DIGITISED MANUSCRIPTS

attempt to bribe them into compliance with the obnoxious duty. The tea-agents were compelled to refuse the consignments; at Philadelphia the pilots were warned not to take the tea-ships up the river, and at New York the popular tumult was increased by the report that the ships were not laden with tea, but with chains. When the vessels arrived at Boston, a vast concourse of people—some of them painted like Red Indians and armed with hatchets — swarmed along the quay. Suddenly separating themselves from their companions, the men disguised as Indians flung themselves on board the tea-ships, overpowered the crews, and seized the cargoes. In a couple of hours, 842 chests of tea were broken open, and their contents, valued at 18,000/., flung into the sea. The news of the outrage created intense indigna- tion in England ; a Bill closing the port of Boston was passed, and Massachusetts, the State in which that city was situated, was deprived of its govern- ment. The Boston Port Bill was exhibited in the streets of that city, bordered with a deep black band, with the inscription appended, ‘ A barbarous, cruel, bloody, and inhuman murder.’ On the 5th September, 1774, the first step was taken towards organized revolt, when the representatives of the States met in congress at Philadelphia, including