to 7) greater than that of ordinary steel, and as great 

 as is compatible with grinding down or sharpening with 

 the only substance in the possession of the natives for that 

 purpose — quartz or silicious rocks. 



My attention has been specially drawn to the use of jade 

 by the Indians, by the occurrence of two partly worked 

 small boulders of that material on the lower part of the 

 Fraser (at Lytton and Yale respectively), and the discovery 

 in 1877, in old Indian graves near Lytton, of evidence that 

 the manufacture of adzes had there been actually carried 

 on. These facts seem to point to the valley of the lower 

 Fraser or to that Of its tributary, the Thompson, as one, at 

 least, of the localities from which jade has been derived, 

 though, so far as I am aware, it has not yet been found in 

 situ in any part of British Columbia. The partly worked 

 boulders to which allusion has been made, are more partic- 

 ularly described below. They resemble in shape and size the 

 well rounded stones which are abundant in rough beaches 

 along the more rapid parts of the Fraser River, and present 

 a peculiarity in polish which is often found to characterize 

 these stones, and which appears to be due to the action of 

 the sand which is drifted by the wind along these beaches 

 during periods of low water. All the circumstances, in 

 fact, tend to show that they may have been picked up on 

 the immediately adjacent banks of the river. 



