The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-03-10
QUEER OCEAN PEDDLERS.

From the New York Sun
The man with a pack on his back. trudg-
ing from village to village and Offering
for sale at cottage and farm house
counterpart in the ocean peddler ranging
in size from a schooner trading among
the islands of the Pacific. to a steamer
OF one or two-thousand-tons burden.
The ocean paldler starts out from Ham
burg, or San Francisco, the chief home
in view. Sailing from the former city the
course is generally laid either to the coast
of Africa or South America. having in the
hold a varied assortment of goods likely
TO be marketable IN the regions visited
cotton fabrics trinkets. arms, ammuni-
ton, liquors and all spare room filed up
AS the largest profits are often derived
from the sale of contraband goods. such
as munitions of war to insurgent bodies
and as detection by regular authorities
would lead to confisca ton, several thous-
done up in Innocent looking cases
stands of discarded German army rifles
in packages labeled, Glass With Care
The captain of such vessel must pos
sess not only ability as a navigator. but
an expert knowledge of the requirements
of his trade in addition to a plausible
tongue wherewith to barter and win over
the good will of a nl-disposed official
If he does not own an interest in the
ship it is generally required that he shall
in her cargo.
Trudging along over the ocean at a
seven or eight-knot gait, saving his coal
as much as possible, the peddler opens
his trade by casting anchor in, say. a
having squared the commandante, he in
vites merchants and others on board to
to be paid by the purchaser, but in GER
tain cases that difficulty is often over
ashore swollen out. perhaps, to three
times his normal size by as many new
suits of clothing.
in the way of an ocean peddler is for
an American or British nan-of-war to
which he is lying, short of coal. Then
from his spare stock he sells few hun
bred tons at as hard a bargain as the
necessity of the purchaser permits him to
On the Central American coast the ped
der usually times his visit at about the
opening Of the coffee season, that is.
has sold out his wares he is able to load
up, almost to the water line with the
principal export of the country.
without its dangers is illustrated by
story, told by a mate of one of those
vessels. In order to preserve his respect
able character the contraband goods are
sometimes stored IN places likely to es-
.ficer, and, in the case in question. the
mates bunk was chosen as the safest re-
mite consigned to the leaders of a Nica-
raguan revolution. All went well until
rive at hep destination. when a thunder
storm occurred-the lighting playing
about the masts IN an alarming Ing manner M I,I
ing in upon bed of dynamite under such
circumstances was not conducive to
peaceful repose, even to one accustomed
to sleep through all manner of dangers;
but with the reflection that if a flash
found its way to his bunk he would not
be likely TO be made aware of the fact
he slumbered serenely through his watch
below. and next day delivered the can
ned tomatoes" safely to the consignee.
The ocean peddling trade on the Pacific
has been shorn of much of its profits
since the inter-island passenger traffic in
natives. who too often were carried as
passengers much against their will. to
dive for pearls on the great Australian
bank, has been effectually suppressed.
Still, a considerable trade is carried on in
small articles of hardware. old clothes
personal trinkets and an occasioned case
of dry goods, which. if seized, would
turn out to be remarkably wet.