Document: LOC-Powder horn with hand-drawn map of the Hudson River (above Albany), Mohawk River, Niagara region, and Lake Ontario in New York Province

This powder horn is a particularly fine example.   Gunpowder horns were often quite simple, but were necessary to keep gunpowder dry and handy while hunting.  

Library of Congress Summary: 

• Untitled pictorial depiction of rivers and fortifications on conical powder horn.
• -  Present title devised by cataloguer.
• -  Manuscript: Black/brown inks on bovine horn, shellacked.
• -  Has pewter pouring spout attached at narrow end and hinged pewter cap attached at wide end.
• -  Housed on wooden base covered by clear plastic box casement screwed-on to base at bottom.
• -  Photograph of this horn is in "Journal of the military service institutions of the United States", N.Y., v. 33, 1903, p.250; see also "The world encompassed", item 258, for additional information.
• -  Includes pictorial depiction of the rivers, names of riverside forts and towns (including New York, Albany, Niagara, and Lake Champlain), pictorial representation of houses, view of "New York" at wide end, and British coat-of-arms with motto "Dieu et Mon Droit".