57 
The ice-bag is constructed as is the ice-scoop except that the shaft is 
much longer and the scoop frame much smaller. The bag was probably 
made originally of skin and sewn to the frame with babiche. This imple- 
ment is to extract the broken ice cut with the ice-chisel from the bottom 
of fish holes through thick ice, which may be 6 feet deep before water enters 
to float the loose ice for removal with the ice-scoop. The bag itself is 6 
to 8 inches deep and the frame is often a willow doubled into a loop and 
bound to a pole. This implement is especially used in trout fishing in the 
spring when holes are cut through ice, which at that season is exceptionally 
thick. 
Fish-weirs of a very simple type were constructed formerly, but there 
was no use of baskets or boxes as an associated trap. Dam-like structures 
were made of stones or trees and with a small opening where fish could be 
easily taken with spears. 
Cutting Tools. Drawknife blades never exceed 8 inches in length. 
The blades are now made out of old saws, trap springs, but most commonly 
from old files. Presumably in ancient days they were made of bone or 
horn. They are straight with a curve at the end as in farriers’ knives. 
The handles are usually cut so that the thumb may be extended easily 
outwards from the palm for easy and efficient grasping. Handles were 
chiefly made of bone, although wood is common today. The natives 
regard use of the latter material as evidence of laziness and poor work- 
manship. 
Stone adzes disappeared among the Satudene generations ago. A 
description cf one, however, is borrowed from Keith’s letters to Roderick 
Mackenzie in 1812 (Keith, 1890, II, page 122). Speaking of the Hare 
natives who visited his post at old Fort Franklin on Great Rear lake, 
he says: 
“The hatchet is made of stone pointed at both ends something like a wedge, and 
attached to a wooden handle with a line, all of which from their frail material and con- 
struction, require infinite patience and labour to enable them to perform their several 
offices. To fell timber with this hatchet they must always chop against the fil du bois, 
and after raising a few splinters, the tree is soon knocked down.” 
A better description of an adze seen among the Beaver (Slave) is given 
by Wentzel (1890, I, page 90). 
“Their axes w r ere of stone shaped in the form of a pickaxe, the middle of which was 
scalloped in order to fit it to the end of a stick, which, when well fastened, answered the 
purpose of a handle; thus arranged, they could hew or rather hack down the largest tree,” 
Adzes of various shapes and structures no doubt existed formerly 
among the Satudene, but to discover them today is the work of an archae- 
ologist. One specimen described to me from memory was said to be about 
6 inches long and 2 inches wide. There was a single, not very distinct 
groove for hafting. The stone was dark blue or grey, and showed the poor 
workmanship that is generally distinctive of these Indians. Tree cuttings, 
undoubtedly made by means of stone adzes, are recognizable on the north 
shore of Keith bay. Probably, however, the Indians did not possess 
many stone adzes at any time, depending more on fire for felling trees. 
One stone blade, probably a scraper, found at the head of a grave, was 
slightly over 3 inches wide and about 2f inches deep at the centre of the 
arc. The chipping of the scraping edge was of a very primitive type. 
