Page:Tales in Political Economy by Millicent Garrett Fawcett.djvu/98

 were made—more money had to be given for the same commodities than heretofore.

The fact that in sending their manufactures and "the kindly fruits of the earth" to a foreign country and receiving in return certain pieces of metal stamped in a particular way, they were parting with the things that constitute real wealth and prosperity without receiving any adequate return, at length became painfully evident to all the inhabitants of Isle Pleasant. The more food and clothing that was sent to San Francisco, the less remained to be enjoyed by the islanders; at the same time the steady flow of gold and silver into the island, together with a falling off in the domestic trade, caused a very great rise both in prices and wages.

At last the captain of the Carrier Pigeon solved the difficulty that had arisen out of the manner in which the foreign trade of Isle Pleasant was carried on. It had always been a matter of great regret to him that the Carrier Pigeon should make her return journey without a cargo. It was wasting all that a voyage