by her crew, the captain being the only person on board the vessel. After she had just passed Gravesend, and had got somewhere off Rosherville, the captain. saw a boat put off from the Custom-house. Without more ado he cast off the tow-rope, and shouted to the crew of the boat to make off. They did so, and quickly rowed to the Essex side of the river, and decamped . One of them, however, named H__d , a native of Rye, being afterwards in the neighbourhood of Tower Hill, London , and being in his cups, was boasting of how they got away when coming up the river. He was taken into custody, and sent on board a man-of-war for five years.
The Custom -house boat's crew boarded the vessel, and the captain, a stout man, placing himself in the companion-way, haughtily demanded what they wanted on board his vessel. Resistance was , of course, out of the question; and the officers proceeded to search, and the result was, that they discovered a large quantity of tobacco stowed away in the hold, covered over with a quantity of barley. Of course the vessel was seized, and the captain was made prisoner. He was conveyed ashore, and was put into the gaol at Gravesend.
Now it happened that the gaoler was also keeper of the Town Hall, that is, he had to prepare the Hall for all meetings, and of course to attend all official meetings that were, from time to time, held in the Hall. He was an old man, and during his absence his wife had the care of the gaol. All this was well known to the good people of Gravesend, and of course, to the -
