Bob, in stepping on one side to make room for this man to pass, unfortunately trod upon the toe of an Hibernian lady, who was bearing away a large basket of shrimps alive, and at the same time gave her arm so forcible a jerk with his elbow, as disengaged her hand from the load; by which means the whole cargo was overturned smack into the bosom of a smartly dressed youth in white ducks, who was conducting some Ladies on board one of the Gravesend boats. The confusion that followed is scarcely to be conceived--the agitation of Talt who at hearing the vociferated lamentations of the Irish woman--the spluttering of the disconcerted Dandy--the declaration of the owner of the shrimps, “that so help her God he should pay for her property”--the loud laughter of those around them, who appeared to enjoy the embarrassment of the whole party--and the shrimps hopping and jumping about amid the dirt and slush of the pavement, while the Ladies were hunting those which had fallen into the bosom of their conductor--formed a scene altogether, which, in spite of the confusion of his Cousin, almost convulsed the Hon. Tom Dashall with laughter, and which served but to increase the rancour of the owner of the shrimps, and the poor toe-suffering Irishwoman, the execrations of the Dandy Gentleman and his Ladies, and the miseries of poor Bob; to escape from which, he gave the Hibernian and her employer enough to purchase plaster for the one, and a fresh cargo for the other, and seizing Tom by the arm, dragged him away from the scene of his misfortunes in fishery. [Illustration: page298 Real Life at Billingsgate] Their progress however was presently impeded by a sudden scream, which appeared to come from a female, and .drew together almost all the people on the spot, it seemed as if it had been a preconcerted signal for a general muster, and it was quickly ascertained that fisty-cuffs were the order of the day, by the vociferations of the spectators, and the loud acclamations of “Go it, Poll--pitch it into her--mill her snitcher--veil done, Sail--all pluck--game to the back-bone--peppermint her upper-story, and grapple her knowledge-box--D------n my eyes, but that vas a good one, it ~299~~ has altered her weather-cock and shifted her wind--There's your dairies--stand out of the way--Upon my sole you have overturned all my flounders--D------n you and your dabbs too.” Tom and Bob took up a favourable position for observation at the corner of a fish-stall, where they could quietly witness the combatants, and take a general survey of the proceedings. “Now,” said Tom, “here is a lark for you, a female fight.” “Fine salmon, or cod, Gentlemen,” said an elderly woman--“I wish I could tempt you to be customers.” “Well,” said Bob, “they are at it in good earnest.” “O yes,” said the woman, “we always have it in real earnest, no sham--I wish Poll may sarve her out, for Sall is a d------d saucy b------h at all times.”