Market Quotations On Scalps

The market price of "scalps, " as agreed npon between the early French colonists of Louisiana and the Indiaas, with whoni they bargained to fight out their battles with hostile Indians for them, varied with circumstances. At the time the French were at war with the Alibamons a "scalp" of one of the last named, when brought to them, was paid for at the ra te of a gun, flve pounds of musket balls and as ranch powder. "On the 14th of March" (1704), writes De La Harpe, "a party of 20 Chicachos (Chickasaws) brought in four Alibamoa scalps. They were given for each scalp a gun, flve pounds of balls and as much of powd#r, according to the contract