550 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



Du Pratz says also: 



[Between the Tunica town opposite the mouth of Red River and the Natchez 

 are] many bluffs which occur together: among them is the one called Ecore 

 Blanc, because one finds there many veins of white earth, rich and very fine 

 with which I have seen very beautiful pottery made. On the same bluff one 

 sees veins of ocher which the Natchez get to daub on their pottery which was very 

 pretty; when it was coated with ocher it became red on being baked. (Le Page 

 du Pratz, 1758, vol. 1, p. 124.) 



Quite close to Natchitoches are banks of cockle-shells like those of which 

 is formed the Isle aux Coquilles. This neighboring nation says that their 

 ancient word teaches them that the sea formerly came to this place ; the women 

 of this nation go there to collect them, they make of them a powder which they 

 mix with the earth of which they make their pottery which is recognized to 

 be of the best. (Le Page du Pratz, 1758, vol. 1, pp. 163-164.) 



Dumont (1753, vol. 1, p. 154) says that the women made "all kinds 

 of earthen vessels, dishes, plates, pots to put on the fire, with others 

 large enough to contain 25 to 30 pots of oil." Elsewhere he continues 

 at length thus : 



Moreover, the industry of these Indian girls and women is admirable. I 

 have already reported elsewhere with what skill, with their fingers alone and 

 without a potter's wheel they make all sorts of pottery. 



After having gathered the earth suitable for this kind of work, and having 

 well cleansed it, they take shells which they grind and reduce to a very fine 

 powder; they mix this very fine dust with the earth which they have pro- 

 vided, and, moistening the whole with a little water, they knead it with the 

 hands and feet, forming a dough of which they make rolls 6 or 7 feet long 

 and of whatever thickness is desired. Should they wish to fashion a dish or 

 a vessel, they take one of these rolls and, holding down one end with the 

 thumb of the left hand they turn it around with admirable swiftness and 

 dexterity, describing a spiral ; from time to time they dip their fingers in water, 

 which they are always careful to have near them, and with the right hand they 

 smooth the inside and outside of the vessel they intend to form, which, without 

 this care, would be undulated. 



In this manner they make all sorts of utensils of earth, dishes, plates, pans, 

 pots, and pitchers, some of which contain 40 and 50 pints. The baking of this 

 pottery does not cause them much trouble. After having dried it in the shade 

 they build a great fire, and when they think they have enough coals they clear 

 a place in the middle where they arrange the vessels and cover them with the 

 coals. It is thus that they give them the baking which is necessary. After this 

 they can be placed on the fire and have as much firmness as ours. Their 

 strength can only be attributed to the mixture which the women make of the 

 powdered shells with the clay.'^ 



The work of the neighboring Tunica also seems to have been good. 

 Gravier says that they "have no riches but earthenware pots, quite 

 well made, especially little glazed pitchers, as neat as you would see 

 in France" (Shea, 1861, p. 135; Swanton, 1911, p. 315). Penicaut 

 found the Pascagoula women making "large earthen pots, almost like 

 big kettles, which hold perhaps 40 pints, and in which they have 



» Dumont, 1753, vol. 2, pp. 271-273 (as translated In Holmes, 1903, p. 57). 



