1779 A SELBOENE ANECDOTE 35 



lies very ill, and is in danger. In the night between the 

 11th and 12th of this month Burbey's shop was attempted. 

 The assailants wrenched off the hinges at the bottom of 

 the shutters, and so crept up between the shutters and 

 the sash, and broke the glass; and with a knife began to 

 cut and hack, in a very bungling way, the bars of the 

 sash. It is imagined that they were disturbed in their 

 business by some means, for they never got in, nor could 

 reach to the till, which is near the window, and was, it 

 is supposed, the object they had in view. Burbey heard 

 the glass jingle; but being but half awake, did not know 

 what was the matter. Our maypole is mended and painted: 

 we talk of gilding the Vane. If I had not interposed, the 

 vane would have rested again on a shoulder'^ but now it 

 is to turn on a pivot at the top.* 



As soon as ever you hear about Molly Barker's finger, 

 pray give me a line. 



With proper respects I remain. 



Your loving uncle, 



Gil. White. 



The French East India-man, the Carnatic, met with such 

 stormy weather to the E. of the Cape of Good-hope that 

 she could not get to that port at all; but arrived at last 

 in a most distressful condition at the Isle of Loanda on 

 the coast of Angola, being in about Lat. 8. S. The Por- 

 tuguese Governor at first pleaded an inability of assisting 

 them, saying that they had been without rain for two 

 years, and were almost starved: but the captain urging 

 their great wants and pitiable condition, and adding that 

 they had a sick English lady aboard, they were at last 

 admitted to go ashore ; and miss Shutterf was lodged in the 

 Governor's house, where she was entertained for a fortnight. 



* The maypole stood on the Plestor. It is clearly seen in the pictures 

 given in the quarto editions of *The Natural History and Antiquities of 

 Selborne.' 



t Mrs. Etty's niece, who had recently returned from Madras. 



