ABORIGINAL USE OF WOOD IN NEW YORK 1 25 



tance of 10 or 15 yards, although they shot at the little red squirrels, 

 which are not half the size of a rat, and with such wonderful force 

 used they to blow forth the arrows, that they frequently drove them 

 up to the very thistle down, through the heads of the largest black 

 squirrels. The effect of these guns appears at first sight like magic. 

 The tube is put to the mouth, and in the twinkling of an eye you 

 see the squirrel that it aimed at fall lifeless to the ground ; no report, 

 not the smallest sound even, is to be heard, nor is it possible to 

 see the arrow, so quietly does it fly, until it appears fastened in the 

 body of the animal. Ketchutn, 2:190 



The Algonquin word tomahawk originally belonged to the war 

 club, called cassetcte by the French, and, as each was intended to 

 break the head, the change was natural. On this each nation placed 

 its own mark, and it was often left behind to tell by whom some 

 daring or violent deed was done. Loskiel said: 



The Iroquois and Delawares, and the nations connected with them, 

 do not declare war by a formal message, but rather send out a small 

 party, seize the first man they meet, belonging to the nation they 

 intend to engage, kill and scalp him; then cleave his head with a 

 hatchet, which they leave in it, or lay a war-club, painted red, upon 

 the body of the victim. Loskiel, 145 



A Canadian Indian discovered an English army on Lake George 

 in 1690. " He had suspended three tomahawks within sight of their 

 cabins, indicating to them that they were discovered, and that he 

 defied them to come to Montreal. These tomahawks are a species 

 of club on which they carve figures and in that way manifest their 

 wishes." O'Callaghan, Col. Doc, 9:479 



In describing the Iroquois in 1666, it is said, " When they have 

 finished, if they have casse-tetes or clubs, they plant them against 

 the corpse, inclining a little towards the village of the slain." 

 O'Callaghan, Col. Doc, 9:48 



In the same interesting account the Wolf holds a round-headed 

 club in his hand. Figure 55 shows another from the same with 

 unusual features. A small projection, suggestive of a thumb, seems 

 intended to afford a better hold at the small end. The top is squarer 

 than usual, and would not suggest the war club but for its explicit 

 mention. It might possibly be reversed, making the sharp projec- 

 tion the deadly part, but this hardly seems probable. It is said to 



