Page:The first and last journeys of Thoreau - lately discovered among his unpublished journals and manuscripts.djvu/87

 and of various forms and material, though commonly made of a stone which has a conchoidal fracture. Many small ones of white quartz are mere equilateral triangles, with one side slightly convex. These were probably small shot for birds and squirrels. The chips which were broken off in making them are also found in large quantities, wherever a lodge has stood for a season. And these slivers are the surest indication of Indian ground, since the geologists tell us that the stone of which they are principally made does not occur in this manner, nor in most neighborhoods where they are found. The spear-heads are of the same form and material, only larger. Some are still as perfect and sharp as ever, since time has not the effect of injuring them; but, when broken, they still preserve a ragged and cutting edge. Yet they are so brittle that they can hardly be carried in the pocket without being broken.

It is matter of wonder how the Indians manufactured even these rude implements without iron or steel tools. Which one of our mechanics, with all the aids of Yankee [39]