Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-12-04

sides these there are numerous other articles of
commerce taken out, of less Importance, as iron
bars, copper and brass rods, beads, knives.
hatchets, seap, earlhenware, crystal, jars, iron
pots, horns, pearl buttons, silk handkerchiefs,
&c. &c. When you have sold all the goods
that remained after giving trust you send up the
lofty nasts oc the ship that were lowered after
moorng, as signal that you have done trading
and are now waiting for the retnrns for your
trust; and this is the time that your real trouble
commences.
"Some ofthe people that made such splendid
promises of trading with you when you first en-
tered the river, have never been near your ship
since they were trusted but have been trading
with other ships on ready money terms with
/ your goods This is exceedingly vexalious by
giving credit, you perhaps lose good customer
and run the risk of losing your goods into the
bargain, or at least being put to great trouble
and anxiety, and if you do not give credit, the
great merchants will do no business with you
Your best friends now leave off trading with
other ships, and send you the oil as it comes
down from Eboe, Quaw, &c. If any to whom
you have given trust be trading with other ships,
with your goods, in order TO turn the capital over
as often as possible, or the canoes have been
detained at the various oil markets, the work Of
dunning commences in earnest, and to convince
that you are really in earnest, you perhaps visit
them three times day; your errand, if not al
ways alluded to- is perfectly understood. 'What,
come again, captain a trader has said to me the
third visit, that time il be cockerapeak, look
your face that time sun stand for top. (noon)
look your face; and now that time man want to
go moonn (sleep) look your face again; what
paaver this be-? Trust, my friend, want my
money. What think you tell mo that time you
get my money? You no tell me cannot stand
watt one day for your side Ton your account)
and don't you see what way my ship masts stand,
and by-and-by my people must cry for chop
If they promise to pay you on certain day, you
may generally depend upon them. If you are
very much tried, you sometimes lose OR effect to
lose all patience, and call them ugly names, as
niggers, bushmen, &C., and threaten to make
book and send it to all the white men to inform
them that they are rogues and not to be trusted,
and tell the merchants in England to caution
their agents against having anything to do with
them. If they have the means of paying, this
sort of language will generally have the desired
effect, but you, like themselves, must study the
characters you have to deal with, and treat them
accordingly. Occasionally you are obliged
to man your boats with white men, and proceed
a few miles up the creek during the night, and
wait for canoes coming down with their cargoes,
and seize those which belong to your debtors.
and tow them to the ship. have seen canoe
men so alarmed, on pulling suddenly upon them,
as to jump overheard and make for the bush,
supposing that they were surprised by an ene-
my; but as soon as they found we were English
men, they returned. This is dangerous, both
on account of the frequency of accidents and
risk to health. have returned on board in
morning, after laying out in boat all night, so
disfgured by being stung with moschetoes, as
hardly to be recognizable.
"When all other means fail your last resource
is to watch your debtor till he comes on the riv
er to visit some ship, if you cannot induce him
to come on board, and make him prisoner. Then
palaver commences in earnest. Locked up
with him in the trade room, he first assaiIs you
with voey of abusive epithets, and perhaps
threatens to kill you the first time you go on
shore Above all things you must keep yourself
cool, and not exhibit the slightest symptom of
fear. Finding that clustering aud teazjng will
not induce you to let him 60, he goes on another
tack. Coaxing, fattery, sweet mouth flair
promIses,) are equally unavailing, he cannot be
allowed to leave till the last farthing is paid
He then tries to excite your sympathy by tears,
and debase himself by falling upon his knees
before you to entreat you to let him go, and he
will pay you every flint yesterday, or to-mor-
row-the terms are synonymous. His wives,
children, snd slaves, will laugh at and despise
Hlh h0 VIII iooo S"eL0 Win HIS CouhIIy leu
and credit with white men. When he finds that
nothing he can say will avail, and that he must
pay his debts before being released, he will per-
haps burst into laughter, and tell you, you are
all same DEVIL and order the head slave that
accompanies him to 60 to the beach and bring
you on your due. A few hours after paaver
of this kind, have gone ashore, and have been
treated in the kindest manner possible, without
the dlsagreeable circumstances having been al
luded to-"
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