This was a "stick of squared hazel-wood, notched in a certain manner to indicate the amount of the purchase or debt," created when the "buyer" became a "debtor" by accepting a good or service from the "seller" who automatically became the "creditor" (ibid.).
But surely this would have not gotten far in trade with India or China in the 17th century, right? I doubt that the Mughals would have had much use for a stick of squared hazel-wood.
