Note note 15 — NOTES TO PART I

15 Laid beads (p. 45).--In San Salvador and district beads form the currency. They are round blue beads three-eighths of an inch in length and about a quarter of an inch thick. One hundred of these beads threaded on a cotton cost, invoice price, one farthing, and one egg cost one string of beads. It was possible to buy little lots of food for ten and fifteen beads. The phrase “laid beads” is equal to “laid money.” In an Upper River story the fowl “laid brass rods,” i. e. the currency, money.