This from Trotter's, "Galloway Gossip!" 1901.
Packmen/teamen who travelled to England from Galloway.
"They cairriet the tea in quarter puns an sell't tae the English on credit an came back in a fortnight an gat the siller, an left another quarter. They bocht it in lairge quantities for ready money and blended it an made big profit on't, an some o them werna lang in makin fortins!
When yin o them had a bigger connection nor he could manage hissel he wid bring a young lad fae Gallowa fur a kin o prentice an he had tae serve fae five tae seeven year withoot pey, only his meat & claes; an his maister wid gie him a wheen o customers tae stert wi an let him make a connection fur hissel.
If he behave't hissel, his maister wud sell him pairt o his connection an gie him tea tae supply his customers or let him begin a new connection but supply him wi tea an siller tae gang on wi. Than he had tae pey him back wi installments an if he wus study an clever he had little trouble in doin't.
Its no every yin can do at the pack, wee fairmers sons an young plewmen dis best; a thin-skinn't falla or yin wi the feelins an notions o a gentleman'll no dae ava.
Deed that kind disna do weel at aucht noo-a-days!"
Apparently many of the Liverpool merchants had Galloway origins and the Isle of Man smugglers did well running goods into Galloway's Solway creeks, with their ferocious tides & shifting sands, at the time of the French wars. Tea being light and valuable was a favourite cargo & the well armed smuggling gangs a formidable terror to the excisemen.
For an accent to Trotter's above, Private Fraser from "Dads Army" would be not far off!
Bests,
Skoosh.
