commercial value. The probabilities are that this ore was regarded as
sacred, and possibly having been considered valuable was placed beside
the corpse as the ancient obolus was laid beside the departed Greek to
pay his fare to crusty Charon.

[Illustration: FIGURE 1. MOUND BUILDERS' IMPLEMENTS.]

MANUFACTURED ARTICLES.

1. _Stone Implements_. The stone articles found, no doubt form a very
small proportion of the implements used by the lost race. I am able to
show you three classes of implements.

(_a_.) _Scrapers_. (See C. Figure 1.) These were made after the same
manner and from the same material as the flint arrow heads, found so
commonly all over this continent. They are usually of an oval or
elongated diamond shape, of various thicknesses, but thin at the
edges. Their 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