20 FISHES AND FISHING. 



London, with a friend in his (Mr. H.'s) chaise, when 

 about three miles from his home he was attacked by 

 seven footpads ; Mr. H. shot the man who held the 

 horse's head, the animal ran away into the next vil 

 lage, an alarm was given, parties went out, and found 

 the wounded man in a chalk pit, stripped by his com 

 panions, and nearly dead. Medical assistance was 

 immediately rendered, and the robber stated that 

 their gang consisted of about seventy men, but he 

 would only impeach the dastardly companions who 

 had treated him in such a cruel manner. The six 

 men were taken, but before he could legally identify 

 these fellows he expired ; and as nothing could be 

 brought home to them, they were reluctantly dis 

 charged. Mr. H. received many threatening letters, 

 supposed to emanate from the gang, and he never 

 went out unarmed with pistols. One afternoon, in 

 walking home from Crayford, two men begged of 

 him ; he gave them some halfpence, but immediately 

 after thought he recognised their faces as being two 

 of the six who had been taken up, and as they were 

 following him closely, he took his pistols from his 

 pocket, and said, " I have seen you before my lads, 

 and I do not like you ; now either go before me into 

 Dartford, or go back." They chose the former alter 

 native, and he thus by his determination probably 

 saved his life, and was afterwards left in peace. 



