"I have many times passed between London and Gravesend with these fellows; when I have seen them, in spite of the shrieks and cries of the women, and the persuasions of the men-passengers, and indeed, as if they were the more bold by how much the passengers were the more afraid; I have seen them run needless hazards, and go as it were within an inch of death, when they have been under no necessity of it; and if not in contempt of the passengers, it has been in mere laziness, to avoid their rowing. And I have been sometimes obliged, especially when there have been more men in the boat of the same mind, so that we have been strong enough for them, to threaten to cut their throats, to make them hand their sails, and keep under shore, not to fright, as well as hazard the lives of the passengers, when there was no need of it. But I am satisfied, that the less frighted and timorous their passengers are, the more cautious and careful the Watermen are, and the least apt to run into danger. Whereas, if their passengers appear frighted, then the Watermen grow saucy and audacious, show themselves venturous, and contemn the dangers they are really exposed to. "_Set one knave to catch another_, is a proverbial saying of great antiquity and repute in this kingdom. Thus the vigilant Vintner, notwithstanding all his little arts of base brewings, abridging his bottles, and connecting his guests together, does not always reap the fruits of his own care and industry. Few people being aware of the underhand understandings, and petty partnerships these sons of Benecarlo and Cyder have topped upon them; and the many other private inconveniences that they, in the course of their business, are subjected to. Now, to let my readers into this great _arcanum_ or secret, I must acquaint them, that nothing is more certain and frequent, than for some of the principal customers to a tavern to have a secret allowance, by way of drawback, of 6_d._ or 7_d._; nay, sometimes I have heard of 8_d._ on every bottle of port-wine that themselves shall drink, or cause to be drank in the house, and for which they have seemingly paid the price of 2_s._; and so are a sort of Vintners in vizards and setters of society. Those are mostly sharping Shopkeepers, who, by being considerable dealers, hold numbers of other inferior tradesmen in a state of dependency upon them; officers of parishes, old seasoned soakers, who, by having served an age to tippling, have contracted a boundless acquaintance; house-stewards, clerks of kitchens, song-singers, horse-racers, valets-de-chambre, merry story-tellers, attorneys and solicitors, with legions of wrangling clients always at their elbows. Wherefore, as they have got the lead upon a great part of mankind, they are for ever establishing clubs and friendly-societies at Taverns, and drawing to them every soul they have any dealings or acquaintance with.