WAMPUM AND SHELL ARTICLES 333 



most extensive shell banks left by the Indians, it is rare to find 

 a whole shell, all having been broken in the process of making 

 wampum. And it is not unHkely that many of the largest heaps 

 of shells still existing are the remains of a wampum manufactory." 

 In an address at Brooklyn in 1892, Mr Tooker did not take so 

 extreme a view. Of the shell heaps he said : " They are all true 

 kitchen middens, and in them can be found nearly everything not 

 perishable that was used by the red men. . . Many of the shells 

 found bear marks of the wampum maker. The spirals of the peri- 

 winkle (Pyrula canaliculata) are very common, this part 

 of the shell having been used to produce the white beads or true 

 wampum. I have found these shells buried in a mound by them- 

 selves in several localities, to the extent of a bushel or more, this 

 being done in order that the fish might decay and leave the shells 

 more easy to work." 



Loskiel has some notes on early wampum. 



Before the Europeans came to North America the Indians used 

 to make their strings of wampum chiefly of small pieces of wood 

 of equal size, stained with black or white. Few were made of mus- 

 sels, which were esteemed very valuable and difficult to make; for, 

 not having proper tools, they spent much time in finishing them, 

 and yet their work had a clumsy appearance. But the Europeans 

 soon contrived to make strings of wampum, both neat and elegant, 

 in abundance. These they bartered with the Indians for other 

 goods, and found this traffic very advantageous. The Indians im- 

 mediately gave up the use of the old wooden substitutes for wam- 

 pum and procured those made of mussels, which, though fallen in 

 price, were always accounted valuable. . . Formerly they used 

 to give sanction to their treaties by delivering a wing of some large 

 bird, and this custom still prevails among the more western nations 

 in transacting business with the Delawares. But the Delawares 

 themselves, the Iroquois, and those nations in league with them, 

 are now sufficiently provided with handsome and well wrought 

 strings and belts of wampum. — Loskiel, p. 26 



He gave a good account of its making and use. 



The most elaborate account of its recent manufacture may be 



found in Barber and Howe's Historical collections of the state of New 



Jersey, under the head of Bergen county, published in 1844. 



Wampum, or Indian money, is to the present day made in 

 this county and sold to the Indian traders of the far west. It 



