Had a cargo of wild beasts entered port the curiosity could not have been greater.
In fact, Allen soon learned that the Americans were looked upon as wild beasts or savages, and certainly not as civilized beings.
The windows were filled with members of the fair sex, the sidewalks of the old English town were closely packed by men and children.
Hour after hour they waited to see the show.
A lot of detail, commonly called "red tape," had to be attended to before the prisoners were allowed to land.
A military band escorted a regiment of redcoats down to the dock, and the necessary papers for the transfer of the prisoners were exchanged.
Then across the gangplank walked Ethan Allen and Eben Pike, handcuffed together.
The people on the dock pushed and stared at the Green Mountain men.
"Why, they aren't green!" exclaimed one of the bystanders with disgust.
"No, they aren't Americans; they're Irish," said another.