Evening journal., 1899-07-27
THE BUMBoAT INDUSTRY.
Little Luxuries When
la Port.


Tompleinsyille q few days ago two buu.- .
boat women and a bumboat man came .
20 blows in The course of an argument +
over their respective rights to trade /
with the returned Jack tars Although /
not always fought for so yaliantly, the |
privilege OF bumboating is always |
greatly sought after, and the profits Of /
Me business are generally so large ia
proportion 10 the outlay that it is an
occupation likely TO flourish as long as
there are ships and sailors.
The ordinary landlubber does not
have occasion TO lnowmuch about bum- I
boats or their proprietors, and it IS ten
chances to one that his acquaintance
with them is limited to the one classic
buinboat woman of song. Little Butter
cup I'm "pinafore' But TO the sailor the
bumboat men and women are highly
important members Of society, and If
they should cease to Ply their trade lie
should find himself deprived of pary
"A luxury hat he now enjoys TIE cape
tains of all vessels recognize the value
Of the bumboats as a means Of keeping
Jack contented when he is in sight of
either a home or a foreign port. With
out their visits he would be far more
persistent in his demands for shore
leave, since he would be able TO repre-
sent, reasonably enough, that he was
enjoying no benefit from the ships
nearness to land. But the bumboats
bring him all the tempting articles in
the way OF food that he could possibly
find ashore, and, though these things
make up the greater part of their
stock they frequently have besides
various little curios, pieces Of jewely
and other articles characteristic of tie
country to which they belong. Bsln-
boat women are often washerwomen
as well and they are only too glad 10
relieve the sailor-for a consideration
of his laundry duties as long as the ship
remains in the neighborhood.
Every bumboat proprietor must have
a written permission from the captain
Of the vessel he desires to trade with,
/ Nnd he must exhibit this as soon as lie
eoqnes alongside. Then an officer of the
ship goes aboard the bumboat aud
makes an examination of the stock, to
see that no liquor is being smuggled
into the sailors possession. To be ab-
solutely sure of this the officer must be
well up in the tricks of the trade. Al
sorts Of ingenious eXpedients are de-
viscd by the bumboaf proprietors, in
collusion with the ever ready seamen.
/ Whisky and other spirits are brought
aboard in the most unexpected way S,
and the success of a scheme must de-
pend chiefly upon its novelty. The
/ large claws of Holsters carefully
gcooped out and filed up with liquor
6ave served to convey many drink
aboard, and they hold more than
would be generally supposed. Inno-
eent-appcaring strings Of sausages
have also been discovered on invcstipa-
tion to be not sausages at all, but the
j., empty cases of them filled wish whisky.
Even loavcs OF bread have concealed i'm
fheir centers little pouches Of the
greatly priced liquid and there are q
Number of other devices showing an ad-
\ niroble gift of invention on the part oil
the bumboat people.
Many of the tricks are discovered only
after the sailors have given repeated
and unmistakable proofs of havisg
. been well supplied with liquor. Then
the officers cudgel their brains TO find
out by what means the stuff could have
been obtained, and finally suspect some
, article of the bumboat stock
4 Besides examining the goods the Of
p fcer who boards the bumboat also looks
P over ihe schedule of prices and decides
t whether or not they are exorbiiant This
r is to protect the seameH, Who are pro
5 verbally no match for thc traders, at 9
d bargain, from being swindled by ox
tortonate prices. Occasionally. o.
course, the boats bring odd wares, fol
which no prices can well be scheduled
d. but the staple articles of their stock
\ such as fresh fruits vegetables one
sweetmeats, are an valued at certain
rates. The officers themselves very SCI
dom make any purchases unless In %
n emergency they happen to be in nee'
= of some article for their own table
There is probably not port at whicl
ships ever touch where the business O.
bumboating does not exist. In China
is especially active, as well as at tn
= various ports OF lndo-China and Brit
2 ish India. The bumboatmcn Of AleNan
dria, Egypt, are said to be the --latest o
It their profession Too indolcnt TO mak
y an effort to get alongside q ship, the.
i sail aimlessly up and down among h
L vessels in the hnrbor, crying monote
.hi nously. "Ebryiing! ebryting im
~ is intended to describe the extensive
S, ness of their wares. ius IL is deceptive
a. for they usually have next tonothing +
e. sell. Sometimes they rouse themselFe
y lust before q ship is about to depar
and come alongside, Offering pigeon
e. and other birds and animals, which tia
Al sailors often buy for pets. In farawa
Madagascar the natives are enthusia'
tic bumboat traders. and frequent
swarm about the ship in great nun
~ bers.-N. Y. Tribune.
D. Butter without Churning.