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us with biscuit and wine. He and his lady, indeed, paid us every attention. A FRENCH PRI SONER was sent for, with the little articles of their ingenuity. We bought several of them, and the poor fellow returned us a thousand thanks. It is much to be lamented, that some of the most ingenious of the Prisoners, with hair pencils, forged Bank of England Notes; for which, upon detection, they fell a sacrifice to the laws of this country! I well recollect that the Frenchman, of whom we bought the toys, held up the Notes we gave him to the light, and seemed extremely anxious that they should not prove the offspring of his countrymen's ingenuity. Indeed, the frequency of these forgeries, at that very time, had thrown the inhabitants of Rochester and Chatham into no small consternation.

Leaving those PRISON-SHIPS of tremendous magnitude, we were carried along very gently by wind and tide down the River. On the right, the rural village of GILLINGHAM attracted our attention. Seated on a hill, it makes a conspicuous appearance; and the OLD CHURCH is a picturesque object. The Archbishops of Canterbury, to whom the Manor belongs, had a fine Palace here, which was at different times enlarged and beautified. In the Chapel many Prelates were consecrated; and part of the Hall, still remaining, has been converted into a Barn. The CHURCH, dedicated to St. Mary, was given by Henry the First to the Abbey of Minster, in the Isle of Sheppey. Within its walls lie entombed warriors and

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HUNDRED OF HOO.

statesmen of the family of the Beaufitz, who flourished in the fourteenth century. The idolized Image of the miraculous Lady of Gillingham, occupied the niche over the west porch of this parochial Church! The town had anciently a market on Thursdays, and a yearly fair which lasted eight days. Here THE DANES often exhibited scenes of savage cruelty.

On the banks of the river used to be a small Castle, which has the command of it, designed to stop the progress of the enemy before they could reach Chatham. Near the water, where you embark to visit the French Prison-Ships, and whence also you ascend to Gillingham, is a Martello Tower, scarcely finished. It is small, but seemingly of great strength, with holes through which the cannon protrudes its mouth, menacing with its thundering contents the destruction of the enemy! Of their utility or inutility I cannot determine, but immense sums have been expended upon their erection, especially from Hythe to Hastings. Their appearance is by no means in their favour-not altogether unlike the bodies of dismantled windmills, they have neither comeliness nor beauty in them!

Continuing our smooth transition toward the ocean, we had leisure to mark the objects on both sides of the river with complacency. The Hundred of Hoo was the only spot that we now particularly contemplated. It is noted for having had for its Possessors various great Personages already consigned to oblivion: this indeed is the common lot of mortality

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THE DOVE.

Ah! me what countless MILLIONS lie entomb'd,

To deep forgetfulness for ever doom'd,

Who adorn'd LIFE'S active stage,

Who shone the wonders of their age,
And hop'd Posterity to charm,

By their achievements to disarm
TIME's ruthless all-opposing arm,

And give their fame an endless course

No more, alas! are heard the high acclaims

That promis'd to transmit the glory of their NAMES!

445

FORDYCE.

Having, at this time, no particular object, either side of me, on the land, to attract my notice, I viewed our LITTLE FLEET with attention. It would be impossible to mention the different vessels that accompanied us. The MAYOR'S YACHT was a beautiful little vessel, and bore along with a stately rapidity. Our own vehicle, the Dove, cut no mean figure. We had no cannons on board, nor did I regret the want of them. The Dove has, in every age, been the emblem of Peace; there was no reason, therefore, for her carrying those implements of destruction. The next vessel was the Duke of York, well stocked with passengers, and with its band of music was all merriment and diversion. Another vessel had on board a great number of gentlemen and ladies, who were dancing to their music almost the whole way. At their stern waved a large handsome silk flag, with this inscription-Burdett and our Rights! This belonged to a spirited Freeman of ROCHESTER, and formed a pleasing variety. Many other vessels ex

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cited attention; but it is not to be expected that I should enter into a more minute account of the procession, I should, however, deem it an unpardonable omission not to make particular mention of the Blueeyed Maid, a pleasure-boat belonging to J. Hulkes, Esq. of Chatham. This gentleman and some particular friends were on board; we hailed them as they passed, and they returned it with equal vivacity. This vessel cost fifteen hundred pounds; it sometime ago beat the Earl Spencer, the swiftest of the Gravesend boats, and is indeed reckoned the swiftest sailer in England. We were ALL bent on the same purpose-enjoyment; and the object was to be attained in subserviency to the opening of THE OYSTER FISHERY. If Uniformity amidst VARIETY be (as some critics assert) the soul of beauty-then we may boast of a considerable portion of beauty on this memorable occasion.

We had passed the half-way point from Rochester to Sheerness, and observed, at the next projection of land, a small BEACON or sea-mark, so constructed and placed that no mariner sailing along could avoid noticing it. To this hung a tale of distress. Some few years ago, a valuable ship overset here:-there are some quicksands close to the shore, of a very delusive nature. Happily no lives were lost; but the vessel and part of its precious cargo were consigned to destruction. Since this MARK has been put up, no disaster has occurred. It were earnestly to be wished that the moral dangers to which YOUTH are exposed

PRESENT OF OYSTERS.

447

were thus distinctly marked out, and as sedulously shunned

Behold yon VESSEL spreads her swelling sails,
The tide fast ebbing, eager quits the shore,
Buoy'd with the prospect of propitious gales,
And golden hopes, alas! return no more:-
Thus YOUTH embarks on Life's disastrous tide,
Full flush'd with hope of PLEASURE's cup to share,
Blind to the latent rocks these waters hide,
Which wreck his bark, and drown him in despair!

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ANON.

By this time we had reached the broad part of the river Medway, and we were told that the OYSTERS would soon make their appearance. At once a small vessel approached us, when there was a general cry of oysters! oysters! A bucket was let down the side of the ship, and then drawn up full of fine large fresh looking oysters. They were not purchased, but a gift from the Mayor; we accepted it with many thanks. Similar acts of benevolence were, I apprehend, performed to other vessels, and thus a taste was afforded to those who volunteered themselves in this piscatory expedition. We continued, however, sailing on, at which I was a little astonished. For I had supposed, that when we had reached the oyster beds, we should have stopped and gone ashore to refresh ourselves. But our sails were still filled with the impelling breeze, and soon we found ourselves on the wide and trackless ocean.

I shall here insert a paper obligingly put into my

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