wampum. In New England, wampum was in the form of beads, the 

 manufacture of which required considerable skill. These beads were 

 cylindrical in form, about one-fourth of an inch long and half as wide. 

 These were of two colors, and were drilled and strung on long cords. 

 The quahog, Venus mercenaries, was much used in the manufacture 

 of shell money because of its two distinct colors, pure white and deep 

 purple. The white beads were called wampum, or wompom, and the 

 black beads suckauhock, or black money. In addition to the quahog, 

 the whelk (Buccinum) and the periwinkle ' or ' winkle ' (FuLgur) 

 were used, the long, white columella being cut from the shell and 

 made into beads. We learn from some of the older records that in 

 Massachusetts the wampum was valued at three beads to a penny, 

 or five shillings for a fathom. The fathom varied in size according 

 to the number of beads allowed by law as an equivalent for a penny. 

 If this number was six, then the fathom contained three hundred and 

 sixty beads; but if the number was four, then the fathom was com- 

 posed of two hundred and forty beads. Owing to the counterfeiting 



of wampum by the whites, 

 who could make it much more 

 quickly with their tools than 

 could the Indians, the value 

 rapidly fell in later years, and 

 its use was finally discon- 

 tinued. 



" On the coast of Califor- 

 nia, the tooth or tusk shells 

 (Dentaliuni) were used as 

 money, they being strung to- 

 gether as were the beads of the 

 New England Indians. Those 

 of the better quality were 

 called hai-kwa or hi-qua, and 

 represented the highest stan- 



7 



Primitive money made from shells. 1. Wampum 

 of Indians of the New England states. 2. Hai-kwa, 

 made of Dentalium shells, coast of California. 3. Ha- 



wock of Pacific coast Indians, made from shell of Pa- dai'd of money. One hi-qua 

 chydesma. 4. Uhl-lo, or Haliotis money, made in the - i -, 



form of a crenulated disk. 5. Hawock, made from WOUld purchase O116 male or 



curved pieces of shell. 6. Kol-kol, or Olivella shell f fpynalp lavp<? Thp rl-nn 

 money. 7. Uhl-lo, made from Haliotis. (After Stearns.) 



aged or defective shells were 



called kop-kops, forty of which equaled one hi-qua in value. At one 

 time a single hi-qua was equal in value to about two hundred and 

 fifty dollars. Other shells were also used on the Pacific coast. Some 

 of these were simply strung in the form of beads, while others were 



no 



