120 Gem Arrow Points. 



comparatively few are acquainted with the tiny arrow heads of 

 certain localities of the west. Thousands of farmers' boys have 

 gathered the flint forms from the soil of the farms ovei which 

 they roamed, but the little semi-precious stone points are seen 

 in the east only as purchases from some western collector. For 

 delicacy of point and barb, perfection of workmanship and beauty 

 of material, few of the flints compare favorably with these chalce- 

 dony, agate, jasper and obsidian gems of the west. Archaeolo- 

 gists well versed in the study of this science profess to tell us the 

 manner in which these stone instruments were made. Of all the 

 weapons made from stone these delicately formed arrows have 

 created in my mind more grave doubts regarding the correctness 

 of some of the advanced theories of the great students of Ameri- 

 can archaeology than all of the coarser material that has come un- 

 der my observation. 



I have seen hundreds of Oregon gem arrow points so delicately 

 constructed that they seemed to preclude the idea that they 

 could have been struck the gentlest blow with any chipping tool 

 of stone, antler, or what not, and have preserved the sharp and 

 slender points and barbs that gave them uniqueness or variety. 

 I am more and more impressed with the thought that the mode 

 of making these small arrow heads is a lost art. None of the 

 oldest Indians of the western coast can give any information upon 

 the subject. 



The most noted localities for these small arrow points are Ore*- 

 gon, Washington, New Mexico and Nevada. A few small points 

 are occasionally found in Arizona, Colorado and Montana. A 

 greater number have been found upon the east bank of the Willa- 

 mette river, Oregon, from one-half mile above to one-half mile 

 below the falls of the same name, upon an area of about five 

 acres — one acre being at the south extreme and the other four 

 acres at the north extreme of this one mile of river bank. 



From the vast quantity of flakings found upon the former area 

 we are led to the conclusion that the Indians had 'ancient arrow 

 makers' stationed there. The favorite dwelling places of the 

 red men were on the rivers near their mouths, or where natural 

 obstructions made good fishing points. It is estimated by an old 

 collector who has personally collected 35,000 of these gem arrow 

 heads and purchased nearly as many more since 1878, that 20,- 

 000 have been gathered from the one-acre spot and over 100,000 

 from the four acres of ground above mentioned. At the latter 

 place is found a stratum of dark soil two and a half feet in thick- 

 ness, composed of charcoal animal bones, fresh water clams, shells, 

 etc. Above the dark stratum is a layer of wash sand two feet 

 thick, indicating one or more higher floods than we have any rec- 

 ord of. From these facts, and from the fact that there is nothing 

 on the ground to indicate a burial place, I draw the conclusion 

 that a very ancient village of these aborigines existed here and 

 remained a long time. The tribes living near the locality in 



