... the poor passenger could not be soothed, the roar of the sea, the straining of the ship, the creaking of cordage, the stamping of Sailors over head on the deck, shouting and vociferating as the ship pitched forward in the waves, so absolutely distracted her, she could but call for her husband and entreat the French woman to go and fetch him, very soon, however, a change came, the horror of the surroundings was merged into another form of agony, the sea claimed its victim, and all minor ills were obliterated in the utter abandonment of Mal de Mer.
From the slight information my mother could give of those hours of suffering the French woman continued her kindly ministrations, doing all that was possible for the sufferer... After a while she was roused by hearing much chattering between her fellow voyagers, but she was too utterly exhausted to pay much attention, when she was startled by finding one of them close to her berth, and saw her companion fastening the door of the Cabin. Another then seized her, and she tried to move, but a heavy hand restrained her, and she found her voice had failed. The French woman who had treated her so kindly, held her fast, and at once told her, she had need of her services, and must submit to what had to be done; that no harm would come to her, if only she acted according to their will. Too alarmed and feeble to speak my mother had no choice save to submit.
The berth coverings were removed, from parcels which these women had carried in pockets under their thick woollen skirts, was produced an immense quantity of exquisite French lace, from Valenciennes, Mechlin and other places, which was to be safely conveyed to London without aid of the Customs. With the utmost deftness of hand, the women unfolded their packets of lace, and proceeded to wind them smoothly round my poor mother's body, arms and legs, who was utterly helpless from alarm and exhaustion, yards upon yards of lace were thus packed out of sight, round and round her legs was more of this delicate and costly fabric placed, and a great pair of stockings were drawn over her feet and legs so as to entirely conceal all. Then they lifted their unwilling accomplice on to a seat, and proceeded to wrap her up in her own garments, over which they fastened a great heavy shawl, so that she was reduced to the condition of a large bundle.
[On arrival they got her on shore and got rid of the husband by offering to take her to the hotel while he got the luggage through customs]... With difficulty my mother's helpless figure was hauled on to the wharf, and then by the powerful aid of her two attendants, dragged and carried to the Hotel near by.
The landlord who was waiting to receive his guests at once summoned a Chamber Maid to convey this poor Lady, who, as the French woman said, had almost died, to a room. In a second, the wraps and clothing were torn off my mother, in an incredibly short time, the invaluable lace she had unwittingly landed free of duty, was unrolled, and quickly placed in the capacious pockets of the women's gowns who having laid their unwilling assistant on her bed, left the apartment, wishing her "bon repos" and laughingly thanked her. What her state was, when joined soon after by my father, and what was his furious wrath and indignation, I cannot describe.
...For many years after the episode narrated, smuggling continued until the abolition of heavy duties on foreign commodities, rendered it no longer profitable to risk life or liberty for gain.
