sherman by profession, and a
smuggler by practice, all was fish that came to his net; but his cottage
was small, he was supposed to be very poor, and a very bad fisherman,
for he seldom brought home many; but there was a reason for that, he
very seldom put his nets overboard. His chief business lay in taking
out of vessels coming down Channel, goods which were shipped and bonded
for exportation, and running them on shore again. You know, Bob, that
there are many articles which are not permitted to enter even upon
paying duty, and when these goods, such as silks, etcetera, are seized
or taken in prizes, they are sold for exportation. Now, it was then the
custom for vessels to take them on board in the river, and run them on
shore as they went down Channel, and the fishing-boats were usually
employed for this service; my father was a well-known hand for this kind
of work, for not being suspected, he was always fortunate; of course,
had he once been caught, they would have had their eyes upon him after
he had suffered his punishment. Now the way my father used to manage
was this: there was a long tunnel-drain from some houses used as
manufactories, about a hundred yards above his cottage, which extended
out into the sea at low-water mark, and which passed on one side of our
cottage. My father had cut from a cellar in the cottage into the drain,
and as it was large enough for a man to kneel down in, he used to come
in at low-water with his coble, and make fast the goods, properly
secured from the wet and dirt in tarpaulin bags, to a rope, which led
from the cellar to the sea through the drain. When the water had flowed
sufficiently to cover the mouth of the drain, he then threw the bags
overboard, and, securing the boat, went to the cottage, hauled up the
articles, and secured them too; d'ye understand? My father had no one
to assist him but my brother, who was a stout fellow, seven years older
than myself, and my mother, who used to give a helping hand when
required; and thus did he keep his own counsel, and grow rich; when all
was right, he got his boat over into the harbour, and having secured
her, he came home as innocent as a lamb. I was then about eight or nine
years old, and went with my father and brother in the coble, for she
required three hands, at least, to manage her properly, and like a
tin-pot, although not very big, I was very useful. Now it so happened
that my father had notice that a brig, laying in