over in a flat calm, I cannot
altogether envy the smugglers their job. However, on May 11, 1818,
Captain Hawtayne, commanding H.M.S. _Florida_, was cruising in the
English Channel on the look-out for contraband craft. Evidently he had
received certain information, for at eight o'clock that evening he
ordered Mr. Keith Stewart, master's mate, to man one of the ship's
boats and to intercept any boat that might leave the French coast that
looked at all of a suspicious nature.

This order was duly obeyed. A galley was observed some time before,
which had no doubt aroused Captain Hawtayne's suspicions. This galley
had been seen to come out of Calais harbour and to be rowed towards
the westward. But she must have spotted the _Florida_, for she very
shortly put back. But before long Mr. Stewart's boat fell in with
another craft--a long white galley named the _St. Thomas_. This was
now about 1 A.M., and for a time the _St. Thomas_ had the impudence to
pretend she was a French police boat. When descried she was about five
or six miles to the N.N.W. of Cape Blanc Nez, and was steering to the
westward. The night was dark, for the moon had disappeared behind a
cloud as Mr. Stewart's boat came up alongside and hailed the strange
craft. He began by asking what boat she was. The steersman replied by
inquiring what boat Mr. Stewart's was. The latter answered that it was
the King's boat.

At that time the _St. Thomas's_ sails were up, and now Mr. Stewart
ordered the steersman to lower them. He made no answer, but, turning
round to his crew exhorted them to pull quickly, saying, "Give way, my
boys, give way." Thereupon the smugglers cheered and pulled as hard as
they could. Mr. Stewart again ordered the steersman to lower sail,
adding that should he fail to do so he would fire at him. But this did
not awe the _St. Thomas_. "Fire and be damned," answered the
steersman. "If you fire, I will fire. We are as well armed as you
are." Stewart held his hand and did not fire, but ordered his men to
pull closer. Coming alongside, he addressed the steersman, saying it
was absolutely essential that he should examine the _St. Thomas_ and
that he knew they were Englishmen, adding that he was unwilling that
there should be any bloodshed by firing into the boat.

[Illustration: "Fire and be damned."]

With this the _Florida_'s boat pulled up on the other's quarter, and
the bowmen hooked on with the boat-hook. The _St. Thomas's_ steersman
knocked th