eral conspiracy against all those who either go to, or
return from the continent. About five years ago, in my passage from
Flushing to Dover, the master of the packet-boat brought-to all of a
sudden off the South Foreland, although the wind was as favourable as
it could blow. He was immediately boarded by a customhouse boat, the
officer of which appeared to be his friend. He then gave the passengers
to understand, that as it was low water, the ship could not go into the
harbour; but that the boat would carry them ashore with their baggage.

The custom-house officer demanded a guinea for this service, and the
bargain was made. Before we quitted the ship, we were obliged to
gratify the cabin-boy for his attendance, and to give drink-money to
the sailors. The boat was run aground on the open beach; but we could
not get ashore without the assistance of three or four fellows, who
insisted upon being paid for their trouble. Every parcel and bundle, as
it was landed, was snatched up by a separate porter: one ran away with
a hat-box, another with a wig-box, a third with a couple of shirts tied
up in a handkerchief, and two were employed in carrying a small
portmanteau that did not weigh forty pounds. All our things were
hurried to the custom-house to be searched, and the searcher was paid
for disordering our cloaths: from thence they were removed to the inn,
where the porters demanded half-a-crown each for their labour. It was
in vain to expostulate; they surrounded the house like a pack of hungry
bounds, and raised such a clamour, that we were fain to comply. After
we had undergone all this imposition, we were visited by the master of
the packet, who, having taken our fares, and wished us joy of our happy
arrival in England, expressed his hope that we would remember the poor
master, whose wages were very small, and who chiefly depended upon the
generosity of the passengers. I own I was shocked at his meanness, and
could not help telling him so. I told him, I could not conceive what
title he had to any such gratification: he had sixteen passengers, who
paid a guinea each, on the supposition that every person should have a
bed; but there were no more than eight beds in the cabin, and each of
these was occupied before I came on board; so that if we had been
detained at sea a whole week by contrary winds and bad weather, one
half of the passengers must have slept upon the boards, howsoever their
health might have suffered from this