ers and trappers as
to arouse the jealousy of the Indians and to give rise to the
pseudo-nym "the bow and arrow breed," applied to them by some of the
half-pay officers who settled among them at the close of the American
Revolution. With the Indians the trade was almost entirely one of
barter, the staple article being the fur of the spring beaver.

The fur trade assumed large proportions at this period. The account
books of Simonds and White that are now in existence do not contain a
complete record of all the shipments made from St. John, but they show
that during ten years of uninterrupted trade from the time of their
settlement at Portland Point to the outbreak of the Revolution, they
exported at least 40,000 beaver skins, 11,022 musquash, 6,050 Marten,
870 otter, 258 fisher, 522 Mink, 120 fox, 140 sable, 74 racoon, 67
loup-cervier, 8 wolverene, 5 bear, 2 Nova Scotia wolf, 50 carriboo, 85
deer, and 1,113 moose, besides 2,265 lbs. of castor and 3,000 lbs of
feathers, the value of which according to invoice was L11,295 or about
$40,000. The prices quoted are but a fraction of those of modern days
and by comparison appear ridiculously small. Other traders were
engaged in traffic with the Indians also, and if Messrs. Simonds and
White sent on an average 4,000 beaver skins to New England every year,
it is manifest that the fur trade of the river was a matter of some
consequence.

James White was the principal agent in bartering with the Indians who
had every confidence in his integrity. Three-fourths of their trade
was in beaver skins and "a pound of spring beaver" (equivalent to 5
shillings in value) was the unit employed in trade. Mr. White was
usually called by the Indians "K'wabeet" or "Beaver." It is said that
in business with the Indians the fist of Mr. White was considered to
weigh a pound and his foot two pounds both in buying and selling. But
the same story is told of other Indian traders. The Indians were fond
of finery and ornaments. Among the articles sent by Samuel Blodget in
1764 were nine pairs of green, scarlet and blue plush breeches at a
guinea each; one blue gold laced jacket and two scarlet gold laced
jackets valued at L3 each; also spotted ermine jackets, ruffled
shirts and three gold laced beaver hats (value of the latter L8 6s.
4d.) These may seem extravagant articles for the Indians yet their
chiefs and captains bought them and delighted to wear them on special
occasions.[67] It was customary in