curred in the same locality, has been related to me by an eye-witness, who was also part owner of the galley which played a conspicuous part in the business.
Three or four young men, clerks, &c., in a merchant's office in Hastings, owned a galley jointly, in which they used to indulge in a row in the evenings of summer. It was not such a galley as is used now in regattas, but more after the build of the present galleys of the coast-guard. My informant, a part owner of the galley, was asked, one Sunday afternoon, by his co-partners, if he would go for a row in the evening. Nothing loath, he consented, and they met and launched their boat opposite the western end of the Marine Parade. The wind was rather fresh, and the water such as promised them a ducking in getting afloat. A great many of the promenaders on the Parade became attracted towards the spot in order to witness the passage of the galley through the breakers, the tide being at about what they call " half-tide." All at once, the cork of the galley was found to be missing, and there was a great deal of running here and there to get another cork. Opposite the other end of the Parade, a curious business had been going on, unperceived, except by those in the secret. A quantity of tubs had been previously sunk just off the Pier rocks, and a company of men in white smock frocks had got among the rocks, and were busy in getting the goods ashore. It may be asked, " Why were they dressed in white ?" I have stated that the wind was somewhat fresh, and the water somewhat rough ; consequently, there was an-
