114 ' NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



This native northern tobacco, nicotiana rustica, is used in all sacred 

 functions, and grows spontaneously when once introduced. It has 

 a yellow flower, and is smaller than our commercial kinds. In the 

 prosperous days of the Tionontatie, or Tobacco nation of Canada, 

 it was a source of revenue to that ancient people. Loskiel said, 

 ' The species in common use with the Delawares and Iroquois is so 

 strong that they never smoke it alone, but smoke it with the dried 

 leaves of the sumac or other plants.' The Onondagas still cultivate 

 this species sparingly^ calling it oyenkwa honwe, real tobacco. 



On his pipe the Indian exercised his highest taste and skill, nor 

 did he wish to lose his own enjoyment of its beauty. Early clay 

 pipes had the finest features within the smoker's sight, the face on 

 the bowl being usually turned toward him. Later examples often 

 reversed this feature, both in clay and stone. Quite commonly 

 it will be found that the figure on the bowl was molded separately, 

 and then attached. Detached heads occur, broken off, and often 

 beautifully wrought. Symmetrical designs appear, as when tw:o or 

 more heads of any kind are grouped in various ways. Very often 

 the form is both simple and elegant, as in the trumpet pipes with 

 their graceful curves. After a time, however^ the cheap and con- 

 venient pipe of the white man, or the elegant red stone pipe of the 

 west, displaced the work of the native forest artist. i 



A very large proportion of the aboriginal clay pipes of New York 

 were made by the Iroquois, and many are very neatly finished, the 

 work on them being much better than that on earthen vessels. 

 Some are so smooth as to suggest a dull glaze. This appearance, 

 however, comes from the careful finish of the surface. They vary 

 much in color, as the vessels do. Some Seneca pipes have almost 

 the appearance of black marble. Those found farther east are 

 much lighter in hue. The ornamental work varies still more, and 

 is often quite artistic. Human heads, with those of quadrupeds 

 and birds often embellish the bowls^ and more rarely the stems. 

 Lines and dots are sometimes tastefully arranged. The upturned 

 and open jaws of some animal occasionally form the bowl, while 

 some peculiarities hint at a knowledge of the whites in a few from 

 prehistoric sites. The Algonquins also made pipes of clay. 



