Indian Weapons and Tools

I took note that only two in this village had guns of English make, and these they evidently carried as ornaments, not knowing how to use them, at least, so I judged, because when our people were discharging our weapons as token that we had taken possession of the Province of Maryland for our very own, the Indians looked upon the handling of the muskets in wonder, not venturing to charge their guns, even though powder was offered them.

Of other weapons they had plenty long, stout bows which required great strength to bend, and were corded with strips of deer hide rolled hard until they were round; and arrows barbed with horn, or sharp pieces of flint, such as must inflict a most grievous wound when piercing the body of an animal or of a man. In addition to these were heavy clubs of wood in which were many knots, and all hardened in the fire.

There were also spears of stout wood, weighing twelve or fifteen pounds, with heads of flint as large as my hand, and sharpened on two sides by being chipped away until they were like knives.

Their great axes, which must have been fashioned with infinite labor from stones, had hickory branches twisted around them for handles, and the whole bound with sinews until the stone was fixed almost immovably in its socket.

Some of our people believed that these rude weapons were to be despised, as against our powder and ball; but John tells me that he would rather stand against a man at short range who was armed even with a snaphance musket, than with one of those spears with jagged head, which, if striking one's body, must cut and mangle it fearsomely.