"But why do we not take more fish, father?" I asked, speaking because such conversation served to keep my mind from the hunger which was heavy upon me. "Because of not having the lines, the hooks, or the nets with which to catch a larger store. When the _Fortune_ sailed for home, Governor Bradford sent to the people in London who had made ready the _Mayflower_, urging that they send in the next ship which may come to this land such fishing gear as is needed. When that reaches us, then shall we be able not only to guard against another time of famine; but have of cured fish enough to bring us in money sufficient to buy other things we now need." And thus speaking of money reminds me to set down what the savages use in the stead of gold and silver coins. HOW WAMPUM IS MADE You must know that the Indians hereabout have no tools of iron or of steel, as do you in Scrooby; but perform all their work by means of fire and sharp pieces of flint stone. In order to have something that can be called money, although they of course do not use that word in speaking of it, they get from the dark spots which are found in clam shells, beads about one-eighth of an inch in thickness and an inch long. [Illustration] These they call wampum, and string them on threads cut from the skin of a deer. Because of a great deal of labor's being necessary in the making of them, these bits of wampum, or beads, are valued as highly by the Indians as we value gold or silver, and the savage who would hoard up his wealth that it may be seen of others, makes of these strings of wampum a belt many inches broad. [Illustration] It is convenient to wear these belts, for when the owner wishes to buy something from another Indian or even from us white people, he has merely to take off one or two strings from the belt, thereby decreasing the width ever so slightly. When Massasoit came to Plymouth, he wore three of these wampum belts, and among those who followed him, I saw five or six who had an equal number. MINISTERING TO MASSASOIT It was early in this second springtime that had come to us in Plymouth, when Samoset brought word into the village that Massasoit, the savage chief that had been so kind to us, was ill unto death, and that those jealous Indians whom Captain Standish had disarmed so valiantly, were only waiting until their king should die before they made an attack upon our town. This news was believed to be of such importance that straightway Governor Bradford commanded Captain Standish to gather as many of his men as could be spared from Plymouth, and go at once to Massasoit's village.