What Boom, He Asks!
p. 151 · Read in the full issue
A Letter from an Occasional Correspondent
WHAT the four chief traders on the Septic River are now wondering is—who spilt the beans about the crocodile-skin business to “R” ( August, PIM) ?
Johnny Young has been seen looking suspiciously at Cedric Durban (sic), Freddie Eichhorn is consulting with the local witch-doctor, and Peter England refuses to issue further statements except through his private PRO.
After “R’s” publicity, the authorities are now frowning on the use of small children as croc bait. This has had an adverse effect on the future prospects of the busi ness. Large crocodiles are refusing to go to Singapore, and even the small ones are getting all mixed up.
FACTS: Only a small pro portion of skins go to Singa pore. Largest numbers go to Europe either direct or through Australian agents.
America also absorbs a few.
As for numbers shipped, this season is an all-time loiv due to continued floods in the river; hunters do not usually disclose their figures to one another; and if anyone can guess the number of crocs still swimming around in the thousands of miles of the Sepik River system, well —I And the chief trader in crocodile skins at the moment, by the way, is Al Sauve.