238 ART IN SHELL OF THE ANCIENT AMERICANS. 



bought and sold at a stated current rate, without the least variation 

 for circumstances either of time or place; and now they will hear noth- 

 ing patiently of loss or gain, or allow us to heighten the price of our 

 goods, be our reasons ever so strong, or though the exigencies and 

 changes of time may require it."' 



We find plentiful evidence in the stories of the early Spanish adven- 

 turers that beads made from sea shells were held in high esteem by the 

 Indians of the south, but, so far as I am aware, there is no statement in- 

 dicating that they formed a well-regulated medium of exchange. 



In regard to the manufacture of wampum by the whites, the follow- 

 ing quotations will be instructive: 



"Many people at Albany make the wampum of the Indians^ which ia 

 their ornament and their money, by grinding some kinds of shells and 

 muscles; this is a considerable profit to the inhabitants."^ 



"Besides the Europeans, many of the native Indians come annually 

 down to the sea shore, in order to catch clams, proceeding with them 

 afterwards in the manner I have just described. The shells of these 

 clams are used by the Indians as money, and make what they call their 

 wampum : they likewise serve their women as an ornament, when they 

 intend to appear in full dress. These wampums are properly made of 

 the purple parts of the shells, which the Indians value more than the 

 white parts. A traveller, who goes to trade with the Indians, and is well 

 stocked with them, may become a considerable gainer; but if he take 

 gold coin, or bullion, he will undoubtedly be a loser; for the Indians, who 

 live farther up the country, put little or no value upon these metala 

 which we reckon so precious, as I have frequently observed in the course 

 of ray travels. The Indians formerly made their own wampums, though 

 not without a deal of trouble: but at present the Europeans employ 

 themselves that way; especially the inhabitants of Albany, who get a 

 considerable profit by it. In the sequel I intend to relate the manner 

 of making wampum.' 



"The article was highly prized as an ornament, and as such consti- 

 tuted an article of traflc between the sea-coast and the interior tribes. 

 • « * 



"The old wampum was made by hand, and was an exceedingly rude 

 article. After the discovery, the Dutch introduced the lathe in its 

 manufacture, polished and perforated it with exactness, and soon had 

 the monopoly of tbe trade. The principal place of its manufacture was 

 at Hackensak, in New Jersey. The principal deposit of sea shells was 

 Long Island, where the extensive shell banks left by the Indians, on 

 which it is difficult to find a whole shell, show the immense quantities 

 that were manufactured."* 



The name wampum is often applied to shell beads indiscriminately, 



' Adair : History of the American Indians, p. 170. 

 'Kalra's Travels, London, 1772, Vol. II, p. 100. 

 »/6id., Vol. I, pp. 190, 191. 

 * Ruttenber : Indian Tribes of the Hudson River, p. 26. 



