244 November 1748. 



maritime provinces. As foon as the (hells 

 are caught, the fifTi is taken out of them, 

 drawn upon a wire, and hung up in the 

 open air, in order to dry by the heat of the 

 fun. When this is done, the fifh is put 

 into proper vefTels, and carried to Albany 

 upon the river Mudfon ; there the Indians 

 buy them, and reckon them one of their 

 beft dimes. Befides the Europeans, many 

 of the native Indians come annually down 

 to the fea more, in order to catch clams* 

 proceeding with them afterwards in the 

 manner I have juft defcribed. 



The fhells of thefe clams are ufed by the 

 Indians as money, and make what they 

 call their wampum j they likewife ferve 

 their women for an ornament, when they 

 intend to appear in full drefs. Thefe wam- 

 pums are properly made of the purple parts 

 of the fhells, which the Indians value more 

 than the white parts. A traveller, who 

 goes to trade with the Indians, and is well 

 flocked with them, may become a confide- 

 rable gainer ; but if he take gold coin, 01 

 bullion, he will undoubtedly be a lofer; 

 for the Indians who live farther up the 

 country, put little or no value upon thefe 

 metals which we reckon fo precious, as I 

 have frequently obferved in the courfe ol 

 my travels. The Indians formerly made 



then 



