Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1865-11-29
ACONITE.

ing Plymouth, called the Hoe, on fine
summer evening. Looking inland, the
suburban terraces and villas stretch far
away till they become lost or dotted among
the luxnriant foliage so pleasantly reliev-
Ell by the b'ue hills of Devon Turn sea
wards and the picture is a glorious one
| immediately below US, and. as it seems,
under our very feet lies the Sound smooth
as an inland AXE and bright and glitter
ing as sheet of glass; not a movement
on the surface, except the almost imper-
eepuble ripple following the dip of the
oar, or the varying brightness which makes
the track Of the sailing boat
Studded with vesse of all sizes. from n
man of war lying ut anchor to small
fishing craft not sound is heard except
the subdned and melodious cry of the
sailors "a they toll at the capstan; the e1-
panse Of sea is broken only by Drake Is
land, and the long breakwater with its
refuge and lighthouse, is abruptly but de
/ lIghtfully terminated hy the refreshing
green and deep, rich shadows Of the woody
part of Mount EdCecumbe where the
/ sycamores and chestnuts bend over the
waters edge and then with every grada-
/ tion Of natural color, the landscape me is
away into the faint blue of far-off Corn
wall
/ 1t was on an evening like this. after the
! labors of the day, that | strolled across
the Hoe, and so down to the water-side TO
/ summon one of the watermcn, always in
readiness, for an hour sail. Seated com
/ fortablv and indo emily in the stern. we
| picked our way among the vessels in the
Sound, and passing by the island | have
mentioned, with its batteries, and steering
west Of the breakwater, made for distant
+ point on the Cornwall side which is the
+ first break in the sea view from the Hoe
/ Opposite this end Of the breakwater, and
where stands the lighthouse, the land
makes sudden bend and with n bold
curve terminates in the headland | have
J lust indicated
/ In the midst of this bay, and concealed
at first from view by the woods and hills
Of the Mount Ei9ecumbe estate, lies the
little village of Cawsand, a place that in
. the palmy days of smuggling bore no very
good repute While staying at Plymouth
] | had often heard of, but had never before
+ seen it so | determined to land Mt the
/ point d. rharge the boat, and walk quiet
+ II home, taking Cawsand in my way, a
distance of seven or eight miles
y more delightful half hours walk hy
the side of the hill. with wood and flowers
on each side and stretching down the
~hinelv beach It's impossible to conceive
ana the sweet and balmy air Of this De-
vanshirn summer, combined with an al
most summer climate the varied and pic
turesque scenery Of home had seated
myself on a stone wall before descending
the path which led to the village, and was
contemplating laziIv the calm and peace
fuI spot that lay before me, with the
-ingularly narrow streets. and quaint old
fashioned dwellings. where you might
literally shake hands with a friend across
the way from the upper windows In
luenccd perhaps bv the calm and stiffness
around. | was falling into n sentimental
train of thought and wondering how crime
and violence could find their way into
placid little nook like this, when l was
aroused, close to my ear. by
A fine evening this, sirr
! The speaker was an elderly man ap-
+ parentlv about sixty years of age, with all
! the signs OF sea -farinc man about him,
and the bronzed face, grey hair and good
humored look common to his order. BY
no means indisposed to converse, | &c
cepted his remark as an invitation, and we
we're soon engaged in an animated chat
lie had been at one period of his life, |
learned a coast guardsman, and had some
/ rood storie. about smug-lers and his en-
counters with them. and his recollections
dating back to nearly half n century, we
al last came 10 talk of the doings of the
prcssgang.
"Do YOU remember them p | asked
"Oh. cash enough he replied though
was but Il NNH->ttE 1T AhC '''HOf bHN
then, with what I've actually seen or
heard say by others, | seemed to know
as much as if had been pressed my
self"
Then you were never pressed "
asked
"Never myself; perhaps | was too
young; otherwise l don know how it was
! kept clear of them. In places near sea
port towns especially, ii was nothing to
have the gang come down and carry oi
all the likely young fellows they could
find, Why, bless you master he con-
tinued, 1T was common thing for one OF
them 10 come all by himself, and perhaps
in another kind of dress, so as you might
, n'tsuspect him, and, going about among
the tayerns and shops, get to know where
the sort of men were 10 be found, ant
then. returning with the rest OF the gang
carry them off aboard ship, without a by