22 Shells as evidence of the Migrations. 



not take it entirely out of the shell, but only press it so as 

 to cause a certain quantity 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 so 

 much as the first time." '" 



Thomas Gage,'* an earlier observer, gives an account 

 as follows : " About Chira, Golfo de Salinas, and Nicoya, 

 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 verj' rich commodity in Spain, 

 especially of that colour wherewith it is dyed in these 

 parts of Nicoya, which is a purple colour ; for the which 

 the Indians are here much charged to work about the 

 Sea shore, and there to finde out certain shels wherewith 

 they make this purple dj-e." 



Of the process of purple dyeing a.s 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 very 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 of 

 Nicaragua. This colour is produced of any desirable 

 depth and tone, and is permanent ; unaffected alike by 

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

 process of dyeing the thread illustrates the patient assi- 



''■' Translation quoted by Dr. E. Schunck in "' Notes on the Purple of 

 the Ancients, "y««-H, Chen. Sor., xxxvii., 1880, Trans., pp. 613-614. 



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

 London, 1648 (quoted by MacCurdy, JSIem. Conn. Acad. A?ti &- Sciences, 

 iii.. New Haven, March, 191 1, p. 160). 



^' "Nicaragua, its People, Scenery, Monuments, etc.,' 1852, vol. i., ' 

 p. 286. 



