8 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
but every article described above was in use by the Iroquois in 
the 17th century. The arrowheads of 1602 are said to be “much 
like our broad arrowheads, very workmanly done,” and brass 
arrowheads are spoken of by others. 
Native copper articles are rare along the New York seacoast 
and in our mounds, and perhaps are found more rarely still om 
camp sites. They seem to have been lost in travel. Apparently 
implements of native copper have not been made in the interior 
of New. York within 400 or 500 years. This conjeeture may be 
changed at any time, though well founded now. The Iroquois 
of Montreal knew of this metal in 1535, but had none. The 
Atlantic coast Indians were then more fortunate, either having 
European or home sources of supply, or communication with 
the Lake Superior mines, from which the Iroquois proper were 
cut off. Both these things are probably true. 
For the last we may remember that the larger part of the | 
Huron-Iroquois family were somewhat isolated, the Algonquins 
surrounding them and for a long time keeping some of them 
under. No members of the Iroquois family lived west of Lake . 
Huron, but their foes did. So they told Cartier that in the © 
country of metals “ there be Agojudas, that is as much to say, 
an evill people, who goe all armed even to their fingers’ ends.’” 
These wore the aboriginal armor and were continually at war. 
The Iroquois were then unwarlike and commanded no access to 
the mines. 
The question of a home supply merits attention. Copper 
occurs in mines, but so it does in scattered fragments. There 
are even unprofitable copper ores in New York, but no ledges: 
of this metal. Nodules of several pounds weight have been 
found in Connecticut and New Jersey, and some may have been 
used and prized by the aborigines near the coast. Farther 
north there is little doubt that all articles came from Lake 
Superior at an early day, and they have such marked pecu- 
liarities as to make it probable that they were commonly 
wrought into shape in that vicinity. Occasional rude pieces 
found in New York also show this was not always the case. 
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