distinguished by his nautical skill and intrepidity, his vessel
was frequently freighted, and his own services employed, by
French, Dutch, Manx, and Scottish smuggling companies.

A person well known by the name of Buckkar-tea, from having been a
noted smuggler of that article, and also by that of Bogle Bush,
the place of his residence, assured my kind informant Mr. Train,
that he had frequently seen upwards of two hundred Lingtow men
assemble at one time, and go off into the interior of the country,
fully laden with contraband goods.

In those halcyon days of the free trade, the fixed price for
carrying a box of tea or bale of tobacco from the coast of
Galloway to Edinburgh was fifteen shillings, and a man with two
horses carried four such packages. The trade was entirely
destroyed by Mr. Pitt's celebrated commutation law, which, by
reducing the duties upon excisable articles, enabled the lawful
dealer to compete with the smuggler. The statute was called in
Galloway and Dumfries-shire, by those who had thriven upon the
contraband trade, 'the burning and starving act.'

Sure of such active assistance on shore, Yawkins demeaned himself
so boldly that his mere name was a terror to the officers of the
revenue. He availed himself of the fears which his presence
inspired on one particular night, when, happening to be ashore
with a considerable quantity of goods in his sole custody, a
strong party of excisemen came down on him. Far from shunning the
attack, Yawkins sprung forward, shouting, 'Come on, my lads;
Yawkins is before you.' The revenue officers were intimidated and
relinquished their prize, though defended only by the courage and