296 TRAVELS IN THE CONFEDERATION 



In the Bahama islands the reckoning is by pieces of 

 eight, which is an imaginary coinage worth eight bits 

 so-called. The bits are in part an old round Spanish 

 coin, in part, small irregular pieces of silver, cornered, 

 and stamped with a cross. A Spanish dollar is worth 

 10^ such bits, or 4 sh. 8d. sterling or 7 sh. 10J/2 

 pence Bahama money. These Spanish or Mexican 

 dollars are the Pezzi d'otto of the Spaniards. The 

 ' bits ' circulating in the Bahama islands are not worth 

 generally their value current. But a great quantity of 

 them being in the hands of the people, no attempt has 

 so far been made to establish a different basis, every- 

 body having much to lose. It is estimated that in these 

 islands there are current, of these double, single, and 

 half-bit pieces, some 2500 pounds' weight. 



The prices at this time of wares most commonly ex- 

 ported hence were as follows : 

 Cascarilla bark 100 Pd. 3 p. of eight, or 10 sh. 6d. 



sterl. 

 Canella alba 100 Pd. 3 p. of eight, or 10 sh. 6d. 



sterl. 

 Gummi Giiaiacum 100 Pd. 5 Pd. sterl. 

 Dried squills 100 Pd. 3 Pd. sterl. 



An export duty, however of *4 the weight. 

 Ambra grisea. Of this an ounce, according to the 

 quality, costs one half to one Spanish dollar. But 

 as much again is exacted in duty; whoever ex- 

 ports it, then, pays one to two Spanish dollars the 

 ounce. 

 Cotton, the pound, 2 bits ; or 150 Pd. 5 Pd. sterl. 

 Lignum vitae, the ton about 8 Span, dollars. 

 Brasiletto, the ton about 25 Span, dollars. 

 Campeachy-wood, the ton about 25 Span, dollars. 



