CRABS. 7 1 



on board ship. Comparatively few persons have any idea 

 of the immense commercial importance to be attached 

 to this branch of industry ; but some rough notion 

 of the enormous number of these questionable-looking 

 dainties annually collected by the Trepang catchers may 

 be formed, when we state, that a single trader from Ame- 

 rica obtained, during a bartering expedition amongst 

 the Fejee group of islands, in return for the issue of 

 miscellaneous ai tides and objects of trade, representing 

 no very great value, 25,000 dollars' worth of Trepang 

 in seven months. And in order to still further show 

 that even this repulsive and insignificant-looking sea- 

 worm is worthy of the consideration of the " grave and 

 staid merchant," we give the financial return made on 

 one voyage prosecuted for its obtainment : — Peculs* of 

 slugs obtained, 1,200; cost of goods and outfit, 3,500 

 dollars ; money return on sales effected, 27,000 dollars. 

 The value of the prepared slugs in the markets of the 

 East may be said to range between ten and sixty dollars 

 per pecul, according to condition, demand, and quality. 

 Advantages even greater than the direct acquisition of 

 money have resulted from this peculiar trade. Dis- 

 coveries have been made of islands, unknow^n until the 

 adventurous traders landed on them ; and commercial 

 pursuits have been successfully prosecuted with tribes 



* A Pecul weighs 133 3 lbs., and is a weight common through- 

 out the Southern and Eastern seas. 



