The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1888-02-09
JACKSON. OHIO. THURSDAY. FEBRUARY g. 1888.

ing a rapid double to the left, our boat
was shot far ahead Of them before we
could turn. I now saw that the ad-
vantage did not all lie on our side; for
although we had greater speed and
greater numbers, on the other hand
the smugglers' boat3was so formed as
to turn and twist about with the great
est rapidity, rendering it difficult for
us to come up with them. Again we
came up with them, and again they
made double towards the mainland,
leaving US still at distance.
1 now adopted different mode of
operations. Both our boats were be-
tween the smugglers and Innismurry
and directed them to separate about
twenty yards, and row close behind
the enemy, keeping the latter always
in front and between the two boats.
This plan was perfectly successful.
The smugglers were now compelled
to move on before us towards the main
land, any attempt to turn aside being
prevented by either boat. Their only
escape now was landward, and they
made squirt to reach the shore before
us, heading directly for the Smugglers'
Pier; but their boat had scarcely
touched the gravel, when our men,
jumping into the water, surrounded it
and took the occupants in charge ere
they had time to land I now directed
my attention to matters on shore.
Mickey was still there, but the con-
stable was nowhere to be seen. A fee
BILE groan from behind the rocks led
Micky to explain.
'It's the paler, yer honor" said he.
'He TUX mighty bad after you left. j."
"Has he been to the keg!" I asked.
''Faix, and he has, thin; and it
didn't agree with him."
It evidently did not. The ground
beside him bore witness to the fact.
"Confound the stuff p growled one
Of the boatmen, who had taken the
opportunity to follow the paler's ex-
ample, and have pull at the keg.
He was expectorating at a furious rate
and making horrible grimaces.
Is it poison?" feebly groaned the
policeman.
"Poison? Confound it," said the
boatman; sits water, and as salt as
blaZes."
1t was indeed water, fresh drawn
from the Atlantic. The constable it
seems, feeling cold after his immersion
broached the keg in our absence, and
had taken good pull at it before he
discovered that it wasn't the ''rale In
nishowen." 1t produced such nau-
sea and sickness of stomach, that the
poor fellow thought he was poisoned
and became frightened into the
ludicrous state of distress in which we
foud him.
[ now examined the contents Of
another keg in the boat. Salt water
also. Meanwhile, our three prisoners,
who understood not word of English,
stood composedly looking on, and
seemed quite satisfied with their posi-
ton. Our own position was certainly
a noval one. There we stood eight
men in her Majesty's service, with
three prisoners in charge, and for
what. For having two kegs Of salt
water in their position, whilst the
broad Atlantic rolled at our feet. No
one appeared to be able to give any
explanation of our peculiar seizure"
and we were about to leave the place
in disgust, when the coastguard drew
my attention to the sound of oars
farther up the shore, and we could
dimly discern a boat putting off to-
wards the island.
depend upon it, said he, "that
boat has just been landing the poteen;
and this has only been a decoy, to di-
vert our attention from the real cul-
prits''
This indeed was the true explana-
tion of the mystery, so / discharged
my prisoners, who coolly tossed the
kegs into their boat and pulled off
towards Innismurry.
I afterwards learned that Mickey,
with all his apparent simplicity, was
shrewd confederate of the smugglers,
and that it was really he who planned
and set us on this "wildgoose chase"
They expected, it seems, raid made
on them that night; and Mickey was
deputed, under cover of giving infor-
nation, to learn the mode of attack,
and if possible to thwart it, In this
he was but too successful. And al
though, on many subsequent occa-
sions, | had ample revenge for the
trick played on me that night, ! must
confess that these later and more sue
cessful experiences appear to me but
tame and commonplace, compared
with my first encounter with the Don
egal smugglers.
The Blood
Is the source of health; therefore,
to keep we'll, purify the blood by tax