And it was in the secret shipment of these to various ports in England and France that the special--trade of the Islands largely consisted.

So absolutely free of all restrictions had our people always been, indeed so specially privileged in this way above all other lands, that it took many years to bring them under what they looked upon as the yoke.

And some of them never could, or would, understand why it should be considered unlawful for them to do what their fathers had always done without let or hindrance.

Whatever the outside world might say, they saw no wrong, except on the part of those who tried to stop them, and whom therefore they set themselves to circumvent by every means in their power, and were mightily successful therein.

Moreover, the Island spirit resented somewhat this interference in their affairs by what was, after all, a conquered people.