The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-12

from Sumatra, the cradle of the Malay
race, on return trips from their ceaseless
search for the fabulous Isla dOura,
where it was supposed cargoes OF gold
bars and nuggets could be picked up
along the beach. BY the close of the
sixteenth century the Dutch and English
Joined in the quest, and in 1921 the
French, carried away by glowing accounts
of the Importance of the trade, sent a
fleet to Sumatra with magnificent pres
ents for the sultan of Acheen.
In the next century a new claimant for
share in the trade appeared. To Sa-
lem captain belongs the credit of opening
to American enterprise the profitable SUI
matra pepper business. In 1893 Capt.
Jonathan Carnes sailed from Salem In a
schooner for the East Indies. While jn
Bencoolen, port on the coast Of Sumatra.
he heard of the pepper trade, at that time
confined principally to Padang. He sail
ed for this point without knowledge Of
the course and through waters dangerous
for navigation. He found that little pep
per was actually raised at Padang, but
that it was brought there in small guam
titles from points farther north by the
natives In their "proas." He succeeded
in obtaining cargo and sailed for home
but was wrecked in the West Indies and
lost vessel and cargo. But he found his
way back to Salem and told the owners
what he had discovered. brig of 40
tons, the Rajah, was built secretly, and
in 1875 Carnes started again for Sumatra
with the first vessel that sailed from this
country for Sumatra pepper.
On this trip Capt Carnes visited the
noTtherly ports Of the island and with
out charts or guides of any kind made his
way through coral reefs which are the
dread of navigators to this day. But this
time he brought his cargo safely into
CalA
town when the character of the cargo was
known and the ingenious Yankee intellect
wrestled with the problem of. how many
years 1t would take the inhabitants of
the country to exhaust such a vast supply
or pepper. The owners of the Rajah
however, were busy figuring the profits,
Tor this cargo which cost SIS. 900 was sold
lor Sl44,O00, or profit of 700 per cent
Where the cargo was found was kept
secret. But In time vessels were fitted
out at Salem and Beverly for Bencooien.
where IT was understood Carnes first heard
ABOUT Sumatra pepper. These efforts were
without avail. for the jealousy of the Eu-
ropean coionists had been awakened and
they had begun to fear the rivalry OF these
venturesome. pushing Yankees. No charts
Or sailing directions of the coast north of
Padang could be found. Lurid accounts
OF the dangers of the voyage were spread
abroad to brighten new Adventures. But
py tne frst OK the nineteenth century
many ships turned their prows toward
Sumatra for a share in this lucrative
trade.
In November. 1902. Capt. Joseph Ropes,
in the ship Recovery, located Padang and
obtained cargo of pepper. Two years
later the Putnam sailed from Salem for
the same port and met with success. And
during that year at least thirty American
vessels made voyages to Sumatra for pep
per. Boom towns" sprang up along the
Sumatra coast. bearing such picturesque
names as Analaboo. Soo-soo. Hangar and
North Tally Pow, ideal names for comic
opera librettists.
A ship from Salem. the Recovery, Can't.