observer they appeared as such, being clothed in blankets,
with their heads muffled, and copper-colored countenances,
being each armed with a hatchet or axe, or pair of pistols,
nor was their dialect different from what I conceive these
geniuses to speak, as their jargon was unintelligible to all
but themselves. Not the least insult was offered to any
person save one Captain Connor, a letter of horses in this
place, not many years since removed from dear Ireland, who
had ript up the lining of his coat and waistcoat under the
arms, and watching his opportunity, had nearly filled them
with tea, but being detected, was handled pretty roughly.
They not only stripped him of his clothes, but gave him a
coat of mud, with a severe bruising into the bargain, and
nothing but their utter aversion to making any disturbance
prevented his being tarred and feathered."

* * * * *

Many interesting details are supplied by the reminiscences of the actors
themselves, long afterwards. In the "Recollections of a Bostonian,"
published in the "Centinel," in 1821-22, the writer says he spent the
night but one before the destruction of the tea as one of the guard
detached from the new grenadier corps, in company with Gen. Knox, then
one of its officers, on board one of the tea ships. He heard John Rowe
suggest to the meeting in the Old South, "Who knows how tea will mingle
with salt water?" a suggestion received with great applause. He further
states that when the answer of the governor was reported to the
meeting--

"An Indian yell was heard from the street. Mr. Samuel Adams
cried out that it was a trick of their enemies to disturb
the meeting, and requested the people to keep their places,
but the people rushed out and accompanied the Indians to
the ships. The number of persons disguised as Indians is
variously stated,--none put it lower than sixty, nor higher
than eighty. The destruction was effected by them, and some
young men who volunteered. One of the latter collected the
tea which fell into the shoes of himself and companions, and
put it in a phial and sealed it up,--now in his
possession.... The hall of council is said to have been in
the back room of Edes' printing-office, at the corner of the
alley leading to Brattle Street Church, from Court Street."

In 1827, Joshua Wyeth, of Cincinn