Sir Morgan's pinnace, barge, and all the other
small craft he could collect, with sailors and others from the
neighbourhood--to pursue the smuggler--and to carry her, if possible,
by boarding. But this, considering the strength of the smuggler, was
too hopeless an attempt to be countenanced. There were however king's
ships cruising or in port all the way between Barmouth and Parkgate:
the nearest of these, a sloop called the Falcon, was said to be lying
at anchor off Aber, between Bangor and Conway: and in that direction
expresses were sent off one upon the heels of the other; some having
orders to go on to Parkgate and Liverpool. A favourite groom of Sir
Morgan's, on this occasion, rode a thoroughbred horse in two hours and
a quarter to Bangor Ferry: between Beddgelart and Carnarvon he had
learned that the sloop was anchored off Beaumaris: he turned aside
therefore from the Bangor road to the Ferry. There he jumped into a
six-oared boat, and made for Beaumaris. Faithfully he did his duty: as
you will suppose when I tell you that the castle clock had struck ten
when he mounted, and a little after one we that stood on the summits of
Arthur's chair--the high peak to the northward--heard a sullen report
in the direction of Carnarvon: we all knew that this must be a signal
to us from the Falcon--giving notice of her approach. She was now
standing through the Menai strait. Twenty minutes after this a second
gun was fired; and the prodigious roar of echoes, which it awoke in the
mountains, proclaimed that she had passed Carnarvon. At two the flashes
of her guns became visible, and showed that she had uncovered the point
of Llandovery. At a quarter past two there was light enough to make her
out distinctly; she carried a press of sail; and a few minutes after
that we discovered the smuggler in the offing, about three miles to
leeward of the Falcon.

"The same high gale which had carried the Falcon so rapidly through the
Menai, had baffled the smuggler in her attempt to go to the northward;
for that was obviously her intention; and she still continued to tack
in that direction. We expected that, as soon as she descried the
Falcon, she would wear and run: but, greatly to our surprize, she took
no notice of her--but continued standing on her tack in the evident
design of running to the outside of the isle of Anglesea.

"The Falcon, seeing her purpose, fired a shot to bring her to. This the
smuggler paid no sort of regard to: and