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From the Trnmactions of the iSoyfi Scotinn Institute of Natural Science, Vol.
nil, Part 111, (1888-89).

*li:J{ I

Art. VI.— The Stone Age in Nova Scotia, as illustrated by
A collection of relics presented to Dalhousie
College.— By the Rev. George Patterson, D.D.,
New Glasgow.

During the last few years I have t^mbraced any opportunities
afforded me of collecting relics of the Stone Age in Nova Scotia,
and have now concluded that the purposes of such a collection
will be best served by presenting it to Dalhousie College, to form
part of the museum of that institution. In handing it over, I
desire, through the N. S. Institute of Natural Science, to place on
record any points of interest noted in my explorations, or sug-
gested by the articles discovered.

In older countries, these relics have been obtained principally
from four sour^ ,:s : —

1. Burial mounds and old cemeteries.

2. Kitchen Middens, or the shell heaps and refuse heaps
which mark the site of old encampments,

3. Cave dwellings.

4. Lake dwellings, as in Switzerland.

Nothing of the nature of the last two has ever been found in
Nova Scotia, and there is no probability that there ever will. It
is therefore to the first two of these that we are indebted for any
remains of this primitive state of society found among us. As
to the first, I have only in one instance come across a genuine
prehistoric cemetery. It was situated on the Big Island of
Merigomish, on the farms of Donald McGregor and James
McGlashan, near the shore and close by the line between their
farms. Attention was first directed to the place by Mr. McGre-
gor, while ploughing up a portion of his field in which the
vegetation was i anker than usual, turning up a human skull,
pierced in front by a stone arrow-head, which still remained in
its place. This interesting relic unfortunately was not taken
care of, and has been lost. I did not hear of this discovery till

/ ^

(i, L>i

2.S2

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA.— PATTERSON.

some time after. In the meantime the place had been examine,]
by other parties, and a number of stone axes and arrow-heads
had been taken away. Uy first visit to it in 1874 was the
commencement of my Archjui))o(Tical investigations. I did not
examine the place with the same intelligence that I would have
done since, but the circumstances just mentioned excited my
curiosity, and on this and subsequent visits I examined the
ground with some care, and with results of some interest.

At the spot where the transfixed skull had been turned up,
though the ground had been a good deal disturbed before my
visit, I found over a circular space of over six feet in diameter
and to a depth varying from fifteen inches to two feet, a loose
brown mould, mixed with fragments of bone, so decayed that
not a complete bone could be found, and what remained could be
crushed between the fingers. Below this I found fragments of
birch bark in which the Indians were accustomed to enclose their
dead, and below that wus a hard subsoil, which plainly had
never been disturbed. The soil around was also entirely dif-
ferent in color and composition.

There could be no doubt that this dark mould was from the
decay of animal matter, and that the place formed a sort of
pit into which a number of bodies had been thrown, t'r-oir.
the ground having been thoroughly dug over before my visit,
and the fragmentary condition of the bones, it was impossible
to ascertain anything of the order in which the bodies had
been arranged, but the transfixed skull with the other cir-
cumstances, seemed to indicate that these were the remains of
those who had fallen in some battle, which had been here
heaped together, " in one red burial blent." The shallowness
of the pit shows that it must have been used previous to the
arrival of Europeans, when sharpened sticks were perhaps the
only instruments of digging. The same appears from the fact
that no articles giving evidence of intercou»Ne with civilization
were found among the remains. Wheth'-.i ..nere had been any
mound formed over them could not be ascertained. If there ever
had it could have only been a very small one, and whatever

THE STONE AGE iN NOVA SCOTlA. — PATTERSON.

^33

there was had been levelled by the repeated ploughings the
ground had undergone.

A number of stone implements had been found before my
arrival, and taken away. But on close examination I found
more, — a small axe, evidently a war axe, which seemed freshly
ground to a sharp edge, probably immediately before the en-
counter in which the owner had lost his life, some stone arrow
and spear-heads, some fragments of rude pottery, some small
copper knives, an imperfect bone fish spear-head, and a stone
pipe.

On exploring around, I discovered that the ground toward the
shore, within a circuit with a radius of from forty to fifty feet,
and sloping gently towards the south-west, had been an old
cemetery. In spots at irregular distances, but from two to four
feet apart, on digging down I would find, at a depth of from six
to ten inches, a layer, perhaps about two inches thick, of a rich,
dark, velvety mould, intermixed with fragments of bones. In
some cases this extended a length of less than three feet, with
a breadth of, perhaps, half as much, indicating, as I judged, the
grave of a single body ; but in at least one instance the layer
was of much greater extent, as if the remains of several bodies
were joined together. The bortes were so decayed that, though
this might have been owing to my ignorance of anatomy, only
in a few instances could I recognize what they were. There was
only one case in which I could trace the position in which the
body lay. That was on its side, in a crouching position. In
this case the skull remained in fragments, and had I known the
modes now adopted by Archst^ologists for joining the fractured
portions of skeletons, I might have gathered them and restored
it, so as to show its original shape. As it was, I was struck with
the great thickness of the pieces, and brought some of them
away ; but I have since learned that this is not uncommon among
barbarous tribes.

In all these cases, with a single exception, I found prehistoric
implements, stone axes, knives, arrow and spear-heads, portions
of bone spear-heads, small copper knives, with fragments of pot-
tery. It thus appeared that the people to whom these remains

234

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA.— PATTERSON.

belonged had the practice, common among so many primitive
races both in the old and new world, of burying with the dead
the implements which they were accustomed to use when in life.
But I found one exception to this, which otherwise was curious.
In this case instead of the mould referred to there was a layer
almost entirely of ashes, with fragments of bone seemingly burnt
and none of them an inch long. This covered a smaller space'
than in the other cases, being of an elleptical shape, and speaking
from recollection, scarcely two feet in the longest diameter, and
a little over half as much in the shorter. In this there was nothing
in the shape of a prehistoric implement except a fragment of a
broken stone spear-head. In explanation of these circumstances
I could only suppose that we had here the remains of some poor
captive who had been burned.

In connection with this I observed -n my digging indications
of fire for some unexplained purpose, ashes, small pieces of char-
coal and burnt earth. Possibly this might have been caused
by white men burning the wood in clearing the land, but I
observed also stones, which seemed to have been subjected to
fire for some time, as the stones in a chimney or a hearth. I
regret that I did not carefully examine into this point. I may
observe, however, that I picked upon the ground a number of
stone flakes such as are formed in the making of arrow-heads,
and such as I have always found on the sites of old encampments.'
This would indicate that the place had been occupied after the
interments, and perhaps by another race. This would account
for some of the stones having the appearance of being acted on
by fire, perhaps from their having been used as hearth stones.

The stone implements found in this cemetery present no par-
ticular diflference from those found elsewhere. The arrow and
spear-heads are generally well made. Some of them are of jasper
or other fine grained mineral, such as are found in the trap rocks
of the Bay of Fundy, and they exhibit a varietv of forms exactly
resembling those found in other collections both in the old and
in the new world. There are also what I regard as knives
intended to be grasped in the hand and drawn to the person as
is done by the Mic-macs to the present day. There is one curious

THE STONE AGE IN NOVa SCOTIA.— PATTEUSON.

235

implement of which I have seen nothing similar. It is four-sided
and rectangular, each side at the broadest being a little over one-
fourth of an inch, from which it tapers to a blunt point. Part
of the larger end is broken off, but what remains is 3^ inches
long. The use of this I cannot determine. It may have been
intended as a perforator, but this does not seem probable, as it
is carefully polished into a quadrilateral, which would rather tend
to render it unsuitable for such a purpose.

The copper knives found here deserve notice. It is known to
all Archseologists that the Indian tribes bordering on the Great
Lakes had learned to use the native copper, which is found
abundantly in the neighbourhood of Lake Superior for knives
and a variety of other implements. It is also known to our
geologists that native copper existed in small quantities in Nova
Scotia, particularly in the trap rocks of the Bay of Fundy. But
this was the first case in which it was found that the Aborigines
of this Province had learned to turn it to practical use. The
implements consist of small knives formed by hammering, which
also served to harden the metal. There are three specimens in
the collection beside pieces of copper hammered out as if intended
for the formation of similar ones. A few others I have given to
other collections. About the same time, articles of copper of
prehistoric origin were found in Lunenburg County, principally
however what has been supposed to be small needles or piercers,
and beads. I believe, however, that more copper knives have
been found in this cemetery than in all the rest of Nova Scotia.

The bone fish spear-heads are of interest. One nearly perfect
was taken from the pit which I have described. Both ends have
been broken off, but a length of 3io inches remain. It is flat,
about one-eighth of an inch thick, and in width from half an inch
tapering to a point. It shows very delicate workman.ship. On
one side are cut three notches in a descending direction, so narrow
and even, that it is difficult to understand how the old workmen
could have done it with any tools they possessed. The points
at the lower edge of these would form barbs, taking the firmest
hold. Between these notches the edge is very finely serrated,
which would .serve to give the implement additional holdino-

2Sli

TIIK STONK AOE IN NOVA SCOTIA.— I'ATTKII.SON.

power. The others nhow care and skill in the formation of the
barbs. But a point of special interest is that ne.r the, lie til

Tl> : r""",''"'" ''" ">'' ^"» »«-'-l « ^trin^Vh ch
doubtless ha. a float at.aehe.l ,„ the other enj. Wher he

ftsh was struck the head beca.ne detached f,on, the .haft and h!
^•ent oH-with the line. But the lloat would ret ,, 1^ nr ." e "
and exhaust h„„ or perhaps bring hin, to the surface, wife
fisherman could by it easily f„|low bin. up This ,„n 1 .'
turing the denizens of the iep is still ^'ctise ' l^ "t E l°I
anci he,- barbarous tribe,,. There are 'son.e other'^^peeiu en "of
bone, horn or , very, the use of which I a,n unable to d rmine
Iron, their being ,o rnueh decaye,l or being in fragments

Ihe pieces ol pottery found here did not oxhib^ any feature,
of special interest. Some of then, are blaekene.l as J UcyhZ
been suspended over a firo ^

cHIHng Of the bowl, a ho^e is ,lHde7in":r;& , ^ e^ht
he three-s,xteenths of an inch i„ diameter for a length of Larlv
wo mches. A ong the upper surface at each side a fine "ZJe

ha.s been c„,. I fancy that any of our modern meehan cf wi h

w ,f ■ Bjtrtor""^"^ "°"'^ '' P"^^'°^ '° ^^ -
tln.d Ti, f !, """ "''™n'"''n'=e remains to be men-

z^s^, t:;d:V'fir ;s:::' ;;k:iif tr '-t h

the collection nf .i,„ c -.L ''.»'' """""n the accouut of
me collection ot the Smithsonian Institution, but Sir Wi'li.m
Dawson directed my attention to a collection of relt ma i u '
the Ot awa purchased for McOill College, in which were se tml
pipes if not exactly the .same in shape vet nkinl^Tf h
type. It may be worth noting that' •./:: f td" tdTn":
thing like wampum, so frequently found in Indian grave, ^

Some of these circumstances raise the r,i,P«ti„„ i 1 ,

THE STONK AOE IN NOVA SCOTIA. — TATTKIISON.

237

itnperfect, but each in its .small size and tlioslifrlitdivor«,nngan<jle
of tlie .sides stands in contrast witli the true Indian jaw. Thi.s
would HU^'gest a people of small size like the Eskimos. It is now
believed that this race formerly extended much further .south in
America than they now do, occupyinj^ indeed UK.eh of the New
England coast. It is also a received opinion that the AlgoiKjuin
race of which the Micmacs are the tribe farthest to the North
and East, came from the South West, and the traditio.i of the
latter is to the .same effect. In such a migration they must have
come into collision with the Eskimos, and driven them before
them. Charlevoix in the map accompanying his work sets down
the land to the North of the St. Lawrence as "Pays des Esqui-
maux," he mentions also that they were to be found in summer
on the coast of Newfoundland, and describes the Micmacs in his
day as maintaining a constant warfare with them, and these
remains may be memorials of some such conflict. It is worthy
of note that though I made .several trials I found no evidence of
any burial further from the shore than the pit, where was formed
the transfixed skull. It really appeared as if the race who used
this cemetery had here depo:uted their warriors dead, and
returned to the spot no more.

The evidence of these remains being of a previous race I
admit to be scanty. But the point is worthy to be kept in view
in future explorations.

The chief source, however, from which in this country we
obtain relics of the .stone age, is the kitchen middens (Kjokken
moddings, as they are called in the North of Europe) or those
collections of shells and other refuse, which mark the .site of old
encampments. These are to be found in every part of the Pro-
vince. Indeed, judging from those places I have had the oppor-
tunity of examining, I believe that every harbor and the
embouchure of every considerable river will be found to exhibit
to a greater or less extent such evidence of having been occupied
by the people of the stone age. Thus, on the north shore, I
have found them in Pictou Harbor, on both sides of the mouth
of the East River, and at Middle River Point. In Merigomish
Harbor there is scarcely an island or a point on which such

238

Ti.K .ST.mK AOK m KOVA »<.OT,A.-.An„,soN.

-.1 on the .hoJ;J; "IXt"; r"n'^

Millar. Fanhm- vSlV 7 , ° '"'''" "' "'" K<iv. A. P

'.eard of .s„cl, at Wallace Onls ^» ""'"g"""''"- «nd I |,avo
. place on what wa, uZr. ^s^JZ^'^'Z^'"-'' 1^ "' ^'' "
County, which had all the apperan'e of h '.L" ''""""^"^S
ancient arrowhead nmnufactorv R,!, f, l"'"*-' "" "'^ "^ «"
found on the LaHave nZ I T '°''™ "''''''"»" I have

i" the ,a„,e Co nty r a,n t'tfTV ""'^ *' ^"^^ '««1>^V.
at Port Joly and o^M N t t'lld il'^l'^ "'■"^" "" '"""^
I have myself oKserved then, », , 1 ^'"'"™'n« "a'-bor, and

ton. On^ivor, nU\ti ! X^t" Th ''"'"*' "'^^'"^'-
oKserved two one a Iini« ok "°°"^^"'^ ^ 'lave parfcicuIarJv

Hiver, on the' ;::;„'" GoZ Met it "' "',' '"^ ''• »'"^^
I.eq„ille River, Annano h c3 T ' "'"' "'" ""'"■■°" "">

Hoyt. ThesiiuatioTof^le'lt'.;:/:/:™."^"^^-^^
reasons of their solpnfm^ , ^'^^ similar, and the

below fall,, o pi :'r, :,rah"^^- "''''="'''• ^""' "« J"»t
the bet positionCcantXthr =". "'^ ''^''' «"'' ""■' '"
or descent. Both are on loTI T'« P"'"""'"'''^ '» 'heir ascent

and backed by ^"ll::JZJ;':Z:^ Z^' f' 'T
Winds. auorueu .shelter from the

Where the coast is not indented by harbnv. fl. • w
naturally resorted to places in the inf u ' '"^^bitants

borders of rivers, navigable Z 1 srio'eT T'' ^" ^
Bay of Fundy, where thpra io *^, . canoes. Thus, on the

don to Digb/oufc we fi d h fr'T' "f "' '™P f™"' ^^i"""-
eaux River, and I'hl-e heard of f T "' "'^'' "" "^^ «"»?-
where. So in Cape Bretorl fin '"'T''"" ^'"^ '"""^ <''««-
the people of the'ston "^ It Lat A'in:r "'/'f ""''P''"''^ ''^
on the Bras d'Or Lake L I . f '' *"'' "' ""'o"' Points

sr -" -- -;s rr ;■■:'-:

winter, and encampingr on the borders

THE STONK AUK IN NOVA SCOTIA. — PATrKKSON.

239

of lakes. Such places will now bo found so overgrown with
troGB and buslies that no traces of their occupancy will be dis-
cernable. But alontf the rivers when the land is cleared stone
implements are picked up at various points. Thus I have
obtained them on the St. Mary's River, near the Forks, and on
both the East and West Branches. On the Roseway River,
about fourteen miles from Shelburne, the stream divides form-
ing an island, on which have been found a number of implements,
principally goudges. I have seen a number, some of them rather
singular, which were gathered on the Musquodoboit ; and [
have heard of a place on the Shubenacadio, not far below the
railway station, which has yielded a number of such articles.
But except at such chosen spots as those I have mentioned near
the embouchures of the Lequillo and St. Mary's Rivers, so far as
I have observed, the relics found in th interior have not been
in such quantities as to indicate continued occupancy.
• The kitchen middens on the sea coast are in most cases easily
distinguishable by the quantity of shells which they contain.
Up the rivers they are usually known only by finding implements
1^ oH the stone chips left in the formation of arrow heads«. Even
of that which I have mentioned on the Lequille River, though
Mr. Hoyt has picked up on about three-quarters of an acre of
ground between fifty and a hundred implements, yet the soil does
not differ in appearance from that around, though its present
occupiers notice a greater fertility in it which is retained through
successive croppings. But on such places on the coast we will
generally find on the surface a distinct layer, varying from two
or three inches to fifteen or twenty inches in depth, composed
sometimes almost entirely of shells of edible mollusks but gen-
ally mixed with soil formed by the decay of the other refuse from
their camps. In no place that I have seen does there appear any
thing like the quantities, shown in other countries, where accumu-
lations almost entirely of shells to the depth of two, three or even
more feet, will be found extending over acres of ground. What
I have seen might more properly be called refuse heaps, of
which shells formed an important part, and they covered but
very limited areas, the largest not exceeding three-quarters of an

240

THE STONE AGE ,.V NOVA SCOTU.-PATTER.iON.

acre, and 1 have seen instances where snoh « u„„ r .
than two or three inches deen ZTZ , ^ "^ "'"' """•«

not more than twentyoV t^J" f;"l' '=<>.™".»"" " --"* of
had been occupied by'a sin^ ca^p"''' *"' "" *"-'-■ ^ '^ ''

to «nd reiics o. n.an i^l'itlt S t^ut; trafhif
existence previous to the glacial age, and many European Archt

:r rt^r^dTriT^whTtS:^ -r '-^ ^-^^

.hese countries or not inlvlsco i "^""^""^ """"" ^ '"
ed out, the remains hav" alwayetrn found "T"''" P"'"'"
ciea,ly showed that they were not o" ill, , ^"l"; -'^'io"^ «»

th^vicinity of d.po=its^of thi3rj,f :r2f ..,?rf7em ■■"
Arrt^isr;:;: r'n'Ttu'rif^r "/^^ °■""-

and their position when discoteed. hav diJwT The"'\ '°""''
mto two periods, distinguished b-- the use of Ihl f f°V .'="
-one implements, and Lown ^^Z::^':^^^^
th.c Some Amencan students, carried away by tl e .„th„!-
of their names, have sought to find the same^n A """lO'^y

believe that American A rch,eolo!ists .r """'■ ^"" ^

to the conclusion tha. in the ne^w .Id t"::^"""'"^' "?'"«
such a distinction. We have always thonlhtthrir °"-™"' *°''
m itself. Instead ofther-akin^.,!,-,,'^"' "™'ional

a .simple act, which owre^rd'hrb'^ °"P'""^' '"''"«
of development and nrll 1 ^°."°?"''^ ''y ''""gs in a low state

sun ^e^ufrinratrrtt c7 rtX™::! ^ "^ "^"'

:::^ist!;:f5:f:l^^'--,-Se;;:ub:[:;;i.t
(- No, I.;:- '.reir: rrmX':fa':^i::::r:;.' °^ 'S-"'

considerable skill so much s., ti, * ^^ow-head is a work of

how it was dona from slvactr b ^r sO '"" °"'^' '''"-'•
At all events, in Nova Scotll he rJdl "b „'1P"'=!'!^'' /''"^ -'•
and the perfectly farmerl , r, I .^ , .'''""'^"^ o"' implements
found to^Lthefi'^ a way that n f, T" ""' P^'-'^l-od. are
the product of dUrXas. ' ' "'" ""* '"^* "' ">-• "^^S

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA. — PATTERSON.

241

Coming more particularly to our Nova Scotia kitchen mid-
dens, it must be noticed that in no case, so far as I am aware,
have they been jxarained with the care with which scientific
men have treated +.hose in other countries. Besides, the ground
has in most cases been ploughed over, in some instances fre-
(juently, thus changing its condition from what it was when
abandoned by the Indians. But they will still amply repay
investigation. The majority of the implements in my collection
have been obtained from one to which I wish more particularly
to refer.

It is situated on the farm of the Rev. A. P. Millar, Merigomish,
in the rear of a point projecting from the south side of the har-
bor. One has only to look round to see that the spot has been
selected with a skilful reference to the circumstances and wants
of the people of that time. It was close upon the waters of the
harbor then teeming with fish, and not far from the open Gulf.
The creeks and small islands around swarmed with wild fowl,
while behind them was the forest abounding in game. The
point has an elevation of perhaps 40 or 50 feet. It has been
wearing away, and was probably higher in former times. Being
also then covered with wood it would still better serve as a shel-
ter from northerly winds. From the point the ground slopes
gently to the south till it is little above high water mark. On
the face of this slope over a space of perhaps three quarters of
an acre are found the shells and other refuse of a Kitchen mid-
den. At the foot there is a little stream, which would have
afforded fresh water. Where it reaches the shore a little cove
makes in, which would have suited admirably for drawing up
their canoes, and it may be observed that in digging at the point
there was found pieces of partially decayed birch bark, which
had been covered by earth washed down from the higher ground.

The layer of shells and lefuse referred to is on the level only
from six to eight inches deep, where the ground had been cut
out by a small run of water from twelve to fifteen, and it thins
out to nothing at the outer edge. The shells were mostly if not
entirely the common oyster (Ostrea Virginiana) the quahog
(Venus purpurea), the clam (Mya Arenaria) and the mussel

242

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTU.-PArrEBSON.

(Mytilus edulk). I confess I did „ot look for other. Mv atten

ja. ._.e . .. .nee^^ertt^a-r Z„^
From this place have been obtained abo t b«lf ^h. u- . •

thus exhibit, thoriflat the T , "T "' '^°^"' ^'»^™'''
can he done b/theriX:;;^™ l;;^::^*"- -J-as that

par e r^; e New Hebl^^ ">e West Indies and

tinned till very Lentfv »^. *'' "'""'^ ""^ ^'°°^ »g'= «<"-

yet passed ary""^'""" °" ""^ "* "^ich it has scarcely

I.— STONE.

A.— FLAKED AND CHIPPED STONE

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA. — PATTERSON.

243

the action of the waves rolling them against one another, just as
they are found at the foot of the cliffs there, or partially operated
on, besides a great variety of stone chips and flakes from differ-
ent places, (Nos. 124, 170, 225.)

2,3. Irregular fiahes of obsidian, etc., produced by a single
blow, and two edged narrow flakes of obsidian produced by pres-
sure, etc. We have nothing to represent these from Nova Scotia
but there is in the collection a piece of a small obsidian knife
from Mexico, (No. 173.)

4. Uvjinisfied Arrow and Spear-heads. — Of these the col-
lection affords an abundant representation, (Nos. 99, 114, 115,

150, 246.)

5. Arroiuheads. — The collection contains over sixty specimens
from Nova Scotia. The majority of these are from Merigomish
Pictou County, but there are also some from St. Mary's, Antigon-
ish, Annapolis, and particularly Lunenburg County. In the
material of which they are composed, there is a difference be-
tween those obtained on the North shore of the Province, and
those from the South and West. The former are generally
composed of hard flinty slate, felsite, quartzite, or other of the
rocks found in the metamorphic rocks in the mountain range in
the interior, and occasionally white quartz. The latter are
generally formed of the agates, jaspers and other fine grained
minerals found in the crevices of the Trap Rocks on the Bay of
Fundy. The action of the weather brings these down to the
foot of the cliffs, where being rolled together by the action of the
waves, they form nodules of from two to four inches in diameter.
These seem to have been a favorite material for the formation of
arrow heads. In some respects they are very suitable for the
purpose. They are hard, fine grained, and in cleavage form
sharp edges, but not being stratified they are apt in splitting to
break into short pieces, so that the implements formed of them
are generally small, though sometimes very pretty.

These are found of all shapes that are represented in other
countries, some being leaf shaped, with base rounded or point-
ed, some triangular, some straight-sided with base more or
less concave, some notched near the base, some are stemmed in

244

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA.— rATTEIlSON.

considerable variety of forms, and some are barbed as well as
stemmed. There is a piece of one from Yarmouth County (No.
174) which is interesting as giving evidence of having been
wrought into a spiral form. There is what is set down as a
spear-head from Michigan (No. 105) which shows the same
peculiarity. Such implements have been regarded as showing
that the aborigines had discovered the principle of the rifle gun.
Besides the specimens from Nova Scotia are several from Mas-
sachusetts and New .Jersey, (Nos. 158-164), one from CoUing-
wood, Ont., (No. 165), and one from Aberdeenshire, Scotland,
(No. 166), which will show the similarity of the workmanship of
the people of the stone age in widely separted countries.

6. Spear-heads. — These are of the same forms as the arrow-
heads but larger. Some fine specimens are in the collection, some
leaf-shaped with rounded base and some stemmed (Nos. 100-104.)
Some instruments passing under this name may have been used
as cutting or scraping tools.

7. Perforators. — Two implements in this collection, both from
Annapolis, are set down under this name, but both have the
points broken off. One (No. 282) has a broad base, but shows
evidence of having been worked to form a point. The other
(No. 278) though having something the appearance of an arrow-
head, appears really to have been intended as a perforator.

8. Scra'pers. — Thick flakes of flint, &c., worked at one extre-
mity, sometimes at both, into a convex or semi-lunar edge. Such
aie still used by the Eskimo in cleaning skins, and in scraping
and smoothing horn, bone, wood, &c. Two specimens, both from
Annapolis, (Nos. 283, 286.) But a number of others probably
also served the same purpose.

9. Cutting and sawing implements. — There are several
implements of this kind from Nova Scotia (Nos. 91, 249.) But
a crescent shaped one from New Jersey is worthy of special
notice (No. 106.)

10. Dagger-shaped implements. — N(jt represented.

11. Leaf-shaped implements. — "Perhaps mostly used for
scraping and cutting. Some may be unfinished tools." A num-
ber of such in the collection (Nos. 94, 97.)

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA. -PATTERSON.

245

12. Large flat instruments usually ovoid in shape, supposed
to have been used as spades or hoes. One fine specimen from
Merigomish, 7| inches in the longest and 3| in the shortest dia-
meter (No. 8/5.)

B. — PECKED, GROUND OR POLISHED STONE.

1. Wedges or celts.—ThevQ is a great variety of these, though
in the catalogue they are generally named axes. They are from
different parts of the Province, though the majority are from
the kitchen midden at Merigomish, previously described. Our
weather, with its frequent freezing and thawing in winter, seems
to act severely upon them, when on or near the surface of the
ground, so that they become rough or fretted, and portions spall
off. So that we do not generally find them with the fine polish,
that we see in many from other countries. They are formed of
various hard rocks, which may bt- found among the older Geolo-
gical formations in Nova Scotia, or fragments found in the drift.
Their shape seems in many cases to have depended on the origi-
nal form of the stone, (see No. 36.) In one from Merigomish
(No. 12) we see the simplest workmanship, where theie has been
only a little rubbing or grinding at one edge, and the stone
otherwise left in its original condition. But others have been
carefullj' and laboriously brought into a regular shape, (No 50,
from East River of Pictou.) They are of all sizes, from an inch
and a half to seven inches. A number are two edged, show-
ing that in use they were to be hafted as axes, (No. 22, Merigo-
mish ; 55, Bauch man's Beach ; 268, South Pictou.)

Some are flat on one side, and are known as fleshers or bark
peelers, (No. 65, Merigomish.)

There are also one from Scotland (No 60), two small but finely
polished ones from Trinidad (Nos. 61, 62), several from the New
Hebrides (Nos. 57, 58, 59). They show the similiarity of form
of these implements in widely separated countries, that from Scot-
land bfing scarcely distinguishable from one from Erromancra.
There is one hafted according to the mode customary till recently
on that island, (No. 179.)

2. Chisels. In the collection some are set down as axes

246

THE STONE AGE IN NOvA SCOTIA.— PATTERSON.

i I \

that others would set down as celts or wedges. No 269 answers
the description given, though it is thought more likely to have
been used as a stiiker or pogomakunn. Under this title perhaps
also may be classed a peculiar implement from Lake Ainslie,
C. B., (No. 79). It is about 8 inches in length over all. In the
front it is brought to an edge, but the rest is about ^ of an inch
thick throughout. At the base, it is Sfe inches wide, but gradually
decreases almost to nothing.

3. Goudges.— These are of three kinds : 1. Those slightly
hollowed out at the cutting part, as No. 73, 1()| inches long from
Aneiteum.and Nos. 74and 75 from St. Mary's, 13J and 14 inches
long. 2. Those which have a concavity, of which there is a
beautiful specimen from Lake Ainslie, C. B., (No. ). These
were probably hafted and used as adzes and employed in hollow-
ing out wooden vessels, fire having been first applied. This one
is partially grooved transversely seemingly for this puroose. And
3. Those hollowed out through their whole length. Of these
there are one from Shelburne, one from St. Mary's, and one from
Cape Breton, besides one from Massachusetts. These seem to
have been used for tapping and gathering the sap of the maple
trees. Some of the axes have the cutting edge ground in a
slightly goudged form (No. 263 from Antigonish County).

4. Adzes. — None of the implements are marked as such, but
probably some were hafted and used in this manner.

5. Grooved Axes. — I have obtained but one specimen of these
(No. 52 from St. Mary's.) It is 7^ inches long.

6. Hammers, including hammer stones and hammer heads.
The collection contains a number of stones of hard composition,
which on their edges show that they have been used as such,
(Nos. 50, 167). Others show that they were manufactured and
perhaps were intended to be hafted as the axes, (Nos. 67, 70.)

7. Drilled Ceremonial Weapons. — No specimens.

8. Gutting Tools.— Some are marked as knives that in other
collections might be marked as celts, because from their shape
they are fitted and seem intended to be held in the hand in
the manner the Mic-macs hold their knives to the present day,
drawing them towards them, (No. 8, Merigomish Cemetery, No.

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA.— PATTERSON. 247

80, Sherbrooke;. But besides these there are quite a number of
implements undoubtedly intended for cutting (Nos. 10. 81, 84,
107, etc). One crescent shaped one from St. Mary's (No. 27G),'
deserves particular notice.

9. Semper and spade-like instruments.— Th^vQ are no imple-
ments in the collection like those represented under this title.

10. Pendants and smZ:er8.— Besides those pendants supposed
to be intended as ornaments there are two of the class supposed
to have been used as sinkers for nets, one from Shelburne
County (No. 88), and one from Annapolis (283.)

11. Discoidal stones and implements of kindred shape.—
There are no stones here exactly of the form figured in the
Smithsonian report, but stones in their natural state have been
picked up on the site of old encampments in the shape of flat-
tened spheres, which seem to have been sought after for some
purpose (No. 168, Lunenburg, and 169, Merigomish). But besides
there is a large stone from Cape Breton (No. 264), ground to a
perfect oblate spheroid, 5 inches in the longest diameter, and 3f
in the shortest, seemingly a chung-ky stone. Another from the
same quarter, more flattened, partly ground, but not brought to
such perfect shape, may have been used for the same purpose.
But both may have been used for grinding meal.

12. Pierced Tablets.— Oi this class the object of which is
not quite certain, there is one specimen from Green Hill Pictou
County (No. 86).

13. Stones used in grinding and polishing.— There are no
stones with grooves such as figured, but we have in No. 66, from
Merigomish, a good specimen of an instrument with a smooth
even surface, like a flat iron, probably used for polishing or as a
mulier for grinding pigments, and probably some of the other
implements were used for the same purpose.

14. Stone vessels. — None.

15. Mortars— Have found none yet, but it is evident that
they must have been used.

16. Pestle8.—There is here one specimen fi-om Barney's River,
Pictou County, (No. 72) weighing 8| pounds. This stone is'
almost in its natural state, but has a distinct groove cut round

248

THE STONE AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA. — PATTERSON,

the upper end for suspension, probably to be used with a sprino-
pole.

17. Tubes. — None in this collection, but it may be mentioned
that there is one in the Provincial Museum, showing that in
whatever way they were used by other tribes, the Mic-macs had
the same practice.

18. Pipes. — I have not found many pipes in Nova Scotia and
none with sculptured figures upon them, as is common farther west,
but I have heard of some being found by other collectors, and
there is one in the collection from CoUingwood, Ont., in which
the bowl forms the representation of the head of an animal (No.
178). Besides the one already described from the cemetery on
the Big Island of Merigomish, there are two from Nova Scotia
and one from Metapedia, N. B. One from Big Island of Meri-
gomish is simply a bowl roughly formed of sandstone, and is pro-
bably modern. The other two, one from Tatamagouche (No.
176), and the one from Metapedia, N. B. (No. 287), exhibit what
I regard as the typical Mic-mac pipe. It is known that each
tribe of Indians has its form of canoe, snow shoe, etc., and I
believe also of pipes. It consists of a round bowl upon a ridge
like a keel from one and a half to two and a half inches long,
from one end of which a hole is bored to the bottom of the
bowl. This ridge is on the lower side again cut out so as to
form a narrower keel, which is pierced with holes, probably for
the receiving of a string by which it might be suspended from
the neck. Of the pipes which I have seen both in Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick, so large a majority were of this form that
I believe it to be representative. On the ridge of the one from
Metapedia there is delicately incised ornamental work, in wavin»
lines and other shapes.

But there is an interesting stone found at Annapolis (No.
281), out of which the manufacturer had begun to make a
pipe. He had drilled through what he intended as the stem,
and also from the top, till the two perforations met, and had
partially drilled the bowl. But the stone had split from some
cause and was rejected. It also shows marks of attempts to cut
it by sawing. The holes drilled are about three-sixteenths of an

THE STONK AQE IN NOVA SCOTiA t.A^r

«uvA h(OriA. — PATTEItSON. 249

an.U.erw«,. e..e ,J. the J^^'u^lJ^^^^' ^-'"■

probably intenCed as breast L^Z^ ZyZtToTZ;"'
on to la,,t a flattened oval with rou„de,I o^ T 1 t" fv"
fonnod and beautifully poH.hed, Iron. Lake AinsH , C ^ "^
^0. bculpfiives. — None.

In addition to the,se them are a nun.be,- of article, which o«n
noM,e c assed under any of these head,. I notice LZtZl'-
J— A fire stone" from Meriaomish CNo 51771 „ i 7- '

pyrites, used in striking fire T-1 ,In «»7 . ^ '"""
polis rNo asni „„ ? .u ^'" "'»"'' *'■'"" Anna-

polis (INo. 280), one and three-quarter inches long by one and a

ha^ w,de, w.th a series of s.nall notches along one e'^^e of'ach

ser e, „n ^'^ Z '"" ''"""""" "' "^'■' """'^ l"^ for n.aking a

mi"h /Nr/cs^ ■ "^r^- '-^ "8"^^ f^-' Upper MiTa

over her he^]^The''sr "".'"""''^ * "°""'" -''^ a. shawl
er ner head. The stone is in its natural state, but exhibits one

of those curious forms sometimes found and which ignorant tribe,

are ten disposed to invest with saeredness. From the re^^

!5Cone usea by their old Shamans 4 T„rr> «^«; i, i ,

one broken from Merigomish c" netery Jo ^m^^t^T

J^m West Cornwallis (No. 89), whi^h'Tave 'btn St

their present shape. As we can discover no practical use which

II.— COPPER.

Native copper is found in small ,|uantities in Nova Scotia and
the people of the stone age had learned that by hamme Lh

ould be formed into small knives or other implements, Tnl in
Uie process become hardened. Besides the specimens f;om the
±!ig Island cemetery already described (No. 227-230) there are

rom B,„ehman's Beach, Lunenburg County, what appear, o
have been intended as a piercer, with some smaller piece., perhap."

250

THE STONK AGE IN NOVA SCOTIA.— PATTKUSON.

intended for beads or ornaments (No. 2.SI). Thus that period
was in a measure a copper n<,'e.

III.— BONE AND HORN.

To these we must add ivory. The walrus frequented the
Nortliern coast of Nova Scotia till a recent period, and its tusks
afforded excellent ivory, which the people of the stone age formed
into various implements. Few implements of this kind have been
collected in Nova Scotia, partly from their perishable nature, and
partly from their not havin<,' engaged the attention of collectors.
But this collection contains several that are quite interesting.

1. Bone pierccvH (Nos. 199-201, 274), from Merigomish.
Unfortunately all these have the butt ends bioken off, so that
we cannot say whether they had holes in them like an eye for
fastening the string.

2. Bone fish spear heads. I have already referred to those
from the Big Island cemetery (No. 211-214), but these are
portions of several others from Merigomish (No. 204-207).

3. Two ivory harpoon jwints from Merigomish (No. 107, 198),
similar to those used by the Eskimo at the present day for taking
seals, walruses and even whales. One end has a slit transversely
to receive the stone point (for which the Eskimo have now substi-
tuted iron). At the other end is a hollow for the reception of
the ends of the shaft, and a projecting point on each side to
serve as a barb, in the centre is a hole. By a cord from
this it is attached to the shaft in such a manner," that it can be
disengaged the moment it strikes the animal. When it started
off, the pressure upon the centre of the implement caused it to
turn at right angles to the direction of its entrance, like a toggle,
and Capt. Parry tells us that no barb could hold as firmly. "The
Eskimo attach an inflated seal skin to the other end of the line,
which serves to bring the animal quickly to the surface of the'
water, and doubtless our stone age men used a similar device.
Indeed these implements show either that the Eskimo then in-
habited the Northern shore of Nova Scotia, or that tlie Micmacs
had the same mode of hunting the larger sea animals.

THE WONE A„E m NOVA SOOT.A.-,.ArrElts„N. 231

4. A'e««mi ImplemenlH of which the use h u.nm-lain n„.

iro.„ a mussel bed (HO callo,!) in Mcrigo.nUh H.ZZm

and two fro,,, the cemetery referred to (No 200 2lo\ h i
pieces of ivo,y (No. 2ie,) ^ ' ''^' ^'"'^"'

(iNo, ISS.) It IS e,ght inches long, flat in the centre where it is

hve eighths of an meh w,de at its greatest b,eadth, and taperin,.
at the one end to a blunt point, and at the other for.ninTa
rounded edge. It may have been used as an ice chisel ®

K. I here aie th,-ee ivstriimenls of walrus ivory for,ned br
saw,„g the tusk longitudinally fron, both sides, (Nos' IS "^^
They seem to have been used as p.essersin forming arrow-head,
but ,t ,s possible that they ,nay have been used ^s diners bv
being attached to a handle, or even as sfikers. With tTem is a '
tusk unmanufacture,! (No. lOo), which I take to be the to^th of
a spermaceti whale. This animal was formerly found at C as
an occasional visitant in temperate cli,„„tes, and its captur^by
the Micmacs is of interest. ^pmre t>y

IV.— SHELLS.

aro^nTh/^.' r ''"" '"^'""'"'^ " ^^^'^ ^-^•'^' ^ut there
are m tl e collectK)n some very noticab!e shell adzes from the
New Hebrides, (Nos. 180, 183.)

v.— CLAY.

For some time it was believed that the Micmacs made no pot-
tery m p,e h,stonc times. But though no perfect vessel'has
been found, yet considerable quantities of fragments have
been discovered, sufficient to show the state of the art among
them They are fully represented in this collection. The first

Xo SslT'l '1 'n ^''-"I't'''^ ^^•-^->' - Merigomish Island
1 At ^'« " ^^^"^^'^'^''^ fragments were found in kitchen mid-
dens (No.. 223) later still larger quantities were found at aTpot
on the Lahave River above Bridgewater, in Lunenburg County
where there seems to have been a regular manufactory (Nos. 251,'

252

THK STONK A(i|.; IN NOVA .SCOTIA.

-l'ATTKll.S«)N.

2ri^). These are of rod or hrowriisli •riov rn]nr Ti i •

to have ,,oo„ .on.pere,. ,,, p I,..., :Ztr, ■ J, :7::ri:

They vary .„ thickness .■,.«,„ th.ee .i.te,.,,.,. u, I l^ ' '

i hoy show thai tl,o ve.s,ols were p.„„,.„lly „t tl,„ ,.„„H shZ'
hou,.h one p,eco espeeially shows ,|,at the l.tton, hi, Tjen p 1
on«e,l to „ „„t point. Po,,i„„s of the n,o„th show so na i^s
« hp ver^eally stmi.|,t, l,„t in ,„o„, instances it is c, ™ " t

ou,, the hie. I|,erc ,s cons„h..,.al,le onwunentation on tl o ont
■sKleon the „ppo,.part, hut 1 have not been ahlo to t aCanv
'los.Kn ,n the „,a,ks. They consist son.e.ime, of rows "dots
."a,le ,y .son,„ sharp pointed instrun.ent, and a-aTof ,t

.nge.. ,Son,et„nes they were n.ade l,y an instrnnn-nt ahont two
nchcs long w.th sn.all teeth, with the points of wld h „
.mpress,on was made in one row, then tl,e one end wl „n"
around, and a second made at an angle with it, then the othef
end .as n,oved in the san.e way, an,l thus a .i«.a. L 1
So,netnnes two Imos were drawn „p an.I ,lown me,.tin " a a
^harp angle at the top s,,,«esting the shape of th wi:.wL:

Of course those are all coarse and do not in any respect con,
pa..w.ththe specimens found in n,any parts of'thXZi

With these from Nova Scotia are exhibits specimen, f,on.
Hochelaga, the site of the present Montreal (No 224) a b „a
.allow vessel from the New Hebri,les (No. L ^ p",' :
o one of gourd shape from the san.e quarter, tho,,,-!: Sb "

vr.— WOOD.

-Nova ...:.A,u, so tar as known to me. (),„ din.ato wo„l<l in n.ost
insfc.ace.s l. fatal to the preseivation of them.