Evening journal., 1899-08-26
THE BUMBoAT INDUSTRY.
How Jack Tars Are Supplied with
little BuxurIes when
I'm Port.

TomplIinsville few days ago twobun-
boat women ind q bumboat man came
10 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
the business are generally so large in
proportion to 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 llnowmuch aboutbum-
boats or their proprietors, and it is ten
chances to one that his acquaintance
with them is limited to the one classic
bumboat woman of song, Little Butter
cupin "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 he
should find himself deprived of mrny
luxury that he new enjoys. The cap
tains of all vessels recognize the value
Of the bumboats.as a means of keeping
Jack contonted when he is in sight Of
either 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 jewelry
and other articles characteristtc of the
country to which they belong. Bum
boat women are often washerwomen.
rs well, and they are only too glad to
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 10 trade with,
aud he must exhibit this as soon as he
comes alongside. Then an officer Of the
ship goes aboard the bumboat and
makes an examination of the stock, to
see that no liquor is being smuggled
into the sailors possession. To be alb
solutely sure Of this the officer must be
we'll up in the tricks of the trade. All
sorts of ingenious oxpetlients are de-
yised by the bunboat proprietors, in
coilusion with the ever ready seamen.
Whisky and other spirits are brought
aboard in the most unexpected ways,
and the success OF scheme must de-
pend chiefly upon its novelty. The
large claws of Holsters carefully
uoooped out and filed up with liquor
have served to convey many a drink
aboard, and they hold more than
would be generally lisuppesed. limo
cent-appearing strings Of sausages
have ah2o been discovered on investfea-
ton TO be not sausages at all, but tho
enlytaT eases OF them alied With whisky
Esscn le0Ses Of breaA have Ooacealed in
tiiuir ocnters little poaohes Of the
greatly prlzed liquid, and there axe .
number of other devices showing an ad
nlirable gift Of iRvention on the part Of
the .bunrboat people.
Many Of Che tricks are discovered only
after tho sailors have given repeated
and unmistakable proofs Of having
been we'll supplied with liquor. Thor
the officers cudgel their brains to finC
out by what means the stuff could hav,
been obtained, and finally suspect som'
article of the bumboat stock.
Besides examining the goods the Of
1cer who boards the bumboat ALSO look
over the schedule of prices and decide
whether or not they are exorbitaht. Th1
Is TO protect the seamen, who are pro
I verbally no rntch for the traders, at
! bargain. from being swinded By eS
tortionato prices Sccasionaiiy, o
course, the boats hiring odd wares, 10
! which no prices can well be scheduled
but the staple articles of their stocl
such as fresh fruits, vegetables ant
! swcetmRats, are All valued at certaii
, -ates. The officers themselves very SCI
n dom make any purchases, unless in a
emergency they happen to be in nee
OF some article for their own table.
There is probably not a port at whic
r ships ever touch where the business @
bumboatisg does not exist. In China
n Is especially active. as well as at tn
- various ports of Indo-China and Brit
!. ish India. The buinboatmen OF AleXar
"a dria, Egypt, are said to be tho. LATEST q
their profession. Too indolent to max
an effort TO get alongside a skip, the
e sail simlessly up and down among til
vessels in the harbor, crying monot'
y nously: "Ebryting! ebrytingl" ThI
- IS intended to describe the extensive
ness of their wares, but it is deceptive
10 for they usually have next to nothing
n uen. Sometimes they rouse themselv'
D tust before a ship is about to depar
u and come alongside, Offering pigeor
and other birds and animals, which II
h. sailors often buy for pets. In farawa
. Madagascar the natives are enthusia
tic bumboat traders, and frequentl
rwarm about the ship in great nun
e. bers.ZN. Y. Tribune.
IN nutter without Churning.
e It's reported that Swedish invent'
- las introduced what he terms a rad
ntor." which produces butter from mi