WAMPUM IN THE SOUTHEEN COLONIES. 241 



farther up the country put little or no value upon these metals which we 

 reckon so precious, as I have frequently observed in the course of my 

 travels. The Indians formerly made their own wampums, though not 

 without a deal of trouble; but at present the Europeans employ them- 

 selves that way, especially the inhabitants of Albany, who get a consid- 

 erable profit by it." This last fact is also mentioned by the Reverend 

 Burnaby, who further saw it made by white men on Staten Island. 



Only a little later (1756) Jacob Spicer, the most prominent man in 

 Cape May County, New Jersey, advertised to barter goods " for all kinds 

 of produce and commodities, and particularly, for wampum," offering five 

 dollars reward to the person making the largest amount of it. "He suc- 

 ceeded in procuring a quantity of the wampum, and before sending it off 

 to Albany [cf. antea] and a market, weighed a shot-bag full of silver coin 

 and the same shot-bag full of wampum, and found the latter most valu- 

 able by ten per cent." 



It was not, however, in the Northern States alone that wampum circu- 

 lated as money. Old historians of the Southern Colonies make many ref- 

 erences to it. I have already, in another connection, quoted some sentences 

 from Beverly's "History and Present State of Virginia," but repeat them 

 here in order to give the entire passage its full significance.. He says : 



"The Indians had nothing which they reckoned Riches before the 

 English went among them, except Peak, Eoenoke and such like trifles 

 made out of the Cunk Shell. These past with them instead of Gold and 

 Silver, and serv'd them both for Money and Ornament. 



"Peak is of two sorts, or rather of two colours; both are made of one 

 Shell, tho' of different parts; one is a dark Purple Cylinder, and the 

 other a white*; they are both made in size and figure alike,. and common- 

 ly much resembling the English Buglas, but not so transparent nor so 

 brittle. They are wrought as smooth as Glass, being one third of an inch 

 long, and about a quarter diameter, strung by a hole drilled thro ? the 

 center. The dark color is the dearest, and distinguish'd by the name of 

 Wampom Peak. The English men that are call'd Indian Traders value 

 the Wampom Peak at eighteen pence per Yard, and the white Peak at 

 nine pence. The Indians also make Pipes of this, two or three inches 

 long, and thicker than ordinary, which are much more valuable. They 

 also make Runtees of the same Shell, and grind them as smooth as Peak. 

 These are either large, like an Oval Bead, and drill'd the length of the 

 Oval, or else they are circular and flat, almost an inch over, and one-third 

 of an inch thick, and drill'd edgeways. Of this Shell they also make 

 round Tablets of about four inches diameter, which they polish as smooth 



16 



