XVIII, are represented pieces of sand-stone, graven for
molds, now in my possession. The figures are one-third the dimensions of
the subjects. In the middle cavity or mould shown in Fig. 2, Pl. XVIII,
was cast the ingot from which was wrought the arrow-shaped handle of
the powder-charger shown in Pl. XIX; in the lower cavity depicted in the
same figure was moulded the piece from which the bowl of this charger
was formed. The circular depression, delineated in the lower right
corner of Fig. 3, Pl. XVIII, gave form to the ingot from which the sides
of the canteen-shaped tobacco-case (Fig. 6) was made.

Tongs are often made by the Navajo silversmiths. One of these which I
saw had a U-shaped spring joint, and the ends were bent at right angles
downwards, so as more effectually to grasp the flat-sided crucible.
Often nippers or scissors are used as tongs.

Ordinary scissors, purchased from the whites, are used for cutting:
their metal after it is wrought into thin plates. The metal saw and
metal shears do not seem as yet to have been imported for their benefit.
Some of the more poorly provided smiths use their scissors also for
tongs, regardless or ignorant of consequences, and when the shears lose
their temper and become loose-jointed and blunt, the efforts of the
Indian to cut a rather thick plate of silver are curious to see. Often,
then, one or two bystanders are called to hold the plate in a horizontal
position, and perhaps another will be asked to hold the points of the
scissors to keep them from spreading. Scissors are sometimes used as
dividers, by being spread to the desired distance and held in position
by being grasped in the hand. By this means I have seen them attempt to
find centers, but not to describe circles. It is probable that had they
trusted to the eye they might have found their centers as well.

Their iron pliers, hammers, and files they purchase from the whites.
Pliers, both flat-pointed and round-pointed, are used as with us. Of
files they usually employ only small sizes, and the varieties they
prefer are the flat, triangular, and rat-tail. Files are used not only
for their legitimate purposes, as with us, but the shanks serve for
punches and the points for gravers, with which figures are engraved on
silver.

The Indians usually make their own cold-chisels. These are not used
where the scissors and file can be conveniently and economically
employed. The re-entrant rectangles on the bracelet repres