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diff --git a/21468.txt b/21468.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..12cd9d5 --- /dev/null +++ b/21468.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11074 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Marmaduke Merry, by William H. G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Marmaduke Merry + A Tale of Naval Adventures in Bygone Days + +Author: William H. G. Kingston + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21468] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARMADUKE MERRY *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Marmaduke Merry, A Tale of Naval Adventures in Bygone Days, by William H +G Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This is quite a long book, but it is full of action, and in between the +actions there are tales being told about even more action and +interesting situations, rather in the style of Captain Marryat. + +This edition was printed by Cassell's for use as an English language +course-book. At the end of the book is printed a sixteen-page set of +questions and exercises to guide pupils into learning how to read and +appreciate the book better. I do wish that more books were printed with +such an appendix, as this one, at any rate, was very well-constructed. + +The only quibble we have about the way Cassell's laid out the book is +the amazing amount of inconsistency in the hyphenation, but we believe +we have detected most of the instances, and put them right. + +While Kingston was a devout Christian, he does not over-lard the book +with piety, though as usual he puts in a big chunk of it near the end. + +You'll enjoy reading or listening to this book. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +MARMADUKE MERRY, A TALE OF NAVAL ADVENTURES IN BYGONE DAYS, BY WILLIAM H +G KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +I belong to the family of the Merrys of Leicestershire. Our chief +characteristic was well suited to our patronymic. "Merry by name and +merry by nature," was a common saying among us. Indeed, a more +good-natured, laughing, happy set of people it would be difficult to +find. Right jovial was the rattle of tongues and the cachinnation which +went forward whenever we were assembled together either at breakfast or +dinner or supper; our father and mother setting us the example, so that +we began the day with a hearty laugh, and finished it with a heartier. +"Laugh and grow fat" is an apothegm which all people cannot follow, but +our mother did in the most satisfactory manner. Her skin was fair and +most thoroughly comfortably filled out; her hair was light, and her +contented spirit beamed out from a pair of large laughing blue eyes, so +that it was a pleasure to look at her as she sat at the head of the +table, serving out the viands to her hungry progeny. Our sisters were +very like her, and came fairly under the denomination of jolly girls; +and thoroughly jolly they were;--none of them ever had a headache or a +toothache, or any other ache that I know of. Our father was a good +specimen of a thorough English country gentleman; he was thorough in +everything, honest-faced, stout, and hearty, not over-refined, perhaps, +but yet gentle in all his thoughts and acts; a hater of a lie and every +thing dishonourable, hospitable and generous to the utmost of his means; +a protector of the poor and helpless, and a friend to all his +neighbours. Yes, and I may say more, both he and my mother were humble, +sincere Christians, and made the law of the Bible their rule of life. +He told a good story and laughed at it himself, and delighted to see our +mother and us laugh at it also. Had he been bred a lawyer, and lived in +London, he would have been looked upon as a first-rate wit; but I am +certain that he was much happier with the lot awarded to him. He had a +good estate; his tenants paid their rents regularly; and he had few or +no cares to disturb his digestion or to keep him awake at night; and I +am very certain that he would far rather have had us to hear his jokes, +and laugh at them with him, than all the wits London ever produced. He +delighted in joining in all our sports, either of the field or flood, +and we always looked forward to certain amusement when he was able to +accompany us. He was our companion and friend; we had no secrets from +him,--why should we? He was always our best adviser, and if we got into +scrapes, which one or the other of us was not unfrequently doing, we +were very certain that no one could extricate us as well as he could. I +don't mean to say that he forgot the proverb, "Spare the rod, spoil the +child;" or that we were such pieces of perfection that we did not +deserve punishment; but we had sense enough to see that he punished us +for our good: he did it calmly, never angrily, and without any +unnecessarily severe remark, and we certainly did not love him the less +for the sharpest flogging he ever gave us. Directly afterwards, he +would meet the culprit in his usual frank, hearty way, and seem to +forget all about the matter. + +Our sisters were on the same happy intimate terms with our mother, and +we boys had no secrets with her, or with them either. + +Our father used to believe and assert that our family had settled in +Leicestershire before the Conquest, and, in consequence of this notion, +he gave us all old English names or what he supposed to be such. His +own name was Joliffe, and he used to be called by his hunting +associates, the other gentlemen of the county, Jolly Merry. He was not, +I should say, _par excellence_ a fox hunter, though he subscribed to the +county hunt, and frequently followed the hounds; and no one rode better, +nor did any one's voice sound more cheerily on copse or hill side than +did his, as he greeted a friend, or sang out, in the exuberance of his +spirits, a loud tallyho-ho. My name stood sixth in the Family Bible, +and that of Marmaduke had fallen to my lot. We had a Cedric, an +Athelstane, an Egbert, and an Edwin among the boys, and a Bertha, an +Edith, and a Winifred among the girls. We all went to school in our +turns, but though it was a very good school, we did not like it so much +as home. When, however, we got to school, we used to be very jolly, and +if other boys pulled long faces we made round ones and laughed away as +usual. Our school was in Northamptonshire, so that we had not far to +go, and we kept up a very frequent correspondence with home, from which, +in consequence of its vicinity, we received more hampers laden with +cakes and tongues, and pots of jam, and similar comestible articles, +than most of our companions. I do not say that we should not otherwise +have been favourites, but it might have been remarked that the +attentions and willingness to oblige us of our companions increased in +proportion to the size of our hampers, and our readiness to dispense +their contents. + +However, I will not dwell on my school life. I imbibed a certain amount +of classical and elementary knowledge of a somewhat miscellaneous +description, and received not a few canings, generally for laughing in +my class at something which tickled my fancy, when I ought not to have +allowed my fancy to be tickled; but altogether my conduct was such that +I believe I was considered to have brought no discredit on the Merry +name or fame. Such was my uneventful career at school. + +We were all at home for the summer holidays. We were seated at +breakfast. What a rattle of tongues, and knives, and forks, and cups, +and saucers there was going on. What vast slices of bread and butter +were disappearing within our well practised jaws. Various cries +proceeded from each side of the table. "Bertha, another cup of tea;" +"Bertha, some more milk;" "Bertha, you haven't given me sugar enough by +half;" "Bertha, I like strong tea; no wish-wash for me." + +Bertha was our oldest sister and tea-maker general. She had no sinecure +office of it; but, in spite often of the most remarkable demands, she +dispensed the beverage with the most perfect justice and good humour. +Not unsatisfactory were the visits paid to the sideboard, covered as it +was with brawn, and ham, and tongue, and a piece of cold beef, and such +like substantial fare. + +Suddenly the tenor of our conversation was turned by the entrance of the +servant with the post-bag. The elders were silent for a few minutes,-- +our father and mother and Bertha, and Cedric, who was at home from +college. Our mother had a large circle of correspondents, and seldom a +post arrived without a letter for her. Our father had fewer; but this +morning he received one, in a large official-looking cover, which +absorbed his attention. Still the clatter of tongues went on among us +younger ones. Our father and mother had grown so accustomed to it, +that, as the miller awakes when his mill stops, so they would have +looked up to ascertain what was the matter had we been silent. + +"Which of you would like to become a midshipman?" asked our father +looking up suddenly. + +The question had an effect rarely produced in the family. We were all +silent. Our mother put down her letters, and her fond eyes glanced +round on our faces. Her countenance was unusually grave. + +Again my father looked at the document in his hand. "Captain Collyer +says he should not be more than fourteen. Marmaduke, that is your age. +What do you say on the subject?" said my father. + +"Joliffe, what is it all about?" asked my mother, with a slight +trepidation in her voice. + +"I forgot that I had not read the letter. It is rather long. It is +from my old friend, Dick Collyer, and a better fellow does not breathe. +The tenor of it is that he has got command of a fine frigate, the Doris, +fitting with all despatch for sea, and that he will take one of our boys +as a midshipman, if we like to send the youngster with him. There is no +time to lose, as he expects to be ready in a week or ten days; so we +must decide at once." + +The question was put indirectly to me, "Should I like to go to sea?" +Now, I had never even seen the sea, and had never realised what a +man-of-war was like. The largest floating thing to which I was +accustomed was the miller's punt, in which my brothers and I used +occasionally to paddle about on the mill-pond; in which mill-pond, by +the bye, we had all learned to swim. I had seen pictures of ships, +though as to the size of one, and the number of men she might carry, I +was profoundly ignorant. I was, therefore, not very well qualified to +come to a decision. Suddenly I recollected a visit paid to us by Tom +Welby, an old schoolfellow, after his first trip to sea, and what a +jolly life I thought he must lead as he described his adventures, and +how fine a fellow he looked as he strutted about with his dirk at his +side, the white patch on his collar, and the cockade in his hat. I +decided at once. "If you wish it, father, I'm ready to go," said I. + +My father looked at me affectionately. There was, I am certain, a +conflict going on in his mind whether or not he should part with me; but +prudence conquered love. + +"Of course, you must all have professions, boys, and the navy is a very +fine one," he observed. "What do you say, Mary?" + +My mother was too sensible a woman to make any objections to so +promising an offer if I did not; and therefore, before we rose from the +breakfast table, it was settled that I was to be a midshipman, and we +were all soon laughing away as heartily as ever. The news that Master +Marmaduke was going away to sea quickly reached the servants' hall, and +from thence spread over the village. + +Not a moment was lost by our mother in commencing the preparations for +my outfit. Stores of calico were produced, and she and Bertha had cut +out a set of shirts and distributed them to be made before noon. While +they were thus employed, I went down to have a talk with my father, and +to have my ignorance on nautical affairs somewhat enlightened, though +he, I found, knew very little more about them than I did. While I was +in the study the footman came to say that Widow Bluff wished to see him. +"Let her come in," was his reply. "Well, dame, what is it you want +this morning?" he asked, in his cheery encouraging tone as she appeared. + +"Why, sir, I hears how Master Marmaduke's going away to sea, and I comes +to ask if he'll take my boy Toby with him," answered the dame, promptly. + +"What, Mrs Bluff, do you wish him to be an officer?" said my father. + +"Blessy no, sir. It's to be his servant like. I suppose he'll want +some one to clean his shoes and brush his clothes, and such little +things, and I'd be proud for my Toby to do that," answered the dame. +Now, I had always thought Toby Bluff to be a remarkably dunder-headed, +loutish fellow, though strong as a lion, and with plenty of pluck in his +composition. I had helped him out of a pond once, and done him some +other little service, I fancy; but I had forgotten all about the matter. + +"I will see about it, dame," said my father. "But I doubt if Toby, +though a good lad, will ever set the Thames on fire." + +"Blessy heart, I hopes not," exclaimed the dame in a tone of horror. +"He'd be a hanged, if he did, like them as burnt farmer Dobbs's corn +stacks last year." + +Toby, it appeared, was waiting outside. My father sent for him, and +found that he really had a very strong desire to go to sea, or rather to +follow me. Toby had an honest round freckled countenance, with large +hands and broad shoulders, but a slouching awkward gait, which made him +look far less intelligent than he really was. As he had always borne a +good character, my father promised to learn if Captain Collyer would +take him. The answer was in the affirmative. Behold, then, Toby Bluff +and me about to commence our career on the briny ocean. + +I tried to laugh to the last; but somehow or other, it was a harder job +than I had ever found it; and as to my mother and sisters, though they +said a number of funny things, there was a moisture in their eyes and a +tremulousness in their voices very unusual with them. Toby Bluff, as he +scrambled up on the box of the chaise, which was to take us to meet the +London coach, blubbered out with a vehemence which spoke more for the +sensitiveness of his feelings than for his sense of the dignified; but +when his mother, equally overcome, exclaimed, "Get down, Toby; I'll not +have thee go, boy, an thou takest on so," he answered sturdily, "Noa, +noa, mother; I've said I'd stick to Measter Marmaduke, and if he goes, +I'll go to look after him." + +My brothers cheered and shouted as we drove off, and I did my best to +shout and cheer in return, as did Toby in spite of his tears. My father +accompanied us as far as London. We spent but a few hours in that big +city. + +"I don't see that it be so very grand like," observed Toby as we drove +through it. "There bees no streets paved with gold, and no Lord Mayor +in a gold coach,--only bricks and mortar, and people running about in a +precious hurry." + +Captain Collyer had desired that I should come down by the coach to the +George at Portsmouth, where he would send his coxswain to meet me, and +take me to the tailor, who would make my uniform, a part of my outfit +which our country town had been unable to supply. + +It was a bright summer morning when my father accompanied us to +Piccadilly, whence the Portsmouth coach started. + +"Cheer up, and don't forget your name, Marmaduke," he said, wringing my +hand as I was climbing on to the front seat. He nodded kindly to Toby, +who followed me closely. "Don't you forget to look after the young +master, boy," he added. + +"Noa, squire, while I'se got fists at the end of my arms, I won't," +answered Toby. + +"All right," shouted the guard, and the coach drove off. + +I found myself seated by a tall man with a huge red nose, like the beak +of an eagle, a copper complexion, jet black piercing eyes, and enormous +black bushy whiskers. He looked down at me, I thought, with ineffable +contempt. His clothes were of blue cloth, and his hands, which were +very large and hairy, were marked on the back with strange devices, +among which I observed an anchor, a ship, and a fish, which made me +suspect that he must be a nautical character of some sort. He addressed +the coachman and the passenger on the box seat several times in a +wonderfully loud gruff voice, but as they showed by their answers that +they were not inclined to enter into conversation with him, he at last +turned his attention to me. + +"Why are you going down to Portsmouth, little boy?" he asked, in a tone +I did not like. + +"I suppose because I want to get there," I answered. + +"Ho! ho! ho!" His laugh was like the bellowing of a bull. "Going to +sea, I fancy," he remarked. + +"Yes, going to see Portsmouth," said I, quietly, "if I keep my eyes +open." + +"Ho! ho! sharp as a needle I see," observed the big man. + +"Sharpness runs in the family," I replied. We were well up to this sort +of repartee among each other at home. + +"Your name is Sharp, I suppose," said my friend. + +"No, only my nature, like a currant or a sour gooseberry," I replied, +not able to help laughing myself. + +"Take care, youngster, you don't get wounded with your own weapon," said +the big man. + +"Thank you," I answered, "but I am not a tailor." + +"No--ho, ho, ho,--perhaps not; but you are little more than the ninth +part of a man," said the giant. + +"The ninth part of you, you mean; but I am half as big as most men now, +and hope to be a whole man some day, and a captain into the bargain." + +"Then I take it you are that important character, a new fledged +midshipman," observed my huge companion. + +"Judging of you by your size, I should suppose on the same grounds that +you are nothing less than an admiral," I retorted. + +"I should be, if I had my deserts, boy," he replied, drawing himself up, +and swelling out his chest. + +"Then are you only a captain?" I asked. + +"I once was, boy," he replied with a sigh which resembled the rumbling +of a volcano. + +"Captain of the main-top," said the gentleman on the box without turning +round. + +"What are you now, then?" I asked. + +"A boatswain," uttered the gentleman on the box. + +"Yes, young gentleman, as our friend there says, I am a boatswain," he +exclaimed in a voice of thunder, "and a very important person is a +boatswain on board ship, let me tell you, with his call at his mouth, +and colt in his hand, as your silent companion there will very soon find +out, for I presume, by the cut of his jib, that he is not a midshipman." + +"And what is a boatswain on board ship?" I asked, with unfeigned +simplicity. + +"Everything from truck to kelson, I may say, is under his charge," he +replied consequentially. "He has to look after masts, spars, rigging, +sails, cables, anchors, and stores; to see that the men are kept under +proper discipline, and make them smart aloft. In my opinion a +man-of-war might do without her captain and lieutenants, but would be no +man-of-war without her boatswain." + +The gentleman on the box laughed outright, but the boatswain took no +notice of it. I began to think in spite of his coarseness that he must +be a very important personage, and probably I showed this in my manner, +for he went on enlarging on his own importance. + +"I tell you, young gentleman, it's my belief that I have been round the +world oftener and seen more strange sights than any man living." + +"I should like to hear some of your adventures," I said. + +"I dare say you would, and if you like to pay me a visit on board the +Doris frigate, and will inquire for Mr Jonathan Johnson, the boatswain, +I shall be happy to see you and to enlighten your mind a little." + +"Why, that is the ship I am going to join," I exclaimed; "didn't Captain +Collyer tell you?" + +"No, he has not as yet communicated that important matter to me," +answered Mr Jonathan Johnson, twisting his huge nose in a comical way. +"But give us your flipper, my hearty,--we are to be shipmates it seems. +I like you for your dauntless tongue; if you've a spirit to match, +you'll do, and I promise you that you shall some day hear what you shall +hear." + +The coach stopped at the George. A seaman, who announced himself as Sam +Edkins, Captain Collyer's coxswain, came up, and touching his hat +respectfully to Mr Johnson, helped me off the coach. + +"Well, Edkins, have all the officers joined yet?" asked the boatswain. + +"All but the second lieutenant; he's expected aboard to-day, sir," was +the answer. + +"What's his name, Edkins? I hope he's not a King's hard bargain, like +some lieutenants I have fallen in with within the last hundred years," +said Mr Johnson. + +"No, sir; he's no hard bargain," answered Edkins. "I heard the captain +say his name is Bryan, the same officer who, with twenty hands, cut out +a French brig of seven guns and ninety men the other day in the West +Indies." + +"All right; he'll do for us," observed Mr Johnson, with a patronising +air. "By the bye, Edkins, have you received any directions about this +boy?" + +"No, sir; only that he was to go aboard at once." + +"Very well, then, I'll take him. Come, youngster--what's your name?" + +"Please, sir, it be Tobias Bluff; but I be called Toby most times," +answered my young follower, evidently awe-struck with the manner and +appearance of Mr Johnson. Not an inch did he move, however, from my +side. + +"Come along, boy," cried the boatswain in a thundering tone which might +have been heard half down the High Street. + +"Noa," said Toby, looking up undauntedly at him; "I has a said I'd stick +to the young squire, and I'll no budge from his side, no, not if you +bellows louder than Farmer Dobbs's big bull." + +Never had the boatswain been thus bearded by a ship's boy. His black +eyes flashed fire--his nose grew redder than ever, and seizing him by +the collar of his jacket, he would have carried him off in his talons, +as an eagle does a leveret, had not Edkins and I interfered. + +"You see, Mr Johnson, the boy has the hay-seed in his hair, and doesn't +know who you are, or anything about naval discipline," observed the +coxswain. "If you'd let him stay with the young gentleman, I'll just +put him up to a thing or two, and bring him aboard by and by." + +Mr Johnson, who was really not an ill-natured man, agreed to this, +remarking, "Mind, boy, the king is a great man ashore, but I'm a greater +afloat--ho, ho, ho," and away he walked down the street to the Point. + +The passenger who had had the box seat was standing near all the time. +"He'll find that there's a greater man than he is on board, if he +overstays his leave," I heard him remark, with a laugh, as he entered +the inn. + +He was a slight active young man, with a pleasant countenance. + +"That's our second lieutenant, Mr Bryan," said Edkins to me. "I saw +his name on his portmanteau. He must have thought the boatswain a rum +'un." + +Captain Collyer's tailor lived close at hand, so I went there at once, +and he promised to have a suit ready for me by the following morning. + +Edkins told me I was to dine with the captain at the George, and to +sleep there. He proposed that we should walk about in the interval, and +I employed part of the time in comforting Toby, persuading him to +accompany the coxswain on board the frigate without me. + +We had just got outside the Southsea-gate, when, passing a fruit-stall, +I saw a little boy, while the old woman who kept the stall was looking +another way, surreptitiously abstract several apples and make off with +them. She turned at the moment and observed the deed. + +"Come back, ye little thieving spalpeen," she cried angrily, rising and +making sail in chase. She was very stout, and filled out with +petticoats on either side. The wind was very strong from the +south-west, and, knowing that it is easier to sail with a fair wind than +a foul, off darted the little boy before it over Southsea common. He, +however, compared to the old lady, was like a brig to a seventy-four, +with the studding sails set alow and aloft, and she, with her wide +expanded figure propelled onward, was rapidly gaining on the +apple-loving culprit. She would have caught him to a certainty. Toby +and I and Edkins ran on to see the result. An old admiral (so Edkins +told me he was), taking his constitutional, stopped, highly enjoying the +fun. He observed the cause of old Molly's rapid progress. His +sympathies were excited for the urchin. + +"Try her on a wind, boy; try her on a wind," he shouted, giving way to +his feelings in loud laughter. + +The boy took the hint, and coming about darted off to the westward. +Molly attempted to follow, but her breath failed her; the hitherto +favouring gale blew her back, and with anathemas on the head of the +culprit, she gave up the pursuit, and returned panting to her stall. + +"There's the price of your apples, Molly," said the admiral, as he +passed, handing her a sixpence. "You have gained it for the fun you +have afforded me." + +"That 'ere little chap will come to the gallows some day, if he goes on +like that," was the comment made by Toby. + +"That's true, boy," observed Edkins. "People are apt to forget, if they +are amused, whether a thing is right or wrong; white's white, and +black's black, whatever you choose to call them." + +I felt very sure, from what I saw of Edkins, that he would take good +care of Toby. He left me at the George. The captain came at last. He +was a broad-shouldered, thick-set man, not very tall, but with fair hair +and a most pleasant expression of countenance. Frank, honest, and +kind-hearted I was certain he was. He reminded me of my father, except +that the squire had a fresh and he had a thoroughly saltwater look about +him. We were joined at dinner by several officers, and among others by +my fellow-passenger, who proved, as Edkins suspected, to be Mr Bryan, +the second lieutenant of the Doris. He amused the company very much by +an account of Mr Johnson's conversation with me. + +"He is a very extraordinary fellow, that," said the captain. "He is a +first-rate seaman, and thoroughly trustworthy in all professional +matters; but I never met his equal for drawing the long bow. I knew him +when I was a lieutenant, and could listen to his yarns." + +The party laughed heartily at my account of the old applewoman and the +little boy, and I felt wonderfully at my ease among so many big-wigs, +and began to fancy myself a personage of no small importance. After +dinner, however, Mr Bryan called me aside. "I must give you a piece of +advice, youngster. I overheard your contest of wit with the boatswain, +and I remarked the way you spoke to your superior officers at dinner. +You are now in plain clothes, and the Captain's guest, but do not +presume on their present freedom. You will find the drawing-room and +the quarter-deck very different places. Sharpness and wit are very well +at times, but modesty is never out of place." I thanked Mr Bryan, and +promised to remember his advice. + +The next day, with the assistance of the tailor, I got into my uniform, +and, after I had had a little time to admire myself, and to wish that my +mother and sisters could see me, Edkins appeared to take me and my traps +on board. The frigate had gone out to Spithead, where one of England's +proud fleets was collected. The gig was waiting at the point. I +stepped into her with as much dignity as I could command and we pulled +out of the harbour. When we got into the tide-way the boat began to bob +about a good deal. I felt very queer. "Edkins, is this what you call a +storm?" I asked, wishing the boat would be quiet again. + +"Yes, in a wash-tub, Mister Merry. As like a storm as a tom-tit is to +an albatross," he answered. + +My astonishment at finding myself among the line-of-battle ships at +Spithead was very great. What huge floating castles they appeared--what +crowds of human beings there were on board, swarming in every direction, +like ants round their nest. In a few moments a wonderful expansion of +my ideas took place. Even our tight little frigate, as I had heard her +called, looked an enormous monster when we pulled alongside, and the +shrill whistle and stentorian voice of the boatswain sounded in my ears +as if the creature was warning us to keep off, and I thought, if it +began to move, that we should, to a certainty, be crushed. However, I +managed to climb up the side, and as I saw Edkins touch his hat to a +tall thin gentleman in uniform, with a spy-glass under his arm, and say, +"Come aboard, sir;" I touched mine, and said, "Come aboard, sir." + +"All right," said Edkins, as he passed me. "This is the +first-lieutenant." + +He did not take much notice of me; but soon afterwards Mr Bryan +appeared and shook hands with me, and told him that I was a new +midshipman, a friend of the captain's, and was very kind; and after a +little time he called another midshipman, and desired him to take me +down to the berth and to introduce me to our messmates. My conductor +was a gaunt, red-haired lad, who had shoved his legs and arms too far +into his trousers and jacket. He did not seem well-pleased with the +duty imposed on him. I followed him down one flight of steps, when I +saw huge cannon on either side, and then down another into almost total +darkness; and though he seemed to find his way very well, I had no +little difficulty in seeing where he was going. He stopped once and +said, "What's your name, youngster?" I told him, and turning to the +right he caught me by the collar and shoved me through a door among a +number of young men and boys, exclaiming, in a croaking voice, "Here's +Master Marmaduke Merry come to be one of us; treat him kindly for his +mother's sake." + +Having thus satisfactorily fulfilled his mission he disappeared. + +"Sit down, boy, and make yourself at home," said an oldish man with grey +hair, from the other end of the table. + +"Thank you, as soon as I can see where to sit," said I; "but you don't +indulge in an over-abundance of light down here." + +"Ha, ha, ha! Make room for Marmaduke, some of you youngsters there," +exclaimed the old mate, for such I found he was, and caterer of the +mess, "Remember your manners, will you, and be polite to strangers." + +"But he is not a stranger," said a boy near me. "Yes, he is, till he +has broken biscuit with us," said old Perigal. "That reminds me that +you are perhaps hungry, youngster. We've done tea, but we shall have +the grog and the bread on the table shortly. We divide them equally. +You youngsters have as much to eat as you like of the one, _weevils_ and +all, and we drink of the other. It's the rule of the mess, like the +laws of the Medes and Persians, not to be broken. However, we will +allow Merry a small quantity to-night, as it is his first on board ship, +but after that, remember, no infraction of the laws;" and old Perigal +held up a weapon which he drew from his pocket, and with which, I found, +he was wont to enforce his commands in the berth. + +His system worked pretty well, and it kept the youngsters from falling +into that most pernicious of practices, spirit drinking, and the +oldsters were too well seasoned to be injured by the double allowance +they thereby obtained. + +Altogether I was pleased with my reception, and I fancy my new shipmates +were pleased with me. My great difficulty at first was finding my way +about, for as to which was the head or after part of the ship I had not +the slightest notion, and the direction I received to go aft or go +forward conveyed no idea to my mind. + +As I was groping my way about the lower-deck, I saw what I took to be a +glimmering light in a recess, when a roaring voice said, "Ho, ho! Mr +Merry, what--have you come to see me? Welcome aboard the Doris." The +light was the nose, and the voice that of Jonathan Johnson the +boatswain. + +I thanked him, and, guessing it would please him, told him that I should +hold him to his promise of recounting his adventures. + +"Time enough when we get into blue water, Mr Merry. Under present +circumstances, with every thing to do, and nobody fit to do it but +myself; for you see, Mr Merry, the gunner and carpenter are little +better than nonentities, as you will find out some day; I have barely +time to eat my necessary meals, much less to talk." + +I told him that I should anxiously look forward to a fitting time for +the expected treat, and asked him where I could find Toby Bluff. + +"You shall see him in a jiffy," he answered; and he bellowed out, "Boy +Bluff! Boy Bluff! send aft boy Bluff!" + +The same words were repeated in various hoarse tones, and in less than a +minute Toby came running up. He had had the advantage of a day's +experience on board, and had wonderfully soon got into the ways of the +ship. + +When he saw me he shouted with joy. + +"I did think, Master Marmaduke, you never would a coome," he exclaimed. +"But it's all right now, and my--what a strange place this bees. Not a +bit like the Hall, though there's plenty o' beef here for dinner, but +it's main tough, and the bread for all the world's like old tiles." + +"Be thankful you haven't to live on grind-stones and marlin-spikes, as I +once had for a whole month, with nothing but bilge-water to wash 'em +down," growled out the boatswain, who heard the observation. + +As he told me that he had not time to talk, I did not ask him how this +had happened. + +I might prolong indefinitely my account of my first days on board ship. +I gradually found myself more and more at home, till I began to fancy +that I must be of some use on board. No one could be kinder than was +Captain Collyer, and he was constantly employing me in a variety of ways +in which he thought I could be trusted. One day he sent for me, and +giving me a letter, ordered me to take it on board the flagship, and to +deliver it in person to Captain Bumpus, the flag-captain. I knew +Captain Bumpus, because he had been one of our dinner party at the +George, and I remembered that he had laughed complacently at my stories. +He was, however, very pompous, not a little conceited, and a great +dandy, and I cannot say that I had felt any great respect for him. + +We had discussed him in the berth, and the opinion was that he was sweet +on one of the admiral's daughters. At all events he was a bachelor, and +having lately made some prize-money, he was supposed to be looking out +for a wife to help him to spend it. Moreover it was whispered that he +wore a wig, but this he strenuously denied, being very fond of talking +of the necessity he was under of having to go and get his hair cut, till +it became a common remark that though Captain Bumpus got his hair cut +oftener than any one else, it never appeared shorter. + +I stepped into the second gig, and as Edkins went with me to steer the +boat, I had no difficulty in getting alongside the flagship. As we +pulled under the stern, I saw several ladies looking out from a stern +gallery, which Edkins told me belonged to the admiral's cabin. I found +my way on deck, and touching my hat to the mate of the deck, announced +my errand. + +"Come, I'll show you," he said, seeing that I hesitated which way to +turn, and he led me up first to one deck and then to another, and then +he pointed to a door at which a sentry was standing, and told me to go +in there. I found four or five officers in the after-cabin waiting to +see Captain Bumpus, who was dressing, I collected from their +conversation. + +Presently a frizzled out Frenchman, the very cut of a stage barber (a +refugee, I heard afterwards), entered the cabin with a freshly dressed +wig on a block. + +"Monsieur de Captain tell me to bring his vig and put it in his cabin. +I do so vid your permission, gentlemen," he observed, as he placed it on +the table, and with a profound bow took his departure. + +The story went that Captain Bumpus, who was fond of good living, had +only lately fallen in with poor Pierre Grenouille, and had concluded a +bargain on which he prided himself exceedingly. Ostensibly Pierre was +engaged to dress his dinners, but privately to dress his hair, or rather +his wigs. + +There was a general titter among the officers, in which I heartily +joined. + +Suddenly, before we had time to compose our features, a door on one side +opened, and Captain Bumpus appeared in full rig, with his sword under +his arm, and his cocked hat in hand, looking self-satisfied in the +extreme. He started when he saw the wig block and wig, the fac-simile +of the one he wore on his head. + +"What's that?" he exclaimed in a voice hoarse with rage. "Who put it +there?" + +No one answered, and dashing down his hat, he seized the wig block and +wig, and with an exclamation of anger threw them overboard. + +"Now, gentlemen," he said, turning round and attempting to be calm, +"what is it you have to say? Really this incident may seem ridiculous," +he added, seeing that there was still a suppressed titter going on, "but +I detest the sight of a wig block since--you know that Highland +tragedy--" + +"A man overboard! a man overboard!" was heard resounding in gruff voices +from above. + +"Oh, poor man, he will be drowned, he will be drowned," came in a +sharper treble from the admiral's cabin. + +I heard the shrill pipe of the boatswain's mate as boats were being +lowered, and at that instant into the cabin rushed the French barber, +wringing his hands in a frantic state, and exclaiming, "Oh, Captain, +your beautiful vig, your beautiful vig, it vill all be spoilt, it vill +all be spoilt." + +"My wig!" shouted Captain Bumpus, in a voice of thunder. "My wig, you +anatomy, you mendacious inventor of outrageous impossibilities. Begone +out of the cabin, out of the ship, overboard with you, the instant +dinner is served!" And he gave the unhappy barber a kick which sent him +flying across the after-cabin, through the door of the outer one, +against the sentry, who was knocked over, and soldier and barber lay +floundering and kicking, and bawling and swearing in their native +dialects, amid the laughter of the officers, who ran to see what had +become of the little man, and the shouts of the men who were outside. + +Meantime the tide was running strong, and the wig block drifted past the +other ships of the fleet, from all of which boats instantly put off in +chase. They were all assembled round the fatal block, and the bowman of +one, more fortunate than the rest, had got hold of it, and held it up +amid shouts of laughter, when a boat from the flagship arrived and +claimed the prize. + +As the boat returned and pulled up astern, the admiral shouted out, +"Have you got the poor fellow?" + +"It wasn't a man, sir; it was only the captain's wig, sir," was the +answer. + +"The captain's what?" cried the admiral. + +"Captain Bumpus's wig," shouted the bowman, as he held it up for +inspection. + +"Come aboard with it, then," answered the admiral, roaring with +laughter, for he richly enjoyed a joke. + +I heard a merry giggle in the stern gallery. Captain Bumpus turned pale +with rage and mortified vanity. I delivered my despatch, to which he +said he would send an answer. The next day it was reported that he had +resigned his commission and gone on shore. He could not bear the idea +that the whole fleet should have discovered he wore a wig. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +Blue Peter had been for some hours flying aloft when Jonathan Johnson's +pipe, sounding along the decks with a shrillness which surpassed the +keenest of north-easterly gales, gave the expected order, which his +mates, in gruffest of gruff tones, bawled out, of "All hands up anchor!" +In an instant the whole ship was in an uproar, and seemed to me to be +in the most dire confusion. Boatswain's mates were shouting and +bawling, the officers hurrying to their stations, the men flying here +and there, some aloft to loose sails, and others to halyards, sheets, +and braces. I must own that I did not feel myself of any great service +in assisting at the operation going forward, but I ran and shouted with +the rest, and as the men passed me I told them to look sharp and to be +smart, and to hurry along; but what they were about to do I was utterly +unable to discover. I met Toby Bluff hurrying along, looking very much +scared and half inclined to blubber. I asked him what was the matter. + +"It's the big man with the rattan," (he alluded to the ship's corporal) +"told me to go aft to the poop and stand by the mizen-topsail halyards," +he exclaimed. "But, oh, Master Marmaduke, where they be it's more than +my seven senses can tell. What shall I do? what shall I do?" + +I saw some other boys running aft, so I advised him to go where they +went, and to do whatever they did. I soon afterwards saw him hauling +away sturdily at a rope, and though he tumbled down very often, he was +quickly again on his feet. The fife and fiddle were meantime sounding +merrily, and, as with cheerful tramp the men passed round the +capstan-bars, the anchor was speedily run up to the bows. What the +lieutenant on the forecastle could mean when he shouted out "Man the +cat-fall," I could not divine, till I saw that some of the crew were +securing the stock of the anchor by means of a tackle to a stout beam, +which projected over the bows of the ship. "Over to the fish," next +shouted out the officer, an order at first equally inexplicable to me, +till I saw the flukes of the anchor hauled up close to the bows--fished, +as it is called. + +The sails were let fall and sheeted home, braces hauled taut, and the +Doris, with a rattling breeze, under all sail, stood through the Needles +Passage and down Channel. Those were stirring times. The cruisers of +the various nations then at war with old England swarmed in all +directions; and it was the ardent wish of every one on board the +frigate, from the captain down to my small self, and to the youngest +powder-monkey, that we should before long meet an enemy worthy of our +prowess. A sharp look-out was kept aloft night and day, and it would +have been difficult for anything under sail passing within the circle +seen from our main-truck to have escaped notice. Captain Collyer also +did his best to prepare his crew for an encounter whenever it might +come, and the men were kept constantly exercising at the great guns and +small-arms, and, for a change, at shortening and making sail, till they +had all learned to work well together. I was all this time rapidly +picking up a fair amount of miscellaneous nautical knowledge, partly by +observation, but chiefly from my messmates, and from Sam Edkins, the +captain's coxswain, who had, as he said, taken a liking to me. + +Mr Johnson, the boatswain, at times condescended to give me +instruction. "At present, Mr Merry, you'll observe, and I say it with +perfect respect," remarked my friend, "you're like a sucking babe, an +unfledged sparrow, a squid on dry ground--you're of no use to nobody, +and rather want somebody to look after you, and keep you out of harm. +When you've been to sea as many years as I have, if you keep your eyes +open, you'll begin to find out what's what." + +I confess that these observations of the boatswain were calculated to +make me feel rather small. However, I was not offended, and I often +managed to pay Mr Jonathan back in his own coin, which made him like me +all the more. A great contrast to him in character was the captain's +steward, Billy Wise. Billy had been to sea all his life, but no +training could make a sailor of him. He was devoted to the captain, +whom he had followed from ship to ship, and who took him, I truly +believe, from pure compassion, because no one else would have had him. +He was, however, a faithful fellow, and I am certain would have done +anything to serve his captain. + +Captain Collyer used to have some of the youngsters into his cabin to +learn navigation. I liked this very much, and studied hard; for, as I +had come to sea to be a sailor, I wished to be a good one. Several of +us were seated round the table one day, when the steward made his +appearance. + +"How is the wind, Wise?" asked the captain. + +"Some says it's east, and some says it's west, Captain Collyer," was the +satisfactory answer. + +"And which way do you say it is?" inquired his master. + +"Whichever way you please, sir," replied the steward, pulling a lock of +his hair. + +Even the presence of our captain could scarcely prevent us youngsters +from bursting into a roar of laughter. This was surpassed, however, by +an Irish midshipman, an old shipmate of mine, who, when undergoing his +examination for navigation, being asked, whether the sun went round the +earth, or the earth round the sun, looked up with perfect confidence, +and unhesitatingly replied-- + +"Faith, gentlemen, it's sometimes one and sometimes the other." + +He was very much surprised at being turned back. He, however, +afterwards managed to pass, but whether it was because the examining +officers were not quite confident as to the exact state of the case +themselves, and therefore did not push the question, or that he had in +the meantime gained the required information, I do not now remember. + +Captain Collyer was accustomed to Billy's eccentricities. They were +sometimes inconvenient. One day, we fell in with a line-of-battle ship, +and our captain had to go on board to pay his respects to his superior +officer. + +As he was hurriedly leaving his cabin he called for his cocked hat. + +"Your hat. Captain Collyer--your hat, sir," ejaculated Billy Wise, in a +state of great trepidation,--"it's all safe, sir. It druve ashore at +Hurst, as we was coming through the Needles Passage, and some of the +sodgers at the castle picked it up." + +Poor Billy had been brushing the hat at a port with too great vehemence, +and sent it flying overboard. He might possibly have seen something +dark floating towards Hurst, and his shipmates, who were always +practising on his credulity, probably persuaded him that it was the +captain's hat. Many captains, in those days, would have given him a +couple of dozen, or put him on nine-water grog for a month. Captain +Collyer very soon forgot all about the matter, except when he told the +story as a good joke. On the present occasion he had to borrow a cocked +hat; and it was not till we had been in action, and one of the officers +was killed, that he could get fitted with one of his own. + +The captain had a goat, which was a source of much amusement to us +youngsters, and of annoyance to Mr Lukyn, the first-lieutenant; for, as +if aware that she did belong to the captain, she made no scruple of +invading the quarter-deck, and soiling its purity. One day, my first +acquaintance on board--the tall, gaunt midshipman with red hair, who, by +the bye, went by the name of Miss Susan--with two or three other +youngsters and me, was standing on our side of the deck, when Nancy, the +goat, released from her pen, came prancing up to us. We, as usual, made +grabs at her horns and tail, and somewhat excited her temper. Now, she +began to butt at us, and made us fly, right and left. Miss Susan was +capsized, and sent sprawling on the deck; and Nancy, highly delighted at +her victory, frisked off to the starboard side, where Mr Lukyn, with +all the dignity of a first-lieutenant, was walking the deck with his +glass under his arm. Nancy, either mistaking his long legs for the +stems of the trees and shrubs of her native hills, or wishing to repeat +the experiment which had succeeded so well with regard to Miss Susan, +made a furious butt at his calves while he was walking aft, unconscious +of her approach. The effect must have been beyond Nancy's utmost +expectations, as it was beyond ours. Our gallant first never appeared +very firm on his pins, and, the blow doubling his knees, down he came, +stern first, on the deck with his heels in the air, while the goat, +highly delighted at her performance, and totally unconscious of her +gross infraction of naval discipline, frolicked off forward in search of +fresh adventures. + +Just at that moment up came Billy Wise with a message from the captain. + +Now Mr Lukyn rarely gave way to anger, but this was an occasion to try +his temper. Picking himself up from his undignified posture, "Hang the +goat," he exclaimed in a loud tone; "who let the creature loose?" Billy +did not know, but having delivered his message, away he went forward; +while we endeavoured to conceal, as far as we could, the fits of +laughter in which we were indulging. Miss Susan's real name was Jacob +Spellman. Some short time after this, I was going along the main-deck +with him, when we found the captain's steward very busy splicing an eye +in a rope, close to the cattle-pen, where Nancy had her abode. We +walked on a little way, and then turned round to watch him. Having +formed a running noose, he put it round the goat's neck, and dragged her +out of the pen. He then got a tub and made her stand upon it while he +passed the rope over a hook in the beam above. Hauling away as hard as +he could, he gave the tub a kick, and there hung poor Nancy, in a most +uncomfortable position, very nearly with her neck dislocated; but as he +had not calculated on her power of standing on her hind legs, the result +he expected was unaccomplished, and she was not altogether deprived of +life. She struggled, however, so violently that she would very soon +have been strangled had not old Perigal, who was mate of the main-deck, +come up and seen what was going forward. "Why, man, what are you +about?" he exclaimed. "Please, sir, I be hanging the goat," was Billy's +reply. + +"Hanging the goat! who told you to do that?" inquired Perigal. + +"It was the first-lieutenant, sir. She knocked him over right flat on +the deck, and so he told me to go and hang her." + +"Well, you are a precious--," exclaimed the old mate. "Let free the +beast, and thank your stars that you didn't hang her. The captain is a +wonderfully good-natured man, there can be no doubt of it; but even he +wouldn't have stood having his goat hung." + +Of course I do not dress the language of my shipmates with the +expletives in which many of them were apt to indulge, when the use of +strange oaths and swearing of all descriptions was more common than even +at present, when the practice would be more honoured in the breach than +in the observance. One thing I must say, I never heard our gallant +captain utter an oath or abuse a man during the whole time I had the +happiness of serving under him, and a braver, more spirited, or more +sensible man never trod the deck of a man-of-war as her chief. His +memory is dear, not only to all those who served with him, but to all of +high or low degree who knew him during his long and glorious naval +career. His manners were mild and gentle--though he had an abundance of +humour and spirit. He could, however, when he thought it necessary, +speak with the gravest severity to a delinquent. I never saw any man +more cool and calm and thoughtful in action. It may truly be said of +him that in battle he was as brave as a lion, and in peace as gentle as +a lamb. I could not resist uttering this panegyric on our well-loved +captain. + +To return to Billy Wise and the goat. The poor animal's life was saved, +though she had a strange way of stretching out her neck for some weeks +afterwards, and always gave Billy a wide berth when she encountered him +in her rambles about the decks. + +When the captain heard the account, instead of being angry, he laughed +heartily, and added the story to his batch of anecdotes. + +"I must do something with that poor fellow," he remarked. "He is not +fit to be made Lord Chief Justice, I fear." + +It was not always plain sailing with me. Spellman and I were pretty +good friends, but he was somewhat inclined to play the bully. He was +called Miss Susan simply because he was as unlike a girl as a great +awkward gawky fellow, with red hair and a freckled face, could well be. + +One day, as I was going along the lower-deck, with a message to old +Perigal, who was attending to some duty forward, I came suddenly on Toby +Bluff, whose ear Spellman had seized, while with his heel he was +bestowing sundry hard blows on the corpus of my sturdy follower, who +already knew enough of naval discipline not to venture on retaliation. +Toby, though short, was as strong as a lion, and could have hurled him +to the deck if he had dared. This made Miss Susan's attack all the more +cowardly. What Toby had done to give offence I did not stop to inquire. +My anger was up in a moment. + +"Let go the boy, Spellman!" I exclaimed; "you shall not strike him +again." + +Toby gained little by this, for Miss Susan only kicked him the harder; +whereon, up I rushed and hit my tall messmate a blow between the eyes, +which made lightning flash from them, I suspect. Spellman instantly let +go Toby and sprang at me. I stood prepared for the onslaught. Blinded +by my first blow, my antagonist hit out at random, and though double my +weight, was far from getting the best of it. While we were thus +pleasantly occupied, Mr Lukyn, with the sergeant-at-arms, was going his +rounds. We were so earnestly engaged in endeavouring to the utmost of +our power to hurt each other, that we did not perceive their approach. +Toby knew too well the laws of British pugilism to interfere, though had +my opponent been an enemy of a different nation, and had we been engaged +in mortal combat, I have no doubt that I should have found my young +follower an able supporter. An exclamation from Toby threw Spellman off +his guard, when a full blow, which I had planted on his breast, sent him +reeling back into the not very tender clutches of old Krause, the +master-at-arms. + +"What is this about, young gentlemen?" exclaimed Mr Lukyn, in a severe +tone. "Fighting is against the articles of war." + +"He hit me, sir;" "He kicked the boy Bluff," we both exclaimed in the +same breath. + +"I must have you both up before the captain, and ascertain who is the +culprit," said Mr Lukyn. "Master-at-arms, take these young gentlemen +into custody." + +I, on this, represented that I had been sent on a message to Mr +Perigal, and was allowed to go and deliver it. While I was absent, +Spellman took care to put his case in the best light, and mine in the +worst. In about an hour we were both taken before the captain, and Toby +was summoned as a witness. For fear of committing me, he was only +puzzled what to say. + +"Speak the truth, and nothing but it," said I boldly. The captain cast +a look of approbation on me. Toby frankly confessed that, not seeing +Mr Spellman, he had run against him, when he had been seized by the +ear, and that I, coming up, had taken his part. Toby was dismissed. + +"Now, young gentlemen, you are both in the wrong," said the captain. +"You, Mr Spellman, should not have struck the boy for his heedlessness, +and you, Mr Merry, should not have taken the law into your own hands. +You will both of you go to the mast-head, and remain there till Mr +Lukyn calls you down; Mr Merry to the foremast, Mr Spellman to the +mainmast." + +We thought that we had got off very easily; and we should, had not the +first-lieutenant gone below and forgotten all about us. Hour after hour +passed by: we had had no dinner: I was almost starved, and could +scarcely have held on longer, when my eye fell on a sail to the +southward. We were in the chops of the channel, with the wind from the +northward. "Sail, O!" I shouted in a shrill tone. Fortunately Mr +Lukyn was on deck, and when I had told him the direction in which I had +seen the stranger, he called me down, it having probably occurred to him +that I had been mast-headed rather longer than he intended. + +When I got on deck I went up to him, and, touching my hat, said, +"Please, sir, Spellman is still at the mast-head." + +"Oh, is he? ah!" he answered, taking a turn. + +I guessed from this that he did not think I was much to blame. Still I +was anxious to get poor Miss Susan out of this unpleasant predicament, +for I knew he was almost dead with hunger. I had resolved to go up to +Mr Lukyn to tell him so, when he hailed my late antagonist, and ordered +him on deck. + +"You have to thank Mr Merry that you are not up still," observed the +first-lieutenant, walking away. + +Meantime the helm had been put up, and sail made in chase of the +stranger. All hands earnestly hoped that she might prove an enemy. A +sharp look-out was kept on her. One thing soon became evident--that we +must have been seen, and that she was not inclined to fly. + +"Now, Mr Merry, we'll show you what fighting is," observed Mr Johnson, +the boatswain, as I stood near him on the forecastle. "You'll soon see +round-shot, and langrage, and bullets rattling about us, thick as hail; +and heads, and arms, and legs flying off like shuttle-cocks. A man's +head is off his shoulders before he knows where he is. You'll not +believe it, Mr Merry, perhaps; but it's a fact. I once belonged to a +frigate, when we fell in with two of the enemy's line-of-battle ships, +and brought them to action. One, for a short time, was on our starboard +beam, and the other right aft; and we were exposed to a terrible cross +and raking fire: it's only a wonder one of us remained alive, or that +the ship didn't go down. It happened that two men were standing near +me, looking the same way--athwart ships, you'll understand. The name of +one was Bill Cox--the other, Tom Jay. Well, a round-shot came from our +enemy astern, and took off the head of Bill Cox, who was on the larboard +side; while at that identical moment a chain-shot from the ship abeam +cut off Tom Jay's head, who was nearest the starboard side, so cleanly-- +he happened to have a long neck--that it was jerked on to the body of +Bill Cox, who, very naturally, putting up his hands to feel what had +become, of his own head, kept it there so tightly that it stuck-- +positively stuck; and, the surgeon afterwards plastering it thickly +round, it grew as firmly as if it had always belonged to the body. The +curious thing was, that the man did not afterwards know what to call +himself; when he intended to do one thing he was constantly doing +another. There was Bill Cox's body, d'ye see, and Tom Jay's head. Bill +Cox was rather the shorter of the two, and had had a very ugly mug of +his own; while Tom Jay was a good-looking chap. Consequently, Bill used +sometimes to blush when he heard his good looks spoken of, and sometimes +to get angry, thinking people were making fun of him. At first, Bill +never knew who was hailed, and used to sing out, `Which of us do you +want?' However, it was agreed that he was and should be Bill Cox; +because the head belonged to the body by right of capture; for if Bill's +arms hadn't sprung up and caught it, the head would have gone overboard, +and been no use to nobody. So the matter was settled, as far as the +public was concerned. D was put against Tom Jay's name, and his +disconsolate widow was written to, and told she might marry some one +else as soon as she liked. But Bill wasn't at all comfortable about +himself. He was fond of fat bacon, which Tom Jay could never abide; and +when Bill put it into his new mouth, why, you see, the mouth that was +Tom's spit it out again, and wouldn't let it, by no manner of means, go +down his throat. Then Tom was fond of a chaw, and seldom had had a quid +out of his cheeks. Bill, for some reason, didn't like baccy, and though +his mouth kept asking for it, nothing would ever tempt his hands to put +a quid inside. `I'm very miserable, that I be,' groaned poor Bill; `I +sometimes almost wishes I hadn't caught Tom's head--that I do.' + +"You see, Mr Merry, people seldom know when they are well off, and that +I used to tell him. More came of it when Bill got back home. When poor +Tom Jay's widow caught sight of him there was a terrible to do, seeing +she was already married to another man; but I'll tell you all about that +by and by. There's the captain about to speak." + +The captain's speech was very brief: "Clear ship for action," he +exclaimed, as he placed himself on one of the after guns; "and now, +lads, let me see what you are made of." + +I had been about to ask the boatswain how he got clear of the two +line-of-battle ships, when this interruption occurred. Toby Bluff had +been standing at a respectful distance, taking it all in with open mouth +and astonishment. Each man went to his station--bulkheads were knocked +away--the fires put out--the magazine opened--powder and shot were +carried on deck--the guns were cast loose, and every preparation was +made in a wonderfully short space of time. As I passed along the +main-deck, I found Toby Bluff sitting on his tub, the picture of a +regular powder-monkey--fat, sturdy, and unconcerned. He had become on +very familiar terms with the other boys, and had fought his way into a +satisfactory state of equality. He and those near him were firing off +jokes at each other at a rapid rate, the others trying to frighten him, +and he in no way inclined to take alarm. + +"Never you mind," he answered to a remark made by one of his companions; +"if some chaps have their heads blown off, others gets new ones clapped +on again! Ha, ha, ha! That's more than some of you ever see'd done." + +I was glad to see that Toby was in such good heart, and would not +disgrace our county. When I reached the upper deck, I found our bunting +going up and down. We were signalising with the stranger, which, after +all, turned out to be no enemy, but his Majesty's thirty-six gun frigate +Uranius. There was a general groan of disappointment when the order was +given to secure the guns and close the magazine. I believe that, at +that moment, most of the people, so worked up were they for fighting, +would rather have had a turn to with their friend than have been baulked +altogether. We found, however, that we should soon have a good +opportunity of gratifying our pugnacious propensities. Admiral +Cornwallis was at that time the commander-in-chief of the Channel fleet. +He had directed Captain Collyer to look out for the Uranius and another +frigate, the Emerald, and to proceed off Point Saint Matthieu, to watch +the French and Spanish fleets then lying in Brest harbour. After +cruising for a couple of days, we fell in with the other frigate, and +thus all together proceeded to our destination. We soon reached it. On +standing in towards the land, we very clearly made out the enemy's fleet +at anchor in Brest harbour; but few, if any, of the ships had their +sails bent, and even if they had come out after us we could very easily +have escaped. + +"All hands shorten sail, and bring ship to an anchor," was the order +given, and all three frigates brought up just as coolly as if we had +been at Spithead. + +"I wonder what they think of us?" I observed to the boatswain, as one +day I was examining the enemy through my glass. + +"Think of us!" he exclaimed. "That we are as impudent as sparrows, and +that they would willingly wring our necks and eat us if they could. But +it is nothing to what I have seen done in the way of daring. I once +belonged to a frigate, commanded by Captain Longbow, and, as he would +tell you, if you were to ask him, we one night sailed right into the +middle of a Spanish fleet--ran alongside one of their ships, boarded and +carried her, and took her out free without the Spanish admiral +discovering what we had been about. There's no end to the wonderful +things I have seen done, or, I may say, without conceit, have done, Mr +Merry. But I rather suspect that we shall have to lose sight of the +Dons and Monsieurs for a few days. There's bad weather coming on, and +we shall have to stand out to sea; but, never mind, they'll not make +their escape with a gale in their teeth." + +Mr Johnson prognosticated rightly. Before many hours it was blowing +great guns and small-arms, and the three frigates were endeavouring, +under all the sail they could carry, to obtain a good offing from the +land. We tumbled about and pitched into the seas in a way which +prevented me from, as usual, pitching into my dinner. One thing was +satisfactory; the gale blockaded the enemy as effectually as we could +have done. They were not inclined to come out and face either our guns +or the fury of the wind. I cannot say, however, that just at that time +anything brought much consolation to me. I had only one very strong +wish; it was, to be thrown overboard--not that I had the slightest +intention of jumping into the sea of my own accord. I was too far gone +for any such energetic proceeding; and had anybody else taken me up for +the purpose, I have no doubt that I should have struggled and kicked +myself into perfect health again. I had coiled myself away on the top +of my chest, on the lower-deck, in a dark recess, where I thought no one +would see me; and there I hoped to remain all alone in my misery, till +the ship went down, or blew up, or something else dreadful happened, for +as to my ever getting well again that I felt was physically impossible. +I had lain thus for some time, believing myself to be the most miserable +small piece of humanity in existence, when, the frigate appearing to be +pitching and rolling more furiously than ever, I heard a gruff voice +exclaim-- + +"What, youngster! are you going to let the ship go down, and you not try +to save her? On deck with you; be smart, now." + +I felt a colt applied to a part of my body which, in the position I lay, +offered a tempting mark. The voice was that of old Perigal; his sharp +eyes had found me out. I sprang up and rushed on deck with an +involuntary yell of pain, to find the ship under her three topsails +closely reefed, forcing her way bravely through the seas, and not at all +inclined to go down, or to come to any other damage. + +"You're all the better for that trip, youngster," said the old mate, +with a grin, as I returned to the berth. "Now, just take a lump of this +fat bacon, and a bit of biscuit,--and here, as a treat, you shall have a +nip of old Jamaica, and you'll be all to rights in ten minutes, and +never be sea-sick again as long as you live." + +I remonstrated, but out came the colt, and with an argument so cogent I +was fain to adopt my messmate's remedy. It was a terrible trial. At +first, I could scarcely bring my teeth to meet; but Perigal flourished +his weapon, and my jaws went faster and faster, till I was not sorry to +finish the whole of the biscuit and bacon placed before me, and could +have taken twice as much if I could have got it. Perigal was right. +From that day to this I have never suffered from sea-sickness. + +Toby Bluff had undergone a similar ordeal, and when I was well enough to +go and look for him, I found him scraping away at a beef bone, from +which he had just removed the last particle of meat. + +The summer gale was soon over, and once more we stood in for the land to +look after the Frenchmen. As we drew in, I saw the captain and officers +eagerly scanning the coast with their glasses, and it was soon known +that a ship had been discovered at anchor by herself in a bay almost +abreast of where we then were. She was protected, however, by the guns +of some strongish batteries. + +"We must have her out, though," observed Captain Collyer; and forthwith +the proposal was made to our consorts by signal. + +Neither of the captains was the sort of man to decline engaging in the +undertaking. Off we went, under every stitch of canvas we could carry, +to look for the admiral, who, with a fleet sufficient to render a good +account of the enemy, should they venture out of harbour, was cruising +in the neighbourhood. + +Admiral Cornwallis highly approved of the proposal. "Go and do it," was +his laconic reply. He was more addicted to acts than words. He sent a +lieutenant, in whom he placed great confidence, to take command, and a +boat and boat's crew from the flagship to lead. This was not quite as +complimentary a proceeding as the three captains would have liked; but +they were all too zealous and too anxious to get the work done to stand +on ceremony. Away back we sailed, till we once more made out the +entrance to the bay, which was called Camaret Bay. + +The craft we were about to attack, and hoped to capture, was the +Chevrette, a ship corvette, mounting twenty guns--a powerful vessel, and +not likely to be taken without a severe struggle. Notice was given that +volunteers would be required for the service, and immediately the +greater part of the officers and crews of the three frigates came +forward. Among those who volunteered from the Doris was Mr Bryan, the +second lieutenant; Mr Johnson, the boatswain; and Edkins, the captain's +coxswain. All were allowed to go. The captain had great confidence in +Mr Bryan; and I suspect that he had a fancy to ascertain what Mr +Johnson really was made of. + +We brought up at our usual anchorage, and the remainder of the day was +occupied in making preparations for the expedition. I saw Mr Johnson +very busily employed in his cabin in cleaning his pistols. + +"Come in, Mr Merry," he said, as he caught sight of me. "These are old +friends of mine: they have served me many a good turn before now. If it +was not for these pistols I should not have been in the land of the +living: some day I'll tell you how it happened. Well, we are likely to +have some desperate work to-night, and no one can tell whose lot it will +be to fall. That reminds me, Mr Merry, I have written a letter to my +wife, and I will intrust it to you. That is more than I would do to any +other midshipman in the ship. She is a charming person--every inch a +lady, and a lady of rank, too. One thing I must charge you--do not +speak of me as a boatswain. She has no idea that I hold so subordinate +a rank. She believes that I am an officer, and so I am; only I am a +warrant and not a commissioned officer. Just tell her that I died +fighting bravely for my country. Her name--for she is not called Mrs +Johnson--and address you will find within that enclosure. If I come +back, you will restore it to me as it is; if I fall, you will know what +to do with it." + +I thanked Mr Johnson very much for the confidence he reposed in me, but +told him that I had come for the very purpose of asking him to let me go +in his boat. + +"You, Mr Merry?" exclaimed the boatswain. "You'll be made into +mince-meat--cut to atoms--annihilated. It's no child's play, that +cutting-out work we are going on, let me tell you. Time enough when you +are bigger." + +"But I want to go, that I may know how to do it," I argued; "I have come +to sea to learn to be a sailor and an officer, and the captain says we +should lose no opportunity of gaining knowledge; and I could not find a +better occasion than the present for gaining an insight into what, I +fancy, is of very considerable importance." + +I went on for some time arguing in this way, and coaxing the boatswain. + +"Well! well! I cannot give you leave, youngster--you know that; but I +have heard of boys stowing themselves away under a sail in the bows of a +boat, and coming out to play their part right manfully when the time for +action had arrived. I am to have the pinnace, you know." + +"Thank you--thank you," I exclaimed, overwhelmed with gratitude at the +enormous favour done me by the boatswain, of allowing me to run a +considerable chance of getting knocked on the head. + +"Don't say any more about it, Mr Merry," said Mr Johnson; "I always +liked you; and I couldn't do for my own son, if I had one, more than I +would do for you." The boatswain forgot to ask for his letter back, so +I locked it up in my desk, after I had written a few lines to inform my +family that, if they received them, it would be to convey the +information that I had fallen, nobly fighting for my country, on the +field of fame--or something to that effect. I know I thought my epistle +so very fine and pathetic that I could not resist the temptation of +sending it home, and very nearly frightened my mother and sisters into +hysterics, under the belief that I really was numbered among the killed +and wounded. It was only when they got to the postscript that they +discovered I was all right and well. Having written this despatch, +announcing my own demise--which, by the bye, I should certainly not have +done had not the boatswain put it into my head--I set to work to make my +other preparations. Having secured a pistol, with some powder and +bullets, and a cutlass, which I fancied I could handle, I stowed them +away in the bows of the pinnace. + +I never before played the hypocrite, but I was so afraid that my +messmates would discover my purpose, that I pretended to take no +interest in the proposed expedition, and spoke as if it was an affair in +which I should be very sorry to be engaged. I got, in consequence, +considerably sneered at: Miss Susan, especially, amused himself at my +expense, and told me that I had better go back to my sisters, and help +them to sew and nurse babies, if I was afraid of fighting. I bore all +that was said with wonderful equanimity, hoping that the next morning +would show I was a greater hero than any of them. + +At length the boats' crews were piped away: it was the signal for which +I had long been listening. I rushed on deck, and, unperceived, as I +hoped, I jumped into the pinnace, and stowed myself away under the +thwarts. The boats were lowered, the order was given to shove off; and, +with a hearty cheer from all on board the ships, to which those on the +boats responded, away we pulled for the mouth of Camaret Bay. My +position was anything but pleasant, especially as I got several kicks +from the feet of the men which nearly stove in my ribs; and I was +therefore very glad when I thought it would be safe to crawl out, and +present myself to the boatswain. The men, very naturally, were highly +pleased, and I rose considerably in their estimation by what I had done; +but Mr Johnson, of course, pretended to be very angry when he saw me, +and told me the captain would never forgive me, or speak to me again, if +I got killed. At first, the men were allowed to laugh and talk as much +as they liked; but as we approached the entrance to the bay, silence was +enjoined, and even the oars were muffled, so that we should give no +notice to the enemy of our approach. + +The night was very dark. Our boat had kept near that of our leader, Mr +Bryan; but after some time it was discovered that the other division of +boats had not come up. We had pulled very fast, and probably +outstripped them. We pulled on till we got within the very mouth of the +harbour, and then the order was passed from boat to boat that we were to +lay on our oars till the rest of the boats came up. I found this rather +a trying time. While we were rapidly pulling on I could not think, and +I felt a powerful longing to be slashing away at the enemy. Now I began +to reflect that they would equally be slashing away at me; and I +remembered my own pathetic letter, and what I fancied Jonathan Johnson's +anticipations of evil. Probably the men were indulging in much the same +sort of thoughts; I know that they did not appear to be in nearly such +good spirits as at first. This showed me what I have ever since +remembered, that when dashing work is to be done, it should be done +off-hand, and that all pains should be taken to avoid a halt or +interruption. + +Hour after hour passed by; no boats appeared. At length the day broke, +and so rapidly did it come on that, before we had time to get to a +distance, the light revealed us to the eyes of the enemy. The other +boats were nowhere to be seen; they, for some reason, had returned to +the ships; we had now no resource but to do the same, in a very +crestfallen condition. + +I hid myself away, as before, and managed to get on board without any +one discovering where I had been. I knew that Mr Johnson would keep +his counsel, and I did my best to keep mine. Captain Collyer and the +other captains were very much annoyed at the failure of the expedition, +and it soon became known that they had resolved to make another attempt +to cut out the Chevrette. + +There was no time to be lost. Another expedition was arranged for that +night. Every one knew that it would be far more dangerous than it would +have been on the previous night, because the enemy would now be prepared +for our reception. The corvette, indeed, was seen to go further up the +harbour, so as to be more completely under the protection of the +batteries; and as boats were continually passing between her and the +shore, there could be little doubt that she was augmenting the number of +her crew. Notwithstanding the formidable resistance they might thus +expect to meet with, all were as eager as before to join in the +expedition. + +I resolved not to be baulked of my expected amusement, but how to +accomplish my purpose was the difficulty. I heard both the officers and +men regretting the failure of the previous night, and observing that +they should have much tougher work the next time, by which I knew that +the danger would be very greatly increased; but that only made me the +more eager to go on the expedition. The resistance to be expected was, +indeed, formidable. We could see with our glasses the people busily +employed in throwing up new batteries on shore; and then a large gun +vessel came out and anchored at the mouth of the bay, to give notice of +the approach of boats. What, however, excited the rage of all on board, +and made us still more eager to capture the French corvette, was to see +her hoist a large French ensign above the British flag. + +"That insult seals her fate," observed Mr Bryan, loud enough for the +men near to hear him. "Our fellows will take very good care to reverse +those two flags before many hours are over." + +I was in a very fidgety state all day. I was not accustomed to +concealment, and I dared trust no one with my plans. Even Toby Bluff I +suspected, would try to prevent me going, unless he was allowed to go +also; and that I did not wish, as it would, in the first place, have +increased the chances of my being discovered, and also, though I was +ready enough to run the risk of being knocked on the head myself, I did +not wish to let him get hurt if I could help it. I likewise very +carefully kept out of the boatswain's way. I knew that, as the danger +was increased, he would be still less willing to let me go, and I was in +a great fright lest he should have an opportunity of speaking to me +alone, and altogether prohibit me from going in his boat. At last a +bright idea occurred to me--I would sham ill, and then no one would +suspect me. I immediately went to our long-headed Scotch +assistant-surgeon, Macquoid, and described my symptoms. + +"You're vary ill, lad--vary ill," he answered, looking at me with a +quizzical expression in his humorous countenance. "I'll give you +something which will do for ye, and not make ye wish for any more physic +for a long time to come." + +Macquoid was as good as his word. Terribly nauseous was the draught he +insisted on my swallowing; nor would he leave me till every drop had +gone down, and then I rushed off to the berth and threw myself on a +locker to luxuriate in the flavour, which nothing I could take would +remove from my mouth. + +It was the first and last time I ever made an attempt at malingering. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +After I had taken Macquoid's nauseous draught, I went and lay down on my +chest. I chose that spot because, from the uncomfortable position in +which I was obliged to place myself, I was not likely to go to sleep, +and because I was there better able to hear when the boats' crews were +called away. I could not help now and then giving way to a groan, which +the sickness and pain of the physic produced. + +"Who's that?" I heard old Perigal inquire, as he was passing to the +berth. + +"Oh, it's only that little sneak Merry," Spellman answered. "He thinks +that he may be ordered off in the boat, and is shamming sick to escape, +as if such a hop-o'-my-thumb as he is could be of any use." + +"That is not like him. I consider him a very plucky little fellow," +remarked Perigal. + +"Thank you, old boy," I said mentally. "And you, Miss Susan, I'll be +even with you some day for your obliging remarks." + +I cannot say, however, that I felt any enmity towards Spellman on that +account. I had not respect enough for him. I would rather, however, +have parted with more kindly feelings towards all my messmates on so +dangerous an expedition. I could not help thinking over the matter +while lying so long silent by myself, but my resolution to accomplish my +design was not shaken. My messmates went into the berth, and just then +I heard the boats piped away. I ran quickly upon deck, and, while the +men were buckling on their cutlasses, I slipped into the pinnace, and +stowed myself, as before, into so small a space that even the boatswain, +who looked into the boat, did not perceive me. I knew that he looked +for me, because I heard his gruff voice say, "All right; he's not there. +He's thought better of it." At about half-past nine the final order to +shove off was given, and away we went. I got fewer kicks this time, for +I took good care to keep my legs out of the way. The men, also, I +suspect, guessed that I was there. I knew that I was perfectly safe +with them. + +The flotilla consisted of fifteen boats, containing nearly three hundred +officers and men, not counting myself. After we had got, as I supposed, +about a couple of miles from the ship, and I knew that I could not be +sent back, I ventured to crawl out and look over the gunnel. The inky +sea around us was dotted with boats, all the party keeping pretty close +together. The night was so dark that I could see little more than their +outlines, as they crept rapidly along, like many-footed monsters, over +the deep. I did not fancy that Mr Johnson knew I was there, but his +sharp eyes made me out through the gloom. + +"Mr Merry, step aft, if you please, sir," he bawled out suddenly. + +Stepping over the oars, I went and sat myself down by him, but said +nothing. + +"Mr Merry, this conduct is highly reprehensible. I must report it to +the captain as soon as we get back, after we have carried and brought +out that French corvette, and covered ourselves with honour and glory; +and I don't know what he'll say to you. And now, sir, after, as in duty +bound, from being your superior officer, I have expressed my opinions, I +should like to know what you are going to do when we get alongside the +enemy?" + +"Climb up with the rest, and fight the Frenchmen," I replied promptly. + +"Very good, Mr Merry; but suppose one of the Frenchmen was to give you +a poke in the ribs with a boarding-pike, or a shot through the chest, or +a slash with a cutlass, what would you do then?" + +"Grin and bear it, I suppose, like anybody else," was my answer. + +"Very good, very good, indeed, Mr Merry," said the boatswain, +well-pleased; "that's the spirit I like, and expected to find in you. +Now, my boy, whatever you do, stick by me; I'll do my best for you. If +I get knocked over, and there's no saying what will happen in desperate +work like this, then keep close to Edkins. He's a good swordsman, and +won't let you be hurt if he can help it. I should be sorry if any harm +came to you. But, Mr Merry, how are you going to fight? I don't see +that you have got a sword, and I fancy that you'll not do much execution +with one of the ship's cutlasses." + +I told him that I had got my dirk, and that I hoped to make good use of +that. + +He laughed heartily. + +"A tailor's bodkin would be of as much use in boarding," he answered; +"but you shall have one of my pistols; the chances are that I do not +require either of them. Cold steel suits me best." + +I thanked Mr Johnson warmly, and then asked him what orders had been +received about attacking. He told me that some of the boats were to +board on the bows, and others on the quarters of the corvette; that a +quarter-master of the Beaulieu, with a party of men to protect him, was +to take charge of the helm; that others were to fight their way aloft, +to let fall the topsails; and that he, with his men and another boat's +crew, was to hold possession of the forecastle, and to cut the cables. +All this was to be done in spite of any fighting which might be taking +place. Some were to sheet home the topsails, and the remainder were to +do their best to overpower the enemy. We had got some way, when we +caught sight of a strange boat inside of us. + +The commander of the expedition, supposing that she belonged to the +Chevrette, summoning five other boats to attend him, made chase to +secure her, ordering his second in command to pull slowly on till he +rejoined the expedition. On we went. As to pulling slow, that was a +very difficult thing to do just then. So eager were the men, that they +couldn't help putting more strength into their strokes than they +intended. All I know is that the nine remaining boats got close up to +the harbour's mouth, and that the others had not joined. We lay on our +oars, as ordered, for a short time. + +"What can have become of them?" exclaimed a lieutenant in one of the +boats. + +"Daylight will be upon us if we don't look sharp," said another. + +"It would be a disgrace to go back without attempting something," cried +a third. + +"We will lose no more time, but try what we can do without them," said +the senior officer of the party. He was undoubtedly very eager to lead +on the occasion. Certain necessary alterations were made. + +"Gentlemen, you all know your respective duties," he added. "Then give +way!" + +Right cheerfully the men bent to their oars, and up the harbour we +dashed. I kept looking ahead for the enemy. I knew that as soon as we +saw her, she would see us, and then the fun would begin. I felt rather +nervous, but very eager. + +"There she is," cried the boatswain. + +Suddenly through the gloom, I saw the tall masts and spars of the ship +we were to attack. A voice from her hailed us in French. Of course our +only reply was a hearty cheer, and on we dashed faster than ever. Not +unmolested though. The next moment, sheets of flame darted from the +ports, from one end of the ship to the other, and showers of grape and +bullets rattled about our heads. A groan, or a cry of anguish from some +of the boats, told that the emissaries of destruction had taken effect. +Thick fell the shot, and the next instant a heavy fire opened on us from +the shore; but nothing stopped our progress. On we dashed, and were +quickly alongside the enemy. The whole side bristled with +boarding-pikes, and as we attempted to climb up, muskets and pistols +were discharged in our faces, and tomahawks and sabres came slashing +down on our heads. Our men cheered and grasped hold of the ship's +sides, but again and again were thrust back, and then the Frenchmen +leaped into our boats, making a dashing effort to drive us out of them. +They had better have remained on their own deck, for very few got back. +Some did though, and formed shields to our men, who climbed up after +them. Meantime, our boat had boarded, as directed, on the starboard +bow, but finding it hopeless to get up there, Mr Johnson dropped +astern, and perceiving only one boat on the quarter, and space for us to +shove in, we hooked on, and the next instant were scrambling up the +side. I kept close to the boatswain. I thought that we were about to +gain the deck, when the enemy made a rush towards us, and over we went, +and I was left clinging to the side, with a dozen sabres flashing above +my head. As to letting go, I never thought of that. I kept Mr +Johnson's pistol in my right hand, and was about to fire, when down came +a sword, which would have clove my head in two, had not a lieutenant of +marines in the next boat interposed his own weapon, and saved me. But +the act was one of self-devotion, for the Frenchman brought his sabre +down on my preserver's arm, while another thrust a pike through his +body, and hurled him back, mortally wounded, to the bottom of the boat. +I should, after all, have shared the same fate, had not Mr Johnson at +that instant recovered himself, and with a shout, loud enough to make +our enemies quake, up he sprang, and, with one whirl of his cutlass, +drove the Frenchmen from the side. Over the bulwarks he leaped; I and +most of the men from the two boats followed. But though we had gained +the deck, there seemed but little chance of our forcing our way forward. + +Our men, in the first desperate struggle alongside, had lost their +firearms, and for a few seconds the tall figure of the boatswain, as he +stood up facing the enemy, offered a mark to a score of muskets aimed at +him. The Frenchmen, expecting to see him fall, came on boldly. I +grasped his pistol, hoping to avenge him. + +"The forecastle is our station, lads," he shouted, and his stentorian +voice was heard above the din of battle. + +"Make a lane, there; make a lane, there," he added, dashing furiously +among the enemy. I followed by his side. His whirling cutlass flashed +round, and sent the Frenchmen flying on either side. On we went, intent +on our object, bearing down all opposition, to gain the forecastle, +while another party had got possession of the helm. The deck was by +this time covered with killed and wounded. Many of our men had fallen. +We strode over friend and foe alike, alive or dead. The break of the +topgallant forecastle was gained. It was desperately defended, but the +boatswain, clearing with a sweep of his cutlass a spot to stand on, +sprang up among the astonished Frenchmen. I felt myself lifted up after +him; our men followed; and though pikes were thrust at us, and pistols +were flashed in our faces for a few seconds, our opponents either leaped +overboard or threw themselves on the deck, and sang out for quarter. +Some of our men, appointed for the purpose, went to the head sails, +while others instantly cut the cable. I glanced my eye upwards; the +topmen, who had fought their way aloft, had cut loose the topsails with +their cutlasses, and they were now being sheeted home; but the fighting +was not over, a desperate attempt was being made by the enemy to drive +us out of the ship. The boatswain, meantime, was uttering his war +shouts, issuing orders to the men, and dealing death and wounds around. + +"Old England for ever I hoist the fore-staysail. Back, ye Johnny +Crapeaus! Back, ye French scarecrows! Haul away, my lads, and belay +all that. Hurra! we've gained the day!" + +In the latter assertion he was somewhat premature, for the French crew, +now rallying amidships, made a desperate attack on the forecastle, but +the boatswain's flashing weapon literally cut them down like corn before +the reaper's scythe, as they came on. Still they pressed round us. +Most of our men were occupied in making sail. + +A big Frenchman, the boatswain of the ship, I fancy, who was almost as +big as Jonathan himself, now sprang ahead of his comrades to measure his +strength with our champion. He was evidently a first-rate swordsman, +and in his progress forward had already cut down two or three of our +men. He shouted something to his companions; it was, I suspected, to +tell them to try and wound Mr Johnson while he was engaging him in +front. I had hitherto grasped the pistol he had given me, but had not +fired it. I felt for the lock. On came the Frenchmen; Mr Johnson had +need of all his skill to keep his enemies at bay. The French boatswain +pressed him desperately hard. One of his mates rushed in, and was +bringing down his cutlass with a terrific sweep, which would have half +cut our boatswain in two, when, raising my pistol, I fired at the man's +head. The bullet went through his brain, and his cutlass, though +wounding Johnson slightly in the leg, fell to the deck. The boatswain's +weapon meantime was not idle, and at the same moment it descended with a +sweep which cut the Frenchman's head nearly in two, and he fell dead +among his comrades. It was at that instant the French discovered that +their ship was under way. "Sauve qui peut!" was the cry. Some jumped +overboard and endeavoured to swim on shore. Many leaped below, either +in fear or with determination still to carry on the fight, and others +threw down their arms and cried for mercy. Not a cutlass was raised on +them after that, but the fellows who fled below had got possession of +some muskets, and began firing at all of us who appeared near the +hatchways. A party of our men, however, leaped down among them and +quickly put a stop to their proceedings. + +The ship was now completely under our command; the sails filled, she +felt the helm, and was standing down the harbour. Though it appeared to +me nearly an hour, if not more, I found that not five minutes had passed +since the boats got alongside. But we were not quite free. We were +congratulating ourselves on our success, when a shot whistled between +our masts, followed by another, and a heavy battery opened upon us. We +were too busy to reply to it, and the men went about their work just as +coolly as if nothing was occurring. The wind was light, and we were a +long time exposed to the fire of the battery. Mr Johnson, between +pulling and hauling, for he lent a hand to everybody, apostrophised the +masts, and urged them not to get shot away. He evidently thought more +of them just then than of anything else. They were in his department. + +"I wonder, Mr Johnson, whether any of us will have to change heads?" +said I. + +"If you and I did, you'd look rather funny with my mug on your +shoulders," he answered, with a loud laugh. "Even your own mother +wouldn't know you, I suspect." Just then a shower of grape came +rattling round us, and though I could hear the shot whistling by, close +to my ears, not one of us was hit. I could not help wishing that a +breeze would spring up, and carry us clear of the unpleasant +neighbourhood. Just then the missing boats arrived, and rather +surprised our friends were to find that we had already secured the +prize. Though too late to help to take her, they were of great +assistance in towing her out of range of the enemy's batteries, and I +believe some of the poor fellows in them were hit while so employed. At +length a breeze sprang up, and all sail being made, right merrily we +glided out of the enemy's harbour, much, undoubtedly, to their disgust, +and to our very great satisfaction. + +Now came the sad work of counting the killed and wounded. We had lost +twelve of the former, two being officers, and nearly five times that +number wounded; while we found that the corvette had her captain, three +lieutenants, and three midshipmen, and eighty-five seamen and soldiers +killed, being ninety-two killed, though only sixty-two were wounded. +The deck was a complete shambles: the wounded were carried below, +friends and foes alike, though the dead Frenchmen were hove overboard at +once. Our own dead, being not so numerous, were kept to be committed to +the deep with more ceremony in the morning. Among them was a +midshipman. I could not help lifting up the flag which covered his +face. Poor fellow, there he lay, stiff and stark! A jovial laughing +fellow he had been, cracking his jokes but a few minutes before, just as +we were entering the harbour. Such might have been my fate. He had +fallen, though in the path of duty. He had been ordered to come. I +felt more sad, and was more thoughtful, than I had ever been in my life +before. How long I stood there I do not know. Mr Johnson's voice +aroused me. + +"I haven't had time to speak to you before, Mr Merry," said he. "You +did very well,--very well indeed. Jonathan Johnson thanks you from the +bottom of his heart; that he does. If it hadn't been for your steady +aim, and the unfailing accuracy of my pistol which you fired, I should +now be among those lying there, covered with glory;--a very fine thing +in theory to be covered with, but, practically, I would rather be alive, +and have less of it. However, I mustn't stop talking here. By the bye, +there's Mr Bryan has found you out. I will tell him how you have +behaved, and I dare say that he'll not get you into trouble, if he can +help it." + +I thought that would be very kind in Mr Bryan. It did not occur to me +that I had done anything to be proud of; nor had I, indeed. I had done +what I ought not to have done. I wanted to see some fighting; I had +seen it, and just then I felt that I did not want to see any more. The +face of that dead midshipman haunted me. I had had a sort of a notion +that midshipmen could not be killed, and now I had had proof positive to +the contrary. I felt unusually grave and sad. For a long time I could +not get the face out of my head. I believe that it contributed to sober +me, and to prevent me from being the reckless creature I might otherwise +have become. + +Day broke as we hove in sight of the squadron, and loud cheers saluted +us as we brought up in triumph among them. A prize crew was put in +charge of the captured ship, and I returned in the pinnace with the +boatswain to the Doris. I was in hopes of getting on board without +being observed, but too many eyes were gazing down on us for me to do +that. Spellman was, of course, one of the first to discover me. + +"What, you there, `hop o' me?'" he exclaimed; "how did you tumble into +the boat?" + +"Don't answer him," whispered the boatswain, as we climbed up the side; +"I'll let him know what I think of you and him." + +I ran down below as fast as I could to change my clothes and wash, for I +was dreadfully dirty, covered from head to foot with powder and blood. +The first person I encountered was Toby Bluff. + +"Oh! Muster Merry, Muster Merry! Be you really and truly alive?" he +exclaimed, throwing his arms round my neck, and bursting into tears. +"They told me you was gone away to be killed by the Frenchmen, and I +never expected to see you more; that I didn't. But is it yourself, +squire? You looks awful smoky and bloody loike. Where are all the +wounds? You'll be bleeding to death, sure. Let me run for the doctor." + +He would have been off like a shot, but I assured him that I was not +hurt. After he was satisfied that such was the case, I despatched him +to the cook's galley to procure some hot water, with which, and the aid +of soap, I managed speedily to get rid of the stains of the fight. By +the time I got to rights, breakfast was on the table, and I went into +the berth and sat myself down as if nothing had happened. I flattered +myself that my messmates looked at me with considerable respect, though +they badgered me not a little. + +"Where have you been, youngster?" said one. "You'll catch it, my boy!" + +"What have you been about, Merry?" asked old Perigal, who was rather +annoyed at not having been allowed to go. "Getting most kicks or +halfpence, I wonder? but `duty is duty, and discipline is discipline,' +as the master remarks; and you mustn't be playing these pranks, my boy, +or you'll get knocked on the head or turned out of the service. Over +zeal is not approved of at head-quarters." + +I went on eating my breakfast with perfect equanimity, and I very soon +found that my messmates were eager to have an account of the expedition, +which I was able to give them with tolerable clearness. I was still +somewhat uncomfortable as to what the captain would say, and, before +long, he sent for me. I went trembling. He received me, however, very +kindly, though he was somewhat grave. + +"The boatswain speaks in the highest terms of your coolness and courage, +and says that you saved his life. I am therefore willing to overlook +your infraction of the rules of discipline on this occasion, but +remember that, however well you may behave in other respects, you can +never make wrong right. In consequence of this, I cannot speak of your +bravery in public as I should have liked to do." + +This was a good deal for the captain to say, and more, I felt conscious, +than I deserved. The officers were very civil to me, and I felt that I +had certainly risen in public estimation, and was no longer looked upon +as a little boy. + +A few days after this Spellman came into the berth in a great rage, +stating that he had overheard the boatswain say that Mr Merry was worth +his weight in gold, and that he, Spellman, was not worth his in +paving-stones. "Listeners never hear any good of themselves," observed +one. + +"And if you are not worth your weight in paving-stones, I should like to +know what you are worth?" asked old Perigal. + +"I am much obliged to the boatswain for his good opinion of me," said I. +"But he probably was thinking of the saying that London is paved with +gold, and meant to say that you were worth your weight in gold +paving-stones." + +"That may be," answered Spellman, willing to be pacified; "but I cannot +say I liked his tone." + +On this there was a general laugh. The boatswain's tone was well-known. +It was wonderful what withering contempt he could throw into it. The +men dreaded it more than they did even his rattan, and that, in his +hand, was a somewhat formidable weapon. I remembered his promise when +Spellman was quizzing me, on our return from capturing the Chevrette, +and I found that he had fulfilled it. I thanked him the next time we +met off duty. + +"Yes, Mr Merry; I like to serve my friends, and serve out my enemies. +Not that poor Mr Spellman is an enemy of yours or mine; but--I say it +with all due respect--he is a goose, and I like to baste geese." + +I did not repeat to Spellman what Mr Johnson had said of him. I had an +intuitive feeling that it was harmful to tell a person what another says +of him, except it happens to be something especially pleasant. I +believe more ill-blood and mischief is created in that way than in any +other. + +Soon after this, we sailed on a cruise to the westward, for the purpose +of intercepting some of the enemy's homeward-bound merchantmen. + +Notwithstanding what I have said of Spellman, I was in reality on very +good terms with him. He was continually playing me tricks; but then I +paid him off in his own coin. I had, however, made the friendship of +another messmate, George Grey by name. He was about my own age and +size, and came from Leicestershire, but from a different part of the +county to that where my family lived. I liked him, because he was such +an honest, upright little fellow. No bullying or persuasion could make +him do what he thought wrong. I do not mean to say that he never did +anything that was wrong. When he did, it was without reflection. I +never knew him to do premeditated harm. We stuck by each other on all +occasions; skylarked together, studied navigation together; and when we +were together the biggest bully in the mess held us in respect. Mr +Johnson liked George Grey as much as he did me. + +I had never got the boatswain to commence his history. I told Grey that +I was determined to get it out of him, as it was certain to be amusing, +though we agreed that we were not bound to believe all he said. He +certainly was an extraordinary character. A boaster and a man (I do not +like to use a harsh term) who is addicted to saying what is not true, is +generally found to be a coward, and often a bully; whereas my worthy +friend was as brave as a lion and, gruff as was his voice, as gentle as +a lamb, as he used to say of himself, if people would but stroke him the +right way; and I can assert a kinder hearted monster never lived. Grey +and I, one afternoon when it was our watch below, found him in his +cabin. He was taking his after-dinner potation of rum and water, +y-clept "grog," and reading by the light of a purser's dip. + +"Come in, young gentlemen, come in, and be seated," he sang out; and as +we willingly obeyed, he added, "This is what I call enjoyment--food for +the mind and moisture for the whistle. We have not many opportunities +for mental improvement and the enjoyment of light literature, as you may +have discovered by this time; and to a man, like myself, of refined +taste, that is one of the greatest drawbacks to our noble profession." + +Grey and I did not understand exactly what he meant; but, after letting +him run on for a little time, we told him why we had come, and begged +him to indulge us by commencing at once. + +"There is, as you sagaciously observe, young gentlemen, no time like the +present for doing a thing which is to be done; and so,"--and he cleared +his throat with a sound which rang along the decks--"I will begin. But +remember, now, I'll have no doubting--no cavilling. If you don't choose +to believe what I say, you need not listen any more. I will not submit +to have my word called in question." + +"Heave ahead!" said a voice outside; I suspected it was Spellman's. I +soon found that there were several other listeners, and was afraid +Jonathan would refuse to go on; but, in reality, he liked to have a +large audience, and seasoned his descriptions accordingly. Again he +cleared his throat, and said-- + +"I'll begin--as I remarked. My mother was a wonderful woman. I have a +great respect for her memory. Joan of Arc, Queen Dido, or the Roman +Daughter could not hold a candle to her. She was up to any thing, and, +had opportunities offered, would have been the first woman of her age. +As it was, she made herself pretty well-known in the world, as you shall +hear. When she was quite a young woman she once on a time became +first-lieutenant of a dashing frigate. When the captain was killed, she +took the ship into action, fought two line-of-battle ships broadside to +broadside, and then, when there was not a stick left standing, carried +them by boarding. She would have brought both of them into port, but +one went down from the severe hammering she had given them. You doubt +what I am telling you, young gentlemen, do you? Well, then, I'll give +you proof which ought to satisfy any candid mind that I am speaking the +truth. You must know that there is a song written about her; and, of +course, if she hadn't done what I have been telling you it wouldn't have +been written. It runs thus:-- + + "Billy Taylor was a smart young sailor, + Full of life and full of glee, + And he went a courting Molly Nailor, + A maiden fair of high degree. + +"That maiden fair was my mother. Billy Taylor, do ye see, went a +courting her, and swore that he loved her better than the apple of his +eye, or a shipload of prize-money, and no end of glasses of grog, and +fifty other things, and that her cheeks were like roses from Persia, and +her breath sweeter than the essence of all the gales of Araby that ever +blew, and all that sort of thing. She believed him, for she was young +and tender hearted, and did not know what horrible falsehoods some men +can tell. I do hate a fellow who doesn't speak the truth. Now, do ye +see, that scoundrel Taylor was only bamboozling her all the time, for he +went away and fell in with another lady who had more of the shiners, +though less beauty, and he having brought to bear the whole broadside of +false oaths he had been firing away at my respected mother, the other +lady struck her flag and became his wife. Like other wid blades of his +stamp, he soon ran through all the poor girl's money, so he wasn't a bit +the better for it, and she was very much the worse. When she had no +more left for him to lay his hand on, he had to go to sea again. + +"My mother, who was not my mother then, you'll understand, because I +wasn't born till some years after that,--and I'm proud to say that my +father was a very different man to Billy Taylor. He was an honest man; +and when Miss Nailor found out all about Billy Taylor's treachery, she +resolved to be avenged on him. He had entered on board the Thunder +bomb, and she heard of it. Accordingly she rigged herself out in a suit +of seaman's clothes, and as her father was a seaman,--an officer, of +course, (my parentage was respectable on both sides)--and she knew all +about seamen's ways and sayings, she very easily passed for one. + +"One fine morning, off she set in her new toggery for Portsmouth, where +the Thunder was fitting out. She had provided herself with a loaded +pistol, which she kept in her pocket, vowing to revenge herself on the +traitor Taylor. + +"As the Thunder was short of hands, the captain was very glad to enter +the smart young seaman she seemed to be when she presented herself +before him. + +"Billy Taylor was aboard, and when she caught sight of his face she had +some difficulty in keeping her fingers off it, I believe you. Not that +she was otherwise, I'll have you understand, than a mild tempered woman, +when she had her own way, but she had received a good deal of +provocation, you'll allow. The deceiver didn't know her, and all went +on smoothly for some time. She proved herself so smart and active a +seaman, (or sea woman,--I should say a mermaid, eh?) that she soon got +made captain of the main-top over the head of Billy Taylor and many +older hands. How they would have fired up if they had known the truth! + +"At last the Thunder sailed down Channel, and my mother began to fancy +that all the things she had heard about Taylor might be false, and all +her old feeling for him came back. However, as his ill-luck would have +it, the ship put into Plymouth Sound, and as she lay there a boat came +off from Causand with a lady in it. + +"Billy Taylor watched the boat till she came alongside, and when the +lady stepped on deck he kissed her lips and folded her in his arms. + +"Miss Nailor was standing by. The scene was too much for her. + +"`Oh, you foul traitor!' she exclaimed, drawing her pistol just as the +lady and the deceiver Billy were walking forward hand in hand. `Take +that!' + +"Off went the pistol, and the false lover tumbled over as dead as a +herring. The lady, at first, was inclined to go into what the +uneducated sailors call high-strikes--you understand, young gentlemen; +but she was a strong-minded woman, and when she heard how Billy had been +deceiving another girl, she said it served him right, and that she would +have nothing more to say to him, dead or alive, and, stepping into her +boat, away she went ashore at Causand, where she had come from. + +"The captain of the Thunder, when he found out that my mother was a +woman, and how she had been treated by Billy Taylor, as the song says, +`very much approved of what she'd done,' and declared that she was a +fine spirited girl, (which she certainly had proved herself to be), and +that he would make her his first-lieutenant as soon as there was a +vacancy. You see they did things differently in those days to what they +do now. No one ever hears of a young woman being made first-lieutenant, +though it is said there are many old women higher up in the list; but it +wouldn't become me, holding the subordinate situation of a boatswain, to +credit the fact. The captain very soon had an opportunity of fulfilling +his word, for in a very short time the ship went into action, and his +next in command being killed, he gave Miss Nailor the death vacancy, and +then she became first-lieutenant of the gallant Thunder bomb. However, +young gentlemen, I must put a stopper on my jaw-tackle just now. I have +had uninvited listeners to my veracious and authentic history, and I +hope they have benefited by it." + +Mr Johnson placed his finger on the side of his nose, and winked one of +his piercing eyes. + +"The fact is, I like to indulge in my faculty of invention and +amplification, and you may possibly have an idea that I have done so in +the account I have given you of my female parent's early adventures. +Ho! ho! ho!" and he heaved back, and indulged in a long, low, hoarse +laugh, such as a facetious hippopotamus might be supposed to produce on +hearing a good pun made by an alligator. + +Spellman, and the rest who had been listening out side, on this, beat a +retreat, suspecting, probably, that the boatswain had been laughing at +them. + +Our watch was called, and Grey and I had to go on deck. I had by this +time picked up a large amount of miscellaneous nautical knowledge, so +had Toby in his way. As to going aloft, or in feats of activity, few of +the other midshipmen could beat me. I said that I could swim well. Our +father had taught us all at an early age, and I could accomplish the +passage across the mill-pond five times and back without resting. Toby, +too, after I had saved him from drowning, had learned the art. It was +fortunate for us that we had done so. + +We had returned unsuccessful from our cruise to the westward, and were +somewhere about the chops of the Channel. Night was coming on, and it +was blowing very fresh. + +"A sail on the lee bow!" shouted the look-out from the mast-head. The +wind was south-west, and the frigate was close-hauled, heading towards +Ushant. + +"What do you make of her? Which way is she standing?" asked Captain +Collyer, who was on deck. + +"Looks like a lugger, standing up Channel," was the answer. + +"Up with the helm, keep her away!" exclaimed the captain. + +"All hands make sail." + +In an instant the men were hauling on tacks and sheets, braces and +bowlines; the yards were squared away, studding sails were set, and off +we flew before the wind like an eagle at its prey. The chase kept on +before the wind. I had gone up into the fore-top, though I had no +business to be there, but it happened to be the station of my particular +chum, Grey, and I could enjoy a better sight of the chase from thence +than elsewhere. + +As the evening advanced, the wind increased, but we were gaining rapidly +on the chase, and of course the captain was unwilling to shorten sail. +Stays and braces grew tauter and tauter, studden sail-booms cracked, and +the topgallant masts bent like willow wands. + +"We are going to get it," observed the captain of the top. + +He was right. Away flew the main-topgallant studden sail; the topmast +studden sail followed. At the same moment, the foremost guns with a +loud roar sent a couple of shot after the chase. It was getting dark, +but I felt sure that one had struck her counter. Still she held on, and +we continued in chase, she carrying as much sail as she could stagger +under. + +"We shall carry the masts out of the ship if we don't look sharp," +observed the captain of the top. The yards cracked more than ever. +"All hands shorten sail," cried the captain from the deck. "In with the +studden sails!" + +When the men went out on the fore-yard, I, to show my activity and +daring to my messmate Grey, went out also. The frigate had begun to +pitch and roll a little. By some means I lost my hold, and should have +fallen on deck and been killed, had she not rolled at the moment to +starboard, and sent me flying overboard. + +"There goes poor Marmaduke Merry," shouted Grey. + +I was plunged under the water, but quickly rose to see the frigate +flying by me. As she passed, something was thrown from the deck, and +the next instant I observed, I fancied, some one leap from the mizen +chains. I did not for a moment suppose that I was going to be drowned, +but how I was to be saved I could not divine. I swam on till I got hold +of a grating which had been thrown to me, and had not long seated myself +on it when I heard a voice sing out-- + +"All right, Master Marmaduke; I said I'd go wherever you did, but to my +mind now it would have been better to have stayed on board." + +It was Toby, and after I had helped him up alongside me, I assured him +that I agreed with his remark, but that I could not help it. I looked +anxiously for the frigate. Her mighty form could only just be +distinguished through the gloom, and the lugger could nowhere be seen. + +"This isn't pleasant," said I. "But keep up your spirits, Toby, I +suppose the frigate will turn to look for us, and if not, we must hold +on till the morning, when I hope we may be picked up by some ship or +other." + +"Ne'er fear, Master Marmaduke," answered Toby. "If you think it's all +right, I'm happy." + +I certainly did not think it all right, for in a short time it became so +dark that we could scarcely see our hands held up before our eyes. As +to seeing the frigate, that was out of the question, even if she passed +close to us. Happily the gale did not increase, and we were able to +hold on to our frail raft. We couldn't talk much. I felt anything but +merry. Suddenly the grating received a blow, and I saw a dark object +rising up above us. I was thrown against it. It was the side of a +vessel. I should have been knocked off the grating had I not found a +stout rope in my hand. I drew Toby to me, we both clutched it; the +grating slipped from under our feet, and there we were hanging on to the +side of a strange craft. We shouted out, and were at once drawn on +board, and by the light of a lantern, which was held up to examine us, I +found that we were on board a small vessel, and surrounded by Frenchmen. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +The craft on board which Toby Bluff and I so unexpectedly found +ourselves was a lugger, as I discovered by perceiving her yards lying +fore and aft along the decks. It was evident that her sails had been +lowered when the squall came on, and so she had not been observed as the +frigate shot by in the darkness. Owing to this circumstance our lives +had in all probability been saved. Not that I thought about that at the +time; on the contrary, from the fierce looks of our captors, I fancied +that they were going to knock us on the head, and I wished that we were +safe back on our raft again. Toby seemed to feel much as I did. + +"Oh, Muster Merry! be these here fellows going to eat us?" he asked in a +tone of alarm. + +"I hope not, Toby," I answered. "If they take us, buttons and all, we +shall stick in their throats, that's one comfort. However, we will try +and put a good face on the matter, and, whatever happens, we won't be +cast down; only I hope they will not treat us as we have often treated +miller's-thumbs, and throw us into the water again." + +While Toby and I were exchanging remarks, the Frenchmen were talking to +each other and occasionally asking us questions, I supposed; but as we +did not understand a word of each other's language, neither party was +much the wiser. I looked about me. The lugger's decks were crowded +with men, and she had several guns cast loose, ready for action. She +was, there could be no doubt, a privateer. I knew that the crews of +such vessels were often composed of the worst and most unscrupulous of +characters, and I expected nothing very pleasant at their hands. At +last the captain, who had been looking out forward at our ship, came up +to us. + +"So, you one little officer of dat frigate dere," he observed. + +"Yes," said I, rather proudly; "I have that honour." + +"Sa--!" He gave forth a particularly unpleasant sound from his throat, +"You betes Anglish, you send my wessel to bottom last cruise, and sixty +of my braves-garcons wid her. I vow I send every Anglishman I catch to +look for them. S-a-a--." + +He looked so vicious that I thought he would execute his threat +forthwith. I did my best, however, to put on a bold front. + +"Whereabouts did this happen, Monsieur?" I asked quite coolly. + +"Some twenty leagues to eastward dere," he answered, looking hard at me. + +"And which way is the tide making," I inquired. I happened to have +heard the master observe just before I went aloft, that the tide had +only then made to the westward. + +"It is vat you call ebb," said the French captain. + +"Then you see, monsieur, that there is no use throwing us overboard just +now, because we should drift away to the westward, and your late vessel +and crew must be somewhere to the eastward," said I, as boldly as I +could, though I had no little difficulty in getting out the words. + +"Ah! you von Jack-a-napes, you von poule--littel fighting coc, I see," +he remarked in an altered tone. "Vell, you stay aboard; you sweep my +cabin; you like dat better dan drown." + +"Certainly, monsieur, very much better," said I, considerably relieved; +"I shall be very happy to serve you in any way I can, consistent with my +honour, and perhaps you'll let this boy here help me?" + +"Bah, no!" answered the captain, giving a contemptuous glance at poor +Toby. "He only fit to sweep out de fore hold." + +I saw that it would not be wise to say anything more, so I held my +tongue. + +The captain said a few words to the men, and while one led poor Toby +forward, another conducted me towards the companion-hatch. Toby turned +an imploring look at me, and struggled violently. + +"Oh, Muster Merry! Muster Merry, they be a-going to cut our throats and +heave us overboard. I know they bees; but don't let them do it till I +comes to be with ee," he cried out. "Don't ee, now, Muster; don't ee." + +Poor Toby, finding that he could not get loose, began kicking and +struggling, and shouting at the top of his voice. This seemed to afford +infinite amusement to the Frenchmen, who imitated him; but, in spite of +all his efforts, dragged him forward. I, in the meantime, was taken +aft, and had just reached the companion-hatch, down which the men were +going to thrust me, when the captain came running along the deck, +shouting out to his crew. My captors let go of me. In an instant, the +halliards, tacks, and sheets were manned; sail was rapidly made; and, +two or more reefs having been taken in, away we stood, close-hauled as +near to the north-west as the wind would allow. I soon learned the +reason of this proceeding. To my great joy, on looking eastward, I +discovered the frigate looming through the darkness, about half gun-shot +distance from us. Whether the lugger was seen by those on board or not +was a question. I rather suspected that Captain Collyer had stood back +to look for Toby and me, though it was almost as hopeless as looking for +a needle in a bundle of hay, I felt very sure that he would search for +us, and that he would rather lose the chance of capturing the schooner +than lose us; indeed, I hope that there are not many naval officers who +would not have done the same. I anxiously watched the Doris, to see +what she would do. The Frenchmen very naturally believed that she was +coming after them. While the men were flattening in the sheets, Toby +made his escape, and came up to me. + +"Oh, Muster Merry, who be these people? Where be they taking us to? +What be they going to do to us?" he asked in a subdued, frightened tone. + +"Never mind," said I, "_look there_." + +I pointed to the frigate, which, as far as I could judge, seeing her +through the darkness, had three reefs down in her topsails, and was +standing towards us, heeling over to the gale. + +"Hurra!" shouted Toby, "All right now; she'll soon be sending this here +craft to the bottom. Hurra!" + +"Very likely," said I. "But we, perhaps, shall have to go with her, +and, just now, the less noise we make the better, or the Frenchmen may +be sending us below." Toby was silent. + +No sooner were the lugger's sails hoisted than she was perceived, and in +half a minute, to set the matter at rest, a shot from a thirty-nine +pounder came flying between the masts. Toby ducked his head. He saw, +however, that I did not move mine. I had had so many flying about my +ears the night we took the Chevrette that I had got quite accustomed to +them. Another shot came, and Toby's head did not move, as far as I +could see. I dare say he blinked his eyes a little; but, as it was +dark, I am not certain. It was a trial to our nerves, for the shot +whistled near our shoulders, and, though we could not help feeling proud +of our shipmates' gunnery practice, we would rather that they had not +aimed so well. + +"I say, Toby, if, like the boatswain's acquaintance, you get my head on +your shoulders, be honest; don't go and pass yourself off for me," I +observed. + +"Lor, Muster Merry, I wouldn't so for to go to forget myself," he +answered. + +His tone, more than the words, made me burst into a fit of laughter. + +"You garcon not laugh long," observed the captain, as he hurried aft to +take a look at the compass. "You merry now, you cry soon." + +"I'll laugh while I can; it's my nature to be merry, captain," I +answered, determined to appear as brave as possible. "But I say, +captain, what does that big ship want you to do?" + +"Ah you von little rogue," he answered, less angrily than I might have +expected; "you go below, or you get head knock off." + +"Thank you," said I. "But I may have to go lower than I like if I do, +so I would rather stay on deck, and see what is going forward." + +The captain merely answered "Bah," as if he had too much to think of +just then to trouble himself about us, and issued some orders to his +crew. Two long guns were immediately cast loose and pointed at the +frigate. "They can't hope to contend with her," I observed to Bluff. +But they did though, and began blazing away in right good earnest. They +fired high, for their object was to wing her. If they could have +knocked some of her spars away they would have had a better chance of +escaping. + +The lugger was evidently a very fast craft, and held her own +wonderfully. This was soon perceived on board the frigate, which began +to fire more rapidly than before. Captain Collyer had not spared powder +and shot, and, since we left port, the men had been every day exercised +at the guns. The result was now apparent by the number of shot which +passed through the sails of the lugger, or struck her. Still the +Frenchmen seemed in no way inclined to yield. The captain stood aft, +issuing his orders with the greatest coolness. His officers were much +less collected, and kept running about with ropes in their hands, +frequently striking the men if they flinched from their guns. The +lugger, which was really a very powerful vessel, of some two hundred and +fifty tons, tore through the seas, which came in cataracts over her +bows, deluging her fore and aft. + +I was glad that Toby and I were near the companion-hatch, that we might +hold on tight to it. The scene was stirring in the extreme; rather more +than was pleasant indeed. I did not like the state of things, and +Toby's teeth began to chatter in his head. It was very dark. The wind +roared through the rigging; the sails, extended to the utmost, would, I +thought, burst from the bolt-ropes, or carry the stout mast out of the +vessel. The lugger heeled over till the men at the guns were up to +their knees in water, and at last they could only fire as she rolled to +windward. It must be remembered that the frigate was to leeward. +Though she sailed faster than the lugger, the latter was weathering on +her. My knowledge of seamanship scarcely enabled me to form a correct +judgment as to the Frenchman's chance of escape, but still I did not +fancy that anything could run away from the Doris,--our frigate,--which, +I was fully persuaded, was the perfection of naval architecture, and +everything a ship should be. The Frenchmen were all this time +wonderfully silent, except when a shot whistled past their ears or +struck the vessel, and then they gave way to volleys of oaths and +execrations, the meaning of which, however, I did not understand. They +appeared very resolute, and I thought fully expected to escape. + +On we tore through the raging sea, and often so blinded were we with the +showers of spray which fell on board that the flashes of the guns alone +showed us the position of the frigate. I was saying that I was sure +Captain Collyer would do his best to pick Toby and me up, and now, when +I saw him chasing the lugger, it occurred to me that he must have either +guessed that we were on board her, or that he must have come to the +conclusion that we were lost. + +"I wonder what they are saying about us?" I remarked, partly to Toby +and partly to myself. "Mr Johnson will be sorry for us, and so will +Grey, and so, I really believe, will old Perigal. I don't think +Spellman will, though. I rather suspect he'll be for constituting +himself my heir, and taking possession of my books and things. However, +I hope we may some day get on board again, and make him disgorge." + +There did not seem much chance of that though. Every moment I expected, +should a shot not send her first to the bottom, to see the lugger run +her bows right under, as she tore on through the raging waters. The +frigate seemed to be gaining very little, if at all, on us. The +Frenchmen naturally calculated on the darkness increasing, and when once +out of her sight, on being able to alter their course, and get clear +away. I devoutly hoped that they would not. Hours, it seemed to me, +passed away; still the lugger and the frigate held their relative +positions, the latter firing occasionally, but the Frenchmen, after a +time, ceased doing so; indeed, in the heavy sea running, they could +scarcely work their guns. The wind increased, but there was no sign of +shortening sail; the sky sent down deluges of rain; it became darker +than ever. I had never, I thought, taken my eyes off the frigate, +except when the spray dashed over me, and compelled me to close them for +a moment. I was looking in the direction where I had last seen her. + +"Bluff, do you see her?" I exclaimed suddenly, rubbing my eyes at the +same time with all my might, to bring back the object I had lost. + +"No, Muster Merry. To my mind she isn't there," he answered positively. + +The Frenchmen were of the same opinion, for I heard them chatting away +together, and laughing heartily. Still we continued on the same tack. +Indeed, to go about would have been a dangerous operation, and to wear +would have lost ground, and very likely have brought the lugger back in +sight of the frigate. No one had taken any notice of us for a long +time. The captain now came to the companion. + +"Ah! you brave garcon, come here," he said, as he descended. + +Giving Bluff a pull, as a sign to come after me, I followed him below. +A bright lamp swung from the deck above, and exhibited a well-furnished +if not a luxurious cabin, with a table in the centre, on which, secured +in the usual way, were bottles and glasses, and deep dishes containing +various sorts of viands. + +"Come, you hungry; sit down," said the captain,--an order which I very +gladly obeyed, though it was far from easy to stick on my chair, or to +convey the food to my mouth. + +"Pierre!" shouted the captain, and a man, who seemed to be his steward, +got up from a corner of the cabin where he had been asleep, and stood +ready to wait on us. The captain motioned him to give some bread and +sausage to Toby, who retired with it to the door, where he sat down to +eat it at his leisure. + +Our host did not talk much. He put a few questions as to the number of +the Doris's guns, and their length and weight of metal, and whether she +was reputed a fast sailer; to all which questions I gave honest answers, +and he seemed satisfied. He rapidly devoured his food, and was +evidently in a hurry to be on deck again. This made me fancy that he +was not quite so certain of having escaped the frigate as I had at first +supposed. A glass of hot wine and water raised my spirits, for I had +been so long in my wet clothes, that, although the weather was warm, I +had become very chilly. Without asking his leave, I handed a glass to +Toby, who wanted it as much as I did. The captain said nothing, but +when he got up to go on deck, he told me that we might take off our +clothes, and turn into one of the berths to get warm. At first I was +going to do so, but I could not help fancying that some accident might +happen, and that I would rather be dressed, so I sat down with Toby on +the deck, holding on by the legs of the table. + +The steward, having stowed away the things, went and lay down in his +corner, and soon, by his loud snores, showed that he was again fast +asleep. Toby quickly followed his example; and I had been dozing for +some time, though I thought that I was awake, when I was aroused by the +report of a gun overhead. The lamp had gone out, and left a strong +odour of oil in the close cabin. The grey light of dawn streamed down +the companion-hatch. Calling Toby, I jumped on deck. There, away to +leeward, was the frigate, within gun-shot distance, but this time the +lugger had begun the fight, and she had not yet fired. The wind had +lessened, and the sea had gone down considerably. The frigate was on +our lee-quarter, and I saw that, as soon as she opened her fire, our +chance would be a very small one. + +The French captain, and his officers and men, had got two guns over the +quarter, having cut away some of the bulwarks, and were energetically +working them, with desperation stamped on their countenances. Toby and +I stood, as before, holding on to the companion-hatch, and this time--I +must confess it--my teeth, as well as his, chattered with the cold, and +damp, and agitation. No one took any notice of us. The Frenchmen were +again aiming high, in the hope of knocking away some of the frigate's +spars. They were brave fellows: I could not help admiring them. Shot +followed shot in rapid succession. I wondered that Captain Collyer's +patience was not exhausted. + +"There! I know'd they'd do it," exclaimed Toby, suddenly. "And catch +it if they did!" he added. + +As he spoke I saw a white splinter glance from the fore-topmast of the +frigate, while a rent appeared in the sail. The Frenchmen shouted as if +they had done a clever thing, but they had little to shout for; the next +instant a shower of round-shot came whistling through our sails, some +just above our heads; two struck the lugger's side, and one killed three +men dead on the decks. Though I knew how dangerous was our position I +was too eager to see what was taking place to go below. Still the +gallant French captain would not strike, but stood as energetically as +before, encouraging his men to work the guns. I wished that he would +give in though, for my own and Toby's sake, nor did I think that he had +a chance of escaping. There he stood full of life and energy, now +hauling on a gun-tackle, now looking along a gun. The next moment there +was a whistling and crash of shot, and I saw several mangled forms sent +flying along the deck. One was that of the brave captain. I ran to +assist him, but though there was a convulsive movement of the limbs, he +was perfectly dead. At the same moment down came the lugger's mainyard. +I saw that it was completely up with her at all events. Some of the +privateer's men continued at the guns, but the greater number tumbled +headlong down below, to avoid the frigate's next broadside. My eye +glancing up at that moment, I saw the French flag still flying. +Believing that the only way to avoid the catastrophe was to haul it +down, followed by Toby, I ran aft to do so. I was too late. The +Frenchmen fired, and another crushing broadside struck the lugger, and +made her reel with the shock. The companion-hatch was knocked to +pieces. We should have been killed had we remained at our former post. + +The next instant there was a fearful cry--the men who had gone below +sprang up again with pale faces and cries of terror. The lugger rushed +on, made one fearful plunge, and I saw that she was sinking. I had kept +my eye on the wreck of the companion-hatch. Dragging Toby with me, I +sprang to it and clutched it tightly, and as the sea washed along the +deck, and the sinking vessel disappeared, we found ourselves clinging to +it and floating on the summit of a curling wave. As soon as I had +cleared my eyes from the water, I looked round for the frigate. She was +in the act of heaving-to in order to lower her boats. The sea around us +was sprinkled with struggling forms, but not half the lugger's crew were +to be seen. Numbers must have gone down in her. Shrieks and cries for +help reached our ears, but we could assist no one. Some were clinging +to spars and planks, and pieces of the shattered bulwarks; a few were +swimming, but the greater number were floundering about; and now I saw a +hand disappear--now two were thrown up to sink immediately beneath the +waves--now a shriek of agony reached our ears. It was very terrible. +The companion-hatch to which Toby and I clung had been so knocked about +that it scarcely held together, and I expected every moment that it +would go to pieces, and that we should be separated. I earnestly wished +for the boats to come to us, and it appeared to me that the frigate was +far longer than usual in heaving-to and lowering them. At last, as we +rose to the top of a wave, I saw three boats pulling towards us. The +men were giving way with all their might as British seamen always will +when lives are to be saved, even those of enemies. Several Frenchmen +had been picked up, when I saw a boat making towards us. Mr Johnson +was steering, and Spellman was the midshipman in her. We were not +recognised when we were hauled into the boat, and might not have been +had I not said-- + +"What, Spellman, don't you know me?" + +"You, Merry," he exclaimed, looking at me with an astonished gaze. +"What business have you here? Why we left you drowning--up Channel +somewhere--hours ago." + +"Thank you, but we have taken a cruise since then," said I. + +"And rather a perilous one, young gentleman," exclaimed the boatswain, +now recognising me. "You had the shot rattling pretty thick about you, +and I'm heartily glad to see you safe, that I am." And he nearly wrung +my hand off as he shook it. "I never saw guns better aimed than ours +were, except once, and that was when I was attacking a Spanish +line-of-battle ship in a jolly boat. I'll tell you all about it some +day, but well just pick up some of these drowning Frenchmen first. Give +way, my lads." + +The other two boats rescued several of the lugger's crew; we got hold of +six or seven more who were floating on spars or planks; one of them was +the second officer of the privateer; but out of a hundred and forty men +who were on her decks when she went down, not more than thirty were +rescued. Toby and I met with a very pleasant reception when we got on +board, and as soon as I had got on some dry clothes and had had a glass +of grog to restore my circulation, Captain Collyer sent for me into the +cabin to hear an account of our adventures. He seemed highly interested +when I told him of the gallantry of the French captain, and expressed +his regret at his death. A brave man always appreciates the bravery of +his opponent. When I got back to the berth I had to tell the story all +over again, and Toby, I have no doubt, was similarly employed among his +messmates. + +"It is very evident, Merry, that you are reserved for a more exalted +fate," was the only comment Spellman made, when I ceased. + +"Thank you, Miss Susan," I answered; "I owe you one." + +"It is a great pity that the lugger went down, though," observed old +Perigal; "I should have had a chance of taking a run home in her as +prize-master, and seeing my wife. Besides, she might have given us a +pinch of prize-money." + +The regret generally expressed was rather for the loss of the few pounds +the lugger might have given them, than for that of the men who formed +the crew. + +"What! I did not know that you were married," I observed to Perigal +when he said he was married. + +"But I am, though; and to a young and charming wife who deserves a +better husband," he answered in an abrupt way. "If it wasn't for her I +shouldn't be now knocking about the ocean as I have been all my life; +and yet, if it was not for her I should have very little to keep me on +shore. It's the prize-money, the booty, keeps me afloat. I am an +arrant buccaneer at heart." + +"I should not have supposed you that," said I. It was now evening, and +old Perigal had his glass of grog before him. On these occasions he was +always somewhat communicative. + +"I've been married six years or more," he continued in a half whisper. +"My wife is the daughter of an old shipmate who was killed in action by +my side. His last words were, `Take care of my orphan child--my Mary.' +I promised him I would as long as I had life and a shilling in my +pocket. I expected to see a little girl with a big bow at her waist, +and a doll in her arms--as he'd described her. He'd been five years +from home or more, poor fellow. Instead of that, I found a handsome +young woman, tall and graceful. What could I do? I was struck all of a +heap, as the saying is; and I discovered at last, that though I was but +a mate in the service, and an old fellow to boot compared to her, she +liked me; so we married. I'd saved some little prize-money, and I +thought myself rich; but it went wonderfully quick, and a rogue of a +fellow who borrowed some wouldn't even pay me; and if it hadn't been for +the sake of Mary I wouldn't have said anything to him, but let the coin +burn a hole in his pockets. I went to law, and the upshot was that I +lost all I had remaining. Now came the tug of war. Was I to go to sea +again and leave Mary? I couldn't bear the thought of it. Anything +would be better than that. I would enter into some business. A bright +idea struck me. Three or four hundred pounds would enable me to carry +it out. Mary and I agreed that I should have no difficulty in getting +that, I had so many friends. I would pay them a good interest. I +tried. You should have seen how they buttoned up their pockets and +pursed up their lips; how many similar applications they had, how many +decayed relations wanted their assistance! They didn't say, however, +that they had assisted them. I had no business to complain; I had made +a mistake, and I felt ashamed of myself. At first, though my heart +swelled, I was very angry; but I got over that feeling, and I resolved +to trust to myself alone. It was not till then that I recovered my +self-respect. I say, Merry; if you fancy that you have many friends, +don't you ever attempt to borrow money from them, or you'll find that +you are woefully mistaken. Mary and I talked the matter over, and she +settled to keep a school, and I to come to sea again. + +"It was a sore trial, youngster, and you may fancy that a rich galleon +wouldn't be an unacceptable prize, to save the poor girl from the +drudgery she has to go through. It wasn't the way her poor father +expected me to treat her, but I have done my best; what can a man do +more?" + +The old mate was going to help himself to another glass, but he put the +bottle away from him with resolution. I had observed that he often took +more than anybody else in the mess; but after that, whenever I saw him +doing so, I had only to mention his wife, and he instantly stopped. +From this account he had given of himself I liked him much better than +ever. + +I one day asked Mr Bryan, who knew his wife, about her, and he told me +that she was a very superior young lady, and that he could not +overpraise her. + +Of all my shipmates, Grey seemed most pleased at having me back again, +and he assured me that had he been able to swim he would have jumped +after me, and I believe that he would have done so. I promised on the +first opportunity to teach him to swim. People are surprised that so +many sailors cannot swim, but the truth is, that when once they get to +sea, they often have fewer opportunities of learning than have people +living on shore. In southern climates some captains, when it is calm, +allow the men to go overboard; but in northern latitudes they cannot do +this, and many captains do not trouble themselves about the matter. My +advice therefore is, that all boys should team to swim before they come +to sea, and to swim in their clothes. + +Next to Grey, I believe Mr Johnson was most satisfied that I was not +drowned. + +"I had written an account of what had happened to your disconsolate +parents, and had taken an opportunity of praising you as you deserved; +but as you are alive, I'll put it by, it will serve for another +occasion," he observed. + +I thanked him, and begged him to give me the letter, which, after some +persuasion, he did. I enclosed it to my sisters, assuring them that it +was written under an erroneous impression that I was no longer a denizen +of this world, and begged, them not to be at all alarmed, as I was well +and merry as ever: + + "Sir,--Your son and I, though he was only a midshipman,--I am + boatswain of this ship--were, I may say, friends and companions; and + therefore I take up my pen to tell you the sad news, that he and boy + Bluff went overboard together this evening, and were lost, though we + didn't fail to look for them. It may be a consolation to you to know + that they always did their duty, which wasn't much, nor very well + done, nor of any use to anybody, but that was no fault of theirs, + seeing that they didn't know better. Then you'll not fail to remember + that there's no longer any chance of your son being hung, which has + been the fate of many a pretty man, either by mistake or because he + deserved it, and that must be a comfort to you. I've nothing more to + say at present. + + "From your obedient servant, + + "Jonathan Johnson, + + "Boatswain of His British Majesty's frigate Doris." + +I had hopes that the letter would afford infinite satisfaction to my +home circle. + +We ran back to Plymouth with our prisoners, and then receiving sealed +orders, sailed for the westward. On the captain opening his orders we +found that we were bound for the North American and West India Station. + +One day, as Mr Johnson seemed in an especially good humour, I got Grey +to come, and we begged hard that he would go on with his history. + +"Ah yes, my true and veracious narrative," he answered. "Ho! ho! ho!" + +His ogre-like laugh sounded along the deck, and served as a gong to +summon an audience around him, though only a favoured few ventured into +his cabin. + +"I was telling you about my maternal parent, the estimable Mrs Johnson. +I was alluding to times before she assumed that appellation, or became +my parent. I brought up my history to the period when she became +first-lieutenant of the gallant Thunder bomb. She did not remain in +that craft long, for the captain, officers, and crew, were turned over +to a dashing, slashing, thirty-six gun frigate, the Firegobbler. It is +extraordinary what a number of actions that frigate fought, and what +other wonders she performed all owing to my mother, I believe you. At +last, one day, not far off from the chops of the Channel, a large ship, +under Spanish colours, was sighted. The Firegobbler gave chase, and a +running fight ensued, during which a shot killed the captain, and of +course my mother, who took command, followed up the enemy. + +"Before the day was over, another Spanish line-of-battle ship hove in +sight, and when the two closed each other, they hove-to, and waited for +the Firegobbler, which wasn't long in getting into action. Then, I +believe you, she did give them a hammering, in such right good earnest, +that, before the sun set, they cried _peccavi_, and struck their flags. +As I told you, the other day, she brought them both in triumph into +Plymouth. Now, by all the rules of the service, she ought to have been +promoted, you'll allow; but, by some means or other, the Lords +Commissioners of the Admiralty found out that she was a woman,--perhaps +some jealous fellow peached on her,--and, think of their ingratitude, +not only wouldn't they give her a commander's rank, but they superseded +her, and would by no manner of means allow her to remain in the ship. +To my mind, those big-wigs up in London have no consciences. What +encouragement is there for a spirited young woman to go and fight her +country's battles? None! that's a fact! Miss Nailor had to go on +shore. But she couldn't bear a quiet life; so, slipping on seamen's +clothes again, she shipped aboard another frigate, but, of course, she +had to go before the mast. That made little difference to her; she +loved the sea for itself, and didn't care where she was. For some time +she got on very well; but she didn't always remember that she was no +longer a first-lieutenant--which was natural, poor thing! Well, one +day, when off the coast of America, she quarrelled with the man who was +first-lieutenant, and meeting him on shore, she put a pistol into his +hand, and told him he must fight her. He was a spirited fellow, and +said that he never refused that sort of invitation, and as it was in the +chief street of a large city, they had plenty of seconds. Well, they +fought, and she had the misfortune to shoot him through the heart. Most +men would have died immediately, but he lived long enough to forgive her +for what she'd done, and to say what a fine fellow he thought her. Of +course, as it's against the articles of war to shoot a first-lieutenant, +she couldn't go aboard the frigate again; and when a file of marines +came to seize her, the people of the place carried her off, and wouldn't +give her up, and so the jollies had to return without her. Two parties +were formed in the place. One said she ought to be given up, and the +other, that she oughtn't, and shouldn't, and that they wouldn't. It was +one of the secret causes of the American revolution. + +"Among those who sided with her was a Captain Johnson, a very fine man, +master of a very fine ship, and as he happened to want a mate, he asked +my mother if she would take the berth, not dreaming all the time that +she was a woman. They had a good deal of talk about the matter, and as +she had taken a fancy to him, she told him all her history. I have said +that my father was a fine man. He was the tallest and smartest man I +ever saw, and had the loudest voice, too, I believe you, or he wouldn't +have won the heart of my mother. She wasn't a woman to knock under to +an ordinary, everyday sort of man. He was so tall, that the barber had +to stand on the table to shave him, and as he walked along the streets, +he could hand sugar-plums to the children in the upper windows; and his +voice was so loud, that he once made a stone-deaf woman jump off her +chair, right up to the ceiling, with fright, when he raised it above the +ordinary pitch to speak to her; and he was so strong, that he made +nothing of lifting an ale cask to his lips, and drinking out of the +bung-hole. He was the man to command a ship's company! When he found +any two of them quarrelling, he would lift one up in each hand, with +outstretched arms, and he would then knock their two heads together, and +go on bumping harder and harder till they promised to be friends. + +"No two people could have been better matched than my parents, and they +had a sincere respect for each other. They were above anything like a +namby-pamby, soft sighing, do-sweetest, kiss-me style of love. My +father made his offer from the deck of his ship, as she was standing out +of harbour, and my mother answered him from the shore through a +speaking-trumpet. The truth was, that when the owners heard that she +was a woman, they didn't approve of her going as mate; they thought that +it would invalidate the insurance. + +"The wind fell outside, so he dropped anchor and pulled on shore, and +was married, and, of course, off she went to sea with him. A very +useful wife, too, she made, for though she didn't wear the breeches, she +could take command of the ship better than any one else on board. Thus +it was that I came to be born at sea. There was a terrific gale +blowing, and the ship was running under bare poles during the time that +important event in the world's history occurred. + + "`The wind it whistled, the porpoise roll'd, + The dolphins rear'd their backs of gold; + And never was heard such an outcry wild + As welcomed to life the ocean-child.' + +"I believe you, my hearties, that was a gale! I don't believe the sea +ever ran so high before, or has ever run so high since. We were fully +half an hour going up the side of one sea, and nearly a quarter sliding +down into the trough on the other--so I have been told: I cannot say +that I remember the circumstance, though I do recollect things which +happened a long time ago. + +"I was a precocious child, let me tell you. I had as fine a set of +teeth as ever cracked biscuit by the time I was six months old, and +lived upon lobscouse and porter. I was weaned by that time, and I +wasn't two years old when I could go aloft like a monkey. It wouldn't +have done for me to have been like any every-day sort of baby." + +I was almost inclined to believe Mr Johnson's assertions, for, as I +looked at the huge red-nosed man before me, I could scarcely persuade +myself that he had ever been a baby in long clothes. + +"Speaking of monkeys," continued Mr Johnson, winking his eye, "I once +had a desperate fight with one, when I wasn't much more than three years +old. I was sitting on the main-truck, with my legs dangling down, as +was my custom when I wanted a good allowance of fresh air. We had a +monkey aboard--a mischievous chap,--and when he saw me, he swarmed up +the mast, and, putting up his paw, snatched a biscuit out of my +jacket-pocket. I gave him a slap on the head, and in return he bit my +leg, and tried to pull me down. To be even with him, I jumped on his +shoulders, and down we slipped together, till we reached the topmast +cross-trees. There I got a rope, and, lashing him to the heel of the +topgallant-mast, sang out to the hands in the top that they might see +what I had done. You may be sure that they were very much astonished. + +"I was a great favourite among the crew, and ran no slight chance of +being spoilt. I could dance a hornpipe with any man on board; and as +for singing a rollicking sea-song, there were few who could match me. I +soon learned to hand reef, steer, and heave the lead, as well as any man +on board. My mother was proud of me, and so was my father; and they had +reason to be, and that's the truth. + +"At last it struck them that they ought to give me some education, to +fit me to become an officer and a gentleman. I, however, was not fond +of books, but I learned to read chiefly from the signboards over the +shop fronts along the quays at the different ports to which we traded. +Not that I required much instruction, for I picked up knowledge faster +than most people could serve it out to me. + +"I was one morning sent on shore to school, but the master thinking fit +to cane me, I tucked him up under my arm, and walked off with him on +board the ship, where I stowed him under hatches, and kept him there +till he promised to treat me in future with more respect. After this +little occurrence we were very good friends; but when the ship went to +sea, he begged that I might on no account be left behind. That was but +natural, for I hadn't got into shore ways exactly." + +The cry, from the deck, of "All hands make sail!" interrupted Mr +Johnson's veracious narrative. + +"A chase in sight," he exclaimed; "and a prize she'll prove, though we +have to fight for her!" + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +Every officer, man, and boy, not otherwise especially engaged, had their +eyes directed ahead, watching the chase, as her sails gradually rose +above the horizon. What she was had not yet been ascertained. She +might be a man-of-war, or perhaps, only a merchantman. If the first, we +hoped she would fight; if the latter, that she might carry a rich +freight. After a time, I saw Mr Johnson rubbing his eyes, and, +suddenly bringing his hand down on his thigh with a loud smack, he +exclaimed--"She's only a Yankee merchantman, after all." The stranger +was evidently making no attempt at escape; indeed, before long, she lost +the wind altogether, though we carried it on till we got within about a +mile of her. We then found that the boatswain was right; indeed, it is +easy to know an American merchantman by her light-coloured hull, breadth +of beam, low masts, square yards, and white canvas. + +As we lay rolling away, a boat was lowered from the stranger, from whose +peak the stars and stripes hung down, so that none but a practical eye +could have made out the flag. + +The boat came alongside, and a gentleman, in a broad-brimmed straw hat +and jean jacket, stepped on board, with a cigar in his mouth, and +walking aft with the greatest coolness, put out his hand to Captain +Collyer, who, looking true dignity itself, was standing on the +quarter-deck, with his officers round him. Not a little electrified was +he by the address now made him. + +"How goes it with you, skipper?" quoth the stranger, almost wringing his +hand off. "You've a neat little craft under your feet, I guess, but +we've got some who'd wallop her in pretty smart time. You'd like to +know who I am? I'm Captain Nathan Noakes; I command that ship there, +the Hickory Stick, and I should like to see her equal. She's the craft +to go, let me tell you. When the breeze comes, I'll soon show you the +pair of heels she's got. We'll run away from you like greased +lightning, I guess." + +"She looks a fine vessel, sir," said Captain Collyer, too polite to turn +away, as some men I have known might have done. + +"She is, sir," said the American master with emphasis. + +"I calculate she'd sail twice round the world while you was going once; +but don't rile, now, at what I say--you can't help it, you know. Come, +take a cigar--they're real Havanna." + +"Thank you, sir, I do not smoke," said our captain with naturally +increasing stiffness, "nor is it customary, I must observe, for any one +to do so on the quarter-deck of his Britannic Majesty's ships." + +"Ah! that's the difference between slavery and freedom," answered the +stranger, with most amusing effrontery, lighting another cigar as he +spoke. "You serve the tyrant King George. I serve myself, and no one +else, and I like my master best of the two; but I pity you--you can't +help it." + +Some of the officers were very indignant at the impudence of the Yankee +captain; others were highly amused, and I believe Captain Collyer was, +for he turned away at last to hide his laughter. Nothing, however, +seemed to abash the skipper. + +"Well, you Britishers will be inclined to deal, I guess," he observed; +and, without waiting for an answer, ordered the people in his boat to +send up some cases of claret and boxes of oranges which he had brought. +A whip was sent down, and they were soon had on deck, and I must say we +were not sorry to make a deal with him--that is to say, the captain and +gun-room officers took the claret, and the midshipmen the oranges. + +"Well, I guess you've got them dirt cheap," observed the Yankee skipper, +as he pocketed the money. "But mind now, I don't warrant them all +sound." + +Had he made the remark before we bought them, we might have thanked him +for his honesty. On opening the cases we found that more than one half +were rotten, and that the rest would not keep many days. That, of +course, was the reason he had sold them. + +He finished his cigar while he went on talking much in the same strain +as he had done at first, and then coolly proposed inspecting the ship. +As there was no objection to his so doing, he was allowed to go round +the decks, when he might have counted thirty-six guns, and as fine a +looking crew as ever stepped the deck of a man-of-war. At length +Captain Nathan Noakes returned on board the Hickory Stick. Afterwards, +when I repeated to the boatswain the remarks of Captain Noakes, his +observation was-- + +"I cannot stand those Yankees--they do exaggerate so terribly. One +cannot depend on a word they say." + +I made no reply, for it struck me that Mr Johnson himself did at times, +as he would have said, rather overstate facts. I made the remark to +Perigal. + +"Well, boy, the boatswain is like most of us," he answered; "we don't +see our own faults. I suspect no man would be more ready than he would +to grow angry should his veracity be called in question." + +"But those stories of his own adventures are very amusing," said I. + +"Very," said Perigal. "And as long as he confines himself to them no +great harm is done; but if a man once gets into the habit of departing +from the truth for the sake of amusing his hearers, he may not stop +there, and will, very likely, tell a falsehood of a different character +whenever it may suit his convenience to do so." + +The sun when setting indicated fine weather. During the night there was +a light breeze, scarcely sufficient to send our heavy frigate through +the water. When day dawned, however, our Yankee friend, we discovered, +had managed to slip away, and was hull down to the south-west. + +In the same direction another ship was seen, with which it was +considered probable that the Yankee had communicated. The stranger +looked suspicious--a heavy ship--and certainly a man-of-war. All hands +in consequence set to work to whistle for a breeze, and to our infinite +satisfaction it came very soon, confirming most on board in their belief +as to the efficacy of the operation. Sail was then made, and we steered +for the stranger. She was soon pronounced to be a powerful frigate, a +worthy match for the Doris, and so with light hearts we cleared for +action, not doubting that we should take her, whatever her size or the +number of her guns. Our only fear was that she might run away. To +prevent this, our captain, who was up to all sorts of tricks to deceive +an enemy, had arranged a mode of disguising the ship. By means of some +black painted canvas let down over the main-deck ports, she was made to +look like a corvette, or flush-decked vessel. Captain Collyer, we +heard, had before taken in and taken several vessels in this way, and we +hoped now to be as fortunate. + +At an earlier hour than usual we piped to breakfast, that we might not +fight on empty stomachs, and I may safely say that the prospect of a +fierce contest damped no one's appetite. For my own part I never made a +better meal in my life. I hurried, however, very soon again on deck, +spy-glass in hand. Looking through it, there was no longer any doubt as +to the character of the stranger. There she lay, standing under easy +sail, and evidently waiting our approach. Just as I got on deck she +fired a gun to windward, and the French ensign flew out from her peak. + +As we drew nearer we could count twenty-two ports on a side. She thus +carried many more guns than we did, and had probably a much larger crew. +These odds were highly satisfactory. We had no fear about the issue of +the combat; our only dread was that she might escape us. Our captain +determined to do his best to prevent this. He was not a man given to +make long speeches, but as soon as everything was ready for battle, he +called the men on deck. + +"My lads," he said, "there's a ship somewhat bigger than we are, and +maybe there are more men on board; but they're only Frenchmen. You can +take her if you try, and I know you will. I intend to engage her to +leeward, that she may not escape us. You'll do your duty like British +seamen, and that's all I want of you." + +This pithy speech was received with three hearty cheers, a good +prognostic of victory. + +The determination of the captain to engage a more powerful antagonist to +leeward was very brave, for it was the least advantageous position for +fighting. The reason of the Frenchman's boldness in waiting for us was +clearly that he supposed the Doris to be much smaller than she really +was. But then how was it that the Yankee skipper should not have told +him the truth. They had certainly communicated. We had only just +before seen his royals dipping beneath the horizon. However, we hadn't +time to think of that or anything else, before a shot from the enemy +came whistling through our sails. Several followed in rapid succession. +We were keeping away so as to cross her stern, and rake her with a +broadside, and then to haul up again on her beam. To avoid this she +also kept away, and began to pepper us rather more than was pleasant. +Her captain had clearly determined that we should not get to leeward. + +"She must have it as she wishes," cried Captain Collyer. "Give it her, +my lads." + +At that moment the canvas which had concealed our main-deck guns was +triced up, and in right good earnest we poured our whole broadside into +our opponent. The unexpected salute must have staggered her, and now +she too hauled up, and, discovering that she had not got a baby to play +with, applied herself in earnest to the combat, and we ran on blazing +away at each other nearly yard-arm to yard-arm. + +"This is what I like," exclaimed Mr Johnson, rubbing his hands. "This +is a good honest stand-up fight; we know what the enemy's about, and he +knows what we are about, and I shall be very much surprised if he does +not find out before long that we are giving him a tremendous good +licking." + +I would not quite agree with the boatswain, for the enemy's shot was +crashing about us with terrific effect. The French frigate also sailed +much faster than we did, and soon shot ahead of us; and still further to +prevent us from attaining our object, she wore round and came on to the +other tack, giving us a fresh broadside as she did so. The manoeuvre +succeeded so well, that it was repeated again and again. This enraged +our crew, several of whom were struck down; the wounded were at once +carried below, the dead were drawn out of the way; they were not yet +numerous enough to throw overboard. I looked to see how my particular +friends were getting on. George Grey had a division of guns under him, +and was behaving like the young hero he was. Toby Bluff was busily +employed in bringing up powder, and looking as totally unconcerned about +everything else as if this was the most important work to be done. +Having brought up his tub, he sat himself down on it, determined that +not a spark should get in if he could help it. In like manner the +captain was doing his duty to the best of his power, and so was every +officer and man in the ship. Mr Lukyn, the first-lieutenant, had +chosen me to act as his aide-de-camp, to carry orders that he might have +to send to any part of the ship; in that way I was kept constantly +moving about, and it appeared to me that I escaped many shots which +might otherwise have hit me. Once a shot knocked some hammocks out of +the hammock nettings, and grazed the mainmast just as I had passed it, +and another took off the head of the boatswain's mate, just as he was +raising his hand to signify that he understood an order I had given him. +I consequently walked on till I met the boatswain, and delivered the +order to him that he might see it executed. "This will never do, +Lukyn," I heard the captain say. "We must get alongside her again." +The sails were accordingly trimmed, and we ran right down on the enemy, +pouring into her as we did so a fire of round-shot, grape, and musketry, +but, I must own, getting as much in return, and having our rigging +terribly cut about. The French ship had at the time little way on her, +so we shot ahead; both of us, after exchanging a couple of broadsides, +falling off before the wind. We had now separated considerably. The +hands were sent aloft to knot and splice the rigging, to enable us to +work the ship, which we otherwise could not do. While we were thus +employed, the French frigate hauled up, and, passing our stern +diagonally, raked us, but at too great a distance to do us much damage. +Every officer and man was exerting himself to renew the fight, when once +more the French ship bore up, and showed that she was going again to +pass under our stern. + +"Down, with your faces on the deck, all of you, my lads," shouted the +captain, the order being repeated by the other officers. I observed, +however, that both he and Mr Lukyn stood upright. The expected shower +came, the enemy passing within pistol shot. I looked up anxiously to +ascertain if either of my superiors was hurt. There they stood as calm +as before, but Mr Lukyn's hat had been knocked off, and two bullets had +passed through the sleeve of his coat. + +"That was a narrow shave," observed the captain, as Mr Lukyn stooped +down and picked up his hat. Had the men been standing up, great +numbers, probably, would have been killed or wounded. The enemy after +this hauled up on the larboard tack, and was about to pour her starboard +broadside into us, when, our crew springing to their feet, our sails +were thrown back, and the French frigate's larboard bow came directly on +to our starboard quarter. As she did so, the boatswain with his mates +sprang aft, and in a moment it seemed that the enemy's bowsprit, or +rather jib-boom, was lashed to our mizen-rigging, in spite of a heavy +rattling fire of musketry, kept up on them by the French marines on +their forecastle. A body of our marines came aft to reply to them, and +numbers were dropping on both sides. While this was going forward, I +saw a French officer walking along the bowsprit with a musket in his +hand. He rested it on the stay, and was taking a deliberate aim at +Captain Collyer, who stood, not observing this, encouraging the men to +work the after guns. At that instant a marine who had just loaded his +musket was shot dead. I seized it as he fell, and in the impulse of the +moment, dropping on my knee, raised it to my shoulder and fired at the +Frenchman on the bowsprit who at the same time fired. A ball passed +through the captain's hat--he turned his head and observed that I had +just fired, and saw also the Frenchman falling headlong into the water. + +"Thank you, Mr Merry, you have saved my life," he said, turning a look +of approval on me; but there was no time for more. Everything I have +described passed like a flash of lightning. All was now smoke and +noise, the men straining at the gun-tackles, sponging and loading; the +marines firing and stooping down, as they had been ordered, to load, to +avoid the bullets of the French marines who were so much above them. +Meantime the French had been mustering on deck, and suddenly appearing +on their forecastle, they rushed along the bowsprit, and were leaping +down on our hammock nettings, the headmost reaching the deck. + +"Boarders, repel boarders!" shouted Mr Bryan; and he with one or two +mates, followed by Jonathan Johnson, with his doughty cutlass, hurried +aft to meet them. What had become of the captain and Mr Lukyn I could +not tell. Fierce was the encounter, for the French seamen fought +desperately, and their marines kept blazing away faster than ever. Mr +Bryan and the French officer leading the boarders met,--their blades +flashed rapidly for a few seconds, and the Frenchman fell mortally +wounded. Mr Johnson was in his glory: the first time he led on his +followers, however, the Frenchmen withstood him for some seconds, and, +more of them pouring down on the deck, he was driven back a foot or two, +but it was only for a moment. With a loud shout, he made a furious dash +at the boarders: Mr Bryan, with several mates and midshipmen, of whom I +was one, seconded by our gallant purser, who with a brace of pistols in +his belt and a sharp cutlass in his hand, instead of remaining below, +had come on deck to share the danger and aid in the fight; and of the +whole number of the enemy who had reached the deck of the Doris, not one +quarter escaped on board their own ship unwounded, and very nearly half +were killed outright, or were taken prisoners. We, however, did not get +off scathless. The enemy still continued to annoy us with their +foremost guns; while the shot from their muskets rattled thickly round +our heads, our main royal-mast and main-topsail yard had been shot away, +and the gaff was so severely wounded, that when the Frenchmen fell +aboard us, it dropped over his deck. At this moment we saw some of the +crew tear our ensign from the gaff and carry it aft as a trophy; there +was not a man in our ship who would not have gladly rushed aboard the +enemy to recover it. + +"It will never do to be without a flag," said I to Grey. "I propose we +go aloft and nail a couple to the mast." + +"With all my heart," he answered; and he getting a boat's ensign and I a +union-jack from the signal locker, we ran aloft with them before any one +saw what we were about. We agreed, however, that they would look best +at each end of the cross-jack, and accordingly, quick as lightning, we +lashed them there. The Frenchmen might certainly have picked us off, +but, as many of their nation have much chivalry in their composition, +when they saw that we were young midshipmen, and what we were about, I +suspect refrained from firing. At all events, we accomplished our +dangerous exploit, and returned on deck. Scarcely had we reached it, +and stood amid the shower of bullets whistling along it, than, to my +great sorrow, I saw Grey fall; he uttered no cry; I ran towards him to +lift him up; he said that he was not badly hurt, but he fainted, and Mr +Bryan ordered him at once to be carried below. Directly afterwards Mr +Bryan fell; he, however, raised himself on his arm, and with the help of +two seamen, in a short time stood up, and refused to leave the deck. +Mr Collman, our brave purser, tried to persuade him to go below. + +"Let the surgeon look to you, and if he thinks you are fit you can +return." + +"No, no; thank you, Collman," he answered. "I don't know what may +happen while I'm away. Time enough to go to the doctor when we've +thrashed the Frenchmen." + +It was my duty, as I said, to stay by the first-lieutenant. I was +inquiring for him, when I saw a number of the French marines peppering +away at the after ports in the captain's cabin. I instantly bethought +me that the captain and Mr Lukyn must be there, and accordingly hurried +to the main-deck. + +Our captain had, without asking leave of the dock yard authorities, cut +two ports in his cabin on each side next the quarter, in readiness for +the very contingency which had now occurred. Our carpenter had, +however, stupidly forgotten to drive in ring bolts to work the guns, +while the gunner had not prepared tackles of sufficient length to haul +the aftermost guns from the side to the new ports. + +When I reached the cabin, the captain and first and third lieutenants, +and the gunner and carpenter, and other officers and men, were working +away to find means to train aft a gun. The marines, however, stationed +along the larboard gangway of the enemy had found them out, and as I +reached the cabin it seemed as if a hailstorm was playing into it, and +the bulkheads were literally riddled with bullets. Several men lay dead +about the decks, and every now and then another sank down wounded, while +many were labouring away with the blood flowing from their sides or +limbs. I ran in and asked Mr Lukyn if he wanted me. + +"No, no, Merry; go out of this, boy," he answered kindly. + +At that time it was certainly the part of the ship suffering most. As I +was going out I passed Mr Downton, our third lieutenant. He was +reeving a rope through a block to form a tackle, when a shot struck him +in the head. He fell forward in the way of the gun. He was dragged +unceremoniously out of it by the legs, and the men cheered as they +hauled it aft. I ran to help poor Mr Downton. I lifted him up. He +gave a look so full of pain and woe in my face that I would gladly have +shut it out, and then with a deep sigh breathed his last. I never felt +so sad before. He was a good kind officer, and I liked him very much. +I now, I own, began to think that we were getting the worst of it, and +should have to strike our colours, or go down with them flying. Just +then the gun, double shotted, was run out aft, and fired right into the +enemy's bows. Our men's cheers drowned the shrieks and cries which +followed from the French ship. Again the gun was loaded and fired with +the same terrific effect. The French marines continued blazing away at +the people in the cabin, but were at length driven from the gangway by +the hot fire of our jollies and small-armed men. The latter had also to +direct their attention to a carronade which the enemy had got on his +forecastle, and which might have done us a vast deal of mischief, but +such a shower of musket balls whistled round it the instant a Frenchman +got near, that none would venture to work it. + +As Mr Lukyn had ordered me out of the cabin when I found that I could +be of no use to Mr Downton, I went on deck again. The bullets were +whistling along the deck as thick as hailstones. This sort of work +would have continued probably till we had treated each other like the +Kilkenny cats, or till the French ship had given in, when her jib-boom +gave way, and she forged ahead. As she did so, our next aftermost gun +was manned and fired, cutting away her head rails, and, what was of +greater consequence, the gammoning of her bowsprit. + +"Hurrah, lads! the day's ours," shouted Mr Collman; "over to the +starboard guns." + +The master was on the main-deck with the captain. + +"Now the battle's going to begin in earnest, Mr Merry," observed the +boatswain, near whom I found myself. + +Thought I to myself, "It has been going on in pretty serious earnest for +the last two hours or more." + +Now both frigates, running on yard-arm to yard-arm, fired their guns in +succession as they could be brought to bear; but our people, from +constant practice, tossed our guns in and out twice as rapidly as the +Frenchmen. This soon told; the enemy's main-topmast was shot away, the +foremast was badly wounded, several of her ports were knocked into one, +and instead of the cloud of canvas which lately swelled proudly to the +breeze, her sails were riddled, and, with rope ends, hung useless from +every shattered yard. In some respects we were not much better off, and +our rigging was so cut about that the ship was no longer manageable. +Taking advantage of her greater speed, our antagonist drew ahead till +she got out of gun-shot, greatly to the rage and annoyance of the crew, +who bestowed on her three loud groans, and many an anathema on finding +that she had escaped them. + +It now came on calm, and she could not get far off. Not a moment, +however, was lost before all hands were set to work to repair damages; +never was rigging more rapidly knotted and spliced. My eye was seldom +off our enemy. A slight breeze had again sprung up, when suddenly I saw +her foremast rock, it seemed, and over it went with a crash, carrying a +number of her crew on it into the water. A loud cheer burst from our +men, as they saw what had occurred, and they redoubled their efforts to +get the Doris ready to renew the action. By noon we had knotted and +spliced all the standing rigging, rove new braces, and had got the ship +under perfect command, while the freshening breeze carried us rapidly up +towards our opponent. + +The heat of the sun and our exertions made us feel very hot, and now the +Yankee's oranges came into requisition. Both midshipmen and men might +be seen sucking them heartily, as we once more stood into action. The +enemy seemed still disposed to defend himself as we stood across his +stern, so that he could bring no guns to bear on us. He, however, +trusting to the effect his large body of marines might produce, fired a +rattling volley as we were about to pour in our broadside. Spellman and +I were at the moment standing near the boatswain. As the French marines +fired, I felt a sharp burning pang in my shoulder, which made me jump on +one side, while I saw Spellman's orange flying away, and, putting up +both his hands, he cried out, "Oh, my orange! my orange!--and they have +riddled my cheeks, the blackguards." + +I could not help laughing at his exclamation and face of astonishment, +in spite of the sickness which was creeping over me. + +"It's lucky it was not through your head, Mr Spellman," observed the +boatswain, picking up the orange and handing it to him, but he was in no +way inclined to suck it, for his mouth was full of blood, which he began +vehemently spluttering out over the deck. + +Now our frigate sent forth a roaring broadside; the enemy's ship was for +an instant shrouded in smoke. As it cleared away, down came the French +ensign, and an officer was seen to spring on to the taffrail, and, with +the politest of bows, signify that they had struck. Loud, hearty cheers +was the answer returned by our brave fellows, who by sheer hard +fighting, and rapid working of their guns, had achieved, in little more +than three hours, a victory over a foe so vastly superior. Those +cheers, though pleasant sounds to our ears, must have been very much the +contrary to our enemies. + +Then, and not till then, did Mr Bryan consent to be carried below. I +have no personal knowledge of what happened after this, for even before +the cheering had ceased, I should have sunk fainting on the deck, had +not the boatswain caught me. When I came to myself, I was undressed in +my hammock, and, except a pain and stiffness in my shoulder, there was +nothing, I thought, very much the matter with me, though when I tried to +rise I found that to do so was out of the question. Spellman and Grey +were in their hammocks close to me. Though Spellman was least seriously +hurt of either of us, his appearance, from having his head bound up with +two huge plasters over his cheeks, was by far the most lugubrious, as he +sat up and looked first at Grey, and then at me, and said, "Well, I hope +you like it." + +"Thank you, Miss Susan," said I. "We might be worse off, but we shan't +have to go whistling through the world in future as you will, and if +ever you fall into the hands of savages they'll put a rope through your +cheeks and drag you along like a tame bear." + +"You don't think so, Merry, I'm sure," he answered, in a tone of alarm, +which showed that he vividly pictured the possibility of such an +occurrence; "do you, Grey?" + +Poor Grey was too weak to say much, but he gave Spellman very little +encouragement to hope for the best, and when Macquoid visited us, +entering into the joke, he said nothing to remove his apprehensions. + +My chief anxiety was now about Toby Bluff, and I was very glad to find +that he had not been hurt. At last, when he came to me, I had some +difficulty in quieting his apprehensions, and in persuading him that it +was a very fine thing to be wounded, and that I should have lots of +honour and glory, and be made more of when I got home than I had ever +been before in my life, and that he would share in it without having had +the disagreeable ceremony to go through of being wounded. + +"As to the glory, and all that sort of thing, I'd as lief have let it +alone, if it was to cost a bullet through me, Muster Merry," he +answered. "But I'd have been main glad if the mounseers had just shot +me instead of you. It wouldn't have done me no harm to matter." + +"He is a faithful fellow, certainly," I thought, "but he has no chivalry +in his composition." + +From the jabbering we heard around us, we found that the French +prisoners had been brought on board, and Macquoid told us that every man +who could be spared was employed in repairing the prize. Mr Lukyn had +gone to take command of her, with Perigal as his second in command, and +I was very glad to find that the old mate was unhurt. + +Our prize was the Aigle. She carried six guns more than we had, and +they were of heavier calibre. She was nearly three hundred tons larger, +and her crew numbered a hundred men more than we had. We had beaten her +because our men were better gunners, and had fired half as rapidly again +as had her crew. We had lost fourteen killed and thirty wounded, and +she thirty-four killed and sixty wounded. + +"Ah! young gentlemen," said Mr Johnson, who in the intervals of his +labour paid us a visit, "it was as pretty a stand-up fight and as well +won a battle as I ever heard of, or you'll ever see probably." + +At length both frigates were refitted, and, as we understood, steering a +course for old England. We three midshipmen found it rather dull work +staying in our hammocks all day, as it was too dark to read, though we +managed to sleep, as only midshipmen can sleep, and we agreed that we +would get the boatswain, when he had leisure, to come and sit by us to +go on with his history. We succeeded, and, seated on a bucket, he +began:-- + +"Well, young gentlemen, flesh and blood wants some rest, though I can do +more than most men in the way of work, and instead of taking a doze in +my cabin I'll indulge you, and the service shall not suffer. Ah, ah! +let me see:--I was telling you of my childhood. I very soon grew up. I +didn't take long to do that. By the time I was fifteen I knew a thing +or two, and there wasn't a seaman aboard my father's ship who could beat +me at anything." + +"At pulling the long bow especially," said a deep voice from one of the +hammocks. + +"Who spoke?" inquired Mr Johnson, turning round sharply. "I'll tell +you what, whoever you are, a man may shoot with a long bow, or a man may +shoot with a short bow; but for my part I say a man has a right to use +the weapon which suits him best; and so, Mr Bow-wo-wo, just bowse taut +that jaw-tackle of yours, and don't let's hear any more of your +pertinent remarks, I'll thank ye, my bo." Mr Johnson then continued, +"At last, said my father one day to me--`Jonathan, you are big enough +and strong enough to go without leading strings, and the sooner a lad +does that the better.' + +"`Yes, father, I am,' said I, and I was, for I was six feet two inches +high, and could knock over an ox with my fist, as I'd done many a time +to save the butcher trouble. + +"`You must look out for a ship, my son,' said my father. + +"`I will,' said I, and I did. I shipped on board a Greenland whaler, +the Blazylight, and sailed the next day for the North Pole. We had a +fine run to our fishing ground, and soon began to kill our whales at a +great rate. It was the sort of sport which just suited me. I never +could stand angling for minnows; but whale-fishing is a very different +sort of work, I guess. + +"We had got a full ship, and were thinking of turning south, when we +were becalmed near the land, and as the ship could not move, I, with +four or five more, started on an expedition to shoot polar bears, which +were pretty common thereabouts. We had got a good way from the ship, +when a thick fog--not an unfrequent visitor to those parts--came on. I +had a pocket-compass with me, and so I wasn't a bit alarmed. However, +when we tried to find the old Blazylight again, I must confess we could +not. We wandered about till all my companions died from sheer fright +and fatigue; and I should have died, too, if I had given in; but I +wouldn't do that; so I collected all my shipmates' ammunition, and set +to work to kill and pot bears. I lived like a prince, as far as +quantity was concerned, but I got rather tired of bear's flesh at last. +I rubbed myself over with the grease, and was soon covered from head to +foot with a hide of the finest wool, so that I didn't feel the cold a +bit. It was cold, however, at times, with a vengeance. Frequently the +frost was so severe, that it froze up even the very air, and if I had +not melted it every now and then, by firing off my gun, I should have +died for want of breath; and often it wasn't possible to move without +cutting a way for myself through the atmosphere with my axe. I +suspected, as I afterwards found to be the case, that what we had taken, +to be land, was in reality an unusually large field of ice, with +icebergs imbedded in it, and that we had been carried by some unknown +current imperceptibly towards the north for a considerable distance. +Now, when we had left the ship, we had kept to the westward. When we +wished to return, we had steered east by the pocket-compass I told you +of. On, and on, and on, I kept on the same course. What do you think I +was doing? Why I was walking round and round the North Pole, and should +have kept on walking till now, for nothing would have made me give in--I +promise you that wasn't my way--had I not come upon the print of my own +footsteps in the snow. This made me aware of my error; so I sat down to +consider how it could have happened, and at last the truth flashed on my +mind. You see it was a very natural mistake I had made, for the needle +of my compass was all the time pointing to the North Pole, just as a +capstan-bar does to the capstan, while I was running round at the other +end of it. I was rather puzzled to know what to do, for had I walked +south, not having the means of ascertaining my longitude, I might, I +thought, find myself on the other side of the globe, somewhere, perhaps +near Behring's Straits, leading into the Sea of Kamtschatka, where there +would be little chance of my falling in with a ship. + +"I had sat cogitating for some time, and was beginning to get rather +chilly, when it occurred to me that I might render a great service to +science, by going chock up to the North Pole, and ascertaining of what +it is composed. I instantly rose from my seat, put my compass down to +strike the course I was to take, fired off my gun to clear myself a path +through the frozen atmosphere, secured my stock of bear's flesh on my +back for provisions, and manfully set forward, with my face away from +all human beings." + +"But how could you see, Mr Johnson?" asked Grey. "I always thought it +was dark in those regions during winter!" + +"See! why perfectly well," answered the boatswain promptly. "If the +stars and moon happened not to be shining, there was always the aurora +borealis blazing up, like a great fire, right ahead of me. You have +seen the northern lights on a winter's night, but they are a very +different affair up there to what they appear so far south. If it +wasn't for them, in my opinion, there would be no living in those +regions, but by their warmth they keep the atmosphere round them in a +very pleasant state. Well, on I walked, sleeping at night in the huts I +made in the snow, leaving a small hole open to breathe through; and it +was not disagreeably cold, owing to the warm whiffs which came every now +and then from the Pole. + +"After progressing thus for several days, I observed an extraordinary +phenomenon. Whenever I took my compass out in my hand, I felt that the +instrument had a tendency to move directly before me. This tendency +increased gradually as I proceeded, till, one morning, when I put it +down as usual to mark my course before starting, to my infinite +surprise, and I may say dismay, away it glided over the snow, increasing +in rapidity of motion as it proceeded. + +"Horrified at the reflection of what might be the consequence should I +lose it, I rushed forward, and, in my eagerness to grasp my treasure, +fell prostrate on my face, just, happily, as my fingers clutched it. + +"This wonderful occurrence (for I own that it did surprise even me, and +I could not have believed it had another man told it me) brought me to a +stand-still, and compelled me to form a new plan for my future +proceedings. I was unwilling to give up the enterprise, though I saw +the full risk I was running; but dangers never daunted me,--I should +think not,--and I determined at every hazard to proceed. I accordingly +retraced my steps a day's journey, when I found the attractive powers of +the Pole of less force; and then erecting a lofty pyramid of snow, I +placed my compass on the summit, and carefully covered it. On the top +of all I fastened a red pocket-handkerchief, secured to a walking-stick, +in order to make the object still more conspicuous. Having performed +this work, I lay down in a snow hut to rest, and the next morning again +set forward towards the Pole." + +The boatswain stopped to clear his throat. + +"That is very interesting, Mr Johnson," said Grey. "Do go on." + +"I'll indulge you, young gentlemen--I'll indulge you; and as I look upon +what I am going to tell you as the most interesting part of my +adventures, no one must interrupt me. The king on his throne mustn't +and sha'n't--till I have finished my authentic and veracious narrative." + +"Mr Johnson! Mr Johnson! the captain wants you--sharp!" shouted Toby +Bluff, running along the deck. Mr Johnson gave a grunt, and, springing +from his seat, disappeared up the hatchway. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +I had a good constitution which had not been impaired by any excess, and +as Mr Perigal and the other oldsters of the mess kept strictly to the +law by which they had awarded to themselves two-thirds of the +youngsters' grog, my blood was not inflamed by having imbibed spirituous +liquors. I therefore, under Macquoid's judicious care, very rapidly +recovered from the effects of my wound. In a few days I could have got +up and run about, but as poor Grey, who was much more hurt than I had +been, was too weak to leave his hammock, I promised to remain in mine to +keep him company. When Macquoid came to me, therefore, one day and told +me that I might dress and go on deck, I replied in a very faint voice, +that I had not strength to move, and groaned a great deal when he moved +me to dress my wound. + +"Some internal injury, I fear," he observed, "I must see to it." + +He then turned to Spellman, to dress his cheeks. He groaned exactly in +the way I had done, and spoke in the same faint tone, declaring his +inability to rise. + +"Ah, poor fellow, some internal injury, I fear; I must see to it," +remarked the assistant-surgeon in the same tone, as he left us. + +Miss Susan, thinking that he had quitted the sick bay, sat up in his +hammock, and made a well-known and expressive signal to me with his +thumb to his nose, which Macquoid, who happened at that moment to turn +his head, could not have failed to observe. + +"Miss Susan, you donkey, you have spoilt all. We are found out," I +exclaimed. "Macquoid saw your sign to me." + +Spellman declared that did not signify; that he would explain how it +happened to Macquoid, and assure him that the gesture was one which he +frequently made when suffering from a paroxysm of pain. + +I told him that he had better say nothing of the sort, and that he would +only make matters worse, but he persisted that he knew better than I +did, and told me to hold my tongue. Of course it was very wrong to sham +to be worse than I was, but I persuaded myself that it was not like +actual malingering, as I had a foundation for my assertion, and really +did not feel as if I could walk. Still I may as well say here, that +though I have ever been through life merry by nature, as well as by +name, and have loved joking as much as any man, I have learned to hate +and detest falsehood. It is un-Christian like in the first place, and +thoroughly low and ungentlemanly in the second. I say this, lest in +consequence of my having introduced the wonderful adventures of my +shipmate, Mr Johnson, it may be considered that I think lightly of the +importance of speaking the truth. To do Jonathan justice he took ample +care that his yarns should never for a moment deceive the most +simple-minded or credulous of his hearers. At that time, however, I did +not see things as clearly as I did when I grew older, and I was vexed at +having tried to deceive Macquoid, more from the fear of being found out +than from any refined sense of shame. He, however, when he came again +in the evening, treated us exactly as if we were still very weak, and +when Spellman persisted in talking of the odd position into which his +hands twisted themselves when he was in pain, he seemed to take it all +in, and agreed with him, that such was a very natural and common +occurrence. I had my doubts, however, of Macquoid's sincerity, and +having had some experience of his mode of treatment on a former +occasion, resolved to be very much better the next visit he paid us. I +said nothing to Spellman, whose spirits rose immediately. + +"I told you so," he exclaimed, when Macquoid was gone. "I told you I +should humbug Johnny Sawbones." + +"Now if we could but get the boatswain to come to us, and to go on with +his yarns, we should be all right and jolly," observed Grey. + +I agreed with him, and soon afterwards Toby Bluff coming to see me, +which the faithful fellow did as often as he could during the day, I +sent him to invite Mr Johnson to pay us a visit, as he would have more +leisure then than at any other time of the day. Nothing loth, the +boatswain soon made his appearance. + +"And so, young gentlemen, you want to hear more of my wonderful, not to +say veracious, narratives," he observed, while a pleasant smile +irradiated his features. "Well, I hold that the use of a man's legs is +to move about the world, the use of his eyes is to see all that is to be +seen, as he does move about, and the use of his tongue to describe all +that he has seen, and so I'll use mine to good purpose, and indulge you, +but, as I've said before, I say again, I will have no one doubt my word. +If there's any cavilling, I'll shut up as close as an oyster when he's +had his dinner, and, having made this preliminary observation, here +goes. Let me recollect, where had I got to?" Mr Johnson said this +while taking his usual seat on a bucket, between our hammocks, his huge +legs stretched out along the deck, and his big head sticking up, so that +his eagle eyes could glance round above them. + +"I remember,--I was taking a walk to the North Pole. I did not think +that I could be many days' journey from it. But that did not matter. +The air was so bracing that I could take any amount of exercise without +fatigue, and was therefore able to walk all day, sitting down merely for +convenience sake when I was enjoying my dinner off the preserved bear. +I of course could not cut the flesh with my knife, as it was frozen as +hard as a rock. I was therefore obliged to chop it into mouthfuls with +my hatchet, and even when between my teeth it was some time before it +would thaw, but then you see, as I had nobody to talk to, I had plenty +of time for mastication, and it was undoubtedly partly to this +circumstance that I kept my health all the time. There is nothing so +bad as bolting one's food, except going without it. By the way, I have +had to do that more than once for several weeks together. Once for a +whole month I had nothing to eat but some round-shot and bullet moulds, +and an old jackass, which was washed up on the beach, after being well +pickled by the salt water, but that has nothing to do with my present +story. I wish that I had kept a diary of my proceedings during my +northern ramble. It would have proved highly interesting to Sir Joseph +Banks, and other scientific people, but, as it happens, I have my memory +alone to which I can trust, though that, however, never deceives me. +Well, after leaving my flagstaff I travelled on, neither turning to the +right hand nor to the left, and it is wonderful what a straight course I +kept, considering the difficulty there is in finding one's way over a +trackless plain without a compass. If I had had too much grog aboard, I +could not have done it, and it's a strong argument in favour of keeping +sober on all occasions, but more especially when any work is to be done. +I slept at night, as before, in a hole in the snow, but never suffered +from cold; this was partly on account of the quantity of bear's grease I +swallowed, which served to keep the lamp of life alive, and also because +every mile I advanced I found the atmosphere growing warmer, and the +Northern Lights brighter and brighter. There could be no doubt about +it; those lights were the cause of the unexpected warmth I encountered; +so warm, indeed, did the air become, that I am certain many a man would +have turned back for fear of being roasted alive, but I was not to be +daunted. Onward I went till I got within less than a mile of one of the +biggest fires I ever saw. The effect was grand and beautiful in the +extreme. You might suppose yourself looking at a city fifty times as +large as London, and every house in it as big as Saint Paul's, and every +part of it blazing away at the same time, and even then you would have +no conception of the magnificence of the scene which met my view, as I +beheld the source of those far-famed Northern Lights, the Aurora +Borealis, as the learned people call them. + +"The flames, you must know, were not of that bright hot colour which +issue from a furnace, but were of a delicate pale red, flickering and +playing about in the most curious way imaginable, sometimes blazing up +to the height of a mile or so, and then sinking down to a few hundred +feet. The heat at the distance I was then from it was rather pleasant +than oppressive; it had not even melted the snow on the ground, but of +course that was so hard frozen, that it would have required a very warm +fire to have made any impression on it. Well, as I advanced I began to +lick my chops at the thoughts of the hot dinner I intended to enjoy-- +for, after all, however philosophical a man may be, his appetite, if he +is hungry, must be satisfied before he is fit for anything--when I +beheld a number of moving objects, scarcely distinguishable from the +snow, encircling the fire. I could not make out at first what they +were, but on approaching still nearer, I discovered the truth, though I +could scarcely believe my eyes, for there, sitting up on their hams, +were countless thousands of polar bears, warming their paws before the +aurora borealis. It is a fact as true as anything I have been telling +you, and at once fully accounted to my mind for the disappearance of +bears from the arctic regions during the winter months, and fully +refutes the popular idea, that they sit moping by themselves in caverns, +employing their time in sucking their paws. + +"Not liking the idea of losing my hot dinner, not to speak of the +disappointment of not being able to say that I had been chock up to the +North Pole, I determined to venture among them." + +"It wouldn't give you much concern to say you had been there, at all +events, even if you hadn't," growled out a voice from one of the +hammocks. + +"Sir!" exclaimed the boatswain very sternly, "I would have you to know +that I scorn to exaggerate the truth, or to make an assertion which is +not in strict accordance with the facts. If you doubt my words, stop +your ears or go to sleep, or I'll shut up altogether." + +"Oh no, no, do go on, Mr Johnson," exclaimed several voices at the same +moment. "We don't doubt a word you're saying." + +"Well, that's right and proper," said the boatswain, much appeased. "If +I do draw on my imagination at any time, it is because it is the only +bank I know of which would not dishonour my drafts, as many a gentleman +who lives by his wits would have to confess, if he spoke the truth. +Well, I resolved to venture on, and soon got up near enough to see that +the bears were sitting as close as they could pack, in a large circle +round the real, veritable North Pole, and that those who were moving +were merely stragglers, who could not find room to squat down with the +rest. I was standing contemplating the strange scene, when an immensely +big fellow, catching sight of me, came waddling up on his hind legs, and +growling terrifically with anger. `This is inhospitable conduct, Mr +Bruin, let me observe,' I shouted out, but he did not attend to me. I +had my gun loaded in my hands, so, when he came within ten yards of me, +I fired, and hit him on the eye. Over he rolled as dead as mutton, so +it appeared, and I had just time to cut a steak out of his rump for +dinner, when another rushed towards me. I loaded calmly, fired, and +knocked him over, but this was a signal for fifty others to make a +charge at me. I felt that, ready for a fight as I was, I could not hope +to contend against such overwhelming numbers, so I did what any person, +however brave, situated as I was would have done--I took to my heels and +ran as hard as I could go. I never ran so fast in my life before, and +good reason I had to put my best leg forward, for, in the course of a +minute, there were a thousand bears at my heels, every one of them +licking their jaws with the thoughts of dining off me. I must own that +I did not like it. On I ran straight for my signal staff, never once +looking behind me, for I could hear the bears growling as they followed +full tilt; and so clearly are sounds conveyed over those vast expanses +of snow, that they seemed close at my heels. + +"By the time I had run for fully ten hours without stopping, I began to +get rather out of breath, and almost to fear that I should not hold out +much longer, when to my great satisfaction the growling grew less and +less distinct, as the bears, dead beat, dropped off one after the other, +till at last, turning my head, I found that I was alone. I cannot +express how comfortable this made me feel, so I sat down for half an +hour to recover my breath, and to eat my dinner, which was a cold +instead of the hot one I expected to enjoy. + +"When I got up again, what was my surprise to see my flagstaff in the +distance, not two miles ahead, and it was only then I discovered how +very fast I must have run, for I had come back in a few hours a distance +which it had before taken me a week to perform. I have heard of fear +giving wings to the feet, but though I won't allow that I was afraid, I +must have flown along at a good pace. Well, I got up to my flagstaff, +and found my compass all right, though as soon as it was clear of the +snow it had a slight inclination to move northward; and so, to avoid +risk, I stowed it away carefully in my pocket. The handkerchief was +frozen as stiff as a board, and I had some difficulty in folding it up +for other purposes. I was glad also to get back my walking-stick, which +helped me wonderfully over the ground. Again I sat down. It was only +now the real difficulties of my position burst on me, but difficulties +never have and never shall daunt me. After a little consideration I +determined to discover the spot where I had commenced making the circuit +round the Pole. For several days I was unsuccessful; till at last I +beheld a dark object on the snow. I ran towards it, and it proved to +be, as I expected, the body of one of my shipmates, the last who had +given in--a Shetlander--Murdoc Dew by name, as good a seaman as ever +lived. I exchanged boots with him as mine were worn out with so much +walking, and then, pushing on, I came upon the bodies of my other +companions and the bears we had killed, by which I knew that I was +steering a right course for the spot where I had left the ship. I +calculated that had I gone south when I first thought of doing so, I +should have got on shore somewhere to the eastward of Nova Zembla, and +have had to travel right through Siberia and the whole of Europe before +I could have got back to old England, which, considering that I had not +a purse with me, nor a sixpence to put into it, would not have been +pleasant. + +"On I went till I got into the latitudes where icebergs are collected. +They are, as is known, vast mountains of ice and snow, so that when I +once got among them it was impossible to see any way ahead, and as the +summer was coming on and their bases melted, they began to tumble about +in so awful a way, that I fully expected to be crushed by them. My +food, too, was almost expended, and Murdoc Dew's boots gave symptoms of +over use, so that at last I began to think that there might be a +pleasanter situation than the one I was placed in, when one day, having +climbed to the summit of the highest iceberg in the neighbourhood, I +beheld a light blue smoke ascending in the distance. Taking the exact +bearings of the spot, I slid down an almost perpendicular precipice, of +three hundred feet at least, at an awful rate, and then ran on as fast +as my legs would carry me, for after a solitude of eight months I longed +to see my fellow-creatures, and hear again the human voice. On I went, +but still to my disappointment no ship appeared in sight, till at last I +saw in front of me a low round hut, evidently the habitation of +Esquimaux--a people whose habits, manners, and appearance I was never +much given to admire. I should observe that what with my bear-skin +cloak and my long beard and hair, (I say it without any unbecoming +humility) I did, probably, look rather an outlandish character. + +"As I understood something of the Esquimaux lingo--indeed, there are few +tongues I don't know something about--I shouted loudly to attract their +attention. On this, two men, dressed in skins, came out of the hut, and +answered me in so extraordinary a dialect, that even I did not +comprehend what they said. I then hailed them in Russian, but their +answers were perfectly unintelligible. I next tried French, but they +shook their heads, as was, I thought, but natural for Esquimaux who were +not likely to have been sent to Paris for their education. I then spoke +a little Spanish to them, but I was equally at a loss to understand +their answers. Portuguese was as great a failure; even several of the +languages of the North American Indians did not assist us in +communicating our ideas to each other. I tried Hindostanee, Arabic, and +Chinese, with as little effect. This was, indeed, provoking to a man +who had not exchanged a word with a fellow-creature for so many months, +till at last, losing temper, I exclaimed in English more to myself than +to them:-- + +"`Well, I wonder what language you do speak then?' + +"`English, to be sure,' answered both the men in a breath, `and never +spoke any other in our lives.' + +"`Are you, indeed, my countrymen?' I cried, rushing forward and +throwing myself into their arms, for by the tone of their voices I +discovered that not only were they Englishmen, but my own former +shipmates. + +"They, of course, thinking that I had long been dead, had not recognised +me; indeed I had some difficulty, as it was, in convincing them of my +identity, and of the truth of the account I gave of my adventures since +I left the ship. I was certainly an odd object, with a beard of so +prodigious a length, that it not only reached the ground, but I had to +tie it up as carters do their horses' tails, to keep it out of the snow. +My hair and eyebrows had increased in the same proportion, so that I +was more like a wild beast than a man. This extraordinary exuberance I +attribute entirely to my having lived so completely on bear's flesh. +When cut off it served to stuff a large sized pillow, which I afterwards +gave to the President of the United States, who sleeps every night on it +to this day. + +"My old shipmates told me that they were the only survivors of the +crew--that our ship had been nipped by two floes of ice with such +violence that she was sent flying into the air full sixty feet, and +that, when she came down again on the ice, she split into a thousand +pieces, which went skating over the smooth surface for miles, and that, +of course, the bones of every one on board were broken, but that they, +having been sent ahead in a boat at the time, escaped. + +"Now I do not wish to throw any discredit on my friends' narrative, but +remember that I will not and cannot vouch for the accuracy of any man's +statements except of my own. + +"My friends, having got over their first surprise, invited me to enter +their hut, where I must say I enjoyed a comfortable fire and a warm +chop--though I burnt my mouth when eating the hot meat, accustomed as I +had so long been to iced food. We washed down the flesh with some +excellent rum, a few casks-full of which my shipmates had discovered +near the scene of the catastrophe, in frozen forms, like jellies turned +out of a tin, for the wood had been completely torn off when the ship +went to pieces. When our repast was concluded we whiled away the time +by narrating our adventures, and though you may have observed that I am +not much given in general to talking, I confess I did feel a pleasure in +letting my tongue run on. It moved rather stiffly at first for want of +practice; but the hot food and spirits soon relaxed the muscles, and +then it did move certainly. My only fear was that I should never get it +to stop again. We talked on for twelve hours without ceasing, and, +after a little sleep, went on again the whole of the next day." + +A loud guffaw from the occupant of a distant hammock made the boatswain +stop short, and look round with an indignant glance. + +"I should like to know, Mr Haugh! Haugh! Haugh! whether you are +laughing at me, or at my veracious narrative? If at me, I have to +remark that it is over well-bred, whoever you are, officer or man; if at +my history, let me observe, all you have to do is to match it before you +venture to turn it into fun. It may have been equalled. I don't wish +to rob any man of his laurels; but it has not been surpassed, and so Mr +Haugh! Haugh! I've shut you up, and intend to shut up myself, too, for +it's time for me to go on deck and see what's become of the ship, and +that no one has walked away with her." + +Saying this, the boatswain rose from his tub, and with his huge head and +shoulders bent down as he passed under the beams, he took his departure +from among the hammocks. He had not been gone long before Toby Bluff +made his appearance; and as he came up to me I fancied, from his +countenance, that there must be something wrong with him. + +"What is the matter, Bluff?" I asked. + +"Why, sir, I thought Mr Johnson was here," said he, without giving an +answer to my question. + +"But what if he is not?" said I. + +"Why, Muster Merry, I wanted to see him very much before he went on +deck," he answered. + +"On what account?" I asked, convinced that Toby had something to say +which he, at all events, considered of importance, and I thought he +might just as well tell me before he communicated it to the boatswain. +He was Mr Johnson's servant, it must be remembered. + +"Why, sir, I don't know whether I am right or wrong," he whispered, +coming close up to my hammock. "It's just this, sir. We have got, you +know, some three or four hundred French prisoners aboard, at all events +many more than our own crew now numbers, as so many are away in the +prize, and others wounded. Well, sir, as I have been dodging in and out +among them, I have observed several of them in knots, talking and +whispering together as if there was something brewing among them. +Whenever I got near any of them they were silent, because they thought I +might understand their lingo, though I don't. I was sure there was +something wrong. It might be they didn't like their provisions or their +grog, and were going to ask for something else, but, whatever it was, I +made up my mind to find it out. At last I remembered that there is a +boy aboard, Billy Cuff, sir, who was taken prisoner by the French, and +lived in their country for ever so long, and he used to be very fond of +coming out with French words, though he is not a bit fond of the French, +for they killed his father and his brother, poor fellow. Thinks I to +myself, if Billy has not got much wits he has got ears, and we'll see +what we two together can find out. So I told Billy, and I got him to +come and stow himself away near where I knew the Frenchmen would soon +collect, and sure enough, sir, from what Billy heard, they have made up +their minds to try and take the ship. They caught Billy and me stealing +away, and from their looks they would have pitched us overboard if they +had dared, but we tried to seem innocent like, as if we didn't think any +harm, and they still fancy it's all right. Now if any of them saw me +going up to speak to the boatswain they might suspect that something was +wrong, and be on their guard. I've done right, I hope, sir?" + +"Indeed you have, Bluff," said I, highly pleased at the intelligence and +forethought he had shown. It proved that his wits were sharpening at a +great rate, that in fact he had got the hay-seed out of his hair very +rapidly. + +I agreed with him that it would not do to let any of the Frenchmen see +him talking to the boatswain, because, if they were really going to +rise, they might do so before preparations could be made to withstand +them. He might go at once to Mr Bryan or to one of the other officers, +or to Captain Collyer himself, but then I thought it more than probable +that they would not believe him, so I told him to run up and to tell the +boatswain that I wanted particularly to see him. + +In a short time Mr Johnson's long nosed, ruddy visage appeared above my +hammock. I then told him, in a low voice, all I had heard from Toby. + +"I should like to see them attempt it," he answered, laughing. "It's a +cock-and-bull story, depend on that, Mr Merry, but still you did very +right in sending for me. It's possible that I may report the +circumstance to the captain, as it's right that he should know the zeal +and intelligence exhibited by boys Bluff and Cuff, though, as I say, +there's nothing in it, depend on that." + +Notwithstanding Mr Johnson's assertion I observed that he immediately +sent for boy Cuff to his cabin, and, as Toby afterwards told me, +interrogated him very closely as to what he had heard. Nothing, +however, was said to me on the subject, and I began to fancy that boys +Bluff and Cuff had been deceived, or were making a mountain out of a +molehill. This matter had not made me forget Macquoid's promised visit +to us. The next morning, when we were all awake, I asked Spellman how +he felt. + +"Very jolly," he answered. "But I have no intention of getting up and +bothering myself with duty for some time to come. I've done enough for +the good of the service to last me for some time." + +"I should think so," said I. "I hear Macquoid's voice; here he comes." +I uttered a few groans, which Spellman repeated with considerably more +vigour. I let him go on, while I sat up with a pleased countenance to +welcome the assistant-surgeon, who appeared with a big bottle containing +some black-looking stuff, and a glass. Spellman went on groaning. + +"Poor fellow, I've got something which will do him good," observed +Macquoid with a twinkle in his eye. "Here, take this, my lad; there is +nothing like it for internal pains." + +As he poured out the nauseous draught, the smell alone was so horrible +that I resolved to do anything rather than take it. Spellman, however, +fearing that he should be detected if he refused, held his nose with his +finger and thumb, and with many a wry face gulped it down. + +"Don't you think a little more would do him good?" said I, in a hurried +tone. "I don't want any myself; the fact is, Macquoid, that the +plasters you put on yesterday did me so much good, and you have treated +me so well altogether, that I feel getting quite well and strong, and +have been waiting all the morning for your coming, to ask if I might get +up." + +Macquoid shook his head at me. "We'll see how the wound looks first," +said he. "But you must take a little of my elixir asafoetidae et +liquorice first. You evidently properly appreciate its virtues by +recommending that Spellman should have more of it." + +"Ah, but you know, as you often say, when you drink up my grog, `What's +one man's meat, is another man's poison,'" I answered promptly, for +Macquoid was very fond of making use of all sorts of proverbs, +especially when he wished to show that he was right in anything he chose +to do. "I have no doubt that it will do Spellman a great deal of good, +or of course you would not give it to him, it would be meat to him; but +as I am perfectly free of pains it would be positively throwing it away +on me, though I don't say it would be poison, of course not." + +"Oh, you humbug, you arrant humbug," exclaimed Spellman, sitting up in +his hammock and clenching his fist at me. "Why, not five minutes ago, +you were groaning away worse than I was--that he was, Macquoid. Give +him some of your beastly stuff. It's not fair that I should take it, +and not him. He promised to keep me company." + +"When the pains return he shall have more of it, depend on that," said +Macquoid, scarcely able to dress my wound for laughing. "He has tasted +it already. You shall have his allowance to-morrow if you are not +better." + +Spellman having betrayed himself, had not only to drink the mixture +which was made as nasty as could be, though probably perfectly harmless, +but to get up and be ready to make himself useful if required. My neck +was rather stiff, but the pain was so slight that I felt almost able to +return to my duty. I was glad to get about the decks, because I wanted +to find out if Toby's information had been believed. I saw nothing to +indicate that anyone apprehended an outbreak of the prisoners. The +officers walked the deck as usual, singly or in couples, with a look of +perfect unconcern, and the marines were scattered about, employed in +their ordinary occupations. A Frenchman, who was, I guessed, the French +captain, was pacing the quarter-deck with Captain Collyer, and his +countenance looked very sad and troubled; but that arose, I concluded, +because he had lost his ship and was a prisoner Mr Bryan and some of +the other gun officers spoke to me very kindly, and congratulated me on +being about again. At length Macquoid sent me below, suggesting that it +might be wiser to take a little more of the elixir before I went to +sleep, but I declined the favour, assuring him that the very thought of +it restored me to unwonted strength. He laughed, and wished me good +night, advising me to make the most of my time, as I should soon have to +keep watch again. "Such wide awake fellows as you are cannot be +spared," he observed. I was soon asleep. I awoke with a start. All +was dark. I heard seven bells strike; I knew it must be towards the end +of the first watch. The voice of an officer hailing the look-out +sounded peculiarly distinct, and served to show the quiet which reigned +on board. The sea was smooth, we were carrying a press of sail, and I +could hear the rush of the ship through the water. Suddenly the silence +was broken by the heavy tramp of men along the deck, while loud shouts +and shrieks seemed to burst from every point. The drum beat to +quarters, and I heard the voices of officers in loud distinct tones +perfectly free from agitation issuing orders. + +"What is the matter?" I exclaimed, starting up. + +"What can be the matter," exclaimed Spellman, "Are we all going to be +murdered?" + +"The matter is, that the Frenchmen have risen, and are trying to take +the ship," said I. "And though they may murder us, who are unable to +resist them, it's a consolation to feel they'll be knocked on the head +to a certainty themselves." + +"I can't say that I feel it any consolation at all; oh dear! oh dear!" +cried Spellman, jumping up and beginning to dress, an example I +followed, for I had no fancy to be killed without resistance. + +Grey at that moment awoke. I told him what was occurring, and that I +intended to stick by him, and was groping about to get something to +fight with, when I heard a voice high above the shrieks and cries, which +I knew to be that of the lieutenant of marines, shouting-- + +"Charge them, lads." + +Then came the steady tramp of the jollies along the deck, lanterns were +quickly lighted, and looking out I could see the Frenchmen scampering +off, tumbling down the hatchways, or hiding under the guns. They +discovered that they had made a slight mistake. Not a trigger was +pulled, and except for a few prods with the points of bayonets, which +caught the Frenchmen in their nether ends, no blood was drawn. Captain +Collyer had not been quite so fast asleep, nor had boys Bluff and Cuff +been quite so stupid as the Johnny Crapauds had fancied. The jollies +had been warned to be in readiness, and before the first roll of the +drum had sounded along the decks, they were at their posts, ready, as +they always were, for anything. + +The Frenchmen were soon put under hatches, and their officers, who had +not joined the conspiracy, (though they might if it had been successful, +because then it would have been a very gallant affair), going among +them, discovered the ringleaders, and, dragging them out, they were put +in irons. + +It was some time, however, before complete quiet was restored. We, that +is to say my messmates and I, assembled in the berths, and having +discussed the matter, concluded that all the culprits would be hung next +morning. + +As our purser's dips did not allow us to enjoy any extra amount of +light, we soon had to retire to our hammocks. What was our surprise +next morning to find that the Frenchmen were summoned aft, when their +captain appeared and addressed them. I learned afterwards that he asked +them whether they had been well fed, comfortably berthed, civilly +treated, and on their owning that they were, he told them that they were +a set of ungrateful scoundrels, a disgrace to the French nation, and +that they all deserved to be hung. + +Captain Collyer then stepped forward and said that though they might +deserve hanging, as they had fought their ship bravely, and as no lives +had been lost, he should overlook their fault, but he warned them that +if they made a similar attempt they would be severely dealt with. The +Frenchmen retired, looking considerably ashamed of themselves. The +French captain then took off his hat, and making the most polite bow to +Captain Collyer, thanked him for his humanity, observing that the truly +brave were always humane. + +I could not ascertain whether Captain Collyer had heard what Toby had +told me, but two days afterwards, he and Cuff were together, not far +from the captain, when he turned round and said: + +"My eye is upon you, boys Bluff and Cuff, and, if you continue to behave +as well as you have done, your interest will be cared for." + +Now, I could not help thinking that they really had saved the ship, but +it would have been inconvenient to have acknowledged this at the time, +and certainly have done Bluff and Cuff no real good; probably only have +set them up, and made them idle. I am convinced that the captain acted +in this matter, as he did in all others, with true kindness and +judgment. + +Four or five days after this providential suppression of the mutiny, as +I was walking the deck, having volunteered to return to my duty, the +look-out at the mast-head hailed that a sail was in sight. The usual +questions were asked, and the master, going aloft to examine her, +pronounced her to be, without doubt, a line-of-battle ship. It was not +quite so easy to determine whether she was an enemy or a friend. If the +former, we might have another battle to fight, for Captain Collyer was +not the man to yield without one. Having the prize in tow, we were +making all sail on our homeward course. + +On came the stranger. She was on our weather quarter, and soon showed +us that she sailed faster than we did. + +Captain Collyer now hailed Mr Lukyn, who commanded the prize, to say +that he intended to fight the line-of-battle ship to the last, and then +explained to him how he intended to manage. + +"With all my heart, sir," answered Mr Lukyn, and the crew of the prize +gave a loud cheer to show that they were ready. + +The drum beat to quarters, and not only did all that were well assemble, +but even all the sick and wounded who could move crawled up on deck to +help man the guns. Though I should not have been sorry to have got home +without more fighting, I was as ready as any one, and hoped that I +should not get another wound, as I was quite content with the one I had +to exhibit. A guard was kept over the prisoners, who were told that +they would be shot down without mercy if they made any disturbance, and +then in grim silence we stood ready for the fight. + +The stranger came on, but at length she began to make signals, and we +signalled in return, and then we soon found out that she was not an +enemy, but a friend. She proved to be the Hercules, 74, and as she was +homeward-bound, her captain said that he would keep us company, to help +fight any enemy which might appear. + +We ran on for two days, when the Hercules made the signal of "fleet to +the south-east," and soon afterwards that several ships had borne up in +chase. We next learned that they were enemies. We had still the prize +in tow. Every stitch of canvas alow and aloft which the ship could +carry was packed on her. It was an anxious time. To lose our gallantly +won prize, and perhaps to be carried off to a French prison, were not +pleasant anticipations. + +I asked Mr Johnson what he thought about the matter. + +"Why, Mr Merry, look you, I never anticipate evil," he answered, with +an expression of countenance very different to what he put on when +telling his wonderful yarns. "Time enough when it comes. `There's many +a slip between the cup and the lip,' as you've heard say, and you'll +find it through life. The Frenchmen out there think that they are going +to gulp us down, but they may find that they are mistaken." + +Fortunately the Aigle was a remarkably fast vessel, and though she could +not carry all the canvas we did, we towed her along easily. The +Hercules acted nobly, and followed like a huge bull-dog at our heels, +ready to bear the brunt of the fight should the enemy come up with us. +Still, as we looked at the overpowering numbers of the Frenchmen, there +appeared but little prospect of our escaping. There were many +speculations as to what we should do. One thing was certain, that our +captain would not allow the Hercules to be taken without going to her +assistance. I asked Mr Johnson what he thought about the matter. + +"Why, just this, young gentleman," he answered. "If the Frenchmen get +near us, they'll blow us out of the water, but they'll have reason to be +sorry that they ever made the attempt. They may have our bones, but +they'll get no flesh on them." + +The boatswain's reply made me meditate a good deal. I wanted to enjoy, +midshipman fashion, all the honour and glory I had gained, and I did not +at all like the thoughts of being taken prisoner, and still less of +being sent to the bottom with our colours flying--a very fine thing to +do in theory, but practically excessively disagreeable. I hinted at my +feelings to Mr Johnson. + +"Very natural, Mr Merry," he answered. "But, just think, if you were +taken prisoner, how satisfactory it would be to make your escape, and if +the ship were to go down or blow up, how pleasant it would be to find +yourself swimming away safely to land. Follow my example. Draw +nourishment from the toughest food. Did I ever tell you how I was once +blown up a hundred fathoms at least, right into the air? When I came +down again I plunged as deep into the sea, but I struck out and came to +the surface, for I knew that I must help myself, as there was nobody who +could help me. I got hold of six of my companions and towed them +ashore, a couple of miles or so. Very few others escaped. Now, if I +had given in, they and I would have been lost, and His Majesty's service +would have been deprived of one of the best bo'suns to be found in it. +I say this without vanity--because it's a fact." + +I found it difficult sometimes to ascertain whether Mr Johnson was +really serious or joking. + +The enemy were all this time chasing, and coming up rapidly with us. +Even Captain Collyer looked anxious. We, however, were all ready for +the fight we anticipated. + +"If we can but keep well ahead of them till night comes on, we may give +them the slip," I heard the captain observe to Mr Bryan. "It may be +more prudent on the present occasion to fly than to fight, but I am sure +that every man will fight to the last if it comes to fighting." + +"That they will, sir. I never saw the people in better spirit," +answered the second lieutenant. "They are like a bull-dog with a +captured bone. They are not inclined to yield it without a desperate +tussle." + +From all I heard I began to think whether I should not go and write a +letter home, to tell them that when they received it I should have +fallen fighting for my king and country; but then Spellman appeared on +deck. He looked so absurd with his lugubrious countenance, and the +plasters still on his cheeks, that I burst into a fit of laughter; and, +all my apprehensions vanishing, I was in a minute joking away with my +messmates as usual. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +The Doris under all sail, with our hard-won prize in tow, kept standing +to the northward, the gallant Hercules bringing up the rear, while the +French fleet, like a pack of yelping hounds, followed full chase at our +heels. + +A stern chase is a long chase, and so we hoped this might prove, without +an end to it. + +Our glasses, as may be supposed, were constantly turned towards the +enemy. They had not gained much on us when the sun went down, and +darkness stole over the surface of the ocean. Clouds were gathering in +the sky--there was no moon, and the stars were completely obscured. It +was in a short time as dark a night as we could desire. The Hercules, +looking like some huge monster stalking over the deep, now ranged up +past us, and a voice from her ordered us to tack to the westward, and +keep close to her. This we did, though we had no little difficulty in +keeping together without lights, which we did not show, lest we might +have been seen by the enemy. + +The next morning, when we looked round, not one of the French squadron +was in sight, greatly to the vexation of our prisoners, who had hoped by +this time to have seen the scales turned on us. We were out of the +frying-pan, but before long we had reason to fear that we had tumbled +into the fire. + +Two days after this, when morning broke, we found ourselves enveloped by +a thick fog. There was but little wind, and the sea was perfectly +smooth. Suddenly the distant roar of a gun burst on our ears. It was +answered by another much nearer; a third boomed over the waters on the +other side of us. Others followed; then fog-bells began to ring--louder +and more distinct they sounded; and more guns were fired. + +"What's all that about?" I asked of the boatswain, who was looking out +on the forecastle. "Why, that we are in the middle of a big fleet of +men-of-war, and if, as I suspect, they are French, and they catch sight +of us, they'll make mince-meat of our carcases in pretty quick time," he +answered, squirting a whole river of tobacco juice overboard, a proof to +me that he was not pleased with the state of affairs. + +"Why, I thought it was a French fleet we escaped from only two days +ago," I remarked. + +"So it was, and this is another," he answered. "In my opinion we shall +never get things to rights till we send to the bottom every French ship +there is afloat, and we shall do that before long if we can but get a +good stand-up fight--that's my opinion." + +Mr Johnson was right, as subsequent events proved. The fog was so +dense that we could not see a single sail, close as we were to them, and +we expected every instant to run into one, or to be hailed and probably +discovered. The men were sent without noise to their quarters, for of +course it was resolved that we should fight our way out from the midst +of our enemies. + +On we glided. The dim form of a ship was seen on our starboard bow. +Our course was slightly altered, but it was only to get nearer another. +A Frenchman hailed. Captain Collyer answered; what he said I do not +know. It seemed to satisfy the stranger. No shot was fired, and we +stood on. Still there was something peculiarly solemn and awful in the +feeling that any moment we might be engaged in an encounter against the +most overwhelming odds. + +Again the upper sails of another ship appeared. From their height she +was evidently a ship which might have sunk us with a broadside. By +seeing this second ship, Captain Collyer was able to ascertain in what +direction the enemy's fleet was standing. As soon as he had done this, +our helm was put up, and away we noiselessly glided to the westward. +The bells were soon no longer heard--the boom of the guns became fainter +and fainter every minute, and at length we had the satisfaction of +feeling that we were well clear of them. + +"Depend on it, you have never been nearer inside a French prison or a +watery grave than you have been this morning," observed Mr Johnson to +me. + +"I don't know that. When I was aboard the lugger, and floating about in +the channel, I was rather nearer both one and the other," I answered. + +"You thought you were, but, as the event proved, you were not," said the +boatswain. "Depend on it, I am right, Mr Merry. If the captain had +not been a good French scholar our fate would have been sealed long +before this. We never know on what apparently trivial circumstances our +safety depends." + +Mr Johnson, it may have been remarked, was never at a loss for an +argument or a remark of some sort. His pertinacity in that respect puts +me in mind of a certain kind-hearted Royal Duke with whom I once had the +honour of dining--a number of naval and military officers being present. + +"Captain R---," said he, addressing one of them, "how is your father?" + +"Your Royal Highness, he is dead," was the answer. + +"Oh! is he? poor fellow! Then, how is your mother?" + +"Your Royal Highness, she is dead also." + +"Oh, is she? Then which died first?" asked the Duke in a tone which +made it very difficult even for the best bred of the company to refrain +from laughing. + +Without further adventure the Doris and her prize arrived safely in +Plymouth Sound. + +We waited anxiously for the report of the dockyard authorities, who at +length gave it as their opinion that the frigate had got so knocked +about that she must go into dock to be repaired. Everybody was in a +great hurry to get leave. In consequence of our having been wounded, +Grey and Spellman and I obtained it at once, and I invited them to pay +my family a visit in Leicestershire on their way to their own homes. I +got leave also for Toby Bluff to accompany us. + +"I'll spare him to you. Mr Merry," said Mr Johnson. "Take care you +bring him back, for he will one day do credit to the service in his +humble path, just as I flatter myself I do credit to it in mine, and I +hope that you, Mr Merry, will one day in yours. You've made a very +good beginning, and you may tell your friends that the boatswain of the +ship says so. Let them understand that the boatswain is a very +important personage, and they will be satisfied that you are a rising +young officer." We got a sufficient amount of prize-money advanced to +enable us to perform our journey, which we did partly in post-chaises. +The latter mode of travelling we agreed was by far the pleasantest. +After we left the coach we went along very steadily for a stage or so. + +"This is slow work," observed Spellman. "I vote we make more sail." +Looking out of the window he sang out, "Heave ahead, my hearty. There's +a crown for you if you make the craft walk along." + +Although the post-boy did not understand my messmate's language he did +our gestures and the mention of the crown, and on we went at a great +rate, turning up the dust as the gallant Doris was wont to do the brine, +and making the stones fly in every direction. + +At last one of the postillions, who entered into our humour, proposed +getting a horn for us. We eagerly accepted the offer, and he said he +would purchase one from the guard of a coach, who lived near the road a +little way on. It was rather battered, and we paid a high price, but +when we found that Toby could blow it effectually, we would have had it +at any price. + +Proud of his acquisition, Toby mounted the box, and, he blowing away +with might and main, highly delighted, on we dashed. + +I ought to have said that, before we left the ship, Grey and I had +presented to us the two small flags we had nailed to the cross-jack yard +in the action with the Aigle. + +At the last stage we agreed that we would do something to astonish the +natives, so we ordered an open barouche, which we saw in the yard, with +four horses. We got out our flags, and improvised another for Spellman; +these we secured to sticks, which we cut from the roadside. Toby +trumpeting like a young elephant, we waving our flags and shouting at +the top of our voices, up we dashed in gallant style to the hall door, +and I believe did astonish them most completely. + +Never, indeed, had the family of Merrys been in a greater commotion than +we had the satisfaction of throwing them into by our arrival. It was +the holidays, and all my brothers and sisters were at home. Out rushed +my father and mother, and Bertha and Edith and Winifred, while my +brothers Cedric and Athelstane, and Egbert and Edwin, hurried up from +various quarters, and every servant in the house was speedily collected, +and everybody laughed and cried by turns, and the post-boys grinned, and +I was kissed and hugged by all in succession--Grey and Spellman coming +in for their share; till I bethought me that I would create a still +greater sensation; so, when good Mrs Potjam, the housekeeper, was +beginning to hug me, as was her wont in days gone by, I shrieked out-- + +"Oh, dear! oh, my wound! my wound!" + +My shipmates, seeing the effect produced, imitated my example. + +"What, wounded, my dear child? What, have you been wounded?" exclaimed +my mother and sisters in chorus. + +"Of course I have; and do you think those deep dimples on Spellman's +cheeks--I forgot to introduce him, by the bye. Mr Spellman, midshipman +of his Britannic Majesty's frigate Doris--Mr, Mrs, and the Miss and +Master Merrys and their faithful domestics--do you think that those deep +dimples are natural? No indeed; a shot went through his cheeks--right +through--and those are the scars. See how Grey limps--I forgot, I ought +to have introduced him. Mr George Grey, also midshipman of his +Britannic Majesty's frigate Doris, and my esteemed friend and messmate; +and for myself, I can scarcely yet use my arm. So you see we are heroes +who have fought and bled for our country." + +In those days, as there were not so many newspapers as at present, +people were compelled to be their own trumpeters more than would now be +considered correct. Some also trumpeted over much, knowing that there +was not the probability that there is at present of their being found +out. + +This statement of mine increased, as I thought it would, the respect all +were inclined to pay us. Dinner was just going on the table, and when +we had satisfied our hunger, all our tongues were busily employed in our +peculiar styles in recounting our adventures. The butler and footmen +often stopped to listen, and not a little forgot their proper duties. + +One placed an empty dish before my mother, into which the cook had +forgot to put the poultry; the butler filled my father's glass with fish +soy, and two of the men bolted tilt against each other and capsized the +remains of a sirloin of beef over the carpet with which one of them was +hurrying off after waiting to listen to the fag end of one of my +narratives. + +Toby Bluff was as busily employed in the servants' hall, and from the +broad grins on the countenances of the footmen as they returned to the +dining-room, I have no doubt that his narratives were of a facetious +character. + +I never have spent so jolly a time as I did during that visit home. Our +wounds did not incommode us; we had everything our own way, and all my +family and friends made a vast deal of us. + +At length a newspaper arrived, giving an account of the capture of the +Aigle, and confirming all I had said, and when, two nights after, we +appeared at a country ball, and as we entered the room the band struck +up "See the conquering hero comes," we were higher in feather than ever. + +Grey and Spellman had, however, to go and see their own friends, and +they enjoyed the rather doubtful advantage of again undergoing the same +treatment they had received at our house. When they were gone, and the +nine days of wonder were over, I found myself sinking into a rather more +ordinary personage. In those good old days, however, midshipmen who had +been in an engagement and got wounded were somebodies--at all events, if +their fathers had fine country seats and saw a number of guests. + +Time sped on. I do not think my family were tired of me, but when the +Doris was reported ready for sea, they calmly acquiesced in the +necessity of my rejoining her without delay, and so Toby and I found +ourselves packed off in a yellow chaise, and directed to find our way +back to Plymouth as fast as we could. + +We made the journey without any adventure, and on our arrival on board +found that Mr Lukyn had been promoted, and that Mr Bryan was the +first-lieutenant. As soon as we had reported ourselves, we dived below +to the berth to hear the news. Two new lieutenants had joined--the +second was a Mr Patrick Fitzgerald. I need not say that he was an +Irishman. He was pronounced to be a most extraordinary fish, and he +positively seemed to take a pleasure in being so considered. He had a +big head covered with reddish hair, which stuck out straight as if he +was always in a fright, his complexion was richly freckled, his eyes +small but twinkling, and his nose, though not prominent, was of ample +dimensions as to width. This beautiful headpiece was placed on the +broadest of shoulders. His body was somewhat short, but his legs were +proportioned to bear the frame of an elephant. He was, as he used to +boast, entirely Irish from truck to keelson, but certainly not of a high +class type. The third lieutenant was an Englishman. This was +fortunate. Mr Haisleden was a steady trustworthy man, and had a good +deal of the cut of a first-lieutenant about him. It is said that, as a +rule, Irishmen make better soldiers than sailors, and perhaps this is +the case. If inclined to be wild they are apt to out-Herod Herod. The +strict rules of naval discipline do not suit their natural temperament. +Paddy Fitzgerald was a case in point, but a more amusing fellow and +better messmate never lived. The ship was again almost ready for sea. +Perigal, who had got leave, came on board, looking very sad at having +had again to part from his wife. Spellman and Grey joined the next day. +There had been no changes in our berth. Perigal ought certainly to +have been promoted, but he was not. "When the ship is paid off, I +suppose that I shall be," he observed with a sigh. It was soon reported +that we were ordered to the West Indies. Grey and I took an opportunity +of asking Mr Johnson what sort of a country we should find out there. + +"One thing I will tell you, young gentlemen, you'll find it hot enough +to boil your blood up a bit," he answered; "as to cooking a beefsteak on +the capstan-head, that's nothing, but what do you say to finding all the +fowls in the hen-coops roasted and fit for table? and all you have to +do, is to hold a burning glass over a bucket of water with fish swimming +about in it, and in five minutes you'll have them all thoroughly +boiled." + +Grey and I laughed. + +"Well, Mr Johnson, it must be hot indeed," said I, and, though I did +not exactly put faith in his account, I began to wish we had been bound +elsewhere. The boatswain saw Spellman listening with mouth agape. + +"Hot, I believe you," he continued; "did you ever sit on a red-hot +gridiron with your feet under the grate, your head in the fire, and your +fists in boiling water? If you ever did, you'll have some notion of +what you'll have to go through in the dog-days out in those parts." + +"Oh dear, oh dear," exclaimed Spellman: "why we shall all be downright +roasted." + +"I've a notion there's some one being roasted now," observed Mr +Johnson, with a wink and a curl of his nose. "Roasted! Oh dear no: all +we've to do, is to sit up to our necks in casks of water, and bob our +heads under every now and then. To be sure, there is a fear that we may +all turn into blackamoors, but that is nothing when a man gets +accustomed to it. I don't see why a dark skin should not be as good as +a white one. Though they don't all talk the same lingo, they've as much +sense in their woolly heads as white men, that's my opinion; and so, +young gentlemen, when you get among them out there, just treat them as +if they were of the same nature as yourselves, and you'll find that they +will behave well to you, and will be faithful and true." + +Mr Johnson's remarks were interrupted by the appearance of Toby Bluff, +who came to summon him on deck. Blue Peter was flying from aloft. In +ten minutes afterwards the capstan-bars were manned, the merry pipe was +heard, and, a sturdy gang of our crew tramping round, the anchor was +hove up, the topsails were let fall, and away the Doris once more glided +over the wide sea towards the far west. We had a rapid passage without +meeting an enemy; indeed, scarcely a sail hove in sight. We made Saint +Thomas's, and stood across the Caribbean Sea towards Jamaica. Hot it +was, but not so hot as Mr Johnson had led us to expect. + +"Wait a bit," he remarked. "It's now winter; just let us see what the +summer will be like." + +We were not destined to enter Port Royal. We had been making good +progress towards it, when three sail were seen from the mast-head. As +enemies of all nations just then swarmed in every direction, it was more +likely that we should have to fight, than that we should meet with +friends. The strangers approached. There were three ships not smaller +than frigates certainly, perhaps larger. Still we knew that Captain +Collyer would not dream of running away while there was a possibility of +coming off victorious. If he did run, it would only be to induce the +enemy to follow. The decks were cleared for action. Slowly we closed, +when at length the strangers began to signalise, and we discovered that +they formed the squadron of Captain Brisbane, who directed Captain +Collyer to join him; except that, in case of parting company, we were +ordered to rendezvous at Aruba, a small island about twenty leagues to +the westward of Curacoa, we remained in ignorance of what was about to +be done, though that there was something in the wind we had little +doubt. Various opinions were expressed; some thought that as the Dutch +had chosen to follow Napoleon's advice, and go to war with us, we should +attack the island of Curacoa itself, to show them that they had better +have remained at peace; but the general idea was, that, as it was +strongly fortified, we should not make such an attempt without large +reinforcements. We did not know then what sort of stuff the commodore +was made of. + +On the evening of the 22nd of December, we anchored at the west end of +Aruba, and we soon learned that Captain Brisbane had not only resolved +to attack Curacoa, but that he had a first-rate plan, all cut and dry, +just suited to the tastes of British seamen. He had learned that the +Dutch had a custom of finishing the old year by getting very tipsy; high +and low, old and young, men and women, all imbibed as large an amount of +schiedam as they could manage to stow away. Even ladies, young and +fair, went about the streets offering glasses of the attractive liquor +to their acquaintance and friends, and it would have been a positive +insult to have refused it from their hands. The consequence was that +the inhabitants, military and civil, had no inclination to get up in the +morning, and even guards and look-out men were apt to go to sleep at +their posts. Captain Brisbane formed his plans accordingly, and fixed +daybreak on January the 1st as the moment for attack. We sailed again +on the 24th, and had a long beat up against the trades towards the east +end of Curacoa. Our time, however, was busily employed in making +scaling ladders, sharpening cutlasses, and manufacturing every bit of +red cloth or stuff we could find into soldiers' coats, as also in +arranging other badges, by which each ship's company could be easily +distinguished. Each crew was thus divided into storming parties, under +the lieutenants and senior mates, the captain acting as leader. The +boatswains were ordered to place themselves at the heads of parties with +ladders to scale the walls, and crowbars to break open the gates. + +Mr Johnson was in high glee. "We shall see what we shall see, and I am +very much mistaken if we don't teach the Mynheers a lesson they will not +easily forget," he exclaimed, as he reviewed the articles under his +directions. + +We made the high land of Saint Barbary, at the east end of Curacoa, +before the year was an hour old, and we then had a fair wind, the +regular south-east trade, to run for the harbour of Saint Ann's, +situated on the south-east of the island. Every one was in high +spirits. We knew full well that the enterprise was a difficult and +dangerous one, but we saw that it was planned with consummate prudence +and forethought, and we felt perfect confidence that it would succeed. +It was no child's play we were about to perform, as, the gallant +Arethusa leading, we stood for the harbour, with our boats in tow, ready +at a moment's notice to disembark the storming parties. We felt very +proud, for we were going to show what bluejackets could do when left to +themselves. I was stationed on the forecastle, and so was Grey, with +our glasses constantly at our eyes. Before us appeared the narrow +entrance of the harbour, only fifteen fathoms wide; indeed it nowhere +exceeds a quarter of a mile in width. On our right appeared Fort +Amsterdam, mounting no less than sixty guns in two tiers, capable, it +seemed, of blowing us all out of the water, while there was a chain of +forts on the opposite side, and at the bottom of the harbour the +fortress, said to be impregnable, of Forte Republique enfilading the +whole, and almost within grape-shot distance. Athwart the harbour was +moored a Dutch thirty-six gun frigate and a twenty-gun corvette. The +commodore had been ordered to diplomatise, and so he did in the most +effectual way, for we all sailed in with a flag of truce flying, but +with the guns run out and the men at their quarters. The Mynheers, +however, were not inclined to listen to reason, but, waking up and +seeing some strangers in their harbour, they hurried to their guns, and +began firing away at us. Their aim was not very good, and few shots hit +us. On we steadily sailed. Suddenly there was a cry of disappointment; +the wind had shifted, and, coming down the harbour, very nearly drove us +on shore. There seemed every prospect of our being compelled to abandon +the enterprise. The men in their enthusiasm wished to tow the frigates +up. Again it shifted. Our sails filled; the men cheered heartily. +Once more up along the harbour, we lay till we brought our broadsides to +bear on the forts and the two Dutch ships, the Arethusa's jib-boom being +right over the town. It was just dawn; a boat was despatched by the +commodore for the shore; she bore a summons to the Dutch governor to +surrender, promising to treat him and everybody with the utmost civility +if he would; but Mynheer von Tronk was in no humour to listen to any of +the more refined arguments Captain Brisbane had to offer; so the flag of +truce was hauled down, and we had recourse to the _argumentum ad +hominem_, or, in other words, we began blazing away from all the guns we +could bring to bear. This fully roused up the sleepy Dutchmen, and we +could see them, (Mr Johnson declared that many of them had their +breeches in their hands), rushing into the boats to get on board their +ships, or hurrying to the batteries, which had hitherto maintained a +very ineffectual fire. We had given them just three broadsides, when +the commodore at the head of a part of his crew put off from the +Arethusa and pulled for the Dutch frigate. Up her sides we saw him and +his gallant fellows climbing. We longed to be with them. The Dutch +fought bravely, as they always do, but liquor had unnerved their arms. +The conflict though short was sharp. Down came the Dutch flag, and up +went that of England, but not till the Dutch captain and several of his +crew had been killed and numbers wounded. The brave Captain Lydiard of +the Anson captured the corvette in the same style. Still close to us +frowned the forts, capable it seemed of sinking every one of our ships +in a few minutes. + +"We must take them, Bryan, without loss of time," I heard our captain +observe, as I was sent up with a message to him. Scarcely had he +uttered the words when the signal to land was made. In a wonderfully +few moments the boats were manned and crowded with small-arms men, and +with ladders and crowbar bearers. I accompanied Mr Johnson with the +ladder-bearers' party. While the crowbar-men proceeded to the gates, we +made the best of our way to the walls. Our chief hope was to succeed by +a dash. The Dutchmen numbered ten to one of us, and they were no +cowards, only slow. As yet they had not half-opened their eyes, or they +might have counted our numbers, and discovered that our idlers, dressed +in red coats, were not really soldiers. Mr Johnson was in his glory; +the exploit was one exactly to suit his taste. + +"That commodore of ours is a first-rate fellow, Mr Merry," he +exclaimed, as we pulled on shore. "If he was first lord, and I was +admiral of the fleet, we should soon drive every enemy's ship off the +seas." + +On shore we sprang, and under a pretty hot fire we rushed towards the +walls. The ladders were placed in spite of the efforts of the +half-drunken Dutchmen to prevent this, many of them toppling over into +the ditch in their attempts to shove them off. Up our men swarmed, +their cutlasses between their teeth. Mr Bryan led one party, Mr +Fitzgerald another; the latter with a loud shriek, which he called his +family war cry,--it sounded like "Wallop a hoo a boo, Erin go bragh,"-- +sprang on to the walls. A big Dutchman stood ready with a long sword to +meet him, and would certainly have swept off his head, had he not nimbly +dodged on one side with so extraordinary a grimace, that he not only +escaped free, but, swinging round his own cutlass, he cut off the head +of the unfortunate Dutchman who was watching him with astonishment. +Then he went cutting right and left, and putting the wide breeched enemy +to flight on every side. I followed Mr Johnson; I knew that I was in +good company when I was near him, and that though we should most +certainly be in the thick of the fight, as long as he kept on his legs +he would have an eye on me. We did not gain the top of the walls +without being opposed, but the Dutchmen literally could not see how to +strike. A fat bombardier, however, made a butt at me, and would have +sent me over again, had not the boatswain seized me by the collar, when +the bombardier went over himself and lay sprawling under the feet of our +men at the bottom. Then on we went, firing our pistols and slashing +right and left. A loud huzza from the sea gate announced to us that +that had been forced open, and the Dutchmen finding that the day was +ours, and persuaded that discretion was the best part of valour, threw +down their arms, and shouted out lustily for quarter. It was gladly +given them; indeed, there was no real animosity between us, and officers +and men were soon seen shaking hands together in the most friendly way +possible. We had taken just ten minutes to do the work. However, we +had some more places to capture, so locking up our prisoners with a +guard over them, out we went again, and climbed up the walls of several +other minor forts in succession, the same scenes taking place at each. +There was a great deal of shouting and running, but very little +bloodshed. Mr Fitzgerald shrieked and shouted "Wallop a hoo a boo," as +before, and made terrific grimaces. Mr Johnson watched him with great +admiration. + +"Some men make their fortune by their good looks, Mr Merry," he +observed. "But to my mind, that second lieutenant of ours is more +likely to make his by his ugliness. It's a proof that the gifts +bestowed on man are very equally divided. He would be nothing without +that curious mug of his." + +The Dutch flag still flew defiantly from Fort Republique at the head of +the harbour. Garrisons were left in each of the forts, and with a large +body of prisoners as hostages we once more returned on board our ships. +We now opened a hot fire on the fort. I observed to Mr Johnson that I +heard some of the Dutch officers whom we had as prisoners declare that +it was impregnable. + +"Very likely," he answered, coolly. "But you see, Mr Merry, British +seamen have a knack of getting into impregnable places, as we shall very +soon show them." + +Just then the order was received from the commodore to disembark the +marines and a body of seamen from each ship. I was delighted again to +be allowed to go. We landed under the protection of the guns of the +captured frigate, and made the best of our way round towards the rear of +the fort, while the ships kept hurling their shot at it in front. I +rather think that the Dutchmen in the fort did not see us as we pushed +on among sugar canes, and coffee and cotton plantations. We got into +the rear of the fort after nearly an hour's very hot march, and then +making a dash towards the walls, we were half-way up them before the +Dutchmen found out what we were about. Many of the officers indeed were +quietly smoking their meerschaums, looking down the harbour, while they +directed the artillerymen at the guns. + +When they discovered us, dashing down their pipes, they hurried to +oppose our progress, but it was too late. Our footing was obtained in +their impregnable fortress, and, exulting in our success, we dashed on. +Still the Dutchmen fought very bravely. As I kept by Mr Johnson's side +I observed the flutter of some white dresses just before us. They were +those of ladies, I guessed, who had been sent to the fort for security, +and who now, taken by surprise, were endeavouring to make their escape +from us. Not knowing where they were going, they ran right in among a +party of our men, who, not intending to hurt them, at all events began +to treat them in a way which naturally caused them very considerable +annoyance and alarm. The truth is, when soldiers and sailors take a +place by storm, they become more like wild beasts than human beings, and +I have witnessed scenes in my career which it makes me even now shudder +to think of. + +The men into whose hands the ladies had fallen did not belong to our +ship. There was no officer with them; so, calling to Mr Johnson, I ran +on. Three of the ladies were elderly, but there were five others, +mostly young--one especially was, at least so I thought, a very pretty +fair girl. She looked pale and terribly frightened. + +"Let those women alone," shouted Mr Johnson; but the men only looked +defiantly at him, and seemed in no way inclined to obey, which put him +in a great rage. + +A boatswain has but little authority except over the men of his own +ship. + +"Mind your own business," cried some of the marines. "What have you got +to say to us?" + +Just then the ladies got more frightened than ever. The youngest lady +screamed, and, I thought, looked towards me. I sprang forward--I felt +more like a man than I had ever before done. + +"Let go your hold," I exclaimed in a tone of authority, to the fellow +who had his hand on the fair girl's arm. "If one of you dares to +interfere with these ladies, I will have him up before the commodore, +and he'll make short work with the matter." The fellow still looked +defiant. "Let go," I again shouted, rushing at him with my dirk. + +What I might have done I do not know, but at that moment a bullet struck +him in the head and knocked him over. + +It was supposed I had shot the man, and a good many, even of his party, +siding with me and Mr Johnson, the ladies were released. + +I made signs to the ladies, and endeavoured to assure them in French +that they were safe. + +"I speak English," said the young lady. "Thank you--thank you very +much." + +The Dutch soldiers had in the meantime thrown down their arms and taken +to flight. The shot which had wounded the man was nearly the last +fired. The Dutch flag was hauled down, and the shouts of our men +proclaimed that in about four hours we had captured, with the loss of +three killed and fourteen wounded, one of the strongest fortresses in +the West Indies. + +I was determined not to lose sight of the ladies till I had placed them +in safety. I found that the youngest was the niece of the governor, and +that she had a sister and her mother with her. The governor's daughter, +a buxom-looking damsel, was also of the party. I conducted them all to +Captain Lydiard, who commanded the expedition, and their carriages and +horses being found in the fort, he ordered that they should be conveyed +back into the town under an escort. I was highly delighted when I found +that I might accompany it. Perigal had command. The British flag was +flying from every fort and ship in the harbour, and many of the worthy +burghers, when their schiedam-steeped senses returned and they opened +their eyes, as they looked out of their windows, could not make out what +had occurred. We were treated with the greatest respect by everybody we +met, and the ladies endeavoured to show their gratitude by every means +in their power. As soon as we had seen them to their own homes we were +to return on board. I found that the young lady's name was Essa von +Fraulich. + +"You will come and see us very often, Mr Merry," she exclaimed in a +very foreign accent, though her phraseology was pretty correct. "We +want to show how much we love you, and we make nice cake for you, and +many other good things." + +The elder ladies were more demonstrative, and wanted to kiss me, which I +thought very derogatory to my dignity. + +I shook hands warmly with them all round, and as I began with Miss Essa, +I thought it incumbent on me to finish off with her: + +The townspeople were very civil as we made our way down to the boats. +Indeed, they did not seem to mind at all what had happened. It was all +the same to them which flag flew over the forts. The English had gained +a character for justice and honesty, and they were inclined to look upon +us as likely to prove good customers, and were, in fact, very glad to +see us. They, indeed, probably thought that it was a pity any +opposition whatever should have been offered to our entrance. Our work +was not entirely accomplished. There was still a fort of some strength, +a few miles from the town. A party of marines and bluejackets was +marched out to take it, which they very speedily did, as the commandant +offered no resistance, but, hearing that his chief had capitulated, +yielded on being summoned. Thus, by noon, the whole of a rich and +fertile island, containing forty-five thousand inhabitants, and well +fortified, was in our possession, while the whole force we could muster +among the four frigates was twelve hundred men. With these we had to +man our prizes, to garrison the forts, to protect the country, and to +keep the town in order. + +Captain Brisbane was, I must say, a host in himself. He was a fine tall +man, with very popular manners; and though he showed that he would not +allow tricks to be played, he ingratiated himself wonderfully with all +classes. He took great pains to conceal from the Dutch the paucity of +our numbers, and hinted that as long as the inhabitants behaved +themselves he would keep his troops on board instead of quartering them +on the town. These troops were represented by the idlers of the +different ships and occasionally seamen, dressed up in red coats and +made to parade the deck. He formed also a bodyguard of all the marines +who could ride, and with them at his heels he made a point of galloping +about the country and visiting the outposts. He never appeared abroad +without being accompanied by them. They were known as Captain +Brisbane's horse-marines. Though horse-marines are often spoken of, it +was the only time I ever saw such a body either on shore or afloat. We +had a very active time of it, every one doing double work, and +endeavouring to make it appear as if we had double our real numbers. +The lieutenants used to put on the marine officers' undress uniforms and +all would go on shore together. Fitzgerald unconsciously very nearly +betrayed the trick, for his remarkable features were not easily +forgotten, and on the first day he appeared in his military character, +we saw the Dutchmen, as well as some ladies, eyeing him narrowly. They +could not conceive it possible two such ugly fellows should be found in +the same squadron. + +Fortunately Mr Bryan was with us, and having plenty of presence of +mind, he began to talk about Fitzgerald's naval brother who remained on +board. + +Captain Collyer, however, thought it prudent to prohibit him from again +appearing in a military character on shore. Mr Fitzgerald could not +understand this, as he was not at all aware of the peculiarity of his +own physiognomy, and declared that he was very hardly treated. + +I was very anxious to get on shore, that I might pay my promised visit +to Essa von Fraulich and her relatives. As bigger men were wanted on +shore, and as the midshipmen were found capable of performing various +duties in the ship, Grey and I and others were, much to our +disappointment, compelled to stay on board. Mr Johnson also remained +on board. + +"I take it as an especial compliment," he observed. "The fact is, you +see, Mr Merry, that I am worth five or six men at least in the ship, +and, in appearance at least, little more than one out of it, and so I am +doomed to remain, while others are enjoying themselves on terra firma." + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +In consequence of so many of the officers being on shore, the boatswain +had charge of a watch. He trod the deck with considerable dignity, and +a stranger coming on board would undoubtedly have taken him for the +captain. + +I was in his watch, and as there was nothing to do, when it occurred at +night, except to see that the sentries were on the look-out, that the +anchors were not dragging, or the ship on fire, I always got him into +conversation; and one evening, Grey and Spellman having joined us, we +begged him to go on with the account of his adventures at the North +Pole, of which for a long time we had heard nothing. + +"I would oblige you with all my heart, young gentlemen, if I could but +recollect where I left off," he answered, in a well-pleased tone. "Let +me see. Was I living on the top of an iceberg, or dancing reels with +polar bears, or--" + +"No, Mr Johnson, you had just found your old shipmates, and were living +quietly with them in their winter quarters, waiting for a ship to take +you off." + +"So I was--ah--well--" said the boatswain. "As I was telling you, when +I last broke off in my most veracious narrative, after we had talked on +for a week, our tongues began to get somewhat tired, and we then +remembered that it would be necessary to make preparations for our +departure from this somewhat inhospitable shore, for as to a vessel +touching there to take us off, that event was not likely to occur. I +found that my companions had commenced building a boat, but as they did +not understand carpentering as I did, it was fortunate for them that I +arrived in time to lend them a hand, or they would infallibly have gone +to the bottom as soon as they had ventured out on the foaming waves of +the Polar Sea. June was advancing, and the ice began to move +perceptibly at a distance from the shore; and as the icebergs knocked +and fell against each other, the crash was truly awful. I can only +liken it to what we might suppose produced by a set of monster ninepins +tumbled about by a party of gigantic Dutchmen. I must relate one more +event, which served to convince my companions of the perfect correctness +of my statements. One night, as I was retiring to rest, I heard +footsteps approaching our hut, and, looking out, I saw an immense white +bear, sniffing up the air as if he smelt something he fancied for +supper. Rousing my companions, who had already turned in, I seized my +gun, with the intention of knocking him on the head, when, as he turned +his face, I recognised an expression I had met before. On his nearer +approach I saw that he had but one eye, and I felt convinced that he was +the identical bear I had knocked over close to the Pole and left for +dead, with a steak out of his rump. He made towards me, grinding his +teeth and flashing his one eye terrifically, with thoughts of vengeance; +but I retreated backwards, and had just time to slam the door in his +face, jamming in one of his paws, before he could grasp me in his deadly +embrace. Thus he was caught in a trap, but his struggles to free +himself were so tremendous that I thought he would have carried away the +whole hut with him, but my friends coming to my aid, we made fast a +strong rope round the lower joint of his paw and secured it to a stout +piece of timber which formed part of the foundation of the structure. +We then opened the door a little, when he, of course, put in the other +paw, which we secured in the same way, and thus had him fast. At first +he was very furious and growled tremendously, but by giving him a piece +of roasted meat to suck at the end of a ramrod, we tamed him by degrees, +and he must have seen that we had no evil intentions towards him. By +slacking the ropes we were in a short time able to shut the door, +keeping him outside. We then went to sleep, and he only now and then +disturbed us by an angry growl as he felt the ropes cutting his wrists. + +"By a judicious system of starvation, and by gently administering food, +we so tamed him that we were able to examine him for a further +verification of my suspicions. Had my companions before entertained any +doubts as to the truth of my story, all such vanished when they +discovered that, though the wound had perfectly closed where I had cut +out the steak, the cicatrice was there, and skin perfectly denuded of +hair. By our pursuing the system I have described for some time, Bruin +became so tame that he would follow us about like a dog, while he +exhibited his affection by every possible means. I shall never forget +the grief he exhibited when he saw us working away at our boat and +making preparations for our departure. Tears fell from his eyes and +trickled down his shaggy breast, his bosom heaved with sighs, and he +hung his paws as he stood before us, watching our proceedings in the +most sentimental manner. + +"When at length all was ready to make sail, we had to secure him, as we +had before done, to the beam in our hut, lest he should scramble into +our boat and insist on accompanying us. We knew that with his usual +sagacity he could very easily release himself after we were gone. We +then hurried on board, shoved off, and stood out to sea. We soon found +that we had numberless dangers to encounter. Sometimes huge whales rose +up and nearly capsized us, and there was always a terrible risk of +running foul of icebergs. One day, indeed, there was a thick fog, and +we were standing on with a fair breeze, when the bow of the boat came +with such terrific impetus against one that she slid right up it for +thirty feet at least, and did not stop till she sank into a deep hollow +from which it seemed impossible to extricate her. There we were, like +three young birds in a nest, floating about at the mercy of the winds +and waves. My companions were in despair, but I cheered their spirits +by assuring them that all would come right at last, as I knew it would, +though, as it turned out, not in the way I expected. + +"Leaving my companions to cut a channel in the ice to launch our boat, I +ascended to a higher part of the berg to look out for a sail, hoping +that some whaler might be in the neighbourhood. While there I heard a +cry of despair, and to my dismay I beheld our boat rapidly gliding down +the iceberg. She reached the water in safety, and with canvas set, +which it was, I own, lubberly to have allowed, she sailed off before the +wind, leaving us on our treacherous island. + +"Fortunately my companions had taken the fish-hooks and other things out +of the boat to lighten her or we might have perished; but we managed +with the hooks to catch an abundance of fish to supply our wants. We +had to eat them raw, but that was nothing. Why, once upon a time, I +paid a visit to one of the South Sea Islands, where the king, queen, and +all the court devour live fish; and, what is more, they are taught when +brought up to table to jump down the throats of their majesties of their +own accord, so as to give them as little trouble as possible. It is one +of the strongest marks of devotion with which I ever met. + +"When my companions saw the boat sailing away, they were in despair, and +I had great difficulty in preventing them from throwing themselves into +the sea, and in restoring their spirits. Certainly, an iceberg is not +the pleasantest spot for a location. At length, one day, I saw +something like a ship's longboat in the distance. It approached the +iceberg in the most mysterious manner. We watched it eagerly. It was +not a boat after all, but a log of timber, and--you need not believe me +if you'd rather not, but it's a fact--there was our pet bear Bruin +towing the timber at the rate of six knots an hour. I hurried down to +the bottom of the berg to receive him. Poor fellow! he was so tired +with his exertions that he could scarcely climb up out of the water, and +when, to exhibit his affection, he attempted to embrace us, he fell +forward on all fours, and very nearly rolled over into the sea again. +As we sat by his side, all he had strength to do was to lick our hands +and moan mournfully. Talk of the affection of a dog! I should think +that was as strong a mark of affection and sagacity as any dog could +give. Let others beat it if they can. Having loosed Bruin from the +ropes and secured the log of timber, which was the one, it must be +understood, to which we had secured him in the hut, and which he had +dragged out with main force, we set to work to catch him a dinner of +fish. This was the least we could do, and we were so fortunate in our +sport that we were able to give him an abundant meal. He enjoyed it +much, and quickly revived. To show his gratitude he soon began to play +off his usual extraordinary antics for our amusement, such as dancing a +jig, standing on his head, or rolling himself up into a ball. Suddenly +it struck me that he had brought the log of timber to enable us to +escape from our perilous situation. I consulted with my companions, and +they agreed with me that if we harnessed Bruin to the log, he would +undoubtedly tow us to a place of safety. We made signs to him, and he +evidently understood our purpose, for he allowed the ropes to be thrown +over his shoulders and secured to the log of timber, and when we had +placed our stores on it and taken our seats, he slipped gently into the +water, and, I holding the reins, off he bravely swam with his snout to +the southward. It was far from agreeable work, for our feet were wet, +and we were obliged to sit perfectly quiet; but still it was better than +remaining on the iceberg, and we contrived to pass our time tolerably +well with smoking, eating, and catching fish. The seas in those +latitudes abound in fish, so that we were able to feed poor Bruin +abundantly on them, or he would never have performed the hard work he +had got through. + +"At last a sail hove in sight, towards which I guided Bruin. I believe +otherwise he would have carried us safely to some southern coast, +towards which he was steering. When the people in the vessel first saw +us they would not believe that we were human beings, though, after we +had hailed pretty lustily in English, they hove their craft to, and told +us to come on board. + +"Accordingly, securing the timber astern, we three climbed up the side, +followed by Bruin, and were not a little amused by hearing the mate tell +the captain, who was ill in his cabin, that there were four men just +picked up. He had taken the bear for a human being--there was so little +difference in appearance between any of us. Ha, ha, ha! It was some +time, too, before the mistake was discovered. The mate was +disappointed, for they were short-handed, and he fancied Bruin would +prove a fine heavy-sterned fellow for pulling and hauling. So he did +when I taught him, and he would fist the end of a rope, and run the +topsails up the masts with as much ease as half a dozen of the crew +could together. The vessel was the Highland Lass, bound from Halifax to +Greenock, where we arrived in three weeks in perfect health and spirits. +One of my companions, James Hoxton, took care of honest Bruin, who, not +being accustomed to a civilised country, would have been rather adrift +by himself, and would scarcely have been treated as a distinguished +foreigner. Hoxton carried him about the country as a sight, and used to +give an account of our adventures, which very much astonished all the +people who heard them. Bruin liked the amusement, for he was fond of +travelling; but I was very sorry to part with him, for he had become the +most amiable and civilised of bears, though on our first introduction to +each other, I should not have supposed that such would ever have been +the case." + +"Is that all, every bit of it, true, Mr Johnson?" asked Spellman, with +mouth agape. + +"Did you ever see a polar bear, Mr Spellman?" demanded the boatswain in +an offended tone. "Yes," answered Spellman, "once, at a show." + +"Then let me ask, young gentleman, why you should have any doubts as to +the truth of my narrative?" said Mr Johnson, drawing himself up and +casting an indignant glance at the midshipman. + +"Let me tell you that a thousand things have occurred to me, a hundred +thousand times more wonderful than that, during every part of my life; +and some day, if you catch me in the humour for talking, perhaps I will +tell you about them. I've only time just now to tell you of another +somewhat strange adventure which befell me. + +"Not finding a ship at Glasgow to suit my fancy, I went to Liverpool, +where I shipped on board a South Sea whaler, called the Diddleus. She +was a fine craft, measuring full six hundred tons. I won't tell you +just now some of the curious events which occurred before we reached the +South Seas. Our success was not very satisfactory. We met with various +accidents, and among others we lost our first mate, who was killed by a +blow from a white whale's tail in a flurry, and as the captain had the +discernment to perceive that there was not a man on board equal to me, +he appointed me to the vacant berth. I little thought how soon I should +get a step higher. The captain, poor fellow, was enormously fat, and as +he was one day looking into the copper to watch how the blubber was +boiling, his foot slipped on the greasy deck, and in he fell head +foremost. No one missed him at the moment, and he was stirred up and +turned into oil before any one knew what had happened. The accident +indeed was only discovered by our finding his buttons and the nails of +his shoes at the bottom of the copper. In consequence of this sad +catastrophe, I became master of the good ship Diddleus. Either through +my judgment, or good luck, it does not become me to say which, we very +soon began to fill our casks at a rapid rate. + +"We had, of course, always our boats ready to go in chase of a fish at a +moment's notice. One day two of them were away, and had killed, dead to +windward of us, a large whale, towards which I was endeavouring to beat +up, when the look-out man from the crow's nest, a sharp-sighted fellow, +Jerry Wilkins by name, hailed the deck to say that there was land in +sight on our lee bow. I knew very well that there wasn't, and couldn't +be, but when I went aloft and looked out myself, I was dumbfoundered, +for there I saw a dark long island, with what I took for a number of +trees growing on it like weeping willows. Presently the island began to +grow larger and larger, and to extend all round the horizon to leeward. +I immediately ordered the lead to be hove, expecting to find that some +current or other had been sweeping us towards some unknown island not +down in the charts, but to the surprise of all of us there was no +bottom. I now cracked on all sail I could set, to beat out of the bay, +as it seemed to be, but the wind was so light that we made but little +way, and as I looked out I saw the line gradually encircling us more and +more, so that I must own I was altogether puzzled to know what it was. + +"The whale and the boats were now about a mile off, when suddenly the +island seemed to rise close to them, forming a considerable elevation. +While we were watching what next would happen, the boats cast off their +tow lines, and pulled like mad towards us. They had good reason to pull +hard, I can assure you, for one end of what we took to be the island +rose right out of the water, full fifty feet at least, and quickly +approaching the whale, the mighty fish disappeared under it, and +immediately the elevation sank to its former level. Directly after +this, one of the crew said he saw a large fire at the end of the island, +but when I took my glass, I ascertained that it was nothing more nor +less than an immense eye. To give an idea of its size, I may state, +with due care not to exaggerate, that I saw fish, of the size of full +grown cod, swimming about in the lower lid. A short examination +convinced me that what I saw was the head of some mighty marine monster, +nothing more nor less than the great sea-serpent, and that the elevation +I had seen was his upper jaw. The crews of the boats confirmed the +opinion when they came on board, for they stated that when they were +close to what they believed was the end of a coral island, they saw it +open slowly, while formidable rows of teeth, every one of the size of a +heavy gun, and a tongue twice as large as a whale appeared. When they +saw this they thought it time to cut and run; nor could I blame them, +for had they not, they would have been swallowed with the whale. + +"Some slight idea may be formed of the size of the monster from its +having swallowed a white sperm whale whole, with half a dozen harpoons +in her, and yet it did not even blink its eyes. I confess that I did +not like the position we were in, for, as I had no doubt that it must +possess a very considerable appetite, I thought it just possible that it +might take it into its head to swallow us up also. To my great +satisfaction, however, the monster remained stationary--probably it +found the harpoons in the whale's back rather indigestible. + +"I also considered that, without any vicious intention, should it take +it into its head to be frisky, it might do us considerable damage. + +"After consulting with my mates, it was agreed that at all events we +should, if possible, avoid the jaws of the monster. We accordingly +steered for the point where we believed its tail was to be found, but +after standing on for an hour or more we appeared to be no nearer it +than we were when we were within a mile of its head. Not only was this +the case, but there could be little doubt that it was curling its tail +round so as completely to encircle us. + +"You, I dare say, have all heard of the dreadful passage between Sicily +and the coast of Italy. On one side there are some frightful rocks, +over which the sea roars like thunder. They are called the rocks of +Scylla, and if a ship gets on them she is dashed to pieces in a quarter +less than no time. On the other side is the awful whirlpool of +Charybdis, which draws ships from miles towards it, and sucks them under +the water like straws; so I've heard say, but, as I've not seen it done, +I can't vouch for the truth of the story. If you keep on one side +you've a chance of being cast away on the rocks; if on the other, of +being sucked down by the whirlpool. We were now much in the same +condition. If we stood on too long on one tack, we ran a risk of +sailing down the serpent's mouth; if on the other, of getting an ugly +slap with his tail--supposing that he had got a tail anywhere in the +distance to slap us with. + +"As I swept the horizon with my glass, his monstrous body appeared on +every side of us, except dead to windward, where there was a clear +opening, towards which point we were doing our best to beat up. Even +that small space appeared to be narrowing. I watched it with no little +anxiety--so did the mate, and so did Jerry Wilkins. Jerry was the first +to discover that the serpent had a tail. + +"`I see it--I see it,' sang out Jerry. `For all the world like the +Falls of Niagara dancing a hornpipe.' + +"It was a fact. There was no doubt of that; and what did the monster do +but finish by clapping his tail into his mouth, and then he lay just +like a big codfish on a fishmonger's stall. It was a fashion we +concluded he had when he wished to bask in the sun, but a very +inconvenient one to us just then. + +"We were, indeed, in a pretty fix, for we could not tell how long he +might take to sleep; judging by his size, a year or so would have +sufficed merely for a morning's nap, and we might all be starved before +we could hope to get free. We were in a complete lake, do ye see, and +the Diddleus was like a child's toy floating in the middle of it. It +made us feel very small, I can assure you. I considered that the best +thing we could do, under the circumstances, would be to heave-to near +his head, so that, should he in his sleep let his tail slip from between +his teeth, we might have time to beat round his jaws. + +"When, however, we got near his head, the crew were so frightened with +its terrific appearance, that I saw that there would be a regular +mutiny, or that in their terror they would all be jumping overboard, if +I did not bear up again pretty quickly. + +"We had an old fellow on board, Joe Hobson by name, who was considered +an oracle by the crew, and he added to their fears by telling them that +he had often heard of these big sea-serpents before, and that, as they +usually slept a dozen years or so on a stretch, we should be certainly +starved before we could get out. I had, however, no fear about +starving, because I knew we could catch fish enough for our support, and +I had a plan by which I hoped, if he did sleep on, we might escape. To +occupy the time I ran down alongside the head and shoulders, and then +beat up again round by the tail end, and this survey, though we had a +strong breeze, occupied fully three days. + +"I now resolved to put into execution my plan, which was simply to cut a +channel for the ship right through the serpent's back. I considered +that one deep enough to float the ship would be like a mere scratch on +the skin to him, and would not wake him. I took, however, a precaution +few would have thought of. The surgeon had a cask of laudanum, so, +lowering it into a boat, with a few brave fellows as volunteers, we +pulled right up to the serpent's mouth. I had a line fast to the bung. +Watching our opportunity, when the serpent lifted his jaws a little, we +let the cask float into his mouth. I then pulled the line--the bung +came out, and the laudanum, of course, ran down his throat. + +"Now, I do not mean to say that under ordinary circumstances that +quantity could have had any effect on so large a beast, for there was +only a hogshead of it; but the doctor observed he placed some hopes of +the opiate working from the creature being totally unaccustomed to such +a dose. + +"I had reason to think that it took immediate effect, for before an hour +had elapsed, he snored so loudly that we could scarcely hear ourselves +speak, though we were fully a mile distant from his head. I now made +sail for the middle of his body, where I judged that there would be more +fat and less sense of feeling. It took us a day to reach the spot; then +heaving the ship to, we lowered the boats to land on the serpent's back. +It was, I assure you, nervous work at first, and we had no little +difficulty in climbing up his sides, which were uncommonly slippery; but +we succeeded at last, and forthwith set to work with knives and saws to +cut into his back. At first we made but little progress, in consequence +of the barnacles, which covered his skin to the depth of some feet, but +when we got fairly through the skin we found to our great joy that there +was as good blubber as we had ever cut out of a fat whale. We, +therefore, made up our fires, and as we cut out the flesh we sent it on +board to be boiled. So hard did we work, that in ten days we had cut a +channel deep enough to admit the ship, and had besides got a full cargo +of the finest oil that had ever been seen. + +"We accordingly hoisted in the boats, made all sail, and ran smack on to +the very centre of the serpent's back. We had, however, not got quite +over when, our keel tickling him, I suppose, he awoke partially, and +letting his tail slip out of his mouth, off he went in a northerly +direction, at the rate of forty knots an hour, with the good ship +Diddleus on his back. + +"We quickly clewed up the sails, or our masts would to a certainty have +gone over the side. On we went in this way for three days, when the +opium again making him drowsy, he put his tail into his mouth, as a +little child does its thumb, and once more went off to sleep. The +movement caused the ship to glide off into the sea outside the circle, +and there being a strong southerly wind, you may be sure we lost no time +in making all sail to get clear of so awkward a customer. The people +set up a shout of joy when they saw him like a large island floating +astern of the ship. I ordered them to be silent lest they should wake +him up, and told them not to be too sure that we were yet altogether +clear of him. As it turned out, I was right. + +"For two days we sailed on without anything unusual happening, and the +crew had begun to recover their usual spirits, when, just as it had gone +two bells in the middle watch, the first mate called me up, in great +alarm, to say that there were two glaring lights right astern of us, +coming up fast with the ship. A strong hot wind, and an almost +overpowering smell of sulphur, convinced me of the dreadful truth:--we +were pursued by the big sea-serpent. I saw that there was nothing to be +done but to run for it, so we made all sail, studden sails alow and +aloft, and as the Diddleus was a good one to go, away we bowled with the +monster in hot chase after us. And now, young gentlemen, as my watch is +up, and Mr Fitzgerald will be on deck presently to relieve me, I must +bring my tale of the big sea-serpent to an end for the present. What +happened next I'll tell you another night: I think you'll agree that +there are not many men afloat who have seen stranger sights than I have; +and yet I don't say, mind you, that the one I have just told you about, +is the strangest by very far--ha! ha! ha! I should think not." + +When the watch was relieved, we all turned in, and, though I went to +sleep quickly enough, I must own that I was all night long dreaming that +I was on board the Diddleus, chased by the big sea-serpent. The next +day I got leave to go on shore to pay my respects to the governor's +family. I had never been made so much of as I was by those Dutch +ladies, even during my last visit home, and Miss Essa and I became more +and more intimate. I thought her, indeed, the most charming young lady +I had ever seen, and I do not know how affairs would have ended, had I +not had cause to suspect that, though she treated me with very sisterly +regard, she still looked upon me only as a young midshipman, and a mere +boy. At first I was very indignant, and thought her very ungrateful; +but when I told my griefs to Grey he laughed, and assured me that when I +went home I should consider my own sisters very far superior. I must +own he was right. + +We held the whole island of Curacoa in subjection for six months without +any reinforcements, and at length were relieved by the arrival of troops +from Jamaica. We sailed shortly after for that island. Having refitted +at Port Royal, we were once more at sea on the look-out for enemies. + +I had read and heard of so many gallant things being done, that I became +very anxious also to do something to distinguish myself. I talked the +matter over with Grey. He had the same feeling, and we agreed that we +would seize the first opportunity of doing something, though what we +would do would depend upon circumstances. Week after week passed away, +and the opportunity we looked for did not occur. At last, one day, when +close in with one of the numerous small islands of those seas, Mr Bryan +called me up, and ordered me to take command of the second cutter, with +six seamen and a couple of marines, and to go on shore to collect sand +for the use of the ship. I asked if Grey might accompany me. + +"To keep each other out of mischief, I suppose," he observed. "Yes, he +may go, but, remember there's an order against taking arms with you. It +is feared that you youngsters will be running your heads into danger if +you have the means of fighting." + +There was nothing very romantic or interesting in prospect for us, but +still it was something to get away from the ship, and to feel that, in a +certain sense, we were to be our own masters for a few hours. Billy +Wise, the captain's steward, was also sent in the boat. I have not +mentioned Billy for some time. He had not, however, improved in sense +since he came to sea this time, but was continually committing some +extraordinary blunder or other. Toby Bluff also accompanied us. The +boat was manned and ready to shove off, but Grey had not appeared, so I +ran up the side to call him, leaving Billy in charge. I was not gone a +minute, for Grey, who was waiting for a basket to collect shells, at +once joined me. The wind was light, and while the frigate, under easy +sail, stood off shore, we pulled towards it. + +We had not got far from the ship, when a piece of sail-cloth being +kicked aside, I saw under it several ship's muskets. I counted five of +them. I found also that there was a supply of ammunition and half a +dozen cutlasses. How they came there was a mystery. No one knew, at +least no one would tell. Billy Wise said that all sorts of things had +been handed into the boat, and that the men had told him that they were +spades to dig sand. Grey and I agreed that, though we could not have +ventured to disobey orders and take arms, since the muskets were there, +if we should meet with an enemy, it would of course be our duty to use +them. The chances, however, of our falling in with one seemed very +remote. + +The heat was considerable, but not quite so hot as Mr Johnson had +declared we should find it. We had a long pull, however, and as the men +were somewhat exhausted, I allowed them to take some rest and +refreshment before they began to load the boat. Of course it was not +the sand close down to the sea which was required, but that which, being +constantly exposed to the effects of the sun and wind, had become fine +and white. The operation of carrying it to the boat therefore took some +time. Grey and I had brought some cold beef and biscuit and rum and +water, and so we sat ourselves down in the shade of a clump of palm +trees to discuss our provisions, and to try and get cool. Some of the +men then asked leave to bathe, and I told them that they might do so, +warning them to beware of sharks and not to get out of their depth. + +They had been frolicking about for some time, while Billy Wise was +sitting down at some little distance off, watching them. Suddenly the +thought seized him that he too would have a bathe, but he fancied some +rocks further away which might serve as a dressing-room. The other men +now began to go on with the duty we had come on. Toby Bluff, meantime, +was strolling along the shore looking for shells for Grey and me. +Suddenly we heard him shouting-- + +"Help--help! There's Billy Wise drowning. Some beast has got hold of +him!" + +We rushed towards the spot where poor Billy had last been seen. There +was a considerable commotion in the water. Now a leg, now an arm +appeared. We ran on. Two of the men who had accompanied us dashed into +the sea, as we also did, and we all made our way up to the spot just as +poor Billy had disappeared under the water. We could see his limbs, +however, and, seizing hold of him, we all dragged away and brought him +to the surface. The cause of his disappearance was explained. Round +his right leg and arm, and indeed his neck, were entwined the long +tentaculae or arms of what I fancy was a huge squid. To clear him of +the horrible mass seemed impossible. Indeed it appeared as if the poor +fellow was already dead. We shouted for the rest of the men, and with +their assistance we dragged Billy and the creature into shallow water. +The monster would not let go, and we all set to work with our knives to +cut it away arm by arm, and feeler by feeler. Till this was done, there +was evidently no chance of our being able to restore animation. As it +was, there seemed to be very little prospect of reviving the poor +fellow. At length, however, we got him clear of the horrible mass, +which dropped into the sea, and none of us were inclined to stop and +examine it. I never have been quite certain what it really was. The +sand was hot enough to hatch a turtle's egg, so we laid Billy down on it +and set to work to rub him all over his body. After a time an eyelid +moved, and then his limbs began to twitch, and that encouraged us to rub +harder and harder, till at length, to my infinite relief, he breathed, +and, getting rid of some of the salt water he had swallowed, he sat up +and stared round him, exclaiming, "Hallo, mates, have you caught the big +fish? I thought as how I'd a grip of him myself." Billy never heard +the end of his big fish. When he attempted to put on his clothes, he +complained that he was stung all over, and so the men carried him just +as he was to the boat. They had, however, no little difficulty in +keeping him there, for when his hitherto impeded circulation was +completely restored, the stinging sensation increased, and made him feel +that only a plunge in the sea would cure him. This event had delayed us +considerably. We ought to have taken our departure from the island even +before Billy had begun to bathe, and so, when I looked at my watch, I +found that we were two hours at least behind our time. At last we +shoved off, but where the frigate was we could not tell. Grey thought +that she must have drifted round to the other side of the island. We +had been directed to keep a look-out for her, but had neglected to do +so. Then it became a question to which side she had drifted. To +ascertain, we lay on our oars, and found a current running to the east, +and so decided that she must have gone in that direction. We now pulled +merrily along, sure of soon falling in with her. Billy Wise was the +only unhappy one of the party. He could not tell what was going to +happen to him, till the men told him he must have fallen into a hedge of +sea-nettles, and that he would soon get well again. This comforted him +considerably, and so he consented to put on his clothes and sit quiet. + +It was now growing dusk, when, as we rounded a point, Grey exclaimed +that he saw a sail ahead. I jumped upon the seat, and made out that she +was a schooner standing off the land. + +"She hasn't much wind," Grey remarked. + +"We might overhaul her," said I. + +"We ought to do so," remarked Grey; "she may be an enemy." + +"We've got arms, sir," said one of the men. + +"And ammunition," added another. + +"Many a rich prize has been taken by a boat's crew," observed the +coxswain, the oldest man in the boat. + +"Well, Grey, suppose we just pull up to her and ascertain what she is," +said I. + +"With all my heart," he answered; "it's a pity, now we have got the +muskets and ammunition, if we have the chance, that we should not make +use of them." + +I fully agreed with him. My only fear was that the schooner might after +all not prove an enemy. The wind was dropping gradually--there was +little doubt that we should get up to her. + +"I suppose that the captain won't mind much if she is an enemy and we +attack her," continued Grey. "He'll suspect, though, that we disobeyed +orders, and had arms in the boat." + +"Not if we take her," I answered. "He'll not ask questions. If we fail +we shall get into a terrible row--we may count on that; but we must take +her, and it will stick a feather in our caps, and put some dollars in +our pockets too." + +We were pulling steadily on all this time. We got the muskets up, and +ascertained that they were dry, and, loading them, placed them on the +thwarts ready for use. The schooner held her course. There was just +wind enough to fill her sails and no more. I felt convinced that she +was French. I asked the coxswain, Ned Dawlish, his opinion. He agreed +with me, and thought that she was a privateer. + +"If so, she must be armed," said I. "We will keep in her wake, and as +in a short time she will not have steerage way, she will be unable to +bring her guns to bear on us." + +The men were all highly delighted with our proposal. They must have +anticipated some such chance when they smuggled the arms into the boat. +Ned Dawlish took another look at the chase. "She's a French craft, and +a privateer, I'll bet any money," he exclaimed, sitting down again to +his oar. + +The crew now gave way with a will. The sooner we were up to her the +better, because, of course, we knew that we must by this time be seen, +and our intentions suspected. + +"She carries three or, maybe, four guns on a side," observed Ned, +looking over his shoulder. "But that's no odds, they can't reach us." + +His eagerness and courage animated the rest of the crew. How many men +the chase carried we could not tell; indeed, we did not consider. Not +one of us entertained a doubt that we should take her. Our proposed +plan of proceeding was very simple. We were to pull up alongside, jump +on board, and, cutlass in hand, drive the enemy down the hatches, or +into the sea if they would not yield. + +There was still some light left, and, as we drew near, it appeared to me +that the decks were somewhat crowded. I asked Grey what he thought. He +agreed with me. Still it was too late to retreat. We had not got much +farther when bright flashes of flame burst from the stern, and, what we +little expected, a shower of bullets rattled about us. + +"Give way, lads, give way!" shouted Ned Dawlish. "We'll lick the Johnny +Crapeaus in spite of that." + +The boat dashed on. We hoped to get alongside before another volley was +fired. In vain. Again a leaden shower rattled round our heads. Once +more Ned Dawlish shouted loudly. There was a deep groan, and he fell, +with his face bent down, to the bottom of the boat. Grey seized his +oar, and took his place. He had been shot in the back. Speed was +everything to us now. There must be a considerable number of small-arm +men on board, I saw; but even then it never occurred to me that we ought +to turn tail. + +On we went. Still the enemy kept up a fire at us. Toby Bluff gave a +sharp cry. A bullet had hit him, but he answered me when I spoke, and +kept his seat. We had the muskets ready. I let go the tiller and +seized one. Grey and Billy Wise and two other men did the same, and let +fly among the enemy. + +In another instant we were under the schooner's quarter. The bowman +hooked on. Without asking leave, up we scrambled, and, cutlass in hand, +in spite of boarding-pikes thrust at us, and pistols flashed in our +faces, began to play heartily about us among the very much astonished +Frenchmen. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +If the Frenchmen were very much astonished at finding us among them, we +were not the less so on discovering the number of our opponents. +Besides the crew, we found ourselves engaged with thirty or forty +soldiers; but had there been more, it would have been the better for us, +for so crowded were the schooner's decks, that they impeded each other's +movements. By the suddenness of our rush, we had gained the after part +of the vessel, and had killed or wounded half a dozen of the enemy +before they knew exactly what to do. The bodies of these men served as +a sort of rampart, while the bowman of our boat, having secured her, +climbed up the side to our support, thus allowing us a few seconds to +look about. In the centre of a group of vociferating, gesticulating, +grimace-making Frenchmen, some armed with muskets, others with swords +and cutlasses, and others pistols and boarding-pikes, stood a tall, +gaunt, soldier officer, eyeing us very sternly, and tugging hard to get +a sword out of a long scabbard, while he kept screaming to his men, as I +understood, to annihilate the dogs of Englishmen, and to kick them into +the sea. But though he kept shouting louder and louder, till his cries +resembled the rabid howls of a wild beast, his soldiers found that +though it might be easy to order them to kick five stout British seamen +overboard, and two rather precocious midshipmen, it was not quite as +easy for them to obey. I saw, too, that our only chance of success was +to push on without further delay. Had Mr Johnson been with us I should +have felt less doubt as to the result of our exploit. + +"On, my lads!" I shouted, "we must drive these Frenchmen off the deck." + +Grey echoed my words, as did another faint voice, and I found that Toby +Bluff, in spite of his wound, had climbed on board the schooner, and was +ready to do battle by my side. On we all pushed. A sturdy French +seaman, on my left, raised his cutlass, while I was engaged with another +on my right. I could just see, out of the corner of my left eye, his +weapon descending, and fully believed that my last moment had come, for +it was impossible to ward it off. Before, however, the cutlass reached +my head, there was the report of a pistol close to my ear, and my enemy +tumbled over dead on the deck. Toby had saved my life, just as I had +before saved the boatswain's. We continued cutting and slashing away so +furiously, that the Frenchmen no longer attempted to contend against us. +Jumping aside like a troop of monkeys, as we got among them, they +tumbled over each other down the hatchways, the old officer with them; +whether he went of his own accord, or could not help it, I was unable to +tell. All I know is, that he disappeared with most of his army, the +remainder of whom lay sprawling on deck, or clinging to the bowsprit, +while some of the crew had run up the rigging, and others had tumbled +into the hold with the soldiers. Over these latter we took the liberty +of clapping the hatches, while Billy Wise did the wisest thing he had +been guilty of for a long time; he pointed his musket at the men aloft, +and intimated that he would shoot the first who attempted to descend. +Some of them had pistols, but they had fortunately already fired them at +us, and they were afraid of throwing them at our heads, lest Billy +should put his threat into execution. His adventure with the sea +monster had evidently roused his wits, for he had, besides this, done +good service in boarding, and several of the foe owed their fall to his +sturdy arm. In less than five minutes from the time we sprang on board, +Grey and I were shaking hands, as we stood on the hatch, with the +Frenchmen below us. + +"I hope, though, that the Monsieurs won't blow up the ship," he +observed; "they must begin to feel heartily ashamed of the way they have +allowed us to take her from them." + +"No fear of it; they are not the fellows for that," I answered: "but it +is just possible that they may attempt to take her back again, so we +must keep a very bright look-out to prevent them." + +Grey agreed with me. + +"I wish that I could talk to them, though," he remarked; "I don't +suppose that one of our party knows a word of French." + +"No; we must learn, however, on the first opportunity," said I. "It +would be very convenient, and very likely useful. If the captain had +not known it, we should probably have been caught by the enemy's fleet +when we got among them." + +The puzzle was now to settle how to manage with these prisoners. As we +had only seven effectives, and they had more than forty, it was no +slight task. Billy Wise, touching his hat, suggested that we should +shoot them, or send them overboard with round-shots at their heels, to +swim ashore if they could; but as that mode of procedure was somewhat +contrary to the customs of civilised warfare, we declined to adopt it, +though undoubtedly it would have solved our difficulties. We ultimately +agreed that our best plan would be to get hold of all those on deck, and +to lash their hands behind them, and then to summon a few at a time of +those below to be treated in the same way. We soon had all those above +deck secured. It seemed extraordinary that men should submit in so +abject a manner to a party of men and boys. They appeared, indeed, +entirely to have lost their wits. It shows what boldness and audacity +will accomplish. However, it might have been the other way, and we +might all have been knocked on the head, or tumbled down as prisoners +into the Frenchman's hold. Having accomplished this, we sent a hand to +the helm, trimmed sails, though there was not much wind to fill them, +and steered in the direction in which we hoped to fall in with the +frigate. I must own that it was not till then that we thought of poor +Ned Dawlish. We drew the boat alongside, and had him lifted on deck. +We had some faint hopes that, though he lay so still, he might be alive, +but his glazed eyes and stiffened limbs too plainly told us that his +last fight was over, and that we should hear his cheery voice and hearty +laugh no more. We then, turned our attention to Toby Bluff. He had +shown himself a true hero, for though his wound must have given him +intense pain, he had not given utterance to a complaint or a single +groan, but had endeavoured to work away as if nothing was the matter +with him. I had observed a good deal of blood about his dress, but it +was not till I came to examine him that I found it had flowed from his +own veins, and that his shirt and trousers on one side were literally +saturated. He was looking deadly pale, and would in a few seconds have +fainted, had not Grey and I set to work to staunch the blood. We had +not much experience as surgeons, but we succeeded after some time. + +"Thank ye, sir; thank ye," said Toby, his voice growing weaker every +moment; "I'll be up and at 'em again directly. I wants another pistol, +please, sir. I don't know what tricks the mounseers may be up to, and +they shan't hurt you if I can help it, that they shan't. I shot one on +'em, and I'll shoot another." + +By this time his voice grew indistinct, and we began to be alarmed about +him. We happily had some rum and water left. We poured it down his +throat, and it evidently revived him. We then placed him under charge +of the helmsman, and continued our other duties. + +"Now, Merry, what's to be done?" asked Grey, when we had got all who +remained on deck in limbo. "If those gentlemen down there find it's +hot, which I suspect they will very soon, they will begin to grow +obstreperous, and try to force their way out. When men get desperate, +they are somewhat difficult to manage." + +"People cannot live without air, I fancy, and they cannot have much of +it in the hold of this craft, which must naturally have a pretty strong +smell of bilge-water," I answered. "We must get them up somehow or +other, so that they don't overpower us. However, we may as well first +get the dead men overboard; they are only in the way where they are." + +"We should see to the wounded first," remarked Grey, more thoughtful and +humane than I was. "If we could get below, I dare say that we should +find spirits and wine, and other good things for them." + +The first man we came to had received the stroke of a British cutlass +full on the top of his head, and did not require our assistance, so he +was pitched overboard. The next was the man shot dead by Toby, so his +body was treated in the same way. A third still breathed, but was +bleeding profusely from a deep wound in his shoulder, and a shot through +his side. His case seemed hopeless, but we bound up his hurts and +placed him against the bulwarks, under the shade of the sail. Two more +we came to were dead, and two badly wounded. When we had done what we +could for them, and placed them with their companions, we saw a fourth +man, whom we supposed to be dead, right forward. When we lifted him up +his limbs did not seem very stiff, nor could we see any wound about him. +Billy Wise was assisting us. + +"Why, sirs," he exclaimed, "the chap has got a big knife in his clutch, +and those eyes of his ain't dead men's eyes, but maybe it will be just +as well to pitch him overboard; he can't do no harm then, anyhow." + +Billy was right, for as he spoke I saw the supposed dead man's eyes +twinkle. Calling another of our people to our assistance, we snatched +the knife out of the man's hand, and then lifting him up we seemed as if +about to heave him overboard. Indeed, Billy thought that was our +object. The Frenchman, however, did not approve of this, and gave +strong evidence that he was alive, by struggling violently, and uttering +with extraordinary volubility a variety of expletives on the matter. +When we had frightened him a little, we lashed his arms behind him and +placed him with the rest of the prisoners on deck. There could be +little doubt that he had shammed dead, and kept a knife ready, with the +hopes of releasing his companions while we were off our guard, and +retaking the vessel. For this we could not blame him, so we treated him +with the same care as the other prisoners--only, perhaps, we kept rather +a sharper watch over him, lest he might attempt to play us some other +trick. + +There were some casks of water on the deck, so we served some of it out +to ourselves and our prisoners on deck alike. Most of the Frenchmen +looked as if they were grateful, but the sulky countenances of some of +them did not alter. However, that made no difference in our behaviour, +as Grey and I agreed it must have been terribly annoying to their +feelings to find themselves thus hopelessly prisoners. + +We had done thus much, when we heard thumping and shouts from below. +This was what we expected, but we had hoped to have fallen in with the +frigate before it became absolutely necessary to open the hatches. We +looked round. From the deck she was nowhere to be seen, so charging +Grey and our men to watch the hatches--the companion and forehatch, as +well as the main, I went aloft to obtain a wider circle, in the +expectation that I might thus discover her. + +Not a sail was in sight. The low island with its groves of palm trees +lay to the northward, and the wide expanse of the Caribbean Sea to the +south. I scarcely knew what to do. I sat at the mast-head to consider, +but was speedily aroused by a shout from Grey. + +In a second, as the Yankees say, like greased lightning, I slid down the +topmast backstay on deck. A Frenchman's head was protruding through the +fore hatchway, he having forced off the hatch, and Billy Wise, who had +been stationed there, was endeavouring to drive him back--not an easy +task, as others below were shoving a boarding-pike at him for the +purpose of compelling him to retreat. Billy, however, stood his ground, +and was working away with his elbow to get at his cutlass, while he kept +his musket pointed at the man's head. + +In the meantime others were thundering away at the main hatch, and, what +was still more dangerous, a party had evidently cut their way aft, and +were trying to force back the companion-hatch. We knew, too, that they +must have firearms, so that we were altogether placed in a very +difficult position. The fore hatch must first be secured. I was +running to help Billy, when I saw him whip out his cutlass, and before I +could stop him, it flashed in the sun, and the unfortunate Frenchman's +head rolled on the deck. + +"There, you Johnny Crapeaus, if any of you likes it, I'll do the same +for you," he shouted, flourishing his weapon. + +The body of the man fell below, stopping his companions from ascending, +and though they might not have understood the words in which Billy's +liberal offer was made, they must have caught sight of the glittering +cutlass sweeping over the hatchway, and hesitated about placing their +necks within its influence. + +I sprang forward. So excited was Billy that he did not see me, and very +nearly treated me as he had threatened to do the Frenchmen--taking me +for one of them. + +"Lauk, Master Merry, if I had a done it," he exclaimed, when he +discovered his mistake. + +I did not speak, but popping on the hatch, secured it before our +captives could make a rush to get out. It was breathless work, it may +be believed--indeed, I even to this day feel almost out of breath when I +think of it. Leaving Billy at the post he had guarded so well, I ran +back to the companion-hatch, inside of which we could hear the men +working away with most disagreeable vigour. + +"Oh dear! oh dear!" exclaimed Grey over and over again. "If we could +but speak French, we could tell the men what we would do if they would +behave themselves." + +"But, as we cannot, we must show them what we will do if they don't," I +rejoined. "We must get them on deck somehow or other, for if we keep +them much longer below they will die, I am afraid. It is hot up here-- +it must be ten times worse in that close hold." + +"I'll tell you, then," he answered. "We must keep our loaded pistols in +our hands, and get up one at a time through the companion-hatchway. If +more than one attempts to come, we must shoot him; there's no help for +it. It will be a long process, but I suppose those who first come will +tell the others how we treat them, and they will be content to wait." + +"We must have some water, then, for they will be terribly thirsty," said +I. "And we must have a good supply of lashings ready, to secure them." + +We accordingly unrove all the running rigging that could be spared, and +cut it into lengths, and then, leaving Billy Wise as sentry at his +former post, we rolled two water casks over the main hatch, adding a +spare sail and spars, so that there was little danger of its being +forced. We all then collected round the after hatch. We slipped back +the hatch sufficiently far to allow of one man passing through at a +time, then, holding our pistols so that those below might see them, we +beckoned to the Frenchmen to come up. At first, from having discovered +probably the way that Billy Wise had treated their countryman, they were +unwilling to take advantage of our invitation, which was not to be +wondered at. I ordered the men to take care lest they might fire up at +us, for I suspected some treachery. + +"Come along, mounseers, come along; we won't hurt ye," said Ned +Bambrick, the best man with us; indeed, there was not a better in the +ship, though certain wild pranks in which he had indulged had prevented +him from becoming a petty officer. "Come along, now, we'll treat ye as +if ye was all sucking babies." + +Though the Frenchmen did not understand the words addressed to them, the +tone of his voice somewhat reassured them, and at last one ventured up. +We immediately seized him by the arms, hauled him out, and shut to the +hatch, greatly to the disappointment of those who were following. The +Frenchman, who was a sailor, looked dreadfully frightened, and began to +struggle violently, expecting probably that we were going to throw him +overboard. We had, however, his arms very soon lashed behind him, and +we then gave him water, and pointed to his shipmates sitting quietly +round the side. He was once more satisfied, and we then signed to him, +as well as we could, that he was to tell his companions below that no +harm would happen to them. We concluded that he did so, for after he +had shouted down the hatchway, another cautiously lifted his head above +the coaming. He gave a cry as we seized hold of him, but we quickly had +him up, and treated like the other. In the same way we got up a dozen, +the last showing clear signs of having suffered most. At length a +nearly bald head appeared, with a silver plate covering part of it, on +which I read the word "Arcole," and then the high narrow forehead, gaunt +cheeks, and thin body of the old colonel slowly emerged from the cabin. +He looked round with a confused expression on his countenance, as if not +very certain what had happened; but, before he had had much time for +consideration, Ned Bambrick politely took him by the hand, and helped +him to step out on deck. When he found himself seized to be pinioned, +he looked very indignant, and struggled to get loose, but we had the +ropes round his arms in a moment. As a compliment, however, we secured +him to the mainmast, with a heap of sail-cloth to sit on. He made so +many extraordinary grimaces that even poor Toby, who was sitting +opposite to him, in spite of his suffering, burst into a fit of +laughter. Grey and I had, however, just then too much to do to laugh. +There were still nearly twenty men below, enough to overpower us and to +release their countrymen, so it was necessary to be as cautious as at +first. From the horrible effluvium which came rushing up the hatchway +each time the hatch was slid off, we might have known that the men who +had to exist in it long were not likely to be very difficult to manage. +In those days midshipmen, at all events, knew nothing of hydrogen and +oxygen, and that human beings could not exist without a certain supply +of the latter. A few more climbed slowly up. We thought that they were +shamming, and treated them like the rest. At last no more appeared. + +"What can they be about?" I asked of Grey. Then we heard some groans. + +"What shall we do?" said Grey. + +"I'll tell you, sir, I'll go below and find out," exclaimed Ned +Bambrick. + +It was the only way of solving the difficulty. We put on the +companion-hatch, and lifted off the main hatch. We were nearly knocked +down with the abominable odour which arose as we did so. +Notwithstanding this, Ned sprang down into the hold. He groped about +for half a minute, when he sang out, "Send a whip down and get these +fellows on deck, or they'll be dead altogether." + +We lowered the end of a rope, and ran up the men one after another, as +he made them fast to it. They were in a very exhausted condition; but +the fresh air, though it was still very hot, and the water we poured +down their throats, soon revived them, and we had to lash their arms +behind them, as we had the others. During this time Billy Wise +volunteered to go down and assist Ned. We had hoisted up ten or a dozen +when they both declared that they could find no more, so we took all the +hatches off to ventilate the vessel, not forgetting to throw overboard +the corpse of the poor fellow whose head Billy's cutlass had cut off. +Billy wanted to keep the head as a trophy, but we did not approve of +that, and made him pitch it after the body. + +"Well, now I hope you'll find each other," observed Billy, with perfect +gravity, as he did so. + +It had certainly a very odd appearance to see our forty prisoners +arranged round the vessel, with the colonel at the mainmast and the man +we supposed to be the master at the foremast. We had, however, to wait +on them, and to carry them water and food. Grey and I agreed that, +though it was a very honourable thing to command a ship, we should be +very glad to be relieved of the honour. Since we captured the vessel we +had not had a moment to take any food. Hunger made us rather inclined +to despond. We, however, found out what was the matter with us, and +sent Billy Wise down into the cabin to forage. He soon returned with +some biscuit and white cheese, and dried plums and raisins, and a few +bottles of claret, but there was no honest cold beef or rum. + +"It's no wonder we licked the Johnny Crapeaus when that's the stuff they +feeds on," observed Ned Bambrick, turning over the food with a look of +contempt. + +However, he and the rest stowed away no small amount of the comestibles, +notwithstanding his contempt for them. When, however, he came to the +liquid, tossing off the contents of a bottle, he made a woefully wry +face and exclaimed,-- + +"Billy, my boy, we must have a full cask of this on deck--a chap must +drink a bucket or two before he finds out he has taken anything. It's +vinegar and water, to my mind." + +Grey and I took a few glasses of the wine. It did not taste so bad, +especially in that hot weather, but we fancied that there was but little +strength in it. As the men required refreshment, we did not object to +their taking as much as they fancied. Persuaded by Bambrick, Billy went +below, and soon sang out that he had found a cask of the same stuff as +that in the bottles. A whip was sent below. A cask was hoisted on +deck, and found to contain what was undoubtedly claret. When the old +colonel saw it he shrieked out something about "monsieur le gouverneur." + +"Well, Mounzeer Governor! here's to your health, then," said Bambrick, +draining off a mugful of the claret, which had been quickly tapped. +"This is better tipple than the other. Here, old boy, you shall have a +glass, to see if we can't put a smile into that ugly mug of yours." + +The old soldier seemed not at all to object to the wine which Ned poured +down his throat, and he smacked his lips as if he would like some more. +Fortunately Grey and I now tasted the claret, and though we were no +great judges of wine, we knew enough to ascertain that it was remarkably +fine and strong; and moreover we discovered, by the way Ned and Billy +and the rest began to talk, that they had had enough, if not too much of +it already. + +"It was unwise of us to let them have any at all," observed Grey. "How +we shall keep them from it I do not know; and if they get drunk, as they +certainly will if they have much more, the chances are the Frenchmen +will take the vessel from us." + +"We must knock the head in," I answered. "It is our only security. I +know from experience, that if seamen can by any means get hold of +liquor, they will do so at all risks, and that they are in no way +particular what it is." + +"It will be better to serve it out to the prisoners," said Grey. "If we +appeal to these men's kind feelings they will do it, and if there is +more than enough we must leave the spile out." + +Bambrick and Billy, and the other men, were perfectly ready to do as we +proposed. When the old colonel saw what we were doing he again shrieked +out about the Governor, but this did not prevent the men from serving +out the wine. It only made Bambrick turn round and say: + +"All right, Mr Governor, you shall have some more, old boy." + +He took care, at all events, that the old gentleman should have enough, +for he gave him the greater portion of the contents of a jug. + +We waited till nearly all the men were served, and then Grey pulled out +the spile, and a good deal ran out. He had to put it in before the men +returned for their last supply. Still, for fear that too much might +remain, he kicked away the block of wood which kept it in its place, and +then rolling over the cask, it was emptied of its remaining contents. I +must do our fellows the justice to say that they treated the prisoners +as they would like to have been treated themselves, and gave them as +much wine as they would drink. The only difference was that they would +have drunk five times as much as the Frenchmen, and not have been the +worse for it. + +They were rather inclined to grumble when they found that there was no +more. I saw that it was time to exert my authority. + +"You've done very well, lads," I exclaimed. "But suppose you were all +to get drunk, what would the Frenchmen do with us, I should like to +know? Shall I tell you? They would manage to wriggle themselves free, +and heave us all overboard. If we don't want to disgrace ourselves, let +us keep what we've got. Not another drop of liquor does anyone have +aboard here till we fall in with the frigate." + +My speech appeared to have some effect, and I took care to give all +hands ample employment, that they might not think of the liquor. As it +was, by the springy way in which they moved about the deck, and the +harangues uttered by Ned Bambrick on every trivial occasion, I saw that +they had already had quite enough for our safety. Night was now +approaching, but still the frigate was nowhere to be seen. Grey went +aloft, and took an anxious look round. + +"Not a sign of her," he said, as he returned on deck. + +Darkness came on. All hands were naturally feeling very sleepy, but +with so many prisoners to guard, even though their hands were lashed +behind them, it was necessary for us to keep awake. However, Grey and I +agreed that--if we were rested and brisk we could do more than if we +were worn out--it would be best for us to take a little sleep at +intervals, and allow one or two of the men to sleep at the same time. +One man was at the helm, and two others kept walking up and down the +deck, with pistols in their hands and cutlasses ready for use. Grey lay +down first. He slept so soundly that I did not like to call him. The +night was dark, but the prisoners were quiet, and there was but little +wind; even that little had died away. I did not altogether like the +look of the weather. The heat was very great, and though it was calm +then, I knew that it was not far off the hurricane season, and I thought +if we were to be caught in a hurricane how greatly our difficulties +would be increased, even if we were not lost altogether. After a time +Grey started up of his own accord. The instant I lay down on the after +part of the deck I was asleep. It appeared to me that I had scarcely +closed my eyes, when I was aroused by shouts and cries. I started up, +fully persuaded that the Frenchmen were loose and upon us. The sounds +appeared to come from the hold. As I ran to the main hatchway I heard a +noise of scuffling and struggling, and a voice shouting "Oh, Master +Merry, Master Grey, the ghosteses have got hold of me, the ghosteses +have got hold of me." Looking into the hold, I saw, by the light of a +lanthorn, Billy Wise struggling with two Frenchmen, while, forward, Grey +and one of our men were, I discovered rather by my ears than by sight, +engaged with another of the prisoners, who had apparently worked himself +loose. Ned Bambrick had started to his feet at the moment that I did. +Together we leaped down below. We were not an instant too soon. Billy +was almost overpowered, and as there were some cutlasses at hand, the +Frenchmen might have armed themselves and killed us while we were +asleep. Bambrick knocked one over with a blow of his fist, and the +other was easily managed. Where they had come from we could not tell. +They were none of those who had appeared on deck, and must have been +concealed very cleverly when we sent down to search below. It was a +lesson to Grey and me ever after to go and look ourselves when a search +of importance was to be made. While Bambrick and Billy held the men +down, I ran for some rope, with which we made them fast pretty tightly +to some stanchions between decks. Grey and his companion had in the +meantime re-secured the prisoner who had managed nearly to release +himself, and we then made a more careful search than before through +every part of the vessel. We had pretty well satisfied ourselves that +no one else was stowed away below, when a loud cry, and finding the +vessel suddenly heeling over, made us spring on deck. A squall had +struck her. I did not expect to see her recover herself. Everything +was flying away; yards were cracking, the sails in shreds fluttering in +the gale; the masts were bending as if about to go over the side; blocks +were falling from aloft; ropes slashing and whipping furiously; the +water was rushing in through the lee scuppers half up the deck, and +nearly drowning the unfortunate Frenchmen sitting there, who were +shrieking out in dismay, believing that their last moments had come. +Ned Bambrick sprang aft and put up the helm: the after canvas was +chiefly off her; she had gathered way, and now answering her helm, she +flew before it. Never had I been in such a scene of confusion, +increased by the roaring of the wind, the shrieks of the prisoners, the +rattling of the blocks and ropes, the cracking of spars, and the loud +slush of the water as it rushed about the deck. What had become of Grey +I could not tell. It was too dark now to distinguish anyone. I called: +he did not answer. A horrid feeling seized me. He must have been +knocked overboard. I called again in despair. At that moment it would +have been a matter of indifference to me if the Frenchmen had risen and +taken the vessel from us. A faint voice answered me. It was that of +Toby Bluff. "He was there, sir, but just now." + +I had been standing on the weather side. I slid down to leeward, for I +saw some one there. I grasped hold of the person, and hauled him up. +It was Grey. When the vessel was first struck, he had been knocked over +by the tiller, which he must have just taken, believing that there was +to be but a slight breeze. He had been half stunned and half drowned. +He speedily, however, to my great joy, recovered. I now mustered all +hands, most of whom had been sent sprawling in among the Frenchmen, who +kicked and bit at them, they declared, but which Grey and I did not +believe to be the fact. We now set to work to get the ship to rights. +We squared yards as well as we could, furled the remnant of the canvas, +and set a close-reefed fore-topsail, under which the little vessel ran +on very comfortably. Our chief concern was, that we were, as we +thought, running away from the frigate. None of us felt disposed to go +to sleep again, so we kept a bright look-out, not knowing whether we +might not be hurrying directly on to a coral reef, or another island. +The wind, however, soon began to go down, and I was proposing to Grey to +haul up again, when Billy Wise, who was stationed forward, sang out-- + +"Starboard--starboard the helm--or we shall run down the frigate!" + +Sure enough, in half a minute, we were gliding by close under her stern. +A voice from the deck hailed us. + +"What schooner is that?" + +"The ---, I don't know her name--prize to the second cutter of His +Majesty's frigate Doris," I answered. "We've a heap of prisoners, and I +don't know what to do with them!" + +"Heave-to, and we will send a boat on board," was shouted in return. + +Day was just breaking, and the increasing light enabled us to manage +better than we could otherwise have done. We had now less fear of our +enemies breaking loose, so all hands were able to assist in getting some +after sail on the vessel, and bringing her up to the wind. + +"Now we shall catch it for all this," said Grey, as we saw the boat +pulling towards us from the frigate. + +"I hope not," said I. "At all events, we must make the best of it. +There's Mr Fitzgerald in the boat. We'll get him to stand our friend." + +"Well, boys, this is a nate piece of work you've been after doing now!" +remarked our handsome second lieutenant, as he surveyed the deck. "You +don't mean to say that you captured all these heroes?" + +"Every one of them, sir," said Grey, with perfect seriousness. "I hope +the captain won't be angry." + +"There's no saying. However, we'll see," he answered with a smile. + +We now made more sail, and ran in close under the lee of the frigate. + +Perigal was sent on board the schooner to take charge of her, and the +prisoners were transferred to the deck of the frigate, where the captain +and most of the officers were assembled. Mr Johnson met me. He had +just time to say, "I congratulate you, Mr Merry. You've done well. +You are worthy of my teaching!" when the prisoners were summoned aft. + +We had given the old colonel his sword, that he might present it in due +form. He marched aft at the head of his men, and presented it to +Captain Collyer with a profound bow. + +The Captain then addressed him. I was afterwards told what he said. It +was-- + +"I am surprised, monsieur, that you, an experienced soldier, who have +seen much service, should allow yourself and your men to be captured by +a single boat's crew and two midshipmen." + +"Ma foi!" exclaimed the colonel, with an inimitable shrug of his +shoulders, and an indescribable expression of countenance, indicative of +intense disgust. "I am a brave man; I fear nothing--mais c'est ce +terrible mal de mer!" (this terrible sea-sickness.) + +I do not know what Captain Collyer said in return, but I fancy he did +not pay the colonel any compliments on his gallantry. [I only hope that +Frenchmen, on other occasions, may have their valour cooled down to zero +by that terrible sea-sickness.] Grey and I were very agreeably surprised +when, instead of being reprimanded for what we had done, the captain +praised us very much for the daring way in which we had taken the +schooner. Mr Fitzgerald had told him all the particulars beforehand. +Somebody, however, was to blame for having taken the arms in the boat. +All the men, however, declared that they knew nothing about it, but that +the getting them in had been entirely managed by Ned Dawlish, who, being +dead, could say nothing in his defence, and was therefore found guilty. +The truth was, that the captain was very well-pleased at what had been +done, and was ready to overlook the disobedience of orders of which the +men had been guilty. + +Grey and I were in high feather. We dined that day with the captain, +who complimented us on our exploit, and made us give him all the +particulars. He told us that the carpenter, who had been sent on board +to survey the schooner, had reported favourably of her, and that he +proposed to employ her as a tender, while the frigate was refitting at +Port Royal. + +As it was necessary to get rid of our prisoners, a course was steered at +once for Jamaica, so that we might land them there. We found, after a +little time, that the French colonel was not a bad old fellow. I really +believe that he was as brave as most men, and that he had spoken the +truth when he said that "le mal de mer had overcome him." Probably most +of his men were in the same condition. Grey and I did not forget our +resolution to try and learn French, and as one of the mates, Duncan +McAllister, could speak a little, we begged him to ask the old colonel +if he would teach us. He replied that he would do so gladly, and would +teach any one else who wished to learn. Indeed our proposal was +ultimately of great service to him, for when he got on shore, and was +admitted as a prisoner on his parole, he gained a very comfortable +livelihood by teaching French. I afterwards heard that, when the war +was over, he declined going back to la belle France, and settled among +his friends the English. It is just possible, that the way in which he +had allowed himself and his thirty men to be taken by us had something +to do with this decision. + +The colonel's name was, I remember, Painchaud, which is translated +Hotbread,--a funny name, which I never met elsewhere. We invited him +into the berth to give his lessons, but we had to clear away several +boxes and hampers to afford him space to stretch his legs under the +table. As he sat on the narrow locker with his bald head touching the +deck above, his elbows resting on the table, and his long legs stretched +out to the other side of the berth, while we youngsters in every variety +of attitude grouped ourselves round him, he looked like some antiquated +Gulliver among a party of rather overgrown Lilliputians. At first he +had a considerable number of pupils, but it was very evident that they +assembled more for the sake of trying if any fun could be found, than +with any serious intention of learning French. We had forgotten when we +had made our proposal that books would be necessary to enable us to make +any progress in the language, but not a French work of any sort was to +be procured on board, still less a grammar. At length the colonel +produced two from his valise. They were, I have reason to believe, not +such as would have tended to our edification; but happily, in the then +state of our knowledge of the language in which they were written, they +were not likely to hurt our morals. As we had no grammar, the colonel +made us understand that he wanted paper and pens and ink; and then he +wrote out words, and intimated to us that we were to repeat them after +him. He would take the hand of one of his pupils and exclaim "_main_," +and make each of us repeat it after him. Then he would seize an ear and +cry out "_oreille_," and pretty hard he pinched too. If any of us cried +out, it evidently afforded him infinite amusement. We, of course, gave +him the name which he always afterwards kept, of Colonel Pinchard. When +any of his pupils pronounced the word wrongly, it was highly amusing to +watch the wonderful way in which his shoulders went up and his head sank +down between them. No English pair of shoulders could have behaved in +the same way; nor could certainly any English mouth have rolled out the +extraordinary expletives with which he was wont to give force to his +sentiments. His great delight was, however, pulling Grey's and my ears, +which, we agreed, was in revenge for taking him prisoner. One day he +wrote down _nez_, and asked me what it meant. I replied by a loud neigh +like a horse. The rest of the party took the joke and laughed, as I +intended they should; but he, not understanding the cause of this, and +thinking that they were laughing at him, seized my nose and gave it a +tweak, which made me fancy he was pulling it off. In the impulse of the +moment I sprang on the table, and seizing his nasal promontory, hauled +away at it with hearty goodwill, and there we sat, he sending forth with +unsurpassable rapidity a torrent of "Sa-c-r-r-es," which almost +overwhelmed me; neither of us willing to be the first to let go. At +last, from sheer exhaustion and pain, we both of us fell back. I might +have boasted of the victory, for, though I felt acute pain, my nose did +not alter its shape, while the Frenchman's swelled up to twice its usual +proportions. The contest, however, very nearly put an end to our French +lessons. However, as our master was really a good-natured man, he was +soon pacified, and we set to work again as before. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +We made wonderful progress with our French, in spite of our want of +books. Indeed, I have reason to believe that information attained under +difficulties, is not only acquired more rapidly, but most certainly more +completely mastered, than with the aid of all the modern appliances of +education, which, like steam-engines at full speed, haul us so fast +along the royal road to knowledge, that we have no time to take in half +the freight prepared for us. We found, too, that the old colonel knew +considerably more about English than we had at first suspected, and at +last we ascertained that he had before been captured, and shut up in a +prison in England. He did not seem to have any pleasing recollections +of that period of his existence. One day, after we had annoyed him more +than usual with our pranks, and stirred up his bile, he gave vent to his +feelings-- + +"Ah, you betes Anglais," he exclaimed. "You have no sympathe vid des +miserables. Vous eat ros beef vous-memes, and vous starve vos +_prisonniers_." + +He then went on gravely to assure us, that when the inspector of prisons +one day rode into the yard of the prison, and left his horse there while +he entered the building, the famished prisoners rushed out in a body and +surrounded the animal. Simultaneously they made a rush at the poor +beast, and stabbed it with their knives. In an instant it was skinned, +cut up, and carried off piecemeal. When the inspecting officer came +back, he found only the stirrups and bit and hoofs. The prisoners were +busily occupied cooking their dinners, and had already produced most +delicious fricassees, so that the English officer could not believe that +they were formed out of the animal on whose back he had galloped up to +the prison not an hour before. + +"That's pretty well up to one of Mr Johnson's yarns," observed Grey to +me. "I wish the old fellow could understand him; the boatswain would +take the shine out of him I suspect." + +"Bah, dat is noting," said the colonel. "I vill tell you many more +curieuse tings. You talk much of de Anglish ladies. Vel, des are +passablement bien; but des all get dronk ven des can. Je sais bien vy +des go upstairs before de gentlehommes!--it is dat des may drink at dere +ease. Ha, ha, dat is vot des do; you drink downstairs, des drink +upstairs." + +"Come, come, Monsieur colonel," exclaimed Duncan McAllister, starting up +and striking his fist on the table. "Ye may tell what crammers ye like +and welcome, but if ye dare to utter your falsehoods about the ladies of +Scotland and England, matrons or maids, prisoner though you be, I'll +make your two eyes see brighter lightning than has come out of them for +many a day; and if ye want satisfaction, ye shall have as much as ye can +get out of a stout ash stick. Vous comprennez, don't ye?" + +The colonel shrugged his shoulders, and wisely said nothing. Though he +did not understand all McAllister's remarks, he saw that he had gone too +far, and that it would be wiser in future, whatever might have been his +belief, not to utter any remarks disparaging to the women of England +among a party of English sailors. + +"I dinna think that colonel ever did a bolder thing than brave a litter +of young lions in their den," exclaimed McAllister, who, for some +especial reason, held France and Frenchmen in utter detestation and +abhorrence, though he knew more of their language than most of us. + +We did not mind the poor old colonel's stories, for we remembered that +he was a prisoner suffering from sea-sickness, and that he had no other +way of venting his spleen. + +At length we reached Port Royal, and our prize under charge of Perigal +arrived at the same time. Colonel Pinchard begged so hard that he might +stay on board while the frigate remained in harbour, that in +consideration of the instruction he was affording the youngsters he was +allowed to do so. + +"Ah, I do like de ship ven she stay tranquil," he exclaimed, spreading +out his hands horizontally, and making them slowly move round. "But ven +she tumble bout, den," he put his hands on his stomach, exhibiting with +such extraordinary contortions of countenance the acuteness of his +sensations, that we all burst into hearty fits of laughter. + +Indeed the colonel was a never failing source of amusement to us. From +the wonderfully prolonged cackles in which he indulged, he also +evidently enjoyed the jokes himself. The schooner, which required but +little refitting, was soon ready for sea. It was understood that +Perigal was to have the command, and Grey and I hoped to be allowed to +accompany him. The captain had not as yet let us know his intentions. +We should have been ready enough, probably, to have spent our time on +shore; but as we should have but little chance of that, we fancied that +we should prefer sailing in search of adventures on the ocean. There +are few more beautiful spots on the earth's surface than Jamaica, with +its exquisite verdure, its lofty hills, known as the Blue Mountains, its +round-topped heights covered with groves of pimento, its vast savannahs +or plains, its romantic vales, its rivers, bays, and creeks, and its +dense and sombre forests, altogether forming one of the most lovely of +tropical pictures. + +Entering the harbour, we had Port Royal on the starboard hand, at the +end of a long spit of land called the Palisades. On the opposite side +of the narrow entrance was Rock Fort, just under a lofty hill, and as +the batteries of Fort Charles at Port Royal bristled with guns, while +those of Fort Augusta faced us with an equal number, we agreed that an +enemy would find it no easy task to enter the harbour. + +The dockyard was at Port Royal, opposite which we brought up. The +Palisades run parallel with the mainland, thus forming a vast lagoon, +not running inland, but along the coast as it were. Towards the upper +end, the commercial town, called Kingston, with its commodious harbour, +is situated. Some way inland, again, is Spanish Town, the capital, +where the residence of the Governor and the House of Assembly are to be +found. It is a very hot place, and the yellow fever is more apt to pay +it a second visit than strangers who have once been there, if they can +help it. + +The admiral on the Jamaica station lives on shore, at a house called the +Admiral's pen, on the Palisades, whence he commands a view of the +harbour, roadstead, and the ocean. He is better off than the Governor, +because he does get the sea breeze, which is the best preventive to the +yellow fever. It takes an hour or more pulling up from Port Royal to +Kingston, the distance being five or six miles or more. Spellman once +induced me to ride round along the Palisades, but we agreed that we +would never do it again; for, as it was a calm day, and the rays of the +sun beat down on the white sands, we were very nearly roasted alive, and +how we escaped a sunstroke I do not know. From what I have said, it +will be understood that Port Royal harbour is a very large sheet of +water, and what with the shipping, the towns and ports on its shores, +and the lofty mountains rising up in its neighbourhood, is a very +picturesque place. + +We had not been there long, when yellow jack, as the yellow fever is +called, made its appearance, both at Kingston and Port Royal, and all +visits to the shore were prohibited. Grey and I, therefore, had to make +ourselves as happy on board as we could, till we received our expected +orders to join the schooner. We had not had a yarn for some time from +Mr Johnson. One evening, when work was over, we found him walking the +forecastle, taking what he called his sunset food shaker, in a more than +usually thoughtful mood. As Grey, Spellman, and I, with one or two +others, went up to him, he heaved a sigh, which sounded not altogether +unlike the roar of a young bull. + +"What is the matter, Mr Johnson?" I asked, approaching him. "You seem +melancholy to-day." + +"I have cause to be so, Mr Merry; I have indeed," he answered, in a +tone of deep pathos, again sighing. "Whenever I look on the blue waters +of this harbour, and those whitewashed houses, and those lofty +mountains, I think of a strange and sad episode of my eventful history." + +Of course we all exclaimed with one voice, "Do tell it to us, Mr +Johnson!" To which I added, "If it would not break your heart, we +should so like to hear it." + +"Break my heart, Mr Merry!" exclaimed the boatswain, striking his bosom +with his open palm, and making it sound like the big drum in a +regimental band. I could not help fancying that there was a +considerable amount of humour lurking in the corner of his eye. + +"Break my heart! Jonathan Johnson's heart is formed of tougher stuff +than to break with any grief it may be doomed to bear. You shall hear. +But it strikes me forcibly, young gentlemen, that it may be as well to +finish one part of my history before I begin another. Who can tell +where I left off?" + +"You were just going to be swallowed by the big sea-serpent, Mr +Johnson; ship, and crew, and all," said Grey. + +"It would be more correct, Mr Grey, to say that you believed we were +going to be swallowed up; because you will understand that had we been +swallowed up, I should not, in all human probability, be here, or ever +have attained the rank of boatswain of His Britannic Majesty's frigate +Doris," said Mr Johnson, with a polite bend of the head. "However, not +to keep you longer in suspense, I will continue my narrative:-- + +"The good ship Diddleus was bowling away under all sail, and the +sea-serpent, with mouth agape, following us. It's my opinion, and +others agreed with me, that if he'd kept his mouth shut he would have +caught us; for the hot wind coming out of his throat filled our sails, +just as if it had been blowing a heavy gale of wind, and drove us ahead +of him; but he was too eager, do you see, and thought every moment he +was going to grab us. We guessed that he had been aroused at finding +his back smart from the scratch we made in it. We thus ran on till +daybreak, keeping ahead, but not dropping him as much as we could have +wished. It was very awful, let me tell you, young gentlemen, to see his +big rolling eyes, to feel his hot breath, to smell a smell of sulphur, +and to hear his loud roaring. It was painfully evident that he was in a +tremendous rage at the liberty we had taken with his back; and there was +no doubt that had he come up with us, he could have swallowed the ship +and crew, and his own fat into the bargain, with as much ease as he +swallowed the whale. If it was a terrific sight to see him at night, it +was still worse in the daytime. His immense jaws were wide open, +showing a dozen rows of teeth, while his large eyes projected on either +side; and I don't think I exaggerate when I say that the tip of his +upper jaw was fully sixty feet above the surface of the water. As you +all well know, young gentlemen, I am not a man to be daunted; so I +loaded our stern-chasers, and kept blazing away at the monster, to make +him turn aside, but to no effect. I trained the guns myself, and every +shot went into his mouth; but he just rolled his eyes round, and +swallowed them as if they were so many pills. It was a fine sight, +though a terribly fearful one, I own, to see him coming along so +steadily and stately, with the water curling and foaming under his bows, +and flying high up into the air as he cut through it. It was neck or +nothing with us; so we kept blazing away as fast as we could load. I +confess that every moment I expected he would make a spring and grab us, +just as an ordinary fish does the bait held over him; but it was +necessary that I should set an example of coolness to my crew; and, +under the circumstances, I believe that mortal man could not have been +cooler. I could not hide from myself the consequences, should he catch +us; and yet I scarcely dared to hope that we should escape. We had +expended, at last, all our round-shot, and the greater part of our +powder, and we had to load with bags of nails and any langrage we could +find. We had half emptied the carpenter's chest, and, except some +copper bolts, there seemed to be nothing else we could fire off, when, +by my calculations, I found that we were approaching the line. Life is +sweet; and so, that we might keep off the fatal moment as long as +possible, we determined to fire away as long as we had a tin-tack or a +bradawl to put into our guns, when, on a sudden, he uttered a fierce +roar--it did make us jump--and down went his head right under the water, +and up went his tail like a huge pillar, when flop it came down again, +sending the sea flying over us and very nearly pooping the ship. We +felt very uncomfortable, for we naturally expected to see him come up +alongside; but he didn't, and two minutes afterwards we made him out +close to the horizon, to the southward. It was my opinion at the time-- +and I have held it ever since--that either he did not like the mouthful +of big nails and bradawls he swallowed, or that he had some objection to +crossing the line from not knowing the navigation on the other side. At +all events, we were clear of him. We had a quick run to Liverpool, +where the oil sold at a very high price, and I got a monstrous amount of +credit from all who believed my wonderful narrative. As is always the +case, some didn't, in spite of the oil I exhibited in proof of the +occurrence; but I treated the incredulous fellows with the scorn they +deserved, and from that day to this, I'll answer for it, no one has ever +caught sight of so much as the tail of the real sea-serpent." + +"Vell, Mistre Johnson, dat is von very vondeful, vot you call it!" +exclaimed Colonel Pinchard, who had joined us. + +"A big, thundering bouncer!" cried a voice from behind the boatswain's +back. He turned sharply round, but did not discover the speaker. He +shook his fist in that direction, however, with a comic expression in +his eye, saying-- + +"Bouncer or no bouncer, mister whoever you are, I beg that you'll +understand clearly, that I will allow no man, whoever he may be, to +labour under the misapprehension that I ever depart one tenth of a point +from the strict line of truth; and that reminds me that I promised you, +Mr Merry, and you, Mr Grey, to narrate an event which occurred during +the next voyage I made. I wasn't long in finding a ship, for the +certificates with which the owners of the Diddleus had furnished me were +highly satisfactory; in fact, merit like mine couldn't, in those days, +languish in obscurity; though, by the bye, I ought not exactly to sing +my own praises; but when a man has a due consciousness of his own +superior talents, the feeling will ooze out now and then, do all he can +to conceal it. Things are altered now: merit's claims are no longer +allowed, or I should be living on shore now." Mr Johnson pointed +significantly at the Admiral's pen. + +"Ah! oui! I vonce read of von great man, Sinbad de Sailor, and von oder +man, Captain Lemuel Gulliver. You vary like dem gentlemen," observed +Colonel Pinchard, with the politest of bows, to the boatswain. + +"Sinbad! and Gulliver!" shouted the boatswain indignantly. "If there +are two fellows whose names I hate more than others, they are those. +Take them all in all, I consider them, without exception, the biggest +liars who have ever lived; and if there is a character I detest more +than another, it is that of a man who departs in the slightest degree +from the truth; no one can longer have confidence in what he says: and, +for my own part, I'd rather lose my right hand, and my head into the +bargain, than have the shadow of a reason for supposing that the words I +was uttering would run the remotest chance of not being implicitly +believed." + +The boatswain's eye kept rolling round on his auditory with a +self-satisfied glance, and a twinkle withal, as much as to say, "You I +care about understand me perfectly, and if there are any geese who +don't, they are welcome to swallow all they can digest." + +"Ah! I had just found a fresh ship. She was the Lady Stiggins, a fine +brig, well armed, and bound round Cape Horn. We had a somewhat roving +commission, and were first to touch out here at Jamaica, and one or two +others of these gems of the tropics--these islands, full of sugar-candy +and blackamoors. + +"I was not at first a favourite with the crew, for not having had an +opportunity of testing my qualifications, but having heard some of my +veracious narratives, they were inclined to look upon me as an empty +braggadocio, a character they very naturally despised; but I soon gave +them reason to alter their opinion, when I was quickly raised to that +position in their estimation which I ever after enjoyed. + +"We were about a day's sail from this same harbour of Port Royal, and +were expecting to make the land next morning, when it fell calm. It was +the hottest time of the year. The sun sent his rays down on our heads +as if he were a furnace a few yards off, making the pitch in the seams +of our decks bubble and squeak, like bacon in a frying-pan; and I +remember that a basket of eggs in the cabin were hatched in a few +minutes, and looking up from a book I was reading, I saw a whole brood +of chickens and ducks squattering about the deck, not knowing where +they'd come from, or what to do with themselves. The chickens, however, +soon went to roost in a corner, for it was too hot to keep awake, and +the ducks waddled up on deck, and were making the best of their way over +the vessel's side into the element in which they delight, when we turned +them into a water-butt, which contented them mightily. + +"But this was not the story I was going to tell you. Everyone on board +felt like the ducks and chickens, overcome by the heat; so that at last, +not considering the risk they ran, many of the men stripped off their +clothes and jumped overboard. + +"I, however, kept mine on, and so did several others. The fact was, +that we had only, in that hot weather, to give ourselves a shake, and to +turn once round in the sun, and we were dry through and through. + +"We had frolicking and swimming about for some time, enjoying the +comparatively cool water, though, for the matter of that, it was pretty +well hot enough to boil a lobster, when suddenly our ears were assailed +with a terrific cry of `A shark! a shark!' + +"The outside man was a fine young fellow, Tom Harding by name. The poor +fellow saw his danger, for the shark was making directly for him. I +sang out to him not to be afraid, but to swim as fast as he could +towards the ship, and he didn't require to be told twice. Meantime I +was making a circle round, so as to approach the beast in the rear; for, +as you all know, I am a first-rate swimmer, and I never heard of the man +who could keep up with me. Why, I once swam from Dover to Calais, and +back again, for a wager, and danced a hornpipe on the top of +Shakespeare's cliff, to the astonishment of all who saw me--but that's +neither here nor there." + +"Vel, I vonder de shark did not eat you," observed the colonel, with a +grin. + +"Eat me, mounseer! I should like to see the shark who would venture to +attempt it, unless he found me snoozing on the top of a wave," exclaimed +the boatswain, in a tone of pretended indignation. "If it hadn't been +for me, however, he would have bolted Tom Harding, and no mistake. +Well, Tom was swimming for dear life, and all the rest of the crew were +scrambling up the side of the vessel, thinking that it was all over with +both of us, when I saw the monster turn on his back, his white belly +shining in the sun, as he made a grab at Tom's leg. It was now time for +me to interfere; so, striking out with all my might, I seized the shark +by the tail, and slewing him round, just as he expected to make a +mouthful of Tom, he missed his aim, and his jaws met with a crack which +sounded like the report of a hundred muskets. Tom gave a shriek, for he +thought--as well he might--that his last hour had come; but, still more +from instinct than from any hope of escape, he swam on, and was very +much surprised to find himself alongside the ship. In fact, when he was +hauled on deck, it was some time, I was told, before he could be +persuaded that he hadn't lost both his legs, so firmly convinced was he +that the shark had got hold of them. + +"I meantime kept a taut hold of the fish, who was whisking about his +tail, and snapping his jaws in his disappointment; and hard work I had, +you may depend on't. As he went one way I pulled the other, and acting +like a rudder, brought him round again, till I worked him nearer and +nearer to the ship. At last I got him alongside, and singing out for a +rope, which was quickly hove to me, I passed it dexterously over his +tail, and told the men on deck to haul it taut. He was thus partly +secured, but the difficulty was to make his head fast, for I had no +fancy to get within the power of his jaws. I should observe that he was +the largest shark I ever saw. I was almost despairing of securing him, +when one of the men, Bill Jones, I remember, was his name, made fast a +big hook with a lump of pork to the topgallant halyards, and hove it +before him. The shark grabbed it in a moment, and we had him fast. +Those on deck had just before been endeavouring to pass a rope under his +head, and this now slipped up and caught in his jaws. No sooner did he +feel the iron in his mouth, than, darting forward, away he went ahead of +the vessel. As I sprang on deck the idea struck me that I would make +him of use. There was no great difficulty, for, passing another line +over his jaws, we had a regular pair of reins on him. One end of the +line was brought in on the starboard and the other on the larboard bow +port, while the hook in the nose served to bring him sharp up, when he +ran too fast. No sooner were these arrangements made than away he went +at a rapid pace ahead, towing us at the rate of at least six knots an +hour--I like always to be under the mark, for fear of being thought +guilty of exaggeration. By hauling in, now on one side, now on the +other, we managed to steer him very well on our proper course. + +"The calm continued, but on we glided through the water, to the +inexpressible astonishment of the crews of several craft we passed, who, +of course, thought the Lady Stiggins must be the Flying Dutchman. As we +entered the harbour, the surprise of people on shore was equally great; +and no sooner did we drop our anchor than the brig was surrounded by +boats full of people, eager to hear an explanation of the phenomenon. +They could scarcely credit our assertions when we told them how we had +got along, till we showed them the monster frisking about under the bows +almost as tame and docile as a dog. + +"I had always a wonderful knack of managing pets of all sorts, and by +kindly treating Jack Shark he became very fond of me, and whenever I +went on shore, he would swim after the boat, and remain frolicking about +near her till my return. At last I thought I would make him of use; so, +rigging a pair of short reins, I slipped them over his jaws, and then +jumped on his back. He understood in a moment what was expected of him, +and away he went with me at a rapid rate through the water. After that, +lighting my pipe quite comfortably, I invariably went on shore on his +back, and throwing my reins over a post, I used to leave him till my +return. You may depend on it, none of the little blackamoors ever +played tricks with him. + +"There are many of the principal merchants and others at Kingston even +now who would, young gentlemen, if you were to ask them, vouch for the +truth of the circumstance. Just ask them, and hear what they'll say. +The curious part of it was, that though so tame with me, he would attack +anybody else, and not a seaman from any of the ships dared to attempt +swimming on shore as they had frequently before done. In fact he did +swallow one or two; and I believe that he was voted a perfect nuisance, +so that everyone was glad when we and our pet left the harbour to +prosecute our voyage. Of course he followed us; and I used every +morning to heave him a piece of pork for his breakfast, a few casks of +which I bought cheap of a Jew on purpose. It was measly, but he didn't +mind that. And now I'm coming to the melancholy part of the history +connected with my pet shark. But I have talked a good deal, and in this +warm weather it's an exertion even to use one's jaws; so, young +gentlemen, you must excuse me from continuing my veracious narrative for +the present." + +"Oh, do go on, Mr Johnson--do go on," we all exclaimed; but the +boatswain was inexorable, and, as it happened, it was some time before +we heard the sequel to his history of the shark. + +The next day, Grey, and I, and Spellman were ordered to join the +schooner with twenty hands. Perigal still kept command, and at the last +moment McAllister came on board to act as his first-lieutenant, with the +assistant-surgeon Macquoid, and a clerk, Bobus, as purser. Of course +the schooner did not require so many officers and men to navigate her, +but we hoped to take many prizes, and hands of course would be wanted to +bring them home. We invited the old colonel to accompany us. With a +most amusing grimace, and an inimitable shake of the head and shrugs of +the shoulders, he answered,--"Ah, mes jeunes gentlemens, I do love vous +va-a mosh; but de mer--de terrible mer. I do vish de verld ver von big +earth and no vater." So we had to leave the colonel and our French +lessons behind; but we assured him that we would study hard during our +absence. Good as were our intentions, it was not very likely that we +could adhere to them, and, by the expression of his countenance, the +colonel showed that he was strongly of that opinion. + +We sailed at daybreak, and had the land breeze to take us out of the +harbour. Our course was to the southward, towards the well-known +Spanish Main. Our schooner was the Espoir. She sailed well, and +carried two eighteen-pounders and six long eights, so that we had every +reason to hope that we should pick up some prizes, if we did not get +taken ourselves. That last contingency did not occur to us. Though it +was hot, and we were rather crowded in the cabin, we had a very pleasant +time on board. We naturally messed together, and had secured all the +good things from the shore, in the shape of fruits and vegetables, and +poultry and liquor, which we could collect. It is very well for poets +and authors to make their heroes contented with hard fare. I can only +say that midshipmen are not, if they know that better is to be got; and +I have observed, whenever I have been in the society of poets and other +authors, that, practically, they have enjoyed a good dinner as much as +any class of people could do, and been very much inclined to grumble if +they did not get it, too. We were out some days without sighting a +single sail, but we were not the less merry, living upon hope, and the +good fare our caterer, Macquoid, had collected. At length a sail was +seen, and chase made. It was some time before we could make out whether +the stranger was a man-of-war or merchantman, a friend or foe. She was +a brig we soon discovered, and when we saw her up helm and run off +before the wind, we had no doubt as to her pacific character. Still she +might be English, and, if so, we should have had our chase for nothing. +She was a slow sailer, for we came up with her rapidly. We had showed +no colours, and had got her within range of our long guns, when up went +the French ensign. A cheer burst from our throats. It would have been +more hearty if we had thought she had been armed. We showed our colours +in return. On we stood, firing a shot wide of her as a signal for her +to heave-to. She obeyed, and we heaving-to near her, McAllister, with +Spellman and a boat's crew, was sent to take possession. The boat was +sent back with several of the French crew. The prize was not a rich +one, but she was too valuable to be destroyed, so Perigal directed +Spellman to take her to Jamaica, allowing him four hands. Miss Susan +did not at all like having his cruise cut so short, but we congratulated +him on the honour of having a separate command, being ourselves very +well contented to continue on board the Espoir. For two days more we +stood south, when, at daybreak, another sail was descried from the +mast-head. She was a schooner, and from the squareness of her yards, +her taut masts, and her white canvas, we suspected that, should she be +an enemy, she would prove a very different sort of customer to the +slow-sailing brig we had just before captured. That she was not afraid +of us was very evident, for, throwing her head sails aback, she awaited +our coming. In a short time we made out the French ensign flying at her +peak, and we concluded that she was a privateer, probably with a large +crew, and well armed. Perigal, on this, called all hands aft. "Now, my +lads," said he, "that craft is an enemy; very likely twice as many men +dance on her decks as on ours; but they are Frenchmen, and I want to +show that we are English, every one, to the backbone, and see how +quickly we can take her. I have nothing more to say, except to tell you +not to throw your shot away, and, if it comes to boarding, when you +strike, strike home." Three hearty cheers was the response to this +address. The old mate was not much given to oratory, but, when he +spoke, he never failed to speak to the purpose. Arms were served out, +and pistols were stuck in belts, and cutlasses buckled on; muskets were +loaded, and arranged in readiness for use; powder and round-shot were +brought on deck, and the men, stripped to the waist, with handkerchiefs +bound round their heads, stood ready for action. They looked as grim +and determined a set as a commanding officer would wish to see; but +still, jokes were bandied about, one from the other, and it did not seem +to occur to any of them that, before another hour of time had slipped +by, in all probability several might be numbered with the dead. Ned +Bambrick was at the helm, with his eye cast ever and anon at the canvas, +and then at the Frenchman, as we glided on rapidly towards him, just as +cool and unconcerned as if he was standing up to speak to a friend. We +had the weather-gauge, and Perigal resolved to keep it. Supposing the +enemy superior to us in strength, it would give us an important and +necessary advantage. To a sailor's eye it was a pretty sight to see the +two schooners approaching. The Espoir was a handsome craft, and so was +her antagonist. We did not at first show our colours. No sooner, +however, did we hoist them than the Frenchman filled his sails and +tacked, in the hope of weathering on us, firing at the same time a gun +of defiance. We suspected that he had not till then known exactly what +to make of us, and possibly had taken us for a friend. However, the +Frenchmen were now in for it, and, like brave men, were resolved to +fight it out. We were now near enough for our long eights to tell, and +the very first shot, flying high, knocked away the jaws of the enemy's +main gaff, wounding at the same time the head of the mainmast. At +seeing this, a hearty cheer rose from all on board. It was a prognostic +of success. + +"If we'd tried to do that same we could not have succeeded," observed +McAllister. "I say, Perigal, you must let me take that craft to +Jamaica." + +"With all my heart, my boy, when she's ours; but it's ill-luck to give +away what doesn't belong to us," answered our skipper. + +"Never mind; but she will be before many minutes are over," persisted +McAllister. "Now, lads, just follow suit to that shot, and we'll do for +the mounseers in a very short time." + +By this fortunate shot we had the enemy almost in our power. She ran +off before the wind, and we soon came up with her, and hung on her +quarter, so that she could rarely bring more than one gun at a time to +bear on us. She had fired several shots without effect, but at last, to +make amends, one came flying diagonally across our deck, taking off the +head of one of our men, and knocking over a second, who survived but a +few moments. A few more such fatal shots would sadly have thinned our +numbers. The enemy had a good number of men on deck, but not so many as +we expected. Some were sent aloft to try and repair the damage to the +gaff, and this, as we had got within musket range, we did our best to +prevent by keeping up a fire of small-arms at them. I had seized a +musket, and with others was blazing away, not very effectually, for the +men continued their work, and no one appeared to be hurt, when, just as +I had fired, I saw a man drop stone dead upon the deck. It was my shot +had done the deed. A sickening sensation came over me. I felt as if I +had committed a murder. It would have been different had I hit one of +the men at the guns, but the poor fellow was performing, so it seemed, +but an ordinary piece of a seaman's duty; my blood was cool, I did not +feel that he was an enemy. Perhaps the idea was foolish; it did not +last long. The rest of the men aloft were soon driven on deck, and +shooting ahead, we ranged up alongside, and poured in the whole of our +broadside. The enemy returned our fire, but our men worked their guns +almost twice as quickly as the Frenchmen did, aiming much better, and +the effect was soon apparent in their shattered bulwarks, decks strewed +with slain, and torn sails. + +"Blaze away, lads," shouted McAllister, as he went from gun to gun, +pointing one, lending a hand to run out another, or to load a third. + +Still the gallant Frenchmen fought on. They were very unlike old +Pinchard and his men; but there was this difference, they were sailors, +whereas the others were soldiers, and it was the _mal de mer_ in that +instance deserved the credit of the victory more than we did. This +close firing soon got our blood up, and I now felt anxious to run the +enemy aboard, that we might be at them with our cutlasses. I have not +often found Frenchmen foolhardy: they know when they are beaten. +Englishmen don't, and so sometimes stumble against all rule into +victory. Just as Perigal had ordered Bambrick to put the helm to +starboard, to run the enemy aboard, the French captain hauled down his +flag, and, coming to the gangway, made us a profound bow, as an +additional sign that he had struck. We immediately ceased firing, and +as our boats had escaped damage, one was lowered, and McAllister and I +went on board to take possession. We had certainly contrived in a short +hour considerably to spoil the beauty of the French schooner, and +dreadfully to diminish the number of her crew. Her brave captain and +most of his officers were wounded, and six men were killed and ten +wounded. Her captain received us on the quarter-deck, where he stood +ready to deliver his sword with the greatest politeness, as if it was +really a pleasant act he was performing, and assured us that it was the +fortune de la guerre, and that he had learnt to yield to fortune without +a murmur. + +"He really is one of the pleasantest Frenchmen I have ever met," +observed McAllister. "We must treat him with all consideration." + +Curiously enough, this remark of my messmate kept continually running in +my head, and I could not help repeating it. We had plenty to do to bury +the dead, wash the decks, repair the masts, and spars, and bulwarks, and +to splice the rigging, and bend fresh sails. McAllister was directed to +go as prize-master, and I with Bambrick, Foley and four other hands +accompanied him; some of the French crew were removed on board the +Espoir, but the captain, two officers, and eight men remained with us as +prisoners. + +Perigal had, in fact, already, more prisoners than his own crew now +mustered. Our new prize was the Audacieuse, a larger vessel and better +armed than the Espoir. By nightfall we had made great progress in +getting the prize to rights, and as our own vessel had suffered but +little, we were able to bestow all our strength upon her. Both Perigal +and McAllister were very anxious to continue the cruise together. The +objection to this was the number of our prisoners. Still, as McAllister +argued, the commander of the prize, Lieutenant Preville was a very quiet +sort of fellow, and the men left on board were orderly and well-behaved, +so that he should have no difficulty in keeping them under. + +"But, remember, McAllister, that crews have sometimes risen against +their captors, and retaken their vessels. It will be necessary to be +very careful," observed Perigal. + +"Oh, never fear, my old fellow; I should think that we seven Englishmen +could keep a dozen or more Frenchmen in order," answered McAllister, +with a somewhat scornful laugh. "If we go into action, we will clap +them under hatches, and they will be quiet enough, depend on that." + +At length Perigal yielded, and the Audacieuse's mast-head having been +fished, and all other damages made good, we continued our cruise +together. Lieutenant Preville was a gentleman, and really a very +pleasant fellow; and, to show our appreciation of his good qualities, we +invited him to live in his own cabin and to partake of the delicacies +which he had laid in for his own especial use, which was generous on our +part; and which conduct he did not fail to acknowledge by doing ample +justice to the viands. He frequently, too, would tuck up his sleeves, +and, going into the galley, would cook dishes, which I doubt that any +Parisian chef could have surpassed. + +"Ah, ma foi," he observed in French, when we complimented him on his +success, "in my opinion a man has no right to claim the character of a +civilised being, much less of a chef, unless he can produce a complete +dinner from an old tom-cat and a bundle of nettle-tops. He should +depend on the fire and the sources managed by his own skill. The rest +of the materials are nothing. The fire brings everything to the same +condition." Certainly Lieutenant Preville managed to give us an +infinite variety of dishes, to all appearance, the foundation of which, +to the best of my belief, was salt pork, and beef of a very tough and +dry nature. Of course, such a man would soon win his way into the good +graces of far more stoical beings than English midshipmen are apt to be +at present, or were in those good old days. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +"Well, Marmaduke, my boy, we are having a jolly cruise of it," observed +McAllister one afternoon, as we walked the deck together, having just +partaken of an especially good dinner, dressed by our most polite and +obsequious prisoner, Lieutenant Preville. "If we could but fall in with +two or three more fat prizes we should be able to set up as independent +gentlemen when we get back home again, and I should be able to regain +the lands of the McAllisters from the southern churl who has dared to +take possession of them." + +"They are not very extensive, then, I conclude," I observed. "A +midshipman's share of prize-money, even for the richest galleon of old +Spain, would not go far to purchase much of an estate." + +"Extensive! my boy; I wish you could just come north and have a look at +them," exclaimed McAllister. "You can't see from one end to the other, +and there is the finest of fine old towers, which would be perfectly +habitable, if it were not for the want of windows, and floors, and +doors, and other woodwork; and as to the lands, to be sure there is a +somewhat considerable preponderance of bog and moor, but oats and +potatoes grow finely on the hillsides. Ah, my boy, I know well enough +what's what--the value of rich pastures and corn-fields--but there's +nothing like the home of one's ancestors--the heathery hills of old +Scotland--for all that." + +My shipmate spoke with deep feeling, though he had begun in a +half-joking vein. Our prisoner joined us, and put a stop to the +conversation. He offered to go down for his guitar, and, returning with +it on deck, he touched the strings, and sang a light French song with +much taste and with a fair voice. We complimented him on his +performance. + +"Ah, you like singing; I will sing to you night and day, ma foi," he +observed. "It is a satisfaction to a man of sentiment to give pleasure +to his friends, and I look upon you as my friends in spite of our +relative positions. They arise from the circumstances of war. We are +friends--true friends--why should we be otherwise?" Then he resumed his +guitar and sang again as gaily as before. + +We and our consort kept close together, and as the sailing powers of the +two vessels were pretty equal, there was little danger of our being +separated. Two days after this it fell a dead calm. There we lay, not +quite steady, but rolling gently from side to side, moved by the +scarcely perceptible and glassy undulations which rose under our keels. +The sails went flap-flap against the masts in the most senseless manner, +till McAllister ordered them to be furled to prevent the wear and tear +they were undergoing. As to the heat, I had never before felt anything +like it in the tropics. We could have baked a leg of mutton almost, +much more fried a beefsteak, on the capstan-head, while below a dish of +apples might easily have been stewed. I remembered Mr Johnson's +account of the heat in the West Indies, and began to fear that he had +not exaggerated it. It went on growing hotter and hotter, or we felt +the heat more and more. The smoke from the chimney of the galley went +right up in a thin column, and hung in wreaths over our heads, while +that from our cigars, being of a lighter character, ascended above our +noses, and finally disappeared in the blue, quivering air. The Espoir +lay within hail of a speaking-trumpet, and as we had nothing else to do, +we carried on an animated conversation with each other, not very +dignified, but highly amusing to all concerned. We had better have held +our tongues, I suspect. Any departure from discipline is bad. The +Frenchmen who were on deck soon began to imitate our example, and, as +they mostly spoke in a patois or jargon which we, of course, could not +understand, we did not know what they were saying. I thought I saw a +peculiar expression on the faces of some of them, especially when now +and then they glanced round and looked at our men. At last, I told +McAllister that I fancied the Frenchmen were plotting treason, and that +it would be wise to make them hold their tongues. He laughed at the +notion, and asked if I supposed a set of frog-eating, grinning Frenchmen +would dare to lift a finger against such a crew of bull-dog Englishmen +as were our men. + +"I cannot say they wouldn't," I answered; "they fought pretty toughly +before they gave in." + +"Very true, but they had a chance of victory then. Now the chances +would be all against them, and they might expect to be pitched overboard +if they failed," he replied, turning away as if he did not like the +suggestion. He, however, soon after hailed Perigal, to say that he +thought we had had enough of that, and then, turning to the French +prisoners, told them to hold their tongues. After a time a mist seemed +to be rising over the water, but the heat in no way decreased. + +"There is something coming," I observed to McAllister. "What do you +think?" + +"Christmas, or perhaps a breeze," he answered, jokingly; "both to all +appearances equally far off. I see one thing, though, which would make +me rather unwilling to jump overboard." He pointed to a black +triangular object, below which was a long shadowy form that was moving +slowly round the ship. "What's that?" + +"The boatswain's pet shark, I suppose," said I, laughing. "I should +almost expect to see the Doris coming up with a breeze from the +nor'ard." + +"Just jump on his back, Merry, and see if he doesn't carry you off up to +the frigate. It would astonish them not a little to see you coming," +said McAllister. + +"Thank you, I leave such wonderful performances to wonderful people like +Mr Johnson," said I. + +Just then the monster, turning up the white of his undersides, made a +dart at a black bottle and a wisp of hay which had been thrown overboard +in the morning. Down they went into his capacious maw. + +"Unpleasant sort of pill. I wonder if the glass will cut him," observed +McAllister. + +I shuddered, for I could not help thinking what would have been the fate +of any human being who might have happened to be overboard. The seamen +had found out their enemy, and were talking about him, and watching his +proceedings with suspicious glances. They have an idea that when a +shark follows a vessel some one is about to die on board, and that he is +waiting for the corpse. Sharks have been known to follow vessels for +days together, but undoubtedly it is simply that they may feed on the +offal thrown overboard. Of course if any seaman happens to die during +the time, unless he is lashed up in a hammock with a shot at his feet, +they are likely to be the gainers. I have, however, very often seen +them following a ship when nobody has died. One example in support of a +superstitious idea does more to confirm it in the minds of the ignorant +than a hundred examples on the opposite side do to weaken the belief in +it. + +Not long after this, Perigal hailed McAllister, and, pointing round to +the sky, told him that he did not like the look of things. He then +signed to us to strike our topmasts, and make everything snug aloft. At +the same moment the crew of the Espoir were seen swarming aloft to +shorten sail. We had our sails lowered. Hands were now sent aloft to +furl them carefully, and to strike upper yards and topmasts. While the +hands were thus engaged, as I was standing by the compass to ascertain +the direction of the schooner's head, I saw Perigal point to the +westward, and make a sign to the men aloft to hurry with their work. I +did the same, though we, having less to do, were ahead in our +proceedings of our consort. I saw enough to convince me that there was +no time to be lost. The blackest of black clouds had gathered with a +rapidity scarcely credible, and were rushing on towards us with headlong +speed. It was not as is often the case when a storm is brewing; a few +light clouds come first like the skirmishers in advance of an army; but +the whole body came on in one dense mass, the sea below it foaming, and +hissing, and curling with a noise which we could hear even before the +wind reached us. A hurricane was coming, and one of no ordinary +violence. + +"Lie down! lie down, off the yards, all of you," shouted McAllister. +The men required no second command. A glance at the quickly changing +sky and water told them what was approaching. They slid down the +rigging, and in silence awaited the bursting of the tornado. The +Frenchmen who were on the deck looked pale and anxious, as if they +dreaded the consequences of the hurricane. Bambrick and another good +hand went to the helm. A part of the fore-staysail was hoisted, just to +pay the vessel's head off. We were not kept long in suspense. With a +loud hiss and roar like thunder the hurricane struck us. The schooner +heeled over to the gale; I thought she was going over altogether. Many +fancied so likewise, and cries of terror escaped from several of the +Frenchmen. Lieutenant Preville uttered an expression of annoyance at +the pusillanimity of his countrymen. + +"They are brave garcons, though," he exclaimed, "and fight like heroes +with mortal foes of flesh and blood; but they are not like you bull-dog +English, who fear neither mortals nor spirits, and would do battle with +the prince of darkness himself, if you met him in the open seas on board +any craft he might be able to charter." + +What more the lieutenant might have said I do not know, for the howling +of the tempest drowned his voice. The foaming seas began to rush up the +schooner's deck, and dense masses of spray flew over her. I thought, +indeed, that she was gone; but, recovering from the effects of the first +blast, she rose a little when her staysail felt the force of the wind. +Round went her head: another blast stronger than the first blew the +canvas from the bolt-ropes, but the desired effect had been produced, +and away she flew under bare poles through the ocean of seething foam; +the wind howling and shrieking, and the waters hissing and roaring as we +passed over them. + +Till that moment, all my attention having been concentrated on our own +craft, I had not thought of our consort. I now looked out for her. She +was not to be found in the direction where I expected to see her. I +cast my eyes round anxiously on every side. The atmosphere was now so +dense with spray torn up from the surface of the ocean that the extent +of our horizon was much limited. Yet I fancied that we must still be +close to our consort. In vain I looked round. I called out to +McAllister and told him my fears. Certain it was that the Espoir was +nowhere to be seen. I felt very sad. I could not help dreading that +the Espoir had been struck as we were, and being less prepared, had +capsized and gone over. I thought what had become of poor Grey, my +constant firm friend, and honest Perigal, and I pictured to myself how +his young wife would mourn his loss, and whether, if I ever got home, I +should have to go and tell her how it had happened. I remembered that +huge monster of a shark, which had been swimming round the vessels, and +I bethought me that he had come for them if not for us. I was not +singular, for when the Espoir was missed by others, as was soon the case +when they began to lose fear for themselves, I heard Bambrick observe to +his companion at the helm, "I thought so; I know'd that brute hadn't +come for nothing; they always knows better nor we or the port-admiral +himself what's in the wind. He was as sartain sure as cheese is cheese +that this here Harry-cane was a coming, long before we'd even a notion +that it was a brewing." + +The other seaman shook his head with a grave look, as he answered, "I +wonder how many of them poor fellows he's got down his hungry maw by +this time!" + +Such was the style of conversation among our men. What the Frenchmen +were saying I do not know. They very soon recovered their spirits and +courage, and began laughing and chattering, and dancing about the deck +in higher spirits than ever. Perhaps they did not always intend to +move, but the now fast rising seas gave the lively little vessel sudden +and unexpected jerks, which sent them jumping forward or aft, or from +side to side, whenever they happened not to be holding on to anything. +Still I did not feel that we were altogether free from danger. The +hurricane blew fiercer and fiercer, the sea also got up rapidly, and +threw the vessel about in a way which made it very difficult to steer +before it. Fortunately our topmasts were housed, or they would have +been jerked overboard. I asked McAllister what he proposed doing. + +"Doing! Why, of course, scud on till the hurricane has blown itself +out," he answered. + +"But doesn't the wind sometimes shift in a hurricane, and blow more +furiously from another quarter?" I asked. + +"Of course it does, and perhaps it will, and we shall be blown back +again as far as we have come," he said, taking a look at the compass. + +"But suppose it was to blow us back farther than we have come," I +observed. + +"Merry, just go and bring the chart to the companion stair," was his +answer. "It will be blown away if we have it on deck, and I cannot go +below just now." + +I brought the chart, at which he took a rapid glance. Eastward, as we +were now driving, we had plenty of sea-room, and in a wholesome craft +like ours, there was nothing to fear; but westward there was the coast +of Central America, fringed by rocks and sandbanks, on which many a +noble ship has been stranded since Columbus discovered the western +world. + +"It is to be hoped that the wind will not shift," he answered. "It does +not always. Don't let us anticipate evil." + +Lieutenant Preville inquired what we were talking about. We told him. +He shrugged his shoulders. "Patience; the fortune of war; we seamen +must always be subject to such reverses," he remarked. + +"The Frenchman takes things easily," observed McAllister. "I wish that +I could do so." + +I had never before pictured to myself what a West India hurricane really +was. At times I thought that the schooner would be blown fairly out of +the water. How her masts remained in her was a puzzle, from the way she +jerked and rolled, and plunged madly onward, struggling away from the +seas which seemed every moment as if they would catch and overwhelm her. +Even though thus flying before the gale, we felt as if we should be +blown down, had we not kept a good grip of the bulwarks, and those +forward had hard work to make their way aft. Suddenly there was a lull. +The effect was curious; I can liken it to nothing but when, by shutting +a thick door, some loud hubbub of angry voices is no longer heard. The +schooner tumbled about just as much as before, or even more, but, +instead of being driven onward, she was thrown madly from wave to wave, +backwards and forwards; it seemed as if they were playing a game of ball +with her. McAllister ordered me to hurry forward and to get some head +sail on the schooner. Some of the lower parts of the fore-staysail +remained. There was no time to bend a new one. There had been a little +wind before; it now fell a dead calm; the smoke of a cigar would have +ascended as it had done a few hours before. It proved but treacherous: +I positively jumped from the suddenness with which the hurricane again +struck the vessel, and, as we had apprehended, from the eastward. +Happily the sail this time produced the desired effect, turning her head +from the wind, and then away the canvas flew from the bolt-ropes far off +upon the gale. Onward we drove as before, still more tossed and +tumbled. Had our friend, Colonel Pinchard, been with us, he would have +had some reason to complain of the _mal de mer_. The Audacieuse was a +strong, tight vessel, or she would have sprung a dozen leaks, and gone +down with all the knocking about she got. She, however, remained as dry +as a bottle. Still, as we rushed on, every instant approaching nearer +and nearer the rocks and sandbanks of the coast of Central America, our +anxiety increased. It was vain to hope that we could heave-to, or in +any way stop our mad career. We had done all that could be done, and +had now only calmly to await our fate, whatever Providence had designed +that should be. It is under such circumstances as this, that the +courage and resignation of men are most severely tried. All action has +of necessity ceased, the body is at rest, the mind has now full time for +thought. Numberless acts of the past life rise up to the recollection, +many a deed, and thought, and word, which must bring either pain or +fear; principles undergo a test which the wrong and baseless cannot +bear. Death looks terribly near. What can stand a man in good stead on +an occasion like this? One thing, and one thing alone--sound Bible +religion; a firm faith in Him who took our nature upon Him, and died for +our sins, and rose again, that He might present us, rising with Him, +faultless before the throne of Grace. I say that is the only thing that +can make a man feel perfectly happy under such circumstances. I have +seen many men stand boldly up to meet expected death, who have no such +hope, no such confidence; but their cheeks have been pale, their lips +have quivered, and oh, the agony depicted in their eyes. The soul was +speaking through them, and told of its secret dread. Let no one be +deceived by the outward show, the gallant bearing of a man. Too often, +all within is terror, horror unspeakable of the near-approaching unknown +future. We had still a long way to drive before we could reach the +neighbourhood of the dreaded shoals and reefs. Most of the men probably +were ignorant of the risks we were about to encounter. Happily, +perhaps, for seamen, they seldom realise danger till it presents itself +palpably before them. The Frenchmen, after a time gaining confidence, +began to laugh and joke as before. Our men stood calm and grave at +their posts. Not that they saw danger or felt fear, but that they were +engaged in their duty, and knew that much depended on their steadiness +and courage. Night came on; it was far more trying than the day. I +felt very tired, but as to turning in, that was out of the question. +Hours after hours we flew on, plunging headlong through the darkness, +and often, to my excited imagination, strange shrieks and cries seemed +to come out of the obscurity. Once as we flew on, as I stood watching +black masses of water rising on our quarter and rolling on abeam of us, +I fancied that I saw a large ship, her hull with her lofty masts +towering up to the skies, close to us. It appeared as if another send +of the sea would have driven us aboard her. I thought that I could +distinguish people leaning over the bulwarks watching us with longing +eyes. There was a gush of waters from her scuppers. I could hear the +clang of the pumps; she was already deep in the water, rolling heavily; +cries arose from her decks; lower and lower she sank. I watched her +with straining eyes. A dark sea rose up between her and the schooner. +She was no longer where she had been; the tracery of her masts and +rigging appeared for an instant above the water, and then sank for ever. +I uttered a cry of regret. McAllister shouted to me, and asked me why +I had gone to sleep. I declared that I had been wide awake, and told +him what I had seen. + +"You've sharper eyes than any one else," he answered. "You must have +been asleep; we passed no ship, depend on that." + +I insisted on it that we had, and that he had not been looking out as I +had; and from that day to this day I am uncertain which was right. I +must, however, own that none of the men had seen the sinking ship; but +then I hold that neither were they looking out, and it was but a few +moments that she was in sight. + +"Had all on board seen her we could have rendered her hapless crew no +assistance," I thought to myself, "so it does not signify." + +On we drove. I never spent a more trying night at sea. I thought the +morning never would come or the gale end. The morning, however, did +come, as it always does for those who wait for it. We were still +driving on furiously, and as the cold grey light of the early dawn broke +on the world of waters, the tossing ocean seemed more foam-covered and +agitated than even on the previous day. I could see no signs of the +cessation of the hurricane, nor did McAllister. Bambrick, however, +observed that he thought there was less wind, and that it blew with more +steadiness than before. The Frenchmen gave no opinion; indeed, most of +them were below asleep. I worked my way forward to look out ahead. I +stood by the side of the man stationed there for some minutes. + +"The sea is terribly broken away on the starboard bow there," I said. + +"Yes, sir, I don't like the looks of it," was the answer, as we +continued gazing. We did not speak again for some minutes. It was as I +feared though. + +"Breakers! breakers ahead!" we both simultaneously shouted. "Breakers! +breakers on the starboard bow!" + +"Starboard the helm," cried McAllister, in a deep tone, without the +slightest sign of agitation. It was doubtful if the vessel would feel +the effect of the helm sufficiently to prevent her drifting bodily to +leeward. On we drove. Another moment might see the vessel and all on +board hurled to destruction. The stoutest vessel ever built could not +hold together for two minutes should she strike on rock or sandbank with +the awful sea then running dashing over her. I drew my breath short and +clenched my teeth as we approached the broken water. The spray flew +over our mastheads. Still we did not strike; the dreaded breakers +appeared abeam. We had passed the head of a bank or reef. I saw some +rocks and sand with a few trees in the distance, probably part of an +island, easily discerned under ordinary circumstances above water. The +danger for the moment was past, but there was no doubt that we had +reached that portion of the Caribbean Sea most studded with dangers. +Any moment we might again be among reefs. All we could do was to look +out ahead, and pray and hope that we might escape them, as we had done +the first. Half an hour or twenty minutes passed; some tall palm trees +amid the misty atmosphere appeared bending to the storm on the larboard +bow. It was doubtful whether reefs might not run out to the northward, +and if so we could scarcely escape striking on them. The helm was, +however, put to port, that we might pass as far as we could from the +island. McAllister hurried forward, and, taking a steady look, declared +his conviction that there was a reef to the northward of the island, and +that if we could get a little sail on the schooner, we might run under +its lee and ride in safety till the tempest was over. The very thought +of the possibility of this renewed our spirits. The wind had certainly +lessened. Rousing up the Frenchmen to lend a hand, we got a +main-trysail and fore-staysail hoisted. The little craft heeled over, +as once more putting the helm to starboard we brought her closer to the +wind, in a way which made it seem probable that she would never recover +herself; but she did, though; and now we flew on, plunging through the +seas which broke on our larboard quarter, towards the island. We drove, +of course, to leeward very fast, but still we had hopes that we might +round its northern end before we drove past it altogether. Everybody on +board stood clustered on deck, watching the island, and ever and anon +casting anxious glances at the canvas. It stood now, though an hour +before it would not have done so. We approached the island. + +"Breakers! breakers on the starboard bow! breakers on the larboard bow!" +shouted the men forward. I caught sight of some less broken water +ahead. We steered towards it. In another moment our fate would be +decided. We flew on; the sea broke terrifically on either hand, but the +schooner did not strike. The water became calmer--the island grew more +and more abeam. We flattened in the canvas, and, standing towards the +land, in another ten minutes found ourselves in a sheltered bay, where, +though our mastheads still felt the force of the gale, the wind scarcely +reached us on deck. Our anchor was dropped and we rode in safety. I +could have fallen on my knees and thanked Heaven for our merciful +preservation from so many dangers, but such an act was not in accordance +with our usual habits, and I was kept back from fear of what my +companions would say. How miserable and contemptible is such a feeling! +We are not afraid of displeasing our all-beneficent Creator, or +appearing ungrateful for His mercies, and we are afraid of the ridicule +of our fellow-men, or even of a sneer from the lips of those we despise +the most. I dare say, if the truth were known, that McAllister, +Bambrick, and others felt exactly as I did, and yet we were positively +afraid of showing our feelings to each other. What a contrast did our +present position exhibit to the wild tossing to and fro, and the strife +of elements we had just passed through. Here (for the wind dropped +rapidly) all was calm and quiet; the mist dissipated, the sun shone +forth, and the blue waters of the bay sparkled as they rippled gently on +the light yellow sand, strewed with numberless beautifully coloured +shells; while numerous tall palm trees and shrubs of lower growth formed +a bright fringe of green round the shores of the bay. + +As we wanted water, and all agreed that some fresh cocoa-nuts would be +very pleasant, I took a boat with four hands, two Englishmen and two +Frenchmen, and, accompanied by Lieutenant Preville, pulled on shore. I +also took a fowling-piece, in the hopes of getting a shot at some birds. +There was no lack of cocoa-nuts, which the hurricane had blown off, on +the ground, many of the trees themselves being laid prostrate. We had +to hunt about some time before we found a spring. At length we came on +one overshadowed by trees, where, by clearing away the ground with our +spades, we could fill our casks. I with the two Englishmen was still at +the spring, when the French lieutenant and his two countrymen were +rolling down a cask to the boat. I followed, and when yet at some +distance, I saw the Frenchmen step into the boat and begin shoving off. +I ran on, and, having some bullets in my waistcoat pocket, I dropped one +down the barrel of my fowling-piece, which I presented at the +lieutenant's head, ordering him to come back. He did not at first pay +any attention to my threats; I hailed again, and told him that I had +loaded with a bullet, and that I did not approve of the joke he was +playing. I, at the same time, saw some of the Frenchmen on board the +schooner making signs to him. Suddenly he turned round, as if he had +only just seen me, and the boat pulled back to the shore. + +"I demand a thousand pardons, monsieur," he exclaimed, with the blandest +of smiles. "I was only joking, but I am afraid from your countenance, +that my vivacity carried me too far." He went on for a considerable +time in this style, till my two men came down with their cask, and then, +shoving off, we returned on board. I asked McAllister if he had +observed anything peculiar in the behaviour of the prisoners while I was +on shore. + +"I was below for a short time, and when I came on deck I found them +clustering on the rigging forward," he answered, carelessly. "I called +them down, as it is against orders, and they immediately obeyed." + +I told him of the odd conduct of Lieutenant Preville, but he observed +that he thought it was only the Frenchman's joke, though it might be +wise to keep a stricter look-out on the prisoners than we had lately +done. We had little time however, for, pretty well worn out with the +fatigues we had endured for the last four-and-twenty hours, we were glad +to take the opportunity of being in a snug harbour to turn in and go to +sleep. Before doing so, however, I told Bambrick, who had charge of the +deck, to direct the sentry placed over the prisoners to keep his weather +eye open, lest they should play us any trick. Tops are said to sleep +soundly; I know from experience that midshipmen do. From the moment I +put my head on the pillow it seemed but a moment that I was roused up to +keep the morning watch. I found a light breeze blowing from the +southward. It would not do to lose this opportunity of getting clear +out to sea again; so I sent down to McAllister, who soon joined me, and +agreed that I was right. The anchor was weighed, and under easy sail we +ran out through the passage by which we had entered this harbour of +refuge. As I looked on the rocks on either side, now showing their dark +heads above water, it seemed wonderful how, with so terrific a hurricane +blowing, we had safely entered. How often thus through life are we +steered safely by a merciful Providence, amidst hosts of dangers which +we do not at the time see, and for protection against which we are but +too often most miserably unthankful. We were soon clear of the island, +but it was necessary to keep a very bright look-out to avoid running on +the reefs which we had before escaped. Several times we saw rocks on +either hand, and breakers still dashing wildly up, showing that reefs or +banks were there, and more and more astonished were we that we had +passed between them in safety. Lieutenant Preville shrugged his +shoulders. + +"It would need a good pilot to carry a vessel in safety between those +reefs as we came yesterday," he observed. "But, after all, the best +pilot is the Goddess Chance, who guided us." + +"Chance, monsieur! Chance!" exclaimed McAllister, with a vehemence in +which he seldom indulged. "I do not believe that there is such a thing +as chance, much less a goddess. I am not going to discuss the subject, +only don't talk to me of chance." + +The Frenchman again shrugged his shoulders, hoped that he had not given +offence, and walked away, humming a tune. He continued, however, as +polite and obliging as at first. He declared that we wanted a good +dinner after our labours, and insisted on cooking it. He outshone +himself, and with some shell-fish we had picked up, and two birds I had +shot, produced some wonderfully delicious dishes. The wind held fair, +but it was light, and it required us constantly to be on the look-out to +thread our way among the dangers which surrounded us. Our anxiety, too, +was very great for the fate of our consort. She was nowhere to be seen, +and our fears were increased that she had gone down when first struck by +the hurricane. We did not breathe freely till we were well out at sea, +clear of all reefs and shoals. Lieutenant Preville especially +complimented us on the seamanship we had displayed, and assured us that +it was a great satisfaction to him to have been our shipmate through so +trying an event. McAllister and I now agreed that if we did not fall in +with the Espoir it was undoubtedly our duty to return to Jamaica. We +accordingly cruised about for two days, and then shaped a course for +that island. The next night it was my middle watch on deck. It had +struck seven bells, and I was contemplating the satisfaction I should +feel in turning in and going to sleep, when I suddenly found the French +lieutenant walking by my side. This was against rule, as none of the +prisoners were allowed to come on deck at night without the permission +of the officer of the watch. He apologised, saying that he was +oppressed with the heat, and knew that I would allow him to come. In a +little time he professed to see a light ahead, and induced me to walk +forward to look at it. Just as I was abreast of the foremast I found my +arms seized, a gag thrust into my mouth, and a handkerchief bound over +my eyes, so that I could neither struggle, cry out, nor see what was +going forward. The horrible conviction came on me that the Frenchmen +were attempting to recapture the vessel. I hoped that McAllister might +be awake, as he was so soon to relieve me. The suspense, however, was +terrible. I found myself secured to the bulwarks, and left to my +cogitations. I augured the worst, because there was no cry; no shots +were fired. There I sat, it seemed an age, listening for some sounds. +I was almost sure that the Frenchmen had mastered all our people on +deck, even Ned Bambrick. At length I heard one of the French seamen +speaking; he was making a report to Lieutenant Preville. A loud cheer +was the response, "Vive l'Empereur! vive la France!" I knew full well +by this, that they were in entire possession of the vessel. My heart +sank within me. It was bad enough to lose our prize; it would be worse +to be thrown overboard, or to have our throats cut. I did not, however, +think that the Frenchmen would do that. They would take very good care, +though, that we did not regain the vessel. Such being the case, I +really felt almost indifferent as to what became of us. After all the +civility we had shown Lieutenant Preville, I thought that he might as +well have released me from my uncomfortable position, with my arms +lashed tightly behind me, and a gag in my mouth. I heard some orders +issued in French, and the blocks rattling, and yards creaking as if the +sails were being trimmed, and the schooner's course altered. Hour after +hour passed by; at last I fell asleep with a crick in my neck, and the +sound of a Frenchman's voice in my ear. + +"Oh, pauvre miserable!" said the voice; "why we forgot him." + +Such was the fact, not very complimentary to my importance. I had been +overlooked. The speaker took the handkerchief off my eyes. It was +daylight, and the schooner was running under all sail before a fair +breeze. Lieutenant Preville soon appeared, and, telling the men to cast +me loose, invited me, in a tone of irony, I fancied, to join my brother +officer at breakfast with him. + +Poor McAllister looked dreadfully cast down. We took our seats in +silence. Our host, who had yesterday been our guest, was in high +spirits. + +"It is the fortune of war, you well know, Monsieur Merry," he observed +with a provoking smile. "Brave garcons like you know how to bear such +reverses with equanimity. I can feel for you, though, believe me. +Monsieur McAllister, I drink to your health, though I fear that you will +not be a lieutenant as soon as you expected. Here, take some of this +claret; it will revive your spirits." + +My messmate seized the decanter of wine, which it is the custom of the +French to have on the table at breakfast, and drank off a large tumbler. +He drew a long breath after he had done so. + +"You have the advantage of us this time undoubtedly, Monsieur Preville," +he exclaimed bitterly; "but a day will come when we shall meet together +on equal terms, and then, I hope, as brave men we shall fight it out to +the death." + +"With pleasure, assuredly," answered the Frenchman, with the politest of +bows and smiles. "But in the mean time you must endeavour to restrain +your impetuosity. At present it would be impossible to give you the +satisfaction you require." + +Poor McAllister ground his teeth; the words were taunting, but the +expression of the Frenchman's countenance was more so. He would have +sprung up and fought him then and there, with carving knives or any +weapons at hand; but he restrained himself for a good reason. The +lieutenant had a brace of loaded pistols by his side on the table, and +two seamen stood on either side of us with loaded muskets, ready to blow +out our brains, had we exhibited any signs of insubordination. +McAllister went on eating his breakfast in silence. + +The lieutenant pointed to the men and to his pistols. + +"These are to do you honour," he observed. "They are the greatest +compliment we can pay to your bravery. Unless you were handcuffed, I +should not think myself safe a moment." + +"We did not treat you so," I remarked. + +"No, my friend," he said, smiling; "but you are prisoners, and I have +regained command of my schooner." + +I had not a word to say, but I resolved to profit by the lesson in my +future career. + +We were not allowed to communicate with any of our men, who were kept +under strict watch forward, and only permitted to come on deck one at a +time, in charge of a sentry. McAllister and I even had no opportunity +of communicating with each other. When we got on deck, an armed man +walked up and down by our side, and when we approached the compass, we +were ordered away, so that we could not tell what course we were +steering, except by guessing from the position of the sun. + +Of course, with all the care the Frenchmen took, we had very little +hopes of being able to retake the schooner. Neither could we tell what +was to be done with us, nor did Lieutenant Preville think fit to inform +us. After all our anticipations of prize-money and pleasure on shore, +to have the inside of a French prison alone in view was very galling to +our feelings. McAllister could do nothing but mourn his hard fate, and +mutter threatenings against France and Frenchmen should he ever regain +his liberty. Our only hope was that one of our own cruisers might fall +in with the Audacieuse, and that we might thus be set at liberty. +Consequently, whenever we were on deck we scanned the horizon anxiously, +resolved, if we caught sight of a sail, not to give the Frenchmen too +early a notice of the fact. At last one day we lay becalmed, while a +thick mist had settled down over the ocean. I began to fear that we +were going to have another hurricane. The Frenchmen did not think so, +but took things very easily. The look-out came down from aloft, and, +except the man who was placed as sentry over us, all hands employed +themselves in mending their clothes and in other similar occupations. +The man at the helm stood leaning on the tiller, lazily watching his +companions. Suddenly to the westward I saw the mist lift, and, directly +under the canopy thus formed, I distinctly saw a large ship standing +down under all sail towards us. I was afraid by word or sign to point +her out to McAllister, and dreaded lest the expression of my countenance +might draw the attention of any of the crew towards her. She could not +fail to pass close to us if she continued on the course she was +steering. I only hoped that the mist would lift again, in time to show +the Audacieuse to those on board her. The mist seemed, much to my +satisfaction, to be settling down again, when at that instant Lieutenant +Preville came on deck. His quick eye instantly detected the stranger. +Having uttered some forcible expletives as to his opinion of his crew's +conduct in not keeping a better look-out, he ordered the sails to be +trimmed, and every stitch of canvas the schooner could carry to be set +in readiness for the coming breeze, McAllister's and my eagerness may be +easily conceived. We both had an idea that the ship was English, and +that she would bring up the breeze. What was our disappointment, then, +when we saw the schooner's sails rilling out. Away she glided before +the breeze. The mist soon afterwards entirely cleared away, and +exhibited the stranger about two miles off. By her build and the cut of +her sails she was English. When she saw us, all sail was made on board +her; but the Audacieuse had a fast pair of heels, and it was soon +evident that she was leaving her pursuer far astern. Our hopes sank and +sank, and by nightfall we had run her out of sight. When morning +returned the stranger was nowhere to be seen. + +Four days thus passed by. They were far from agreeable ones. Early on +the sixth we found a substantial breakfast on the table, and after we +had partaken of it with a suspicion that it was to be our last on board, +we were ordered on deck. Here we found the schooner hove-to, and all +our people assembled, while alongside lay one of the schooner's boats, +with oars and masts and sails, a water cask, and some hampers and cases +of provisions. There was a tarpaulin, and the boat was fitted in other +respects, as far as she could be, to perform a long voyage. + +"There, my friends," observed the lieutenant; "I wish to part with you +on friendly terms. I do not desire to keep you as prisoners, as I am +bound on a long cruise, and I hope that you may regain your own ship in +safety. I will give you your course for Jamaica, which you may reach in +a week; farewell." + +We had not a word to say against this arrangement, so, thanking the +Frenchman for his courtesy, we followed our men, who had before been +ordered into the boat. Even McAllister could not help putting out his +hand and exclaiming, "You are brave, as are most Frenchmen, but you are +honest and kind-hearted, and that is more than I, for one, will say of +some of your countrymen." + +The lieutenant shrugged his shoulders and laughed as he shook our hands. +He was in high good spirits, as well he might be. We stepped into the +boat, and he waved his hand; we shoved off, and, bowing as politely as +we could force ourselves to do, we hoisted our sails and shaped a course +for Jamaica. The Audacieuse filled, and then, hauling her wind, stood +away to the eastward. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +It was satisfactory to be once more at liberty, but a voyage in an open +boat across the Caribbean Sea, when it was possible that we might have +to encounter another hurricane, was not altogether an exploit we should +have undertaken if we had had our choice. However, as we had plenty of +provisions and enough water, we had no reason to complain. We found, +indeed, on looking over our stores to select some food for our dinner, +that there were a dozen of claret and six bottles of brandy. + +"Really, that fellow Preville is a trump," I exclaimed, as I poured out +a glass of the former, and handed it to McAllister. "We'll drink his +health, for he deserves it. Come, rouse up, my boy. It's good liquor; +you'll not deny that." + +"I'll drink his health and long life to him, that we may have a better +chance of meeting together in mortal combat," answered my messmate, +gloomily. "To have our hard-won prize stolen out of our hands in this +way--it's more than I can bear. And to have to make our appearance on +board the frigate without our vessel, and to report the loss of poor +Perigal and the others, is even worse." + +I did my best to rouse up McAllister, and to make him see matters in a +more cheerful light, but it was no easy matter. He was ever dwelling on +the fact that the prize had been placed under his charge, and that he +had lost her. I was sometimes almost afraid that, if not watched at +night, he would be jumping overboard, so gloomy did he become. Bambrick +entertained the same idea also, I suspected, and I was glad to see that +he watched him narrowly. We also did our best to amuse him, and I got +the men to sing songs and spin yarns from morning till night. Only one +story told by Ned Bambrick seemed to afford him much amusement. + +"You must know, sir, when I was paid off during the last peace, I joined +a South Sea whaler. You've heard tell of Botany Bay. Well, that's +nowhere, or that's to say, it is not the place where they send +prisoners. But there's a fine harbour near it, which they call Port +Jackson, and up it there's a town which they call the Camp, but which +has now got the name of Sydney. It's what they call a colony, that's to +say, a good number of people of all sorts, besides convicts, goes out +there, and they've a governor set over them, who rules the land just +like any king. He's a right, real sort of a governor, to my mind, for +he makes the laws and sees that they are obeyed, too. He won't stand no +nonsense, and though he doesn't wear a wig and gown, like the judges at +home, he sits in a court, and tries all them who doesn't do what they +ought. He hears both parties, and, when they've done, he sings out, +`Haul in the slack of your jaw-tackle, and belay all that,' and then he +goes for to say what each party must do, and he won't hear a word more +from either of them. Well, as I was a saying, I joined a South Sea +whaler. I can't say as how I had a pleasant time aboard, but it was +better than others had. Our captain was one of them chaps as always +does what they choose, and he pretty often chose to do what was very +bad. He had a quarrel with the doctor of the ship, who was a very +decent, well-behaved young man, and not wanting in spirit. Their +disputes went on from bad to worse, so what does he do one day, but call +four or five hands aft, fellows always ready to do any dirty work for a +glass of grog, and getting hold of the poor doctor, clap him into one of +the hen-coops. `Now,' says he, `you'll stay there till you beg my +pardon.' `I'll never beg your pardon,' says the doctor. `I'll see if I +can't make you,' says the captain. Well, would you believe it? the +captain kept the poor doctor in there, day after day, and always took +his meals to him himself, cut up into little bits so that he could eat +them with a spoon. When he put in the plate, he always used to sing +out, `Coopity! coopity! coopity!' just as he would have done if he was +feeding the fowls. It aggravated the poor doctor, but he couldn't help +himself. No one dared to speak to the captain, who always walked about +with a brace of pistols in his belt, and swore he'd shoot any one who +interfered with him. You may be sure I and others felt for the doctor +when the savage used to go to him, with a grin on his face, and sing +out, `Coopity! coopity! coopity!' The doctor would have been starved if +he hadn't taken the food when the captain brought it him, with his +`Coopity! coopity! coopity!' + +"At last one day, the doctor wouldn't stand it any longer; so says he, +`If you don't let me out of this, I'll make you sing out "Coopity! +coopity!" from the other side of your mouth; so look out.' The captain +laughed at him, and went on as before. However, we had to put into Port +Jackson to refit, and it came to the ears of the governor that our +skipper had a man shut up in a hen-coop; so he sent some soldiers +aboard, and had the doctor taken out and brought ashore. Then there was +a regular trial, and the governor heard what the doctor had to say, and +the skipper and we had to say, and then he says, `I decide that you, +Captain Crowfoot, shall pay Dr McGrath two hundred golden guineas +before you leave this court.' The captain, with many wry faces, began +to make all sorts of excuses, but the governor wouldn't listen to one of +them, and Captain Crowfoot had to get a merchant to hand him out two +bags of guineas. `Count them, captain, count them,' says the governor; +and as the skipper counted them out on the table, the doctor stood by +with another bag, and, as he swept them in with his hand, he kept +singing out `Coopity! coopity! coopity!' Really it was pleasant to hear +the doctor go on with his `Coopity! coopity! coopity!' Everybody in the +court laughed, and, I believe you, the skipper was glad enough to get +away when he had counted out all his money, and there was a regular +cheer of `Coopity! coopity! coopity!' as he rushed out of the court." I +had not seen McAllister laugh since we had lost the prize. He now gave +way to a hearty peal, exclaiming, "Ha! ha! ha! I'll make the French +lieutenant sing out `Coopity! coopity! coopity!' before the world is +many years older." + +I need not describe all that occurred in the boat. We made fair way +while the wind continued fair, and the weather favourable, but Jamaica +still seemed a long distance off. It is a large island however, so that +there was not much chance of our missing it. Four days had passed since +we left the Audacieuse, when about midnight the wind suddenly shifted to +the northward, and, what was worse, it came on to blow very hard. We +closely reefed our sail, and hove-to, but the seas constantly broke over +us, and we were obliged to keep two hands baling, or we should have been +swamped. It was bad enough as it was, but it might come on worse, and +then, would the boat swim? That was a question. That was a dreary +night. The rain came down too--as it knows well how to do in the +tropics. We had no want of water, but we unwisely neglected to fill our +casks. Expecting to make a quick run, we had not stinted ourselves in +the use of water. Of course the boat all this time was drifting to +leeward, and we were losing all the distance we had made good during the +last day or so; if the gale continued we should lose still more. At +last daylight came, but the wind blew as hard as ever--half a gale at +all events. Two whole days more it blew. At last it ceased, but it +left us a hundred miles nearly further from our destination than when it +commenced. This was bad enough, but though there was little of it +remaining, that little was in our teeth. We however hauled our wind, +and tried to beat up. When the sea went down we got the oars out, and, +lowering the sails, pulled head to wind. It was greatly trying to the +men, to know that after toiling away for hours, the entire distance +gained might be lost in a quarter of the time. Still, as British seamen +always do, they persevered. McAllister and I took our turn at the oars +with the rest. For several days we laboured thus. The prospect of a +quick run to Jamaica was over. Our provisions were running short--our +water was almost expended. Hunger and thirst began to stare us in the +face--things apt not only to stare people out of countenance, but out of +their good looks. We at once went on short allowance, which grew +shorter and shorter. As we gazed on each other's faces, we saw how +haggard our shipmates had become, each person scarcely aware of his own +emaciated appearance. At last we had not a drop of water remaining. +Jamaica might still be a week's sail off, under favourable +circumstances. The thirst we now endured was far worse than hunger, in +that climate, with a hot sun burning down on our heads all day. Our +throats got hotter and more parched every hour; we drew in our belts, +and that silenced the cravings of hunger for a time, and we had some few +bits of biscuit, and ham, and chocolate, but nothing we could do could +allay our thirst. We dipped our faces in water, and kept applying our +wet handkerchiefs to our mouths and eyes. We got most relief from +breathing through our wet handkerchiefs; but it was only transient; the +fever within burned as fiercely as ever. We had to work at the oars, +when we could not keep our handkerchiefs wet. McAllister, like a brave +fellow as he was, aroused himself, and endeavoured to encourage us to +persevere. He especially warned the men against drinking salt water, +telling them that it would be downright suicide, and that they might as +well jump overboard and be drowned at once. We were certainly making +way, and every hour lessening our distance to Jamaica. Again our hopes +were raised. We had a few scraps of food to support life for two days +more; but it was the water we wanted. I felt that I could not hold out +another twenty-four hours. I must have water or die. The wind, +however, came fair; we made sail, and ran merrily over the water--at +least the boat did. Our feelings were heavy enough. Still I must say +that we did our best to keep up each other's courage. Again the wind +fell. It shifted. We might be driven back, and lose all the way we had +gained. Dark clouds gathered--the feeling of the air changed. "Get the +sail spread out flat, and the buckets, and cask, and mugs ready, boys," +cried McAllister, "Open your mouths." + +Scarcely had he spoken, when down came the rain. Oh, how delicious were +the cool streams which flowed down our parched throats, and washed the +salt from our faces. As the sail caught it, we let it run off into the +receptacles we had prepared. Mugful after mugful we drained. We filled +our cask and buckets. The rain ceased just as we had done so, and then +it fell a dead calm. But we all felt refreshed and invigorated. New +life seemed put into us, and the dry morsels of biscuit and ham, which +we before could not swallow, were eaten with a relish. This deliverance +from immediate death gave us hope; but still we might have again to +encounter all the difficulties we had before gone through, before +reaching land. Could we possibly survive them? I had often read of +similar adventures and sufferings, and had been so much interested and +amused, that I had felt considerably obliged to those who had gone +through them, and really felt that I should like to have been with them; +but I found the reality very different indeed. The terrible reality was +presented to me with the gilding off--the romance vanished. My great +wish was to escape from my present position. I have no doubt that all +my companions felt with me. + +The oars were again got out, and slowly we pulled to the northward. It +was soon evident, however, that our strength was totally unequal to the +task. One after the other the oars dropped from the men's feeble grasp. +It was terrible to see strong men thus reduced to weakness. The calm +continued. Even I began to despair. A dizziness came over me. I was +nearly sinking to the bottom of the boat, but I resisted the impulse by +a strong effort. "I'll not give in while life and sense remain." I +fancied that I felt a puff of air on my cheek. I wetted my finger, and +held it up. There was no doubt about it. A breeze was coming from the +southward. I stood up as well as I was able, and looked astern for the +expected blue line in the horizon. My heart leaped within me when my +eye fell on the white sails of a vessel coming fast up with us. I +shouted out the joyous news. My companions lifted up their heads, some +scarcely understanding what I said. McAllister, who had been asleep, +started up, and, with his hand over his eyes, gazed anxiously at the +stranger. Bambrick, with a strength which surprised me, leaped up on +the thwart, holding on by the mast, and, after looking for some time, he +exclaimed, "She's the Espoir, as sure as my name is Ned Bambrick." + +"The Espoir went down in the hurricane, and this craft is only some +phantom come to delude and mock us," muttered McAllister, gloomily. + +"Nonsense! you don't believe in such stuff," I exclaimed. "If yonder +craft is the Espoir, it's plain the Espoir did not go down in the +hurricane; and if the Espoir did go down in the hurricane, it is equally +plain that the vessel in sight is not she." + +"No, no, yonder craft is but a mocking phantom. I'm destined never to +see my bonnie home and fair Scotland again," he answered, in a low +voice, speaking more to himself than to me. + +There was no use in then contradicting him. Half an hour or less would, +I hoped, show that the stranger astern was a real palpable vessel, with +human beings on board who would relieve our distress, and no phantom +craft. Poor McAllister sank down in the stern-sheets again through +weakness, but continued to gaze at the stranger, as we all did, with our +eyeballs almost starting, in our eagerness, from their sockets. + +The stranger proved to be a schooner; and, as she approached, she +appeared to be more and more like the Espoir. There was at length no +doubt about it, but McAllister still shook his head, muttering "A +phantom--a phantom--but very like the craft--there's na doubt about +that." I do not know what he might have thought when the schooner +shortened sail, and glided up slowly alongside our boat. There were +Perigal, and Grey, and Macquoid, and Bobus, and others, looking at us +over the bulwarks. They must have known us by our uniforms to be +English, but they had no idea we were their own shipmates. I guessed +this by hearing Macquoid say to Bobus-- + +"Who can they be? Some poor fellows whose vessel must have gone down in +the hurricane." + +"Hand them up carefully, now," said Perigal to the men who descended +into the boat. + +We were all soon lifted on deck, for we were utterly unable to help +ourselves, and we had positively to say who we were before we were +recognised. + +The foremost to rush forward and welcome me was Toby Bluff; and, +forgetful of all the proprieties of the quarter-deck, he was very nearly +throwing his arms round me and giving me a hearty hug, so overcome was +he with joy at having the young squire restored to him. + +"Oh! Measter Merry, they will be main glad at the Hall when they learns +that after all you didn't go down in that mighty terrible hurricane we +had t'other day," he exclaimed. "I'd never have gone back to see them-- +that I wouldn't--I could have never faced them without the young +measter!" + +Warm and sincere, indeed, were the congratulations of all our friends. +Macquoid at once took charge of us--ordered us all into our hammocks, +and would not allow us to swallow more than the most moderate quantity +of food, nor to listen nor talk. Owing to his judicious management, we +all speedily got round, with the exception of McAllister, who had been +the last to give in. His spirit and moral courage had supported him, +till at length his physical powers yielded to his sufferings. + +We carried on the breeze till we sighted Jamaica. Of course Perigal was +very much vexed at hearing of the loss of the prize, but he did not +blame McAllister, though, as he observed, it would have been wiser had +we not placed so much confidence in our agreeable and plausible +prisoner. The Espoir had lost sight of us in the hurricane from the +first, and apprehensions for our safety had till now been entertained, +and so our friends looked upon us as happily restored to them from the +dead, and were not inclined to find undue fault with us. We found that +they had been placed in even greater danger than we had, and had +suffered more damage, but finally they were enabled to take shelter +under an island more to the south than the one we gained. Here they +remained for some time to refit, and thus were brought to our rescue +just in time to preserve us from destruction. We were all tolerably +recovered and presentable by the time we entered Port Royal harbour. +Here we found the frigate almost ready for sea, and, to our +satisfaction, Spellman with our first prize had arrived safely. Among +those who most cordially welcomed me was Mr Johnson, the boatswain. + +"We felt that hurricane even here, Mr Merry; and, thinking you might +feel it too, I was anything but happy about you," he observed, shaking +me by the hand. "I was once out in just such another--only it blew a +precious deal harder. Some of our hands had their pigtails carried +away, and two or three fellows who kept their mouths open had their +teeth blown down their throats. It was the gale when the Thunderer and +so many others of His Majesty's ships went down. You've heard of it, I +dare say?" + +I told him that I had read about it in a naval history we had on board, +but that the account of the pigtails and teeth was not given. + +"No, I dare say not; historians seldom enter as they ought into +particulars," he answered, laughing. + +Grey received an equally friendly welcome from Mr Johnson, with whom he +was as great a favourite as I was. He made us give him an account of +all our adventures, and amused himself with quizzing me, without +ceasing, at having been so tricked by the French lieutenant. I +believed, and do to this day, that Preville was civil and light-hearted +from nature, and that it was only when he found us off guard that the +idea of seizing the vessel occurred to him. + +McAllister did not get off as easily as I did. Wherever he went he was +quizzed for having been tricked by the Frenchman and losing his prize. +He unfortunately could not stand quizzing, and, taking what was said too +seriously, he became at times quite sulky and morose. + +As the Doris had no hands to spare, the tender was laid up, and once +more the frigate put to sea in search of the enemies of our country. We +knew that several of their frigates were at sea, and we hoped to fall in +with one of them. If we missed them, we were not likely to object to +pick up a few rich merchantmen. + +Soon after I rejoined, I was invited to the gun-room to give an account +of my adventures on board the Audacieuse. Thinking he was going to be +quizzed McAllister would not say a word on the subject. I was not so +particular, and amused the officers very much with an account of the way +in which the polite lieutenant used to dress our dinners for us, and +used to sing and play for our amusement. Mr Fitzgerald seemed highly +entertained. + +"He must be a broth of a boy, indeed! If we ever catch him, we'll make +him dress our dinners," he exclaimed, laughing. + +He was himself stranger than ever, and, with his curious performances, I +used to wonder how he managed not to get into more scrapes than he did. +Our captain was much of the same opinion, for I heard him remark that he +really was glad to get to sea, for fear Mr Fitzgerald should do +something to bring himself into difficulty on shore. The words were +reported to Mr Fitzgerald, who remarked-- + +"Och! where there's a will there's a way. We'll see what we can do, +even out here on the big salt sea!" + +Not long after this, during a light breeze, we chased a vessel to the +southward. We came up with her hand over hand. When, however, we were +about five miles off, it fell a dead calm. What she was we could not +ascertain, though she did not look like an armed vessel. It was +necessary to overhaul her, so Mr Fitzgerald volunteered to take the gig +and six hands to board her, and Grey and I got leave to accompany him. +We had a hot pull, the sun coming down full on our heads, and as we had +come away without any water, the men were anxious to get on board the +stranger, that they might quench their thirst. She was rigged as a +barque, and she proved as we guessed; she was a Yankee, and a neutral. +Though undoubtedly laden with stores for our enemies, we could not touch +her. Her skipper was very civil, and invited us into the cabin, where a +fine display of decanters and tumblers gave promise of good cheer, in +which we were not disappointed. Mr Fitzgerald was soon deep in the +mysteries of cocktail and similar mixtures. He seemed to enjoy them +amazingly, for he quaffed tumbler after tumbler, till I began to fear +that he was getting rather too deep into the subject. Grey and I took +our share, but we both of us were from inclination very temperate. +Independent of other considerations, I have always held that a splitting +headache, and the risk of getting into trouble, was a high price to pay +for the pleasure of tickling one's palate, or artificially raising one's +spirits for a short time. The men were hospitably entertained forward, +one or two of them finding old messmates; indeed American vessels at +that period were manned principally with English seamen. We remained on +board altogether much longer than we ought to have done, but at last Mr +Fitzgerald, looking at his watch, jumped up, exclaiming that he must be +off. We thanked the skipper for his civility, and, not without +difficulty, getting the men into the boat, away we pulled towards the +frigate. The men were all high in praise of the Yankees, and I have no +doubt that they were all put up to run from the ship at the first +American port at which they might touch. + +The calm still continued, and from the lazy way in which the men pulled, +it was clear that they were in no hurry to get on board. Grey and I, of +course, were not; indeed Mr Fitzgerald, who was in great spirits, kept +us highly amused by his stories, so full of racy humour. Our movements +were, however, considerably expedited by the report of a gun from the +frigate, as a signal for us immediately to return. The men now bent to +their oars, and gave way in earnest. We had not pulled far, however, +when another puff of smoke was seen to burst forth from the frigate's +side, followed by the report of the gun, which came booming over the +smooth ocean. + +"Och! the skipper's in a mighty hurry," muttered the lieutenant to +himself. "We are making all the haste flesh and blood is capable of, +with the sun boiling up our marrow at this rate." + +"Give way, lads, give way," he shouted aloud. "The captain is in a +hurry, for there's something in the wind, depend on that." + +We were, I suspect, so completely in a position under the sun, as +observed from the frigate, that we could not be seen. Presently the +report of another gun struck our ears. On this Mr Fitzgerald seemed to +lose all patience. + +"Hand me an oar and a boat-hook," he exclaimed, "and some rope-yarn." + +What was our surprise to see him strip off his trousers, and make the +waistband fast to the boat-hook, which he secured for a yard across the +blade of an oar stepped upright as a mast. Having secured some pieces +of rope-yarn to the legs of his unmentionables, he stood up and began +blowing away with might and main into the upper portions, stopping every +now and then to gain breath, and to shout, "Give way, lads, with a +will--give way like troopers--give way, ye hardy sons of Neptune, or of +sea-cooks, if you prefer the appellation. Give way like Tritons. We +are doing all that men can do. Who dare say we can do more? But we +must not stop to talk." Then, once more filling out his cheeks, he +began to blow and puff with might and main as before. + +Grey and I, though not a little shocked, were convulsed with laughter; +so of course were the men, whose countenances, as they bent to their +oars, were wreathed in the broadest of broad grins, while shouts of +scarce suppressed laughter burst ever and anon from their throats. + +"Faith, the captain can't say it's my fault if we don't get aboard in +time. I've done all that any officer in His Majesty's service could do +to expedite matters, at all events," he observed at length, stopping to +draw breath. + +"And more than most officers would dream of doing, Mr Fitzgerald," I +answered, quietly, really fearing that he had gone mad. + +"Och, yes, I was always celebrated for my zeal," he answered. "There's +nothing like zeal, Mr Merry. When my Lords Commissioners of the +Admiralty think fit to promote one of their own nephews over the heads +of any lot of us poor fellows who don't happen to have any interest in +high quarters, it's always on account of zeal--they are such very +zealous and promising young men. They don't say what they promise. I +could never learn that. I once posed the First Lord by simply asking +the question. I went up just to ask for my promotion--for there's +nothing like asking, you know, youngsters. The First Lord received me +with wonderful civility. He took me for another Fitzgerald, and I was +fool enough to tell him which I really was, or I believe he would have +handed me out my commission and appointment to a fine brig I had in my +eye, there and then. I saw by his change of countenance that I had made +a mistake, and, as I was in for it, I determined not to be abashed. +With the blandest of smiles he remarked, `Undoubtedly, Mr Fitzgerald, I +will keep you in sight, but I have on my list so many zealous and +promising young officers, that I fear you will have some time to wait.' +His cold eye told me he'd do nothing for me, so says I, `My lord, I +should just like to have an example of this zeal, that I may learn to +imitate it; but as to promises, faith, my lord, I should like to see any +man who can beat me at making them.' I put on a face as I spoke, and he +couldn't help laughing, but he told me, when I made my bow, that I might +be sure he wouldn't forget me. Whether he has or has not, I can't say; +but here am I, a descendant of Brian Boroo, and I don't know how many +kings and queens of ould Ireland besides, nothing but a humble +lieutenant, standing with my breeches off, and endeavouring to fill this +epitome of a boat's sail with all the wind in my mortal body. I must +stop talking, though, youngsters; it's setting you a bad example," and +he began to puff away again. + +We were now drawing so near the frigate that I felt sure, if any glasses +were turned towards us, his extraordinary condition could be seen. I +was anxious to prevent his getting into disgrace, so I asked-- + +"Wouldn't it be better, sir, if you were to put on your breeches, and +let the men pull up alongside in proper style?" + +"What, youngster, and lose this magnificent opportunity of exhibiting my +zeal?" he exclaimed, indignantly. "I shall request the captain to write +an official letter to the Admiralty, that a proper record may be made of +it." + +"But Grey and I will bear witness to the truth of your statement, if you +think fit, to-morrow, to make a report of the proceeding," I observed. +"You must allow, sir, that officers do not generally come alongside a +ship with their breeches off, though of course it is very laudable to +make use of them as a boat's sail, or in any other way, for the good of +the service; but, if you have any enemies, a wrong construction may be +put on the matter." + +He did not appear to be listening to what I was saying, but continued +puffing out his cheeks and blowing as before. As I was steering, I told +Grey to look through the telescope we had with us at the ship. + +"I see several glasses turned this way," he answered, "and there are +numbers of men in the rigging." + +I made no remark, but Mr Fitzgerald soon afterwards lowered the oar, +and, without saying anything, quietly put on his breeches. We were soon +alongside; the boat was hoisted in, and a light breeze having sprung up, +which had long been seen coming, all sail was made in chase of a vessel +to the eastward. + +Mr Fitzgerald then made his report. + +"You seemed to be carrying some sail," observed the captain. "You had +but little wind, though, to make it of use." + +"There was all the wind I could make," blurted out the lieutenant, who +had now got sober, and was as much ashamed of himself as it was in his +nature to be. "However, Captain Collyer, you know my zeal for the +service, and there isn't a thing I wouldn't do for its good." + +"Even to make use of your breeches as a sail, and compelling your mouth +to do duty as _Molus_," said the captain, gravely. "However, Mr +Fitzgerald, though I never like making mountains of molehills, don't let +your zeal, or your love of a joke, carry you so far again. Discipline +would quickly vanish if the officers were to forget their dignity, as +you did just now. No officer should ever appear in public without his +breeches." + +"I'll make a note of that, Captain Collyer, and take care that it never +again occurs," answered Mr Fitzgerald, with inimitable gravity, but +with an expression on his comical features which made our good-natured +skipper almost burst into a fit of laughter. + +Two or three nights after this, while it was Mr Fitzgerald's watch, in +which I was placed, it being very dark, the frigate, without any +warning, was struck by a heavy squall, which threw her in an instant on +her beam ends. I thought that she was going down. There was a loud +crash--the fore-topmast had gone over the side. Lightning flashed from +the sky; the thunder roared. A loud clap was heard overhead--the +main-topsail had split, and, rent in fragments, was carried out of the +bolt-ropes, lashing itself in fury round the yard. All seemed +confusion. Everybody on the first crash had rushed on deck, mostly in +very scanty costume. The captain had slipped on his coat, which, with +his shirt and slippers, formed his costume. There he stood, his shirt +tails fluttering in the breeze, while with his deep-toned voice he was +bringing order out of seeming chaos. When the main-topsail went the +frigate righted. We had work enough to do to clear the wreck of the +fore-topmast and all its hamper, and it was broad daylight before the +captain could leave the deck. When the ship was put a little to rights, +and those officers who had appeared in limited costume had gone below to +don the usual amount of dress, Mr Fitzgerald walked up to Mr Bryan, +the first-lieutenant, and said-- + +"I wish, Bryan, that you would ascertain what are and what are not the +regulations of this ship. Two days ago the captain told me that it was +against his express orders that any officers should appear on the +quarter-deck without their breeches, and now he appears himself without +his, and so do Haisleden and the master, and some other fellows +besides." + +"There are some occasions when it does not do to stick at trifles," +answered Mr Bryan, who found it very necessary to humour his eccentric +brother officer. + +"Well, at all events, the captain cannot find fault with me after that," +said the second lieutenant; "I am always saying the same--I never stick +at trifles." + +"No, indeed you do not; but sometimes it is just as well to look at +them, and ascertain if they are trifles," observed Mr Bryan. + +It was found that the frigate had received so much damage that it was +necessary to put back to Port Royal. It was a matter of very little +consequence to us midshipmen. We were chiefly interested because we +knew that we should get a supply of fresh meat and vegetables, which we +preferred to the salt pork and weevilly biscuits served out to the navy +in those days, and for very many days later; indeed, where is the naval +officer, under the rank of a commander, or I may say a lieutenant, who +does not tap every bit of biscuit on the table before he puts it into +his mouth? He taps mechanically now, but he learned the habit when it +was necessary to knock out the weevils. + +We soon had the ship as much to rights as circumstances would allow. In +the evening Grey and I went below, and found the boatswain seated on a +stool in his cabin, with his legs stretched out at full length before +him. + +"Ah, young gentlemen, I know what you've come for," he exclaimed when he +saw us. "You're curious to hear some more of my yarns. It's natural, +and I'll not baulk you. There's one thing you may depend on, it will be +a long time before I shall spin them all out. You needn't tell me where +I left off. I was telling you about my pet shark and the dreadful event +connected with it. It's a warning to people not to have pet sharks, as +you'll say when you hear more. But come in, young gentlemen, and make +yourselves comfortable. Ah, Mr Gogles, I'm glad to see you here; +you've not heard any of my veracious narrative, but now you shall hear +something to astonish you, I guess." + +Gogles was a young midshipman, the son of a planter at Jamaica, who had +joined us when we were last there. His countenance exhibited a large +capacity for imbibing the wonderful and improbable, a fact which had not +escaped Mr Johnson's acute observation. + +By the time Toby Bluff had brought the boatswain his usual evening glass +of grog, and he had cleared his throat, and, as he remarked, brought up +his thoughts from the store-lockers of memory, a large audience was +collected in and outside the cabin. + +"Listen then, and let no one doubt me," continued Mr Johnson. "I told +you the Lady Stiggins was bound round Cape Horn. We were running down +the coast of America, when somewhere to the southward of the latitude of +Demerara it came on to blow very hard from the north and west. The +clouds came rushing along the sky like a mass of people all hurrying to +see the king open parliament, or a clown throw a summersault at a fair, +or anything of that sort, while the wind howled and screeched in the +rigging as I have heard wild beasts in the woods in Africa, and the sea +got up and tumbled and rolled as if the waves were dancing for their +very lives. You need not believe it, but the foam flew from them so +thick that it actually lifted the ship at times out of the water. We +had sent down our topgallant yards, and had just furled the courses, and +were in the act of lowering our main-topsail to reef it close, when a +squall, more heavy than before, came right down upon us. I was at the +helm at the time, and heard it roaring up astern. The main-topsail yard +had just reached the cap, and the fore-topsail was the only sail showing +to the breeze. The blast struck us; a clap, as if of thunder, was +heard, and away flew our fore-topsail clean out of the bolt-ropes, and +clear of everything. Off it flew, right away to leeward, down upon the +breeze. I kept my eye on it, and observed that instead of sinking, from +the strength and buoyant power of the wind, it retained precisely the +same elevation above the sea that it had done when spread to the yard. +I did not mention the circumstance to anyone, but took care not to lose +sight of the sail. This was a hint to us not to set more canvas, so the +main-topsail was furled, and away we scudded, under bare poles, right in +the wake of the fore-topsail. Instead of abating, the wind increased +till it blew a perfect hurricane. I, however, kept at the helm, and +explaining to the captain the occurrence I had observed, begged to be +allowed to remain there. At first he would scarcely believe me, and +declared that it was a white cloud ahead of us, but I was so positive, +that at last he let me have my way. Well, we steered straight on all +that day, and when night approached I took the bearings of the sail that +we might follow it as before. The wind did not vary, and in the morning +there it was, exactly in its former position, only I think we had gained +a little on it. On, on we ran, tearing rather over than through the +foaming ocean, but still we did not come up with the fail. At last I +was obliged, from very weariness, to let a careful hand relieve me at +the helm, and, desiring to be called if we neared the sail, I turned in +and went to sleep. Now you will want to know, young gentlemen, why I +was so anxious to come up with the sail? The fact is that I had taken a +notion into my head, which I will tell you presently. Well, I was so +weary that I slept for five-and-twenty hours without turning, and I +could scarcely believe that I had been in my hammock more than an hour, +for when I came on deck everything was exactly as I had left it. +Feeling much refreshed, and having swallowed two dozen of biscuits, a +leg of pork, and a gallon of rum and water, I took the helm, resolved to +carry out my intentions. It wasn't, however, till the next morning, +when the sun broke out from behind the clouds, that it shone directly on +our fore-topsail, now not the eighth of a mile ahead of us. For some +reason or other, which I have never been able satisfactorily to explain, +we were coming rapidly up with it. I now saw that the moment was +approaching for carrying my plan into execution. Accordingly I sent the +people on to the fore-yard, and also on the fore-topsail yard, which was +hoisted right up, some with palm needles and others with earings and +lashings. It was a moment of intense interest. I kept the brig's head +directly for the sail. We approached it rapidly; it was over the +bowsprit end. My eye did not fail me, and, to my inexpressible +satisfaction, we shot directly up to the sail. The men on the yards +instantly secured it, and in five minutes it was again spread aloft as +if it had never left its place. There, young gentlemen, if you ever see +anything done like that, you may open your eyes with astonishment. I +gained some credit for my performance, though there are people, I own, +who do not believe in the fact, which is not surprising, as it isn't +every day in the week that a ship recovers a topsail which has been +blown away in a gale of wind." + +There was a considerable amount of cachinnations along the deck outside, +while a gruff voice grunted out, "Well, bo'sun, that is a jolly +crammer;" at which Mr Johnson looked highly indignant, and we were +afraid that he would not continue his narrative, but a glance at +Gogles's deliciously credulous and yet astonished countenance, as he sat +with his eyes and mouth wide open, staring with all his might, seemed +fully to pacify him. I never met a man who enjoyed his own jokes, +though certainly they were of the broadest kind, more thoroughly than +did Mr Johnson. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +On the evening of which I was speaking in my last chapter, Mr Johnson +was evidently in the vein for narrating his veracious history. I saw +this by the twinkle of his eye, by the peculiar curls round his mouth-- +which poets speak of when describing Euphrosyne, or any charming young +lady of mortal mould, as "wreathed smiles," but which, in the +boatswain's case, could not possibly be so called--by the gusto with +which he smacked his lips, after each sip of grog, and the quiet +cachinnations in which he indulged, that there was no fear of his +breaking off for some time, unless compelled by his duties to do so. I +was right. After stretching out his legs, folding his arms, and bending +down his head, as if to meditate for a few minutes, he looked up with +his usual humorous expression, and taking a fresh sip of grog, +recommenced-- + +"Some of you young gentlemen have been in a gale of wind, and a pretty +stiff one too, but except the little blow we had the other day, you, Mr +Gogles, have no practical experience of what a real downright hurricane +is," he continued. "Why, I once was in a ship where, after we had +carried away our masts, we were obliged to run under a marlinespike +stuck up in the bows, but even that was too much for her, and we were +obliged to send the carpenter forward with a sledge-hammer to take a +reef in it by driving it further into the deck. It must blow hard, +you'll allow, when it becomes necessary to take a reef in a +marlinespike. In the same gale, the man at the helm had all his hair +blown clean off his head; the cook, as he looked out of his caboose, had +his teeth driven down his throat, and one of the boys, who was sent on +deck to see how the wind was (for we were obliged to batten down and get +below), had his eyelids blown so far back that it took all the ship's +company to haul them down again. You don't know what a gale of wind is +till you have seen it." + +Some loud shouts of laughter were heard outside the berth, but Mr +Johnson, without heeding them, continued: + +"But, by the bye, I was describing my voyage round the Horn in the Lady +Stiggins, and now I am coming to the melancholy part of my history. No +sooner had we recovered our topsail than the gale abated, and nothing of +moment occurred till we hauled up to the westward to round the Horn. +For some days we had light winds and fine weather, but those who have +doubled that Cape know well that it blows there pretty hard at times, +and we soon had to learn this to our cost. Soon after noonday it came +on to blow, and such a sea got up as I had never seen before. That was +a sea. Sometimes we were at the top of one wave, while my pet shark, +who had faithfully followed us, would be in the trough below, looking no +larger than a minnow in a millstream, and sometimes when we were at the +bottom we could see him looking lovingly down upon us, high above our +topgallant-mast-head. At last we were driven back right in upon the +coast of Patagonia, and had we not found a harbour in which to take +shelter, we should have lost the ship and our lives. + +"The land of Patagonia is bleak and barren, and, as you all know, the +few scattered inhabitants make up for the scarcity of their numbers by +their personal stature, for they are, without exception, the tallest +people I have ever met. I felt quite a pigmy alongside them. They have +large rolling eyes, long shaggy hair, and thick snub noses: indeed, they +are as ugly a race as I ever set eyes on. Perhaps, for certain reasons, +I might have been prejudiced, but of that you shall judge. + +"We anchored the brig in a snug cove, where she lay completely sheltered +from the tempest which raged without, and we were thus enabled to go +ashore to procure wood and water, of which we stood much in need. For +two days we saw no signs of inhabitants, and thus we incautiously +strolled about without arms in our hands to stretch our legs. I was +always of an inquisitive turn, fond of exploring strange countries; so +one day, having parted from my companions, I walked on into the +interior. I was thinking of turning back, for the day was far advanced, +when my attention was attracted by a column of smoke ascending from +among a grove of trees in a valley at no great distance from me, and +being curious to ascertain the cause of it, I proceeded in that +direction. + +"On reaching a hill which overlooked the spot, I perceived several human +beings seated round a large fire in front of a rude hut, and busily +employed in cutting slices from an ox, which was roasting whole before +it, and which they transferred to their mouths, smacking their lips to +signify their high relish for the feast. + +"I was very hungry, and certainly felt an inclination for a piece of the +savoury morsels, the odour of which ascended to where I stood, but +prudence advised me to retire, for I could not tell what the disposition +of the savages might be. For what I knew to the contrary, they might +spit and roast me as their dessert. + +"There appeared to be a family group. There were an old man and woman +whom I took to be the father and mother, three younger females, whom I +judged to be daughters, and two sons. All of them were dressed in +skins, and I was enabled to distinguish the females by their having +petticoats, and their hair braided in long plaits, which reached to the +ground. Their personal appearance was not prepossessing, and their +voices were so loud that I could hear every word they uttered, though of +course I could not understand their language. I was on the point of +retreating, when one of the young ladies, turning her head, perceived me +watching them, and, with a loud cry, rising from her seat, she ran +towards me. I had not before remarked the height of the savages, but as +they all stood up, I now perceived that she was full ten feet high, and +yet the shortest of the party. Although not afraid, for fear was a +stranger to my bosom, I yet did not relish the thoughts of having to +encounter such formidable-looking personages, and therefore set off +towards the shore as fast as my legs would carry me, but I soon found, +by the shouts astern, that the young giantess had made chase, and, +turning my head over my shoulder, I saw that she was coming up hand over +hand with me. I was on the top of the hill and she was at the bottom, +but that made little difference to her, for on she bounded, like a +kangaroo or a tiger, and I felt convinced that on flat ground I should +have no chance of escape; I therefore suddenly brought up, tacked about, +and faced her with my arms expanded, to make me look of more +considerable size. She was coming on full tilt. I did not think she +was so near, and the consequence was, as she was stooping down, I found +my arms round her neck, with my feet off the ground, while I clung to +her in a very affectionate embrace. She uttered some words which I +could not understand, and, covering my face with kisses, ran back with +me towards her companions, just as a young lady does a little child she +has run after, laughing with pleasure. + +"Here I was fairly caught, but I argued from the behaviour of the young +lady that I was not likely to be very severely treated by the rest. +When she got back to her family with me in her arms, she introduced me +in form to them, and made me sit down by her side, while the rest +examined me minutely from head to foot. After they had gratified their +curiosity, and satisfied themselves that I was a human being, she, +observing my eyes turned towards the roasted ox, cut off a slice and +handed it to me. The animal was of prodigious size, and would beat a +London prize ox hollow. The meat was of delicious flavour, though +rather too fat for my taste, but in cold climates such is generally +preferred. I found, however, that that is not the usual food of these +people, but is considered a great delicacy, as they live for most part +of the year on whales and seals, which they catch with much ingenuity +with a rod and line. A whale, however, requires, they told me, great +skill and patience to kill, as it is apt to break the tackle. The +savages, with my slight assistance, having picked the bones of the ox +almost clean, washed down this repast with huge flagons full of a liquor +which smacked of a taste remarkably like the best schiedam. It was, +however, far more potent, as I found to my cost, for the effect was such +that I fell fast asleep. In fact, I was dead drunk; I don't say that I +didn't take a good swig of it, but still it must be strong stuff to +capsize me. How long I slept, or what happened during that time, I'm +sure I don't know: when I awoke the scene was completely changed. I +found myself at the mouth of a cavern, lying on the ground and wrapped +up in bears' skins, with wild rugged rocks rising on every side around +me. I tried to rise, but to my dismay I discovered that my limbs were +bound, and as I gazed on every side I saw not the sign of an outlet by +which I might make my escape. In my rage I bawled out lustily, when I +heard a step approaching, which might, by its sound, have been the foot +of a young elephant. It was, however, that of the young lady who had +made me prisoner. When she saw that I was awake she sat herself down by +my side, and taking my hand slobbered it over with kisses, and when I +rated her pretty roundly for what she'd done, she almost drowned me with +her tears. They came down in whole buckets full, like a heavy shower in +the tropics: it wasn't pleasant, I can assure you. What was the matter +with the woman I could not tell; in fact, I've found very little +difference in 'em from one end of the world to the other; they are +complete mystifications; when you wants 'em to love you they won't, and +when you don't want 'em they will. What I now wanted was to get my legs +and arms loose to be able to run away. After making a number of signs +to the lady, she comprehended my wishes, and to my great satisfaction +cast off the thongs of hide with which I found she had bound me to +prevent me escaping, should I awake during her absence. She then asked +me my name, when she let me understand that hers was Oilyblubbina, +which, I afterwards learned, means, in the Patagonian tongue, softener +of the soul. I heard her pronouncing my name over and over again to +herself, so I repeated hers, Oilyblubbina, Oilyblubbina, Oilyblubbina, +several times, which pleased her mightily. She then produced from a +basket a few rounds of beef and some loaves a yard long, of which she +pressed me to partake. I did so gratefully, for I was in want of my +breakfast. She next pulled out a bottle of schiedam, but I remembered +the effects of what I took the day before, and was cautious. Having +satisfied my hunger, I made signs to her that I was anxious to wish her +a very good morning, and to return to my ship, but not one of my hints +would she take. I shook her warmly by the hand, told her that I was +much obliged to her for her hospitality, and then walked away, but +wherever I went she dodged my steps and would not let me out of her +sight for a minute. I did my best in every way to escape, but it was no +go; in fact, young gentlemen, I found myself the slave of this monster +of fat and ugliness, for I am sorry to say that I cannot speak in more +flattering terms of the fair Oilyblubbina. Seeing that for the present +it was hopeless to attempt to escape, I pretended to be reconciled to my +lot, and offering my arm in the politest way possible, walked quietly by +her side, though, I confess, that I had to put my best foot foremost to +keep up with her. She was evidently pleased with my altered behaviour, +and smiled and ogled me most lovingly. How her eyes did roll! + +"The effect, however, was very different to what she intended. I dare +say her heart was as tender as that of women of more moderate +dimensions, but I cannot say that I liked those ogles of hers. Well, on +we walked, talking a great deal all the time, though I don't pretend I +understood a word she uttered, nor do I suppose she did what I said. +She told me, however, a very long story, which by her actions I judged +intimated that she had lost some one, and that I was to supply his +place. All I know is that, after weeping a great deal, she finished by +taking me in her arms and covering me with kisses. I had before +suspected, from the absence of any of that bashful timidity found in a +young girl, that she was a widow, and such I learned from her father was +the case. + +"We were now close to the hut where I had first seen the savages, and +there her father and two brothers appeared before us, while I found the +old mother and two sisters had been stowed away in the brushwood, +watching our proceedings. Instead of appearing angry, the father took +me by the hand, and warmly pressing it, placed it in that of his +daughter, and then he rubbed our noses together, which I found was a +sign of betrothal, and then all the family came and hugged me, one after +the other. In fact, I found that I was become one of the domestic +circle, and was to supply the place of a lost husband to the young +widow. It was by no means pleasant, let me tell you, that hugging and +kissing, for the oil and fat those people consume give them a very +unpleasant odour, and it was some time before I could get it out of my +nostrils. These considerations, with my anxiety to proceed on my +voyage, determined me not to yield tamely to my fate, for, as to having +to spend the rest of my days in the society of Oilyblubbina, that was +out of the question. I had, however, no reason to complain of my +treatment by them, for they would not allow me to do any work, but +brought me the best food, and did everything for me. Yet, +notwithstanding all her tenderness, the charms of the loving +Oilyblubbina could not move my flinty heart; but I was obliged to hide +my real sentiments, for I had no fancy, unarmed as I was, to fight the +father and two brothers, not to speak of having to contend against the +rage of the disappointed lady and her female relatives. + +"Three not over agreeable days had thus passed, and I was beginning to +fear lest my shipmates, giving me up for lost, might have sailed away +without me, though I knew that they valued me too much to desert me till +all hopes were gone. That day the family dinner was composed of a large +mess of whales' flesh and blubber, boiled in a cauldron, and washed down +as usual with huge beakers of schiedam; but I watched my opportunity, +and each time the cup was passed to me I emptied it by my side +unperceived by the rest. I all the time made them suppose that I was +drinking more than usual, and appearing to be perfectly drunk, pretended +to fall off into a sound sleep. When it grew dark the young lady, as +was her custom, carried me into the cavern, and bound my hands and feet +to prevent my running away, but as she was fastening the thongs I +contrived to slip my hands out of them. While I thus lay I looked out +carefully through my half-opened eyelids, and observed all the family +retiring to their different roosting-places. It was an anxious time; +one after the other they dropped asleep, and then, to my great +satisfaction, commenced a chorus of snoring which sounded more like the +roaring of a hundred bulls than anything I had ever before heard. The +moon was fortunately high in the heavens, and there was light enough for +me to see my way, which I had been careful to note well. Crawling +therefore out of my skins, I put a block of wood where my head had been +and rolled them up again to make it appear that I was still there, and +then cautiously crept away in the direction of the cove where I had left +my ship. As soon as I was out of hearing I set off and ran as fast as +my legs would carry me, up hill and down dale, through woods and across +moors, without stopping to look behind me, for I knew that when a man is +running away from an angry lady he must put his best foot foremost. + +"I had just reached the top of the hill, whence, to my great joy, I +beheld my ship floating calmly in the bay below me, when I heard a loud +cry in the rear. I looked round--it was the loving Oilyblubbina. She +came on at a furious pace, tearing up the young trees as she passed, in +her eagerness to catch me. I dashed down the hill--I flew rather than +ran--I rushed through rivulets, I jumped down precipices, nothing +stopped me--I made light of a leap of a hundred feet. I have run very +fast at times, but I never ran so fast before or since; she, however, +was gaining on me; in a few minutes more she would be up with me. It +was very awful. A high cliff was before me; without hesitation I threw +myself over it; death was preferable to slavery--and such slavery. I +reached the shore in safety, but, horror of horrors! she came after me, +and alighted unhurt on the shore. The ship was at some distance, but I +plunged into the sea to swim on board. I now thought myself safe, for I +had no idea that she could swim, but she could, and after me she came, +blowing like a grampus. It takes my breath away even now to think of +it. I struck out boldly, the water bubbled and hissed as I threw it +aside. I told you I was a good swimmer, but so was she. On she came, +and every instant I expected to feel my foot in her grasp. If a man can +have any reason for being afraid, I surely then had one. We had swam a +mile, and the brig was some way off. I hallooed to my shipmates, but +they did not hear me. Louder and louder grew the blowing of the lady as +she spluttered the salt water from her mouth she was within a few yards +of me, and in another minute I should have been captured, when a dark +object passed close to me--it was my pet shark. There was a loud scream +and a gurgling noise. A dreadful thought occurred to me--it was too +true! I was safe, but the loving Oilyblubbina had been swallowed by the +monster. She must have been a tough morsel, for after his performance +he lay some time on his back utterly unable to move. A revolution had +taken place in my feelings I did not wish her death, I only wanted to +run away from her, and I mourned her untimely fate. I, however, +considered that my lamentations could not restore her to her afflicted +family, so, as soon as the shark had recovered, I placed myself on his +back, and made him convey me alongside my ship. It was time for me to +be off, for as I was throwing my legs across him I saw by the light of +the moon the whole family rushing down the hill to plunge into the sea +after me, and I doubt if he could have swallowed any more of them. + +"Thus I was delivered from one of the greatest dangers it has ever been +my lot to encounter. When I got on board, my shipmates welcomed me +warmly, and sincerely congratulated me on my escape. The gale had +abated, and as old Blowhard had been only waiting for my return to put +to sea, we instantly made sail and stood out of the harbour with our +faithful shark in company. I dare say to this day the Patagonian chief +fully believes that we carried off his daughter; so, in a certain sense, +we did, but not exactly in the way he supposes. Poor man, it was better +that he should not. It was very dreadful." + +Jonathan was silent; he took a long pull at his tumbler, and gave a deep +sigh, which sounded not unlike a peal of thunder along the decks. +Gogles' eyes had been growing larger and larger, and rounder and +rounder, and his mouth had been gaping more and more. + +"What a dreadful thing!" he exclaimed, drawing his breath. "I wonder +you could bring yourself to sit on the shark's back after what he'd +done." + +Mr Johnson did not answer; he only sighed. He was meditating on the +tragic fate of his loving Oilyblubbina. + +We again began to be afraid that, overcome by the recollections which he +had been conjuring up, he might not continue his narrative. + +"That was, indeed, a dreadful way to lose your intended wife," observed +Grey, wishing to rouse him up. + +Mr Johnson's eyes twinkled. + +"It was--it was," he answered emphatically. "Poor Oilyblubbina! I +would rather have found a pleasanter for her sake, but it was sure. +There was little chance of her coming to life again. Dreadful! I +believe you, it was dreadful. I was not sorry when we lost sight of the +high land of Patagonia, so full of painful recollections to me. For two +or three days the weather was fine, but our ill-luck had not deserted +us, for another gale sprang up and drove us back again very nearly into +the very harbour near which the family of Oilyblubbina resided. I never +felt so uncomfortable in my life lest I should fall into their hands, +and they might insist on my marrying another daughter. To do her +justice, my poor lost Oilyblubbina was by far the best looking of the +female members of the family. However, we managed to keep the sea, and +at length recovered our lost ground. Once well round the Cape, we +steered north, putting into several ports, but nothing extraordinary +happened. Our pet shark followed us and always kept watch round the +ship. I invariably used to ride him about the harbours, just as if he +had been a sea-horse, and astonished the Dons not a little, I calculate. +In fact I had some thoughts of having a high saddle made to fit his +back, so as to keep my feet out of the water. In calms he was very +useful in towing the ship in and out of harbour. By the bye, I omitted +to tell you of an occurrence which took place while we were on the +eastern coast. One night when I had charge of the deck, feeling that +there was no use keeping the men out of their hammocks, as they had been +hard worked lately, and I could do as much any day as half the ship's +company, I told them to turn in. You've all heard, of course, of the +Pampeiros of South America. They are heavy squalls which come off the +Pampas of that extraordinary country. For an hour or more I stood at +the helm, admiring the stars and thinking of the number of strange +things which had happened to me, when on a sudden, without the slightest +warning, I found my teeth almost blown down my throat, and, before I +could sing out to shorten sail, over the vessel went on her beam ends +with such force that even the sea didn't stop her; but while I hung on +to the wheel for dear life, down went her masts perpendicularly, and up +she came on the other side, and to my infinite satisfaction righted +herself with a jerk, which sent everything into its place again. So +rapid was the movement that nothing was washed away, nor were any of the +people awakened. Indeed, they would not believe what had happened even +when I told them, till they found a turn in the clews of their hammocks, +for which they could not otherwise account. Many of my old shipmates in +the Lady Stiggins are still alive, and will vouch for the truth of my +statement." + +"Are you certain, bos'un, that you did not take the turns yourself while +the people were on deck and then get them all to go to sleep that you +might make them believe your story?" asked some one outside in a feigned +voice. + +"Wouldn't it be easier, stupid, to invent the story from beginning to +end, if I wanted to impose on any one?" asked Mr Johnson, with +pretended indignation. "However, as I have more than once observed, I +have an especial objection to be interrupted by cavillers and doubters; +so I'll thank you, Mr Dubersome, to keep your notions bottled up in the +empty skull which holds all the wits you've got. Ho! ho! ho! I +generally contrive to give as much as I get. But I must, I see, proceed +with my veracious narrative. + +"We at last left the coast to visit some of the islands in the South +Pacific. The first place we touched at was the island of Pomparee. It +was then governed by a king and queen, who had an only daughter, the +Princess Chickchick. The ship wanted some repairs, and as we hove her +down here, I had plenty of time to become acquainted with the people. +Everything in that island was made of coral. In the first place it was +coral itself, then the reefs which surrounded it were coral, and the +rocks were coral, and the sand was composed of bits of coral. The +palace of the king was built of coral, and so were the houses of the +people, only his was red, which is scarce, and theirs of plebeian white. +It had a very pretty effect, I can assure you. The chairs and tables +would, I doubt not, have been made of coral, only they did not use them; +in fact, their notion of furnishing a house is very different to ours. +A few mats, and baskets, and pipkins are all they require. Their +garments are somewhat scanty too, but the weather is all the year round +so warm that it would be absurd for them to dress up as we do. The +king's dress on grand occasions was a crown of gay-coloured feathers, +and a sort of Scotch kilt of the same material, with a cloak over his +shoulder. The queen also wore a petticoat, and so did little +Chickchick, but not a rap else, nor did they seem to think it was +necessary. The king's name was Rumfiz, and her majesty was called +Pillow. They were an amiable couple, and remarkably fond of each other. +When I observed that everything in the island was made of coral, I did +not mean to say that there were no trees, for there were a great many +very beautiful ones, bread-fruit trees, and cocoa-nuts, and palms, and +many others. I made the acquaintance of his august majesty after I had +been on the island a few days. I was one evening walking by myself some +little way inland, when I found myself almost in front of the king's +palace. He had been snoozing after eating his dinner to get an appetite +for supper, when he was awoke by hearing his courtiers cry out that a +white man was come among them. He jumped up, rubbed his eyes, and +addressed me in the following harangue:-- + +"You Englishman, why you come now?--Come by-by, eat supper plenty." + +"By this I understood that his majesty was inviting me to supper, which +was the fact. I accordingly lighted my pipe, and sat down under a tree +to smoke, while the king got into his hammock again and went to sleep. +Presently a number of courtiers came and spread mats in the shade near +where I was sitting, and others brought baskets filled with bread-fruit, +and cocoa-nuts, and grapes; and the King Rumfiz got up, and came and sat +down with Queen Pillow and the Princess Chickchick, and several other +lords and ladies. They all looked as if they were waiting for +something, and presently they set up a loud shout as a number of slaves +appeared with large baskets on their heads, dripping with water. I +watched what was to be done, when I saw the king lean back, and a slave +pull out a live fish from the basket, which he clapped into his +majesty's mouth. The fish wriggled his tail about a little, and the +king rolled his eyes with delight till it slipped down his throat, and +then he rubbed the region to which it had descended, as if it had +afforded him the highest satisfaction. + +"The queen's turn came next, and I thought she would have been choked +with the size of the fish, which went wriggling all alive down her +throat. The courtiers were next allowed to enjoy the same luxury, while +little Chickchick and the ladies-in-waiting amused themselves by letting +handfuls of prawns playfully skip down their throats. After a little +time the king made signs that he was ready for another fish, which in +like manner was let down his throat, and in this way he consumed two or +three dozen live fish (I like to be under the mark), and the queen and +courtiers nearly the same number each. In that country it is the royal +prerogative of the king to eat more than any of his subjects. They were +all much surprised to find that I could not eat the live fish, for as +they thought me a superior being to any of themselves, they fancied that +I could do more than they could. I did try to swallow a few prawns, but +they stuck in my throat, and made me terribly husky for all the rest of +the evening. I, however, soon learned to eat live fish as well as the +best of them, and before I left the island I could swallow one as large +as a tolerable-sized salmon; but then, of course, they had no spikes on +their backs. I once saw the king swallow a conger;--I don't think I +could have managed one myself, but you never know what you can do till +you try. + +"After supper the maids of honour and the courtiers got up to have a +dance, and I toed-it and heeled-it with the princess to her heart's +content. Didn't I come the double-shuffle in fine style! No man could +ever beat me in dancing, and when I got a princess for my partner it was +the time to show off. The king was delighted, and asked me at once to +come and put up at his palace, and to bring a few bottles of rum, and +some pipes and baccy with me. This I did as soon as the duties of the +ship would allow me. Well, I soon became great friends with the king +and queen, and I used to go up to the palace every day and sit and smoke +a pipe with his majesty in a cosy way, and frequently the queen would +come and take a whiff out of my pipe, till she learnt to smoke too, and +I then taught her to chaw baccy. She was very fond of a quid, let me +tell ye, and we became as friendly as two mice. All the time little +Chickchick used to sit up in a corner by herself, making a mat or a +straw hat, or some such sort of thing, looking up at me with her +beautiful eyes, and listening to all I was saying, though, for the +matter of that, she could not understand much of my lingo. At last I +caught the dear little thing at it, and I thought she would like to +learn to smoke also, so I taught her, and I was not long in finding out +that she had fallen desperately in love with me. Of course, I could not +do less than return the compliment, and told her so, which pleased her +mightily. In fact, the king and queen and I, with the princess, had a +pleasant life of it, with nothing to do and plenty to eat and drink. + +"`Now,' said the king one day to me, as we were sitting over our pipes +and grog, `you won't go away in big ship--you no go--you stay marry +Chickchick--be my son--moch better. Enemy come, you fight; friend come, +you talk.' + +"By this I concluded he wanted me to become his prime minister--a sort +of first-lieutenant kings have to do all the work for them. + +"`I'll think the matter over, your majesty,' I answered, `and if I can +manage it, I'll stay.' + +"This answer seemed to please him mightily, and little Chickchick came +up laughing and singing to me soon afterwards, and told me she was so +glad of that; she should like to be my wife above all things. It was a +little bit of unsophisticated nature which pleased me amazingly. I then +arranged with the captain to remain there while he went cruising among +the other islands, and he was then to come back and take me to the South +Polar Sea, where we were bound on a whaling cruise. The ship sailed +away, and so did my pet shark, who I afterwards heard pined and grew +thin, and wouldn't even take his food when he found I was not on board. +It was a mark of affection which touched me sensibly. + +"I thus became, by my own intrinsic merits, a prime minister and +son-in-law to a king. I had not an unpleasant life of it altogether; +the princess was very fond of me, and the people were easily governed. +The secret was to let them do exactly what they liked. I used, also, to +make them huge promises, which, though I never kept, served to amuse +them for the time, and I always had the knack of wriggling out of a +scrape, which is the secret of all government. The first thing I did +was to tell them that I would advise the king to abolish all taxes which +were made on bread-fruit, and when by this means I became very popular +as a liberal minister, I published an edict, ordaining that every man +should send twice as many cocoa-nuts to the imperial treasury as before. +The people had enjoyed a long peace, and had become unwarlike, so when +they cried out that it was useless trouble making spears and bows and +arrows and building war canoes, I let them have their own way, which +made me still more popular. I took the precaution, however, of keeping +my own musket ready in my house in case of accidents, as it was the only +fire-arm in the kingdom. There were numerous islands in the +neighbourhood, and on some of them King Rumfiz had in his youth +inflicted a signal chastisement, which they had never forgotten nor +forgiven. + +"They had, in the meantime, knocked over two or three of their own +kings, and had established what they called a republic. From what I +could make out, one half of the people were trying to become governors, +and the other half trying not to be governed. They had for some time +past been eating each other up, but having got tired of that fun, and +wanting a change of diet, they thought it would be pleasanter to attack +some other people. I discovered that they had already a large +expedition on foot, and numerous canoes--ready to transport them, though +it was pretended that these forces were to attack another island to the +eastward of them. A spy, however, brought me the intelligence of what +they were about, so I endeavoured to make preparations to give them a +warm reception; but the people would not hear of it, and said it was a +great deal too much trouble to make bows and arrows, and build canoes to +guard against a danger which might never arrive. + +"There were several fellows among them, some of whom, I verily believe, +had been bribed by the enemy, who persuaded them that it was much wiser +to make mats and hats and cloths to sell to the merchantmen than to +think of fighting. + +"Such was the condition of the country, when one morning, as I was +walking on the sea-shore meditating on the affairs of state, I observed +a large fleet of canoes pulling towards the island; I ran back to the +palace to tell the king, and sent messengers in every direction to warn +the people. All was now hurry, and confusion, and dismay. The first +thing they did was to tumble the peace counsellors into the sea with +lumps of coral round their necks, and they then set to work to string +their bows and to point their arrows and their spears. All the generals +had plans of their own; some proposed letting the enemy land, while they +defended the king's palace; some to meet him half-way, others to +capitulate, while I collected as many men as I could and marched them +down to the beach. I had my musket and ammunition concealed in a bush +for a last effort, should the day be against us. The king came out in +his best dress, and harangued his army to the following effect:-- + +"`We much fine fellows--much brave--much good; de enemy great +blackguard--much coward--much bad--much beast; shoot arrow, kill +plenty.' + +"On this the army cheered and waved their spears and bows. We reached +the beach but just in time to receive the enemy, who were mightily +disappointed, expecting to land without any trouble, and to make a fine +feast of our carcases. On seeing us they set up a terrific shout, in +the hopes of frightening us away, but it was no go, and then they began +to pepper us with their arrows, which came as thick as hail about our +ears. Under cover of this shower they pulled into the beach. Our +warriors were brave, but they were long unaccustomed to fighting, and +many were killed and driven back by the enemy. I trembled for my +father-in-law's throne, when I considered that the time had arrived to +bring my musket into play. The first fire astonished them not a little, +but when they found that this patent thunder-maker (as they called it) +knocked over two or three fellows every time it spoke, they thought it +was high time to turn tail and be off. As soon as the enemy began to +retreat, the mob came forward in crowds to attack them, shrieking and +swearing, and abusing them like pickpockets, though they had, while +there was any danger, kept carefully out of the way. I continued firing +on the retreating foe as long as they continued in sight, for my gun +could carry farther than any other in existence. It was made under my +own directions, and was a very extraordinary weapon. If it had not been +for that gun, I believe King Rumfiz would have lost his kingdom. He was +very grateful to me, as, to do them justice, were all his subjects; and +I found that I was unanimously elected as the heir to the throne. My +honours did not make me proud, for I felt that I deserved them, and I +became, for some time, more popular than ever. A neighbouring island, +however, which had been for centuries attached to the dominions of King +Rumfiz, gave me much trouble, for though many of the inhabitants were +descended from his own people, they insisted on making themselves +independent (as they called it), and having a king of their own. They +were great cannibals, and used to eat each other up without ceremony, +and as for hissing, hooting, and swearing, few people could match them. +The name of the island was Blarney Botherum. When I first visited them, +I thought, from their own account, that they were a nation of heroes +kept in chains by King Rumfiz for his own especial pleasure and +amusement, and that if I could make them free they would set a bright +example to the rest of the world of intelligence, civilisation, and all +the virtues which adorn human nature. I soon, however, discovered that +the people of Blarney Botherum were the greatest humbugs under the sun. +They had got a set of people among them whom they called medicine men, +who told them that there was a big medicine man in a distant part of the +world, whom they were to obey instead of King Rumfiz, and that, provided +they told him the truth, and gave them cocoa-nuts and breadfruits, they +might tell as many lies as they liked to the king, and might rob and +cheat him as much as they pleased. Whenever, therefore, the little +medicine men wanted cocoa-nuts and bread-fruits, they used to tell the +people the big one required food, and their whole occupation was to +throw dust in the eyes of King Rumfiz (as the Turks say), so that he +might not find out their knavery." + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +Mr Johnson leaned back in his seat, when, slowly stooping down for his +tumbler, he brought it deliberately to his mouth, and took a prolonged +sip. Then shaking his head, he observed, "Politics are awful things to +meddle with--the very thought of what I endured, turns my throat into a +dust-hole." Again he sipped, and again he shook his head. "Young +gentlemen," he said solemnly, "if ever any of you rise to the top of the +profession, and I hope you may--and should his Majesty, King George, +send for you, and offer to make you a Prime Minister, take an old man's +advice, and respectfully decline the honour. Say that standing at the +helm of one of his ships, and fighting her as long as there is a shot in +the locker, is one thing, and standing at the helm of State, and being +badgered by friends and foes alike, is another. You may quote me as an +authority. Well, I was telling you how I managed when I was Prime +Minister to King Rumfiz, and of the trouble caused me by certain +personages in the island of Blarney Botherum. + +"I was not long in discovering the tricks of these medicine men, and of +their friends who lived on a trade they called patriotism, but the +difficulty was to catch them. I at last, however, found a few tripping, +and having hung them up, the rest were very soon brought into a state of +implicit obedience to my commands. + +"As soon as I had restored peace to the country, I thought that it would +be advisable to reform the constitution. I had some slight difficulty +in comprehending its principles, especially as I only as yet imperfectly +understood the language. My notions were, however, so opposed by the +sages of the country, and so great was the commotion created, that it +was with no slight satisfaction I saw the Lady Stiggins approaching the +island under full sail, as I was one morning sitting on the beach +cutting ducks and drakes with oyster shells over the calm blue water of +the bay. + +"I have a good strong voice of my own even now, but then I could make +myself heard three or four miles off at least, and sometimes, when I was +in tone, much farther. The only other man I ever met at all equal to me +was a Frenchman, the master of a privateer; and we once carried on a +conversation together, he sitting on the shores of Calais, I on the +cliffs of Dover. Well, I stood up, and hailing the Lady Stiggins, waved +my hat over my head. My former shipmates heard me, though for a long +time they could not tell where the voice came from. Another old friend, +however, was more quick of hearing, and sight too. I saw a commotion in +the water, as if an arrow was passing through it, so fast did it draw +near. Presently a black fin appeared, and then there was a tremendous +rush, and then who should pop his head out of the water till he ran +himself almost high and dry on the beach, but my pet shark? In his +delight at seeing me he almost got hold of my leg, which, in a fit of +joyful forgetfulness, I believe he would have bitten off, had I not +jumped out of the way. + +"Well, as I was saying, the shark did not bite off my leg; the delay +would, at all events, have been inconvenient had he done so. I stroked +his cheeks, and he looked up most lovingly into my face with his +piercing eyes, and then, after he had floundered back into the water, I +got on his back and away we went out to sea towards my ship. My +companions were delighted to see me; the wonder was how they got on +without me. When we dropped our anchor, King Rumfiz and Queen Pillow, +with my wife the Princess Chickchick, came off in a canoe to the ship, +and very much surprised they were to see me on board, not knowing that +my pet shark was in company. My little wife, indeed, thought I was a +ghost, and in her fright jumped overboard, when she was as near as +possible sharing the fate of poor Oilyblubbina, and would have done so +had I not leaped after her and saved her. Not to disappoint my pet, we +gave him afterwards half a dozen fat hogs, which he infinitely +preferred. The captain was so generous with his liquor, that he sent my +royal father and mother-in-law on shore roaring drunk. They were so +happy that they insisted on having a ball at the palace, for which +purpose I issued a decree summoning all the principal people of the +island; and a jolly night we had of it too, the old king toeing-it and +heeling-it away right merrily in the centre of a circle of his admiring +subjects. Everything must have an end, so had my residence in the +island. As I had begun to get rather tired of the monotony of my life +on shore, I determined to make a voyage for the benefit of my health." + +"Did you take your wife with you?" asked Gogles, who had swallowed every +word uttered by the boatswain. + +"My wife? Oh no; I left her on shore for the benefit of hers. Poor +thing, she cried very much when I went away; it was the last time I saw +her." + +"How was that, Mr Johnson?" enquired Grey, "you seem to have been +unfortunate with your wives." + +"Yes, indeed, I was," replied the unhappy widower; "I have had ten of +them, too. When I came back, I found that the island had been attacked +by the savages, who had carried off my wife and eaten her. It's a fact. +If they had had a reform, and kept me and my gun among them, it +wouldn't have happened--of that I'm certain. Having taken in a supply +of wood, water, and provisions, the Lady Stiggins once more made sail +for the southward." + +"I wonder you survived all your misfortunes, Mr Johnson," observed +Spellman, who, next to Gogles and Toby Bluff, seemed to place the most +perfect belief in the boatswain's veracious narratives, as he was +pleased to designate his amusing inventions. + +"Why, do you see, Mr Spellman, I'm tough--very tough!" he answered, +with a hoarse laugh. "I doubt if even the head cook of the monarch of +the cannibal islands--King Hoki Poki--could ever make me tender. So you +see I've held out through them all; and there's one thing I may say, +trying as they may have been, they have never taken away my appetite. +Now, young gentlemen, you've had a good long yarn, and my throat feels +like a dust-hole with talking, so I must knock off." + +"But you'll tell us the end of your adventures some day, Mr Johnson; +won't you now?" said Gogles, imploringly. + +"I'll continue them, perhaps, young gentleman," answered the boatswain, +laughing. "But let me tell you it will take a mighty long time before I +ever get to the end of them. They're inexhaustible--something like the +mint, young gentlemen, where the King has his guineas struck which he +pays to us seamen for fighting for him. We should be in a bad way if +his shiners were to come to an end; and one thing I may promise you, as +long as I've got a brain to think and a tongue to wag, I shall be able +to continue my wonderful and veracious history." + +Gogles and Spellman, and even Grey, looked puzzled. I had long +suspected that the origin of Mr Johnson's history was derived from a +source considerably removed from fact; and from the peculiar way in +which he screwed up his mouth, and the merry twinkle of his one eye--for +the other he shut with the comic twist of his nose--I now had not the +slightest doubt of the matter. I cannot say that his narratives were +exactly instructive, but they were at all events highly amusing to us +youngsters. The watch being just then called, an interruption was put +to his narrative. Toby Bluff, and some of the other boys, who had been +listening outside, were scuttling along the deck, spluttering out their +laughter, while the young gentlemen whose watch it was hurried on deck, +and the rest retired to the berth. We left Mr Johnson chuckling +complacently at his own conceits. + +I went to the berth, now magnificently lighted by two purser's dips, +which stood on the table, dropping fatness, in company with a +bread-barge of biscuit, some tumblers, earthenware and tin mugs, a +bottle of rum and a can of water, and surrounded by most of the members +of the mess not on duty. Gogles followed me, and took his seat. The +can of water and the biscuit was shoved over to him. He eyed the black +bottle wistfully. + +"No, no; that isn't good stuff for babies," said Perigal, shaking his +head; "if we had some milk you should have it, Gogles." + +"I wish we had; why don't we keep some cows on board?" whispered Gogles. + +"What would you feed them on?" asked Grey. + +"Grass and hay, when we could get them, of course," answered Gogles, +sagaciously. + +"Not at all," remarked Bobus. "Carpenters' shavings are the things. On +board a ship to which I belonged, we had two goats and a cow to feed our +captain's baby, and whenever we ran short of hay or grass, what do you +think the captain did? Cut their throats and eat them? No, not he. +Why, he was a very ingenious man, and so he had some pairs of green +spectacles made, which he used to clap over their eyes, and then when +the shavings were chopped up fine, they used to eat them greedily, +believing they were grass. He first gave them all the old straw hats he +could collect, but that was an expensive way of feeding them." + +"I should think so, Bobus," observed McAllister, who did not like joking +himself, and had an especial antipathy to Bobus's jokes or stories, or +to Bobus himself. "May I ask what ship that was in?" + +"What ship? why, the old Thunderer, to the best of my recollection," +answered Bobus, seriously. + +"Everything wonderful happened on board the old Thunderer," observed +McAllister. "Bobus having been left drunk on shore, is the only +survivor of her crew, and there is no one to contradict him." + +"I wasn't drunk; I was sick, and you know that perfectly well," +exclaimed Bobus, getting angry. "I won't have my veracity called in +question. I've the feelings of a gentleman, and my honour to support, +as well as others." + +"But you shouldn't support it by telling crammers," said McAllister, who +took a pleasure in irritating poor Bobus. + +"Order!" cried Perigal, who was always a peacemaker. "Come, Mac, let +Bobus spin his yarns, and do you spin yours; and now just go on with +that story about the Highlands which you had begun the other evening, +when the squall struck the ship." + +McAllister was soon in the midst of some wonderful Highland legend, +while attempting to listen to which I fell fast asleep. + +We were once more at anchor in Port Royal harbour. Several other ships +of war were there. On one occasion I had the honour of dining with +Captain Collyer, when two or three captains and several lieutenants and +midshipmen were present. Among the captains was rather a fine-looking +man, a Captain Staghorn, commanding the Daring frigate. He was an +Irishman, and though I thought our boatswain could beat any man at +pulling the longbow, I must say Captain Staghorn equalled him. He +poured forth the most astounding stories with wonderful rapidity and +self-assurance. I observed that all the other officers bowed politely +at the end of each, no one questioning any of his statements. Even +Captain Collyer let him run on without differing from him in the +slightest degree. I took a dislike to him from the first from his +overbearing manner at times. Still he was certainly amusing, and +everybody present laughed very much at his jokes. He talked +incessantly, and did not scruple to interrupt anybody speaking. Among +his stories was an account he gave of his own prowess, when a lieutenant +in command of a schooner. He was sent in search of a piratical craft. +He came up with her, and running alongside, sprang on board, expecting +his men to follow. The vessels, he declared, separated, but he laid +about him with such good will that he not only kept the pirates at bay, +but drove them below before his own schooner again got alongside. +Captain Collyer, politely bowing, observed that he had often heard of +his having taken a piratical craft in a very gallant way, which, in +fact, he had, but not, as he asserted, alone; he had a dozen stout hands +to back him, which makes all the difference. The name of a cousin of +mine, Captain Ceaton, was mentioned. I had just before received the +news from home that he had been appointed to the command of a corvette +which would very probably be sent out to the West Indies. He was only a +lieutenant when I came to sea, and had not long been a commander. I had +seen but little of him, but I knew him to be a thoroughly brave honest +fellow. What, therefore, was my surprise and annoyance to hear Captain +Staghorn open out roundly on him, and abuse him in no measured terms. +One of the other captains asked why he did so. + +"Why?" exclaimed Captain Staghorn, "five years ago or more he was a +lieutenant of a ship I commanded. On his being superseded, at length, +the lieutenant who succeeded him asked him what sort of a person I was, +and he had the impudence to say that I was a very good sort of fellow, +but used the longbow pretty frequently. I won't say how this came to my +ears, but I made a vow, and I'll keep it, that I'll force him to go out +with me, and I'll shoot him." + +The other captains tried to convince Captain Staghorn that Ceaton could +not have intended to offend him, as he was a man who would never offend +anyone. Captain Staghorn muttered within his teeth, "I will, though." +I was very much induced to say "But you do draw with the longbow, and +Ceaton only spoke the truth." I restrained myself, however, wisely; for +though the other captains might be convinced that I only said what was +the case, they would very much disapprove of a midshipman expressing +himself freely about a post-captain. Coffee was soon handed round, and +we midshipmen, according to wont, retired. We repaired to the +quarter-deck, where the master, as he occasionally did in harbour, had +taken charge of the watch, the rest of the lieutenants not dining in the +cabin being on shore. He was a very worthy man, but we had no great +respect for him, and we took liberties on which we should not have +ventured with Mr Bryan or the third lieutenant, or even with Mr +Fitzgerald. For some time the influence of the cabin was on us, and we +behaved with sufficient dignity. One of the midshipmen of the Daring +walked the deck with me, and opened out confidentially with regard to +his captain, whom, however, he held in great awe. He told me that he +was very brave, and had done all sorts of wonderful things; that he did +not seem to set value on his own life or on that of anyone else; that he +was very quarrelsome, and a dead shot; that he had killed three men in +duels, and wounded half a dozen more; and that he never forgot or +forgave what he considered an insult or an injury. My friend continued, +"When we dine with him, he tells us the most extraordinary stories, and +if we do not laugh at the right place and pretend to believe them, we +are sure to get mast-headed, or punished in some other way, before many +hours are over." + +"A very unpleasant character," I observed, though its hideousness did +not strike me so forcibly in those days as it does now. "I shouldn't +like to serve with him." + +"Nor did I at first," said my friend, "but I have got accustomed to his +style; and some of our fellows have taken a leaf out of his book, and +boast and quarrel as much as he does." + +I thought to myself of the old saying, "Like master, like men," and +adapted it, "Like captain, like midshipmen." + +"I would rather serve under Captain Collyer," I remarked. "He does not +quarrel with or shoot his companions, and I do not believe that there is +a braver man in the service." + +Our conversation was interrupted by a chase after poor Gogles, whom +Spellman and others had started up the mizen-rigging, giving him a +minute's start. If they caught him he was to receive a cobbing; if he +escaped he was to give them one, if he could. Poor Gogles had certainly +made but a bad bargain. All the rest of the youngsters, including the +Daring's midshipman and me, soon joined in the chase--not all, however, +to catch Gogles, but rather to impede his pursuers, and to give him a +better chance of escape. Although he had not an over allowance of wits, +he was very active, and had great tenacity of grip--qualities more +valuable to skylarking midshipmen, rope-dancers, and monkeys, than +brains. + +Up went Gogles valiantly to the topgallant mast-head, and, waiting till +Spellman had got close up to him, under pretence of being tired, he slid +down the lift on to the yard-arm, and running in on the yard, had +descended to the cross-trees, leaving all his pursuers above him. In +similar ways he contrived to evade his pursuers, I and others helping +him by pulling at their legs, or getting above them and stopping their +way up. He had, I considered, fairly won the right to cob all the +party; but, grown bold by his success, he descended by the lift to the +topsail yard-arm, and was about to stoop down to traverse the brace to +the mainmast, when, from hearing Spellman's shout, he looked up, and, +missing his grasp, over he went headlong into the water. + +I was at the time on the cross-jack yard. I ran to the end. Though +Gogles could swim, he was, I at once saw, stunned by the fall. I did +not stop to consider whether there was danger or not, but, slipping off +my jacket, which I threw in board, and kicking off my shoes, I plunged +in after him, fortunately not losing my breath in my fall. I looked +about for Gogles. He was just sinking. I swam towards him, for there +was a current running which had drifted him already to some distance. +No sooner did I reach him, however, than like a squid he threw his arms +about me, and made it impossible for me to strike out. I entreated him +to free me, but he evidently did not understand what I said. The dread +that we should both be drowned came over me. I kicked my legs about as +much as I could, but I could not shout out for fear of filling my mouth +with water. I thought of sharks--indeed of all sorts of horrible +things. We appeared to be drifting farther from the ship. + +Preparations were being made to lower a boat, but I felt that before it +could reach me I must sink. Just then I caught sight of the boatswain's +long nose over the hammock nettings, and the next instant he had slid +down a rope overboard, and was striking out towards me. "Shout, boy I +shout, my son! and kick away--kick away," he kept exclaiming, as with +sturdy strokes he clave the water, in his progress making himself all +the time as much noise as possible. + +I guessed the reason of his cries, for I saw a black fin in the +distance. Had I been alone when I saw that ill-omened fin I believe +that I should have quickly sunk; but the feeling that I had my messmate +to support, and that the honest boatswain was coming to my help, kept me +up. I did as Mr Johnson directed me, and kept kicking with all my +might, and shouting too, whenever I could get my mouth clear of the +water. Still I got more down it than was pleasant. I saw something +gleaming in Mr Johnson's hand. It was a long Spanish knife. + +Gogles had been quiet for some time, but just then he began to struggle, +and again clasped me round the neck. I felt as if I was sinking, and +was earnestly wishing that Mr Johnson was a few yards nearer, when I +saw him suddenly turn aside and strike off to the left. My eye followed +him with an intensity of interest such as I cannot describe. It caught +the gleam of his knife, and then what was my horror to find that he had +disappeared. It was but for a moment. Directly afterwards he rose +again, surrounded by a circle of crimson, and a huge black body floated +up near him, lashing the water. He darted forward, and, seizing Gogles, +released me from his grasp. + +"Swim on, Mr Merry, swim on," he shouted, shoving me before him. "Here +comes the boat." + +The men bent to their oars, and the brave boatswain swam on with all his +might. With a jerk he threw Gogles into the boat, and gave me a shove +up as I was climbing in, which very nearly sent me over on the other +side; he then sprang after us with surprising agility, turning as soon +as he had got his feet out of the water, and striking with all his might +at a huge creature which followed close at our heels. I saw the flash +of the monster's white throat. + +"Habet," shouted our third lieutenant, who was--a rare thing in those +days in the navy--somewhat of a scholar. Mr Johnson had inflicted a +mortal wound on another shark, who was immediately surrounded by his +amiable brethren, eager to devour him as they had missed us. It is not +difficult to conceive what would have been our fate had we remained +another minute in the water, after the boatswain had killed the first +shark. + +"You indeed did that bravely, Mr Johnson," said Mr Haisleden, as we +returned to the frigate. "I never saw anything like it. Where did you +learn that trick?" + +"In the south seas, sir," answered the boatswain in a quiet tone, very +different from his usual boastful manner. "I was once wrecked on an +island, where I saw the natives swim off and attack sharks with their +common knives; and I said to myself, what a savage does an Englishman +can do, if he takes time and practises. So as I had little chance of +getting away for many months, or it might be years, I set to and learned +to swim like the natives, and then to fight the sharks. It was no easy +matter, and at first it was trying work to see one of the monsters +making towards me and the native who accompanied me; but after I had +seen the way in which he managed, I was no longer afraid, and soon +became as expert as any of them. No man knows what he can do till he +tries. I've been the means of saving the life of more than one shipmate +by thus knowing how to manage the brutes." + +"Why, you've ridden on a shark, Mr Johnson," said Gogles, opening his +eyes. + +"Gammon!" answered the boatswain, twisting his nose. "I am speaking the +truth now." + +By this time we had reached the side of the frigate. Captain Collyer +was on deck. He warmly thanked Mr Johnson for his gallantry in jumping +over to save us, and we received the congratulations of our friends at +our escape, but I found that it was generally supposed I had fallen +overboard as well as Gogles; nor did I feel inclined to explain matters. +"I should have mast-headed the youngsters for sky larking on board the +Daring," observed Captain Staghorn to one of our officers, as he took a +sharp and hurried turn on the quarter-deck. + +"I'm glad I don't belong to your ship, my jewel," thought I, as I +overheard him. + +Gogles and I were sent below to our hammocks, and Mr Johnson followed +us to put on dry clothes. + +"I'll set all to rights, Mr Merry," he observed, in a kind tone; "I saw +how it all happened, and the brave way in which you jumped after the +other youngster; but I wouldn't say anything before that strange +captain. I know him well. He's a pest in the service, and always was. +Had it not been for him I should have been on the quarter-deck. +However, I must go and shift myself. Turn in and take a glass of grog; +you'll be all to rights to-morrow morning." + +Now the excitement was over, I felt very weary and uncomfortable, and +was not sorry to follow his advice. As Mr Johnson had predicted, the +next day I was not a bit the worse for my adventure; but poor Gogles +took several days to recover from his fright, and the quantity of salt +water he had imbibed. + +I found that Captain Collyer treated me with more than his usual +kindness, nor was I long in discovering that this arose from the account +the boatswain took care should be conveyed to him of my conduct. I +felt, however, that I was far more indebted to Mr Johnson than Gogles +was to me. I had jumped overboard from impulse, he with forethought and +deliberate coolness. The circumstance cemented our friendship more +closely than ever, and I am certain that he loved me as a son. With his +rough exterior, loud voice, and bravery, his heart was as gentle as a +woman's. I have seen tears trickle down his rough cheeks at a tale of +sorrow, while with purse and sympathy he was ever ready to relieve +distress, and I am convinced that he never wronged man, woman, or child +in his life. + +Two days after this, the signal was made that the Pearl corvette was in +the offing. As soon as she entered the harbour, I got leave to pay my +cousin Ceaton a visit. He was an admirer of my sister Bertha, if not +actually engaged to her, which I thought he might be by this time, and I +was anxious to get news from home, as well as to see him. A kinder, +better fellow never breathed. His manners were most gentlemanly, and +gentle, too, and, though brave as a lion, he had never been known to +quarrel with a shipmate or any other person. He received me as a +brother, and very soon told me that, on his return to England, he hoped +to assume that character. He had a great deal to tell me about home, +and said that I must stay on board and dine with him. + +Our pleasant conversation was interrupted by the announcement of Major +O'Grady. The name made me feel uncomfortable, for he was one of the +soldier officers who had dined on board the Doris, and appeared to be on +very intimate terms with Captain Staghorn. He was just that stiff, +punctilious-mannered, grey-eyed person, for whom I have had always a +peculiar antipathy. He hummed and hawed, and looked sternly at me, as +if he could have eaten me up, and thought my presence especially +impertinent; but budge for him I would not, till desired by my cousin to +do so. At last he had to say, "I beg your pardon, Commander Ceaton, but +the business I have come on cannot be discussed in the presence of a +youngster." + +"Go on deck, Marmaduke," said my cousin. + +Unwillingly I obeyed. My worst apprehensions were confirmed. Captain +Staghorn was resolved to carry out his diabolical intentions. What +could be done? I felt that Charles Ceaton had never fired a pistol +except in open warfare, and as to practising for the sake of being the +better able to kill a fellow-creature, I knew that was abhorrent to his +nature. + +I hurried on deck as ordered, but as the skylight was off, and Major +O'Grady spoke in a loud, and it seemed a bullying voice, I could hear +nearly every word he said, nor did I consider myself wrong in drawing +near to listen. + +"I am not at all aware of ever having made use of the words imputed to +me," said my cousin, calmly. + +"That is as much as to say, Commander Ceaton, that you consider my +friend capable of uttering a falsehood," answered the Major, in a +deliberate tone. + +"Not at all, sir. I am simply stating the fact, that I cannot clearly +recall having uttered the expressions you mention," said my cousin. + +"Then you do not deny that you said something of the sort; indeed +something to afford my friend Captain Staghorn sufficient ground for +demanding an ample and perfect apology?" said the Major, in his former +slow way. + +"I shall deny nothing," said my cousin, at length nettled beyond +endurance. He must be, too, I was certain, well aware of Captain +Staghorn's reputation as a dead shot, and on that account resolved to go +out and fight him. In those days, for an officer of the army of navy to +refuse to fight a duel, however thrust on him, was to be disgraced in +the eyes of his professional brethren, poor weak mortals like +themselves. They forgot that the code of honour by which they chose to +act, was not the code by which they were to be tried in another world. + +"Then, Commander Ceaton, you cannot, of course, refuse to give Captain +Staghorn the satisfaction he demands?" said the Major. + +"Certainly not," answered my cousin. + +"You, of course, have a friend with whom I may settle preliminaries," +said the major. "The sooner these affairs are got over the better." + +"Undoubtedly," said my cousin, with unusual bitterness in his tone. "My +first-lieutenant wid act for me. He is a man of honour and a friend. I +have perfect confidence in him. I will send him to you." + +I moved away from the skylight. My cousin came on deck, where he was +joined by Mr Sandford, who, after a minute's conversation, went into +the cabin. He and the major very quickly came on deck, the latter +bowing stiffly as he descended to his boat alongside. I felt very much +inclined to walk up to him, and to say, "If your friend shoots my +cousin, and brother that is to be, I'll shoot you;" but I did not. I, +however, watched with no friendly eyes the soldier officer, as he sat in +his boat stiff as a ramrod, while he returned to the Daring. I pondered +how I could prevent this duel. I felt that it was not fair that one man +who had never held a duelling-pistol in his hand, should be compelled to +fight another who could snuff a candle at twelve paces without putting +it out. I wanted to find out when and where they were to meet. + +My cousin returned to the cabin with Mr Sandford. The latter remained +with him for some time, and when he returned on deck he looked very +grave and sad. Never more clearly were the evils of duelling brought +home to me. Here was a man in the prime of life, who might long be +useful to his country and mankind, about to be murdered, simply because +he would not apologise for expressions which he could not recollect +having uttered. My poor sister Bertha, too--how miserable his untimely +death would make her. + +I walked the deck feeling more unhappy than I had ever before done. The +midshipmen of the corvette kept aloof from me, fancying that my cousin +had communicated some ill news, or perhaps that I was in disgrace. I +don't know. I was glad that no one came and spoke to me. The dinner +hour at last arrived, and I went into the cabin. Of course I was +supposed not to know anything about the contemplated duel, and I tried +to appear as cheerful as before. Besides Mr Sandford, the purser dined +in the cabin, and no allusion even was made to the major's visit. My +cousin endeavoured to keep up the conversation, and smiled at the +purser's bad puns, which he had probably heard a hundred times before. +I talked whenever I could about home--the dear old hall--my sisters and +brothers, and my father and mother. I observed that a shade of pain +passed over his countenance whenever I mentioned my sisters. I was +unwise in doing so, unless it could have had the effect of shaking his +resolution, and inducing him to send to Captain Staghorn, and to tell +him that of men the world might say what they chose, but that he would +not go forth to break the law of God, to take his life or to lose his +own. But why do I say that? I now know that nothing but the love of +God, and of God's law implanted in his heart, would have induced him +thus to act. Abstractedly he knew that he was about to do a wrong +thing, but had he been really making God's law the rule of his life, he +would not have hesitated one moment, but the moment Major O'Grady had +opened the subject, he would have told him plainly that he feared God +more than man; that if he wronged Captain Staghorn, even though +unintentionally, he would make him all the amends in his power, but that +fight he would not. His conduct, however, very clearly showed--brave, +and honest, and generous, and kind-hearted as he was, a man to be +esteemed and loved--that he feared man, and what man might say, more +than God, and how God would judge. Numbers act thus; but numbers perish +of a plague. That there are many, does not save them. + +It must be understood that I did not think thus at the time. I was only +a little, less careless and thoughtless than those around me. I was +very sorry, though, that my cousin was going out to fight with a man who +was a dead shot, because I was afraid he would be killed, and that my +sister Bertha, whom I loved dearly, would be made miserable. It did +occur to me, as I looked at his open and intelligent countenance, his +broad chest and manly form, how sad it was that, by that time the next +day, he might be laid in the cold grave. + +Dinner progressed slowly. Under other circumstances he would have +thought me especially stupid, for there was a feeling in my throat and a +weight at my heart which effectually stopped me from being lively. +After coffee had been taken, I mechanically rose with the rest, and went +on deck. I had not been there long, before it occurred to me that I +ought to have wished him goodbye, as a boat was alongside to carry some +liberty-men on board the Doris. I desired the sentry to ask if I might +see him, and was immediately admitted. + +"I am glad that you are come, Marmaduke," he observed. "We cannot tell +what may happen to us in this climate. Yellow Jack may lay his fist on +us, or a hurricane may send our craft to the bottom; so, you see, I have +thought it better to do up a little packet, which, in case of anything +happening to me, I wish you would give to Bertha from me. I don't wish +to die, but in case I should, tell her that my last thoughts were about +her, and my prayers for her welfare. Oh! Marmaduke, she is one in a +thousand. Cherish her as the apple of your eye. You do not know her +excellences." + +He went on very justly praising Bertha for some time, till there was a +tremulousness came into his voice which compelled him to stop, and I +very nearly blubbered outright. At last he told me to return to the +Doris, and come and dine with him the next day. + +"That is to say," he added, "if Yellow Jack has not got a grip of me in +the meantime." + +With a heavy heart I went back to the frigate. I took two or three +turns on deck, considering if I could do anything, when it occurred to +me that I would confide the matter to Mr Johnson, and get his advice, +and, it might be, assistance. I found him as usual, when the duties of +the day were over, seated in his cabin, reading a book by the light of a +ship's lantern. He put down his book when I entered, and seeing by my +countenance that something was wrong, said-- + +"What is the matter now, Mr Merry? I'll do what I can, depend on +that." + +I told him all I knew, and asked him if there was any way of preventing +my cousin being shot. He looked grave and thoughtful. + +"And these men pretend to have sense in their heads!" he muttered. +"Sense! they haven't ten grains of it. Haven't they a chance, every day +of their lives, of having their brains knocked out all in the way of +duty, and they must needs try and kill each other very contrary to the +way of duty. I never really wished to be a Lord of the Admiralty, but +if I was, and had my way, I would break every officer who called out +another, or accepted a challenge, or acted as second." + +"Then you'd have those hung who killed their men?" I exclaimed, +entering into his views. + +"No, I would not. I would leave them to the just punishment their own +consciences would inflict ere long," he answered gravely. "But I would +not allow men like Captain Staghorn to retain His Majesty's commission, +and to ride roughshod over his brother officers, just because he fears +God's wrath less than they do. But you ask me how this duel is to be +prevented? If you were to let the admiral himself know, he would not +interfere. The only way I can think of, would be to shoot Captain +Staghorn first, and that wouldn't be quite the thing. Even if we could +give him a settler, we must never do evil that good may come of it; I +know that. The fact is, I am at fault, Mr Merry. If either of them +were living on shore, something might be done; but it's no easy matter, +and that you'll allow, to get hold of two captains of men-of-war living +on board their own ships." + +I agreed with him with a heavy heart. We twisted and turned the matter +over in every way, but did not succeed in seeing daylight through it. +Perhaps if we had known how and where to seek for assistance, we might +have found it. It was my first watch. After our supper of biscuits and +rum and water, I went on deck, and when my watch was over, turned into +my hammock with cruel apprehensions as to the news I should hear in the +morning. + +I was somewhat surprised to find myself sent for, as soon as I was +dressed, into the captain's cabin. I felt anxious, for I thought that +it must be something about my cousin. The captain, however, wanted +simply to tell me to take a note on board the Daring, and to return with +an answer. + +It was a lovely morning; the water was as smooth as glass, the sky pure +and bright, and the distant landscape which I have before described +looking romantic and lovely in the extreme. As I shoved off from the +frigate I saw a boat from the Pearl; the captain's gig I guessed, cross +our bows and pull towards the shore of the Palisades some little way up +the harbour. I was soon alongside the Daring, and as I crossed the +quarter-deck with the note in my hand, I saw that Captain Staghorn, who +was in full uniform, was about to go on shore. The officers on duty +were ranged on either side of the gangway in the usual manner. Major +O'Grady, stiff and sour, was by his side. There was a terrible savage +look, I thought, in Captain Staghorn's grey evil eye. I stepped across +the deck to deliver my note. Before I gave it, I heard him say as he +walked along the deck, "I only intend to wing the fellow, major. I +swore long ago I'd punish him, and I will keep my word." + +The major made a grim face, and muttered, "The brain is the best +billet." I handed my note. + +"Wait, youngster," he said, sharply, "I shall be back presently, I'll +send an answer then;" and crumpling up the note, he put it in his +pocket. + +As he was just stepping down the gangway ladder, he turned, and said +aloud to his first-lieutenant, "Should the admiral and Captain so-and-so +arrive before I return give my compliments and say that I was compelled +to go on shore, but shall be back immediately." I found that Captain +Staghorn had invited a large party to breakfast with him on that +morning, and that their arrival on board was every minute expected. +"Ay, ay, sir," answered the first-lieutenant; and Captain Staghorn and +Major O'Grady took their seats. The oars fell with a splash into the +water, and the gig darted away in the direction taken by the Pearl's +boat. I watched the two boats pulling up the harbour as long as they +continued in sight. I had never in my life felt so anxious and grieved. +From what I had been told of Captain Staghorn, and of his wonderful +skill as a shot, I did not for a moment doubt that my poor cousin's life +was completely in his power, and from the words uttered by that +evil-visaged major, I had a dreadful apprehension that he would exercise +his skill to my relative's destruction. My grief was not only on his +account, but on that of my dear sister Bertha. I thought of the bitter +sorrow she would suffer when she heard how he had died. Had he been +killed in action with the enemies of his country, she would have mourned +his loss long and deeply; for time, I knew, would soften such sorrow; +but to hear that, weakly yielding to an abominable custom, he had died +infringing the laws of God and man, would prove to a person with a mind +and opinions such as hers almost unsupportable. "It will kill her, it +will kill her!" I kept exclaiming to myself, and I could scarcely help +wringing my hands and giving way to tears. I have often since thought, +that if boys and men did but reflect more than they are apt to do of the +sorrow and suffering which their acts may cause to those they leave at +home, whom they love dearly, and on whom they would be really unwilling +to inflict the slightest pain, they would often pause before they +plunged into sin and folly. I fancied that no one would know what the +two captains had gone about, and was walking the deck in solitude, +meditating, as I have said, on the cruel event about to occur, when I +was accosted by the midshipman who had paid the Doris a visit a few days +before, and invited down to breakfast. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +I was ushered with due form into the midshipmen's berth of the Daring. +A large party were assembled, discussing an ample supply of food +prepared for breakfast. They seemed a very free and easy set, and it +was no fault of theirs if I did not find myself at home; but I was far +too anxious to do justice to the good things placed before me, nor could +I keep my mind from dwelling on the sad work I believed then going +forward. I soon found that the object of the captain's visit to the +shore was no secret. He had been boasting the evening before of what he +had done in the duelling way, and congratulating himself on at length +being able to reap the revenge he had so long sought, swearing at the +time that he would shoot Captain Ceaton through the head, as he would +any man who dared to impugn his veracity. Was, then, his remark, that +he would only wing him, the result of some momentary compunction of +conscience, to be banished by the counsels of that Mephistopheles-like +major? I feared so. The midshipmen did not know that Captain Ceaton +was my relative, and though some seemed to feel for my anxiety, others +only laughed, and told me that I might as well begin to pipe my eye, for +by that time my cousin would have a hole drilled through him, I might +depend on it. They seemed, indeed, to be proud of their captain's +performances in that way, and anxious to imitate him. Two or three of +them boasted of having fought duels with midshipmen of other ships, +though, as they used not over sharp cutlasses, there had been no fatal +results. I was very glad that I did not belong to the ship, for a more +boastful, quarrelsome set of fellows I never fell among. The sort of +things Mr Johnson said in joke, they uttered in grave earnest, and they +were excessively angry if they were not believed. However, I managed to +keep my temper, and at last to eat some breakfast, in spite of my +anxiety about my cousin. As soon as I could, I returned on deck, where +I was joined by my former acquaintance. He begged that I would not mind +what had been said. + +"You see," he observed, "the captain sets the fashion and the greater +number follow it. If we had had a different captain, these same fellows +would have had very different ideas." + +I have often since then had occasion to make the remark, that, as a +rule, drinking, swearing, profligate captains turn out officers of the +same character. A brave, virtuous, and good commander cannot make all +those under him like himself; but his example will induce imitation +among some, and act as a curb to vice among others. Great, indeed, is +the responsibility of a captain of a man-of-war; indeed, of any ship +where there are officers and men looking up to him. We had not been on +deck long when the admiral came off in his barge from the shore, and +three or four captains arrived in their gigs, as well as some military +men in shore boats. The first-lieutenant made Captain Staghorn's +apologies, saying that affairs of importance had taken him early on +shore, but that he would be off immediately. + +The admiral walked up and down the deck rather impatiently, and looked +annoyed, as if Captain Staghorn was not treating him with proper +respect. He was also very hungry probably, and he kept continually +pulling out his watch and replacing it hurriedly in his fob. The +captains and other officers, aware, probably, of Captain Staghorn's +eccentricities, were less annoyed; but even they at times gave signs of +impatience. At length the signal midshipman announced that the +captain's gig was coming off down the harbour. My heart beat quick. I +never felt so anxious. Some midshipmen were in the main chains. I +joined them, eager to ascertain if my cousin's boat was also coming down +the harbour. I borrowed a glass. After a time I thought that I could +distinguish my cousin's boat coming down. Had he escaped; or had the +duel been prevented? I made out two officers seated in the stern, but +the boat passed at a distance from the Daring, and I was uncertain who +they were. I had been so eagerly watching the Pearl's gig, that I had +not observed the Daring's, which now approached. A murmur ran through +the ship--there was something solemn in the sound. I looked down with +an indefinite feeling of dread. Still, I expected to see Captain +Staghorn sitting upright, with his disagreeable companion by his side. +The major was there, but a human form lay in the stern-sheets, with a +boat's flag thrown over the face, to keep off the buzzing flies which +were clustering above it. The murmur increased into unmistakable +accents; the captain was dead--shot through the heart. I hurried to the +gangway, round which the admiral and officers and men were assembling. +The captain had returned at the hour he promised; but how differently! +The flag fell from his face as the corpse was being lifted on deck. The +eyes were open and staring horribly; the teeth were clenched, and the +mouth wore that same bad, disagreeable expression it had worn two short +hours before, when, full of life and strength, and confiding in the +firmness of his nerve and his correct eye, he had stepped carelessly +down the companion-ladder, determined grievously to wound or to take the +life of a fellow-creature. The doctor went through the form of +examining him to ascertain that he was dead. He lifted up a hand; it +fell heavily on the deck. + +"There's no doubt about it," observed the major, coolly. "You never saw +a man alive with a hole drilled through him like that;" and he +scientifically pointed out the course the bullet had taken. + +The admiral and other officers collected round, and he continued, "I +never saw anything more unexpected. He walked to the ground with the +air of a man going to a ball, laughing and joking the whole way. Not a +muscle shook as he took the pistol and placed himself in position +directly I had measured off the ground. I must say that Commander +Ceaton behaved with courage and as a gentleman; but it was evident that +neither he nor his second had the slightest notion of how to conduct +affairs of the sort. Commander Ceaton placed himself with his full +front facing his antagonist; and when I remonstrated with his second, as +he was not thus giving himself a fair chance, he said that his captain +chose to stand in that way, and that he would not change his position. +I then returned to my principal. I naturally asked where he intended to +hit his opponent. `In the head,' he replied; `his very look annoys me.' +I retired to give the signal. Which pistol went off first I do not +know; but instead of seeing Commander Ceaton drop, as I expected, I saw +my principal leap into the air and fall flat to the ground; while +Commander Ceaton stood unmoved. I never saw a man so cut up about a +thing. I should have supposed that he had killed a friend, instead of a +deadly enemy. We had positively to send the doctor to him to prevent +his fainting. And poor Staghorn here, he never expected such an +ending." + +"But never was one more richly deserved," muttered the admiral, turning +away with a look of thorough disgust at the major's cold-blooded +indifference to his friend's awful death. + +However, the admiral and other officers retired into the cabin to +discuss the breakfast prepared for them, though their host was not +present, with what appetite I cannot say. As I could not get an answer +to the note I had brought, I returned to the Doris to report what had +occurred. + +"He has met his deserts; and yet how awful," said Captain Collyer half +aloud, as I told him of Captain Staghorn's death. + +All in our berth were eager to hear what I had to tell them about the +duel, and I could not help observing how different the remarks of my +messmates were from those which had been uttered in the Daring's berth. +Hearty satisfaction was also expressed that my cousin had escaped. I +was eager to go on board the Pearl to congratulate him and to take him +back Bertha's package, as I now knew why he had given it to me. I could +not, however, go till the evening, when Mr Bryan gave me leave to take +the dinghy. I sent down my name, and was told to go into the cabin. I +found Captain Ceaton seated at a table, with a book before him. He +lifted up his head from his hand, on which it had been resting, when I +entered. I had never seen so great a change in any person in so short a +time. His countenance was pale and haggard, his eyes sunk, and his +whole look would have made me suppose that he had undergone a year of +the most severe mental suffering, or some painful illness of still +longer duration. I was going to congratulate him on having come off the +victor, but I could not bring out the words I had intended to use. I +merely murmured out, "I am so very glad you are alive. I have brought +back the package for Bertha. I know now why you gave it to me." + +"Keep it still, Marmaduke," he answered gloomily. "I feel that I shall +soon be summoned hence. God's wrath rests on the willing homicide, and +I have sent that man without an evil deed repented of into the presence +of his Maker. I was too eager to fire. Almost before the word was +given I had lifted my hand to do the accursed deed. I would far, far +rather have been shot myself. Let my misery be a warning to you. Never +on any account lift your hand against the life of a fellow-creature, +unless you are fighting for your country or attacked by assassins. The +world may gloss over the deed as it will; the conscience cannot gild a +crime." + +He said a good deal more in the same style. I tried to comfort him as +well as I could, and talked about my sister and the future. + +"What, unite a spotless hand to that of one stained with the blood of a +fellow-creature!" he exclaimed. "No, Marmaduke, when she knows the +truth, she will shudder at the thought." + +I now saw that he was altogether unnerved, and I hoped that, if his +surgeon was a sensible man, he might do him more good than I could with +any arguments at my command. After a time I went on deck, and finding +the surgeon walking by himself, I went up to him and told him what I +thought. + +"Very sensible, youngster. Some soothing draught is what he wants. +I'll get him to take it," he answered. "Your relative, let me tell you, +had a narrow escape. Did he show you where the bullet grazed his head +and took off the hair?" + +"No, indeed. I did not know even that Captain Staghorn had fired," said +I. + +"Ay, but he did though, and he aimed at your cousin's brain," said the +surgeon. "Mr Sandford tells me that, as he looked at his antagonist's +evil eye, he never expected to hear the captain speak again. He's +unhappy now, and shocked; very natural for a man of fine feeling; but +he'll get over it, don't be afraid." + +"Then the wretched man took the advice of his evil counsellor, and +resolved to kill my poor cousin," I thought to myself. I was afraid, +however, that the fact would be no comfort to him, but would rather +aggravate his suffering when he thought that the last feeling which had +animated the bosom of the man who had been so suddenly sent to his dread +account was that of bitter animosity and revenge. I instinctively felt +this, and so, when I returned to the cabin before leaving the ship, I +refrained from touching on the subject. I did not know at the time, nor +did anyone else on board, I am afraid, in a position to speak to him, +where alone he could seek for comfort and consolation in his +wretchedness, for wretched he was, and almost hopeless. + +However, I must not longer dwell on the subject. I returned to the +Doris, but I got leave on most days to visit my cousin. I did not see +any great change in him for the better. An enquiry took place with +regard to the duel, but the evidence in his favour was so strong, and +Captain Staghorn's character was so notorious, that he was acquitted of +all blame in the matter. I was truly glad to find that we and the Pearl +were to sail together and cruise in company for some time, in search of +some of the enemy's privateers, which had been committing havoc among +our merchantmen. The day before we sailed we received a visit from old +Colonel Pinchard, and we invited him down to dinner. He seemed in high +feather, having got as many pupils as he could manage to instruct in +French, and, moreover, as he told us, he had hopes that he had softened +the heart of a Creole lady, who, though somewhat weighty herself, was +outweighed by the bags of doubloons of which she was the owner, not to +speak of a number of male and female slaves, who acknowledged her as +their mistress. "Ah, you see, vary good, vary good," he added. "You +see, moch obliged to you for take me prisoner. I drink to de sante of +all de young gentlemans of de Doris." The old colonel certainly +contrived to make himself very happy, and we sent him on shore singing +alternately the Marseillaise hymn, some Royalist tunes, and God Save the +King, while he kept occasionally shouting out "Vive Napoleon!" + +"Vive l'Angleterre!" + +"Vive la France!" exhibiting in his cups the real cosmopolitan feelings +which inspired him--the feelings of most old soldiers of fortune. They +start probably with some vague notions of seeking honour and glory, but, +finding the objects at which they aim thoroughly unsatisfying, they in +most cases become intensely selfish, and think only how they can make +themselves most comfortable under any circumstances in which they are +placed, or how they can secure the largest amount of plunder. This was +the last time I saw Colonel Pinchard, but I heard that he married the +Creole widow, foreswore France, and settled in Jamaica. + +We were all glad to get to sea again, as we had little pleasure from +being in harbour, for, though the West Indies has many charms, and at +some seasons no fault can be found with the climate, yet Yellow Jack is +an unpleasant customer, whose visits we were happy to avoid. I have not +named any of my messmates for some time. Poor McAllister was the only +one much changed; the climate certainly affected him, but he got a great +deal of badgering from the officers of his own standing in the service, +and especially from the mates of other ships, for having been outwitted +by the Frenchman, and for losing his prize. He took his bantering ill +in public, and brooded over the subject in private, till he began to +believe that his courage was doubted, and that he must do some very +daring deed to retrieve it. But I must do old Perigal the credit to say +that he never bantered him, though Spellman did whenever he thought he +could give a sly hit with impunity. I did what I could to comfort him, +and the liking for me, which he had always entertained, evidently +increased. I was in his watch, and, as we walked the deck together, he +would talk to me by the hour of Scotland, and the estate of his +ancestors, which he hoped one day to recover. Suddenly he would break +off, and in a tone of deep melancholy, exclaim, "Ah, but those are +dreams--all dreams--never to be realised. I am never to see bonnie +Scotland again; her heathery hills, and blue, blue lochs, and my own +Mary; but I've never told you of her. She's been the pole-star to me +since I came to sea. She was but a young girl then, but when I had +returned from my first voyage, she'd grown into the fairest maiden for +many a mile round, and soon she promised to be mine, when I should get +my promotion. I won't talk more of her, though; but you'll undertake, +Merry, when you go home, should I lose the number of my mess, to go and +find out the poor girl, and tell her all about me." And so he ran on. +Of course I promised to do all he wished. Midshipmen always do promise +each other all sorts of things of a similar nature, and intend to fulfil +their promises faithfully, though I am not prepared to assert that they +always do so. + +By the bye, it is rather curious that at least half my messmates who +confided their attachments to me were in love with young ladies of the +name of Mary. Sometimes, I suspect, they were myths, but they did +equally well to talk about. To a sailor's ear there is something very +attractive in the name; certainly I have known several most charming +Maries, and one especially--but I am not going to make confessions. + +The Pearl sailed well, and kept easily in company with us. After +getting clear of Jamaica we stood to the eastward, to run down among the +French islands, where we might have a chance of falling in with some of +the privateers starting on their cruise. We had before long done a good +deal of mischief among them; we captured three, sunk one, burnt another, +and drove two on shore. At last, one morning at daybreak, a large +schooner was reported in sight, standing to the southward. Both we and +the corvette made all sail in chase. There was no doubt that she was an +enemy, as she spread all the canvas she could set for the purpose of +escaping. The wind was light, which was to her advantage, and from the +first it seemed very doubtful that we should overtake the chase. Still, +while there was a chance, Captain Collyer was not the man to give it up. +The wind was about abeam. The corvette was ordered to keep well to +windward, to prevent the schooner from hauling up, and thus escaping; +while there was no doubt that, should she attempt to escape before the +wind, fast as she might sail we should come up with her. Our aim was to +jam her down on the land, as we had done other vessels, when we should +drive her on shore or capture her. + +During the morning I was several times on the forecastle, where I found +McAllister with his glass eagerly fixed on the chase. + +"I am certain of it," he exclaimed. "As true as I'm a Highland +gentleman, and my name is McAllister, that craft ahead of us is the +Audacieuse. I know her by second sight, or, if you don't believe in it, +by the cut of her canvas, even at this distance. I'm certain of it. I +would give my patrimony, and more wealth than I am ever likely to +possess, to come up with her. I'll make Lieutenant Preville pay dearly +for the trick he played us." + +Though I thought very likely that the schooner in sight was our former +prize, I could not be certain. Neither were the men who had been with +us, nor were the crew of the Espoir at all certain as to the vessel in +sight. As Ned Bambrick observed, "She might be her, or she might not be +her; but one French schooner, at the distance of seven or eight miles, +looked very like another, and that's all I can say, do ye see, sir, for +certain. The only way is to overhaul her, and then we shall know." + +Perigal was inclined to side with McAllister, from the satisfaction +which the so doing afforded him; indeed, he now appeared in far better +spirits than he had done since our mishap. + +At last the breeze freshened, and we rose the land, the coast of Cuba, +beyond the chase. Her chance of escape was consequently much lessened, +unless she could haul up along shore, or there was any harbour up which +she might run for shelter. We were now clearly gaining on her, and as +we drew nearer McAllister became more and more certain that she was the +Audacieuse, while others also agreed with him. I, of course, hoped that +he was right. + +"We will make Preville cook for us. He shall be employed in dressing +ragouts all day long," he exclaimed, rubbing his hands. "But I hope he +won't yield without fighting. I wish it would fall calm, and I may be +sent in command of the boats to take him. That would be the most +satisfactory thing." + +I agreed with him in the latter point, but argued that the Frenchmen had +only treated us as we should have attempted to treat them under similar +circumstances, so that we had no reason to complain, while they had also +behaved most liberally to us when giving us a boat to reach Jamaica. My +poor messmate was, however, far too excited to listen to reason. + +The day wore on. Nothing would induce McAllister to leave the deck. We +sent him up some cold meat and biscuit for dinner, but he would scarcely +touch the food, continually keeping his eye on the chase. The day was +advancing, and we were drawing in with the land. It was still uncertain +whether we should catch her, as she might more easily escape us during +darkness. We were about two miles from the land, against the dark +outline of which her sails appeared shining brightly in the rays of the +sun, just sinking into the ocean. The wind was dropping. If the land +breeze came off, we might not be able to work up to her, though she +might anchor, and then McAllister's wish would be gratified. + +I had returned to the forecastle, where a good many of the officers were +assembled, watching the chase. The sun had sunk below the horizon. The +gloom came down with a rapidity unknown in northern latitudes. There +was the schooner. Our eyes were on her. Suddenly she disappeared. +McAllister stamped with his foot, and I thought would have dashed his +glass on the deck, when he could no longer discover her. So +unexpectedly had the chase vanished that some began to pronounce her the +Flying Dutchman, or a phantom craft of that description. The master, +however, very soon appeared, and announced the fact that inside of us +was a strongly-fortified harbour, and that of course the cause of the +chase being no longer seen was that she had run up it, and rapidly +furled her sails. + +We now hauled off the land, and hove-to, and Captain Ceaton coming on +board, it was agreed that an attempt should be made to cut out the +schooner, and any other vessels which might be in the harbour. The plan +was very simple. The marines, with a party of seamen, were to land and +attack the forts in the rear, while the ships' boats, manned by all the +blue jackets who could be spared, were to take possession of the vessels +in the harbour, if they could. + +The harbour was reported as strongly fortified, and it was important, +therefore, if possible, to take the enemy by surprise. The captains +consequently resolved to put off the attack till another night. This +did not suit poor McAllister's impatience. He was eager to commence the +undertaking without delay. + +The two ships now stood off to such a distance that they could not be +seen from the shore, and we then hove-to. All those to be employed were +busily preparing for the work in hand. It was understood that it would +be far more severe than anything in which we had yet engaged. Captain +Ceaton begged leave to lead the expedition, and, Mr Bryan being ill, +Mr Fitzgerald was to be second in command. The land forces were led by +Lieutenant Fig of the marines. Though his name was short, he was not; +and he was, moreover, a very gallant fellow. The second lieutenant of +the corvette had charge of the boats for landing the soldiers. In such +exploits it is seldom that the senior captain himself commands; indeed, +they are generally confided to the lieutenants who have their +commissions to win. McAllister, to his great satisfaction, got command +of one boat, with Grey as his companion; and Mr Johnson, whom I +accompanied, took charge of another. We were to have three boats from +the frigate, and two from the corvette, the rest being employed in +landing the soldiers. My cousin was unwell, and in the evening his +surgeon sent on board to say that he was utterly unfit to accompany the +proposed expedition, the command of which was therefore claimed by Mr +Fitzgerald. + +"If it was daylight, his phiz would go far to secure us the victory," +observed Perigal, who did not hold our eccentric second lieutenant in +high estimation. "However, he can shriek, and that is something." + +As soon as it was dark, we once more stood towards the land, but the +night wind came off, and we worked up at a slow rate, which sorely tried +our patience. The hours of darkness passed by; still, we had night +enough left to do the work. The ships hove-to, and the boats were piped +away. My heart beat high. I longed almost as much as McAllister to +regain possession of the Audacieuse, should the schooner prove to be +her. There was no time to be lost, lest daylight might surprise us. We +shoved off, and away we went right merrily, with muffled oars, the men +bending their backs to them with a will. + +There was supposed to be a little cove outside the chief harbour, and +here the soldiers were to land and form. A rocket sent up by our part +of the expedition, as soon as we were alongside the schooner or +discovered by the enemy, was to be the signal for the soldiers to +advance and storm the works. At some little distance from the harbour's +mouth we parted from the land forces, and now still more rapidly we +advanced. On a hill overlooking the harbour we could distinguish the +outline of a formidable-looking fort, or rather castle; while close +under its guns lay, not only the schooner, but rising up, with the +tracery of their spars and rigging pencilled against the sky, appeared a +large three-masted ship, either a heavy corvette or a frigate, with +three or four more vessels moored head and stern of her, while the +schooner lay more out, with her guns pointing down the harbour--so that, +to get at her, we should have to pass under the fire of all the rest, +while the guns from the fort above could plunge their fire right down +upon us. + +The tide was running strong out of the harbour, and the grey streaks of +dawn were already appearing in the east. These circumstances might be +to our advantage, if we were once in possession of the schooner, but +were at present very much against us. What other officers might have +done in a similar case I am not prepared to say; but Paddy Fitzgerald +was not the man to turn his back on an enemy till he had crossed blades +with him. So on we pulled, rather slowly though, against the current. +I hoped that the enemy had not discovered us, for it seemed as if no +watch even was kept on board the vessels, and that all their crews were +wrapped in sleep. + +"Don't be too sure of that," whispered Mr Johnson. "They are not like +heavy-sterned Dutchmen or Russians; these Frenchmen always sleep with +one eye open." + +Whether he was right or not I do not know, but just as the boats, all +keeping close together in beautiful order, had got abreast of the lowest +vessel, our eccentric leader, either by accident or on purpose, for the +sake of giving the enemy a better chance of knocking us to pieces, sent +up the rocket right over their heads. The first whiz must have startled +the sleeping watch, and in a few seconds drums were heard beating to +quarters, and officers bawling and shouting, and lights gleaming about +in all directions. The crew of the schooner, too, gave evidence that +they were on the alert, for several shots came flying down the harbour +over our heads. They had not got the range, but they would soon. Mr +Fitzgerald's voice was heard shouting-- + +"We've awoke them up. Erin go bragh! Hurra, lads! push on!" + +A deep voice was heard joining the shout, "For the schooner! The +schooner's our aim!" It was that of McAllister. + +On shore, too, and in the fort, there was a great commotion; drums there +also were beating, and officers calling the garrison to the ramparts, +while bright flashes and the rattle of musketry showed that those of the +land expedition were well performing their part of the undertaking. + +We dashed on as fast as we could urge the boats against the current, +right under the broadsides of the corvette and other vessels, which +began pouring in on us a terrific fire of great guns and small-arms, +which soon made fearful havoc among our crews. Still we pulled on. +Three men in the boatswain's boat had been struck, one of whom was +killed, when a shower of grape-shot came plunging down directly into +her, killing another man, and tearing right through her sides. She +filled rapidly. A cry arose from our poor fellows, as they found +themselves sinking. We were close to another boat. Mr Johnson, +seizing one of the wounded men, and telling me to follow him, and the +coxswain grasping the other, we all leaped into her. We found she was +McAllister's. Two men in her were killed, and poor Grey lay in the +stern-sheets badly hurt. McAllister was all excitement, utterly +regardless of the shot like hail flying round him, and urging the men to +pull towards the schooner. We had nearly reached her, when Mr +Fitzgerald, who had hitherto been cheering on the men, fell back +wounded, giving the order, as he did so, to retreat. It was too evident +that success was no longer possible; one quarter of the party were +either killed or wounded, and many more must be lost before we could +ever gain the deck of the schooner. McAllister thought differently; the +object for which he had so long been wishing seemed within his grasp. +He sprang forward, and in the grey light of morning I could see his +figure as he stood up, and waving his hand, shouted-- + +"My name is McAllister, of ancient lineage, and the rightful owner of a +broad estate in the Highlands, and it shall never be said that I turned +my back to the foe. On, lads, and the Audacieuse will be ours!" + +Scarcely had he uttered the words, when a round-shot struck him on the +breast and knocked him overboard, before anyone could grasp him. +Instantly Mr Johnson sprang up, and shouted-- + +"My name is not McAllister, and I haven't an acre of land in Scotland or +elsewhere, and so give way, my lads, with the starboard oars, and back +with the larboard ones, and let us get out of this as fast as we can, or +not one of us will have a whole skin to cover his bones." + +The men obeyed. I was very glad they did, for I had had quite enough of +the work, and getting the boat round, the current soon carried us out of +the hottest part of the fire. Still the shot came whistling after us, +and when I considered the terrific fire to which we had been so long +exposed, I could only feel thankful at finding myself and any of my +companions still in the land of the living. As it was, two of our boats +were knocked to pieces and sunk, and fully half those who had formed the +expedition were either killed or wounded. + +My attention was now turned towards my friend Grey, who lay in the +stern-sheets groaning with pain. I was stooping forward to bind my +handkerchief over his arm, when a round-shot flew by, which Mr Johnson +told me would have taken off my head had I been sitting upright. For +his sake, and that of the wounded men, I was very anxious to return on +board, but I found that we had first to go in and cover the embarkation +of the soldiers, in case they had been defeated and followed, or to give +them notice of our failure should they still be persevering in the +attack. On getting into the little harbour, no one was found on the +beach, and I was therefore despatched to direct Lieutenant Fig to +retire. It was an undertaking of no little hazard, for I might be made +a prisoner by the enemy, or lose my way and be unable to return to the +harbour. + +Toby Bluff, who had stowed himself away in one of the other boats, +entreated that he might be allowed to accompany me. I was very glad to +have a companion. Two people can often carry out an object in which one +may fail. + +Off we set, having taken the supposed bearings of the fort, as fast as +we could manage to get along through the gloom. The first part of our +path was through sand, with rocks sticking up here and there, over which +we stumbled several times, and broke our shins, but we picked ourselves +up as well as we could, and not having time to give them a rub, hurried +on. We were soon among maize fields, and then some coffee or other +plantations, but fortunately there were no tall trees near yet further +to darken the road. The path was somewhat rough, but I believed that it +was the only one leading to the fort. The firing had entirely ceased. +I could not, however, tell whether this was a good or a bad sign; +whether our marines had entered the fort, or had been driven back. +Eager to ascertain, and to deliver my orders, we continued to push on. +Suddenly, as we were passing a narrow place, with thick bushes on either +side, some large hands were laid on my shoulders, and a rough negro +voice said-- + +"Qui etes-vous, jeunes gens?" + +"Amis, j'espere," I replied readily, summoning to my aid a large +proportion of the French I had learned from Colonel Pinchard. + +"Ou allez-vous donc?" was next asked. + +This was a puzzler, for I could not remember the name of the fort, or, +indeed, of a castle in French. Another big negro had caught Toby Bluff, +and, of course, could elicit no information from him. They both +laughed, as I fancied, at my attempts to speak French. I wanted to +escape, if possible, without fighting; but when I found that we were +discovered, I put my hand to my belt to draw a pistol. It was +immediately grasped by my captors, and wrenched out of my hand, +exploding at the moment, though fortunately without injuring me. The +negro was lightly clad, and possessed of three times my strength, so +that I in vain struggled to free myself from him. Toby also was +completely overpowered, and they now began dragging us along up the +hill. + +I felt very uncomfortable. We had failed in the object of our +expedition, and I thought we should either be knocked on the head by our +captors, or perhaps be shot for spies by the French, while, at all +events, if allowed to live, we should be kept as prisoners for months or +years to come. Worked up to desperation by these ideas, I struggled +violently to get free, calling to Toby to do the same. In my struggles, +I fortunately gave my captor a severe kick on the shins, when he, +instinctively stooping down to rub them, let go his hold. At the same +moment, on my telling Toby what I had done, he imitated my example, and +also getting free, off we set at full speed, pursued by the negroes. +Where we were going I could not tell, except that we were not running +towards the shore. The negroes, having stopped for a few moments to rub +their shins, came along almost as fast as we did, shrieking and shouting +out to us all the time to stop. The louder they shouted the faster we +ran, till we were brought up with the point of a bayonet, and the +challenge of:-- + +"Who goes there?" + +"Friend--Doris!" I answered, recognising the voice of one of our +marines. + +The negroes, hearing an Englishman speak, bolted off through a +plantation to the right, tumbling over each other, and had we been quick +about it, we might have made them both prisoners. The marine told us +that his party was a little farther in advance, that they had been +defeated in the attempt to storm the fort, and that Lieutenant Fig was +waiting for further orders. We hurried on. Daylight was making rapid +strides, and as the French would soon discover the smallness of our +numbers, we should have their whole force down upon us, and we should be +cut to pieces or taken prisoners. + +As soon as I had delivered the order to the marine officer, he gave the +word, "March--double-quick," and off we set at a pretty smart run. +Drums and fifes were sounding in the fort, and as we crossed a ridge, I +saw from the top of it a large body of troops coming out of the gate in +pursuit of us. We could not proceed faster than we were marching, on +account of the wounded, who were carried by the bluejackets in the +centre of the party. As it was, I perceived that many of the poor +fellows, from the groans to which they gave vent, were suffering +dreadfully. Still it was impossible to leave them behind, for though +the French might have treated them with humanity, the negroes would +probably have murdered them, had they fallen into their hands. Daylight +was increasing, of course exposing us more clearly to the enemy. I +never before had had to run away, and I cannot say that I liked the +feeling, still there can be no doubt that in this instance discretion +was the best part of valour. It would have been folly to stop and +fight, as at any moment parties might appear, landed from the vessels we +had attacked, and who might cut us off. The lieutenant of the Pearl, +who commanded the seamen, had been killed in the attack, so that the +entire command devolved on Lieutenant Fig, and, to do him justice, he +behaved with great judgment. + +The enemy, in strong force, were now rapidly approaching us. At length +we came in sight of the boats: the wounded were sent on, while the rest +of the party faced about to encounter our foes. On they came, but the +steady front exhibited by the marines made them halt. Once more they +advanced. We received them with a hot fire, and stood our ground, +driving them back to some distance, but only for a few minutes, for as +we were about to continue our retreat, again they came on, expecting by +their greatly superior numbers to overwhelm us. Again and again they +charged us. Several of our men had fallen, and it was too evident that +they would soon cut us to pieces. Should we be once thrown into +disorder, we should be destroyed before we could reach the boats. I +found, too, that our ammunition was almost expended. Again the enemy +came on, when, at the same moment, a loud huzza was heard in the rear, +led by a voice which I recognised as that of Jonathan Johnson, and on he +came at the head of some twenty bluejackets, flourishing their cutlasses +like a body of Highlanders, and shouting at the top of their voices. +This timely support encouraged our men, and charging at the same moment, +we drove the enemy headlong before us. + +I had picked up a musket, and charged with the rest, and was carried by +my ardour, or from not knowing exactly what I was about, ahead of my +companions. I felt excited and highly delighted. The Frenchmen, +however, as they retreated, faced about every now and then, and fired. +As I was cheering lustily, a shot struck me, and I fell. I thought no +one had noticed me, as I heard Lieutenant Fig give the order to retreat. +The enemy at the same moment halted, and encouraged by the arrival of +another officer, they again came on. It seemed all up with me, but my +faithful follower, Toby Bluff, had seen me fall, and, springing forward, +he threw himself in front of me, shouting-- + +"If any on you Johnny Crapeaus dares to hurt the young measter, now he's +down, I'll have the life out of you!" + +Struck by Toby's bravery, the Frenchmen for a moment hung back, but they +were again coming on, and would soon have overpowered him, when, on +looking up, I saw Mr Johnson stooping over me. In a moment he had +lifted me, as if I had been a baby, on his left arm, and, telling Toby +to run, with his cutlass in his right hand, he kept the Frenchmen who +pressed on him at bay. + +Thus fighting and retreating we reached the boats, and one of them +having brought her bow-gun to bear on the enemy, loaded with grape, kept +them at a respectable distance, while the rest of us embarked. They did +not, indeed, approach the shore till we were fairly off, and though they +peppered us with musketry, only one or two men were slightly hurt. +However, altogether our expedition had been more disastrous than any in +which I had ever been engaged. + +With heavy hearts we pulled on board. Mr Johnson, with the gentleness +of a woman, bound up my wound. Poor Grey lifted up his head as he saw +me placed by his side in the stern-sheets, and said-- + +"What, Merry, are you hurt too? There will be no need of shamming this +time, to deceive Macquoid." + +"I am afraid not," I answered faintly. "But still I hope that we may +live to fight the Frenchmen another day." + +"No fear of that, young gentlemen," said Mr Johnson, who had overheard +us. "Keep up your spirits; young flesh and sinews soon grow together, +and there are no bones broken in either of you, I hope." + +We all got at length safely on board, when the wounded were without +delay carried below, and placed under the surgeon's care. He repeated +the boatswain's advice to Grey and me, and told us that if we followed +it we should soon be well. Two or three of the poor fellows brought on +board alive, died of their wounds that night. We heard that Captain +Collyer and Commander Ceaton were very much cut up at the failure of the +expedition, and the loss of so many officers and men. I was especially +sorry for McAllister's death. Though eccentric in some of his notions, +he was every inch an officer and a gentleman. + +We at once made sail, I understood, from the fatal spot, but the general +wish was that we might fall in with the schooner elsewhere, or return +and take her. + +Before many days had passed, I received a visit from my cousin. Sorrow +had worked a sad change in him, and I felt grieved as I looked up at his +countenance, at the bad report I should have to give of him to poor +Bertha. + +It was fortunate for Grey and me that we kept at sea, for the weather +was tolerably cool, and our hurts rapidly healed. + +The Doris had now been nearly four years in commission, so that we +expected, as soon as the cruise was up, to be sent home. We had all had +enough of the West Indies, and we looked forward with eager satisfaction +to the time when the white cliffs of Old England should once more greet +our eyes. One sorrow only broke in on our anticipations of pleasure. +It was when we thought of our gallant shipmates who had been cut off, +who had hoped, as we were doing, once more to be united to those they +loved so dearly at home. I should have been more sorry for Perigal than +for anybody else, had he been killed, but happily neither bullet nor +fever seemed to hurt him, and I hoped that he might once more be united +to his wife. I thought, too, of poor McAllister's Mary, and of the sad +news I should have to convey to her. However, I cannot say that I +indulged in these, or other mournful reflections, for any length of +time. I was more thoughtful than I had been when I came to sea four +years ago, but that was only at times when some occurrences made me +think. Generally I spoke of myself as Merry by name and merry by +nature, and was, I fear, still but a harum-scarum fellow after all. + +As may be supposed, the general subject of conversation in the berth or +during the night-watches, was home. Those who have never been from +home, can scarcely understand the pleasure seamen experience, who have +been long absent, in simply talking about returning home. There they +expect to find peace, and quiet, and rest, those who love them, and can +sympathise with them, and listen to their accounts of all their +exploits, and dangers, and hardships. Such at that time were my +feelings, and those of my friend Grey, but I am very certain that they +cannot be the feelings of those who have given way to vicious habits, +and whose only expectation is to enjoy their more unbridled indulgence. +The thought of a pure and quiet home can afford no joy to them; they +lose, I may say, one of the chief recompenses which those obtain whose +duty calls them away from home, and all the loved ones there. + +Still our hope was deferred. We were, however, the gainers, in one +respect, by this, for we took some of the richest prizes captured on the +station, so that even we midshipmen began to feel that we were persons +of boundless wealth. At length our orders arrived, and the shout ran +along the decks-- + +"Hurrah, we are homeward-bound!" + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + + To England we with favouring gale, + Our gallant ship up Channel steer; + When running under easy sail, + The light blue western cliffs appear. + +How often and often have those cheerful lines been sung by young, and +light, and happy hearts, beating high with anticipations of happiness, +and thoughts of the homes they are about to revisit after long years of +absence. Such was the song sung in the midshipmen's berth of the Doris, +as once more our gallant frigate entered the chops of the Channel, and +we were looking forward to seeing again those western cliffs which often +and often we had pictured to ourselves awake, and seen in our dreams +asleep. + +I will not dwell on the feeling with which "Sweethearts and wives" was +drunk on the last Saturday evening in the midshipmen's berth as well as +in every mess in the ship; not that the young gentlemen themselves had +any one who could properly be designated as one or the other, but they +might hope to have, and that was the next thing to it. + +I thought of poor McAllister, cut down in his early manhood, and of his +poor Mary, and I resolved if possible to fulfil his request, and to go +and tell her about him. It was a task I would gladly have avoided. +Then again, what an unsatisfactory account I must give to Bertha of poor +Ceaton. His expectation of dying soon might be mere fancy, but it was +very evident that his spirits had never recovered the shock he had +received when he killed Captain Staghorn, and he felt himself branded +with the mark of Cain. + +I was far from recovered from my last wound, and, altogether, my +anticipations of pleasure were tempered with many causes for sorrow. +However, I do not wish to appear sentimental, though I do wish to hint +that midshipmen, even when returning home, must not expect to find +unclouded happiness. + +We had still some leagues to traverse, and it was possible that we might +fall in with an enemy, and have another battle to fight, before we could +reach home. Not that any one had any objection to so doing; on the +contrary, no one expected for a moment that we could meet an enemy +without coming off the victor, and being able to sail into Portsmouth +harbour with our prize. A sharp look-out was accordingly kept on every +side, as we sailed up Channel, but by that time few French cruisers +remained daring enough to show themselves near the British coasts, and +the Needle Rocks at length hove in sight, and with a leading breeze we +ran up inside the Isle of Wight, and anchored at Spithead among a large +fleet there assembled. + +After waiting two days, uncertain as to our fate, we received orders to +go into harbour to be paid off. I need not describe the operation, nor +the scenes which took place after it. Each man received a considerable +sum, and I believe that before many days were over, half the number had +spent, in the most childish way, the larger portion, and some, every +shilling of their hard-earned gains, and were ready again to go afloat. + +Most of the officers had gone on shore, and Spellman, and Grey, and I, +and other midshipmen, were preparing to take our departure, when we went +to bid farewell to Mr Johnson. + +"Mr Merry, I hope that we shall not part just yet," he said with great +feeling, taking my hand. "The ship is to be left in charge of the +gunner, and I have obtained leave to go up to London to visit my wife, +and for other reasons. Now it will afford me great pleasure if you and +Mr Grey will make my house your resting-place on your way home, or +rather I should say my wife's house, for, as I told you, she is a lady +of independent fortune. Indeed, Mr Merry, friends as we are afloat, I +know the customs of the service too well to ask you, a quarter-deck +officer, to my house under other circumstances." + +"Don't speak of that, Mr Johnson," said I, feeling sure that he would +be pleased if I accepted his invitation, and wishing perhaps a little to +gratify my own curiosity. "I shall be delighted to go to your house. +You forget how much I am indebted to you for having several times saved +my life, and that puts us on an equality on shore, if not on board; +besides, remember I know all about your wife, and I do not think that I +ever returned you the letter you gave me for her when you thought you +might be killed." + +"All right, Mr Merry; don't let's have any protestations; we're brother +seamen and shipmates, and thoroughly appreciate each other, though some +of the incidents I mentioned in my wonderful narratives might shake some +people's confidence in my veracity," he remarked, again grasping my +hand. + +"However, that is neither here nor there. You understand me, and that's +enough. If you and Mr Grey like, we will take a post-chaise between +us, and post up to town. I am impatient to be at home, and you will +have no objection, I dare say, to whisk as fast along the road as four +posters can make the wheels go round." + +Grey and I willingly agreed to Mr Johnson's proposition. Spellman was +not asked, and had he been, we concluded that he would not have accepted +the invitation, so we said nothing about it to him. We had a jolly +paying-off dinner, with the usual speeches, and compliments, and toasts. +After the health of the King was drunk and all the Royal family, and +other important personages, Mr Bryan got up and said-- + +"Now, gentlemen, I have to propose the health of a shipmate, of, I may +say, a brother officer of mine, Lieutenant Perigal, with three times +three." Saying this, he pulled out of his pocket one of those long +official documents, such as are well-known to emanate from my Lords +Commissioners of the Admiralty. + +"Come at last! hurrah!--well, it will make my dear wife happy," were the +first words the delighted Perigal could utter. I honoured him for them. +Faithful and honest, he was a true sailor. I afterwards had the +pleasure of meeting his young wife, and she was worthy of all the +eulogiums he had delighted when absent to pass on her. He had picked up +a fair share of prize-money, otherwise his half-pay of ninety pounds a +year was not much on which to support a wife and to keep up the +appearance of a gentleman. I was in hopes that Mr Bryan would himself +have been promoted, but he was not. Mr Fitzgerald, however, very +shortly afterwards received his commission as a commander. Bobus +declared that it was because he had stood on his head before the King +and made him laugh, or because he had amused some other great person by +one of his wonderful stories. I met him one day, and congratulated him. + +"Ah, merit, merit does everything, Mr Merry, next to zeal," he +exclaimed, with a chuckle. + +"You always were a zealous officer; and now I think of it, you are the +very midshipman who took off his trousers and blew into them, when no +other sail or wind was to be had for love or money, and the captain was +in a hurry to get your boat back. I've often told the story since of +you, and set it all down to your zeal." + +"Well, let this be your consolation, if others do not recognise your +services, I will when I am one of the Lords of the Admiralty." + +"Well, sir," said I, "I hope that you will make haste to climb up into +that honourable position, or the war will be over, and I shall not have +secured my commission." I did not think that it would be polite to have +replied, I thank you for nothing, but certainly I did not expect ever to +benefit much by his patronage. + +To return to the paying-off dinner. I wish that I could say that all +present retired quietly to their respective inns and lodgings as sober +as judges; but, with the exception of Grey and me, I believe that not +one could have managed to toe a plank, had they been suddenly ordered to +make the attempt. I speak of things as they were in those days, not as +they are now. Happily at the present day it is considered highly +disgraceful for an officer to be drunk; and not only is it disgraceful, +but subversive of discipline, whether he is on or off duty, and thus +injurious to the interests of the service, and prejudicial to his own +health and morals. Taking the matter up only in a personal point of +view, how can a man tell how he will behave when he has allowed liquor +to steal away his wits? what mischief he may do himself, what injury he +may inflict on others? In the course of my career I have seen hundreds +of young men ruined in health and prospects, and many, very many, +brought to a premature grave by this pernicious habit of drinking. + +"But what is the harm of getting drunk once in a way?" I have heard +many a shipmate ask. + +I say, a vast deal of harm. How can you tell what you will do, while +you are thus once-in-a-way drunk? I, an old sailor, and not an over +strait-laced one either, do warn most solemnly you young midshipmen, and +others, who may read my memoirs, that numbers have had to rue most +bitterly, all their after lives, that once-in-a-way getting drunk, or, I +may say, taking more than a moderate allowance of liquor. Many fine +promising young fellows, who have at first shown no signs of caring for +liquor, have ultimately become addicted to drinking, from that most +dangerous habit of _taking a nip_ whenever they have an opportunity. + +"But why call that a dangerous habit?" shipmates have asked me. "A nip +is only _just a taste_ of spirits, raw it may be, or perhaps even +watered. It's a capital thing for the stomach, and keeps out cold, and +saves many a fellow from illness." + +So it may, say I. But it is the nip extra I dread, with good reason; +the nip when no such necessity exists, or rather excuse, for a man may +pass years without positively requiring spirits to preserve his health. +However, not to weary my readers with the subject, I will conclude it, +by urging them to be most watchful, lest they take the first step in +this or any other vice. How many fall, because they think that vice is +manly. Which is the most manly person, he who yields to his foes, or he +who, with his back to a tree, boldly keeps them at bay? No greater foes +to a man's happiness and prosperity than his vices--or sin. No man can +expect to escape being attacked by sin, and those who are its slaves +already cry out, "Yield to it; yield to it. It's a pleasant master. +Just try its yoke; you can get free, you know, whenever you like." + +Never was a greater falsehood uttered, or one more evidently invented by +the father of lies. The yoke of sin is most galling; it is the hardest +of task-masters. The people who talk thus do their utmost to hide their +chains, to conceal their sufferings, which giving way to sin has brought +upon them. Do not trust to them, whatever their rank or character in +the world. I would urge you from the highest of motives, from love for +the Saviour who died for you, not to give way to sin; and I would point +out to you how utterly low, and degrading, and unmanly it is to yield to +such a foe--a foe so base and cowardly, that if you make any real effort +to withstand him, he will fly before you. Don't be ashamed to pray for +help through Him, and you are not on equal terms unless you do. That's +not unmanly. Sin has got countless allies ever ready to come to its +support. By prayer you will obtain one--but that One is all powerful, +all sufficient. It is my firm belief that He, and He alone, is the only +ally in whom you can place implicit reliance. Others may fall away at +the times of greatest need. He, and He alone, will never desert you; +will remain firm and constant till the battle of life is over. + +Now some of my readers, perhaps, will exclaim, "Hillo, Mr Midshipman +Marmaduke Merry, have _you_ taken to preaching? You, who have been +describing that extraordinary old fellow Jonathan Johnson, with his +veracious narratives, and wonderful deeds. You've made a mistake. +You've taken it into your head to write some sermons for sailors, and +you've got hold by mistake of the manuscript of your own adventures." + +Pardon me, I have made no mistake, I reply. When I was Midshipman +Marmaduke Merry, I did not preach; I did not often give good advice as I +do now. I wish that I had, and I wish that I had taken it oftener than +I did. What I do now is to afford the result of my experience at the +close of a long life; and it is that experience by which I wish you to +benefit. I quote the Scriptures, and I believe in the Scriptures for +many reasons. One of them is--that I have ever seen Scripture promises +fulfilled, and Scripture threats executed. Now let me ask you what +would you say to a man whose father, or some other relative, had been +storing up gold or other articles of value, and which, when offered to +him, he should refuse to accept, on the plea that they cost much +trouble, and occupied so many years to collect, that they must be +useless? You would say that such a man is an idiot. Yet is not +experience, or rather the good advice which results from experience, +treated over and over again by worldly idiots exactly in that way? Do +not you, dear readers, join that throng of idiots. Take an old man's +advice, and ponder over the matters of which I have just now been +speaking. This exhortation has arisen out of our paying-off dinner. I +might have given you a very amusing account of that same feast--though +it was not "a feast of reason," albeit it might have been a "flow of +soul;" but I am not in the vein, the fact being, that paying-off dinners +are melancholy affairs to look back at. How few of those assembled +round the festive board, who have been our companions for the previous +three, or four, or perhaps five years, through storm and battles and +hardships, ever meet again! + +Some have grown in honour, some have sunk in dishonour; some have +struggled on with services unrequited, and have become soured and +discontented; others again, in spite of their humble worldly position, +have retained good spirits and kindly feelings, and though now old +lieutenants with grey hairs, appear to be the same warm happy-hearted +beings they were when midshipmen. Should any of the readers not meet +with the success they desire, I hope that they will belong to the last +class; but I am very certain that they will not, unless, as midshipmen, +they avoid evil courses, and fall not into the paths of sin. + +The morning after that paying-off dinner, Grey and I were up early, and +had breakfasted, when a yellow chaise drew up at the door of the Blue +Posts, and in the interior appeared seated a very dignified-looking +gentleman in plain clothes, whom we had no difficulty in distinguishing +as Mr Jonathan Johnson. Toby Bluff, who was on the box, got down and +opened the door, when Mr Johnson, getting out, inquired with a paternal +air, whether we were ready to start. + +Our portmanteaus, flattened and wrinkled, containing the remainder of +those articles which on starting could with difficulty be stowed in our +bulky chests, being strapped on, we jumped in, followed by Mr Johnson, +and Toby remounting the box, up High Street we rattled at a tremendous +pace, exactly suited to our feelings. + +"This is pleasant, isn't it, young gentlemen?" exclaimed Mr Johnson, +rubbing his hands. "I never like to let the grass grow under my feet +either ashore or afloat. Sometimes, to be sure, one has to sit still, +and wait to do nothing, the most trying thing in the world to do. +However, when you do keep moving, take care to move forward. Some +people move backward, remember. I have from time to time given you bits +of good advice, and I dare say that you have been surprised to hear them +from an old fellow who could spin such an outrageous yarn as my +veracious narrative, but I hope that its very extravagance will have +prevented you from supposing for a moment that I am capable of falsehood +myself, or would encourage it in others; still I must own that I have +been guilty of a piece of deceit, though I did not at the first intend +to deceive. I will tell you the circumstances of the case, and then +condemn me as I deserve. I told you that my wife was a lady of rank and +education. My father was really very well connected, and when I was a +young man staying with him, I met the daughter of a country gentleman of +property, with whom I fell in love, and she had no objection to me. Her +parents, however, would not hear of the match, and I was sent off to +sea. Though only a warrant officer, I always liked good society when I +could enter it, and on one occasion some few years back, having gone for +that purpose to Bath, I was introduced to a lady who was, I was +informed, the Baroness Strogonoff. Before long I discovered that she +was the widow of a Russian baron, and that she was no other than my old +flame. I found that she had always felt an interest for me, and in fact +that she would have married me had she been allowed. I naturally asked +her if she would now, and she said Yes. I told her that I was now in +the navy, and an officer, and though this was true, I felt that I +committed a great fault in not telling her that I was only a warrant +officer. I was flush of prize-money at the time, and could make a very +good appearance, which, as you may suppose, I did not fail to do. The +result was that all her old affection for me returned, and that, to cut +the matter short, we married. + +"Here was I, a poor boatswain, the husband of a rich baroness, she of +course, you'll understand, not knowing that I was a poor boatswain, or +rather, what a boatswain is. Now, if there's one thing more than +another sticks in my throat, it is the thought of a man being dependent +on a woman, let her be who she may, for his support, if he can support +himself. Now I had the greatest affection and respect for my wife, but +this feeling always came between me and my happiness. While living with +her I only spent my own prize-money on myself; and though I would gladly +have remained with her, as soon as I was appointed to a ship I resolved +to go to sea. I was not worse off than any post-captain or other +officer in the service in this respect. I told her that duty called me +to sea, and, though evidently with great unwillingness, she would not +stop me in the path of duty. Ah, young gentlemen, my Baroness is a true +woman, and I only wish for her sake that I was a post-captain, and in +the fair way of becoming an admiral. She deserves it, anyhow. I have, +I believe, a distant cousin a baronet, and as I believe that it gives me +some importance in the eyes of her friends, I talk about him +occasionally in their presence. Not that I care a fig for rank myself, +except as far as it may gratify her. So packing up my traps I joined my +ship, not allowing any one on board to know even that I was married. I +felt very sad, but I kept my affairs to myself, and tried to do my duty +to the best of my power. I went to India, and you may be sure I +collected all the most beautiful presents I could think of for my dear +wife. I picked up, too, a good share of prize-money, so that I felt I +might return home with a clear conscience, and the prospect of being +well received. I was not mistaken, for my wife was overjoyed at my +return, and would, I believe, have been so had I come back without a +single jewel or shawl for her, and without a guinea in my pocket. This +time I was able to leave a handsome sum of money with her, of which I +begged her acceptance, for you see I knew that if she died before me, I +had always my pension to fall back on, or Greenwich, and that I should +have ample for all my wants; and I felt a proud satisfaction in adding +to her comfort and enjoyment by every means in my power, for I doubt if +any other boatswain in the service can boast of having a baroness for +his wife." + +"I should think not, Mr Johnson," said I. "But then, I do not think +that any other boatswain in the service deserves one so much as you." +He pulled up his shirt collar and looked highly pleased at this remark. + +"You think so, Mr Merry? You are a young gentleman of discernment in +most matters, and I hope are so in this respect," he answered. +"However, when you see the Baroness, I think that you will confess that +a man must be worth something to be worthy of her." + +Thus we talked on, and I fancy that our tongues were not silent for a +minute together during the whole journey. + +The last stage we had four horses. + +"I like to go home in style," observed Mr Johnson. "Not on my own +account, you'll understand, but because it pleases the Baroness, and +makes her neighbours suppose that her husband is a person of +consequence." + +We darted along at a fine rate, and at length drew up at the door of a +very pretty villa in the neighbourhood of London, without having had to +drive through the city itself. We sat still, while Mr Johnson sprang +out, and we saw him through the windows cordially welcomed by a really +very handsome-looking lady of somewhat large proportions, whom we had no +doubt was the Baroness herself. In this conjecture we were right, and +Mr Johnson soon returning, introduced us in due form to her. She +received us most graciously and kindly, indeed in the most good-natured +manner, and told us that we were welcome to stay at her house as long as +we pleased. She seemed a warm-hearted unsophisticated person, and I +should have said not over-refined or highly educated. Had she been so, +I confess that I do not think she would have married my worthy friend +Jonathan Johnson. A room was quickly prepared for us, and we found +ourselves in five minutes perfectly at home. We were shortly discussing +a capital dinner, and as I looked at our well-dressed host at the foot +of the table, I could scarcely believe that he was the same person who, +a few days before, was carrying on duty with chain and whistle round his +neck as boatswain of the Doris. During dinner the Baroness announced +that she had fixed on the following evening, before she knew of her +husband's intended return, to give a rout, and she pressed us so warmly +to stay for it, that we, nothing loath, consented to do so. We were +able to do this, as we had not mentioned any day positively for our +appearance at our own homes. We spent the next morning in visiting with +Mr Johnson the sights of London, but we returned early, as he was +unwilling to be long absent from his wife. After dinner a host of +servants came in, and in a rapid space of time prepared the house for +the reception of the expected guests. It was well lighted up, and I was +quite dazzled with its appearance. Still more so was I, when the +Baroness came down glittering with jewels, and the guests began to +assemble, and, as far as I could judge, there appeared to be a number of +people of some rank and consequence among them. There was a +conservatory and a tent full of flowers at the end of a broad passage, +all gaily lighted up, and several rooms thrown open for dancing, and a +band soon struck up, and the Baroness introduced Grey and me to some +capital partners, and we were soon toeing and heeling-it away to our +hearts' content. We had plenty to say to the young ladies about our +battles and other adventures, and of course we took care not to speak of +Mr Johnson, though more than one, I thought, pointedly asked what his +rank was in the navy. I replied, carelessly, that he was a very brave +officer, who had greatly distinguished himself, and that he had more +than once saved my life, so that there was no man in existence for whom +I had a greater regard. I believe that my remarks, without departing in +the slightest degree from the truth, were calculated to raise the +gallant boatswain in the estimation of his wife's friends. Scarcely had +I sat down, than I was again on my legs, prancing with my partners up +and down the room. I was standing quiet for a moment, having reached +the foot of the dance, and placed my partner in a seat, when I felt a +tap on my shoulder, and looking round, whom should I see but Captain +Collyer. + +"What, you here, Merry!" he exclaimed. "How had you the good fortune to +be introduced to the Baroness?" + +"Mr Johnson brought us here, sir," said I, very naturally, without a +moment's reflection. + +"Mr Johnson!" muttered the captain, in a tone of surprise. "Who is +he?" + +I was about to reply, when, on looking up, there I saw him across the +room, standing looking at us with a comical expression of vexation on +his countenance. His eye catching that of the captain, he immediately +advanced, and said quietly-- + +"I was not aware, Captain Collyer, that you were coming here, or I +should have let you know beforehand my position in this house. I know, +as you are aware, the difference between a post-captain and a boatswain, +and I should not have presumed to invite you, though as master here, I +am honoured by receiving you; but you see, sir, that you may do me much +harm in my social position, or render me considerable service, in the +way you treat me. I am in your hands." + +"I wish to treat you as one of the bravest and most dashing officers in +His Majesty's service deserves to be treated," answered the captain, +warmly. "How you became the husband of a lady of title, I will not stop +to enquire, but I cannot help thinking that you will be wise to give up +the sea, and to remain by her side. The service will lose one of the +best boatswains who ever served His Majesty, but the Baroness will gain +a good husband; and I shall be happy to associate with one I esteem as a +friend and equal, which the etiquette of the service would prevent me +under present circumstances from doing." + +"I thank you most cordially, Captain Collyer--from my heart, I do," +exclaimed Mr Johnson. "But you see, sir, I love the service dearly, +and should be loath to quit it; and I love my independence, and should +be unwilling to lose that. I mean that I should be sorry to become +dependent even on my wife for support, while I am able to work for it +myself. I have explained my feeling and motives, and I hope that you +will consider them right." + +"Indeed I do, and honour you for them," answered the captain. "But +still, Mr Johnson, I think that you should take the lady's opinion on +the subject. I suspect that when she knows the true state of the case, +she would far rather you remained at home than have to go knocking about +the salt ocean, without the prospect of bettering yourself." + +"That's the only fault I have to find with the service," said Mr +Johnson. "Perhaps I have been dreaming, when living on in hopes that +some change might be made whereby I might benefit myself, that is, rise +in the service, which has ever been my ambition. Why should not a +warrant be a stepping-stone to a commission through extraordinary good +conduct in the navy, just as a sergeant may hope to rise in the army? I +don't mean, sir, that I wish to see the present class of boatswains +obtain commissions, but with that reward in view, a better class of men +would enter the service, and it would improve the character of the +warrant officers." + +"So it might, but a large proportion would fail in obtaining their ends, +and then we should have a number of discontented warrant officers, +instead of being, as at present, the best satisfied men in the service." + +"There's force in that objection, Captain Collyer; the matter requires +consideration," answered our host. "You must not rank me, however, +among the discontented ones. I have long made up my mind to take things +as they are, though I hope that I should not have been found wanting, +had I attained a far higher rank than I now hold." + +While we were talking, I had observed a dapper little well-dressed man +come into the room, and look eagerly around. He soon discovered the +Baroness, and having talked to her for some time in an animated style, +he advanced with her towards us. He then ran forward, and taking Mr +Johnson's huge paw in his hand, he wrung it warmly, exclaiming-- + +"I congratulate you, Sir Jonathan Johnson, and your amiable and charming +lady--indeed I do, from the bottom of my heart--on your accession to +title and property. As you never saw, or indeed, I fancy, never heard +of, your relative the late baronet, your grief need not be very poignant +on that account, so we'll say nothing about it just now. I have been +working away like a mouse in a cheese ever since I got an inkling that +you were the rightful heir, and have only just discovered the last link +in the chain of evidence; and then, having rigged myself out, as you +nautical gentlemen would say, in a presentable evening suit, I hurried +off here; and so there's no doubt about it, and I should like to give +way to an honest hearty cheer to prove my satisfaction." + +Our friend's countenance was worthy of the pencil of a painter, while +the little lawyer was thus running on. His astonishment for a time +overpowered his satisfaction. + +"I Sir Jonathan Johnson!" he at length slowly exclaimed. "I a baronet-- +I the possessor of a title and fortune--I no longer a rattan-using, +call-blowing, grog-drinking, pipe-smoking, yarn-spinning boatswain, but +a right real English baronet--my dear Baroness! I am proud, I am happy, +I am," and he threw his arms round his wife's neck, in spite of all the +company present, and bestowing on her a hearty kiss, gave way to a +jovial cheer, in which Grey and I and the lawyer, and even Captain +Collyer, could not help joining. + +The new Sir Jonathan, however, very soon recovering himself, became +aware of the absurdity of his conduct, and the guests, collected by the +cheer, coming round to congratulate him, he apologised in a fitting way +for his unwonted ebullition of feeling. In a wonderfully short time he +was himself again, and no man could have borne his honours with a better +grace. + +When the captain and Grey and I again congratulated him, he replied, "I +am much obliged to all my kind friends here, but I know that your good +wishes are sincere." + +Numberless speeches on the subject were made at supper, and when Captain +Collyer shook his late boatswain by the hand at parting, he assured Sir +Jonathan that nothing had given him greater pleasure than so doing. + +"All I'll ask, Captain Collyer, is, that when you get a ship, you'll +give me a cruise some day. I don't think that I could go to sleep +happily if I was to fancy that I should never have the salt spray again +dashing into my face, or feel the deck lifting under my feet." + +The promise asked was readily given, and Sir Jonathan Johnson was +afterwards engaged in one of the most gallant actions during the war, +when, as a volunteer, he led the boarders in his old style, and was +mainly instrumental in capturing the enemy. + +After peace was established he bought a yacht, and many a pleasant +cruise I took with him during those piping times, our old shipmate +Perigal, to whom he had thus an opportunity of offering a handsome +salary, acting as his captain. + +Toby Bluff, by his steady behaviour and sturdy bravery, became a +boatswain, and has now charge of a line-of-battle ship in ordinary at +Portsmouth. + +The captain's old servant at last came on shore, and took to gardening, +but as he usually pulled up the flowers instead of the weeds, he was +directed to confine himself to sweeping the walks, which he did +effectually, with delightful slowness and precision. He was one day in +summer found sprinkling the housemaid's tea leaves over them, as he +remarked, to lick up the dust. + +I have said nothing about my own family. It is a sad subject. Poor +Bertha! The gallant Ceaton never came home. His health gave way, but +he did not die of disease. He fell on the deck of his own ship in +action, at the moment the enemy's flag was seen to come down, the cheers +of his victorious crew ringing in his ears. + +Now, dear readers, old and young, farewell. I must bring these +recollections of my early career as a Midshipman to a conclusion. I +wish that I had reason to believe they were as edifying as I hope they +may have proved amusing. All I ask is, that you will deal lightly with +the faults of the work. Take whatever good advice you may have found +scattered through the previous pages, and do not, by imitating the bad +example of any of my old shipmates, give me cause to regret that I +undertook to write this veracious history, as Mr Jonathan Johnson would +say, of the early days of... + +MARMADUKE MERRY, THE MIDSHIPMAN. + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Marmaduke Merry, by William H. G. 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