West Indian Stone-Implements. 107 
tain as clear an idea as may be of the various natures and 
uses of the so-called stone-axes ; and, that done, to 
drop the misleading term. As some contribution to- 
ward this desirable end the following remarks are 
offered. 
On showing most ordinary men a so-called stone-axe, 
the idea suggested to their minds is generally of the felling 
of trees ; and with this idea in their heads they either 
openly or secretly disbelieve, rightly enough, that the 
stone is an axe. For it seems impossible to fell a tree 
with that stone. It is, however, quite possible. There 
are probably several ways of bringing down a tree 
with no other implements but those of stone ; but pro- 
bably that most usually followed is, or was, as follows. 
A circle of fire having been made round the stem of the 
selected tree, this eventually kills the tree and leaves a 
charred circle round its roots. This charred part is 
then easily enough, if tediously, picked away with a 
stone implement ; and the tree falls. The trunk once 
down, the branches can be removed by a similar process. 
And, say the tree is to be turned into a boat, a line of 
fire is made along the upper surface of the trunk, as it lies 
on the ground ; which fire gradually smoulders into the 
wood. Then, again with the stone implements, this 
charred wood is picked out ; and a hollow tree trunk, 
boat-shaped, is the result. Even to this day, the In- 
dians of Guiana, provided as they are with metal ax 
and adzes of European manufacture, char and pick ou 
a hollow in a tree-trunk which is to be turned into a 
boat ; they no longer, however, fell the tree by the 
charring and picking process. 
In this primitive method of felling, the implements 
O 2 
