ABSENCE OF POTTEEY. 273 



forated and strung for necklaces, many of the glass beads, and particularly, 

 the tin can found at Dos Pueblos. The majority of the articles, however, 

 are of old Spanish forms, and among them should be particularly mentioned 

 the brass buckles, portions of bits and other parts of the accoutrements of 

 horses. Some old china cups, and a piece of red pottery stamped and 

 glazed, with numerous brass buttons and other objects, have also been found 

 in the graves, but they do not furnish any particular evidence as to the time 

 they were obtained by the Indians during the three hundred years of con- 

 tact which they had with white people of various nations. A small leaden 

 crucifix was also found at Dos Pueblos, near where the comparatively mod- 

 ern china tea-cups were found, and was very likely obtained from one of 

 the Missions. 



Of ordinary pottery, similar to the bowls more or less common to 

 nearly all the Indian tribes of the region east and south of the southern 

 coast of California, a few specimens have been found and are in the Smith- 

 sonian Institution and the Peabody Museum. A few fragments in the Pea- 

 body Museum (13738) were obtained by Mr. Bowers on the island of San 

 Miguel, associated with a bronze cup. A bowl was found by Mr. Schu- 

 macher (P. M. 13215) on the island of Santa Catalina, in one of the graves 

 at the isthmus, in which were also many articles of iron, bronze, brass, 

 &c, of European make. This bowl has the appearance of rude, wheel- 

 made pottery, and is unquestionably of a late date. As far as can be 

 proved from the large collections made by the officers of the Survey, and 

 the gentlemen who have explored the region under the auspices of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution and the Peabody Museum, the Indians of the coast of 

 California have always been without the art of making vessels of clay.* 



Many articles of iron have been found in the graves, particularly in 

 those on the isthmus of Santa Catalina, from which were obtained several 

 axes of early form, an old-fashioned grubbing-hoe, knives, heads of board- 

 ing-pikes, a small sword, nails, pieces of gun and pistol barrels, small can- 

 non-balls, and many other objects of like character. Among the most inter- 

 esting of these implements of iron are a few which show that they have been 



* Eecent letters from Mr. Bowers and Mr. Schumacher confirm the statement here made, that all 

 the pottery that has heen found on the islands and also on the mainland opposite is of late date and 

 insignificant in amount. See foot-note, p. 14. 

 18 I 



