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260 SUSSEX SMUGGLERS. |
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" haunted " houses, were all used without interruption by the smugglers, as depositories for their goods. I have been present, in a house at Eye, when silks, for sale, were mysteriously produced from their hiding-places ; and it was the custom of the farmers, in that neighbourhood, to favour the smugglers so far as to allow the gates in the fields to be left unlocked at night; and to broach, without a scruple, the half-anker of Schiedem, which was considerately left in some hayrick or outhouse, in acknowledgment of the farmer's accommodating and kindred spirit. |
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The following is taken from an interesting article, entitled, " Extracts from the Journal of Walter Gale, schoolmaster at May field " (" Sussex Archaeological Collections;' 1857, pp. 194-5).
"' 10th March.—Being disappointed of my Bourn journey, I set out for Laughton after drinking a quartern of gin, and came to Whitesmith's, where was a hurley bolloo about Mr. Plummer's (now a customhouse officer) having seized a horse loaded with three anchors of brandy, which was carried off by him and two soldiers, and afterwards stabled at Parish's ; John Willard and Win. Bran being there, followed and overtook them, and prevailed with them to go back. Parish took the seized horse and put it into Martin's stable.' |
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