the Blockademen to search all boats on their arrival ashore. An altercation ensued about it in this instance and Swaine forced England out of the boat, after taking away his cutlass and throwing it into the sea. When out of the boat, England stepped back a few paces, and shot Swaine dead on the spot. One Curly Taught was shot through the arm by the same bullet, but did not know it till he felt the blood trickling down his fingers. England was tried for murder at Horsham, found guilty, and sentenced to be hung, but . was afterwards pardoned. This affair caused great excitement in Hastings. There is a tombstone in All Saints' churchyard recording the occurrence.
"On the 11th of February, 1822 , three hundred smugglers went to Crowlink, near Eastbourne ; they seized two of the Guards, but the other fired, and the boat pushed off. On the 13th they attacked the sentinel at Little Common, and beat him with bats. In self-defence he shot one dead. [I have a copy of the depositions taken in this case. ] The boat put off, and a coach and six, which was waiting, drove off empty to Pevensey.
On the 15th of the same month , they landed three hundred half ankers, at Seaford, but lost sixty-three and one horse.
"In September, 1824, seven smugglers and one hundred tubs were taken near No. 50, Tower at Bexhill. A Blockademan, named Welch, jumped into the boat for the purpose of seizing her. The smugglers pushed the boat off, and his cries for assistance were heard by another Blockademan on the beach. The next morning his dead body was found on the sands, much lacerated and bruised. .
In May, 1826, a ten-oared galley, forty-two feet long, was chased at Rye Harbour by a Guard boat. She ran ashore and opened fire on the Guard. The Blockademen from Camber Watchhouse came to the -
