The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-05-15
FROM OVER THE SEA.
A GREAT COMMERCE BEARER FROM
INDIA'S CORAL STRAND.

A Bark Arrives In New York from Ports
Whence Clearing Papers from America
Are Seldom Issued-ArticIes of Conn
merce from the Tropics.
The marine investigator at Sandy Hook,
casting his eyes seward the other day,
sDed something which unaccustOmed
eyes would not have seen. He clapped
his glasses, fine double extra power ones,
10 his eyes and stood in posture OF scru-
tiny for many moments.
It's q bark, says he, still focusing
his glasses on the distant object.
shadOwy substance began to appear
on the horizon The eye Of the landsman
would have simply noted that something
that sailed was approaching
''She's Nova ScOtian,' - was the laconic
utterance that came from beneath the
binoculars.
''Then it's the Strathay, now due" was
the equally lacOnic outcome of a marine
encyclopedia who stood near.
Pretty soon the bark's sails doomed up
against the horizon and she came whoop-
ing along in spanking breeze to the
lower bay. She was the Strathay, ninety
days from India's coral strand, and she
bore a royal cargo. When Capt. UrqU-
hart got his quarantine papers he brought
his vessel in tow of a tug, her streamers
flying, up to a Brooklyn pier, and a long
sea voyage was ended.
The Strathay comes from ports whence
clearing papers from America are seldom
issued. She has been in the dismal and
frightfully hot harbors of AIipee and
Cochin, on the Malabar coast, in the
southern part of India.
CEYLON'S SPICY BREEZEs.
She had lain for days getting the spicy
breeZes of CeylOn at COIumbo, and the
blood heat rays of the sun, and there took
in 1 1000 barrels of piumbago. Then in
southern India, where the man eating
crOckOdile abOunds, and sharks turn on
their bellies and swallow <len at a crunch
ing gulp, she found 1900 barrels of CO.
coanut oil, which will be evolved into
American soap and a great quantity of
the mating that is made from the fibrous
bark of the cocoanut. Then the Strathay
was ready to make for civilization and
New York. and she came along with some
rip-rOaring breezeS, great commerce
bearer, under foreign flag.
Only two or three vessels arrive from
Alpee and Cochin in the course of year
Tie freights of these are consigned to the
firms who virtually mOnOpOlize trade from
this quarter
There are no harbOrs at these ports, and
vessels are obliged to anchor two miles
the land is assured with many lagoOns or
backWaters. The country is low and
sandy and covered with luXuriant vegeta-
ton and vast forests of palm trees. From
the latter are obtained the chief com
modities of commerce. The straight
stemmed trees are from forty to eighty
feet high, and the natives climb these
with the aid of a short cord, connecting
their big toes, which helps ascension by
i,,fO %
After the nuts are knocked off the thick
husks are separated from the inner shell
by sharp iron spikes, and then laid in pits
dug along the seaShOre, where the salt
water macerates them. When the husks
become sufficiently pliable they are taken
out and beaten with clubs, which COM
pletely parts the fiber from the pithy
portion. 1t is then thoroughly cleaned
and dried, and known as khair or coir,
and is twisted into yarn and then woven
into mating. The kernels, by hydraulic
pressure, yield the oil now so much used
by American soap makers, as it produces
soap capable of floating upon water.
Thousands of HindoOs, male and female,
are employed in these industries by the
white merchants. They are very docile,
exist on rice, fish and fruits, and receive
equivalent to five or six cents for their
daily wage.
SPECTATORS MISTAKE.
Two or three years ago a great specula-
ton took place in the raw fiber, and
thousands of bales were imported and
held with the expectation that it would
figure largely in mattress stuffing and
kindred uses. This was not realized,
owing to the fiber's lack of elasticity, and
spectators lost heavily. 1t is said that
the French are beginning to make cut
rasses of it for their ironclads, as it offers
more resistance than steel to a cannon
ball, and greater value may be put upon
1t in the future.
Other articles of commerce seldom
heard of come from this far off shore.
Cus-cus, a fragrant root from which
sachet powder is made; citronella and
lemon grass oils, also used in perfumery:
the button like seeds of nux vomica, con-
tanning the principle Of strychnine; cartla-
mons, cinchOna and turmeric, yellow
root used in dyeing, ard which is said to
be used in the adulteration of mustard.
Eight white people and $4,000 natives
compose the population of Alipee. About
seventy-fve different castles are repre-
scented. The climate is tropical, but
healthy. Melting eyes and well favored
forms are reported to be characteristics OF
the Hindoo females. These are possibly
enhanced by the limited inventory of APP
q palm 1CctL VI WV CONCII1lS lilO
whole body. The sailors are not proof
against their seductions, and rigorous
measures have to be taken for their re-
straint. The mate of the Strathay, a
bronzed Scotchman, said to a reporter
sadly:
9TH weemen played the deevil wi the
sailor lads! All, coodna gang asnoor the
twinty days we were off tn port, for ma
time was taken Oop watchin' 'emI Why,
mon, we had to fawsten the chield's
hIwnd an flute, an even then, wad We
think it, twa o. 'em breaks loose, jumps
over the side and swums AVA to the shoor
an w never clapt cen on 'em afterr'-
New York Evening Sun.
Tricks of Chinese Traders.