ABORIGINAL USE OF WOOD IN NEW YORK 



159 



The splint broom is still made and finds sale in Syracuse. A 

 triangular piece of ash is taken, long enough for broom and handle, 

 and the broad end is splintered in the usual way, as shown in figure 

 42. When this is done, a groove is cut around the stick, leaving a 

 space between rather longer than the splintered part. This portion 

 is also finely splintered from above and turned back, meeting the ends 

 of the first division as in figure 43. The whole is then stitched with 

 bark thread, and the handle is shaved down as in figure 44. 



When a kettle was to be hung over the fire, either from a crane or 

 wooden pole, a simple wooden hook was and is used. Figure 116 

 shows one of these. A long and slender branch is cut, a fork left 

 near the base serving as a hook. Two or three long sprays at the 

 upper end are bent over into a loop, and their ends are braided around 

 the main stem lower down. It is quickly made and is quite durable. 

 In summer there is still much outdoor cooking. 



The corn meal stirrer has been mentioned. An article much like 

 it is the sugar spoon. This is more slender and is perforated in the 

 center of the broad part. When dipped in the boiling syrup, this is 

 blown on opposite the orifice, and the progress of the work is at once 

 seen. 



The primitive Indian ladder was very simple. The trunk of a tree 

 with the branches lopped off sufficed. Such was the noted " Indian 

 Ladder " over the Helderbergs, whose name still remains. A tree 

 was often left in the center of a fort, prepared for easy climbing and 

 outside observation. An inclined sapling or post with notches 

 answered well for a house or defensive wall. Such were the ladders 

 of which Champlain and others speak. Figure 120 shows a post or 

 stationary ladder from an Onondaga cabin, which is yet preserved. 

 It is 8 feet long, and one side is smooth. On the other, six notches 

 are irregularly but smoothly cut. This was set up at a slight slope, 

 and served a good purpose, but is now rarely seen. It was used by 

 some of our pioneers also in their log cabins. 



Father Bruyas gave two Mohawk words for ladder, jerathenstha, 

 derived from the act of climbing, and kannegota, which seems its 

 proper name. Words are derived from it to signify taking it up, 

 drawing it back and laying it down, for this was movable. The On- 

 ondagas call it by its old name of ah-tone'-ah. 



