590 
the wood, and overhanded together with 
sinews in a longitudinal seam. ‘The sheath is 
terminated at each extremity by a narrow 
strap: that at the foot of the staff is a mere 
ornamental appendage. It is perhaps an inch 
in width by three in length, and is adorned 
with a tassel of horse-hair attached to it by a 
leathern string. The upper thong is five- 
eighths of an inch wide, and encircles the head 
outside the wooden hoop, following the groove. 
The free extremity terminates in a long gore, 
which fits into a corresponding opening at top 
of sheath, on the side opposite the origin of 
the thong. It is secured in place by stitches 
of sinew. An ornamental row of brass-headed 
nails attaches this thong to the wooden hoop 
beneath. The straps are cut in one piece with 
the remainder of the sheath. 
The grip, or lower half of the staff, is fur- 
nished with a second casing, formed from a belt 
of bead-work, manufactured of a proper width, 
and joined along its edges like the inner sheath. 
This belt is, for the most part, woven in nar- 
row alternating stripes of green and of white 
beads. The top of the grip, however, con- 
sists of a broad band of white, upon which, 
done in green, figures an Indian, adorned with 
an eagle-plume, and holding in one hand some- 
thing, perhaps, intended to simulate a toma- 
hawk. ‘The ribbon attachments shown in the 
plate have been added by the Ojibwas. Pos- 
sibly the bead-work envelope may also have 
been contributed by the latter, as the Ojibwa 
women are most expert in the art of needle- 
weaving. 
Ojibwa bone-breakers. 
I am informed by Ojibwas? competent to 
speak in the matter, and also by other authori- 
ties, that an instrument corresponding in sey- 
eral particulars with the one above described 
was formerly commonly employed for domestic 
purposes among the Ojibwas. The latter im- 
plement is said to be actually in use at the 
present time, at isolated points where bands, 
or parts of bands, are yet living, practically, 
in the ‘stone age.’ The Ojibwa utensil is 
named a bone-breaker. It is a coarse imple- 
ment, having a roundish form, without pointed 
extremities. It is furnished with a groove, like 
the Dakota specimen, and it is much the same 
with that weapon in general size. The stone 
head is attached to the handle by methods 
identical with those used in binding the head 
to the central stem of the puk-gah-mah-gun. 
1 Ojibwas, or Chippewas. The former term is that by which 
these people designate themselves: the latter is our corruption 
of that name. 
SCIENCE. 
The head of the bone-breaker appears to be _ 
the counterpart of a small stone object de-— 
scribed and figured by Dr. C. C. Abbott, in 
his ‘Stone age in New Jersey’ (see his fig. 
312). At least, this figure has at different 
times been pointed out to me as a bone- 
breaker by intelligent elderly Ojibwas of Red 
Lake reservation, to whom, during a summer 
spent at their agency, I took occasion to 
exhibit certain of the plates in Dr. Abbott’s 
book. ) 
Very explicit and interesting statements 
concerning this implement were made by vari- 
ous persons, and particularly by the mission- 
ary in charge, Rev. Fred. Smith, an Ojibwa 
brought up as a ‘blanket Indian,’ in what is 
now central Minnesota. In his early youth, 
Mr. Smith had frequently seen the bone-break- 
er in service in the family lodge. He had 
occasionally met with implements of the sort 
elsewhere, though they have, of late years, 
fallen into general disuse ; but he believed that 
such were still used by the Red-Lakers of the 
north shore who are remote from the agency. 
He had never known this utensil to be em- 
ployed as a weapon, and thought Dr. Abbott’s 
figure was undoubtedly a bone-breaker. It 
was used for breaking the bones of game when 
they could not be parted readily with a knife ; 
as, for instance, in dividing the spoil of hunt- 
ers, in cutting up meats for cooking, or in dis- 
tributing food to one’s family. 
Franc E. Bapsirr. 
THE CRUISE OF THE ALBATROSS, FROM 
CURACOA TO ASPINWALL, IN FEBRU- 
AY AND WAC H= 
We left Curacoa at 7.20 a.m., on Feb. 18, 
and ran a line of soundings in a southerly 
direction to the mainland, the greatest depth 
found being 738 fathoms. The government 
and people of Curacoa will watch with peculiar 
interest the result of this line of soundings, as 
it will go far towards solving the problem of 
procuring a much-needed supply of fresh water 
by sinking artesian wells. 
The relation this island bears to the main- 
land has been heretofore unknown ; the general 
impression being that it was an isolated vol- 
canic peak, having no connection with the water- 
shed of the contiguous coast of Venezuela. In 
this case, water would not be found by sinking 
artesian wells: on the other hand, if connected 
with the main by a plateau or neck of land 
1 Abstract of the official report of Lieut.-Commander Z. L. 
TANNER, commanding, to Prof. 8S. F. Barrp, U.S. fish-commis- 
sioner. Received through the courtesy of Professor Baird. 
