THE " JANE " RUNS A CARGO. 297 



on shore, before the arrival of the smuggler, facilitated 

 the dangerous trade. 



When I found myself in the cabin with the bold outlaw 

 — for Matthews had been legally denounced for many 

 daring and successful contests with the Revenue — 

 I could not but admire the thorough indifference to 

 possible consequences which this singular personage 

 exhibited. He knew that several men-of-war were at 

 that moment cruising on the station, and that they had 

 been apprised he had sailed from Flushing, and that 

 this coast was the spot selected by the owners to effect 

 the iinding — yet he laughed and drank as gaily as I 

 should in a club-house, and despatched the messages 

 which were occasionally brought down with perfect 

 nonchalance. He spoke principally of his own exploits ; 

 and the scene was admirably in keeping. Around the 

 cabin, muskets, pistols, and blunderbusses were secured 

 in arm-racks, and cutlasses and tomahawks were sus- 

 pended from the bulkheads. His had been a wild career ; 

 and though not past the middle-age, his life teemed 

 with " perilous adventure." I was so much amused 

 with his varied narratives of brave attempts and desperate 

 successes, that the second hour slipped away before I 

 rose and took my departure. On regaining the deck, 

 the hurry of the business was over. The contraband 

 cargo had been replaced by stone ballast ; for, by previous 

 arrangement, each boat brought a quantity of shingle 

 from the beach, and hence the smuggler was already in 

 trim, and ready to stand out to sea. 



This notorious vessel was considered in size and 

 sailing superior to any of a similar class, and her voyages 

 had been numerous and successful. Her armament 

 was formidable ; sixteen heavy carronades were extended 



