The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1918-02-12
Of OPIUM
SMUGGLERS SHOWN
BY FIND ON N||HAU
Valuable Package OF Contraband
Drug Washed Ashore Is
Brought Back BY Marshal
SMALLNESS OF BU0YS
PREVENTED SUCCESS
Sampan Seen To Stand On and
Off Little Island For Three
Days Believed Involved

SevCntythrpe tins of "Chickcn'
opium worth $l4,6OO, was brought back
from the little Island Of Niihau vester
day, where t. s.. Marshal Smiddy had
made special trip to get the poppy
lrug after the United States district
attorney was notified that a box had
been washed ashore there which it was
believed might contain opium
Only the fact that the cork buovs
within the box of opium did not have
'ufficient buOyancy to keep the box
lflOat above the water is believed t.
have prevented It being picked up by
sampan despatched to watch for it,
valuable contents. The box was &C
heavy II sank two or three feet be
Meath the surface.
1t is known that for three days previ
Gus to the time when the box Of opium
was discovered by Hawniians on the
beach near Nonapapa. on the west coast
Vt Niihau, that sampan vainly cruis
al up and down the usual course OF
'teamcrs bound for Honolulu from the
orient in n search for the box.
Shows Smugglers' Methods
Discovery. Of the box Of opium il
Considered as proof that most of the
irug reaching these Islands is dropped
from Oriental steamers bound for Ho.
nOlulu and afterwards picked up by
sampans, as has been surmised, but
never before absolutely proved.
Much care had been taken in prepar,
ing this box of opium 80 it could be
found by the sampan, but a slight un.
lerestimation Of the weight of the
Seventy-three tins and the buoyancy
Of the cork buoys- had frustrated the
Ian which probably has been success
'ully used time after time in the past
The box was built with a keel shap-
d top and bottom and the cork buoys
Covered with canvas, placed within
TBC two buoys used were the exact
lepth and length of the box containrr
Experts Mt the customs house say
hat the opium found on Niihau is the
most expensive brand, AS the "Chick.
N " brand. so-called because of a
ooStcr printed on the label, contains
higher percentage 'of meconie acid
han any other made.
This brand of opium is manufactured
n Macao, Portuguese concession in
nina, about twenty miles from Hong
cong. AS the concession is controlled
" Portugal, the making of opium i,
cot permitted there as il is in other
parts of China. Most of the popu>
rsrd is imported from India, it is said
'C"maIiok' is the Portuguese trade
mark of this brand
Due to the amount of mcrOnic acid
('hi,.lyn, 81 .
f the "pipc Of dreams" values :
smoke from this kind very highiN It.
* the acid which gives the opirn
m"tr it's peculiar characteristics, af
rr it is cooked. As it Is rOoked. a piii
'r@d nuantit~-ef the dope will rxpanr
'rd shoot oT big bubbles Of the nrid
which are drawn into the lungs by tn,
m"kcr.
Chinese will paw 1900 tin for tn,
'rhirk"n' brand of opium in Homo
Win. customs inspectors say, due t.
is present scarcity. From $3.50 t.
$l75 a tin is paid for other brands.
All Of the opium seized on Niihal
vas put w in iv" tacl tins, WriEhin'
| nulf pound each.
Natives Watch sampan
NUhau natives told the marshal hn,
h"N haH watched "hmpan cruSnE n
| '"II speed W. amt town the coast
| january u, - and ~. 1t was on Thu
! after dat" that the box washed ashore
'h" SAMOAN. the natives SaId, nrNe
came nearer than n mile to the Nina
coast although II covered cOurs
backward ana forward, but at NarYIn!
distances from Nnhau, fully thirt,
mites Long. US Nnhau Is but ffteer
| p'l"S IN Length the sampan would e
! ulIN me same distance heN"nd IN
nCihrIlN ami northern ends OF IN
| STAND.
1T vas th" apparent VAN attrmP
II IN" s"mhan ere" 7" hnd something
nj ITS great speed, which mad" it sci
Nldcht the crew was not hShIng, tina
ttrnrtHd IN" htteh'loh or me NATIVES
| Always, AS the Sampan passed Mona
| papa, man would ne seen Statlonc'
top OF the engine house, with a han'
| 'l"Sr"ped ah0Ne ms eyes, ahother i
| he stern and another IN the bow 4"
| ne Don't All gazing lhtentIy IN dffer
M ulrEcllorS, SO the haWahans tol'
harshal SmlhdN.
Marshal NmIddN has II" doubt tina
| ne Snmrhn was somewhere ia tn
| lrlnlty OF the steamer from whicJ