THE ECONOMIC MOLLUSCA OF ACADIA. 13 
Indians from Kennebec to Cape Cod,] make carcanets and 
bracelets (called dou-re in Brazil, and matachiaz by our 
Indians), from the shells of those great sea-shells which are 
called Vignols and are like unto snails, [i. e., the large Conchs, 
Sycotypus and Fulgur ] which they break and gather up in a 
thousand pieces, then polish them upon a (hot)* stone, so that 
they make them very small, and when they have pierced 
them, they make beads, like to those which we call procelain. 
Among these beads they mingle alternately other beads, as 
black as the others I have spoken of are white, made of jet 
or of certain hard or black woods which resemble it, [meaning 
probably dark purple wampum,] which they polish and make 
as small as they wish, and this has a good grace. 
“And if things are to be esteemed for their fashion, as we 
see exemplified in our merchandise, these collars, scarfs and 
bracelets of Vignols or porcelain, are more valuable than 
pearls (notwithstanding no one will believe me in this), for 
they esteem them more than pearl, gold or silver. As with 
us, so in this land do the women deck themselves with such 
things, and will make a dozen turns of it around the neck,, 
hanging upon the breast, and around the wrists and below 
the elbow. They also hang long chains in their ears, which 
hang down even as low as their shoulders. If the men wear any 
it is only some young one who is in love. But at Port Royal 
and thereabouts, and towards Newfoundland, and at Tadous- 
sac, where there are neither pearls nor Vignols, the maids 
and women make matachiaz from the quills or bristles of the 
porcupine, which they dye with black, white and red colors, 
as vivid as possible : for our scarlet has no better luster than 
their red dye. But they prize much more the matachiaz which 
comes to them from the land of the Armouchiquois and buy 
it at a very high price. And since they can get but a little 
of it, because of the war which these two nations [ i . e., the 
Micmacs and the Armouchiquois, J have always between each 
other, there is brought to them from France matachiaz made 
of little tubes of glass mixed with tin or lead, which are 
*The word used is grez, which is translated by Erondelles, “ hot stone.” 
