OE THE OLD AND NEW WOELD. 325 



the ancient examples referred to, the perforation is about one sixth 

 of an inch in diameter, and the mouth-piece flattened, and adapted 

 to the lips, so that we can scarcely doubt the mouth was applied 

 directly to the implement, without the addition of any tube of wood 

 or metal. It is otherwise with examples of pipe-heads carved out 

 the beautiful red pipe stone, the most favourite material for the pipe 

 sculpture of the modern Indian. It would seem, therefore, that the 

 pipe-tube is one of the characteristics of the modern race ; if not 

 distinctive of the northern tribes, from the Toltecan and other 

 essentially diverse ancient people of Central and Southern 

 America. 



The use of tobacco, from the earliest eras of which we can re- 

 cover a glimpse, pertained to both ; but the pipe-head would appear 

 to be the emblem of the one, while the pipe-stem gives character to 

 the singular rites and superstitions of the other. The incremated 

 pipe-heads of the ancient mound builders illustrate the sacred usages 

 of the one ; while the skill with which the Indian medicine-man 

 decorates the stem of his medicine-pipe, and the awe and reverence 

 with which — as will be presently shown, — the whole tribe regard it, 

 abundantly prove the virtues ascribed to that implement of the 

 Indian medicine man's sacred art. May it not be, that in the sacred 

 associations connected with the pipe by the Mound Builders of the 

 Mississippi Yalley, we have the indications of contact between the 

 migrating race of Southern and Central America, among whom no 

 superstitious pipe usages are traceable, and the tribes of the north 

 where such superstitions are most intimately interwoven with all 

 their sacred mysteries ? 



In one, though only in one respect, a singular class of clay pipes, 

 which has come under my notice, agrees with the ancient examples, 

 and would seem thereby still further to narrow the area, or the era 

 of the pipe-stem. During the summer of 1855, I made an excursion 

 in company with the Rev. George Bell, to some parts of County 

 Norfolk, Canada West, within a few miles of Lake Erie, for the pur- ■ 

 pose of exploring certain traces of the former natives of the locality. 

 "We found at various places along the margins of the smaller streams, 

 and on the sloping banks of the creeks, spots where our excavations 

 were rewarded by discovering relics of the rude arts of the Aborigines. 

 These included awls or bodkins, and large needles, made of bone,* 



* Implements of bone, precisely corresponding to some of these, are figured and described 

 by Messrs. Squier and Davis, (page 220,) among the disclosures of the ancient mounds. Such 

 implements, however, have pertained to the rude arts of primitive races in all ages, and 

 where found with other samples of the same pottery in the States, have been supposed to be 

 the implements for working the ornamental patterns on the soft clay. 



