1883.] Tools used in their Manufacture. 593 
although I believe it is related that such was the custom of those 
who manufactured the Catlinite pipes. 
I have found two quarries in Maryland in which the manufac- 
ture of soapstone articles seems to have been regularly and sys- 
tematically conducted, one in Howard and the other in Balti- 
more county. In many other places in these counties, and also 
in Carrol, where soapstone crops out, I have found rude vessels — 
which possibly may have come from workings that have escaped 
my search, On the property in Howard, where one of these 
quarries is situated, I found, at my first visit, the whole surface 
of a large tract of woodland, possibly ten acres in extent, almost 
covered with broken dishes and bowls, with a few implements 
lying scattered here and there. The rock here crops out in cer- 
tain places, but a dozen or more circular or elliptical depressions 
show where either a detached cobble had been worked out or a 
pit had been sunk to bed rock. For in this place I think both 
cobbles and bed rock have been worked for the purpose of manu- 
facturing soapstone vessels. In the Baltimore county quarry only the 
solid beds of stone have been worked; this quarry.has produced 
the best specimens of dishes which I have seen, and is now being 
worked for commercial purposes. In clearing away the surface 
soil in order to reach merchantable stone, many interesting speci- 
mens both of tools and dishes, or bowls, have been found, but I 
regret to. say that many more have again probably been covered 
up, because of their value not being recognized by those working 
: ‘Quarry. In this place I have found most of the quarry tools 
4 Which I now possess, and a sufficient number, I think, to give one 
a tolerably fair idea of the character of implement used in quarry- 
Mand manufacturing soapstone bowls. Here there do not 
: “Ppear to have been more than two or three pits worked, and they 
’ are Not very extensive, although great numbers of pots must have 
a here made, The quarry tools appear to have been generally 
7 composed of black granite, with an occasional one of limestone 
‘ clay slate. Whilst quartz is common in the vicinity of soap- 
. teas and its cleavage of a character to lead one to suppose 
wei would be generally used for making tools, I do not believe 
u have been the case, although in all the descriptions I have 
eg Soapstone quarries, quartz is said to have furnished most 
as tools discovered, consequently I may be mistaken. Again 
Matte is exceedingly brittle, and I hardly think would stand the 
