22 Shells as evidence of tlie Migrations. 



not take it entirel\- out of tlie shell, but only press it so as 

 J to cause a certain quantit}' to be ejected, with which the 

 threads are dyed. The shells are then laid again on the 

 ! stones from which they were taken. They recover, and 

 after some time give a fresh quantity of juice, but not s(; 

 much as the first time." ''' 



Thomas Gage/" an earlier observer, gives an account 

 as follows : " About Chira, Golfo de Salinas, and Xico\-a, 

 there are some farms of Spaniards, few and very small 

 Indian Townes, who are all like slaves employed by the 

 Alcalde Maior, to make him a kind of thred called Pita 

 [agave fibre], which is a very rich commodity in Spain, 

 especially of that colour wherewith it is dyed in these 

 parts of Nicoya, which is a pur[)le colour ; for the which 

 the Indians are here much charged to uork about the 

 Sea shore, and there to finde out certain shels wherewitl; 

 they make this purple d}'e." 



Of the process of purple dyeing as practised in more 

 recent times by the natives of Nicaragua, Squier"' gives us 

 the following account : " Some of the cotton fabrics manu- 

 factured by the Indians are ver\' durable and woven in 

 tasteful figures of various colours. The colour most 

 valued is the T}'rian purple, obtained from the murex 

 shell-fish, which is found upon the Pacific Coast ol 

 Nicaragua. This colour is produced of any desirable 

 depth and tone, and is permanent ; unaffected alike b\- 

 exposure to the sun and to the action of alkalies. The 

 process of dyeing the thread illustrates the patient assi- 



• " Translation quoted b)- Dr. E. Scluinck in "Notes on the Furpie of 

 I he Ancients," _/<>«;•«. Chen. Soc, .xx.wii.. iS8o. Trans., pp. 613-614, 



"" -'The English-American, his Travail by Sea and Land: etc..'" 

 London, 1648 (quoted by MacCurdy, Mem. Conn. Aiad. A)t~- ^ Scicnus, 

 iii.. New Haven, March, 191 1, ]>. 160). 



''•'Nicaragua, its People, .'-^cenery. Monuments, elc.."' 1852, vol. i., 

 p. 286. 



