THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



131 



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contained a few leaves of rotten tobacco, and it was the 

 first time he had ever smuggled. This, then, was a smug- 

 gler! I told him to rise, and as he did so I perceived the 

 boat that had landed him. There were five men in it, but 

 instead of landing and defending their companion, they 

 fled by rowing, like cowards, swiftly away. I was aston- 

 ished at such conduct from Englishmen. I told the abject 

 creature to bring his bag and open it; this he did. It was 

 full of excellent tobacco, but the poor wretch looked ill 

 and half starved, and I never saw a human being more 

 terrified. He besought me to take the tobacco and let 

 him go, that it was of the rarest* quality. I assured him I 

 never had smoked a single cigar, nor did I intend to, and 

 told him to take care he did not offend a second time. 

 One of my pockets was filled with the copper stuff the 

 shop-keepers here give, which they call penny. I gave 

 them all to him, and told him to go. He thanked me many 

 times and disappeared through a thick hedge. The bag 

 must have contained fifty pounds of fine tobacco and two 

 pistols, which were not loaded, or so he said. I walked 

 back to Green Bank thinking of the smuggler. When I 

 told Mr. Rathbone of my adventure he said I had been 

 extremely rash, and that I might have been shot dead on 

 the spot, as these men are often desperadoes. Well ! I 

 suppose I might have thought of this, but dear me ! one 

 cannot always think over every action carefully before com- 

 mitting it. On my way back I passed a man digging 

 potatoes ; they were small and indifferently formed. The 

 season has been uncommonly dry and hot — so the English 

 say ; for my part I am almost freezing most of the time, 

 and I have a bad cough. 



October Q. This morning Mrs. Rathbone asked me if I 

 would draw her a sketch of the Wild Turkey, about the 

 size of my thumb-nail. I assured her I would with pleasure, 

 but that I could perhaps do better did I know for what 

 purpose. She colored slightly, and replied after a moment 



