Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-31

been the first TO have learned it, and we have
nothing to show that the maritime or littoral
tribes had any knowledge of it,
SHELLS FROM ocEASIcA
The year 1871 was on the west coast made
still further notable by the beginning
of the sperm-whale fishery. In that year
six vessels sailed from Nantucket and
one from New Bedford, and this fishery and
the incidental intercourse with fur traders
and the ''hsde drogherp" as the vessels en-
gagged IN the hide and tallow trade were called.
continued for many years.
The whaling vessels often remained one or
two years on n cruise before returning and
during this period were frequently obliged TO
put into some port or 10 touch At some OF the
islands for fresh meat vegetables. water and
fuel. For many years after the sperm-whaie
fishery was at is height Honolulu was che chief
and general refitting and replenlshlng Place.
Other groups and islands In the lndo-raclfc
waters were sometimes visited At these places
and on such occasions the sailors amused them
selves by collecting on the beaches or among
the reefs. or obtained from the natives FOR
some trifie-a plug OF tobacco. perhaps ga
shells. conchs, cowrics, &c, and other so-cailed
curoslties.
New Bedford. Nantucket. Provincetown. &C.,
were the chief sources from which the older
collections IN the museums and private cabi-
nets were supplied Ny own cabinet. com
menced at the age of seven years. contained
and from the Pacific islands that had been
orough: from these regions by the hide ships
and whalers
OF the various shells inhabiting the lndo-
racine islands none are more common or album
dant than the money-cOwry, of which the props
were made.
SUBSTITUTE FOR AcoRNs.
We may assume that acorns we're not avail
able at sea, unless a stock was obtained from
hn
some substitute would be found and used and
that such substitute would be some natural
form easily manipulated and conveniently at
hand; and. further, that the more intelligent
white man would improve upon the simple I'M
PIGMENTS OF the savage when he could do so
with less trouble to himself than wou!l result
from exactly or specifically following the
forms used by the Indians. The common
familiar money-cowry furnished ready sub
stitute for the acorn, and the red sealing wax
then in common use an available substitute FOR
red paint.
NO SHELLS AMONG THE INDIANS.
The foregoing, it will be seen, carries the i'm
plication that the whites learned the game of
'ha'' from the Indians To sustain this view we
may further assume, and it seems to me rea-
sonably SO. that If the red man had learned the
game from the white man the latter would not
have been slow IN playing 1t for all II might
prOft him, in winning from the Indians any
thing the latter might possess that was Of any
commercial value, and We might expect to lind
some evidence Of the white mans superior i'm
plements among the rcd mans possessions
Ii may be noted n passing as a matter OF pc
cular interest. If not of importance. that no in
stance of the occurrence of any form of lndo-
Pacific shell has been detected among the In
dams Of the west coast, or among the trinke.s,
&c. In Indian graves.
1t may be remarked that the questions before
tod ms 4s.l1 hxrx rl,af
Immediately precedes this. TO the effect that
the palefaces or ''BOstons" learned the game
OF ''ha" from the Indians Of the west coast. and
tins also answers the question as TO a separate
and independent birth.
Another point bearing upon the question in
general way is this-that the game of props,
50 far as can learn, was restricted to a very
limited area, viz: Boston and vicinity and that
region around the coast of Massachusetts which
had the monopoly or control of the west coast
fur, hide and tallow trade and the sperm-whale
fishery of the North Pacific waters.
In the solution of questions of this kind il
would seem that an answer may sometimes be
found by pursuing the same method that is
found to be generally satisfactory in determin-
ing the relations or identity. say. of iuviatile
mollnskan forms-the locality or habitat of the
specimens in hand being known. or having
been ascertained. then TO trace out and follow
up the drainage system to which said locality
or habitat belongs or in which IT Is situated.
Now, between the Pacific coast and the Allan
tic seaboard 4 continuous stream of intercourse
was III operation and Its movement continued
for about fifty years and prior 10 the great
migration of l849 and 80. This stream in
Guided a width extending from the Straits OF
de Fuca at the north and southerly to San
Diego, a reach of over 1000 miles on the west
coast with tributaries or minor streams extend
ing into the interior. while its debouchment on
the Atlantic side was confined to the limited
region heretofore stated.