68 



skin is still porous and easily torn. To correct both, a smoke is made, 

 and the skin placed over it in such a manner ar to enclose it entirely. 

 Each side is smoked in this way until the pores are closed, and the 

 skin has become thoroughly toughened, with its color changed from 

 wnite to a kind of brown. It is then ready for use. 



They also use the brain of other animals, and sometimes the back 

 bone of the eel, which pounded up and boiled, possesses nearly the 

 same properties for tanning. Bear skins were never tanned. They 

 were scraped until softened, after which they were dried and used 

 without removing the hair, either as an article of apparel, or as a mat- 

 tress to sleep upon. 



Ga-je-wii, or War Club. 



2 feet 2 inches. 



War, Club, smaller size. 



Before the tomahawk came into use among the Iroquois, their princi- 

 pal weapons were the bow, the stone tomahawk, and the^war club. 

 The Gii-je-wa was a heavy weapon 1 , usually made of ironwood, with a 

 large ball of knot at the head. It was usually about two feet in length, 

 and the base five or six inches in diameter. In close combat it would 

 prove a formidable weapon. They wore it in the belt in front. 



