Page:New Brunswick Magazine Issue 1.djvu/31

trade, a second for their business with the white inhabitants of the country, a third for that with their own employees, and a fourth for that with the garrison at Fort Frederick. These old account books contain some curious items. The consumption of rum by the employees, and indeed by all the inhabitants of the country, was something astonishing. The use of rum as a beverage seems to have been quite the universal custom of the day, while on the other hand many apparently did not use tobacco, although the use of snuff boxes shows that the use of snuff was not uncommon. Rum was sold at 1 shilling per quart, tobacco at 8 pence per pound, tea (which was little used) sold at 8 s. per lb. coffee at 1s. 6d. per lb. molasses at 3s. per gallon, sugar at 7d. per lb., gingerbread cakes 2d. each, lemons 3d. each, cheese 9d. per lb., soap 1s. per lb. Among other articles in demand were powder and shot, fishing tackle, flints, cuttoe knives, milled caps, blankets, blue rattan and fear-nothing jackets, woollen and check shirts, horn and ivory combs, silk handkerchiefs, turkey garters, pins and needles, etc. In the course of a few years the variety of articles kept in stock at the store at Portland Point increased surprisingly till it might be said that the company sold everything "from a needle to an anchor," including such things as a variety of crockery and dry goods besides such articles as knee buckles, looking glasses, men's and women's pumps (or best shoes), tin candlesticks, brass door knobs, wool cards, mouse traps, whip saws, mill saws, skates and razors. Writing paper was sold at a penny a sheet or 9d. per half quire. The only books kept in stock were almanacks, psalters, spelling books and primers.

The old account books bear evidence of being well thumbed, for Indian debts were often hard to collect and white men's debts were at least as hard to collect