What is a billhook???? continued (page 4)
It is known in most European countries from Norway to Spain, and from Britain to Russia, most of Asia Minor and the Middle East as well as Africa, India, Indonesia and the Far East. It has been taken to most European colonies, so is common throughout most of South America and Mexico, but scarce (but not unknown) in the USA and Canada, as well as the West Indies, South Africa and Malaysia. In some regions it became the cane knife or the machete and was an important part of any colonist’s tool kit. In China, Japan and India it was common before European explorers arrived, and like the axe, the sickle and the knife it has been invented in most countries with a tradition of iron working
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