The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-02-02

are OF incomplete Implements, and we
may only guess What they might have
been In their finished state. Celts were
used for many purposes and in many
We're put was the skinning of animals
and the preparation of the skins for
tanning. They could be used rs
wedges in splitting logs. and they could
be set In a handle and used as a light
ak, wal Ratchet, spade. hoe. etc.
Two Hundred Different Tools.
The use of bone for domestic tools
and implements has been very en-
eral among the American Indians at
est remains and are used at the pres
emit. Being easily worked, 1t was es-
pecially adapted for the purposes for
which they were intended, requiring
very little labor to make them service
able.
The bone implements. tools and mis-
c~ellaneous instruments taken from
this mound during the past summer
amount to over 200, consisting of nee
dies. avis. fish-hooks, drills,
flint clippers. %rattlea, whistles. etc.
There are three kinds Of needles. the
latter ones are made by splitting the
u ones. The round and the half
round ones are hollow, while the flat
ones are solid. There could be no reg
ular size or shape for these needles, as
their fashion would depend Upon the
industry of tho maker and the use for
which they were intended. The round
needles or, as they might be more
properly designated, punches" were
found upon experiment to make a
much larger and better hole for the
than the flat ones, and were evidently
used where heavie work was to be
performed, such as sewing tepee COW
ers, robes, etc. The point Of these
punches is on n side of the in
strument. it being as round as the or
taper to the point. In the flat needles
and avis the point Is in the center. be-
ing worked down from both sides like
the point on a paper knife. Those of
the half round variety were pointed
like the full round. In point Of num-
Der the flat ones are more numerous,
the semi round next, and the round
ones the rarest. These instruments are
the ancestors Of the modern steel nee
die, and from these crude bone tools
our civilization has evolved the modern
one used In making the fine laces and
building the beautiful fabrics so com
mon to US. These bone tools were once
used by u ancestors. The women Of
long g did their sewing by first
punching a hole and drawing through
It a strip Of deer hide or a leather thong.
In many instances these needles show
signs of having been tempered in the
fire. This made the bone hard, but
very brittle, and required an expert
operator to keep them from swapping
into pieces when being used. There
was another method Of dealing with
the bone to make it serviceable (and
a much better one. although 1t took
longer in preparatory, and that was to
bury the bone in a bed of wood ashes
and leave 1t until the animal matter
and the fat and grease We're entirely
out of 1t. This method seems to have,
t~oughened 1t, blu not hardened 1t. The
same method was used in the
ton OF bone for arrow chipping and
taking, as 1t would render the bone
tough n al the same time the grease
being out 1t would not slip.
Needles and Drills Used.
The larger needles may have been
used as daggers and sticking knives.
They are easily fitted into a deer prong,
serviceable weapon. The smaller ones
may have been used as arrow and
spear points when the flint was scarce.
Next to h needle In Importance
comes the drill. used for innumerable
purposes in h manufacture OF other
tools, ornaments and weapons. They
We're of both flint and bone. Those Of
the flint will be described with that
part of the paper dealing with flint i'm
plements. The bone drills are Of two
kinds, one Of which Is round its entire
length, the other with round point. but
doubt used as needles and could be
fitted into a handle and used as avis
and punches. One with a square base
was discovered during the summer and
several of the round ones. The method
of use Of these drills was the same.
with tho pvpanfinn fhof tho c~,,nvo La-1
was fitted into a round stick, and the
string of the drill used on the stick
instead Of on the bone.
How the Drills Were Made.
These drills were fashioned and used
in the following amer A Done drill
vas prepared mo hardened and fitted
into a stick not over two inches in d.
ameter and long enough to reach from
the top of the drill when it was in posi-
ton to the operators chin, he being
seated. A bow arrangement about ff-
teen or eighteen inches in length with
a cord which was circled several times
around the drill was fastened to each
end of the bow. The operator, taking
the bow in his left hand, guiding and
directing the drill with his right. using
his hin to give the necessary pressure,
would draw the bow Jack and forth,
giving h drill a rapid rotary motion.
In this manner holes were bored in
shell, pottery, bone. wood, and even in
stone. An expert with the tool was
able to drill through some Of the hard
er rocks. h friction Of the string on
h bone during this operation would
sometimes cause a depression to be
worn around the drill. making 1t weak
at that point. This is noticeable in one
Of the drills found during the summer.
To avoid this. h round and square
drills We're sometimes set in wood deep
enough 80 that the ord would wear the
wood instead Of the bone, and which
could be more easily replaced. A square
base was better because q round drill
IN a round holder would be liable to
SIP. while a square one could be wedged
tight. The drills were all worked to q
uniform size through the instrument,
while in the avis and needles 1t usually
continued In the shape Of the original
bone to the joint. There are three
bone articles which have been strung
together to illustrate their use as rat
ties. BY drilling q hole In the top Of
them they could also be used for whis-.
ties.
There : many other bone imple-
ments which have been found. the use
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