purpose seems to have been to assist in skinning the
game, the larger for larger game, the smaller for rabbits and the
smaller fur bearing animals. Probably these implements were also used
for scraping the hides or skins manufactured into useful articles.

(_b_.) _Stone Axes and Malls_. In the mound on Red River was found the
beautiful axe of crystalline limestone, which approaches marble. From
the absence of stone so far as we know of this kind in this
neighborhood, it is safe to conclude that it came from a distant
locality. There are also gray stone celts and hammers used for
crushing corn, for hammering wood and bark for the canoes, and other
such like purposes, in time of peace; and serving as formidable
weapons in time of war. In the mound on the Red River a skull was
discovered having a deep depression in the broken wall, as if crushed
in by one of these implements.

(_c_.) _Stone Tubes_. (See B Fig. 1.) These are among the most
difficult of all the mound-builders' remains to give an opinion upon.
They are chiefly made of a soft stone something like the pipestone
used by the present Indians which approaches soapstone. The hollow
tubes (see figure B.) vary from three to six inches in length, and are
about one-half an inch in diameter. They seem to have been bored out
by some sharp instrument. Schoolcraft, certainly a competent Indian
authority states that these tubes were employed for astronomical
purposes, that is to look at the stars. This is unlikely; for though
the race, with which I shall try to identify our mound builders are
said, in regions further south, to have left remains showing
astronomical knowledge, yet a more reasonable purpose is suggested for
the tubes. From the teeth marks around the rim, the tubes were plainly
used in the mouth, and it is becoming generally agreed that they were
conjuror's cupping instruments for sucking out as the medicine men
pretended to be able to do the disease from the body. The custom
survives in some of the present Indian tribes. A lady friend of mine
informs me that she has a bone whistle taken from a mound in the Red
River district.

2. _Horn Implements_. (See D. Figure 1.) The only implement of this
class that we have yet found is the fish spear head (Fig. D.). It was
probably made from the antlers of a deer killed in the chase. Its
barbed edge indicates that it was used for spearing fish. It is in a
fair state of preservation.

3. _Copper_. No discovery of the