All this is evident and sufficient testimony of the nature and extent of the services of our coast heroes in defence of their country; and still the enterprise and daring continue, and bold, vigilant warfare goes on, although defence against a foreign foe has long ceased to be its first consideration. In later times, indeed, the revenue officers unfortunately, and to no small extent, took the place of the foreign foe in the minds and labours of by no means a few of the boatmen and inhabitants of these towns situated so conveniently adjacent to the Continent; and the enterprise and labours of the boatmen were no less daring, if less patriotic than in former days, and smuggling was elevated into as organized a business as fishing is now: one writer rather quaintly remarks, "Yet even this smuggling is not without its utility, for however the revenue may suffer, it gives birth to a very intrepid race of seamen, who are of the greatest service in relieving others from the dangers which befall shipping on this coast in bad weather." Certainly the boatmen of Deal beach are not now, and probably never have been, surpassed for skill and daring. If they can by any possibility get their famous luggers out to sea, no hurricane daunts them; their splendid boats glide over the seas, escaping the broken water--now high on the wave, now buried in the trough--and look like so many strong-winged gulls, as they seem almost to play with the storm. Falconer, in his 'Shipwreck,' pays the following tribute to the skill and courage of the boatmen: "Where e'er in ambush lurks the fatal sands, They claim the danger, proud of skilful bands! For while, with darkling course, the vessels sweep The winding shore, or plough the faithless deep; Or bar, or shelf, the watery path they sound With dexterous arm, sagacious of the ground. Ceaseless they combat every hostile wind, Wheeling in mazy track with course inclined; Expert to moor where terrors line the road, Or win the anchor from its dark abode." Let us take a peep at Deal beach, and try to realize some of the scenes that are there to be witnessed. Suppose a fine clear winter's day. A gentle south-westerly breeze has been blowing on and off for several days; many ships have found their way out of the Thames, or have beaten down helped by the tides from the North Sea, and having reached the Downs there ride safely at anchor; the ships-boats, or the galley punts, as the small Deal boats are called, are doing the little work that is to be done, and the large luggers are drawn high upon the beach.