PACKING  AND  SHIPPING  329

were  obtained  it  would  mean  that  in  future
all  goods  bearing  your  particular  shipping
mark  would  be  forever  doomed  to  trouble.
I  am  always  forced  to  laugh  when  I  think  of
the  experience  of  a  traveller  for  a  well-known
baking  company  in  the  United  States  who  was
making  his  initial  trip  to  South  America.
The  port  at  which  he  landed  was,  as  it  generally ­
  is,  the  scene  of  a  yellow  fever  epidemic.
Fearful  of  contracting  this  disease  he  decided
to  take  the  first  train  for  the  capital,  located  in
the  mountains  and  as  a  rule  free  from  the
scourge  which  infests  the  port.  Inasmuch  as
the  train  left  early,  he  deposited  his  twelve
sample  cases  at  the  custom  house  with  the  keys
and  the  request  that  after  they  had  been  inspected ­
  one  of  the  men  whom  he  had  tipped
should  send  them  by  the  evening  train  to  his
hotel.  After  waiting  for  three  days  without
receiving  the  trunks,  during  which  time  he  frequently ­
  sent  telephonic  messages  to  the  customs ­
  authorities  and  telegraphed  and  wrote
the  United  States  consul  on  the  subject,  he  decided ­
  to  go  in  person,  despite  his  fear  of  con ­