by Sebastian Cabot. These traits of Indian life and character,
therefore, not having been peculiar to the natives of the country
described in the letter, and having been already mentioned in
earlier accounts of the adjoining parts of America, the description
of them here furnishes no proof of originality or of the truth of
the letter for that reason.

On the other hand objects which historically belong to the
inhabitants of the places declared to have been visited, and
characterize them distinctly from those previously discovered, and
which were of such a marked character as to have commanded
attention, are not mentioned at all. Of this class perhaps the most
prominent is the wampum, a commodity of such value and use among
them that, like gold among the Europeans, it served the double
purpose of money and personal adornment. The region of the harbor
where the voyagers spent, according to the letter, fifteen days in
familiar intercourse with the inhabitants, was its greatest mart,
from which it was spread among the tribes, both north and east.
Wood, describing the Narragansets in 1634, says they "are the most
curious minters of the wampompeage and mowhakes which they forme out
of the inmost wreaths of periwinkle shels. The northerne, easterne,
and westerne Indians fetch all their coyne from these southern mint-
masters. From hence they have most of their curious pendants and
bracelets; hence they have their great stone pipes which will hold a
quarter of an ounce of tobacco." And in regard to their practice of
ornamentation, he remarks again: "although they be poore, yet is
there in them the sparkes of naturall pride which appeares in their
longing desire after many kinde of ornaments, wearing pendants in
their eares, as formes of birds, beasts and fishes, carved out of
bone, shels, and stone, with long bracelets of their curious wrought