THE TOWN OF BEDFORD. 5 



Netherland History these clams are called Poquauhock, Poquauhaug, 

 &c. The English {not the Indians), by omitting the first syllable re- 

 duced the word to Quau/iaug or Quahaug, the latter being the mode of 

 spelling usually adopted by the early New England and Dutch writers. 

 Roger Williams does not use the word " Quauhaug," nor does he 

 allude to the corruption. The following is his description of "Poquau- 

 hock': 'This the English call hens; a little thick shell fish which the 

 Indians wade deep and dive for; and after they have eaten there — in 

 those which are good, they break out of the shell, about half an inch of 

 a black part of it, of which they make their ' Suckauhock,' or black money, 

 which is to them precious. 'Seawan,' or 'Seawant,' was the general 

 name applied by the Indians to their currency made from shells. Wam- 

 pum or White money was made from the stem or stock of 'Meteahock' 

 (Periwinkles). This was their silver. ' Suckanhock was made from the 

 purple portion of the shell of ' Poquahock.' This was their gold. Both 

 the Dutch and English, however, soon began to drop the distinctive 

 terms. Hence we find ' Wampum ' or ' Wampom ' used to designate the 

 Indian money without regard to color. In making their 'gold,' the 

 Indians broke from the 'Poquauhock' a 'Quauhaug' about half an inch 

 of the dark purple portion of the inside and converted it into beads of 

 the diameter of a large straw, and about one third of an inch in length. 

 Before the introduction of awls and thread from Europe, these beads 

 were bored longitudinally with sharp stones and strung upon the sinews 

 of animals. ' Their Merchandise,' said Josselyn, in speaking of the In- 

 dian commerce, 'are their beads which are their money; of these there 

 are two sorts : blue beads and white beads ; the first is their gold, the 

 last their silver; these they work out of certain shells so cunning that 

 neither Jew nor Devil can counterfeit; they drill them and string them 

 and make many curious works with them to adorn the persons of their 

 sagamores and principal young men and women, as belts, girdles, tab- 

 lets, borders for their women's hair, bracelets, necklaces, and links to 

 hang in their ears. Prince Phillip, a little before I came from England, 

 had a coat on and buskins set thick with these beads in pleasant wild 

 works — and a wide belt of the same ; — his accoutrements were valued at 

 twenty pounds.' With this Seawan, commonly called Wampum, the 

 Indians paid tribute, redeemed captives, atoned for murders and other 

 wrongs, and purchased peace with their more powerful neighbors as oc- 

 casion required. It was the seal of a contract and the oath of fidelity. 

 In the form of a belt it was sent with all public messages, and some- 

 times — marked with curious hieroglyphics — was preserved as a record of 

 important transactions between rival tribes. A message sent without 



