176 FISHES AND FISHING. 



each ; trout, same weight, same price, or if not many 

 at market, probably two-pence each ; a pike, weigh, 

 ing eight pounds, I bought for fourpence on one occa 

 sion, and sixpence on another; and sea fish much 

 cheaper than these, particularly at Boulogne, to which 

 port a great number of fishing boats belong. 



I removed to Calais, and shortly after entered into 

 an arrangement of a nautical character, with a Swedish 

 naval captain, who resided there, in which we em 

 barked our money, our time, and exertions ; he being 

 a cripple, could perform but little personally. It 

 turned out very successful, until there were rumours 

 of a renewal of hostilities. The English residents at 

 Calais were in a state of the greatest possible anxiety 

 as to the prospect of the continuance of peace : our 

 ambassador passed through on his return to England. 

 Carriages were continually arriving with families who 

 had been residing in, or were passing through France, 

 whose passports were taken as usual on entering the 

 town, and they were told they would find them at 

 the office of M. Mengaud, the Commissary-General of 

 Police. This man was said to be an Irishman ; if so, 

 he was certainly not an Irish gentleman, but was a 

 low, tyrannical monster, quite fit company for such as 

 Robespierre, with whom it was said he had been in 

 timate. The English, whose numbers in Calais kept 

 daily increasing, could not return even to whence they 



