149 
have been secured more firmly to their handles, by means of 
wedges driven beneath the flat side, and in some instances this 
flattened side is slightly hollowed as if for this purpose." 
A 47. 
Nos. I to 4 are grooved stone axes, found in Ohio. Nos. 5 
to 9 were found in Virginia, Nos. 10 to 13 in New Jersey, No. 
14 in New York, No. 15 at Bunker's Hill, Massachusetts, No. 
16 in Kentucky, and Nos. 17 and 18 in Iowa.* 
The flattened side of Nos. 4 and 18 is slightly concave. No. 
8 is polished in the groove, probably from the slipping of the 
withe handle ; this polishing does not extend over the flat side, 
showing that the withe handle was not in contact with this part 
of the implement. The axe-heads having a groove carried 
completely round them are Nos. 5, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, and 17. 
No. 13 is a plaster cast of a grooved stone axe found in New 
Jersey ; the original has attracted much attention on account of 
the inscription which occurs on its two surfaces. The original 
axe was exhibited at the annual meeting of the American 
Ethnolagical Society in 1861. 
Dr. Evans mentions, in a letter dated Jan. i, 1859, that the 
original axe was found near the north branch of the Rancocas 
Creek, Pemberton township, Burlington county. New Jersey. It 
was ploughed up in September, 1858, on the farm of Samuel R. 
Gaskill, and is said to have attracted the attention of the finder 
by the curious characters inscribed upon it, the finding of the 
usual Indian relics being of too frequent occurrence to excite any 
special interest. Mr. Gaskill is said to have deepened some of 
the characters in attempting to render them more distinct. The 
freshness of the markings consequent upon this has excited a 
certain mistrust of the genuine character of the inscription. 
Dr. Evans, however, has expressed himself as being perfectly 
satisfied that the characters have not been inscribed upon the 
axe for purposes of deception. He states that Mr. Gaskill is 
well known to him ; that he is a man of high principle ; and, 
moreover, that he has not sufficient knowledge of archaeology to 
enable him to accomplish such a forgery, if it be a forgery, as 
* The following axes are of greenstone : — Nos. i, 2, 3, 4, 6, 17, and 18, 
found in Jefferson county, Iowa (Paris Ex., 1867). No. 12 is of compact 
greenstone. Nos. 5, 7, and 9 are, perhaps, of basalt-wacke. No. 8 is of 
hornblende. Nos. 10, 14, 15, and 16 are felstone. No. ii is of gneiss. 
No. 13 is a plaster cast. 
