io6 



CASTOROI.OGIA. 



skins annually. Governor Thomas Dongan having an eye to the 

 income derived from this source, suggested that ' ' It will be very 

 necessary for us to encourage our young men to goe a beaver-hunt- 

 ing as the French doe," and in the same report he fixes " the custom 

 or duty upon ever>' beaver skin commonly called a whole Beaver, 

 ninepence." . 



"And that all other fur and peltry be valued accordingly, 

 that is, for two half beavers, ninepence ; for four lapps, nine- 

 pence, &c., and all other peltry to be valued equivalent to the 

 whole beaver exported out of the province, (bull or cow hides 

 excepted)." 



These rates were much lower than formerly when the ex- 

 port duty had reached ' ' one shilling and threepence on beaver 

 skins and other peltries proportionally," and it should be re- 

 membered that money in those days was relatively 



I _ i! of much greater value. 



Fabulous prices apparently paid for beaver were 

 really bribes for Indian patronage, and gave rise to the 

 Indian expression ' ' underground ' ' or secret presents. 



The custom of valuing all skins in their equivalent 

 to beavers, led to the habit of marking each package 

 with its relative value, by attaching a small tally-stick 

 such as shown in the accompanying engraving, and 

 thus indicating, for the convenience of barter, which 

 packages should be turned over to the trader in settle- 

 ment of purchases ; so effective has this system been, 

 that in many places to-day in the interior or far distant 

 trading posts, it is still followed. 



At some points the entire collection of furs is at once 

 assumed by the compan}-, for which they give beaver 

 tokens, and these in their turn are soon transferred to 



TALLY FOR 



FIVE BEAVKRs. thc couipauy, for the various wants of the trapper. 



