Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-10-03
!. AMONG THE SMUGGLERS. :"
BY CLAUDE CLEVER.

"
my life in quiet, had removed to this
isolated place, thinking | could here
best find the rest [ needed. My family
consisted of myself and wife, having
buried our only child when he was but
two months old. The neighbors, know
ing me to be a doctor, would frequently
call upon me to attend their sick, which
[ was wont to do out of charity, never
asking pay for my services; had done
so | would not nave received much, as
the majority of them were poor fisher
men.
At the time of which [ write, the
whole south coast of England from
Lands End to the Isle of Wight, was
infested by daring bands of smugglers.
The rocky coast abounded in numerous
caves, where they could secrete them
selves and their goods until an opportu-
nifty was offered to dispose of them in
the interior. In the neighborhood of
Bridport there was a particular gang
under the leadership OF a young man
named Ben Darlington, but called by
his comrades Dare-devilBen The
excisemen and coast guard had been
after him for a long time, but could
never get hold of him, although they
had come very near it several times.
He owned a little schooner called the
Petrol, and there was not a vessel owned
by the government that was fast enough
to overtake him.
One night in the month of December,
when the wind was bowling outside and
the snow coming down thick and fast.
[ was sitting IN my study nearly asleep,
thinking of the storm and the poor I'M
fortunates who might be exposed to its
fury, when [ was reused from my reve-
RE by a loud knocking at the door. On
opening it, [ beheld a man all muffied
up. He told me there was a person at
the Sailors Rest, a tavern in the village,
who had fallen from his horse and hurt
his shoulder, and that the landlord had
sent for me- Bidding him to wait, [
went into the house, and telling my
wife where [ was going, put on my great
coat, got my instruments, and told him
Twas ready.
We had gone about two hundred yards
from our house, when suddenly three
men sprang from the roadside, and be-
fore [ could resist, handkerchief was
put into my mouth to prevent me from.
making any cutlery. They then told
me that if kept quiet no harm would
come to me, but if [ attempted to give
any alarm, they would kill me, putting
the cold barrel of pistol to my tenn
pie by way of emphasis. They then
took me to the shore, where a boat
being in waiting, we all got in, and after
we were In our place and had pushed
off from the shore, they removed the
gag, first making me promise not to
give any alarm. When the gag was re-
moved [ asked them what they meant
by this outrage, when they answered
that their captain, Dare-devil-Ben, had
that day been shot in the shoulder In a
conflict with the coast guard, and that
they were afraid be would die if the
wound was not attended to. Knowing
[ was the only person within twenty
miles who could help him, and suppos-
ing [ would not come of my own free
will. they had taken this method to
make me come. [ did not like the
manner in which they served me,
but being powerless, [ said nothing.
AS soon as we were away from the
shore, the man IN the stern, who SEEM
ed 70 be sort of leader, told me I
had to be blindfolded, to keep me from
seeing which way We went. Having no
other alternative, consented. After row.
ing for about an hour, through very
rough surf, we stopped, and [ heard the
boat hit what [ supposed was a rock.
They proceeded to get out, and one Of
the men lifted me up and carried me
ashore. [ was then told that had to
climb a ladder. When | got to the top,
| stood on what Isupposed to be broad
platform. [ was led through long and
narrow passage-Wav, and when [ stop
ped, the bandage was removed from my
eyes, and [ found myself in a large
cave.
The appearance Of the room, for such
it looked like, was enough to awe a
Drawer person than /. The ceiling and
sides were hung with cutlasses and pis-
tolls, while from the ceiling was sus-
pended lamp which sent faint glin-
mer through the apartment. A
around me [ could see ropes and
blocks which betokened the home of
followers OF the sea. About forty men
We're sitting around, smoking and talk
ing. In one corner [ saw sight which
made me open my eyes. Upon couch
or old sails, coats and cloth, was stretch
ed the form of a young man, and kneel-
ing by his side was a beautiful girl
The appearance of the couple struck
me at once. The young man seemed
to be about twenty-five years Of age,
and rather progressing in appearance.
He was about six feet high and very
muscular. The expression of his face
was one of extreme pain. The girl was
a brunette of about eighteen years. and
looked as If she might belong to we'll
TODD family. Upon my entrance into
the room she looked up. Ny guide
pointed to the couch, telling me, s'There
is your patient, do what you can for
him. Save him if you can, for your
life depends upon it. If you kill him
you must also die"
walked over to the couch, knelt