-flat over the projecting semi-circular window on the ground-floor. On Sunday evenings, in the summer, a military band, from the barracks at Halton, would play at the intersection of the roads ; and I can well recollect sitting on my father's shoulder so as to be able to see the band over the listeners' heads ; and I can particularly recollect that I used to be pleased when I saw a black drummer, or a black man with the cymbals.
Privateer cutters, which were laid up there when the war was over, occupied the beach in front of the present Breeds place. Among them, at different times, were the Hawk, the Idas, the Jane, and the Duke of Wellington - though the last name was one given to one of the others, I forget which. With her new name this vessel was employed in some legal traffic the fruit trade, if I mistake not.
During the war with France privateering was largely practised, and many of the leading people of Hastings had to do with it.
"The habit of smuggling, wrecking, and privateering," says Mr. W. D. Cooper, "led to the perpetration of many other crimes ; amongst others, to a revival of those acts of piracy which disgraced the Cinque Ports in the thirteenth century."
On August 11 , 1758, Nicholas Wingfield and Adams Hyde, of Hastings, masters of two privateer -
