This must be a little trade axe

[NWMP]

I pulled this one from the bank of the North Saskatchewan river today. It looks like it may have touch marks on one side. I placed a one dollar coin in the pic for size perspective. It's a smaller piece.

[Lucas]

Very nice! That is about the same size as mine (see other topic on axes). Typical Brit axe. Many think the small ones were the weapons, the big ones tools.

[NWMP]

Cool, thanks. Several traders were killed by the natives a few miles from here, and had their posts burnt down. The Gros Ventre (Big Bellys) burnt several posts and killed the inhabitants, including women and children, at another post not so far from here also. I find this old iron to be quite facinating and you just never know who actually carried it.

[Lucas]

Was that the HBC post where they were killed, or was that the Fall Indians I'm thinking of?

[NWMP]

Was that the HBC post where they were killed, or was that the Fall Indians I'm thinking of?

The Fall Indians are the Gros Ventre from what I've read, relatives of the Arapho. In the late 1700's a sizable band was centered around the junction of two rivers near by, were the rivers join, then continue down to the major trading post, ................ House. I have been finding artefacts from Indian camps a fair distance from the ................ trade post (1776-80). The Gros Ventre also slaughtered the inhabitants of ............ House, on the ............ river. These posts are North West Company. N.W.Co. traders plied the Indians with a lot of spirits then Pangman I believe gave a noisy individual some laudenum (opium extract?), his buddy didn't realise that the first dose was given, and gave a second. This killed (OD) the native and helped fuel animosities. These traders used laudenum to settle the natives into a sleep if they got too unruly on the alcohol.

[flintlock]

Wow! A well preserved Axe! Nice find NWMP!!!

[NWMP]

I started cleaning it up and this is what I can see so far. A letter "A" and then......... ? I just want to spray it with an anti rust agent now and leave it for the winter, so I don't mess it up. If anyone has a possible ID on the marks I'd appreciate the info, thanks.

[Lucas]

I would post over here:

http://indiantradecollectors.freeforums.org/

he knows the axe marks.

If anybody has Brit knives, I know the knife marks.

[NWMP]

Thanks Lucas.