The rope swept along the river-bed as the
boats rowed in the same direction stretching out the rope. Before
long the bight of this rope found the obstructing tubs, stones, warp,
and anchor, and that having occurred, the two boats rowed close
together, and a heavy iron ring was dropped over the two ends of the
rope, and thus sank and gripped the rope at the point where it met
with the obstruction. All that now remained, therefore, was to pull
this double rope till the obstruction came up from the bottom of the
water. And in this manner the articles which the _Mary_ had cast
overboard were recovered.

She was obviously a smuggler, as besides this discovery she was found
to be fitted with concealments, and fourteen tholes were found on
board "muffled" with canvas and spun yarn, so as to be able to row
silently. Her skipper, William Evans, was duly prosecuted and found
guilty; and it was during the course of this trial that the
interesting dialogue occurred between counsel and the coastguard as to
whether the first warning gun fired was always shotted or not. As we
have already discussed this point, we need not let it detain us now.

The year 1849 was interesting, as it witnessed the seizing of one of
the earliest steamcraft on a charge of smuggling. Very late in the day
of May 15 the steam-tug _Royal Charter_, employed in towing vessels in
and out of Portsmouth harbour, had been taken to Spithead without the
permission of her owner, and information was given to the coastguard.
About midnight she was first discovered steaming towards the port with
a small boat attached to her stern, being then about half a mile from
the harbour. Chase was then made and the vessel hailed and ordered to
heave-to. She replied that she would round-to directly, but in fact
she held on and steamed at full speed, notwithstanding that several
shots were fired at her. As she entered Portsmouth harbour she was
pursued by the Customs boat, who asked them to shut off steam and be
examined. Of course full speed in those days meant nothing very
wonderful, and it was not long before she was boarded. She had a crew
of three, and there were ten men in the boat towing astern, most of
whom were found to have been previously convicted of smuggling. It
seems strange to find a steamboat pursuing the old tactics of the
sailing smacks, but in her wake there were found 150 half-ankers
within about 300 yards of her and where she had passed. The vessel and
boat wer