for was the wampum, the uni-
versal Indian money.

The wampum was made of the
interior of the conch shell, of two
colors, white, and bluish or pur-
plish black, of which the black
equaled in value two of the white ;
three black wampums being about
the value of two cents. The
shells were commonly strung to-
gether in belts of a certain stand-
{| ard width and six feet in length,
| the black being valued at about
five dollars, and the white two
dollars and a half. Thus another
characteristic of the early stamp
of commerce upon the beginnings
of the city is made apparent, and
the seed afterward sown by the
Dutch burgomasters was propa-

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
     
 
  

   
 

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16