TOBACCO SMUGGLING. 87 



During the remainder of our stay in this port, we 

 were engaged in giving liberty, boating ashore goods 

 that had been sokl or exchanged for potatoes — otlier 

 vegetables not being procurable. Beef was fur- 

 nished sparingly, it being alleged that a sufficient 

 supply of it could not be procured; but as I then 

 was, and since have been informed, that thousands 

 of cattle were within a short distance of the town, 

 the story requires confirmation to make it credible. 



The articles chiefly disposed of here were Yankee 

 notions — fancy shoes, soap, calicos, saddles, and other 

 such stores. Formerlj^ the whalei'S that resorted 

 to these ports for provisions found a market for all 

 their surplus articles ; but, at the present time, over- 

 importation has caused a total stoppage of their 

 trade, except at ruinous prices. Every whale-ship 

 that comes into this vicinity brings tons of tobacco 

 in her outfit, and very little, if any, duty is paid upon 

 it — it being mostly smuggled ashore. On the starting 

 of a ship for port, the foremast hands always resort to 

 the slop-chest for tobacco, which they carry ashore 

 and dispose of at three times its original price ; thus 

 eking out tlieir liberty-money to a respectable sum, 

 and, much or little, expending it quickly. 



The excise is guarded by the police, who, as a 

 matter of form, look into every boat that comes in ; 

 but I have never seen any difficulty in carrying 

 ashore, anywhere in the colony, twenty or thirty 

 pounds of the weed about the person; and, once 

 ashore, purchasers are readily found. 



A few Americans are to be found here, in every 

 case deserters from Avhaleships; who invariabl}', if at 

 all attentive to business, in the course of a few years, 



