RUM AND TEA
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Type. Raid and Cordon-Breaking. |
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Numbers. Four or more Patrols. |
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Ground. Adaptable: some good cover desirable. See Map I. Customs House was situated at Base (3); Smugglers landed just south of Base (I); their place of concealment was about where the A of ALMSHOUSE comes. |
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Gear. Five small kegs; box as tea-chest; lives; Patrol Flags to mark Customs House. |
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Time. 2 hours. |
Instructions.
The FAIRMEAD GANG OF SMUGGLERS have landed a cargo of 5 kegs Of RUM on WHITEHOUSE BEACH (the sea is to the north of the beach) ; the CHIEF PREVENTIVE OFFICER at LUDGATE HOUSE has had news of the landing and is determined to intercept the SMUGGLERS as they carry the kegs to their place of concealment.
He does not know where they hide their booty, so he sends out a few Scouts to search for the place. He conceals his other men in the ROUND THICKET and on NORTH LONG HILLS, as the SMUGGLERS are bound to come that way. Some of the SMUGGLERS are entrusted with the kegs, while others are scouting round to see that the coast is clear and to give warning if they see the PREVENTIVE MEN.
The SMUGGLERS have also planned to capture a cargo of TEA, which the PREVENTIVE MEN have placed in the CUSTOMS HOUSE, at the western end of WHITEHOUSE BEACH. A raiding party of SMUGGLERS sets off for this purpose, but the CHIEF PREVENTIVE OFFICER has wisely left some of his men on guard.
RULES OF THE GAME.
1. Smugglers wear red, Preventive Men yellow strands of wool (visibly) between the elbow and shoulder of the right arm. If that strand is broken, the man must find an umpire who will give him a fresh " life."
2. If the Smugglers with a keg are wounded, the keg must be surrendered to the Preventive Men who will take it to the Customs House; it can be recaptured by wounding all the Preventive Men with it: the Smugglers will then take it to their place of concealment.
3. If the Preventive Men discover the place of concealment, they may capture anything they find there and take it to the Customs House, provided they are not all wounded en route.
4. No wounded man may carry a keg, or the tea.
5. The Customs House is 25 yards square; the Preventive Men remain outside it all the time; if a Smuggler gets in they wait for him outside and DO NOT ENTER. A Smuggler who captures the TEA takes it to the place of concealment. Preventive Men can recapture the tea and return it to the Customs House.
6. The whole game is confined to the area between CHURCH ROAD on the WEST, and the road to HIGH BEACH running North from PALMER'S BRIDGE.
Comments. A very popular game of an advanced type. Considerable planning is needed by the Patrol Leaders to achieve success.
