The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-01-23


"quahog." The shell Of these clans
frequently had an interior purple edge
while most Of it was white. Indians
made what they called wampum from
the colored portions, while from the
axis Of a species Of c0nch they made
white wampum. This was their COM
mon currency. Three we're worth an
English penny. and chain a fathom
IN length was worth five shillings. For
a lot Of this stuff the Dutch bought
Manhattan island, the present site Of
New York, while Roger Williams
bought part Of Rhode Island with the
same currency.
Many other races Of Indians had, and
some Of them still have, eurreneies Of
their own. The Indians Of the British
northwest, near British Columbia and
Vancouver, use the dentaluim or tusk-
shell, which resembles in miniature the
tusks OF an elephant. They are strung
on cord end to end and measured BY
the fathom. Indians in northern Cali
fornia have a similar money called
''allico-cheek."
Another tribe Of California Indians.
the Cachroes. make use Of the red
scalps Of woodpeckers. which are val
ued at S. each, and OF a curious kind
OF shell. resembling a cocks spurs in
size and shape, white and hollow, which
they arrange on strings, and are yalu-
able according to length. When the
Americans first arrived in the country
an Indian would pay from $40 to $50
in gold for It. but now It is valued by
few but the old Indians.
Elk teeth are the currency Of the
shoshone and Arapahoe Indians. They
are still recognized as money in Colo
RADIO and pass current at the value Of
one dollar. The Indian pays for what
he buys IN elk teeth or silver dollars
indlfferentIy and the trader accepts
them because he can buy things from
the Indians with them. fhe Indian
and American currencies, hence circu-
late side BY side.
As the shoshone Indian uses the elk
tooth the FIJI islander still uses that
OF whale. There are no elks in the
Fijis and the whale is the most difi-
cult animal to hunt They seek him in
their canoes, and. extracting the teeth,
use them as currency. Whales teeth
have been imported by the white men.
and this has served to diminish the
purchasing power Of the money. which
has during recent years been gradu-
ally falling into disrepute.
In some OF the south sea islands the
natives employ feathers as currency
among themselves. These are dyed red
by a laborious process. but they have
been gradually forced out OF circulation
since the progress OF civilization.
Nations which to-day have metallic
coin experimental with various things
In ancient times Bricks Of clay we're
a primitive coin employed by China.
Arabia and Siam before copper money
came into general use. Clay was mixed
with glue, stamped with stamp, after
having been made into small bricks.
Later these were made In coins Of the
shape OF ours.
Tortoise shell was used in China at
later date. The shells OF the tor
toises we're highly polished and were
valued according to their quantity. ir-
respective Of their size. China has yet
only bronze coins. and silver Is valued
by weight. In Chinese TartaIy twenty
years ago brick tea money" was used
This was not a commodity. but was
manufactured expressly for coin. II
consisted Of a mixture Of spoiled leaves
and stalks Of the tea plant. OF leaves
OF Wild plants. which, mixed with bull
locks blood. was dried in an oven.
Each brick weighed three pounds and
passed as currency on the Russian
frontier for two rubles each.
Egypt IN ancient days made money
Of several substances. Parchment,
leather, pasteboard, wood. covered with
wax, and papyrus were employed. They
also used scarabaei, which were stone
and pieces OF clay nodded into the
shape OF beetles and tortoises. This /
was $500 years before Christ. Unless
marked by authority they passed only
at their commercial value; II marked.
their value was enhanced. Before the /
Greek types OF coins circulated through
Europe. ring money was employed. It
was made or various substances. usual
ly Of silver, and Ionia manufactured |
It largely.
Coins we're used in Greece for 1000
years before the Christian era, and
usually Of gold and silver in the later
history OF modern Greece. The Spar
tans. however. had a currency Of their
own. established by Lycurgus. II was
Of iron disks. limited in coinage These.
while red-hot. we're dipped In vinegar
to render them unmalieable and unfit
for any other purpose than money.
70 keep his coin In circulation. Ly-
curgus absolutely forbade the impor-
lation Of gold OF silver. Each iron disc
purchased many times its own weight
Of ingot iron.
Natives Of the Russian seacoast used
If one time the she'll OF the oilvella