t, observing, that I was fortunate in
having had with me those testimonials of business, "Otherwise," said he,
"your appearance, under circumstances of suspicion, might have led to a
fatal result."--"You may be assured, gentlemen," continued the narrator,
"that I did not prolong my stay in the town beyond the shortest
requisite period; two mounted dragoons, by order of their general,
escorted me past the outposts, and I reached home in safety. These
occurrences took place on a Saturday. The triumph of the insurgent
troops was of short duration; they were attacked that same night by the
King's forces, discomfited, and their daring chieftain taken prisoner.
On the Monday following his head, stuck upon a pike, surmounted the
market-house of Belfast. The scenes of anarchy and desperation in which
that ~27~~ unfortunate country became now involved, rendered it no very
desirable residence. I therefore procured a passport, bid adieu to the
Emerald Isle, Erin ma vorneen slan leet go bragh! and once more returned
to London, to experience a renewal of that misfortune by which I have,
with little interval, been hitherto accompanied, during the whole period
of my eventful life."

The two strangers had listened to the narrative with mingled sensations
of compassion and surprise, the one feeling excited by the peculiarity,
the other by the pertinacity of his misfortunes, when their cogitations
were interrupted by a dissonant clamour amongst the prisoners, who, it
appeared, had united in enmity against an unlucky individual, whom they
were dragging towards the discipline of the pump with all the eagerness
of inflexible vengeance.

On enquiry into the origin of this uproar, it was ascertained that one
of the prisoners under a charge of slight assault, had been visited by
this fellow, who, affecting to commiserate his situation, proposed to
arrange matters with his prosecutor for his immediate release, with
other offers of gratuitous assistance. This pretended friend was
recognised by one of the prisoners as a kidnapper.

A kidnapper, or crimp, is one of those fellows of abandoned principles,
who enter into the pay of the East India Company in order to recruit
their army, and when a guinea or two is advertised to be given to any
person that brings a proper man of five feet eight or nine inches high,
lie in wait to entrap men for the money. Some of these gentry assume
the character of officers, others of Serjeants, drummers, and recrui