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diff --git a/24615.txt b/24615.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1114ef3 --- /dev/null +++ b/24615.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10213 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of A Middy of the King, by Harry Collingwood + +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: A Middy of the King + A Romance of the Old British Navy + +Author: Harry Collingwood + +Illustrator: Edward S. Hodgson + +Release Date: February 14, 2008 [EBook #24615] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MIDDY OF THE KING *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +A Middy of the King, by Harry Collingwood. + +________________________________________________________________________ +The young hero of this tale is Dick Delamere, who was already a +midshipman, on leave, but who receives a letter from the Captain of the +Europa, recalling him to join the ship at Portsmouth. The date of the +events that ensue is the very late eighteenth century. + +The first few chapters cover the events while the Europa is on patrol in +the Chops of the Channel and the Bay of Biscay. The British are hostile +to the French and to the Dutch, and there are engagements with vessels +of these nations. Thereafter the vessel sails to the West Indies, where +one of the problems is to exterminate the pirates infesting those +waters. The book describes, possibly fairly accurately, the life of a +midshipman of those days and in those waters. At one point Dick +receives a very serious head-wound, but recovers with good treatment in +the Naval Hospital. On the whole the book has echoes of the immortal +works of Captain Marryat, which I am sure our author had studied very +carefully. + +Collingwood has exceptional powers of description, and this book makes +a good read, and, of course, a good audiobook. + +_______________________________________________________________________ +A MIDDY OF THE KING, BY HARRY COLLINGWOOD. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +H.M.S. EUROPA. + +I had just dismounted before the rather imposing main entrance to +Delamere Hall, situate close to the west Dorset coast, and had handed +over my horse to Tom Biddlecome, the groom who had accompanied me in my +before-breakfast ride down to the beach for my morning dip, when my +father appeared in the portico. + +"Good morning, Dick," he greeted me. "I suppose you have been for your +swim, as usual. How did you find the water?" + +"Grand, sir," I replied; "just the right temperature to put new life +into one. Another week, at this rate, ought to see me as well as ever I +was." + +"Well, your present appearance is scarcely that of an invalid, I must +confess," he remarked laughingly. "If you were called upon to submit to +a medical examination, I fancy the verdict would be that there is not +very much the matter with you. And I am very glad that it is so; for I +have just received a letter from my friend Vavassour, in which he +informs me that he has been posted to the new frigate _Europa_, launched +last week at Portsmouth and now fitting-out; that he has entered your +name on her books; and that, if you feel sufficiently recovered to +resume duty, he would very strongly advise you to proceed to Portsmouth +at once and assist in the operation of fitting-out, as he is of opinion +that by doing so you will gain a considerable amount of knowledge that +will be of the utmost value to you when you come to sit for your +examination. Now, what is your opinion? Do you think you are +sufficiently recovered to do as Vavassour suggests; or should I write +and ask him to--" + +"By no means, my dear father," I interrupted hastily. "I am quite well, +and perfectly fit for duty in every respect; indeed, I feel sure that, +having advanced so far along the road to recovery, a return to a life of +greater activity than that which I have been living of late will be +positively beneficial to me. Of course I shall be very sorry to leave +you again to a life of solitude." + +"Do not think of that, Dick," interrupted my father in his turn. "I +assure you that my life here is not nearly so lonely as you seem to +imagine. True, there are not many neighbours, but what there are, are +eminently satisfactory; also I have my horses, my dogs, my gun, and my +rod for outdoor companions, and books to exorcise the loneliness of my +evenings; so that you see I am not at all badly off. No doubt I shall +miss you after you are gone, my son; but this is not the time to study +one's own feelings. Britain just now needs every one of her sons who +can strike a blow in her defence; and when I look at your empty chair I +shall at least have the pride and satisfaction of knowing that, wherever +you may be, you are upholding the honour of your country and your name. +Well, well," he sighed, "let us get indoors and to breakfast. There is +a letter also for you from Vavassour, and you will be curious to learn +what he has to say to you." + +Whereupon, linked arm in arm, my father and I entered and made our way +to the breakfast room, where we seated ourselves, and were soon busy +with the viands placed before us. The letter to which my father had +referred lay beside my plate; and, having obtained his permission, I at +once broke the seal and glanced at its contents, for I was full of +curiosity to learn in detail the splendid news which my father had +outlined to me as he stood in the portico. + +But before proceeding further with this veracious history it will be +well that I should say a word or two about myself, by way of formally +introducing myself as it were to the reader, in order that if he feels +inclined to follow my fortunes, as set forth in the following pages, he +may know just who I am and how matters were standing with me at the +moment when this story opens. + +To begin, then, I was the only son of Sir Richard Delamere, of Delamere +Hall, in the county of Dorsetshire; Baronet, Justice of the Peace, +etcetera, etcetera, etcetera; and some sixteen and a half years before +the date at which this story starts I had received the name of Richard, +after my father, at the baptismal font in the fine old church in the +village of Delamere, that nestles snugly in the valley about a mile to +the north-eastward of the Hall. + +I never knew my mother, for she died in giving me birth; and my father, +who adored her living, and revered her memory, was some years older +before he fully forgave me for being the unwitting cause of her +premature departure from this world. And in this I could sympathise +with him as soon as I came to years of understanding, for she was not +only, as everybody who had known her asserted, of a most amiable and +loveable disposition, but--as her portrait in the big library bore +witness--a most lovely woman. + +But although I was unfortunate enough never to have known a mother's +love, I do not think I was actually very much the worse for the loss; +for upon my mother's death her place was most ably and conscientiously +filled by my aunt Griselda, my father's maiden sister, who faithfully +did her duty both by my father and me until she too passed away when I +was about eleven years old, by which time my father had completely +conquered his original resentment toward me, and we had become all that +father and son ought to be to each other. + +Then, after receiving the best education that it was at that time +possible for a lad to receive, I had entered the navy as a midshipman, +at the age of fourteen, and had gone out to the Mediterranean in the old +_Colossus_, two-decker, under the command of Sir Percy Fitzgerald, +where, for some two and a half years, we spent our time partly in +chasing the French up and down the great inland sea, and partly in +blockading the port of Toulon, under Sir John Jervis. It was while +engaged upon this latter service that I was so seriously wounded in the +head by a flying splinter that I was invalided home to recover, the +_Colossus_ being opportunely ordered to England at the same time to +undergo a general overhaul and refit. + +Of course I had not been in the navy for more than two years without +making a few friends, among the staunchest of whom I reckoned Mr Henry +Vavassour, the first lieutenant of the _Colossus_, and also a friend of +my father. This officer was a very dashing fellow, a prime seaman, and +a cool, courageous, resolute leader of men--he had frequently been +mentioned in dispatches--and I was therefore not at all surprised to +learn, as I now did, that he had gained his post rank and had been given +the command of a fine ship. His letter to me ran as follows: + + "My dear Delamere--I think you will be glad to learn that their + Lordships have been pleased to promote me, bestow upon me post rank, + and give me the command of the new frigate _Europa_, just launched at + Portsmouth. She is an exceedingly fine ship of 1216 tons, mounting 38 + guns; and, with smart officers and a good crew, I think she ought, + given ordinary luck, to render an excellent account of herself. + + "I have been allowed to nominate all my own officers, and I have + therefore entered you on the ship's books, not only for your father's + sake, but also on account of your excellent behaviour while aboard the + _Colossus_; and if, as I hope, you have sufficiently recovered to + join, you will again meet one or two of your former shipmates on the + quarter-deck of the new ship. + + "If you feel fit for duty I would very strongly advise you to join at + the earliest possible moment, as at present the _Europa_ has only her + three lower-masts stepped. She is in the hands of the riggers, and I + am of opinion that it would be of the utmost service to you if you + could be on the spot to witness the process of rigging; you would thus + obtain at first hand an insight into details, which will assuredly + stand you in good stead when you come to present yourself for + examination. I ought, perhaps, to inform you that in the event of + your deciding to act upon my advice it will be necessary for you to + take up your quarters temporarily aboard the receiving hulk, but this + inconvenience will be more than compensated by the knowledge that you + will gain. For myself, I am putting up at the `George' in the High + Street, and it will be well for you to report yourself to me there + upon your arrival. I have written to your father, explaining + everything; I need therefore add nothing to this beyond the expression + of the hope that you may be able to avail yourself to the fullest + extent of this splendid opportunity for gaining a great deal of most + useful knowledge in a very short time.--Yours sincerely, Henry + Vavassour." + +When I had finished the perusal of this exceedingly kind and friendly +letter I passed it over to my father, who in his turn read it carefully +through, and then passed it back to me with the question: + +"Well, Dick, my boy, what do you think of it?" + +"Simply, sir, that if you approve I will at once write to Captain +Vavassour, thanking him heartily for his very great kindness, and +telling him that I will start for Portsmouth to-morrow," I said. + +My father regarded me, rather wistfully I thought, for a few moments, +and then said: + +"Very well; be it so. Write your letter, by all means, and I will +enclose a few lines in it. And,"--suddenly, in a much more cheerful +tone of voice, as an idea seemed to suggest itself to him--"I'll tell +you what I'll do, Dick, I'll run over to Portsmouth with you, and stay +for a few days. A little change will do me good; and I should like very +much to see this new ship of yours, as well as to meet Vavassour again, +whom I have not seen for quite a number of years. Yes, certainly, I +will go over with you." + +Thus it was arranged. We wrote and dispatched our letters, spent the +remainder of the day in making our preparations, and started on our +journey soon after ten o'clock the next morning, posting it all the way +to Portsmouth, where we arrived at six o'clock the same evening, and put +up at the "George," where Captain Vavassour had established himself. Of +course, it was scarcely in accordance with strict naval etiquette for +me, a mere midshipman, to presume to quarter myself in the hotel that my +captain honoured with his patronage, but the circumstances were +exceptional in so far as that I was with my father; moreover, it was to +be for but one night, and the skipper was far too fine and manly a +fellow to take notice of so insignificant a breach of the unwritten law +as I was committing. My father and I dined with him that night, +incidentally making the acquaintance of Mr Malcolm Adair, the +_Europa's_ first lieutenant; and on the following morning, immediately +after breakfast, I proceeded on board the receiving hulk, reported +myself, then returned to the shore and made my way to Number 3 basin, in +which the frigate was undergoing the process of being rigged and +prepared for sea. + +I had not served for two and a half years in the Mediterranean without +learning something of what constituted a good model of a ship, and I no +sooner set eyes upon the _Europa_ than I fell violently in love with +her. She had been launched flying light, and then had been hauled under +the masting-sheers to have her three lower-masts stepped, after which it +had been necessary to move her to another part of the basin in order to +make way for another ship. She had occupied her new berth five days +when I first saw her, during which the carpenters, joiners, and painters +had been busily employed in finishing off her internal fittings; and +when first I beheld her the dockyard people were in the act of warping +her across the basin to still another berth, where she was to receive +her ballast; thus when my eyes first rested upon her she was floating +high out of the water, and I was afforded an excellent opportunity to +view and criticise her lines. She was somewhat shallow of hull and flat +in the floor, to give her a light draught of water, but to compensate +for this she was extraordinarily "beamy," which had the twofold effect +of imparting great stiffness under canvas, and affording fine roomy +decks. Her sides were as round as an apple--not an inch of "straight" +anywhere in them--and, despite her unusual breadth, her lines were the +finest and most beautiful that I had ever seen. She carried a full +poop, the interior of which constituted the captain's quarters--roomy, +light, and airy; and as I noted the length and solidity of her +lower-masts the idea occurred to me that, if the remainder of her spars +were to be in proportion, her sail-spread, combined with her perfect +lines, ought to give her such exceptional speed as would enable her to +do just as she pleased with an adversary. + +As soon as she was alongside and made fast I went on board and had a +good look at her interior, not forgetting to inscribe my name legibly on +the most conveniently situated locker in the midshipmen's berth, after +which I watched the operation of shipping and stowing her ballast. +There was not much of interest or instruction in this part of the work, +but when, on the following day, I witnessed the execution of the +apparently impossible task of getting the tops aloft and over the +mastheads, and was afterwards initiated into the mysteries of measuring +for and laying off rigging, getting it into position and setting it up; +and beheld the rapidity and assured certainty with which the three bare +lower spars were equipped with shrouds, stays, caps, etcetera; the +topmasts rose into place, were rigged and fidded; how the yards were +sent aloft and secured; and how, in short, the entire fabric became +rapidly converted from a mere empty shell into a complicated yet +marvellously perfect structure that needed but smart officers, a +well-disciplined crew, and the breathing of the winds of heaven to make +of her, not only the most beautiful and wonderful product of human +skill, but also a formidable self-contained engine of warfare, I +mentally confessed that not only was seamanship a most fascinating +science, but also that sailors were the most ingenious and adaptable +specimens of the entire human race. + +The work of fitting-out was pushed forward with all possible expedition. +A bare three weeks, therefore, from the day of my arrival in +Portsmouth, saw the _Europa_ all ataunt, with royal-yards across, sails +bent, stores of all descriptions on board and stowed, water-tanks +filled, guns mounted, and, in fact, ready for sea in every respect, +except that her crew were not on board, and her magazines were empty. +Then she was warped out of the basin, her crew turned over to her from +the receiving hulk, and she was taken out to Spithead to receive her +powder. During all this time my father had remained at Portsmouth, +quartered at the "George," spending as much as possible of his time with +me in the dockyard; and after the work of the day was over I generally-- +by favour of Mr Adair, the first lieutenant--dined and spent the +evening with him, the discipline of the receiving hulk not being very +severe, and nobody caring much at what time I went aboard at night so +long as I was present at muster next morning. But on the day that the +crew were turned over, and the ship was taken out to Spithead, these +little indulgences came to an end; for the frigate was no sooner at +anchor than, before the powder hoy arrived alongside, Captain Vavassour +came off, the crew were mustered, and he read his commission and hoisted +his pennant, from which moment the strictest naval discipline became the +order of the day. Nevertheless, when at the conclusion of the +above-mentioned ceremony the skipper ordered his gig and returned to the +shore, I obtained leave to accompany him, upon condition that I reported +myself on board again by eight o'clock. I therefore again, and for the +last time during that cruise, dined with my father, after which he +accompanied me to the Hard, bade me a most affectionate good-bye, and +stood watching the wherry which was conveying me off to the ship, until +the boat passed out of the harbour and we vanished from his sight. Not +until long afterward did I know that, instead of starting for home the +next morning, as he had talked of doing, he crossed over to Gosport the +first thing after breakfast, walked to Haslar, and stationed himself on +the beach at Gilkicker Point, watching the frigate until she had got +under way and passed out of sight to the southward and eastward. + +The next morning, at daylight, Blue Peter was hoisted at the fore-royal +masthead and a gun fired as a signal that the ship was about to sail; +boats were hoisted in and stowed, stock was brought alongside, and the +order was given to clear the ship of strangers--sailors' wives and +sweethearts who had come off to say a last good-bye, bumboat women who +were making a final desperate effort to obtain a settlement of their +accounts, and tradesmen of all kinds engaged upon the same errand or +intent upon palming off upon the men otherwise unsaleable stock. + +Shortly after ten o'clock Captain Vavassour came on board, immediately +after which the hands were piped to "up anchor"; and within half-an-hour +we were under way and standing out toward Saint Helens, under all plain +sail, before a light northerly breeze. + +We had not been under way a quarter of an hour before it became apparent +to everybody on board that the _Europa_ was going to more than justify +the exceedingly favourable opinion that we had already formed of her; +for, light as was the wind, she slid through the water at a speed that +fairly astonished us, her keen stem cleaving the short Channel surges +cleanly and with very little noise or fuss, and leaving behind her a +wake so smooth and so little disturbed that at a distance of a quarter +of a mile it vanished altogether. And when, an hour or so later, having +made a good offing, the skipper ordered her to be hauled to the wind on +a taut bowline for a short time, to test her speed under those +conditions, and then put her about, she went to windward and tacked like +a yacht. + +Our cruising-ground was a fairly extensive one, stretching from the +longitude of Cape la Hague on the one hand to longitude 10 degrees West +on the other, and from latitude 50 degrees North to Cape Finisterre; in +other words, it embraced the chops of the Channel and the whole of the +Bay of Biscay; and our duty was to protect British commerce on the high +seas, and harry the enemy generally. The wide limits of our +cruising-ground, and the fact that, for the moment at least, we were +free to go whither we pleased within those limits, was a source of the +keenest gratification to all hands, for it was just within that area +that the privateers of the enemy were then displaying the most activity +and doing the greatest amount of mischief; and we were all looking +forward hopefully to the prospect of making plenty of captures and +recaptures. But those of us who had been shipmates together in the old +_Colossus_ found an additional source of gratification in the speed of +our new craft; for whereas in the _Colossus_--which was possibly the +slowest ship ever launched--we had done plenty of chasing, we had never +been able to catch anything unless all the conditions were strongly in +our favour; while now we hoped to find the state of affairs very much +the opposite. + +It was not only upon the speed of the _Europa_, however, that we built +our hopes of success; for not only was she an unusually fast vessel, but +she carried an exceptionally heavy armament for a ship of her class, +namely, twenty-four long 24-pounders on her main-deck, and fourteen long +8-pounders on her quarter-deck and forecastle; while, to crown all, her +crew consisted of two hundred and ninety-two men--every one of whom had +voluntarily entered. Furthermore, of those two hundred and ninety-two +men, no less than one hundred and sixty-five had been aboard the +_Colossus_, and had joined after being paid off from that craft; while, +on the quarter-deck, the skipper, Mr Galway the second lieutenant, Mr +Trimble the master, Maxwell the master's-mate, Gascoigne a midshipman, +Mr Purvis the gunner, and myself had all been shipmates together in the +same craft. + +Having manoeuvred the ship for close upon two hours, with the view of +testing her speed and handiness in varying circumstances, so far as was +possible under the existing conditions of wind and sea, we bore up and +shaped a course for Cape la Hague, which we made just before nightfall. +Then, as the breeze seemed inclined to freshen a trifle, rendering the +ship more manageable in the strong tides that sweep that part of the +coast, the Captain determined to search the bight at the bottom of which +lies the French port of Saint Malo, just then notorious for the number +of privateers which it fitted out and sent to sea. We accordingly +passed in about half-way between Alderney and the mainland, maintaining +an offing from the latter of about eight miles, and took in our royals +and topgallantsails. + +Passing inside the Chausey Islands, breakfast-time the next morning +found us off the town, in the harbour of which we saw a number of small +fishing and coasting craft, but nothing of importance; we therefore +hauled up to the westward, set our topgallantsails, and boarded the fore +and main tacks, in order to work out clear of Brehat and secure a good +offing; for the glass was dropping, the breeze freshening, there was a +"greasy" look about the sky to windward that seemed to portend a blow, +and we were on a lee-shore. + +As the morning advanced the portents became more pronounced; the wind +increased to such an extent that we first had to stow our +topgallantsails again and then single-reef the topsails, and a very +nasty short, choppy sea quickly got up, into which the frigate plunged +viciously to the height of her figurehead, sending deluges of spray over +her weather cathead and into the hollow of her foresail until the canvas +was darkened with wet half-way up to the yard, while it thickened up +away to windward until it became impossible to distinguish anything +beyond the distance of a mile, and the wind backed on us until it was +out from about North-North-West, with the result that, when at length we +made the land, it stretched right athwart our hawse and reached away to +windward, as far as the eye could penetrate the mist. + +There was nothing for it but to 'bout ship and haul off on the other +tack; the crew were therefore piped to stations and the helm eased down, +when the ship swept grandly up into the wind and went round like a top, +holding her way in a style that delighted as much as it surprised us, +and staying almost as quickly as the men could swing the yards. + +Eight bells of the afternoon watch had just struck when, the weather +clearing suddenly, we made the island of Guernsey, some eight miles +ahead, and Jersey somewhat more distant, two points before our starboard +beam; and at the same moment two craft were made out, about six miles +away from us and broad on our weather-beam, coming down before the wind +under a heavy press of sail, and heading as though bound for Saint Malo. +They were within half a mile of each other, and appeared to be in +company. + +The instant that they were seen there was a general rush for telescopes +on the part of all the officers on deck; and after a protracted scrutiny +of them the general consensus of opinion was that they were a French +privateer and a British merchantman which she had captured. Coming down +toward us, end-on as they were, it was not easy at first to determine +their rig, but both were large ships, one of them being of about six +hundred tons, while the other appeared to be fully as big as ourselves. +That their eyes were as sharp as our own very soon became evident; for +while we were still peering at them through our glasses, we saw a string +of flags go soaring aloft on board the smaller craft of the two, and +immediately afterward both vessels slightly altered their course, the +bigger of the two hauling up a couple of points to the southward and +shaping a course that would carry her across our stern at a distance of +about two miles, while the other very smartly clewed up her +topgallantsails, took a single-reef in her topsails, and slightly hauled +her wind, as though with the purpose of intercepting us. This action on +their part at once confirmed our suspicions as to their respective +characters, and at the same time enabled us to determine that they were +both full-rigged ships. + +"The smaller will be the privateer, and, therefore, in all probability +the faster vessel of the two, Mr Adair," said the skipper. "We will +accordingly tackle him first; for I think we can polish him off in time +to catch the other fellow before he can get into port. Beat to +quarters, if you please, sir, and show our colours." + +The first lieutenant gave the order, the drum rattled out its summons, +and the ship at once became a hive of activity; the decks were cleared +of everything that could possibly interfere with the efficient working +of the guns; the guns themselves were cast loose, the half-ports knocked +out, screens put up, the magazine opened, powder and shot passed up on +deck, cutlasses and pistols served out to the crew, and, in short, every +preparation made for battle. Our ensign was streaming out in the +breeze, as flat as a board, from the mizen peak, but neither of the +strangers had thus far condescended to show us the colour of their +bunting. They had now definitely parted company, the larger of the two +edging in for the land with the evident intention of reaching a port, +while the other, having hauled her wind, was as evidently preparing to +cover the retreat of her prize by engaging us in a running fight and +drawing us off-shore to the northward. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +THE PRIVATEER AND HER PRIZE. + +The smaller of the two craft, having hauled close to the wind, upon the +same tack as ourselves, and about two miles dead to windward of us, now +hoisted French colours, and fired a gun of defiance, the shot from +which, however, fell a long way short of us. We did not attempt to +reply to this challenge, for although our long 24-pounders would +probably have reached the other ship, the skipper considered the +distance too great for our fire to be effective, while the motion of the +frigate was so violent that the chances were against our being able to +make a hit at all, and Captain Vavassour was noted for the strength of +his objection to the wasteful firing away of ammunition. For the +moment, therefore, he contented himself with testing the respective +speed and weatherliness of the two ships. + +We very soon discovered that, so far as these two qualities were +concerned, we had caught a Tartar; for although within the first ten +minutes of the test it became apparent that we were head-reaching upon +the craft to windward, our advantage was so slight that we could +scarcely hope to get within effective range of her in less than two +hours at least, while during the whole of that time the bigger of the +two strangers would be proceeding in the opposite direction at such a +rate as would render her ultimate escape a practical certainty. + +The skipper looked long and anxiously, first at one craft, then at the +other, and finally at the barometer; then he rejoined the first +lieutenant, who was giving his attention almost exclusively to the chase +to windward. + +"This won't do at all, Mr Adair," he said. "That fellow is going +through the water almost as fast as we are, and is holding as good a +luff. At this rate we shall not get to grips with him before dark, +which will probably mean losing the big fellow, if not both of them. I +see that the barometer is inclined to rise; we will, therefore, shake +the reef out of the topsails, and set the fore and main-topgallant +sails. If it becomes a question of `carrying-on,' I think we ought to +have the best of it by a long way." + +"Ay, I'm no sayin' ye may no be richt, sir," answered the first +lieutenant; "but it'll be an unco strain upon the spars to set thae +to'gallants'ls; our new rigging has stretched until it's all hangin' in +bights, as ye may see for yoursel' by lookin' at it. Still, it may be +worth the tryin': but will ye no see what we can do under whole topsails +before settin' the to'gallants'ls?" + +"I think not," said the skipper. "We have not the time to spare for +tentative measures; and although, as you truly say, the rigging has +badly stretched, I think it has scarcely stretched sufficiently +seriously to imperil the spars. We shall sail all the better for a +little spring and whip in the masts, unless I am greatly mistaken; +therefore have the goodness to make sail at once, sir, if you please." + +In the face of so decided an opinion as this there was of course nothing +further to be said, and five minutes later the _Europa_ was leaping and +plunging madly through the short, choppy Channel seas, with her topmasts +and topgallant-masts whipping like fishing rods under the strain of the +increased canvas, while the whole of her fore-deck was deluged with the +spray that came in over the weather cathead, in cataracts that leapt +almost as high as the foreyard. The chase lost not a moment in +following our example, and setting the same canvas as ourselves; but +scarcely ten minutes had elapsed before the correctness of the Captain's +judgment became manifest, for within that brief space of time it was +seen that we were fast head-reaching and weathering upon the Frenchman, +who was evidently overpowered by his too heavy press of canvas. + +A quarter-of-an-hour later Captain Vavassour gave the order to tack; and +while the frigate was in stays, plunging bows under, and quivering to +her keel with the furious slatting of her canvas as she swept up into +the wind, we had the satisfaction of seeing the Frenchman's +mizen-topmast go over the side. + +"Now we have him!" ejaculated the Captain, in a tone of exultation. +"With his mizen-topsail gone he will no longer be able to maintain so +close a luff as ourselves, and within half-an-hour we shall be able to +do as we please with him." + +That the stranger was strong-handed, and that she carried a thoroughly +well-disciplined crew was evident; for by the time that we had paid off +on the other tack and had swung our foreyard, her mizen rigging was full +of men busy upon the task of clearing away the wreck of the topmast, +while others were equally busy in clewing-up and furling the +fore-topgallantsail and hauling down and stowing her flying-jib, to +enable her to maintain as good a luff as possible. But desperate as +were their efforts they could do nothing with us now, at least upon a +wind; therefore when we next tacked--which was the moment that we were +fairly in her wake--she suddenly put up her helm, squared away dead +before the wind, and proceeded to set studdingsails on both sides. + +The Captain rubbed his hands and chuckled with delight as he saw this. + +"Up helm and after her, Mr Adair," he exclaimed. "It is the very thing +I could have wished for; she must be a veritable witch at sailing, if +she can beat us before the wind. But we will set our port studdingsails +only, to start with, if you please; for if, as I expect, we have the +heels of her, I will haul up a point or two and endeavour to close with +her to point-blank range." + +Another three minutes saw us both sweeping away to leeward like meteors, +the chase about a mile distant, broad on our port beam, with +studdingsails set on both sides, from her royals down; while we, with +studdingsails set to port only, were edging rapidly in upon her, while +fully holding our own with her in other respects. And, oh, what a +relief it was to feel the long, easy, floating motion and the level keel +of a ship running before wind and sea, in exchange for the short, savage +digging into a head sea, with its accompaniments of drenching showers of +spray, sickening lee lurches, and a whole gale of wind buffeting one in +the face and doing its utmost to drive one's teeth down one's throat. + +The Captain's expectations relative to the frigate's behaviour on the +new point of sailing were quickly verified; so quickly, indeed, that +within a quarter of an hour we found ourselves within easy range of the +chase--a fact which was brought home to us by a shot from her passing +within a foot of our hammock rail and whizzing between our fore and +mainmast. + +"Now, Mr Adair," said the skipper, "you may see what you can do with +her. Let the captains of the guns try their hands upon her +individually, doing their best to cut up her spars and rigging. We want +to capture, not to sink her; she is far too fine a ship to be sent to +the bottom, therefore spare her hull as much as possible." + +The first lieutenant went down on the main-deck and personally repeated +the Captain's instructions; and before he returned to the quarter-deck +the first of our long 24-pounders spoke its message, the shot passing +through the stranger's foresail and narrowly missing the mast. Then our +8-pounders got to work, and very soon we saw loose ropes'-ends streaming +out on board her, showing that our fire had not been wholly in vain, +although, so far, no damage worth speaking of had been done. Nor were +the Frenchmen idle; on the contrary, they fired about four guns to every +one of ours, but after that first shot of theirs they appeared to have +become flurried and excited, and their aim correspondingly wild; at all +events, although some of their shot came near us, while one or two +actually flew over us, not one of them came near enough to do us a +ropeyarn's worth of damage. + +With our own men it was very different; the more often they fired the +cooler did they seem to become; and it was amusing to see the eagerness +with which, after firing, they watched the effect of each shot, with the +evident purpose of correcting their aim next time. The result of this +caution on their part soon became apparent, for we had scarcely fired a +dozen shots when we saw the stranger's fore-topmast go swooping over +the bows; and the next minute she broached-to, losing her +main-topgallant-mast and snapping every one of her studdingsail booms in +the process. + +"Cease firing!" shouted the skipper. "In studdingsails, Mr Adair; clew +up and furl your royals and topgallantsails; in flying-jib; and then +haul your wind, if you please. The fellow will surely not hold out any +longer." + +He did, though, pluckily maintaining a fire upon us with two guns run +out through his stern ports--evidently hoping to disable us, while his +crew worked like demons in their efforts to clear away the wreckage; and +it was not until we ranged up on his weather quarter, within +biscuit-toss, and threatened him with the whole of our starboard +broadside, that he hauled down his colours and surrendered. + +The heavy sea that was now running rendered the task of taking +possession of the prize exceedingly difficult; nevertheless, by the +exercise of the utmost skill and care, the first and second cutters, +under the command of Mr Howard, our second lieutenant, and O'Brien, one +of the midshipmen, at length managed to get alongside and put a +prize-crew of thirty-two men on board her. The boats quickly returned +to the ship with the intelligence that the prize was the twenty-six-gun +privateer _Belle Marie_ of Saint Malo, carrying a total crew of two +hundred and thirty men, of whom eighty-seven were at the moment away in +prizes, forty of them being on board the British East Indiaman +_Masulipatam_--the ship which had by this time passed out of sight in +the southern board. The weather conditions being unfavourable for the +transfer of the Frenchmen from the prize to the frigate, without the +loss of a great deal of valuable time, Captain Vavassour hailed Mr +Howard, instructing him to confine the prisoners below, and then, with +the aid of the carpenter's crew which we were about to send him, to +repair damages as well as he could, and make the best of his way to +Portsmouth. It was almost dark by the time that all the necessary +arrangements were completed and the boats once more hoisted in, when we +wore round and shaped a course which we hoped would enable us to +intercept and recapture the Indiaman before she could reach Saint Malo. + +This course brought the wind about three points abaft the starboard +beam; it was consequently a leading wind, therefore, the business being +pressing, we not only showed all plain sail, to our topgallantsails, but +also set topmast and lower studdingsails to windward, the yards being +braced slightly forward. This was a heavy press of canvas to pile upon +the ship, with the wind where it was, and so heavy a sea running, but +the Captain evidently considered--as, indeed, did we all--that the +circumstances justified a certain measure of recklessness, for we had +all observed that the _Masulipatam_ was, at all events when going free, +almost as fast a ship as the _Belle Marie_; and haste was necessary if +we would overtake her before she reached her port. + +By four bells in the first watch the wind had moderated sufficiently to +permit of our setting all three royals, as well as the weather +topgallant studdingsails; and half-an-hour later we sighted the craft of +which we were in pursuit about four points on our starboard-bow. She +was then about twelve miles distant, and only just distinguishable with +the aid of our best night glasses; and the fact that we were still so +far astern of her seemed to render it exceedingly doubtful whether she +would not, after all, make good her escape. The fear that she would do +so was still further strengthened when at midnight we made Cape Frehel +light, with the chase still leading by a full eight miles; the only +chance in our favour being that, as the bearing of the light proved, the +Indiaman was some three miles to windward of her course, and would have +to bear away for it, while we were heading for Saint Malo as straight as +we could go. As the night passed on, however, our hopes rose somewhat, +for the weather cleared, while the wind softened down; and with the +softening of the wind it became apparent that we were gaining more +rapidly. + +As the time wore on so did the chase grow increasingly exciting, our +hopes every moment strengthening, until at length, by three bells in the +middle watch, they had merged into a conviction that nothing short of a +miracle could save the Indiaman from recapture. Some such conviction +must also have forced itself upon the mind of the officer in charge of +her, for just after four bells had been struck we saw him suddenly take +in his studdingsails and haul his wind, having apparently decided that +he must inevitably be taken if he persisted in his endeavour to get into +Saint Malo. By the direction in which he was now steering it seemed +probable that he had determined to seek shelter in one of the +indentations to the westward of Frehel, many of which were at that time +defended by earthwork batteries for the protection of the French +coasting craft from our cruisers and privateers. + +This move on the part of the Indiaman's prizemaster proved the man to be +possessed of both sagacity and foresight, for it threw us at once some +four miles to leeward of him and compelled us forthwith to take in our +studdingsails and brace sharp up in order to follow him, while he was +now so close to the land that there was every prospect of his being able +to get in and anchor under the shelter of a battery before we could +overtake him. And that, in the end, was precisely what occurred; for +when at length we weathered Cape Frehel we were just in time to see him +entering Pleher Bay, where he presently rounded-to, clewed up his +canvas, and let go his anchor. + +Naturally, Captain Vavassour was not the sort of man to see a possible +rich prize riding at anchor in the enemy's waters without making a +determined attempt to secure possession of her; we therefore stood +boldly in after the Indiaman until we arrived within half a mile of the +entrance of the bay--at that point about two miles across--when two +batteries of six guns each, built upon opposite headlands forming the +entrance to the bay, opened fire upon us, and with such effect that +within five minutes we had been hulled seven times, and had lost two men +killed and five wounded. This afforded the skipper all the information +that he just then required, namely, the fact that batteries existed, and +also the exact position and strength of them--it now appearing that they +were armed with 32-pounders. We therefore hove about and got out of +range again as quickly as possible; for, as the Captain said, it was no +good returning the fire of earthwork batteries; we might have plumped +into them every shot we had on board without doing them a +farthing's-worth of damage, while, had we attempted to force a passage +into the bay with the frigate, they might easily have sunk us. + +But the fun was not yet over; as a matter of fact it had really not +begun--the affair of the batteries was merely the overture of the little +drama which was taking shape in the skipper's brain. We stretched off +the land until we were about three miles distant from the mouth of the +bay, and then the ship was hove-to and preparation was made for the +dispatch of a cutting-out expedition; that is to say, an attack upon the +Indiaman by the frigate's boats, with the object of overpowering her +prize-crew, cutting her cables, and bringing her out of the harbour. + +The launch, yawl, and the two cutters were the boats told off by the +Captain for this service, and as soon as the frigate was hove-to the +fighting crews of these boats--consisting of the very pick of the ship's +crew--were piped away, the boats hoisted out, and the preparation of the +craft for the service which they were about to undertake proceeded with. +Each of the boats named possessed, as part of her fighting equipment, a +gun mounted in the bows upon fore-and-aft slides, those belonging to the +launch and yawl being 18-pounder carronades, while the first and second +cutters each mounted a 12-pounder. As soon as the boats were in the +water they were taken charge of temporarily by their respective +coxswains--the best four men in the ship--who at once proceeded to +supervise the shipping and mounting of the guns, each coxswain assuring +himself, by personal inspection, that this important piece of work was +properly executed. The amount of shot likely to be required was next +passed down into the boats and carefully stowed upon the bottom-boards, +every precaution being taken to provide against it breaking adrift with +the rolling and pitching of the boats. The chests containing cartridges +for the guns and ammunition for the small-arms were next passed in and +stowed, and finally a couple of beakers of water were placed in each +boat, together with a small quantity of spirits for use, if necessary, +in reviving the wounded. This completed the preparation of the boats +for the projected expedition, and was done by the ordinary crews of the +boats, the fighting crews meanwhile busying themselves in examining the +flints of their pistols, fitting new ones where necessary, loading the +pistols and sharpening their cutlasses. + +At length the coxswains reported the boats ready, whereupon the officers +told off to command them went down the side and carefully inspected +them, satisfying themselves that nothing had been forgotten. Then the +members of the expedition were mustered on the quarter-deck and +inspected by the first lieutenant, who examined each man's weapons and +equipment before passing him for service. The officers appointed to +proceed upon the expedition were Mr Adair, the first lieutenant, in +charge of the launch and in supreme command of the entire expedition; +Mr Trimble, the master, in charge of the yawl; Mr Purvis, the gunner, +in the first cutter; and Mr O'Donnel, the boatswain, in the second. In +addition to these there also went Mr Burroughs, the assistant surgeon, +and myself in the launch, and a midshipman in each of the other boats. +As I anticipated the possibility of hot work before all was done, I took +the precaution to discard my dirk and to provide myself, in place +thereof, with a ship's cutlass and a pair of loaded pistols. + +The inspection at length satisfactorily ended, the first lieutenant +reported to the Captain that all was ready; the Captain--who had already +arranged his plans with the officers commanding--gave the word to man +boats and shove off, and in another couple of minutes we had started, +and the frigate had filled away and was heading to seaward. + +Not so the boats. The Captain and Mr Adair, discussing together the +plan of operations, had come to the conclusion that it would not be of +the slightest use to attempt to bring out the Indiaman in the face of +those two batteries which had already given us so convincing a taste of +their quality; it had therefore been arranged that, upon shoving off, +the boats should be formed into two divisions for the purpose of +attacking the batteries and spiking the guns. This, accordingly, was +now done, the launch and first cutter forming the starboard division, +destined to attack the battery on the western headland, while the yawl +and the second cutter, led by the master, constituted the port division, +the mission of which was to silence effectively the battery on the +eastern headland of the harbour. The first lieutenant and the master +made a few brief final arrangements, and then the divisions separated, +each steering for its own proper headland, the senior officer leading +and the other following close behind, so as to show as inconspicuously +as might be on the dark surface of the water, and thus, if luck favoured +us, take the Frenchmen unawares. + +Meanwhile, the night was passing rapidly away; for we had scarcely got +clear of the frigate when seven bells of the middle watch was struck, +and, it being then the middle of August, we might expect daylight very +shortly, when a surprise would at once become an impossibility; the word +was therefore passed for the oarsmen to give way at top speed, and away +we all went, as if for a wager, the two divisions heading respectively +south-west and south-east, in the hope that we might get close enough in +with the land to escape detection, and even possibly to land, before the +coming dawn betrayed us. + +Now, although we were travelling at racing pace, our progress was +practically noiseless, the only sounds being the dip of oars in the +water and the lap and gurgle of the water about the boats' bows, Captain +Vavassour having already had the oars of these boats fitted to work in +rope grummets shipping over a single stout pin, instead of in the usual +rowlocks, and since much care had been used to render the grummets +tight-fitting, while the leathers had been well greased, there was none +of the usual rattle of oars in rowlocks,--a sound which in quiet weather +may often be heard at an almost incredible distance,--nor, thanks to the +greasing of the leathers, was there any creaking or grinding of the oars +against the pins; and of course no conversation was permitted beyond an +occasional whispered order to the coxswain. + +In this fashion, then, we pulled shoreward, the distance to be traversed +being about three miles; and when at length the dawn broke and there was +light enough to enable us to see where we were, we--the starboard +division--found ourselves about a quarter of a mile distant from the +beach, with both batteries shut out from our view by a slightly +projecting bluff; and, thus far, nothing had occurred to lead us to +suppose that we had been either heard or seen. As for the frigate, she +had disappeared, probably behind Cape Frehel; there was nothing, +therefore, so far as we could see, to put the French on the alert, or to +alarm them in any way. We, therefore, now headed the boats straight in +for the beach, catching a momentary glimpse as we did so of the other +division, apparently doing the same thing. + +The beach for which we were heading was composed of firm red sand, +sloping rather steeply down into the water, and the sea was smooth; we, +therefore, rushed them in until they were high and dry for nearly a +quarter of their length, the men leapt out over the bows on to the dry +sand, and then, with two boat-keepers in each boat to look after them, +they were shoved off again, with orders to keep afloat, and, if +threatened, to pull off to a safe distance and await our return. + +Our little party, officers included, mustered forty-one men, the second +division consisting of three less; and no sooner were we all landed than +Mr Adair led us right up to the foot of the low cliffs that bordered +the beach, so that it was impossible for any one to detect our presence +unless by standing on the very verge of the cliff and looking directly +down upon us. + +The next thing to be done was to reconnoitre the battery that we +intended to attack, and ascertain the easiest way to get inside it. +This duty was confided to me, I being the youngest and, presumably, the +most active of the party, while--as I afterwards learned--the Captain +had assured Mr Adair that both my courage and my discretion might be +relied upon. + +"Ye clearly understan', noo, Maister Delamere, precisely what ye hae to +dae?" observed the first luff, when concluding his instructions to me. +"Oor business is tae tak' yon wee bit battery, and to spike the guns. +But we're to dae't wi'oot loss o' life on oor ain part, if possible; +ye'll therefore approach the place cannily and get as close up to it as +maybe wi'oot bein' discovert; and, that done, ye'll be pleased tae keek +roun' and ascertain if there's ony way o' gettin' intil it wi'oot haein' +to stor-r-m it. If we can creep up and tak' the gairrison by surprise, +sae muckle the better. Noo, gang awa' wi' ye, laddie; tak' care o' +yersel! and get back as soon as ye can, no forgettin' that if ye fin' +yoursel' in trouble, ye're to fire a pistol, and we'll come to your +help." + +I touched my hat and, turning upon my heel, proceeded forthwith to +scramble up the steep face of the cliff, helping myself up by driving my +drawn cutlass deep into the stiff clay soil of which the cliff was +composed. Reaching the top without much difficulty, I found myself upon +somewhat uneven ground, the surface of which sloped slightly down toward +the land. The soil was clothed with short, thick grass and closely +overgrown with dense clumps of furze bushes, which I at once perceived +would afford excellent cover for the approach of our men. Somewhat to +my discomfiture, however, I saw a flock of sheep grazing at no great +distance inland, while about a mile away to the south-west was a small +village, in the single street of which I could perceive people already +moving about. Clearly, we had no time to lose if we wished to take our +friends the enemy by surprise; availing myself, therefore, to the utmost +extent of the cover of the furze bushes, I set off in the direction of +the battery, which I presently sighted about half a mile away. Stooping +low as I ran from bush to bush, and peering cautiously round each before +venturing to start for the next, I soon found myself within about thirty +yards of the battery, which I saw to be a crescent-shaped affair, facing +eastward and thus in conjunction with the battery on the opposite point, +completely commanding the entrance of the bay. It was in reality a +brick-work structure, consisting of four chambers with arched roofs +supporting a gun platform protected by a parapet pierced with +embrasures, the brick-work in its turn being protected by an earth-bank +thrown up in front of it in the form of a glacis. It mounted six +64-pounders; and the chambers beneath the gun platform I took to be the +magazine, general store-room, and soldiers' quarters. The gun platform +was approached at either end by a good wide flight of steps; and beside +each gun was a goodly pile of shot, while sponges, rammers, handspikes, +and the rest of the paraphernalia for loading and training the guns +reposed in brackets fixed to the inner face of the parapet. Two +sentries were stationed upon the gun platform, pacing to and fro, and +evidently keeping a sharp lookout to seaward, and a number of +artillerymen were performing their morning ablutions, brushing their +clothes, etcetera, in the paved space before the chambers. Strangely +enough, the back of the battery was left perfectly open and unprotected +by either wall or fence; there was therefore absolutely nothing to +prevent its being rushed from the land side. I counted the men in sight +to the number of thirty-three, but concluded that there must be others +somewhere inside the chambers; and then, having acquired all the +information possible under the circumstances, made the best of my way +back to where Mr Adair and the rest of our party impatiently awaited +me. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +A CUTTING-OUT EXPEDITION. + +In as few words as possible I reported to the first lieutenant the +extent of my discoveries, and, in return, received his tersely-expressed +commendation of my efforts; after which he briefly addressed his +followers, explaining to them the importance of making the attack as +complete a surprise as possible, and pointing out the necessity for +availing ourselves to the utmost possible extent of the cover afforded +us by the gorse bushes while approaching the battery. Then, having told +off six of the men for the especial duty of spiking the guns--one man to +each gun--he directed me to lead the way, stationing himself alongside +me. + +Three minutes later the entire party were on top of the cliffs, where we +paused for a moment to reconnoitre the ground afresh, and get our breath +after the exertion of climbing; then we moved slowly and cautiously +forward again, allowing plenty of time for each man to creep across the +open spaces from one patch of cover to the next, until in the course of +some twenty-five minutes all hands of us were lying down behind a large +clump of bushes, some twenty yards from the battery, which I had +previously fixed upon as a convenient point from which to start our +final rush. Here another brief pause was made, which Mr Adair, +kneeling behind a bush, utilised to count heads and make sure that all +hands had come up; when, having satisfied himself upon this point, he +drew his sword, flourished it over his head as a signal, and, springing +to his feet, led us all at top speed in a charge upon the unprotected +rear of the battery. + +The wild cheer of our lads as they broke cover and rushed across the +narrow open space which still separated them from the battery was +evidently the first intimation to the garrison that anything was wrong, +for our sudden appearance seemed to take them absolutely by surprise, +with the result that something very like a panic ensued among them. A +few, after staring at us agape and motionless for a second or two, as +though unable to comprehend what we were after, came to life and took to +their heels, attempting to bolt out of the battery before we could reach +it. But our lads quickly stopped them by spreading out in front of them +and driving them back at the point of the cutlass; others, seeing the +impossibility of retreat in that direction, dashed into one of the +chambers beneath the gun platform, slamming the door behind them, +regardless of the fact that they were shutting out many of their +comrades, and barricading themselves against attack, as we could hear by +the sounds proceeding from the inside; while, as for the two sentries on +the platform, they simply fired their muskets in the air, flung them +down, and vaulted over the parapet on to the glacis, thus making good +their escape. The six men charged with the duty of spiking the guns +dashed straightway up the steps leading to the gun platform, and at once +proceeded to the execution of their task, leaving their comrades below +to deal with the garrison; and in less than five minutes the battery was +in our possession, and the six guns effectually spiked. True, a few of +the artillerymen who had retreated to the interior of the structure +thrust muskets through the windows of the chamber and snapped them off +at us; but they speedily gave that up and surrendered at discretion upon +my approaching a broken window and shouting through it, by Mr Adair's +orders, the information that we were about to explode the magazine, and +that they had better come out if they did not wish to perish amid the +ruins. + +When all hands upon both sides were mustered it was found that we had +gained possession of the battery without the least injury to either +side. The French officer was then directed to march his men--who were +of course disarmed--to the village which I had seen earlier in the +morning, and which we now learned was called Erquy; and as soon as they +were fairly out of the battery the magazine was broken open, the powder +barrels rolled together in the middle of the room, the heads knocked +out, and a train laid from barrel to barrel, while another party of our +men was busily engaged in bringing the six spiked guns together in a +cluster immediately over the magazine. A quarter-of-an-hour sufficed to +complete these preparations, when one end of a long fuse was buried in +one of the barrels of powder, the remainder of the fuse being carried as +far as it would go across the paved yard. The men then fell in and, +under my command, marched out of the yard and took the way along the +cliffs toward the boats, while Mr Adair and the gunner remained behind +to fire the fuse and ensure the destruction of the battery. We had been +gone about ten minutes, and had almost reached the spot where we were to +make our descent to the beach, when the earth shook and jarred violently +beneath our feet, a dull, heavy _boom_ burst upon the morning silence, a +fierce gust of wind suddenly swept over us, and, looking back, we saw an +enormous dim-coloured cloud, heavily charged with hurtling debris, +dismounted cannon, and masses of shattered brick-work, hovering over the +spot where the battery had been. Two minutes later the first luff and +the gunner, breathless and panting, came running up to us, and we all +plunged down the cliff-face together. The boat-keepers, seeing us +coming, headed the boats in toward the beach; and within another five +minutes we were once more afloat and pulling quietly alongshore toward +the mouth of the bay, intently watching, meanwhile, for some indication +of the whereabouts of the other division. We had not long to wait, for +we had scarcely pulled a quarter of a mile when the battery on the other +headland blew up; and presently the yawl and second cutter came into +view from behind the point, pulling hard for the mouth of the bay. + +There was, of course, no possibility of further secrecy in regard to our +movements, for the blowing-up of the two batteries would sufficiently +advertise the presence of an enemy in the neighbourhood, while the fact +of having been chased by the frigate during the preceding night would +give the Indiaman's prize-crew a tolerably accurate idea of where we +came from, and what were our ultimate intentions. We, therefore, made +no pretence of concealing ourselves, but--a nice little westerly breeze +having sprung up with the rising of the sun--boldly laid in our oars, +stepped the boats' masts, and hoisted the sails, by doing which we +reckoned upon getting over the ground at greater speed while conserving +the strength of our contingent for the attack upon the Indiaman. The +master and his party were unable to follow our lead in this respect, for +the wind which was fair for us was dead in their teeth; but, on the +other hand, we had about two miles more than they to cover. It thus +happened that the two divisions of boats arrived at the entrance +practically at the same instant, the port division leading only by just +barely time enough to step their masts and set their canvas for the run +into the bay before we joined them. + +The Indiaman was anchored well inshore, about a mile and a half inside +the headlands; and as we reached along toward her under sail, with the +boats in line abreast, and about thirty fathoms apart, we saw that the +prize-crew were busily engaged in preparing to resist our attack, the +guns being all run out, while an attempt was being made to fix up a +boarding netting on the ship's starboard, or seaward, side. I had +brought my telescope along with me in the boat, believing that it might +possibly prove useful, and I now focussed it upon the Indiaman with the +object of getting some definite idea of the extent of the preparations +being made against us. I had no sooner done so than I made the +discovery that there was no netting triced up on the port or shoreward +side of the vessel, the Frenchmen apparently taking it for granted that +we should dash alongside on the side nearest to us. I immediately +reported this discovery to the first lieutenant, at the same time +mentioning my idea as to the explanation of the omission, whereupon, +having first satisfied himself as to the accuracy of my statement, he +hailed the other boats, ordering them all to board the ship on her port +side. + +When we had arrived within about three-quarters of a mile of our quarry +she opened fire upon us with round and grape, first firing single guns, +and finally whole broadsides, whereupon we diverged well to port and +starboard, compelling her to train her guns so far fore and aft, that at +length only her two bow guns could be brought effectively to bear, and +although a few shot passed through our sails, while the first cutter's +mast was shot away, the boats themselves were untouched, and finally the +two divisions passed respectively athwart her bows and stern, and shot +up alongside her on her inshore side without a single casualty. + +The launch hooked on under her bows, and the first cutter made fast to +her fore chains, while the yawl grappled her by the mizen chains, and +the second cutter by the main. She stood high out of the water, though +not so high but that one way or another we were all able to scramble +into her channels, from whence it was not difficult to make our way +inboard. The French must have felt very foolish when they found us +attacking them upon their unprotected side, yet they defended their +prize with the utmost gallantry, and for nearly ten minutes the fight +raged with great fury. But when once our lads had all contrived to +scale the ship's high bulwarks and establish themselves upon her decks +they would take no refusal; there was a tremendous popping of pistols +and muskets for the first minute or two, and a good deal of smoke +drifting hither and thither; then, with wild hurrahs, the Europas dashed +forward, cutlass in hand, cutting, slashing, and pointing; the air +resounded with cheers, oaths, execrations, and shrill screams of pain; +the decks grew slippery with blood, prostrate bodies tripped us up here +and there, and then, suddenly, the Frenchmen flung away their weapons +and dived below, leaving us the victors of the fight and in undisputed +possession of the ship. + +To disarm those prisoners who had not already abandoned their weapons, +and to secure them in the forecastle, was the work of but a few minutes, +after which our boats were veered astern and secured by their painters; +the hands jumped aloft and loosed the canvas, then slid down to the deck +by way of the backstays to sheet home and hoist away; the cable was cut, +and a few minutes later the ship had canted and was standing out to +seaward under topsails, topgallantsails, jib, and spanker, while the +wounded were being separated from the dead and carefully tended by +Burroughs, the assistant surgeon, and a small party told off to help +him. + +Then came the question of the "butcher's bill," upon going into which we +found that we had one man killed and five wounded--two of them rather +seriously; while the French casualties amounted to four killed and +eleven wounded--three of the latter so seriously that Burroughs +questioned whether they would outlast the day. + +A few minutes after we had cleared the harbour the frigate appeared in +sight from behind Cape Frehel, and half-an-hour later our prize--the +H.E.I. Company's ship, _Masulipatam_, of 1196 tons register, with a full +cargo of Indian produce, homeward-bound from Bombay to London--was +hove-to under her lee quarter, while Mr Adair had gone on board to make +his report. Previous to this, however, I had gone below into the ship's +saloons, at the first luff's order, to see how the passengers fared, we +having gathered, from the crew of the _Belle Marie_, that they had been +left on board. I found them all, to the number of forty-three, men, +women, and children, including some half-dozen native nurses, securely +locked in their several cabins; and glad enough were they to be +released, and to learn that the ship was once more in British hands. It +appeared that they had been captured three days before in the Bay of +Biscay, and had been not too well treated by their captors, having been +robbed by them of all their money, jewellery, and other valuables, to +say nothing of other indignities to which they had been subjected. So +far, however, as their stolen property was concerned, I was able to +reassure them with the statement that Captain Vavassour would +undoubtedly take immediate steps to have it found and restored to them. +Having done which, and excused myself upon the plea of urgent business-- +coupled with a suggestion that the ladies should remain below until the +more gruesome evidences of the recent conflict could be effaced--I +hurried away to the other end of the ship and effected the release of +her officers and crew, who at once ascended to the deck and assisted our +own lads to put matters to rights. Fortunately, there were no damages +to make good; within half-an-hour, therefore, of joining the frigate, +Captain Vavassour had made all his dispositions, placing the prize in +charge of Mr Galway, the third lieutenant, with a small prize-crew, in +addition to the vessel's own officers and crew; and we made sail in +company for Portsmouth, the skipper having decided to see our valuable +prize safe into a British port before losing sight of her. This we +happily accomplished, anchoring at Spithead shortly after ten o'clock in +the morning of the following day, without having sighted anything in the +shape of an enemy. We fell in, however, with the _Belle Marie_, off the +Needles, Mr Howard having contrived to get up and rig excellent jury +fore and mizen-topmasts during the passage; thus, by shortening sail +somewhat upon the frigate and the Indiaman, we were enabled to complete +the run to Spithead in company, the _Europa_ making a brave show as she +glided along to the anchorage, escorting her two valuable prizes, both +captured within one short week from the beginning of our cruise. + +The moment that the anchors were down Captain Vavassour ordered his gig, +and went ashore to deliver his dispatches and make his report to the +admiral, and I went with him, in charge of the boat, taking with me a +letter which I had found time to write to my father, acquainting him +with the good fortune that had befallen us. I walked up from the +Sallyport to the admiral's office with the skipper, carrying his +dispatch-box for him, and leaving the boat in charge of the coxswain; +for although, under ordinary circumstances, such a proceeding would +probably have resulted in the loss of the whole boat's crew, the amount +of prize-money which we had made within the last two days completely +banished all thought of desertion in the minds of the men. + +Of course the fame of our brilliant double exploit soon spread all over +the towns of Portsmouth and Gosport, and although men were at that +moment very hard to get, several of the ships in harbour being so +short-handed as to be unable to go to sea, it was no sooner made known +that we required a few more hands to complete our complement than we had +more offers than we had room for. We remained at Spithead only three +days, during which we replenished our stock of water, provisions, and +ammunition, and then we were once more dispatched by the admiral to our +former cruising-ground. + +But during that brief interval one or two interesting changes had +occurred. In the first place the _Belle Marie_, having been surveyed, +was reported to be a practically new ship, perfectly sound, and in every +respect admirably adapted for service in the navy; she was therefore +purchased by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, and ordered at +once into harbour to undergo such alterations as were deemed necessary, +and to refit. Next, Captain Vavassour had spoken so highly in his +dispatches of the admirable tact and ability displayed by Mr Adair in +his conduct of the expedition against the French batteries, and +afterward in the cutting-out of the Indiaman, that our first luff had at +once received his promotion and been appointed to the command of the +prize--renamed the _Sparta_. This of course created a vacancy on board +the _Europa_, which was filled by Mr Howard, who became our new first +luff, while Mr Galway also stepped up a ratline and became second. The +vacancy created by the promotion of Mr Galway was not filled, but we +had no doubt that it would ultimately fall to O'Brien, our senior mid, +who was within a month of having served his full time, and to whom an +acting order was given. These several changes were in the highest +degree satisfactory to all hands of us, for it obviated the necessity +for the introduction of strangers among us, while we felt that promotion +had gone to the right persons, namely, those who had actually earned it. +It is true that, short as our acquaintance with him had been, we were +all exceedingly sorry to lose Mr Adair, but our sorrow in this respect +was quite counterbalanced by our pleasure in the knowledge that he +thoroughly deserved his promotion, and that one more ship's company +would be made happy under the rule of a good captain. In this +connection I must not omit to mention that, thanks to the highly +favourable report that Mr Adair had made of my conduct in the matter of +reconnoitring the battery, and afterwards, Captain Vavassour had been +pleased to name me in his dispatches, much to the delight of my father, +as I subsequently learned. + +We sailed again from Spithead on the fourth day after our arrival, and +nothing of importance occurred for quite a fortnight, during which we +were kicking about in the chops of the Channel, keeping a bright lookout +all the while for anything that might chance to come in our way, whether +in the shape of captured British merchantmen, privateers, French +merchantmen, or otherwise. But luck seemed to be against us, for we +sighted nothing but craft flying the British flag, and most of those +were men-o'-war. At length, however, the skipper grew disgusted, and +determined to see whether better fortune awaited us farther afield. +Accordingly, having sighted Ushant broad on the lee-bow, and some ten +miles distant, at eight o'clock on a certain morning, with the wind out +at about North-West, we stood on until we had brought the island well +over our lee quarter, when the helm was shifted, the ship kept away a +couple of points, a small pull taken upon the weather braces, and away +we went booming into the Bay of Biscay, heading toward Cape Finisterre. +We had experienced fresh breezes, but fine, clear weather, from the +moment when we had left the Isle of Wight astern; but on this particular +day, shortly after noon, the sky became overcast and gloomy, with a +thick, murky appearance to windward that portended a change for the +worse. This, however, did not greatly trouble us, for with Ushant out +of sight astern, the ship heading South-West by compass, and the wind +two points free, we had nothing to fear beyond such discomfort as was +inseparable from the heavy sea that was now fast getting up. As the day +wore on, however, the mercury began to drop rather rapidly; the +thickness to windward increased, and it began to rain; the wind +freshened steadily, a high, steep sea got up, and everything appeared to +threaten a particularly dirty and unpleasant night. By the end of the +first dog-watch the wind had increased to half a gale, the sea had drawn +abeam, and the ship was rolling her lee hammock-rails under. The +Captain, therefore, ordered the topgallantsails to be clewed up and +furled, the flying-jib to be stowed, and a couple of reefs to be taken +in the topsails; for, as he remarked, we were not bound anywhere in +particular, were in no hurry, and might as well snug the ship down for +the night while we had daylight enough left to see what we were doing. + +The night closed down upon us early, and so dark that we could not see +as far as the length of the ship, there being no moon, while the light +of the stars was completely obscured by the dense canopy of storm-wrack +that overshadowed us, the only objects visible outside the bulwarks +being the faintly phosphorescent heads of the breaking seas as they +swept down menacingly upon us from to windward; the air was raw and +chill, although it was only the first week in September; the decks were +wet and sloppy with the driving rain and spray; and those of us who were +on watch looked thoroughly miserable as, encased from head to foot in +oilskins and sou'westers, we paced to and fro, availing ourselves to the +utmost of such shelter as was afforded by the bulwarks and the boats +stowed on the booms. By midnight the wind had further increased to such +an extent that sail was still further reduced, the courses being taken +off the ship, the jib stowed, and the mizen brailed in, leaving nothing +set but the three double-reefed topsails and the fore and main-topmast +staysails. Yet, unpleasant as was the weather, we had at least one +consolation: the ship behaved splendidly, sailing fast through the +water, and going along as dry as a bone, save for the spray that was +blown from the crests of the waves and came driving athwart our decks in +blinding and drenching showers. + +When at length the day broke, it revealed the ship hove-to under +close-reefed fore and main topsails, and fore-topmast staysail, the +central object in the midst of a grey and desolate picture, the dreary +character of which it would be difficult to surpass. It was now blowing +a whole gale from the South-West, the wind having backed during the +night; the sky was an unbroken expanse of dark, slate-coloured cloud +athwart the face of which tattered shreds of dirty grey vapour rapidly +swept; the sea, of an opaque greyish-green tint, ran high and steep, +crested with great curling heads of pallid froth, flecked here and there +with fragments of seaweed, and our horizon was restricted to a circle of +little more than a mile in diameter by the driving mist and rain. It +was, in short, a thoroughly disagreeable day, and I was by no means +sorry that it was my forenoon watch below. + +I had just finished breakfast when a cry of some sort from the deck +reached us in the midshipmen's berth; but the straining of the ship, the +howling of the wind through the rigging, and the constant crash and +gurgle of the water outside rendered it indistinguishable. We heard the +answering call of the officer of the watch--also indistinguishable--and +were beginning to arrive at the conclusion that the matter, whatever it +might be, did not concern us, when the shrilling of the boatswains' +pipes, followed by the hoarse bellow of "Hands, make sail!" caused a +general stampede for the deck, upon reaching which we learned that +during a momentary clearance of the atmosphere a brief glimpse had been +caught of a large ship, about a mile to leeward, steering north, under +topgallantsails, and that from her general appearance, brief though the +sight of her had been, she had been judged to be French. The officer of +the watch had, of course, as in duty bound, reported the matter to the +Captain, who was at the moment in his cabin, taking breakfast; and the +skipper, having heard Mr Galway's story, had promptly given the order +to bear up and make sail in chase. + +The decks, which but a few minutes earlier had presented such a dreary, +deserted appearance, now became in a moment a scene of the most animated +bustle and activity. The Captain and first lieutenant--the latter with +a speaking-trumpet in his hand--were both on deck, the skipper on the +poop gazing eagerly into the thickness to leeward under the sharp of his +hand in search of the now invisible stranger; barefooted seamen sprang +nimbly hither and thither, some to the braces, some out on to the +jib-booms, and others into the rigging on their way aloft to loose the +furled canvas; the helm was put up, the fore yard swung, and the after +yards squared as the ship paid off; and in less than a minute the yards +were alive with men casting off gaskets, untying reef-points, +overhauling gear, and generally preparing to clothe the frigate with +canvas. By the time that she had paid square off before the wind all +was ready, the loosened canvas was bellying out as though impatient to +be doing its duty once more, loosened ropes were streaming in the gale, +the men had laid in off the yards, and the three topsails went soaring +away to the mastheads simultaneously; the fore and main tacks were +boarded and the sheets hauled aft; the topgallantsails were in like +manner all sheeted home and hoisted at the same instant, the two jibs +went sliding up their stays, slatting thunderously the while and +threatening to snap the booms, until their sheets were tautened, and +away flew the _Europa_, like a started fawn, leaping and plunging +through and over the mountainous seas, with a bow-wave roaring and +foaming to the height of her hawse-pipes, and with the wind broad over +her larboard quarter. + +To any one unaccustomed to the sea the change thus wrought in the course +of a few short minutes would have seemed marvellous, almost miraculous, +indeed; for whereas while we were hove-to, head to wind and sea, the +plunging of the ship had been so furious that it was only with the +utmost difficulty even the most seasoned among us could maintain our +footing; while the howling and shrieking of the wind aloft, and the +savage force with which it struck us when the frigate rolled to +windward, irresistibly suggested the idea that we were in the grip of a +hurricane; now, when we were scudding away almost dead before it, the +gale seemed to have suddenly softened to the strength of no more than a +moderate breeze; there were no repetitions of those sickening lee +lurches as the ship was flung aloft on the steep breast of a +mountainous, swift-running sea, but, in place of it, a gentle, +rhythmical, pendulum-like swinging roll, and a long, easy, gliding rush +forward, with an acre of foam seething and hissing about our bows as +those same steep, mountainous seas caught us under the quarter and +hurled us headlong forward with our bow-wave roaring and boiling ahead +of us, glass-smooth, and clear as crystal. + +There were but two drawbacks to our satisfaction, one of which was that +the weather still remained so exasperatingly thick that we had not been +able to get a further glimpse of the strange ship, while the other was +that we only knew our position very approximately, and that by dead +reckoning only. This last would have given us no concern at all had we +been heading to the southward, for in that direction there was plenty of +sea room; but we had now turned round and were rushing back northward-- +north-north-east by compass, to be exact; and we knew that somewhere +ahead of us--whether on the port or the starboard-bow we were not at all +certain--were the terrible Penmarks; and, beyond them, the jutting +Pointe du Raz, Douarnenez Bay, Pointe de Saint Mathieu, and the dangers +that lurk between Ushant and the mainland, all bad enough in themselves, +but with an added terror due to the furious currents that swirl round +that part of the coast, and of the direction of which one can never be +quite certain. + +That some such thoughts as these were disturbing the skipper's +equanimity soon became apparent, for after pacing the deck thoughtfully +for some time he suddenly looked up, and seeing me standing half-way up +the poop-ladder, straining my eyes into the thickness ahead in a vain +endeavour to get a glimpse of the chase, he called me to him. + +"Is it your watch, Mr Delamere?" said he. + +"No, sir," answered I, touching my hat, "but I thought I should like to +get a sight of the fellow we're after before going below." + +"Thank you," he said; "your zeal is very commendable; but I daresay we +can muster eyes enough to maintain a lookout without keeping you on deck +in your watch below. However, since you are here, perhaps you will +oblige me by finding the master and asking him if he has made up his +reckoning to eight bells. If he has, request him to be good enough to +bring it, with the chart, to me, here, on the quarter-deck. If he has +not, say that I shall be obliged if he will do so at once." + +"Ay, ay, sir," answered I, touching my hat again as I turned away to +descend the hatchway. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +THE FRENCH 50-GUN SHIP. + +I found Mr Trimble in his cabin, in the very act of laying off the +ship's position on the chart, after working up his reckoning. I +delivered my message, and by way of reply the master rolled up his +chart, tucked it under his arm, seized pencil, dividers, and parallel +ruler, and started for the deck, with me close in his wake--for I shared +the skipper's anxiety to know whereabout we were. + +"Ah! here you are, Mr Trimble," exclaimed the Captain, as the master's +head and shoulders rose above the combings of the hatchway. "Have you +made up your reckoning?" + +"Yes, sir," answered the master, "and pricked her off. We are just +about here, by dead reckoning." And he made an effort to spread open +the chart on the capstan-head. But the paper was stiff from being +almost continuously rolled up; moreover, the wind was troublesome--the +two circumstances combining to render it almost impossible for the good +man to do as he wished unaided. I saw his difficulty, and, stepping +forward, seized the two top corners of the chart and held them down, +while the skipper gripped the third corner, and Trimble the fourth. + +"There we are, sir--or thereabout," explained the master, pointing with +his pencil to a dot surrounded by a small circle, on the paper, with the +date written alongside it. + +"I see," remarked the skipper thoughtfully, as he intently studied the +open chart. "I suppose," he said presently, "you have made ample +allowance for leeway, and for our drift while hove-to?" + +"Yes, sir," answered the master. "I have allowed a point and a half for +leeway, and three knots drift, both of which I reckon are above rather +than below the mark." + +"Y-e-es," agreed the skipper reflectively; "yes, she will not have made +more than that, I should think. And you have, of course, also allowed +for tide and current." + +"For both, sir," assented the master; "but, of course, you clearly +understand, Captain Vavassour, that the currents hereabout are very +irregular. I therefore wish you to accept the position of the ship, as +there laid down, as merely approximate." + +"Yes, I quite understand," answered the skipper. "Now, assuming that +position to be correct, Mr Trimble--and we can do nothing else, I +think--how far are we from the Penmarks, and how do they bear?" + +The master took his dividers, measured the distance, applied the +instrument to the margin of the chart, and announced the +distance--"Seventy-six miles." + +"Good!" ejaculated the skipper. "And their bearing?" + +The master laid his parallel ruler down on the chart, with its edge +passing through the dot representing the ship's position, and also +through the Penmarks; then he carefully slid the ruler along the surface +of the chart until that same edge passed through the centre of the +compass diagram, and read off the bearing--"No'th-east, half east." + +The skipper turned sharply round to the quartermaster. + +"How's her head, quartermaster?" he demanded. + +The quartermaster glanced into the compass-bowl and answered, +"No'-no'th-east, sir!" + +"Excellent!" exclaimed the skipper. "Why, at that rate, Mr Trimble, we +shall pass outside Ushant, if we keep on as we are going now." + +"No doubt, sir," answered the master. "But in my opinion," he +continued, "that's where the fellow we sighted a while ago is bound to," +and he laid his forefinger on that part of the chart where the word +Brest was legibly printed. + +"Ah!" ejaculated the skipper, "you are likely enough to be right. But +he shall never get there, even if I have to drive the frigate under +water to stop him. Hang it! I wish the weather would clear, if only +for a moment, and allow us to get a sight of him. Thank you, Mr +Trimble; that will do." And he released his hold upon the chart, +allowing the corner he had been holding to spring back and curl up. I +did the same, and, as the ship took a somewhat heavier roll than usual, +glanced out over the bulwarks at the racing, foam-capped surges that +reared themselves alongside; and at that moment, as if in direct +response to the skipper's forcibly expressed wish, the haze thinned away +somewhat to starboard, revealing, square abeam, and apparently about a +mile away, a dim, misty, grey shape faintly showing up through the +thickness to starboard. + +"Sail ho!" I cried excitedly, pointing her out; "there she is, sir." +And even as the words passed my lips there came a shout from the lookout +on the forecastle of "Sail ho! A large ship, broad on our starboard +beam." + +"Ay, ay, I see her--the glass, quick, Mr Delamere," answered the +skipper. I jumped for the telescope, drew the tube, and handed it over +to the impatient hand outstretched to receive it. By a piece of good +fortune the atmosphere inshore of us just then thinned away still more +for a few minutes, enabling us to get a tolerably distinct view of the +stranger. Captain Vavassour, glass in hand, sprang up the poop-ladder, +and, with feet planted wide apart to give himself a good grip of the +heaving deck, applied the telescope to his eye. I followed him, that I +might be at hand if required. For a long two minutes he stood intently +studying the stranger, and speaking to himself the while. "A 50-gun +ship," I heard him mutter, "and a Frenchman at that--steering a parallel +course to ourselves; yes, very likely making for Brest. Rather a stiff +customer to tackle, perhaps, but I'll not let that stop me." + +He removed the instrument from his eye, and, seeing me at his elbow, +handed it back to me. "Thank you, Mr Delamere," he said. "I shall not +require you again, so you had better go below, especially as there is a +probability that we may have a busy afternoon." Then he descended to +the quarter-deck, where the second lieutenant and the master were +standing talking together near the capstan, and gave the quartermaster +the order to keep away a point to the eastward, which would have the +effect of causing us to converge gradually upon the Frenchman. + +When I went on deck at eight bells it was to find that the atmosphere +had thickened again, to such an extent, indeed, that although it was +estimated that we must now be within half a mile of the French ship, +there was not the faintest trace of her to be seen. The skipper, +however, considered that he was now as close to her as he desired to be; +he therefore ordered the course to be changed back to North-North-East, +and, at the moment when I gained the deck, was giving Mr Howard +instructions to let the men have their dinner, and then to put out the +fires and clear for action. + +The keenness of the crew to get to work was evidenced by the fact that +although the men's dinner was now ready, it was with the utmost +difficulty that they could be persuaded to go below and eat it; and when +at length they went, in obedience to the Captain's imperative orders, +they returned to the deck in less than ten minutes, and at once set to +work of their own accord to put the ship into fighting trim. + +It was evident to me that the master was greatly disappointed at not +having been able to get a sight of the sun at noon, and I could not help +thinking that, as the time passed on, he was not only disappointed but +was beginning to grow more than a trifle anxious, especially as shortly +after midday the weather became more gloomy and the wind freshened very +considerably. He betook himself to the poop, up and down which he paced +rapidly, with his hands behind his back, and his eyes fixed abstractedly +on the deck, except when he raised them from time to time to gaze long +and piercingly ahead. + +At length four bells struck, and almost immediately afterward, with a +further freshening of the wind, the atmosphere cleared sufficiently to +afford us another glimpse of the French ship, which suddenly appeared, +with almost startling distinctness, about three-quarters of a mile +distant, bearing one point before our starboard beam. A dozen eager +voices at the same moment reported her reappearance, and the Captain +sprang up on the poop to get another look at her. He was immediately +joined by the master, who seemed to be making some very earnest +representation to him; but what it was I could not hear, for I was now +down on the quarter-deck and had no valid excuse for approaching any +nearer. However, whatever it may have been, Captain Vavassour was +evidently disinclined to listen to it, for I saw him once or twice shake +his head most determinedly, pointing at the same time at the French +ship, which still remained distinctly in view. Finally the skipper left +the poop and joined Mr Howard on the quarter-deck, conversing very +animatedly with him for about five minutes. It was while he was thus +engaged that the master suddenly called down to him the intelligence +that the stranger had hoisted French colours, upon which he gave the +order for our own colours to be hoisted, and, jumping up on the poop, I +went to the flag-locker, drew out our big ensign, bent it on to the +halliards, and, with the assistance of the master, ran it up to the +mizen peak. + +Meanwhile, our men had long been at quarters, and the ship ready for +action. I was, therefore, not surprised to see the first lieutenant +descending to the main-deck, evidently for the purpose of conveying the +skipper's final instructions to the captains of the guns. It was going +to be a running fight, and we were about to open the ball. But the +Frenchmen snatched that honour from us, for as I was descending from the +poop to the quarter-deck after having hoisted the ensign, I saw a jet of +flame and a cloud of smoke burst from the stranger's port side, and +immediately afterwards a heavy shot flew humming high over our +mastheads. Almost immediately afterward three of our starboard +main-deck guns spoke simultaneously, and, as the smoke from them swept +away ahead of us, I heard the captain of the aftermost quarter-deck gun +cry out that all three shots had hulled the French ship, for he had seen +the splinters fly in three distinct places. Then, at brief intervals, +the remaining guns of our starboard main-deck battery were fired; but +seemingly without doing very much damage. + +The firing now became brisk on both sides, but the French fired much +quicker than we did, the reason being--as I afterward learned--that our +Captain had given the most imperative orders to the first lieutenant +that the gun-captains were not to fire until they had made sure of their +aim; and the wisdom of this soon became manifest; for while the French +fired upon an average three shots to our one, the damage sustained by us +was very trifling, while it was not long before the French ship's sails +and rigging became a good deal cut up--to such an extent, indeed, that +we were obliged to clew up our topgallantsails, in order to avoid +running too far ahead of our adversary. + +Suddenly, the simultaneous discharge of three or four of our main-deck +guns was followed by a cheer of delight from our lads, and, jumping upon +the carriage of one of the quarter-deck guns, I was just in time to see +the French ship's mizenmast fall forward, dragging down the +main-topgallant-mast with it and passing through the main topsail and +mainsail in its fall, splitting them from head to foot. There was at +once great confusion on board the Frenchman, and, being thus deprived in +a moment of all her after-sail, she immediately fell square off before +the wind, or about three points more to the eastward than the course we +were steering. + +"Hurrah! we have her now," exclaimed the skipper, delightedly rubbing +his hands. "Up with your helm, quartermaster, and follow her. Weather +braces, Mr Galway; square the yards, and set your topgallantsails +again. The land cannot be far off, and now she must strike or we will +drive her ashore. Jump down on to the main-deck, Mr Delamere, and +request Mr Howard to train his starboard guns as far forward as they +will go, and then to rake her every time we luff." (The change in the +relative positions of the two vessels caused by both of us squaring away +dead before the wind was that the French ship was now almost stern-on to +us, broad on our starboard-bow, and about half a mile distant.) + +I sprang down the ladder on to the main-deck, and there found the first +luff superintending the working of our heavy guns. The men had all +stripped to the waist to obtain the utmost possible freedom of movement +while hauling upon the tackles and flourishing their handspikes, +sponges, and rammers, and, generally speaking, had discarded their hats, +knotting bandanna handkerchiefs round their heads in place of them. +They were all eager to get to closer quarters with the enemy, and were +as merry as crickets, bandying jests with each other in the intervals of +toiling at the guns. I delivered my message, and at the same time +seized the opportunity to inquire whether any casualties had occurred on +that deck. Mr Howard informed me that there had been none thus far; +and with this information I returned to the quarter-deck and reported to +the Captain. + +Brief as had been my visit below, I found upon my return from it that a +material alteration had occurred in the relative positions of the two +vessels during the interval; we were gaining upon the chase hand over +hand, and had shortened the distance between her and ourselves to a +short quarter of a mile, which was as close as we wished to go, the +skipper having now determined to keep to windward--that is to say, +astern--of the Frenchman, and alternately to luff and bear away, passing +athwart and athwart her stern on opposite tacks, raking her first with +one broadside and then the other, pouring in both round shot and grape. +He was in the act of giving orders to clew up the topgallantsails and to +haul down a couple of reefs in the topsails, so that we might not gain +any farther upon the chase, when I went up to him to make my report, and +as soon as he had finished I delivered it, and was again sent down to +Mr Howard to acquaint him with Captain Vavassour's plan, at which he +expressed the utmost satisfaction, immediately ordering the men in the +port battery, which had not yet been engaged, to stand to their guns. + +Upon my return to the quarter-deck, after this second visit below, the +men were laying in off the yards, after having hauled down a couple of +reefs in the topsails, and as soon as they were down on deck the +sail-trimmers were sent to the braces, the helm was gently ported, and +the frigate was gradually brought to the wind on the starboard tack, +exposing her port broadside to the French ship, and as we went surging +athwart the enemy's stern the whole of our port battery, both main and +quarter-deck guns, was discharged into her, raking her fore and aft. +Then our helm was eased up; the frigate paid off, came gradually to the +wind on the port tack, and as we again crossed her stern the French ship +got the full contents of our starboard battery, with destructive effect, +if one might judge by the battered appearance of her stern, her +quarter-gallery being shot to pieces and every one of her stern windows +broken; thus showing that pretty nearly the whole discharge must have +entered her hull and raked her decks from aft forward. + +But now that we had adopted the plan of alternately coming to the wind +and bearing away again, we began to realise, for the first time, how +hard it was blowing; for, when hauled to the wind, the ship was so +heavily pressed down by her canvas that at every lee-roll the main-deck +port sills were brought down to within a few inches of the boiling sea, +and the task of working the guns effectively taxed the skill of the +seamen to the utmost; so much so that Mr Howard presently sent up a +message to the skipper to ask whether it would be possible to relieve +the ship to the extent of taking the mainsail off her. + +Captain Vavassour immediately issued the necessary orders; the +clew-garnets, buntlines, and leech-lines were manned at the moment that +the ship was running off the wind, the tack and sheet were eased up, and +the great sail, the most powerful in the ship, was handsomely clewed up, +as the men appointed to furl it made their way aloft. The relief to the +frigate was immediately apparent; she at once became more lively and +buoyant, and, if her speed was decreased at all, the decrease was +inappreciable. + +This manoeuvre was executed during the time that the frigate's head was +being directed to the southward, for the purpose of giving the French +ship the contents of our port battery for the second time; and the guns +had just been discharged when, as the smoke blew away, we saw that our +antagonist had put her helm down and was trying to come to the wind upon +the port tack, with the object, as we supposed, of returning our fire. +But as her head swept sluggishly round and she began, with apparent +difficulty, to come-to, her mainmast went over the side, and she fell +off again without having fired a single gun. The sight of the falling +mast was greeted by our lads with an enthusiastic cheer, and then our +helm was put up to wear round upon the other tack, when the master--who +all this time had been anxiously pacing the poop--suddenly ran to the +head of the poop-ladder and shouted, "She strikes, sir! she strikes!" +and jumping upon the breech of a gun, I saw the tricolour being slowly +hauled down from the ensign staff upon which it had been hoisted when +her mizenmast fell. The Captain, too, sprang up beside me in time to +see the flag go fluttering in over the taffrail as it was hauled down. + +A tremendous volley of cheering greeted the intelligence of our success; +but our joy was short-lived, for the cheering had scarcely died away and +the men turned to secure the guns, when the master came rushing down the +poop-ladder and, addressing the skipper, said: + +"It is no wonder that the fellow has hauled down his colours, sir. He +has made the land, and will be ashore in ten minutes! See, sir, if you +will look intently past him you will catch occasional glimpses of +leaping whiteness--there, it clears somewhat--do you see the breakers +inshore of him? Ay, and now you may also see the loom of the land +through the haze!" + +The skipper sprang half-way up the poop-ladder, glanced ahead, and +finally ascended to the poop, from whence he could get a clear and +uninterrupted view ahead and to leeward; then, holding on his hat with +one hand while he shaded his eyes with the other, he stared intently to +leeward. + +"By Jove! Trimble," he exclaimed to the master, who had followed him, +"you are right; those are breakers, and that is the land yonder without +a doubt. But where in the world are we, man? We must be miles to +leeward of your reckoning." + +"Yes, sir," answered the master; "there is no denying that. But you +must remember, if you please, that the wind headed us and broke us off a +couple of points some hours ago, which has made a lot of difference. +Then there is no doubt that this strong breeze, blowing dead on shore, +has created a powerful in-set, sending us bodily to leeward. I have +been exceedingly anxious for the last hour or two, for I know this part +of the French coast well, and am fully aware of its extremely +treacherous character." + +"But where are we, man; where are we?" demanded the Captain, with more +than a trace of anxiety and impatience in the tones of his voice. + +"Ah, sir, I could tell you better if it would only clear enough to let +us see some of the details of the coast more distinctly," answered the +master, in tones of anxiety equal to the Captain's own. "But," he +continued, "although I cannot say, to within a few miles, precisely +where we are, I have not the slightest doubt that we are somewhere +within the limits of Audierne Bay." + +"Audierne Bay! and the wind blowing half a gale from the sou'-west!" +ejaculated the skipper, with a note of something approaching to dismay. + +"Yes, sir, Audierne Bay," repeated the master. "It is only there that +we could possibly have come within sight of the land at this hour of the +day. Perhaps you would like me to bring up the chart, Captain +Vavassour." + +"Yes; pray do so," answered the skipper. + +The master had scarcely disappeared down the hatchway, on his way to his +cabin, when the French ship--which, having made an ineffectual effort to +round-to, had fallen off again and had continued to run dead to +leeward--suddenly broached-to; a terrific sea struck her on her port +quarter, turning her broadside-on to us, and her foremast went over the +side. Instantly a dozen voices shouted excitedly--"The Frenchman is +ashore, sir!" + +Yes, there was no doubt about it; for now every sea as it rolled in made +a clean breach over her, and we could see her lift to it, rolling over +at every blow almost to her beam-ends. + +"Ay," muttered the skipper--I was close at his elbow, having followed +him that I might be at hand if required--"ay, she is ashore, fast +enough, and she will never come off again, for an hour of such pounding +as she is now getting will make an end of her. We shall be very lucky +indeed if we do not follow. Hillo! Mr Delamere, is that you? Just +find Mr Howard, and say I shall be obliged if he can come to me on the +quarter-deck." + +"Ay, ay, sir," I answered, touching my hat as I started down the +poop-ladder. I guessed that I should find the first lieutenant on the +gun deck, and there he was, superintending the securing of the guns--a +task which needed to be done very carefully and thoroughly; for now that +the ship had been brought to the wind she was rolling and pitching most +furiously, and if one of our long 24-pounders should chance to strike +adrift, the consequences might very easily be disastrous. I delivered +the Captain's message, and then followed the first lieutenant on deck, +where he joined the skipper and the master, who were already standing at +the capstan, with the chart spread open before them on its head. I had +no good and sufficient excuse for lingering near them, and therefore +passed over to the lee-side of the deck, as became a well-trained +midshipman; consequently I only caught a word here and there as I +staggered fore and aft in the lee scuppers. I heard the Captain say +something about "Audierne Bay," and then, a little later, the master +said something about "land takes a westerly trend--Penmarks;" and, +finally, the Captain, as though closing a discussion, said, "Very well, +then, we will try her, while there is still room, and the sooner the +better. Get the mainsail on her again at once, Mr Howard." + +I surmised, from this last remark on the part of the Captain, that we +were about to make an attempt to tack ship; and indeed it was full time +for something to be done, for the breakers were now distinctly visible +for a space of about two miles on the lee beam, and they seemed to be +rather trending out athwart our bows. It would, therefore, soon be +necessary to get the ship round on the other tack, either by staying or +wearing, so it would be wise to make the attempt while there was still +room to resort to the second expedient, should the first fail. + +A few minutes later the mainsail was once more set; and no sooner was +the tack boarded and the sheet dragged aft than we felt the difference, +which was tremendous. For whereas we had before been going along +comfortably enough, despite the heavy rolling and pitching, the moment +that she felt the extra pressure, due to the expansion of this large +area of canvas to the gale, she lay down to it, until at every lee-roll +the muzzles of the quarter-deck guns were buried in the boiling yeast +that foamed and swirled giddily past to leeward, and sometimes surged in +through the ports, filling the lee-scuppers knee-deep with water. And +whereas we had before ridden buoyantly over the head seas, with nothing +worse than an occasional shower of spray flying in over the weather +cathead, the frigate now plunged her bows savagely right into the very +heart of them, quivering to her keel with the violence of the shock, +raising a very hurricane of foam and spray about her figurehead, and +shipping the green seas in tons over her forecastle at every dive, while +the main tack groaned like a giant in torment as it seemed to strive to +tear up the very deck of the ship. + +"Keep her clean full, quartermaster, and let her go through it," ordered +the skipper. + +"Ay, ay, sir; clean full it is," answered the quartermaster, as he gave +her an extra spoke of the wheel, while the Captain and the first +lieutenant stood together close by the weather bulwarks watching her +behaviour, the latter grasping a speaking-trumpet in his hand. + +At length, after some eight or ten minutes of suspense, the skipper +spoke. "Here comes a `smooth,' and now I think you may try her, Mr +Howard." + +"Ay, ay, sir," answered the first luff, and, placing the trumpet to his +lips, he shouted, "Hands, 'bout ship!" + +_Wee-wee-wee-wheetle-eetle-eetle-we-e-e_, shrilled the boatswains' +pipes, followed by the hoarse bellow of "Hands, 'bout ship!" and up came +the men, hurrying to their several stations. The first lieutenant +paused an instant, flinging a lightning glance fore and aft the deck, +cried "Ready ho!" through his trumpet, then turned to the quartermaster +and said: + +"Ease your helm down gently to start with, quartermaster; we will sail +her round as far as we can." Then, keenly watching the behaviour of the +ship as she swept up into the wind, he presently signed with his hand, +"Hard down!" and cried through his trumpet, "Helm's a-lee!" whereupon +the fore and fore staysail sheets were let go and overhauled. Meanwhile +a party of men on the poop had dragged the spankerboom as nearly +amidships as they could get it. Presently the square canvas was all +a-shiver, slatting furiously and causing the ship to tremble to her +keel. "Raise tacks and sheets!" was the next order; and now came the +critical moment and the question--Would she hold her way long enough to +cant in the proper direction? And, as luck would have it, just then +there came hissing and foaming down upon us a particularly heavy sea, +into which the frigate dived until she was all a-smother for'ard. Yet, +notwithstanding this, her head continued to sweep round--slowly, it is +true; still--"Mainsail haul!" bellowed the first luff through his +trumpet, and round swung the after yards, the men bracing them well up +and rounding in on the main-sheet. Now her head was beginning to pay +off, but slowly. The first lieutenant dashes up on the poop and looks +over the side--she has begun to gather stern-way. + +"Shift over your helm, quartermaster," he shouts; "over with it!" and +stands breathless, awaiting the result. "Ah! that's better, now she +pays off freely," and presently the main topsail fills with a loud flap. +"Fore tack--head bowlines--of all haul!" yells Mr Howard, and the head +yards sweep round and are braced hard up, the fore and main tacks are +boarded, the weather braces steadied taut, the weather lifts bowsed up, +the bowlines hauled, and away goes the saucy _Europa_ on the other tack, +having stayed triumphantly in a wind and sea that would have compelled +most ships to wear. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +THE EUROPA HAS A NARROW ESCAPE. + +"Splendidly done, Mr Howard; a very fine bit of seamanship!" exclaimed +Captain Vavassour, when at length the frigate was fairly round, and was +once more going through the water; "you must allow me to compliment you; +to tack ship successfully in such a wind and sea as this is no mean +feat, in my opinion, and the slightest error of judgment, a single +second of hesitation, must have resulted in failure." + +"Thank you, Captain Vavassour," answered the first luff, flushing with +pleasure at the skipper's praise. "I feel intensely gratified at your +appreciation. But you really make too much of it, sir; it is not I to +whom the merit actually belongs, but to the ship herself--she works as +handily as a little boat; and I had such perfect confidence in her that +I really longed to try the experiment; although I grant you that I do +not know another ship with which I should care to make the same attempt +under similar conditions." + +"No, indeed," agreed the Captain. "Still, it is only by making these +experiments with a new ship that we can learn just how far she may be +depended upon to do a certain thing at a critical moment, and the lesson +is a most useful one to learn. It seems inclined to clear a bit, I +think, for surely that is the French ship I see yonder--there, just +clear of the fore-rigging." + +"Yes, sir, that is she, beyond a doubt," answered the first lieutenant. +"And I fancy we shall see her a good deal more distinctly a few minutes +hence, when we bring her more abeam. The driving of a big chap like +that ashore, without so much as a single casualty on our part, ought to +be a feather in our cap, I think, for she is as good as a lost ship; she +will never again leave that berth." + +"No," agreed the skipper, "I do not believe she will; indeed it appears +to me that--The glass if you please, Mr Delamere." + +I handed him the instrument and he applied it to his eye for a full +minute or more. + +"Yes," he continued, handing over the telescope to Mr Howard, "I think +I am not mistaken; take a squint at her yourself, Howard, and tell me +whether she does not look as though her back had already broken." + +In his turn the first luff peered long and earnestly through the tube. +At length, lowering it from his eye, he said: + +"It is rather difficult to speak with absolute assurance, sir, for the +sea breaks so violently over her that it is almost impossible to get a +sight of the whole of her hull at any given moment; still I am inclined +to say that not only is her back broken, but that she has actually +parted in two amidships. If you will look at her very carefully I think +you will agree with me that her hull shows a distinct twist, and that +her after-end has a much heavier list than her bows." + +At this moment eight bells struck, and as the midshipman who was to +relieve me was already on deck, and as I was pretty nearly wet through +with the spray that the frigate was now throwing over herself in +drenching showers, I went below to change and to get a cup of hot +coffee. + +The two succeeding hours, constituting the first dog-watch, brought a +material change for the worse in the condition of the weather; for while +the haze had cleared away, enabling us to see the land distinctly to +leeward, some six miles distant, the wind had increased to such an +extent that sail had been reduced to close-reefed topsails and reefed +courses, while the sea had risen in proportion and was now so heavy that +the frigate was literally smothering herself forward at every plunge. +The fact was that she was being terribly over-driven; yet the skipper +had no alternative. He dared not relieve the ship of another inch of +canvas, for we were on a lee-shore, and embayed, the land astern curving +out to windward so far that its farthest visible projection bore a full +point on our weather quarter, while our charts told us that beyond that +point the dreaded Penmarks stretched out still farther to windward. +Moreover it was almost as bad ahead, for although Point du Raz, some +seven miles distant, then bore nearly three points on the lee-bow, we +knew that stretching out to seaward from that point there was a +dangerous reef, with only a comparatively narrow passage between it and +the equally dangerous reef stretching out to the southward and eastward +from the Isle de Seins, and it was an open question whether we should be +able to fetch that passage and pass through it. To all appearance +Captain Vavassour was perfectly calm and collected, yet he looked +decidedly grave, and I thought it seemed rather portentous that the +master should be his companion. The latter appeared to be doing most of +the talking, and it was clear to see that he at least was distinctly +anxious. At length, apparently by way of reply to a few words from the +Captain, he went below and, a minute or two later, returned to the deck +with his chart under his arm; then, with a long look into the binnacle, +he and the skipper passed into the cabin together. I immediately seized +the opportunity to take a squint myself at the compass, noting the exact +bearing of the point on the lee-bow and the direction in which the ship +was heading. Then I went down below into the midshipmen's berth, where +Maxwell, the master's-mate, was laboriously endeavouring to translate +some French book with the aid of a grammar and a dictionary. + +"Here, drop that, Maxwell," I exclaimed, "and let us have a look at your +chart, that we may see what the next hour or two has in store for us. +If I am anything of a physiognomist the master is fervently wishing that +he was at home with his wife and family to-night, instead of where he +is, while the skipper, too, looks anything but cheerful. They have both +gone into the cabin, and Trimble has taken his chart with him." + +"Well, there is no particular reason why he should not do that, is +there?" demanded Maxwell. "And why should he be especially anxious now, +more than at any other time? Things are all right on deck, aren't +they?" + +"Ay," answered I, "up to a certain point they are. But reach down your +chart, and produce your parallel ruler and dividers, my hearty; I want +to get some sort of notion of what is ahead of us." + +"What, are you frightened too, then?" demanded Maxwell, as he pushed +away his books and reached up for the chart. + +"No, certainly not," answered I. "But it is indisputable that the ship +is embayed on a lee-shore, and that it is blowing a whole gale of wind. +If, therefore, there is a prospect of our being obliged to swim for our +lives presently, I should like to know it." + +"Oh, hang it all, man, it surely is not nearly so bad as that, is it?" +demanded the mate, as he spread the chart out on the table. + +"Oh, isn't it?" retorted Gascoigne, another midshipman, who had just +come below in time to hear the tail-end of my remark and Maxwell's reply +to it. "It is evident that you have not been on deck within the last +hour, or you wouldn't say that. Why, man alive, if you would just pull +yourself together enough to become conscious of the antics of the hooker +you would understand that she is being driven as no ship ought to be +driven without good and sufficient cause. There,"--as the frigate +plunged dizzily, rolling at the same moment almost over on her beam-ends +and quivering violently throughout her whole fabric at the shock of the +sea that had struck her, while plates, pannikins, cups and saucers, +knives and forks, books, candles, and a heterogeneous assortment of +sundries flew from the racks and shelves with a clattering crash, and +constituted a very pretty "general average" on the deck--"what d'ye +think of that, my noble knight of the sextant?" + +"You just gather up that wreckage, my son, and put the unbroken things +back into their places," exclaimed Maxwell. "Also, clap a stopper upon +your jawing tackle, younker; you have altogether too much too say, for a +little 'un. Here, you Fleming--" to another mid, who was lying upon a +locker with his hands clasped under his head by way of a pillow--"rouse +and bitt, my hearty, and make yourself useful for once in a way; grab +the corners of this chart and hold them down to the table until I give +you a spell. That's it. Now then, Delamere, what is it that you want +to know?" + +"First of all," I said, "prick off the ship's position as it was a +quarter of an hour ago. There is Point du Raz. Very well: when I came +below it bore exactly North 3 quarters East by compass, distant, say, +seven miles. Mark off that bearing and distance, to start with." + +Maxwell did so, making a little dot with his pencil on the chart. + +"There you are," he said. "Now, what next?" + +"The ship was heading North-North-West," I said. "What I want to know +is, Are we going to weather that point; and, if so, what lies beyond +it?" + +"Ah!" exclaimed Maxwell, as the critical nature of our situation began +to dawn upon him, "I see--or, rather, we shall see in a minute or two. +Gascoigne, were you on deck when the log was last hove? If you were +not, you ought to have been, you know, and--" + +"I was," interrupted Gascoigne. "She was doing a bare seven, and making +two and a half points leeway." + +"Whew!" whistled Maxwell; "two and a half points! That's bad. The old +girl ought to be ashamed of herself. No self-respecting frigate ought +ever to make more than two points leeway." + +"Oh, oughtn't she!" jeered Gascoigne. "You just go up on deck and see +how every sea that hits her knocks her bodily to leeward, and you'll +tell a different story, my friend." + +"Well, well, I'll take your word for it this time, young man, just to +encourage you a bit, you know. Now, let's see how that works out. How +did you say she was heading, Delamere?" + +"Nor'-nor'-west," I repeated. + +"Nor'-nor'-west," echoed Maxwell, seizing his parallel ruler and +applying it to the chart. "And two and a half points of leeway, applied +to the right, makes it north, half east; while Point du Raz bears--or +bore--north, three-quarters east. Um! It's going to be `touch and go' +with us, I am afraid, at that rate; for while she will doubtless weather +the point itself all right, there is that out-jutting reef, which is as +likely as not to bring us up with a round turn." + +"And supposing we should be lucky enough to scrape past," I inquired, +"is there anything beyond that we need worry about? I am almost certain +that I heard the master say something about `Les Stevenets,' or some +such name." + +"Les Stevenets," repeated Maxwell--"yes, of course; there they are, +about two and a half miles to the nor'-west of the point. But I don't +see why old Trimble need worry about them, for if we can't weather them +there is plenty of room for us to pass them to leeward, after having +done which we shall have plenty of time to decide upon our next move. +That is our critical point." And he put his finger on Point du Raz. +"I'm going on deck to see how things look." + +So saying, Maxwell rolled up his chart, put it and his instruments away, +turned up the collar of his jacket, and sprang up the ladder, Gascoigne, +Fleming, and I following him. + +Upon our arrival the first thing I noticed was that the Captain, the +first luff, and the master were all standing together close under the +shelter of the weather bulwarks, apparently holding a sort of council of +war. The weather, I thought, looked somewhat more promising than it had +done when I went below; for the sky to windward had broken, displaying a +very wild and stormy sunset, it is true, yet the fact that the heavy, +lowering canopy of cloud had broken up at all seemed to indicate that +the worst would soon be over. But it was still blowing very heavily, +and while the atmosphere was now quite clear of mist, permitting us a +view to the extreme confines of the horizon, everything--the wild, +tumultuously heaving sea to windward, and the land ahead and to +leeward--showed a preternaturally hard outline. Point du Raz was now +about three miles distant and bore about a point, or maybe a trifle more +on the lee-bow, with the surf breaking furiously upon the reef which +projected beyond it, while the leeward extremity of the reef jutting out +from the easternmost extremity of the Isle de Seins lay dead ahead, +smothered in boiling surf, the passage between the two reefs now looking +alarmingly narrow. And it was through that passage we must win safety! + +I was of course on the lee-side of the deck, so I could only catch an +occasional disconnected word of what passed between the trio to +windward, but I presently gathered that the master seemed to be +endeavouring to persuade the skipper to wear ship while we still had +room enough to execute that manoeuvre; but Captain Vavassour appeared to +be objecting, upon the plea that, once on the other side of the point, +we had nothing more to fear, whereas, should we wear ship now, we should +be heading for the Penmarks as soon as we got round upon the other tack, +and should reach them, and be faced with the task of weathering them +during the hours of darkness. The skipper, it was evident, was all for +grappling with the nearest danger, for the reason that we should at +least have light enough to see what we were doing; and Mr Howard seemed +to side with him. + +"But, sir," remonstrated the master desperately, "have you considered +what must inevitably happen if a flaw of wind should come round that +point, at the critical moment, and break us off, as it is likely enough +to do?" + +"Well, n-o," answered the Captain slowly, "I had not thought of that, I +must confess, for I do not believe that such a thing is at all likely to +happen. But I am very much obliged to you for mentioning it, Mr +Trimble, for `forewarned is forearmed,' and in circumstances like the +present it is our bounden duty to take every possible precaution for the +safety of the ship. I am still of opinion that unless something +unforeseen--such, for instance, as the occurrence which you have just +suggested--should happen, we shall weather the point, and go clear; but, +to provide against anything of that sort, Mr Howard," turning to the +first luff, "be good enough to see everything ready for club-hauling the +ship. Have the best bower-cable ranged, double-bitt it, and stopper it +at, say, thirty fathoms. Mr Galway--where is Mr Galway? Mr +Delamere, be good enough to find Mr Galway, and say I want him--or--no, +tell him that it may be necessary to club-haul the ship, and request him +to muster the carpenter and his mates below, ready to cut away the best +bower at the instant that I give the word. Then come back to me; I may +want you." + +"Ay, ay, sir," I answered, touching my hat; and away I went, heading for +the second lieutenant's cabin. I met him just coming out, somebody +having already passed the word that the Captain wanted him. I delivered +the skipper's message, received his assurance that all should be ready, +and then returned to the quarter-deck. + +Presently Mr Howard returned to inform Captain Vavassour that his +orders had been carried out. + +"Very well, sir," answered the skipper. "Let the men go to their +stations for tacking ship. Hands by the best bower-anchor! Oblige me, +Mr Howard, by seeing personally that the anchor is all ready for +letting go, and also that it is let go on the instant, should I give the +order. If at the last moment it should become necessary to club-haul, I +will personally take charge. Mr Delamere, find one of the boatswain's +mates and station him below at the main hatchway, in such a position +that he can see you on deck here, with instructions to wind his call to +cut the cable the moment that he receives the signal which I will pass +on to you." + +The critical moment was now close at hand; the point which we were +endeavouring to weather was less than a mile ahead, and still far enough +on the lee-bow to justify the hope that we might yet go clear. But the +scene, generally, was of so alarming a character, and our situation was +so critical, that even the bravest man there might well have been +excused if he failed to regard it altogether without apprehension. For +it was now blowing harder than ever, the sea was breaking with +absolutely appalling fury on the reef--speaking eloquently of the fate +that awaited us all in the event of failure--and the over-driven ship, +so heavily pressed down by her canvas that the lee-side of her +quarter-deck and waist was all afloat, groaned and complained in every +timber as she literally fought her way through the opposing seas, +smothering herself forward so completely at every mad plunge that those +who were standing by to let go the anchor had been compelled to lash +themselves firmly at their posts to avoid being washed overboard. Add +to all this the fierce shriek and howl of the wind through the rigging +aloft, the groaning of the masts in their partners, and of the main +tack, as the ship rolled to windward, the thunderous shocks of the seas +as they smote our bows and shattered into blinding sheets of spray that +flew as high as the foretop and drenched the lee clew of the topsail, +and the sight of the spars bending and whipping to the terrific strain +that they were called upon to bear,--remembering, too, that if anything +should carry away just then it would mean the utter destruction of the +ship and the loss of all hands,--and the reader may be able dimly to +picture the feelings that animated the ship's company of the _Europa_ on +that occasion. + +Even the skipper looked a shade paler than usual as he slowly brought +the speaking-trumpet from behind him and prepared to raise it to his +lips. We were now so near the reef that we could hear the hollow +booming thunder and crash of the sea breaking upon it; its outer +extremity was within half-a-cable's length of our lee-bow, and it was +evident that, even if all went well, it was going to be "touch and go" +with us, when suddenly the ship came upright and the sails flapped with +a report like the discharge of a 32-pounder! That fatal flaw of wind +round the Point, which the master had foreseen, had come upon us. + +Up went the trumpet to the Captain's lips, and from it issued the +bellowing call of--"Hands, 'bout ship! Ready oh, ready! Down helm, +quartermaster! Stand by to let go at the word, Mr Howard!" + +"Ay, ay, sir!" came the response, faintly heard above the howl of the +wind, the thunder of the surf on the rocks to leeward, the heavy "slosh" +of a sea in over the bows, and the hair-raising slatting of the canvas +overhead. + +The ship, in obedience to her lee-helm, had come up about a point, still +forging ahead, and bringing the outer extremity of the reef broad on our +lee-bow, when suddenly the canvas, with a terrific report, filled again, +and the ship careened to her bearings. + +"Up helm, quartermaster, hard up with it, and let her go off again! We +shall do it yet, by Jupiter!" ejaculated the skipper, in a voice that +quivered with excitement, while the master, who had been standing close +by all the while, sprang to the wheel and lent his strength to put it +over. + +"Steady the wheel," was the next order, as the ship paid off again, and +once more began to gather way; "thus and no nearer, quartermaster; keep +her full, and let her go through the water! What are you about, sir?"-- +as the ship suddenly griped and the weather leach of the fore-topsail +shook. + +"It is the undertow--the recoil of the surf from the reef that is +hawsing her bows up into the wind, sir," explained the master, as he +strained at the wheel, with the sweat trickling down from underneath the +rim of his hat. "There--now she falls off again--steady as you go." + +As the master let go the wheel, took off his hat, and drew forth a +pocket-handkerchief to wipe his streaming visage, the end of the reef +drew fair abeam, and so close that I could almost have leaped from the +main rigging into the boil of surf that seethed and hissed and swirled +about the black fangs of rock that showed here and there above water. +But the danger was over, for as the ship went plunging and surging past +one could see how, every time she lifted, she was, as it were, dragged +bodily to windward by the strong undertow, and a minute later the reef +was astern, but fast working out on the weather quarter, showing quite +clearly how exceedingly narrow had been our escape. + +"Hold on there with the anchor, Mr Howard!" shouted the skipper. The +first lieutenant waved his hand and came aft, wet to the skin, and his +clothes streaming with water as though he had been overboard--as indeed +he had, to all intents and purposes; for while standing on the +forecastle, waiting for the order to let go the anchor, he had been +quite as much under water as above it. + +"That is as narrow a squeak as I have ever beheld, sir," he exclaimed, +as he joined the skipper. "If it had not been for that half-board that +we involuntarily made, we should never have done it." + +"No," agreed the skipper; "I believe that not even the undertow would +have saved us. However, `all's well that ends well,' so we will first +take the mainsail off her, Mr Howard, and then you may splice the +main-brace and call the watch. Let her go along clean full, +quartermaster; there is nothing to leeward now that we need be afraid +of. How's her head?" + +"Nor'-nor'-west, sir," answered the quartermaster. + +The clewing-up and stowing of the mainsail, without allowing it to +thresh itself to ribbons, was a task of no little difficulty, +considering the violence with which the gale was still blowing; but our +first luff was seaman enough to accomplish it without mishap. No sooner +was it off the ship than she once more resumed her former buoyancy of +motion, lifting easily over the seas, with only an occasional sprinkling +of spray upon the forecastle, instead of ploughing furiously through +them and drowning the whole of the fore-deck, as she had been doing +during her endeavour to work out to windward of Point du Raz; so great, +indeed, was the improvement in our condition generally that, although it +was still blowing very heavily, we all felt as though we had suddenly +passed into fine weather after our recent buffeting. + +Some three-quarters of an hour later we passed Les Stevenets. I believe +we might have weathered them had we really made a serious effort to do +so, but there was no need. In this case, unlike that of Point du Raz, +we had the option of going to leeward if we chose, and the skipper _did_ +choose. He had evidently had enough of close shaves for one day, and +the moment he recognised that we should have another if he made the +attempt to weather that group of rocks, he ordered the helm to be put +up, and we passed to leeward of them, giving them a good wide berth. We +had no stomach for again viewing surf-washed rocks at such close +quarters as we had been fated to do that day. + +By the time that we were well clear of Les Stevenets night had fallen; +but for the previous hour the sky had been gradually clearing, so that +by the end of the second dog-watch it was a fine, clear, star-lit night. +The wind, too, was distinctly moderating; while the sea, although still +very high, was longer, more regular, and not quite so steep as it had +been; in a word, the gale had broken, and by midnight we were once more +under courses and single-reefed topsails. By the end of the middle +watch we were able to shake out the reefs in our topsails and set the +topgallantsails, after which we hove about and headed south once more, +passing well to windward of the Isle de Seins and its outlying reefs +about noon next day. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +WE CAPTURE A DUTCH FRIGATE. + +About a fortnight later, being at the time off Cape Ortegal, cruising +under short canvas, we sighted at daybreak a brig in the offing, to +windward, steering south, under a press of sail. She was, at the moment +of discovery, some eight miles distant, and from her general appearance, +and especially from the cut of her canvas, we judged her to be French, +and a man-o'-war. We accordingly at once made sail, and hoisted the +private signal, of which no notice was taken; we therefore concluded +that our suspicions relative to her nationality were well founded, and +crowded all sail in chase. No sooner was this act of ours perceived by +the stranger than--the weather being fine, and the wind a moderate +breeze from West--she hauled her wind and, bracing sharp up, endeavoured +to make her escape to windward; the weather conditions, however, were +ideal for the frigate, and we overhauled the brig so rapidly that by ten +o'clock in the forenoon we were within gunshot of her; whereupon we +hoisted our colours and fired a shot across her forefoot as a polite +hint to her to heave-to. Her reply to this was to pour in her broadside +of seven 8-pounders, the shot from which flew over and between our +masts, doing us no damage whatever. Upon perceiving which, and noticing +also that we were about to return the compliment by firing our starboard +broadside at her, she hurriedly ran up the French ensign and as +hurriedly hauled it down again, at the same time backing her mainyard in +token of surrender. We thereupon closed with her and took possession, +our prize proving to be the fourteen-gun brig _Gironde_, bound from +Brest to Toulon. We transferred her crew of seventy to the frigate, and +sent her home in charge of Mr Galway, the second lieutenant, and a +prize-crew; but before parting company we learned, from certain papers +on board her, that on the 19th of the previous month (August) a treaty +of alliance, offensive and defensive, between France and Spain, had been +signed at Madrid. We were thus at war with Spain, as well as with the +Dutch and the French--a piece of news which our lads greeted with cheers +of delight when it was communicated to them, for it gave them another +enemy to fight--and to conquer. + +We were now at practically the southern extremity of our +cruising-ground, with the land plainly in view to leeward. Captain +Vavassour--who seemed of late to have contracted a marked dislike for +anything resembling a lee-shore--therefore decided to work well off the +land, until the frigate had gained the track of homeward-bound ships; +and there to lie in wait for anything that Dame Fortune might be +disposed to send us; in pursuance of which resolution we made sail, upon +a taut bowline, as soon as the _Gironde_ had parted company, cracking +on, and working out an offing of about a hundred miles by daylight the +next morning. + +The day dawned fresh and clear, with an almost cloudless sky, a moderate +breeze from about West by South, and very little sea overrunning the +long, regular Biscay swell; it was, in short, perfect Atlantic weather, +and about as complete a contrast as could well be imagined to the +conditions which had prevailed during our late experience in Audierne +Bay. + +The weather being of so fine and settled a character, we had been +carrying our royals all through the night; but shortly after the Captain +made his appearance on deck, at eight bells in the morning watch, the +breeze freshened up perceptibly; whereupon, a good offing having been +secured, the word was given to clew up and furl all three royals; and a +minute or two later the hands were aloft and out on the yards, rolling +up the canvas. It was while they were thus engaged--the ship being at +the time on the starboard tack, and consequently heading to the +southward--that a hail came down simultaneously from the fore and main +royal-yards to the effect that a couple of sail were in sight, broad on +the lee-bow. To an inquiry on the part of the first lieutenant as to +what they looked like, the answer was returned that it was impossible to +say just then, as the strangers were so far away that, even from the +lofty elevation of the observers, the heads of their royals were only +just clear of the horizon. + +Mr Howard cast an inquiring eye about him, and his gaze fell upon me. + +"Mr Delamere," he said, "you have a good glass. Just jump below and +get it, if you please, and then shin up as far as the main royal-yard +and see what you can make out concerning those strangers." + +I did as directed, the hands who had been aloft meeting me in the +maintop on their way down. + +"What do the strange craft look like, Simmons?" I asked of the smartest +of the party. + +"Well, sir," he replied, "as we told Mr Howard, a few minutes ago, we +can't make much out of 'em as yet; they'm too far off for that. But +I've got pretty good eyes, Mr Delamere, and I think when you brings +that glass o' yours to bear on 'em that you'll find one on 'em's got her +r'yals stowed, while t'other has hers set. Likewise I've a sort of a +notion that if you stays aloft for a matter o' ten minutes or so you'll +find that there's three on 'em, instead o' two; at all events just as I +was layin' 'im off the yard I thought I catched a glimpse of somethin' +showin' now and again that looked like the canvas of another craft just +liftin' over the 'orizon." + +"Thanks, Simmons," said I, "I'll keep a lookout for number three. If +she really exists, she ought to declare herself unmistakably within the +next few minutes. By the bye, I suppose they are heading this way?" + +"To the best o' my knowledge and belief they be, sir," the man answered. +"We wasn't on the yard long enough to make exactly sure, but it seemed +to me that, even durin' the minute or two that elapsed after we first +catched sight of 'em, they lifted a bit." + +"Thanks," I said again. "We shall soon see." And I sprang into the +topmast rigging and proceeded on my way aloft, while Simmons swung +himself down over the rim of the top. + +I soon reached my destination and seated myself comfortably on the +royal-yard, with my back resting against the mast under my lee. From +this elevation the strangers were distinctly visible to the naked eye, +for the atmosphere was as clear as crystal; and, even before I had +established myself to my liking, my unaided sight had assured me that +Simmons' supposition was correct, and that there were three sail, +instead of two, to the southward; for the object that the topman had +only believed he saw elusively appearing and vanishing on the verge of +the distant horizon now stood out clear and sharp as a tiny patch of +canvas, showing milk-white in the morning sun, well clear of the other +two. I soon brought my telescope--an exceptionally powerful +instrument--to bear upon the three patches of canvas that gleamed like +tiny shreds of fleecy, summer cloud upon the sharply-ruled edge of the +dark-blue sea, and at once discovered that Simmons had been so far right +that one of the craft had indeed her royals stowed, and not only that +but her topgallantsails also, while the other two appeared to be showing +every cloth they could possibly spread, including--as I soon made out-- +topgallant studdingsails. + +Presently, when I had been working away with my telescope for a minute +or two, a hail came floating up to me from the deck below of-- + +"Royal-yard, there! what have you been able to make out respecting the +two strange sail to leeward?" + +Looking down past my left shoulder, I saw the skipper and the first +lieutenant both gazing upward at me. It was the latter who had hailed. + +"There are three of them, instead of two, sir," I answered. "And while +two of them are carrying royals and topgallant-studding sails, the third +has her royals and topgallantsails stowed; from which I infer that two +of them are merchantmen, while the third is a man-o'-war--probably a +frigate." + +A short confab between the Captain and Mr Howard ensued upon the +communication of this bit of information; then the skipper hailed: + +"How do they bear, now, Mr Delamere? Do they seem to be drawing out +athwart our hawse at all?" + +"They bear about two and a half points on our lee-bow, at this moment, +sir," I replied. "And I think that, if we hold all on as we are going +now, we shall weather the leading ship--the one that I take to be a +frigate--by about half a mile. They are rising fast, sir--the heads of +the leader's topsails are just beginning to show; and if the breeze +continues as fresh as it is now we ought to be abreast of them in +about,"--I made a rapid calculation--"an hour and a half from this." + +Another brief interchange of remarks between the Captain and the first +luff followed this communication, then the latter hailed again-- + +"Thank you, Mr Delamere. That will do for the present. You had better +come down and get your breakfast." + +My estimate as to the time at which we should close with the strangers +was not far out; for when, having snatched a hasty breakfast, I again +went on deck, the heads of the leading stranger's topsails were visible +above the horizon, she having made sail about a quarter-of-an-hour +earlier and hauled to the wind a trifle, as though to intercept us; and +as I emerged from the hatchway the drummers began to beat to quarters, +Mr Percival, the third lieutenant, having gone into the fore-topmast +crosstrees to reconnoitre, and from that lofty outlook having not only +confirmed my conjecture as to the leading ship being undoubtedly a +frigate, but also expressed his conviction that she was a foreigner. + +By the time that we were all ready to engage, if need were, the strange +frigate was hull-up; and as she had hauled her wind still farther, and +threatened to weather us if we did not mind what we were about, we +tacked ship, when it soon became apparent that the _Europa_ was much the +faster vessel of the two; we, therefore, stood on until we were sure of +our ability to pass across the other vessel's bows upon the next tack, +when we went about again, and at the same time hoisted our colours. To +this challenge the stranger promptly replied by hoisting Dutch colours, +thus declaring herself to be an enemy, which declaration our lads +greeted with three mighty cheers. + +Both ships were now close-hauled, on opposite tacks, the Dutchman +heading to the northward upon the port tack, while the _Europa_, on the +starboard tack, was heading up high enough to render it certain that we +should be able to cross his bows at about the distance of a cable's +length. It was Captain Vavassour's intention to do this, if he could, +pouring in a raking broadside at the proper moment; but the Dutchman +soon let us know that he was not to be caught so easily, for when he +arrived at about four points on our lee-bow he suddenly went in stays, +giving us his starboard broadside as he did so, and the next moment a +storm of 32-pound shot came hurtling about our ears, crashing through +our bulwarks, killing two men and wounding five poor fellows, besides +cutting up our rigging a good deal. We immediately luffed and returned +the compliment, giving him the whole of our port broadside, main-deck +and upper-deck guns; and when the smoke blew away we had the +satisfaction of seeing that we had shot away his jib-booms, thus +depriving him of a considerable amount of head-sail at a most critical +moment. Moreover, the loss of his jibs caused him to miss stays and +hang in the wind so long that, taking advantage of the opportunity, +Captain Vavassour bore up, and, passing close athwart his stern, raked +him most effectively with our starboard broadside, receiving only four +shot from the Dutchman's stern-chasers in return. + +Meanwhile, the Dutch crew went to work with most praiseworthy courage +and activity to clear away the wreck, and so to reduce the amount of +their after-sail as to get their ship once more under command; but +before they could succeed in doing this we had kept away far enough to +give ourselves room to tack, had gone about again, and once more crossed +our antagonist's stern, raking him a second time most destructively, at +close quarters, with our port broadside, double-shotted. This discharge +must have played havoc with his crew, for when at length he had paid off +sufficiently to bring his starboard broadside to bear, he was only able +to fire a little more than half his guns, while they were so +indifferently aimed that only three or four of the shot struck us. + +We now had a very great advantage over our antagonist, from the fact +that all our spars were intact, while he was greatly hampered by the +loss of so much head-sail; but the advantage did not remain with us very +long, for at the next exchange of broadsides down came our fore-topmast, +at the same instant that the Dutchman's mizenmast went over the side. +This put us both upon nearly equal terms, the advantage being rather on +the side of our antagonist, if anything; and now we went at it, hammer +and tongs, making a running fight of it, broadside to broadside, as fast +as the men could load and fire. Now, too, it began to dawn upon us that +we had caught a Tartar, for the Dutchman mounted forty guns--32-pound +and 28-pound carronades--against our 24-pounders and 8-pounders, while +the close range at which we were fighting--about a pistol-shot +distance--enabled her heavier metal to punish us severely. But our lads +cared very little about this, it appeared, one of them remarking to +another in my hearing that an 8-pounder could kill quite as effectively +as a 32 at short range, and for his part he would as soon be killed by +one as the other. This appeared to be the spirit animating all hands, +for they toiled away at their guns, loading and firing with the utmost +rapidity, and cheering at every broadside, whether of their own or the +enemy. But the work was too hot to last very long. When we had been +engaged about half-an-hour we noticed that our antagonist's fire was +perceptibly slackening, and when at length we contrived again to pass +across her stern, and deliver another raking double-shotted broadside, +she hauled down her colours and hailed that she surrendered. The word +was at once passed to cease firing, and the battle ended, for which I, +at any rate, was not at all sorry; for there had been moments when it +appeared to me as though we were both bent upon emulating the famous +Kilkenny cats, who fought until nothing but their tails remained! + +Now came the task of taking possession of the prize. Investigation +revealed the fact that, out of all our boats, only two were in a fit +state for immediate service, namely, the second cutter and the Captain's +gig, the others having been all more or less damaged by the enemy's +shot; the skipper therefore ordered the former to be lowered, directing +Mr Percival, the third lieutenant, to go away in her, taking with him +as many men as she would carry. + +"Mr Delamere," continued Captain Vavassour, "you had better accompany +Mr Percival, bringing back the boat with a couple of hands as soon as +you have obtained all the essential information. Be as quick as you +can, if you please, because I want to be off after those other two +craft." + +"Ay, ay, sir," answered I, as I turned away to go below and fetch my +dirk; and a couple of minutes later we were clear of the _Europa_ and +pulling away toward the Dutchman, the skipper's injunction to me to +hurry being emphasised by the fact that as I passed through the gangway +I caught sight of the carpenter and his mates busily engaged upon the +task of routing out a new topmast from among the assortment of spare +spars that we carried. Meanwhile the other two craft of which the +skipper had spoken, and which had all the appearance of being Dutch +Indiamen under the convoy of the frigate, had hauled their wind as soon +as the action began, and were now some four miles dead to windward, +heading about North-West, and cracking on with the evident intention of +getting out of sight, if possible, before we could repair damages +sufficiently to proceed in pursuit. + +Five minutes sufficed us to span the narrow stretch of water that +separated us from our late antagonist; and upon climbing the side we +were received at the gangway by an officer of some twenty-five years of +age, whose head was swathed in a blood-stained bandage, and who handed +his sword to Percival with a dignified bow. This officer, who spoke +English quite well, informed us that the ship which we had captured was +the Dutch frigate _Gelderland_, of forty guns, homeward-bound from the +East Indies with the two ships in sight under convoy. He further +informed us that his name was Van Halst, and that at the beginning of +the action he had been third lieutenant, whereas, in consequence of the +heavy loss inflicted by our raking broadsides, he was now the ship's +commanding officer. + +Indeed, it appeared that our fire had been fearfully destructive, for in +addition to the damage that had been apparent from the _Europa's_ decks, +we now beheld dismounted guns, shattered, blood-splashed bulwarks, cut +rigging hanging everywhere in bights, and shot-scored decks cumbered +with dead and dying men--a veritable shambles. Mynheer Van Halst could +not tell us the precise extent of the ship's losses in killed and +wounded, for there had been no time thus far to ascertain it. The sound +members of the crew were still busily engaged in the terrible task of +separating the wounded from the slain, and conveying the former below to +be attended to by the surgeon; but he told us that she had begun the +action with a complement of three hundred and ten officers and men, and +that he believed, from what he had seen, quite half of them must have +been put _hors de combat_. + +Now that the fight was over and his ship taken, poor Van Halst began to +show signs of the stress and strain of the engagement; he gradually +turned ghastly pale; his lips quivered from time to time to such an +extent that, for the few seconds during which the paroxysm lasted, he +was scarcely able to articulate. He staggered as he stood talking to +us, and at length Percival, who could ill afford to waste time in +conversation, gently led him into the handsome cabin under the poop, +deposited him on a sofa, found a decanter of brandy and gave him a good +stiff dose to revive him, and left him there, with a kindly injunction +that he was not to attempt to move until he, Percival, returned. + +Having thus disposed, for the time being, of our principal prisoner +without, as we hoped, hurting his feelings, the third lieutenant and I +took rapid stock of the condition of our prize, Percival mentioning such +items of information as he wished to have reported to the skipper, while +I jotted them down in my pocket-book, together with such other notes as +I believed might be found of interest. Thus, we examined the boats and +found three of them absolutely intact, while a fourth could be rendered +serviceable in about half-an-hour by the carpenter--our shot having +taken effect for the most part on the main-deck. Then we quickly +surveyed her stock of spare spars, and came to the conclusion that all +her damages in that direction might be made good, except so far as her +mizenmast was concerned; she would consequently have to go home +brig-rigged, or at best as a barque. + +Meanwhile, from the moment when our people first set foot upon her deck +they had fallen to upon the work of clearing away the wreckage, saving +all that was worth saving, and knotting and splicing rigging, leaving +the Dutch crew to look after their wounded comrades and convey them +below to the surgeon. At length, after I had been aboard about +half-an-hour, I was ready to return to our own ship; I therefore ordered +two hands down into the boat alongside, and shoved off for the _Europa_, +noting, with great satisfaction as I did so, that the breeze was fast +dropping, and that the two Indiamen were still hull-up, not having made +very much progress to windward during the time that I had been aboard +the prize. + +Upon regaining the _Europa's_ deck I found it a scene of feverish yet +perfectly ordered activity. Everybody was busily engaged in one way or +another upon the task of making good the damage to our spars and rigging +by the enemy's shot; a strong gang upon the forecastle had already +cleared away the wreck of the fore-topmast, having removed from it, +practically uninjured, everything that had been attached to it in the +shape of other spars, rigging, and so on--such, for example, as the +topgallant-masts and royal-masts, with their sails, yards, and rigging, +the topsail-yard and topsail, the cap, crosstrees, and topmast rigging; +and the carpenter and his mates had already got the new spar fitted and +ready for pointing; while practically all our cut gear had been either +knotted or spliced. As for our casualties, I was delighted to learn +that they were very light, taking into consideration the determination +with which our adversary had fought, our loss in killed and wounded +amounting to eight of the former and twenty-two of the latter, of which +only seven cases were regarded by the surgeon as really serious. + +Captain Vavassour was up on the poop, talking to the master, when I +passed in through the gangway. I, therefore, at once made my way to him +and, having reported myself in due form as "Come on board, sir," +proceeded forthwith to make my report, referring from time to time to my +pocket-book in order to assure myself that I was omitting nothing. + +"Thank you, Mr Delamere," the skipper said when I had finished; "you +seem to have brought me a very full and complete report--complete +enough, at all events, to give me a pretty clear idea of the state of +affairs aboard the prize. From what you tell me, I judge that Mr +Percival will have his hands full for some hours to come; is not that +so?" + +I answered that that was precisely how the matter appeared to me. + +"Very well," he said. "Then as soon as the carpenter has finished here +he must go aboard the prize, taking with him as many men as Mr Howard +can spare. You shall go with him, remaining aboard the _Gelderland_ +until the able-bodied portion of her crew can be transferred to this +ship, when you will undertake that piece of work, using, if need be, to +facilitate the operation, such of the prize's boats as will float. You +had better find Mr Howard and acquaint him with this arrangement, and +then tell the carpenter what I want him to do. It appears to me that +Mr Lucas is now almost, if not quite, ready to turn over to the prize. +If so, you had better take him across." + +Away I trotted, and presently found the first lieutenant on the +forecastle, supervising the labours of the boatswain and the carpenter, +the latter of whom was just putting the finishing touches to his part of +the work. I delivered both my messages, picked out fifteen more men to +go aboard the prize,--that being all that Mr Howard could spare,-- +hustled them, with the carpenter and his crew, down the side, and +presently found myself again aboard the prize. + +Here, short as had been the duration of my absence, I found a great +improvement in the appearance of things. Mr Percival and his gang had +been working like demons, and had made great advances toward a general +clearance of the wreckage--so much so, indeed, that he was quite ready +for the Carpenter to start work at once; while, as for the Dutch crew, +they had completed their task of carrying below their killed and +wounded, and were busily engaged in washing down the main-deck and +otherwise obliterating, as far as might be, the evidences of the recent +battle. I allowed them to finish this job--although I knew the skipper +to be very anxious to be off in chase of the two Indiamen--for I had +noticed, while crossing over to the prize on the last occasion, that the +wind had fined away to a mere zephyr, and that the Indiamen were still +hull-up; while there was every appearance of the weather falling stark +calm within the next hour or two. I, therefore, told myself that, +taking everything into consideration, there was really no great need for +hurry. But I had not to wait very long, for within half-an-hour the +Dutchmen had done all that was possible for them to do; and by noon I +had completed my somewhat disagreeable task of transferring all the +prisoners to the _Europa_, taking with me, on my last trip, the Dutch +surgeon's report upon the losses incurred by the _Gelderland_ during the +action. These, as anticipated by Van Halst, were exceedingly heavy, the +killed numbering thirty-two, while the wounded totalled no less than one +hundred and thirty-one, of whom at least ten were so desperately hurt +that there was little hope of their outlasting the night. + +By the time that all this was done, Mr Howard had got our new +fore-topmast on end and rigged, the topsail-yard aloft and secured, and +the topsail, fore-topmast staysail, and jib set, when we at once filled +on the ship and hauled our wind in pursuit of the Indiamen, Mr Percival +having received orders to follow us as soon as he could make sail. Then +we piped to dinner, all hands having spent a most strenuously busy +morning. + +At four bells in the afternoon watch the wind had fined down to such an +extent that the frigate was making no more than a bare four knots +through the water, although we had by this time got up the +fore-topgallant and royal-masts again and were once more under all plain +sail; while, as for the two Indiamen, built as cargo-carriers rather +than for speed, they appeared to scarcely have steerage-way, and seemed +to maintain their luff only with the utmost difficulty--indeed, there +were times when they fell so broad off as to present their full +broadsides to us. But although their capture might now be regarded as +practically certain, they were evidently not disposed to yield without +making some sort of a struggle for liberty, for they were on opposite +tacks, one of them having gone about; the idea, of course, being to +separate and widen their distance as much as possible in the hope that +by so doing one of them at least might escape, even if the other were +captured. Captain Vavassour, however, did not allow these tactics to +disconcert him in the least; he fixed upon one of them as the object of +his pursuit--altogether disregarding the movements of the other, +meanwhile--and devoted all his efforts to close with her, with the +result that by two bells in the first dog-watch we were within gunshot +of our quarry, when a shot was pitched across his forefoot as a gentle +hint to him to heave-to. But he declined to take the hint, and it was +not until we sent a shot whistling between his masts that the sturdy old +Mynheer could be convinced of the impossibility of escape, when he +hoisted his colours to the peak only to instantly haul them down again +and back his mainyard in token of surrender. + +"Mr Delamere," said the Captain, "I shall be obliged to send you to +take possession of that ship. Take the cutter, therefore, with a dozen +men--armed, of course--and proceed on board at once. You may take Mr +Millet (another midshipman) with you, who, with a couple of hands, can +bring back the boat and any message which you may find it necessary to +send. You will have to depend upon the Dutch crew, principally, to work +the ship for you until I can make further arrangements. As soon as you +have shoved off I shall proceed in pursuit of the other ship, and you +had better follow me, so long as there is wind enough for you to do so; +and you must use your own judgment as to the most opportune moment for +sending away Mr Millet and the boat." + +A quarter of an hour later, followed by Jack Millet and my crew of +twelve, I clambered in over the bulwarks of the motherly old craft that +we had brought-to, and formally took possession of the _Haarlem_, Dutch +East Indiaman, of 965 tons, homeward-bound from Batavia, full to the +hatches with a rich cargo of Eastern produce, and a cuddy-full of +passengers who seemed to take their capture very philosophically, +especially when I explained to them that they might rely upon being left +in undisturbed possession of all their strictly personal effects. With +the skipper, however,--a most dignified old fellow, white-haired, and +bronzed by nearly half a century of the sea life,--it was different. It +appeared that he was part-owner of the ship, having sunk the entire +savings of a lifetime in the purchase of fifty shares and a quantity of +the cargo in her hold; and although he did his utmost to face his +misfortune as a brave man should, the tears started to his eyes as he +explained to me that the capture of the ship would leave him and his +_frau_ absolutely penniless in their old age. I endeavoured to soften +the blow to him as much as possible by sympathetically murmuring some +idiotic platitude about "the fortune of war," but of course it was no +good; the poor old fellow simply shook his head and ejaculated--"Ay--the +fortune of war! It is all very well for you, young sir, who depend upon +war to provide you with a career, to talk like that; but think of the +thousands who are ruined and whose hearts are left desolate by war; +think of the parents who have to mourn the loss of sons cut down by war +in the very flower of their manhood, and all because our rulers cannot +agree! I tell you, sir, that if all men were what they should be-- +honourable, honest, upright, and faithful followers of Christ--there +need be no war." + +To which I replied that doubtless this was true; but that if we should +be compelled to wait for the abolition of war until mankind became +perfect, I had a conviction that neither he nor I would live to see it. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +WESTWARD HO! + +When, through the captain of the _Haarlem_, as interpreter, I explained +to the Dutch crew that it was my intention to call upon them to continue +to work the ship, they seemed disposed at the outset to refuse; but I +soon brought them to a more reasonable frame of mind by giving them the +choice of remaining in their own forecastle and enjoying the liberty of +the _Haarlem's_ deck, on the one hand, and being transferred to the +frigate and confined below, on the other, when it took them but a few +minutes to make up their minds that the first alternative was by far the +more desirable of the two. + +Having arrived at this understanding I filled away, and, with the cutter +in tow, stood after the _Europa_, which was now in full pursuit of the +second Indiaman--the _Schelde_, of 950 tons, also from Batavia, and with +an even more valuable cargo than that carried by the _Haarlem_, as I now +learned from the chief mate of the latter. But oh, it was weary work to +attempt to turn to windward in a light breeze in the deep, bluff-bowed, +squat-sterned, Dutch-built _Haarlem_, after my experience of the smart, +lively, swift-sailing British frigate; it was, therefore, with a feeling +of the utmost satisfaction that shortly before the end of the second +dog-watch I heard the _Europa_ once more booming out her summons to +surrender, and saw the mainyard of the _Schelde_ swing slowly aback in +response. For now, the business of taking possession of this third +prize once over, we could at least bear up and crowd sail for home, with +a free wind to help us over the ground; for by this time Mr Percival +had so far made good the damage sustained by the _Gelderland_ that he +once more had the vessel under command, and was working out toward us on +the port tack. And from what I could see of the behaviour of the ship +it appeared to me that, even in the guise of a brig, she would be quite +able to hold her own with the slow-moving Indiamen. + +The _Schelde_ and the frigate having hove-to, we were able to close with +them in the course of about an hour, when I sent away Jack Millet and +two men in the cutter with my report to Captain Vavassour, giving him +the name, tonnage, and nature of the cargo of the _Haarlem_, together +with such other particulars as I thought he would like to know, and also +acquainting him with the fact that the Dutch crew had consented to work +the ship. Meanwhile the _Europa_ had taken in all her light sails and +clewed up her courses, with the evident intention of keeping close +company with her prizes. + +As soon as the _Schelde_ had been taken possession of, and a prize-crew +put on board her, Captain Vavassour sent away his gig to me, in charge +of young Millet, with written instructions that I was to remain in +charge of the _Haarlem_, retaining Jack to help me, and to crowd all +sail for Plymouth, taking care to keep in close touch with the rest of +the squadron. Jack--good boy--upon receiving his instructions to join +me, had had the sense and forethought not only to bring along his own +dunnage but mine also; and as soon as we had hoisted in the two chests I +sent back the gig, and we proceeded to make ourselves comfortable by +taking possession of two staterooms in the cuddy that by good fortune +happened to be vacant. + +It was close upon four bells in the first watch when at length, all +arrangements being completed, the _Europa_ hoisted the night signal for +us to make sail, upon which, the wind having meanwhile freshened up +again a trifle, we wore round and, crowding all sail upon the two +Indiamen, shaped a course for Ushant. I remained on deck until I had +seen the topgallant, topmast, and lower studdingsails set aboard my +command, and then, having had a busy and very tiring day, turned over +the charge of the deck to Bateman, a steady old quartermaster who had +been spared to me by Mr Howard, laying strict injunctions upon him to +keep a very sharp eye upon the Dutch crew, and then turned-in. Five +days later, at daylight, we made the land, and came safely to anchor in +Plymouth Sound, just as the breakfast-bell was being rung on board the +two Indiamen. + +The appearance of the _Europa_ in the Sound, accompanied by three +prizes, one of which was a more powerful vessel than herself, created +great excitement ashore, and we were speedily surrounded by a whole +flotilla of boats, the occupants of which clamorously besought +permission to come on board and dispose of, either by sale or barter, +the varied assortment of goods and commodities that they had brought +off; but the strictest orders had been given that no strangers were on +any account to be allowed on board, and that no boats or other craft +were to be permitted to come alongside, or even approach the prizes; we +were, therefore, obliged to possess our souls in patience, and see fresh +meat, soft tack, and many other dainties that we would gladly have +purchased, taken back to the shore again. Two days later, however, the +prizes were taken into the Hamoase and their crews landed, after which +the prize-crews returned to the _Europa_, where the joyous news was +communicated to us that we were to proceed at once to Portsmouth to +refit. We weighed forthwith and stood up channel with a slashing +westerly breeze, arriving at Portsmouth on the following day, when all +hands were turned over to the guardship, and the frigate was taken into +dock. + +I obtained leave, without the slightest difficulty, and spent a very +happy month with my father, at the expiration of which I was notified +that the _Europa_ was once more ready for sea, and was requested to join +forthwith. + +On this occasion I left home and journeyed down to Portsmouth alone, my +father happening at the time to be suffering from an attack of gout +which, while not sufficiently serious to be alarming, was nevertheless +painful enough to preclude travelling. Upon arriving at my destination +I called at the George Hotel, where Captain Vavassour usually put up, +with the intention of reporting myself to him, but, learning that he was +on board the frigate, I at once proceeded to the harbour and, engaging a +wherry, transported myself and my belongings to Spithead, where the +_Europa_ lay at anchor. I was just in time to catch the Captain and +report myself before he left the ship for the night, and then I +descended to the midshipmen's berth, where I was joyously welcomed by my +former shipmates. + +Upon inquiring for the latest news, it appeared that certain changes had +occurred in the personnel of the ship since we had last all met +together. For instance, Mr Howard had most deservedly obtained his +promotion and been given a command, while Mr Galway now reigned in his +stead aboard the _Europa_. As second and third lieutenants we had two +new men, namely, Mr William Gadsby and Mr Edward Sutcliffe, both of +whom seemed to have made a fairly favourable impression, on the whole, +although--as was, perhaps, only natural--the occupants of the +midshipmen's berth seemed just a little inclined to regard them askance +as newcomers of whom but little was thus far known. But when, an hour +or so later, I again went up on deck and, through Mr Galway, made the +acquaintance of the new men, I speedily came to the conclusion that +though our new second luff might possibly turn out to be rather a "taut +hand," and perhaps a little inclined to be intolerant of the practical +joking to which midshipmen are so prone, yet, on the whole, we should +not have much cause to regret the arrival of either himself or Mr +Sutcliffe among us, for both of them impressed me as being exceedingly +well-bred men. Whether or not they would turn out to be capable seamen, +however, was a matter which only time and more intimate association +would prove. + +As I have already intimated, the frigate had been reported as ready for +sea when I received orders to join her; and so she was, save in one most +important particular, namely, that she was short-handed. For although, +upon our arrival home, all hands had been turned over to the guardship +and placed upon her books while our own ship was in the hands of the +dockyard people, the admiral had drawn upon them pretty freely, in order +to enable other ships to complete their complement and go to sea; so +that when the time came for the _Europa_ to receive back her crew, it +was found that she was nearly fifty men short of her full number. This +was all the more unfortunate, in that we had very little time left us in +which to make up the deficiency; for we were to sail in three days' time +for Plymouth, there to form part of the escort of a large fleet of +merchantmen and transports bound to the West Indies under convoy. But +now it was that our new second and third lieutenants showed their +mettle, for on the very night of my arrival on board they organised two +formidable pressgangs, which they led ashore, one party landing at +Portsmouth and the other at Gosport; and between them they managed to +make a clean sweep of pretty nearly all the crimps' houses within a +radius of four miles of the harbour, returning to the ship shortly +before daylight the next morning considerably battered and the worse for +wear--for they had been engaged in a series of desperate hand-to-hand +fights--but bringing with them sixty-three fine, able-bodied merchant +seamen, who had been in close hiding while awaiting a berth. A few of +these men had already served on board a man-o'-war, and they did not +need very much persuasion to induce them to enter again; when the ball +having once been set rolling, as it were, the rest followed suit in +little batches of twos and threes until by midday the whole of them had +"volunteered," and we had completed our complement. + +At daylight, on the third morning after my arrival on board, Blue Peter +was hoisted, the fore-topsail was loosed, and a gun was fired as a +signal that we were about to proceed to sea; and from that moment until +the anchor was lifted all was bustle and confusion--hoisting in and +securing the boats, stowing away stock of all descriptions, and clearing +the ship of women--wives and sweethearts of the crew--and traders who +were anxious to obtain a settlement of accounts. The Captain's gig had +been sent ashore immediately after breakfast; and about ten o'clock she +returned, bringing off Captain Vavassour; the boatswains piped "All +hands up anchor!" and half-an-hour later we were bowling away down the +Solent before a fine easterly breeze. + +We arrived in Plymouth Sound the next morning, and found assembled there +about one hundred and twenty sail of merchantmen bound to various ports +on the other side of the Atlantic, in the safe convoy of which to their +destination we were to take part. We also found my old ship _Colossus_, +the frigate _Astarte_, of thirty-six guns, and two 14-gun-brigs--the +_Hebe_ and the _Naiad_--at anchor outside the merchant fleet, being the +remaining ships of the squadron detailed for convoy duty. + +On the day following our arrival at Plymouth the wind shifted and blew +hard from the south-west, with almost continuous rain. As these weather +conditions prevailed for eight consecutive days, we remained at anchor, +awaiting a change of wind, since it was useless to take to sea a fleet +of merchantmen, the greater number of which were so deeply laden and +such poor sailers that it would have been impossible for them to make +any progress against a wind that was blowing dead in their teeth. +During this period of inaction some thirty additional sail arrived at +the rendezvous, anxious to avail themselves of the protection of convoy; +when, therefore, on the ninth day the weather cleared and the wind +hauled round from the south-east, the merchant fleet of which we were to +take care during their passage across the Atlantic numbered in all +exactly one hundred and fifty-four sail. + +The change of weather occurred shortly after midnight, with a steadily +rising barometer; at daylight, therefore, the commodore fired a gun and +hoisted the signal to weigh, and by eight o'clock the leading ships in +the fleet were under way and beating out to sea, led by the _Colossus_, +their departure being hastened by much firing of guns and continuous +displays of signal flags. The two gun-brigs went out with the first of +the fleet, their duty being to marshal the merchantmen into something +like order when they got outside; but the _Astarte_ and ourselves +remained at anchor to quicken up the movements of the laggards and +expedite matters generally; and a hard time we had of it, for so +short-handed were some of the vessels that we were obliged to send +working-parties on board them to assist in making sail and breaking +their anchors out of the ground. But by noon the last of them were +fairly under way, and as soon as they had passed outside of us we too +weighed and stood out after them, flitting hither and thither, hailing +first this ship and then that, with imperative orders for them to crowd +sail. But oh, what weary, heart-breaking work was this business of +whipping-in; for so sluggish were some of the craft that it seemed as +though they would never be able to make their way out to the main fleet, +which was by this time hove-to in the offing. However, by eight bells +in the afternoon watch we had contrived to hustle the last one out to +windward of the Eddystone, when the commodore made the signal to fill +away; and off we all went, with the wind a couple of points free, the +weather braces checked, and the slower coaches among the merchantmen +with all their larboard studdingsails set. Then came a signal from the +commodore to regulate rate of sailing by that of the slowest craft in +the fleet and to keep as close together as prudence would permit; and, +finally, a signal to the men-of-war to take the stations assigned to +them and to keep a sharp lookout for marauders. This last signal was +made purely as a matter of form and duty, and not because it was +actually necessary; for although none of us had sighted any +suspicious-looking craft on our way round to Plymouth, we felt pretty +certain that news of the assembling of the convoy, and of its probable +sailing date, would find its way across the Channel, and that, sooner or +later, we should discover that a few enterprising privateers were +hovering upon its skirts, watching for a favourable opportunity to cut +in and secure a prize or two. + +The south-easterly wind held long enough to enable us and our charges to +get well clear of the Channel and to the southward of Ushant before it +changed, and then it gradually veered round until it came out strong +from the north-west, when away we all went for Madeira, the slowest +ships carrying every rag of canvas that they could stagger under, while +the faster craft were unwillingly compelled to shorten down in order +that all might keep together, while as for ourselves and the _Astarte_, +the utmost that we could show, without running ahead of our station, was +double-reefed topsails. + +We sighted and passed Madeira on the eighth day out from Plymouth, and +two days later, to our great joy, picked up the "Trades," blowing fresh; +and thus far we had not sighted a single suspicious sail. Most of us +were of opinion that, having been permitted to come thus far without +interference, we were now safe, and that with a strong trade-wind +wafting along even the slowest coaches among us, at a pace of from six +to seven knots an hour, our troubles were all over. But the more +knowing ones shook their heads, smiled compassionately at our ignorance, +and said, "Wait a bit!" + +And they were right. For at daylight on a certain lovely morning, when +we were, by our reckoning, some three hundred and twenty miles from the +island of Barbadoes, upon going up to the main-topmast crosstrees to +take a look round generally, and count the number of sail in sight, I +discovered that at last the wolves had entered our fold and were already +playing havoc with it. For, to start with, one of our finest and +fastest merchantmen had hauled out from the main body, and under a heavy +press of canvas was already hull-down in the south-eastern board, being +evidently in possession of a prize-crew, while, in the thickest of the +ruck, was a very large brigantine, under exceedingly short canvas, yet +keeping pace with the slow-sailing merchantmen, first sheering alongside +one and hugging her affectionately for a few minutes, and then turning +her attention to another and doing likewise. But this was not all, for +on the northern flank of the convoy there was a small full-rigged ship, +which I felt certain was a stranger, apparently pursuing the same +tactics as the brigantine; while far away to the north were both our +man-o'-war brigs cracking on in chase of five craft--whether a portion +of our convoy or not, I could not at the moment say--which seemed to be +manoeuvring with the deliberate purpose of drawing the brigs away from +the convoy and so affording the brigantine and the ship an opportunity +to put in a good morning's work unmolested. + +"On deck, there!" I hailed. "There are two strange sail astern which +seem to be running alongside and taking possession of a number of our +craft; one large ship is heading south-east and already hull-down from +the crosstrees here; and the two brigs--the _Hebe_ and the _Naiad_--are +about fifteen miles off, in the northern board, chasing five other +craft." + +"Thank you, Mr Delamere," answered the first lieutenant. "Can you +count the number of merchantmen in sight?" + +"I'll try to do so, sir," I replied; "but I'm afraid it will be a little +difficult, for they are all bunching together, astern, as though for +mutual protection, in a manner that is very confusing." + +"Still, I shall be glad if you will do your best to get the +information," hailed the first luff; to which I replied, as in duty +bound--"Ay, ay, sir; I'll have a try." + +Therewith I set to work upon my somewhat awkward task, in the middle of +which some of the merchantmen began firing their signal guns to attract +our attention. The example seemed contagious, for in about five minutes +the popping of their 4-pounders was almost continuous, and the smoke +became as thick as though a small battle were raging, while ship after +ship hoisted the signal for "Enemy in sight!" At length, after being +compelled to begin my work all over again two or three times, I managed +to complete my count, making of them one hundred and forty-eight. This +number I reported to the first lieutenant, down on deck. + +"Does that include the six craft which appear to have parted company, +Mr Delamere?" hailed Mr Galway. + +"No, sir," I replied; "it is the number which are still sailing in +convoy." + +The first lieutenant conferred for a few minutes with the Captain, who +had meanwhile been sent for, and had come on deck, and then hailed +again, directing me to come down. + +Meanwhile a good deal of signalling had been proceeding between the +_Colossus_, ourselves, and the _Astarte_; and just as I reached the deck +the order was given to make sail, the two frigates having been +instructed to chase the strangers, and for us, in addition, to pursue +and recapture the large ship which had by this time vanished altogether +in the south-eastern board. + +We at once hauled our wind and, acknowledging the signal from the +commodore, crowded sail, standing to the southward upon the port tack. +We set everything to our royals, although the moment that the ship was +brought upon a wind, and the yards braced sharp up, we became conscious +of the fact that the Trades were blowing quite strong enough to justify +us, under ordinary circumstances, in keeping our topgallantsails stowed. +But this was no time for prudence; valuable property was being stolen +under our very noses--ay, and murder being committed, too, for aught +that we could tell to the contrary--and the marauders must be caught and +punished; we therefore cracked on, pressing the beautiful frigate to the +utmost limit of her endurance. + +And, oh, what a joyous, exhilarating sensation it was to feel the ship +alive once more, as it were, heeling steeply over to the shrill piping +of the strong salt breeze, bounding from wave to wave, plunging her +sharp stem deep into the heart of each oncoming surge, and cleaving its +indigo crest asunder in a perfect storm of sparkling foam above which +played a miniature rainbow, after being compelled for weeks to moderate +our paces to those of the sluggish merchantmen! + +Our shift of helm brought that portion of the convoy, in the midst of +which the big brigantine was pursuing her nefarious trade, square upon +our weather-beam, but as we were now going off practically at right +angles to the course steered by the convoy, and as both they and we were +sailing at a good rate, our relative positions very quickly altered; and +as the brigantine had not yet seen fit to haul out from among the +merchantmen, we were beginning to hope that she was too busily employed +to notice our movements, and that, before she did so and took the alarm, +we should gain the weather-gage of her. But no, they were not going to +be quite so easily caught as all that! It happened, however, that at +the precise moment when we hauled out from the main body she had run +alongside a large transport, carrying troops out to the West Indies; and +the officers on board her, having got timely notice of what was +happening, had prepared for her visit by turning up the soldiers, some +five hundred in number, serving out ball cartridge to them, and causing +them to crouch low behind the bulwarks. Then, just as the brigantine +ranged up alongside to board, the soldiers at a blast from the bugle had +poured in a fire of musketry that had literally swept her crowded decks +and filled them with killed and wounded, causing her to haul off in a +tremendous hurry, the soldiers continuing to gall her until she +contrived to escape by hauling her wind and interposing some of the +other ships between herself and the transport. But, even as it was, +when at length she hauled out clear of the convoy, and proceeded to make +sail, she was a good three miles to windward of us, though about three +points abaft the beam. + +Of course we heard faintly the rattling crash of the musketry volleys, +and were thus able to make a pretty shrewd guess as to what was +happening, but it was not until the brigantine had cleared the convoy, +and began to make sail, that we could form any idea of the extent to +which she had been punished by the soldiers. For these picarooning +craft usually go as heavily manned, in proportion to their tonnage, as a +man-of-war, and are generally able to make sail quite as smartly. But +now sail was made as slowly aboard her as though she had been a +short-handed merchantman, seven hands only--for I counted them through +my glass--going aloft to shake out the reefs from her topsail, and to +loose her topgallantsail and royal, while two more appeared to be as +many as could be spared to lay out and loose her standing and +flying-jibs. But when at length she was under all plain sail, like +ourselves, we saw that we should have our work cut out to catch her, for +she developed a most extraordinary turn of speed, although the strong +breeze and heavy sea were all in our favour. + +By the time that she had got the reefs out of her immense mainsail, and +had set an enormous gaff-topsail above it, we had drawn so far ahead of +her as to bring her a couple of points upon our weather quarter, +whereupon we tacked, the advantage gained being solely due, I imagined, +to the slowness of her crew in making sail. When we were round, and +full upon the other tack, she was still quite three miles distant, and +bore about a point on our lee-bow; but of course she very soon drew out +athwart our hawse, and now everything seemed to depend upon which was +the more weatherly craft of the two. Seen from the fore-topmast +crosstrees--to which I ascended for the purpose of getting a good look +at her--she appeared to be one of those immensely beamy, shallow craft, +copied from the slavers; and those vessels, I knew, although they +generally sailed like witches, were often anything but weatherly. Yet I +had heard of vessels thus modelled for the sake of securing speed, and +fitted with a very deep keel to ensure weatherliness, where light +draught of water was not a consideration; and it remained to be seen +whether the brigantine was a craft of this class. + +Now that all her canvas was at length set, the heavy loss of men that +she had sustained was no very serious disadvantage to her; for with one +good man to steer her, she would sail as well with a dozen hands as with +a hundred on deck, and there could be no doubt that she was going very +fast through the water. The point now was whether, as we converged +toward each other--as we were now doing, the two craft being on opposite +tacks--we could persuade her, by means of our bow guns, to give in, and +so save us the time that would be consumed in a long stern-chase. + +Mr Purvis, the gunner, believed that we could, and, having obtained +permission from the Captain to try his hand, soon proved himself right +by shooting away the chase's fore-topgallant-mast, when the loss of +topgallantsail, royal, and flying-jib so far reduced her speed that it +quickly became evident she must either strike or run the gauntlet of our +entire broadside. She wisely chose the former alternative; and twenty +minutes later she was hove-to, with her topsail aback, on the _Europa's_ +lee quarter. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +THE AUDACIEUSE PRIVATEER. + +"Mr Delamere," said Captain Vavassour, "take a dozen men, and Mr +Gascoigne, and secure possession of that brigantine, if you please. +Stay a moment,"--as, touching my hat, I was about to dive below for my +chest--"you had better have with you Simmons and Henderson, as two out +of your dozen, to take charge of the watches, and take also two extra +hands to bring back the boat. I will remain hove-to until you have +secured your prisoners below--I have not time to tranship them now; and +when you have done that you will be pleased to bear up and join the +convoy. Now, be as quick as you can, young gentleman, for I am anxious +to be off after that merchantman yonder." + +"Ay, ay, sir," I answered, touching my hat and turning away to secure my +crew. I first found Simmons, the carpenter's mate, and Henderson, a +quartermaster, and informing them of the Captain's arrangement, desired +them to pick out the best ten men they could lay hands upon, arm them, +and get them into the cutter with their bags and hammocks, and then make +their own preparations,--by which time Gascoigne and I would be ready,-- +then I bundled below, found Gascoigne, and set to work to get my own +chest and bedding ready. + +Ten minutes later the boat was lowered and at the lee gangway; and in +another ten minutes we were aboard the prize. + +We were received at the brigantine's gangway by a most ruffianly-looking +individual, with his left arm in a sling, and his otherwise bare head +bound up in bandages through which the blood was even then oozing. As +he proffered his sheathed sword he introduced himself as Monsieur Jules +Despard, chief mate of the French privateer brigantine _Audacieuse_, of +Dunquerque, mounting sixteen long 18-pounders, and a long 32-pounder on +her forecastle, and originally carrying a crew of one hundred and +fifty-six men, of whom twenty-five were away in the Indiaman that had +vanished in the southern board, while twelve more were aboard one of the +vessels of which the gun-brigs were in chase. "Of the remainder, +monsieur," he said, "there are but fourteen, beside myself, who are fit +for duty. The others, including Captain Le Mesurier, have either been +killed outright or severely wounded in the murder-trap which that +dastardly transport of yours set for us. It was a base, cowardly act of +theirs to permit us to approach them within biscuit-toss, and then shoot +us down like--" + +"Do you think it was more cowardly than for so heavily armed and manned +a vessel as this to range up alongside of and attack a perfectly +defenceless craft like the Indiaman which you surprised in the darkness, +monsieur?" demanded I. "But," I continued, "I have no time to argue the +point just now. Henderson,"--to the quartermaster--"just jump below and +see if you can find a spot where the prisoners may be safely confined." + +"Ay, ay, sir," answered Henderson, touching his hat, as he turned away +to inspect the forecastle. Our friend, Monsieur Jules Despard, appeared +to understand English quite well, for as soon as Henderson had vanished +he said: + +"I presume, monsieur, you have full authority from your captain to +accept the parole of such of us as are willing to give it? For myself, +I--" + +"No, monsieur," I answered, "I have received no such authority; on the +contrary, my orders are to confine you all below, for the present at all +events and until an opportunity shall occur to transfer you to the +frigate." + +"But, monsieur, that order surely does not apply to the officers of the +ship, as well as the men?" remonstrated the Frenchman. "It is usual to +make a distinction--" + +"Pardon me, monsieur," I interrupted, "but you do not appear to +understand. Is this ship a man-o'-war, or is she merely a privateer? +Do you or do you not hold a commission?" + +"The ship, of course, is a privateer--a letter-of-marque, as I have +already had the honour to inform you," answered Despard; "therefore--" + +"Precisely," I cut in. "Doubtless you recognise the difference. But +whether you do or not matters nothing; my orders are definite and +precise, and it is my duty to carry them out. Should you desire to make +any representation to Captain Vavassour, when the frigate rejoins, I +shall be happy to transmit it to him; but meanwhile--" and I shrugged my +shoulders expressively. + +"Very well, Monsieur Enseigne de bateau," he returned, glowering at me +savagely, "if you are determined to inflict upon me the indignity of +confinement, instead of accepting my proffered parole, I cannot help it. +But possibly we may meet again under reversed conditions, and should we +do so you will find that my memory for injuries is a good one." And he +turned and walked forward, wearing a most ferocious scowl, and hissing +execrations between his set teeth. + +A minute or two later Henderson returned to the deck with the +intelligence that he had found a fine store-room abaft the fore-peak +which could be cleared out in a few minutes, and which would afford +ample room for such of the prisoners as it would be necessary to put +under restraint. Upon hearing this I went down below with him, leaving +Simmons in charge of the deck, and personally inspected the place, which +appeared to be excellent in every way for the proposed purpose. I, +therefore, gave him orders to take five men and clear the place out +forthwith, after which he was to get the prisoners below and secure +them. And while he was doing this I went aft to the cabin in search of +writing materials wherewith to pen a brief report to Captain Vavassour. + +The brigantine was built with a monkey poop, extending from the taffrail +to within about eight feet of her enormous mainmast, and the main cabin, +with the captain's and first and second mates' staterooms, as also the +steward's pantry, lay beneath this. This was a most excellent +arrangement, for otherwise, the vessel being extraordinarily beamy and +very shallow, there would have been scarcely head-room enough abaft in +the ship's run for cabins; whereas the addition of the four-feet height +of poop afforded delightfully lofty and airy cabins for the size of the +vessel. I found, upon going below, that the chief and second mates' +staterooms were situated respectively on the starboard and port sides of +the ship, forward of the foot of the companion ladder, with the +steward's pantry between them, a window in each cabin, pierced through +the front of the poop, affording the occupant an excellent view of +whatever might be happening out on deck. + +About three feet abaft the foot of the companion ladder a transverse +bulkhead extended for the entire width of the ship, and in the centre of +this bulkhead was a door which gave access to the cabin. Opening this +door and passing on, I found myself in the main cabin, which was an +exceedingly roomy and pleasant little apartment, of the full width of +the ship, well lighted by a large skylight in the deck above as well as +by half-a-dozen large circular ports in the sides. The furniture +consisted of a handsomely carved sideboard on one side of the door, +balanced by a well-stocked book-case on the other; there were cushioned +lockers running fore and aft along the sides of the ship, and a +beautifully polished mahogany table, draped with a handsome tablecloth, +occupied the centre of the cabin. In one part of the book-case I found +a massive inkstand well supplied with pens, and also an abundant supply +of stationery; I accordingly sat down and penned my report to Captain +Vavassour. + +I had but just completed this document when Henderson came down to +acquaint me with the fact that all the prisoners who were in the least +likely to give trouble were securely lodged below; I, therefore, sealed +my report and, taking it on deck, handed it over to one of the two men +who were to take the boat back to the frigate, and dispatched them; and +a few minutes later--the _Europa_ having meanwhile shifted her berth and +hove-to again close to leeward of us--the boat passed under the +frigate's stern and disappeared from our view. Seeing the boat coming, +Mr Galway had manned the tackle-falls in readiness, and a minute later +she was run up to the davits, the boatswain's pipe shrilled out, the +mainyard was swung, and away went the beautiful craft, like a hound +released from the leash, in pursuit of the vanished Indiaman, leaving us +to our own devices. + +Now we had time to look about us and note the effects of the +brigantine's disastrous encounter with the transport. Truly these were +terrible enough, in all conscience; for although as soon as the +uninjured portion of the crew had made sail upon the vessel, in their +unavailing effort to escape, they had employed themselves in separating +the wounded from the dead and carrying the former below to the cockpit-- +where the ship's surgeon was then busily engaged in attending to their +hurts--there had not been time enough for them to complete their task, +and the slain and wounded still cumbered the decks to such an extent +that when, upon the departure of the frigate, I gave the order to bear +up and stand after the convoy, our lads could scarcely get at the sheets +and braces without trampling some of them under foot. They were +everywhere--between the guns, about the hatchways, and especially on the +forecastle and in the wake of the port fore-rigging, where they had +grouped themselves thickly preparatory to boarding, and where they lay +literally in heaps, while the bulwarks were splashed with blood from end +to end of the ship, and the lee scuppers were still running with it. +She had ranged up on the starboard side of the transport, consequently +the dead and wounded lay thickest on the port side of the brigantine; +but a few of the crew had apparently run round to shelter themselves +under the lee of the longboat--which was stowed on the main hatch--after +receiving the first or second volley, and the closeness and deadly +character of those volleys was borne witness to by the fact that the +boat was literally riddled with bullet-holes, the missiles having +evidently passed through and through her and probably laid low every one +of those that we found on her starboard side. And if further evidence +were needed it was to be found in the fact that the starboard bulwarks-- +almost as high and solid as those of a man-o'-war--were pitted with +bullets, "a long way closer together than the raisins in a sailor's +plum-duff," as Henderson caustically remarked. + +Our first duty was of course to aid the wounded who had not already been +attended to; therefore, while Simmons and three hands busied themselves +aloft in clearing away the wreck of the fore-topgallant-mast, the +remainder of the prize-crew set about their gruesome task, even +Gascoigne lending a hand, while I took the wheel. But the dead were out +of all proportion to the wounded, as we soon discovered, for when every +individual exhibiting the slightest sign of life had been found and +carried below, it proved that they numbered altogether only thirty-three +out of a total of one hundred and nineteen, which was the ship's +complement when she attempted to capture the transport. Deducting the +fourteen prisoners whom we had confined below, the remainder, +representing the killed, amounted to no less than seventy-two! These +the hard necessities of the case demanded that we should launch +overboard without delay, and this we did, getting rid of the whole of +them before closing with the convoy. + +This done, and the wounded all conveyed below, we had time to think of +ourselves, and make arrangements for our own comfort during the coming +night. There was no difficulty about this, Gascoigne and I arranging to +sling our hammocks in the late captain's stateroom, which left the chief +and second mates' staterooms available for Simmons and Henderson. As +for the men, they simply screened off a portion of the mess-deck near +the main hatchway, and slung their hammocks there, the wounded being +accommodated in that portion of the mess-deck forward of the screen. +The ship had no hold, in the usual acceptation of the term; that is to +say, there was no space for the stowage of cargo, she having been built +as a fighting ship pure and simple, the space below the mess-deck being +only comfortably sufficient to accommodate the ballast, water-tanks, +provisions, and stores generally; thus, although so heavily manned, +there was ample room aboard her for the whole of her crew. + +The captain's stateroom, wherein Gascoigne and I took up our quarters, +was an exceedingly comfortable apartment--a perfect palace, indeed, +compared with the midshipmen's berth aboard the _Europa_. It was +situated abaft the main cabin; was, like the latter, the full width of +the ship, and measured about twelve feet fore and aft. It was lighted +by windows reaching right athwart the stern, as well as by a small +skylight in the deck above, the combination of the two affording +admirable facilities for ventilation. It was very neatly and +comfortably, though not extravagantly, furnished--a standing bedplace, +with a commodious chest of drawers beneath it, on the starboard side, +being balanced by a book-case with drawers for charts on the port side, +together with a sort of cabinet in which the ship's chronometers and the +captain's sextant were kept. A set of cushioned lockers ran athwart the +after-end of the cabin, between the bedplace and the book-case; there +was a wash-stand and toilet-table at the foot of the bunk, and a table +occupied the centre of the apartment immediately beneath a handsome +shaded lamp which hung, suspended by brass chains, from the skylight. +The deck was comfortably carpeted; the chest of drawers was well-stocked +with clothing; and a few garments, together with an oilskin coat, +leggings, and sou'wester, hung from brass hooks screwed to the fore +bulkhead. + +When I went on deck again after a brief sojourn below, I was met at the +head of the companion ladder by Simmons, who, touching his hat, said: + +"What about breakfast, Mr Delamere? We've been too busy to think about +it, up to the present; but I believe we can find time to snatch a +mouthful of food and drink now; and the men are beginnin' to ask what's +the latest news from the galley." + +"Ay, to be sure," I answered. "I was just wondering what is the matter +with me; but, now that you come to mention it, it means that, like the +men, I want my breakfast. Is the galley fire lighted?" + +"Yes, sir," answered Simmons, "and the coppers full of cocoa. But we +don't know where to find the eatables; and Henderson an' I have been +thinkin' that it wouldn't be a bad plan to have the ship's cook and +steward up from below and make 'em work for their livin'." + +"Certainly," I agreed; "have them up at once, Simmons, by all means, and +tell them--No, they will probably not understand you; send them aft to +me, and I will tell them what I want done." + +A few minutes later the two Frenchmen were brought up on deck to me, and +I explained to them that I wanted them to exercise their usual +functions,--at which they seemed highly pleased; and small wonder, +either, for it was certainly more pleasant to work and be free, than to +be cooped up below in idleness. Half-an-hour later we piped to a +somewhat belated breakfast, and a very excellent one it was, too--far +better than what we had been accustomed to aboard the frigate; and we +came to the unanimous conclusion that in whatever other respect the +French might be ignorant, they at least understood the art of living +well. + +Breakfast over, Simmons went to work and routed out a spare +fore-topgallant-mast, which he prepared for sending aloft, while the +rest of the watch were busy clearing away the wreck forward; and by the +time that the new spar was ready for swaying aloft we had overtaken the +rest of the convoy, when the commodore sent away a boat, with the first +lieutenant of the _Colossus_ in her, to receive my report. This I wrote +out and handed to him, retaining a copy to be handed to Captain +Vavassour; and after a little chat together our visitor instructed me to +retain command of the prize until the return of the _Europa_, and +meanwhile to take the place of that ship to assist in the protection of +the convoy. He also informed me that during our absence the _Astarte_ +had captured the ship privateer that had been so busy on the outskirts +of the convoy a few hours before, while the boats of the _Colossus_ and +the _Astarte_ had recaptured no less than five merchantmen that had been +taken possession of by the marauders. As for the _Hebe_ and the +_Naiad_, they had vanished in the northern board, and as yet there were +no signs of their return. + +Two days later we arrived at Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes, the _Europa_ +overtaking us in the offing, in company with the recaptured merchantman +of which she had gone in pursuit; while on the evening of the same day +the two gun-brigs also arrived, bringing in with them the five vessels +which they had started to recapture; thus the little squadron of +privateers which had waylaid us, and had made such a bold bid for booty, +not only gained nothing but lost their own ships as well, together with +a good many lives. But the heaviest loss of all was that sustained by +the unfortunate _Audacieuse_ in her blundering attack upon the +transport; for in addition to the seventy-two killed which we found on +board her when we took possession, nine more had died of their wounds +before we anchored in Carlisle Bay. The remaining twenty-four wounded, +together with those who had been hurt on board the other prizes, were +taken ashore and lodged in the hospital at Bridgetown, while the whole +of the prisoners were transferred to the _Colossus_. Gascoigne and I +fully expected that we should now be ordered to rejoin the _Europa_, but +instead of this, to our great delight, we were ordered to remain on +board, our crew being increased to twenty-six--that being as many as +Captain Vavassour could possibly spare us. + +We remained in Carlisle Bay just twenty-four hours; which period we +utilised by refilling our water-tanks, laying in a bountiful stock of +fruit, vegetables, and poultry, together with as much fresh meat as we +believed we could possibly consume before it went bad; and then, leaving +in the bay such ships as were bound for Barbadoes, we sailed again for +the various islands to which our charges were bound, leaving some at +every halting-place, until in the fulness of time we arrived at Port +Royal, and the thirty sail or so that remained under our protection were +safely moored in Kingston harbour. + +We remained at anchor in Port Royal harbour a full week, during which +the first lieutenant was more than generous to me in the matter of +leave, whereby I was enabled to twice dine and spend the night at the +Admiral's Pen, meeting there and making the acquaintance of several +military officers from Up Park Camp as well as a number of exceedingly +jovial, hearty, hospitable civilians--planters, merchants, and so on, +from Kingston and the surrounding neighbourhood. This was my first +experience of the West Indies, and after the glorious scenery of the +island and the marvellous luxuriance, beauty, and strangeness of the +tropical vegetation which everywhere clothed it, I think that what +impressed me most was the amazing hospitality of its inhabitants, who +positively seemed to vie with each other in their efforts to show us +kindness. Did any of us want the loan of a horse or vehicle to make an +excursion into the country, we had but to hint at our requirements and +we might take our choice of a dozen which were instantly placed at our +service; while invitations to dine and spend the night or longer, to +join picnics and shooting parties, were literally showered upon us in +such abundance that it would have needed at least six months' leave to +have enabled me to avail myself of them all. Thus, in addition to the +two nights I spent under the Admiral's hospitable roof, I passed one +night--and might have passed many more--at Up Park Camp, and three whole +days and nights visiting sugar plantations at Saint Thomas-in-the-Vale +in the centre of the island. Then came our orders to sail, and I was +obliged to bid a regretful farewell to my many kind friends; not, +however, until they had extorted from me more promises than I could ever +hope to fulfil that I would visit them and make a long stay when next I +found myself in the island. + +Our orders were to cruise in the Caribbean generally, and among the +Lesser Antilles, for the protection of our own commerce and the +destruction of that of the enemy; and during the succeeding six months +we performed this duty, varied by occasional brief visits to Port Royal +and Barbadoes, making a few unimportant captures, but meeting with no +adventures worth recording. It was through one of these captures that +we first got news of the surrender of the island of Trinidad (on the +17th of February 1797) to the combined naval and military forces under +Rear-Admiral John Harvey and Lieutenant-General Sir Ralph Abercromby. + +It was some six weeks after the occurrence of the above event that, +while cruising off Cape Gallinas, on the Costa Firme, with our head to +the westward, we found ourselves so nearly becalmed that it became +necessary for us to set all our flying kites in order to retain +steerage-way. The night fell intensely dark, for the moon, well +advanced toward her third quarter, rose late, while the sky had +gradually become overcast, great masses of heavy cloud having worked up +against the wind, threatening one of those violent thunderstorms which +are so frequent in this particular part of the world. + +The storm gathered slowly, and when I put in an appearance on deck to +stand my watch, at eight bells of the second dog-watch, it had not yet +broken, although an occasional faint flicker of sheet-lightning, away to +the eastward, warned us that we might expect it to do so within the next +hour or so. At the moment of my appearance on deck, however, there was +no very immediate prospect of an outbreak, for the wind although light +was steady, and the frigate, close-hauled on the port tack, was creeping +along at the rate of about three knots per hour, while the gleams of +sheet-lightning were exceedingly faint and infrequent, occurring at +about ten-minutes' intervals. Very gradually the brilliancy of the +flashes, as well as their frequency and duration, increased, until, by +two bells, the glimmer of some of them endured for perhaps as long as +three seconds, during which the entire sky, with its enormous, fantastic +cloud-shapes, from horizon to zenith, was lit up with a faint sulphurous +blue glare, strongly suggestive of the idea that we were afloat in the +heart of an enormous cavern, momentarily illuminated by the burning of a +port-fire. + +It was during the flickering of one of these somewhat prolonged gleams +that the lookout on the forecastle-head reported: + +"A small sail, three points on the weather-bow, headin' to the east'ard, +close under the land." + +Mr Galway at once sprang up on the poop, and I followed, both of us +intently staring in the direction indicated by the lookout; but the +transient gleam had by this time flickered itself out, and we might as +well have been staring at a vast curtain of black velvet, for all that +we could see. However, by patiently waiting, and persistently staring +in the proper direction until the next flash came, we at length +contrived to get a momentary glimpse of her, a dozen voices at least +exclaiming at the same instant: + +"There she is!" + +"Did you see her, Mr Delamere?" demanded the first luff, as the +darkness again enwrapped us. + +"Yes, sir," I answered. "I caught a momentary glimpse of her." + +"And what did you make her out to be?" he asked. + +Now, it is surprising how much detail the trained eye of a sailor will +grasp, even in the brief space of time occupied by a gleam of +sheet-lightning; it is due in part, I think, though certainly not +wholly, to what scientists describe as "persistency of vision," or the +phenomenon which causes an image to remain imprinted upon the retina of +the eye for a quite appreciable period after the object has vanished. +But I am certain that there is more in it than that, though precisely +what it may be I cannot tell; suffice it to say that I was able to +answer unhesitatingly: + +"A brigantine, sir, of about two hundred tons, under all plain sail. +Very low in the water, and a decidedly suspicious-looking customer." + +"Just so," answered Galway. "Exactly what I made her out to be. Have +the goodness to step down and report the matter to Captain Vavassour, if +you please." + +There was no need, however; for the Captain, who had been reading in his +cabin, had heard voices, and had come up on deck to see what was the +matter. Then ensued another brief but intensely exasperating period of +waiting until another flash came and once more betrayed the stranger's +whereabouts. It came at length, and revealed her still standing to the +eastward, and so close under the land that, but for the momentary +illumination of her sails by the lightning, she would undoubtedly have +slipped past us unseen. + +"Ah, yes, there she is; I see her!" exclaimed the skipper. "Wait until +we are abreast of her, and then tack, Mr Galway," he continued. "No +doubt they can see us a great deal more distinctly than we can see them, +and if we tack now, they will doubtless do the same, with the result +that they will be both to windward and ahead of us. But if we wait +until she gets fairly past us, it will be a point in our favour, because +if she stands on we can gradually edge down upon her." + +"She seems to be moving through the water very fast, light as is the +wind," remarked the first lieutenant. "Ten minutes ago she was broad on +our weather-bow, while now she is almost abeam. I expect we shall find +that she is quite as fast as ourselves." + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +THE PIRATE BRIGANTINE. + +We watched the stranger as she was revealed at uncertain but decreasing +intervals by the silent sheet-lightning, which was now flickering up all +round the horizon, affording us momentary glimpses of the great lowering +cloud-masses that overhung our mastheads as though ready to fall and +crush us, the shining undulations of the swell, with the small +overrunning ripples caused by the faint breathing of the breeze, the +distant land, and the brigantine sliding furtively along within its +shadow. When at length she had drawn to a bearing two points abaft our +beam, the Captain gave the word to tack; and when, three minutes later, +we were fairly round, the yards braced up, sheets hauled aft, and the +frigate gathering way on the starboard tack, the stranger lay straight +ahead of us. + +Of course, we had taken the precaution to wait until immediately after a +lightning flash before putting our helm down, and, as it happened, the +next gleam did not occur until several minutes after we had tacked; the +probability, therefore, was that the stranger would know nothing about +our manoeuvre until the scene was again illuminated. The question that +now interested us was--how would her people act when they made the +discovery that we had shifted our helm and were standing in their +direction? There were three alternatives open to them. First, they +might follow our example--tack, and endeavour to escape to windward if +they believed their vessel speedy enough to succeed. Secondly, they +might haul their wind and enter the Gulf of Venezuela, along the shores +of which there are two or three shallow inlets, in one or the other of +which they might take refuge and anchor, in the hope of being able to +defend their ship successfully against a boat attack. And, thirdly, if +they were perfectly honest--of which we had our doubts--they might +proceed steadily on their way, taking no notice of us and our movements. +When we next got a sight of them the third alternative seemed to be +their intention, for, so far as we could discover, they had started +neither tack nor sheet; we therefore proceeded to edge down very +cautiously and very gradually toward her, keeping her about a point on +our lee-bow. + +Now we discovered that our task was not going to be nearly so easy as we +had at first thought, for in the very light breath of wind that was then +blowing--and which was wholly insufficient to keep our lower canvas +"asleep"--the stranger undoubtedly had the heels of us, slipping along +so fast, indeed, that within a quarter of an hour of tacking we were +running off with the wind abeam and our weather braces checked, instead +of being upon a taut bowline, as we had been at the beginning of the +chase. + +Meanwhile the expected storm, though it had been brewing long, showed +unmistakable signs that it was not going to keep us waiting very much +longer, for the sheet--lightning was flickering almost incessantly, +while a low, deep muttering of distant thunder occasionally made itself +heard. The storm seemed to be working up astern of us, for presently a +dazzlingly vivid flash of chain-lightning rent the darkness over our +weather quarter, quickly followed by a deep, hollow, reverberating peal +of thunder that rumbled like the echo of a seventy-four's broadside. +Another and another quickly followed, each nearer than that which had +preceded it; and presently, far away astern of us, we saw advancing +toward us a sort of wall of vapour, the lower edge of which gleamed +white and phosphorescent as the wind in it lashed the surface of the +water into foam. + +"Hands, shorten sail!" was now the word. The watch sprang to their +stations, coils of rope were lifted off their pins and flung to the +deck; then in rapid succession followed the orders:--"Royal and +topgallant halliards and sheets let go; clew up and furl! Hands by the +weather braces; square the yards! Raise main tack and sheet; man the +main clew-garnets, buntlines, and leech-lines; clew up cheerily, lads! +Up helm, quartermaster, and let her go off. So; steady as you go. +Hands by the topsail halliards! Brail in the mizen! Haul down the +flying-jib! Here it comes!" + +The squall swooped down upon us with a weird, shrieking howl, and a dash +of wet that was half rain and half spray; and the next moment, with a +tremendous creaking and groaning of timbers and gear, with all three +topsail-yards on the caps, and with the chain bobstay half-buried in the +foam that heaped itself up about our bows, away went the frigate, like a +startled sea-bird, speeding down-wind upon the wings of the squall, +enveloped in a sheet of rain that was more than half salt water, with +the lightning flickering and darting all round her, and the thunder +crashing overhead in a continuous booming roar. + +The squall lasted very nearly three-quarters of an hour; but long before +that time had elapsed the weather ahead had cleared sufficiently to +enable us again to catch sight of the brigantine, now about two points +on our starboard-bow, running dead before it, like ourselves, under +nothing but a close-reefed topsail and reefed foresail. She was still +maintaining her distance from us in the most wonderful manner; but was +now--possibly in consequence of having been compelled by the squall to +bear up--steering as though to enter the Gulf of Venezuela. We +contrived to gain a little upon her by carefully watching our +opportunities and making sail by degrees as the squall blew itself out; +but in that respect her people were fully as wide awake as we were, and +made sail with a boldness and rapidity which most conclusively proved +that she was very strongly manned, and, therefore, not in the least +likely to be the harmless, innocent trader that they would doubtless +have liked to persuade us she was. She was hugging the land so closely +that some of us were of opinion that her skipper intended to run her +ashore and take to his boats if it should prove impossible to avoid +capture in any other way; but the Captain did not believe this, and the +master also seemed to be of his opinion. + +"His object," said Trimble, "is undoubtedly to get round Point Espada +and fairly into the Gulf. If he can succeed in that, there are plenty +of little coves, especially along the western shore, in which he might +anchor and, sheltered from our guns, bid defiance to a boat attack." + +"Ah!" observed the skipper, with much meaning. "Well, we shall see. It +is perfectly evident that he is anxious to keep out of our clutches, +which desire argues a guilty conscience on his part, and only makes me +the more determined to overhaul him. Confound it, here comes the rain +again! Mr Gascoigne, have the goodness to slip into my cabin and +desire my steward to bring my oilskins on deck. Or, stay, the fellow +will have turned-in by this time; I will get them myself." + +The rain came swooping down upon us with the tail-end of the squall, and +for a quarter of an hour it was so thick that we could see nothing a +couple of ships'-lengths outside the bulwarks. Then it cleared away, +the clouds dispersed, the stars came out, the wind dropped to a moderate +breeze, and presently the moon, with nearly half her disc in shadow, +crept up above the horizon, flooding the heaving waters with ruddy gold +that quickly changed to silver as the satellite climbed high enough to +clear herself of the vapours that distorted her shape and imparted to +her the colour of burnished copper. + +But where was the brigantine? Ahead, abeam, on our quarter we looked, +but nowhere could we discern the faintest trace of her. We had lost +sight of her a bare quarter of an hour, and in that brief space of time +she had contrived to vanish as completely as though she had gone to the +bottom in deep-water, leaving not so much as a fragment of floating +wreckage to furnish a clue to her fate. + +The skipper was as much puzzled as he was annoyed, and in his perplexity +he turned to the master. + +"What do you think has become of her, Mr Trimble?" he demanded. "She +cannot have gone ashore and broken up so completely in a quarter of an +hour that no sign of her would remain. We should see something at least +in the nature of wreckage to give us a hint of what had happened. Yet I +see nothing; although if she had been stranded, either purposely or by +accident, her wreck ought to be away in there somewhere about abreast of +us. And there are no off-shore dangers, are there?" + +"The nearest that I know of are The Monks, away out here, some +twenty-five miles to the nor'ard and east'ard of us," answered the +master. "The coast inshore of us is, of course, a bit rocky, but there +is nothing, so far as I know, in the nature of hidden dangers to cause +the wreck of the brigantine. No, sir, it is my belief that there is +some snug little secret cove, known to the skipper of that brigantine, +and that he took advantage of the rain squall to slip into it, in the +hope of dodging us." + +"Ah!" said the skipper, "yes; that is, after all, the only feasible +explanation of his disappearance. He is neither ahead nor astern nor to +seaward of us; therefore he must be hidden somewhere inshore. Mr +Galway,"--to the first lieutenant--"we will shorten sail, if you please, +with the ship's head off the land, remaining in sight of the coast until +daylight, when we shall perhaps be able to discover the hiding-place of +that brigantine." + +This was done, and during the remainder of the night the _Europa_, under +her three topsails, jib and spanker, stood off and on, never going +farther from the shore than a distance of six miles, and very gradually +working her way back to--as nearly as we could guess it--the spot where +we had lost sight of the brigantine. As the night wore on all traces of +the recent storm passed away; the sky cleared, the moon and stars beamed +down upon us in tropical splendour, affording us an ample sufficiency of +light to enable us to maintain an effective watch upon the coast, and +ensure that the stranger did not creep out from her place of concealment +and give us the slip. The _terral_, or land wind, overpowered by the +recent squall, once more resumed its sway and piped up strongly, +bringing off to us the warm, fragrant odour of land and vegetation. + +At length the day dawned, the sun soared into view above the eastern +horizon, and with the coming of the light some half-dozen of the best +telescopes in the ship were brought to bear upon the line of coast that +lay about five miles distant on our port beam. I happened to be the +lucky possessor of an exceptionally good instrument--a present from my +father--and I had not been long at work with it when I discovered what +was unmistakably a small indentation in the coast-line, sheltered and +all but concealed by two headlands which approached each other so +closely that, viewed from a distance, they appeared almost to overlap. +I immediately directed the first lieutenant's attention to the spot, at +the same time handing him my glass, and he presently picked it up. He +agreed with me that it was undoubtedly a cove, or tiny bay of some sort, +but was rather of the opinion that it was too small to afford shelter to +a vessel of the dimensions of the missing brigantine. Nevertheless, +since it was the only opening that we could discover, and was, moreover, +about the spot where the stranger had disappeared, it was determined to +give the place an overhaul, and the helm was accordingly eased down, the +yards braced in, and we began to work in toward it. Then the fighting +boats' crews were told off to overhaul the boats and prepare them for +service, yard and stay tackles were got aloft for the purpose of +hoisting out the launch, the boat-guns were slung all ready for lowering +over the side as soon as the boats should be brought alongside, +ammunition boxes were brought on deck, and, in short, every preparation +was made for a boat expedition; after which all hands were piped to +breakfast. + +By the time that this meal was finished the frigate had worked in to +within about a mile from the shore, at which point she ran into a calm, +the land-breeze having died away. The boats were then got into the +water and brought to the gangway, the guns were lowered down and secured +to platforms in the bows of the launch and the two cutters, shot was +passed down and stowed on the bottom-boards on either side of the keel, +the ammunition boxes were stowed in the stern-sheets, and then, all else +being ready, those who were to take part in the expedition were mustered +for inspection prior to being dispatched on what was likely enough to +prove a dangerous errand. But little recked any of us of possible +danger; on the contrary, if an onlooker had judged only by the satisfied +smirk which our countenances wore, it might have been supposed that we +were all bound ashore for a day's holiday in the woods. + +The expedition was to be under the command of Mr Gadsby, the second +lieutenant, who would go in the launch; the first cutter was to be +commanded by Mr O'Donnel, the boatswain, and the command of the second +cutter was entrusted to me. We mustered fifty altogether, including +marines; and when at length, after having been carefully inspected by +the first lieutenant, we were given the word to shove off, the men who +were left behind sprang into the rigging and sped us on our way with a +hearty cheer. + +We took it very easily as we pulled shoreward, in line abreast, for it +was by this time scorching hot, and it was important that the men's +strength should be husbanded to the utmost extent, in view of the +possible fight that might be awaiting us at the end of our journey; but +I kept a sharp lookout ahead, for, although the country in sight showed +no sign of habitations, there was no knowing how soon a masked battery +on one, or perhaps each, of the headlands might declare itself by +dropping a few shot among us. Nothing, however, happened to hinder our +progress over the glass-smooth surface of the water, and in the course +of about twenty minutes we reached the opening between the two +headlands, and found ourselves in the mouth of a small, practically +land-locked cove of some twenty acres in area, with our friend the +brigantine in the very centre of it, with four anchors down--two ahead +and two astern--with boarding nettings triced up, ports open, guns run +out--eight long 12-pounders in each battery--and her starboard broadside +bearing full upon the entrance! + +"There she is!" exclaimed a dozen eager voices in chorus; and, while the +words were still upon our lips, eight jets of flame burst from her side, +followed by eight wreaths of whirling white smoke that instantly +commingled, forming a curtain that completely hid her long low black +hull from us, and as a shower of grape came hurtling about our ears I +saw a big black flag go slowly soaring up to her main truck! + +"A self-confessed pirate, by the Piper!" exclaimed Fred Gascoigne, who +had calmly crawled out from under the bow-sheets of my boat when we were +half-way between the frigate and the shore. "Now--" + +"Give way, men!" shouted Gadsby, springing to his feet in the +stern-sheets of the launch, and waving his sword above his head. "Give +way, and get alongside before they can fire again. Gunners, fire slap +at his bulwarks, and we'll board in the smoke. Marines, fire in through +the open ports. Hurrah, lads, put your backs into it!" + +At that moment, as the smoke of the brigantine's broadside thinned away +and permitted us again to catch a glimpse of her hull, I noticed a +peculiarity about the craft that seemed to offer us a very important +advantage; her captain had, in fact, committed the same oversight as the +Frenchman in Pleher Bay, and I instantly hailed: + +"Launch ahoy! Do you notice, Mr Gadsby, that she has no nettings +triced up on her port side? Apparently they are making certain that we +intend to go alongside on her starboard side, and--" + +"By Jove! Yes, you are right, Delamere," answered Gadsby. "We will +board her on the port side. First cutter on the port quarter; second +cutter on her port bow. Keep up your fire, marines. Now, gunners, as +soon as you are ready, blaze away!" + +The three boat-guns spoke at almost the same instant, and so close were +we now to our quarry that our grape-shot literally tore her starboard +bulwarks to pieces, and a terrific outburst of shrieks and yells that +instantly followed upon the discharge bore eloquent evidence to the +terrible havoc that it had wrought among her crew. The moment that we +had fired the boats separated, the first cutter making a wide sweep to +port in order to pass under the brigantine's counter, while we sheered +away to starboard to get under her bows, the launch passing outside of +us in order to get a fair run for the brigantine's waist. + +Another minute and we were all alongside and hooked on, and then began a +most terrific struggle; for the brigantine seemed crowded with men. We +had evidently taken them all a little by surprise, by boarding on her +inshore side instead of that side which was presented to us upon +entering the cove. It was clear that, like the prize-crew of the +Indiaman in Pleher Bay, they had never expected us to think of pulling +round under her bows and stern, instead of dashing straight alongside; +but of course it was a very easy matter for the pirates to cross the +deck from one side to the other as soon as they discovered our +intention; and this they did, lining her bulwarks from her head-rails to +her taffrail, popping at us with muskets and pistols, thrusting at us +with pikes and cutlasses, and hacking at our hands and heads as we +endeavoured to climb her side and force our way over her bulwarks and in +on deck. But our lads were not to be daunted by any resistance, however +desperate. As we surged up alongside they dropped their oars, allowing +them to slide overboard and tow by the lanyards, and drawing pistol and +cutlass, leapt to their feet and, with a wild cheer, sprang on to the +boats' gunwales and thence to any foothold that they could find, +snapping their pistols in the faces of any who dared to show their heads +above the rail; while the marines thrust their bayonets through the open +ports into the legs of any individual who happened to be within their +reach, thus disconcerting the aim of many an otherwise deadly stroke. +For a few breathless seconds all was fire, smoke, and fury, pistols +cracking, steel rasping upon steel, cheers, execrations, groans, the +dull crunching sound of cutlasses sheering through muscle and bone, the +heavy fall of the stricken on deck, the scuffling of feet, and shouts of +defiance exchanged between the contending parties; then a few of us +contrived to get in on deck, forcing back the pirates and making room +for those who followed us, until all who were not too severely hurt to +climb the ship's side were inboard. There ensued a deadly hand-to-hand +fight in which quarter was neither asked for nor given. The pirates +seemed to number about three times as many as ourselves, and were a +truly desperate set of ruffians, fighting--as they well knew--with +halters round their necks, and doubtless preferring to die in the heat +of battle rather than perish ignominiously upon the scaffold. + +For a few minutes we had all our work cut out to retain the slight +advantage that we had gained. But gradually our lads drove their +antagonists back until the latter were all grouped together in a dense +mass round the mainmast, with our people hemming them in on every side +and pressing them into such a compact crowd that at least half of them +were unable to strike an effective blow. They did what they could, +however, by hurling their empty pistols into our faces over the heads of +their comrades, and I was busily engaged in defending myself from the +attack of a herculean negro when one of these heavy missiles struck me, +the hammer taking me fairly in the centre of the forehead and so nearly +stunning me that for a moment I all but lost consciousness and was +completely thrown off my guard. The next second a terrific blow crashed +down upon my bare head--my hat having been lost earlier in the melee-- +and I fell to the deck, my last conscious sensation being that I was +being trampled upon and by, as it seemed to me, an innumerable crowd of +people. Then I swooned. + +When I recovered consciousness I found myself in my hammock, in the +sick-bay aboard the frigate, with a number of companions in misfortune +around me. At first I felt too utterly miserable to take much interest +in anything, for my head, swathed in bandages, was aching and smarting +so consumedly that for the first quarter of an hour or so I could not +bear even the subdued light that entered through the open ports, and was +obliged to keep my eyes closed; moreover, I was parched and burnt-up +with fever, as weak as a cat, and consumed with an intolerable thirst. +I attempted to turn in my hammock, but was unable to do so, and as I +still struggled one of the sick-bay attendants came to my side and asked +if he could do anything for me. I gasped out something to the effect +that I was perishing of thirst, whereupon he brought me a pannikin of +tepid water, dipped from a bucket that stood near one of the open ports, +and, raising me in my hammock, placed it to my lips. Tepid and insipid +as it actually was, I thought I had never tasted anything half so +delicious, and I not only drained it to the last drop, but asked for +more. This, however, he declined to give me without the surgeon's +direct permission, having, as he explained to me, been warned that when +I awoke I should probably be suffering severely from thirst, but that I +was only to be given a very limited quantity of liquid at the outset and +until the surgeon had had an opportunity to examine further into my +condition. The man, however, reported the fact of my return to +consciousness; and shortly afterward Wilson, the surgeon, came down to +see me. + +Wilson's "bedside manner" was somewhat bluff, but, nevertheless, +judicious; for I had once heard him say, in a confidential moment, that +he always, upon principle, made light of his patients' aches and +ailments, as he had discovered, by long experience, that this had a good +effect upon the invalids, causing them to believe that there was never +anything very seriously wrong with them, and thus calling in the aid of +their imagination to assist in the curative process. This was +illustrated in his behaviour toward me upon the occasion of which I am +now speaking. He came and stood by the side of my hammock, looking down +upon me with a whimsical expression as he took my wrist in his hand and +pressed his fingers lightly upon my pulse. + +"Put out your tongue," he ordered abruptly, and I did so obediently. He +glanced at it for a few seconds, then remarked: + +"Humph! not much the matter with you, I see. How d'ye feel?" + +I explained that my head was giving me excruciating pain, and that I +felt burnt-up with fever and thirst; at which he laughed. + +"Pooh! pooh!" he exclaimed, "that's nothing. Thank your lucky stars +that you have got off so lightly as you have. Some of the poor fellows +here have lost a limb or two, while others of the boarding party have +lost the number of their mess altogether. Yours is simply a broken +head; and, since your skull appears to be abnormally thick, I daresay it +will very soon mend again. Aches badly, does it? Ah, well, that is an +excellent sign; but perhaps you had better remain on the sick list for a +few days, and keep to your hammock until the pain passes off--no good +going on duty while you are blind with headache, you know. And--yes, +now that I am here and you are awake I may as well look at your wound +again." + +He walked over to the screen, put his head round the end of it, and +called sharply: + +"Sentry, pass the word for Mr Burroughs to come to me; and ask him to +bring a basin of hot water, a sponge, a roll of bandage, and anything +else he thinks I am likely to want. Tell him that I am going to dress +Mr Delamere's head." + +Then, returning to my side, he drew out his penknife and with quick, +gentle fingers proceeded to cut away a number of stitches that kept the +bandage in place, and when at length he had unwound it he flung it +deftly away behind him, though not so deftly but that I caught a glimpse +of it out of the corner of my eye and saw that it was drenched with +blood. By the time that he had removed the bandage, gently clipping +away, with a pair of scissors, the hair that stuck to it here and there, +Burroughs, the assistant surgeon, had turned up with hot water and a +number of odds and ends, and Wilson took the sponge in his hand, saying: + +"Now, I shall probably hurt you a little; but don't yell, if you can +help it, because if you do you will disturb the poor fellows around you. +So set your teeth and, if you feel anything, just grin and bear it. I +will be as gentle as I can." + +And he was gentle--no man could have been more so; nevertheless, during +the next quarter of an hour he inflicted so much agony upon me as he +extracted little splinters of bone with his forceps, and so on, that +long before he had finished I was drenched with perspiration, and felt +so sick that I finally swooned again; and he completed his operation +upon my senseless body. + +That night, I afterward learned, I passed in a state of high delirium, +and for several days I had only a very vague idea of where I was and +what was happening around me; my predominating sensations being that the +top of my head was on fire and blazing furiously, while I was consumed +by fever and a thirst that was almost as exquisite a torture as the pain +of my head. The only radical difference between the two was that when I +was permitted to quench my thirst that particular form of torture was +alleviated for a few brief seconds, while the other was continuous and +distracting almost to the point of being unendurable. It seemed to me +that I lay for an age in that suffocating sick-bay, every moment of the +time being heavy with indescribable torment; but as a matter of fact I +was there little more than forty-eight hours, the skipper cracking on +for Jamaica, in order that several bad cases--of which I was one of the +worst--might have the advantage of the lofty, airy wards of the naval +hospital at Port Royal, where we arrived on the morning but one after +our attack upon the pirate brigantine. I may as well complete the story +of that adventure by saying--what I only learned afterward--that we +captured the vessel, with a loss to ourselves of five killed, and +eighteen wounded, of whom seven--including myself--were so badly hurt +that Wilson gravely doubted whether we should ever pull round. As for +the pirates, out of a crew of one hundred and twenty-six men, +twenty-three were found dead on her deck after we had taken her, and +fifty-four were wounded, some of them so desperately that no less than +eleven of them died before we anchored in Port Royal harbour. The +remainder were in due course brought to trial for piracy, and found +guilty. Five of them were hanged at Gallows Point, while the rest were +condemned to work on the roads in chains for the remainder of their +miserable lives. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +ASHORE--INVALIDED. + +I have a hazy recollection of suddenly finding myself on deck, still in +my hammock; and then, a few minutes later, of being in a boat. Finally, +when I next came to myself I discovered that I was no longer in my +hammock, but in a bed--a delightful spacious comfortable bed in which +there was room for one to stretch oneself, change from one side to the +other, and otherwise obtain a little temporary relief when lying long in +one posture had become wearisome. Then, instead of being enveloped in +stiflingly hot blankets, I lay upon one fragrant, cool, snow-white +sheet, with another over me, the bed enclosed by mosquito-netting, and a +deliciously cool breeze streaming into the long ward through several +wide-open, lofty windows, one of which, immediately opposite the foot of +my bed, afforded me an excellent view of a considerable portion of Port +Royal harbour, with the Apostles' Battery, crouching at the foot of the +Salt Pond Hills, almost immediately opposite, on the other side of the +water. One of the hospital orderlies, who was on duty in the ward, came +to the side of my bed at once upon finding that I was awake, and gave me +a long, satisfying draught of lemonade, cool and exquisitely refreshing, +after which I think he must have summoned the doctor to me, for a few +minutes later that individual came lightly to the side of my bed, thrust +his hand beneath the sheet and felt my pulse. + +I afterward learned that this was Dr Loder, chief of the medical staff +in the Port Royal Naval Hospital. And oh! what a difference there was +between him and Wilson, the _Europa's_ surgeon. The latter was bluff, +hearty, and slightly inclined to be boisterous in manner; while Dr +Loder's every word and every movement, nay his whole appearance, +suggested peace, quietness, and perfect restfulness, as well as--by some +subtlety of manner--a vague but none the less distinct impression that +things were going well with one. He was a tall and rather thin man, +with dark-brown hair, beard, and moustache; he was bald on the top of +his head, and wore gold-rimmed spectacles through which his fine dark +eyes beamed down upon his patients with an expression of sympathy that +was in itself as good as a tonic. He asked me a few questions in a +quiet, almost caressing tone of voice, gave the orderly who had me in +charge certain instructions, and then, patting me gently upon the +shoulder, assured me that I should soon be all right again, in a tone of +voice that, quiet as it was, somehow seemed to carry absolute conviction +with it. + +As a matter of fact I really did begin to mend practically from that +moment--so rapidly indeed that on the twenty-third day after my +admission the wound in my head had so far healed that the bandages were +discarded--and three weeks later I was discharged into the guardship +cured, the _Europa_ having gone to sea again some time before. + +But the guardship was no place for me, weak and shaken as I then was by +my long and serious spell of illness; and although the Admiral might +well, in the press of daily affairs, have been excused had he forgotten +so unimportant a detail as the state of my health, he did not; on the +contrary, he invited me to spend a week at the Pen, to recuperate, +during which his wife, Lady Agnes, was a second mother to me and a +hospital nurse combined. From that moment there was no lack of +invitations for me to go into the country and regain my strength, my +former acquaintances one and all hunting me up and reminding me of +several almost forgotten promises that I would visit them. + +As the frigate was not expected to return to Port Royal for at least two +months, and as, although discharged from the hospital, I was as yet by +no means fit for duty, I had not the slightest difficulty in obtaining a +month's leave, which I spent most enjoyably with friends whose estates +were situated in Saint Thomas-in-the-East and on the northern slopes of +the Blue Mountain Range. It is no part of my purpose to enter into a +detailed description of life on a Jamaican sugar plantation, nor will I +attempt to convey to the reader any definite idea of the Jamaicans' +hospitality. Let it suffice to say that I never spent a happier month +anywhere, and that the planters, with all their jollity, +light-heartedness, and love of fun, were the most genial, kindly, +hospitable folk I ever met with, each of them vieing with all the rest +in an amicable contest who should show me the most kindness and +attention. I went among them an almost total stranger; when I left, I +felt as though I were parting with as many brothers and sisters. + +Upon reporting myself to the Admiral, at his office, he received me very +kindly, asked whether I felt fit to return to duty--to which I replied +with a most emphatic Yes--informed me that the _Europa_ was not expected +for another month at least; then invited me to dine with him that +evening at the Pen, and spend the night there. + +His table was, as usual, well filled with guests, but they were all +civilians, excepting some three or four military officers over from Up +Park Camp. The navy was entirely unrepresented, save by myself, the +reason being, as I soon learned, that the French, Dutch, and Spanish +were all exceedingly active in and about the Caribbean, and there were +not enough of our own ships to cope with them; consequently every +available craft of any sort flying the British pennant had been sent to +sea, and was being kept there. + +At length, when all the guests had left the Pen, and Lady Agnes had +retired for the night, Sir Peter invited me to accompany him to the +broad gallery, covered by a veranda, which stretched right athwart the +front of the house, from end to end, and directed one of his negro +servants to carry out to it a small table, a box of cigars, a jug of +sangaree, and two wicker basket-chairs wherein we seated ourselves +preparatory, as I surmised, to a more or less confidential chat of some +sort, though what, of such a nature, so important a personage as the +Port Admiral could possibly have to say to an insignificant mid like +myself, I could not divine. + +Sir Peter, however, was not the sort of man to beat about the bush; if +he had anything to say he generally said it without any circumlocution, +and he did so now. Selecting with care a cigar for himself, lighting +it, and pouring out a couple of tumblers of sangaree, he settled himself +in his chair, and began by remarking: + +"Well, young gentleman, so you have quite recovered from the effects of +your wound, eh?--and feel fit and ready for duty once more?" + +"Yes, to both questions, Sir Peter," I answered. "But I think I +understood you to say that the _Europa_ is not expected to return to +Port Royal for at least another month--" + +"So I did," interrupted the Admiral; "and the question is, What are you +going to do with yourself meanwhile? This is no time for an officer to +idle about ashore, you know." + +"No, sir," I responded, "it certainly is not, and I am exceedingly glad +that you have broached the subject, for it affords me an early +opportunity to do what I have had it in my mind to do, namely, to ask +you whether you cannot find me some better employment than kicking my +heels aboard the guardship until the frigate returns." + +"Ah!" commented Sir Peter, "so that was what you had in your mind, was +it? Have you served your time yet?" + +"Yes, sir," I replied, "with nearly three months to spare." + +"Good!" remarked my companion. "But of course you have not passed yet? +You have not had an opportunity. Have you your log-books with you?" + +"Yes, sir," I answered. "When I was sent ashore to the hospital, +Captain Vavassour was good enough to send with me all my belongings." + +"Where are they--the log-books, I mean--now?" demanded Sir Peter. + +"They are aboard the guardship, with the rest of my things," I answered. + +"Very well," returned my companion. "You had better go down to Port +Royal with me in the morning, and bring your log-books ashore for me to +look at. I have a scheme in my head for employing you, but I am not at +all sure whether you are fit to undertake a duty of so exceedingly +responsible a character as that which I have in my mind; although I +don't hesitate to tell you, youngster, that Captain Vavassour gave you a +most excellent character in every respect. What sort of a navigator are +you? I suppose, like most other young gentlemen, you can fudge a day's +work well enough to pass muster, eh?" + +I laughed. "I am afraid, sir," I replied, "that too many of us would +rather fudge than take the trouble to do our day's work properly. But I +got out of that lazy trick some time ago; and now I will not turn my +back upon any lad of my own age, whether midshipman, or master's-mate, +where navigation is concerned." + +"Ah!" he remarked, "that sounds all right. Tell me, what can you do in +navigation problems?" + +"I can do Plane, Traverse, Middle-Latitude, and Mercator's Sailing," I +answered. "I can also do a Day's Work; I can use my quadrant with +accuracy; can find the Latitude by a meridian altitude of the sun, moon, +or a star; can find the error and rate of the chronometer, and also the +longitude by it; can determine the variation of the compass; can find +the longitude by a `lunar'; can do the Pole Star problem; and--well, I +think that is about all, sir, thus far." + +"And a very creditable `all,' too," answered the Admiral, evidently well +pleased. "And what about your seamanship?" he continued. + +"I believe I am pretty good at that too, sir," I said. "I was at +Portsmouth, in the dockyard, every day during the fitting-out of the +frigate, and watched the whole process of rigging her. When I first saw +her she had nothing standing but her three lower-masts." + +"Well," remarked Sir Peter, "you ought to have picked up a little +knowledge relative to the spars and rigging of a ship during that time. +But _did_ you? That is the question. Come, I'll put you through your +facings a bit, if you are not too sleepy. Supposing that it became +necessary for you to get the maintop over the masthead, how would you go +to work?" + +I considered a moment, recalled the operation as I had witnessed it, and +then proceeded to describe what I had seen. + +"Yes; very good," commented my companion. "Now, get your lower rigging +into place, and set it up." + +I described how I would do that; and also answered several other +questions, apparently to his satisfaction. + +"Very well," he said, "that's all rigger's work; exceedingly important +to know, of course, but still not exactly seamanship. Now, young +gentleman, suppose yourself to be in command of a fine frigate--as I +hope you will be some day, please God. You are turning to windward in a +fresh breeze, under all plain sail, and it becomes necessary to tack. +Describe the various evolutions." + +I did so; and then the old gentleman gradually took me, still aboard my +suppositious frigate, through a rapidly freshening breeze into a regular +hurricane, until I had got the ship hove-to under bare poles, with a +tarpaulin lashed in the weather mizen rigging, and then he shook hands +with me and dismissed me to my room. + +The next morning, immediately after first breakfast, we got under way in +the Admiral's ketureen--a sort of gig with a roof to it--and drove down +to the wharf at Kingston, where the barge, a fine boat, was waiting for +us. The sea-breeze had set in and was piping up merrily, and in about +three-quarters of an hour we were alongside the dockyard wall at Port +Royal. Here the Admiral left me, with instructions to go off aboard the +guardship at once, and bring my log-books ashore for his inspection. +This I did, but it was nearly noon before Sir Peter was ready to attend +to me, and even then it was after all but a cursory glance that he +bestowed upon my books. But, cursory though it was, what he saw +appeared to satisfy him, for he was good enough to express his approval +as he closed the books and pushed them across the table to me. + +"Very good, very good indeed," he remarked; "far more creditable than +mine were when I was your age, I am afraid. I consider you a most +promising young officer, and am going to take you under my wing, because +I believe you will do me credit. Nay, boy, I want no thanks,"--as I +broke in somewhat incoherently in an attempt to express my +gratitude--"at least, not in the form of words," he continued; "words +are often spoken under the influence of a strong momentary impulse, and +forgotten almost immediately afterward. But if you should desire to +show that you are grateful to me for what I intend to do for you, you +cannot exhibit it more acceptably than by justifying the very great +trust that I am about to repose in you. And I believe you will, for, +young as you are, you have proved yourself to be made of the right +stuff; you have made good use of your time, and have as much knowledge +in that curly pate of yours as many officers of twice your length of +service possess. Now, I am not telling you this because I want to make +you conceited--far from it; it is simply because I want you to +understand that I have formed a very high opinion of you, and that I +expect you to live up to it. D'ye understand that, youngster?" + +"Quite clearly, Sir Peter," I answered. "It is exceedingly kind, and +most encouraging on your part that you have spoken so frankly as you +have, and I can assure you that I am not in the least likely to +entertain an unduly high opinion of myself in consequence of it. On the +contrary, I am afraid that you have formed altogether too favourable an +opinion of me and my qualities; but I shall remember that opinion, and +will do my utmost to justify it." + +"Very well," he answered; "no man can say more than that, and if you +fulfil your promise I shall be perfectly satisfied. And now, as to the +work upon which I propose to employ you. You must know that there is +more work--a good deal more work--to be done on this station than there +are ships to do it; consequently, although every ship at my disposal is +now at sea, I am continually receiving complaints that the commerce in +West Indian waters is inadequately protected. I have applied for +additional ships, but have been told that there are none to spare, and +that I must do the best I can with what I have. The fact is that the +Caribbean and its approaches are not only swarming with privateers, but +I have too much reason to believe that there is a strong gang of +out-and-out pirates at work as well. I was in hopes that the capture of +that pirate brigantine by the _Europa_ would put an end to all that kind +of work, but it has not; indeed, it has scarcely made any appreciable +impression upon the number of outrages of a distinctly piratical +character that are being constantly reported to me. I am, of course, +not now alluding to vessels that have gone temporarily missing, for they +may in most cases be traced to the operations of the enemy; but I refer +to those which vanish utterly, leaving no trace of any kind behind them +to hint at their fate; and also to those other craft which are fallen in +with, derelict, from time to time, plundered, and bearing indications +that an attempt has been made to destroy them, either by scuttling them, +or setting them on fire. Privateers don't do that sort of thing, you +know. If they capture a ship they generally put a prize-crew aboard her +and send her into the nearest port belonging to them. Pirates, however, +endeavour to escape identification by destroying all traces of their +handiwork and butchering the unfortunate crews of the vessels. + +"A case of this kind came to light only last week. The _Kingston +Trader_ of Bristol, with a very valuable cargo and five thousand pounds +in specie, has been overdue about a month, and her consignees have been +worrying me accordingly. Last Friday a small turtling schooner arrived +from the Windward Passages, reporting that they had seen a wreck ashore +near Tete de Chien on the island of Tortuga, off the north-west coast of +Saint Domingo. They launched their pirogue, and succeeded in getting +close enough to the wreck to identify her as the missing _Kingston +Trader_, and also to ascertain that she had been on fire, most of her +upper works having been consumed. That is the third case of an almost +identical kind that has occurred within the last two months, and I am +convinced that it is the work of pirates. + +"Now, young gentleman, I am going to give you the job of finding those +pirates and bringing them to book. It is work for a _man_, I know, but +I have not a man to spare; and I am convinced, from the way in which you +answered my questions last night, and from the character which Captain +Vavassour has given you, not only that you are a very capable young +officer, but also that you have your full share of sound common sense +and self-reliance--that you are, in fact, quite as likely to give a good +account of yourself over this business as would many a much older man. + +"Therefore, since you are certain to pass with flying colours as soon as +an opportunity to present yourself for examination offers itself, I +intend to give you an acting order as lieutenant, to place you in +command of a small schooner with a good strong crew, and to send you off +upon a roving commission to do your best to put down these piratical +outrages that are so frequently occurring under our very noses. Now, +what d'ye think of my scheme, youngster? Is the job too big for you to +tackle?" + +"No, sir," I answered; "certainly not too big. The only thing I fear is +that I may not be sufficiently experienced to execute so responsible a +duty as efficiently as it ought to be executed. But I will do my very +utmost, Sir Peter, I can promise you that; and if I can only have with +me one or two thoroughly steady, reliable men to help me with an +occasional word of advice, I believe we shall be able to give a very +good account of ourselves." + +"Yes," returned Sir Peter, "I believe so too, otherwise I would not +dream of sending you. As to experience, well, there is only one way of +gaining it, and that is by actually doing a thing; it is rather a rough +school, perhaps, but it is the only one in which you can thoroughly +learn your lesson, and I am glad to see that you have no idea of +shirking it. + +"And now, as to this seventy-four of yours. She is a fore-and-aft +schooner of one hundred and ten tons, said to have been built at +Baltimore. She is something of a freak, her designer having apparently +turned his lines end for end and put his bows where his stern should be, +and _vice versa_. Nevertheless, his theory seems to have been sound, +for I'm told that she is a perfect witch for speed, especially in light +weather, and speed is one of the qualities which you must have. She was +caught smuggling, and was condemned to be sawn in two; but I thought we +might perhaps be able to find a better use for her than that, so I have +postponed the operation. She is called the _Wasp_, and if you have as +much enterprise as I give you credit for, you ought to make her sting to +some purpose. You will find her in Hulk Hole, and--Stop a minute." He +rang a bell and a messenger entered. + +"Jones," said Sir Peter, "have you any idea where the master-attendant +is?" + +"Yes, sir," answered the man, "he was outside on the wharf not half a +minute ago." + +"Then, please, see if you can find him," said the Admiral, "and request +him to come here to me. Carline is a very decent fellow," he continued, +as soon as the messenger had vanished. "I'll get him to take you aboard +and show you the craft--he has the keys of the companion and +fore-scuttle, I believe--and you and he can talk matters over together +and decide what she will need to fit her for service. Ah! here is +Carline. Good morning, Mr Carline. This is Mr Delamere, whom I am +going to send out in charge of the _Wasp_, to see what he can do toward +putting a stop to these repeated piracies. I want you to take him +aboard and let him have a thorough good look at the schooner; after +which you and he can draw up a list of what is needed to render her fit +for the work which she will have to do. And now, good morning, Mr +Delamere. Come up to the Pen to dinner to-night; then you can report to +me what you think the craft requires." + +"So the Admiral's going to fit out that smugglin' schooner and send you +to sea in her, eh?" remarked the master-attendant as soon as we got +outside. + +I replied that I quite understood that to be Sir Peter's intention. + +"Oh, well," he observed, "I don't know how you'll get on with her; she's +a queer one to look at, and I expect she'll want some learnin' before +you'll be able to handle her properly. Have you had any experience in a +fore-and-after?" + +"Only in boats," I replied. "The barge of my old ship, the _Colossus_, +was rigged as a fore-and-aft schooner, and I've sailed her many's the +time; and I suppose all fore-and-afters are handled in pretty much the +same way. The matter of mere size won't make very much difference, I +imagine." + +"Well, I expect you'll find the _Wasp_ a bit different," observed my +companion; "she's such a queer model, you see--everything about her is +exactly the opposite of what we think it should be. She has tremendous +beam, and no draught of water worth speakin' of; an outrageously long +tapering bow, and a short, squat stern--But there, you'll see her +presently. But there's no doubt about it, she can sail--there's nothing +in this harbour that can look at her; and as for working, why, I've been +told that she has been known to be round and full on the other tack +twenty seconds after puttin' the helm down!" + +"Well, that is good news at all events," I remarked. "I like a nice, +smart-working ship--Why, Henderson, where in the world did you spring +from? and how is it that you are not away in the frigate?" I exclaimed, +as we encountered a figure that was perfectly familiar to me. + +"For the same reason as yourself, Mr Delamere," answered the man, +touching his hat. "I was on my beam-ends in the hospital when she went +to sea--bowled over in the scrimmage wi' that brigantine, same as you +was." + +"And where are you, and what doing now?" I demanded. + +"Why, sir, I'm aboard the guardship, along wi' another or two of our +chaps as was discharged from the hospital about the same time as I was," +answered the man--formerly one of the _Europa's_ quartermasters. + +"Oh, indeed," I replied, very much surprised, for I had not known that +there were others as well as myself put ashore from the frigate; "and +are you all ready for duty again?" I asked. + +"Ay, that we are, sir," answered Henderson, "and shall be glad enough to +get to sea and have a mouthful of fresh air once more. This bein' in +harbour is all very well for a change, but a man soon gets enough of it; +and, a'ter all, it ain't half so comfortable as bein' at sea." + +"Then in that case," said I, seeing my way to getting one good hand, at +least, "perhaps you may be willing to volunteer for a little schooner +that the Admiral is going to give me to go pirate-hunting in?" + +"Ay, that indeed I will, Mr Delamere, and glad of the chance," answered +Henderson heartily; "and perhaps, sir," he added, "I could help you to +two or three more good men, if so be as you happen to want 'em." + +"Well, I think it more than likely that I shall," said I, "so just keep +your eyes open in that direction. I shall no doubt see you again +to-morrow or next day, when we can have a further chat." + +Henderson touched his hat and turned away, and the master-attendant and +I made our way along the wharf to the landing-steps. Here he directed +four men to jump down into his gig and spread the cushions in the +stern-sheets, while he went into his office to procure the keys which +were to afford us access to the interior of my "seventy-four," as the +Admiral had jestingly called her. Then, descending the steps and taking +our places in the gig, Carline seized the yoke-lines, gave the word to +shove off, and away we went, across the upper end of the harbour and +through the boat channel, past Gallows Point, whereon stood the stout +posts and beam from which the five ringleaders of the pirates taken +aboard the brigantine had been launched into eternity. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +H.M.S. WASP. + +We sighted the _Wasp_ immediately upon rounding Gallows Point. She was +lying quite by herself, down in the most southerly bight of the Hole, +and little more than a cable's length from the beach; consequently we +had a clear, uninterrupted view of her the moment that we cleared the +Point; and she was lying broadside-on to us, with her head pointing to +the southward. + +The first thing that impressed me about her was her diminutiveness; in +comparison with some of the craft lying in the Hole she looked little +more than a mere boat, and the idea of actually going to sea and +attempting serious work in such a cockle-shell struck me as little short +of an absurdity. But that feeling wore off a bit as we closed with her; +and the next thing to attract my attention was the great beauty of her +outline. She sat very low upon the water; had an abnormally long, +overhanging counter; and her spring, or sheer, was so great that, low as +she sat, her bow stood high and dominant above the water. She was +painted black from her rail to her copper, the top edge of which was +about six inches above her load-line; and she had only her two +lower-masts and her bowsprit standing. But her masts were magnificent +sticks, lofty enough, apparently, to spread all the canvas that she +could possibly carry, without any need of topmasts, and both spars were +stepped well forward; the mainmast, indeed, seemed to be almost +amidships, giving one a very clear idea of the enormous area which her +mainsail would present when fully set. It was not, however, until we +got close to her, and Carline caused his boatmen to pull slowly round +her, that I detected what the Admiral and the master-attendant meant +when they had spoken of the freakish peculiarities of her model; then, +indeed, it became apparent that her designer had, as Sir Peter had said, +literally turned her lines end for end, as it were. For she had +absolutely no "straight of breadth" at all; her sides were as round as +an apple, and her long bow, shaped like a wedge with curved instead of +straight sides, with just a suggestion of hollowness of the water-line +as it approached the stem, started almost as far aft as the point where +her mainmast was stepped; while her run, instead of fining away toward +the stern-post like the tail of a fish, was quite full, sweeping round +under her counter in a semicircle. Then it was that I understood why +her counter was so abnormally long; it was not merely a fancy on the +part of her designer, intended to give her a smart, rakish appearance, +it was for the purpose of giving her, despite the fulness of her run, a +clean, easy delivery. Yes, as I looked at her critically, studying her +lines from every possible point of view, I could believe that she would +prove a quite extraordinary sailer; for there was nothing in that long, +keen bow for the water to grip, the knifelike stem would sheer into it, +and the gently expanding sides would shoulder it aside with scarcely any +resistance, leaving it to close in again aft about her stern-post with a +nip that would add to her speed, just as one may make a nut spring from +one's fingers by merely pressing upon it. And she would be a good +sea-boat, too, for the bow flared out over the water in such a fashion +as to lift her over any sea, however steep. Yes, I liked the outside +look of her amazingly, and no longer thought the idea of going to sea in +such a craft mere folly; on the contrary, I longed for the moment when I +should have the opportunity to test her capabilities. + +Having scrutinised the exterior of my new command to my heart's content, +we went alongside and boarded her. Her gangway was open; and so little +freeboard did she show at this point--Carline measured it and found it +to be exactly four-feet--that we were able to spring from the boat's +gunwale to the schooner's deck without difficulty, and without the need +for a side-ladder. I had by this time quite forgotten my first +impression of diminutiveness in connection with the craft, and the +moment that I passed through the gangway and stood upon her deck I +gained a new impression, namely that of spaciousness. For she was +extraordinarily beamy; her hatchways were small, and there was nothing +in the way of fittings of any kind to cumber up her decks; indeed, so +far as actual room to move about upon was concerned, her quarter-deck +seemed to be quite as spacious as that of the _Europa_. She was +flush-decked fore and aft, and abaft the immensely lofty mainmast there +was nothing but the companion, with a seat and lockers on either side of +it, a fine big skylight, a very handsome brass binnacle, and the wheel. +Her bulwarks were only three feet high, with a fine, solid teak rail; +and she was built of hard wood--oak and elm--throughout, and copper +fastened. + +Carline having unlocked the companion doors, we went below, and found +ourselves in a really beautiful little cabin, elegantly fitted up, +painted white and gold, well lighted and ventilated from above by the +big skylight, and with three large, circular ports on each side as well. +There were nice wide, comfortable lockers on each side, running fore +and aft, and a fine, solid, handsomely carved mahogany table in the +centre; but the cabin looked bare, for all the fittings of every kind +had been removed and put into store. Then, abaft the main cabin, there +was a small but exceedingly comfortable-looking stateroom, with standing +bedplace, drawers beneath, wash-stand, etcetera, and lighted by two +circular ports, one at the head and one at the foot of the bedplace, +which ran athwartships. + +From the cabin we passed into the main hold; and I saw at once that this +could easily be fitted up and converted into a berth-deck for all hands +by merely running a few deck beams across, laying a deck, and running up +a bulkhead. We spent the whole morning aboard, making voluminous notes +of the various alterations that would be needed to fit the little vessel +for the new service to which she was destined; and that same afternoon +she was unmoored, taken alongside the wharf, and a strong gang of +dockyard workmen went aboard to begin upon the most obviously necessary +work, such as taking out her ballast prior to giving her interior a +thorough cleaning, and so on. + +That night, at the Pen, after the guests had all left, Sir Peter called +upon me to give an account of my day's doings, to tell him what I +thought of the _Wasp_, and to produce and read my list of alterations +needed to complete the equipment of the schooner. Of all of these he +graciously approved, adding a few suggestions of his own; and on the +following morning, after going on board the hooker with me and examining +her inside and out, he gave orders for the whole of the work to be +proceeded with forthwith. As there were no other ships in port +refitting at the moment, it was a slack time at the dockyard, and almost +the whole of its resources were available to expedite the work, in +consequence of which the schooner was ready for sea a fortnight from the +day on which I first boarded her. + +Meanwhile, the Admiral had made out and presented to me my acting order; +while, for my own part, I had been busy all day and every day, either at +the dockyard, superintending the work being done to the _Wasp_, or in +hunting up a crew for her. And as I attached very considerable +importance to the quality of my crew, and was quite determined to have +the very best I could obtain, a large proportion of my time was spent in +hunting for good men. Here it was that I found the services of +Henderson, late quartermaster of the _Europa_, of especial value, for +not only did he enter for the schooner, as he had promised he would when +I ran up against him as I was on my way to pay my first visit to the +_Wasp_, but, being equally as anxious as myself to have the little +vessel well manned, he had persuaded four good men--like himself +formerly of the _Europa_, wounded in our fight with the brigantine and +now convalescent--to join, thus forming at a stroke the nucleus of a +first-rate crew. But he had done a good deal more than this; for in +addition to the four men above referred to there were aboard the +guardship about a dozen others recently discharged from the hospital and +only requiring a few days of pure ocean air to set them on their pins +again, and he had persuaded these also to enter. Even this, however, +did not complete my obligations to the guardship, for there were aboard +her three midshipmen, an assistant surgeon, and a captain's clerk, all +of whom had been separated from their ships from some chance cause, and +I secured them all; the eldest of the midshipmen--named Willoughby--as +master, while the other two, very quiet, respectable lads, named +respectively Dundas and Hinton, I took more for their health's sake than +for any other reason. The assistant surgeon was named Saunders--him I +shipped as surgeon--while Millar, the captain's clerk, came with me as +purser; I obtained a gunner's warrant for Henderson, to his great +delight; and my remaining officers consisted of a fine, smart +boatswain's mate, named Pearce, who came as boatswain, and a carpenter's +mate named Mills, who came as carpenter. In addition to these, I had a +cabin steward, a cook, and a crew of forty-four men and four boys; I +therefore regarded myself as excellently equipped, so far as my crew +were concerned. Unfortunately, the schooner was too small to carry an +armament to which such a fine crew could do full justice, the utmost +that she would carry, with anything like safety, being six long +expounders; and even with the weight of these on her deck she seemed to +be just a trifle more tender than I altogether liked. It was, however, +the best that we could do with her, and with that I had to be content. + +Having reported the schooner as ready for sea, and received my orders +from the Admiral, we slipped from Number 9 buoy on a certain morning, +immediately after breakfast, and proceeded to work out to sea, under +single-reefed mainsail, foresail, fore staysail, and Number 2 jib, in +the teeth of a fiery sea-breeze that made the palms at Port Royal Point +assume the aspect of so many umbrellas turned inside-out, and whirled +the sand up from the Palisades in blinding clouds to deposit it again in +the harbour and add to the magnitude of the shoal that is steadily +encroaching upon the deep-water area. + +The little hooker became lively and began to pull at her cable, as +though impatient to be off, the moment that the hands tailed on to the +throat and peak-halliards of her immense mainsail, and proceeded to +hoist away; and when, having set the sail--which, by the way, was +beautifully cut, and stood as flat as a board--we slipped, and hauled +aft the jib-sheet, she heeled to the pressure of the wind as though +preparing to spring, and, with a little swirl of water about her sharp +stem as she paid off, proceeded to gather way, and the next moment was +sheering through the smooth water of the harbour like a hungry dolphin +in pursuit of a shoal of flying-fish. With all her sheets flattened-in +she came-to until she was looking up within three points of the wind, +careening to her bearings and sweeping as rapidly and almost as +noiselessly as a wreath of mist driving to leeward, the only sound she +made being a soft hissing at her cutwater as her sharp bow clove the +ripples and ploughed up a glass-like sheet of water on either side of +it. So closely did she hug the wind that we were able to shave close +past the red buoy which marks the edge of Church shoal, handsomely +weathering Number 2 buoy, skimming across the De Horsey Patch, and +shaving past the buoy on the Harbour shoal. By this time we were out +from under the shelter of Port Royal Point, and were beginning to feel +the first of the jump that the sea-breeze was kicking up outside; but it +appeared to make practically no difference in our speed, our abnormally +long, keen, wedge-like bow seemed to cleave the seas without effort or +resistance as they came at us, while the flaring overhang lifted the +little craft buoyantly over them, with nothing worse than a small +playful flash and patter of spray in over the weather cathead to tell of +the encounter. It would be difficult to say whether astonishment or +delight was the feeling that predominated in the breasts of all hands of +us, fore and aft, as we stood watching the really marvellous performance +of the little clipper while beating out of harbour. It was not her +speed only--although that seemed phenomenal, for she swept past every +other craft that was going our way as though they had been at anchor; +her weatherliness astounded us quite as much as did her speed, for she +looked up a good three points higher than did our square-rigged +neighbours, while her oil-smooth wake trailed away astern as straight as +a ruled line, with no apparent inclination to trend a hairbreadth +towards her weather quarter. She seemed to make no leeway at all! + +"Well!" exclaimed Henderson, who was standing by me, close abaft the +weather main rigging, watching--as I was--the rapid sliding past us of +the various objects ashore, "I've heard people speak of a ship as +sailin' like a witch, but I'm only now comin' to rightly understand just +exactly what that expression means; it means goin' along precisely as if +you was shot out of a gun! Why, Mr Delamere, I don't believe as +there's anything afloat that can touch us--not, at all events, in +moderately smooth water. What we shall do in a heavy sea remains to be +seen; and we shall soon find that out, I reckon, for it's all foamin' +white away out there in the offing; but I've a notion that she'll go +over it all like a duck, provided that we don't drive her too hard. +Look at that, sir,"--as the schooner leapt from the crest of a sea into +the hollow beyond, and the foam buzzed and boiled to the level of her +lee head-rail and then went glancing away dizzily aft--"ain't that just +perfectly beautiful? Never shipped a drop, she didn't! And there +again! My eyes! but she _is_ a beauty, and no mistake." + +"She is certainly behaving wonderfully well," I admitted, my voice all +a-quiver with pride. "How does she steer? Is she easy on her helm?" I +demanded of the man at the wheel. + +"Gripes just the leastest bit in the world, sir, but nothin' worth +speakin' about. I could steer her wi' one hand," answered the man; and +to prove his words he placed one hand behind him and kept it there for a +minute or two while he grasped a spoke of the wheel with the other. + +We had by this time brought the Beacon shoal about one point abaft the +weather-beam, and I was of opinion that we could weather it on the next +tack; I therefore gave the word, "Ready about--Helm's a-lee!" and +directed the helmsman to ease down the helm. He let go the wheel for a +moment, and the little hooker at once came to the wind with her +head-sails slatting and threshing as she spilled the wind out of them; +then he began to pull the wheel over toward him, and with one terrific +dive into a sea that came rushing at her, and which she split into two +showers of diamond spray that leapt half as high as her foremast before +it came driving aft in a shower that nearly drenched us to the skin, +round she swept like a gun upon its pivot, and was full again upon the +other tack almost before we could blink our eyelids. The beauty of a +fore-and-after is that she practically works herself, all that is needed +being three or four hands on the forecastle to trim over the jib and +fore sheets as she comes round. It was simply child's play compared +with the complicated manoeuvres that attend the working of a full-rigged +ship, and Henderson laughed aloud in his delight at the simplicity of +it. + +"Why, Mr Delamere," he declared, "it's like sailin' the _Europa's_ +launch, only easier. The launch never stayed as smartly as that, not so +long as I've knowed her!" + +We weathered the Beacon shoal, with room to spare, as I expected we +should; and then kept away, with slightly eased sheets, for the passage +between Gun and Rackum Cays, after negotiating which we shaped a course +for Cow Bay and Yallah Points, off the latter of which we arrived +shortly after six bells in the forenoon watch had struck. Still hugging +the coast as closely as possible, we arrived off Port Morant about four +bells in the afternoon watch, about which time we found the sea-breeze +to be merging gradually into the Trade-wind and heading us so badly that +at length we were obliged to heave about and head off-shore. Here we +soon got into such a boil of a sea that the little hooker threatened to +smother herself, and it became necessary for us to haul down a second +and a third reef, and to take the jib off her, after which she went +along quite comfortably, shipping nothing worse than an occasional +sprinkling of spray over her weather-bow. At eight bells of the second +dog-watch we handsomely weathered Morant Point on our way out through +the Windward Channel, it being my purpose to work out through the Caycos +Passage, and then cruise to and fro athwart and to windward of the +Windward Passages--that being the cruising-ground which I believed the +pirates would be most likely to haunt. + +Shortly before daybreak, on the third morning after leaving Port Royal, +we found ourselves rapidly drawing into smooth water--so rapidly, +indeed, that Pearce, the boatswain, whose watch it was, came down in +some alarm and roused me out, fearing that Willoughby, the midshipman +who was acting as master, had made a mistake in his reckoning, and that +we were about to blunder on to some danger or another. I was able, +however, to set the good man's mind at rest by explaining that we were +doubtless drawing in under the lee of the Caycos Bank, and that +therefore the water might naturally be expected to smoothen. +Nevertheless, feeling that I had had a good night's rest, and +understanding from Pearce that day would dawn in less than +half-an-hour's time, I turned out and, slipping into my trousers and +jacket, went up on deck. And very glad I was that I had done so, for I +was thus enabled to observe a very curious natural phenomenon, which one +might knock about in those seas for years without seeing, for the simple +reason that the circumstances must be favourable or the phenomenon is +not visible. + +The Caycos Bank is a shoal lying some sixty-eight miles off Monte +Christi, on the north coast of Hayti. It measures about the same +distance from its north-western to its south-eastern extremity, and is +about sixty-two miles across from east to west at its widest point; it +is consequently of considerable extent, and from the fact that the depth +of water over it ranges from six feet to eighteen feet it is not without +its dangers, and must be approached with due caution, especially during +the hours of darkness. In daylight the danger is not nearly so great, +because the north-eastern and north-western edges of the shoal are +fringed by a number of cays among which the sea breaks heavily, while +the whole surface of the shoal is white water. And it is this same +white water which gives rise to the phenomenon above referred to, +locally known as "Bank Blink." It is simply the reflection of the +phosphorescence of the water in the clouds above; and the darker and +more overcast the night, the more distinctly is the reflection seen. +The phenomenon is, of course, quite natural and easily to be accounted +for, yet its occurrence can scarcely be regarded as less than +providential; for there can be no doubt whatever that its appearance in +the sky has often been the means of warning navigators that they were +approaching this danger, and so causing them to haul off in time to +avoid shipwreck. + +Upon the night in question, when I first saw it, I found, upon going on +deck, that the darkness was profound, the sky being so completely +obscured by clouds that not so much as a single star was visible. But +away to windward, ranging from about two points on the weather-bow round +to square abeam, the clouds from almost overhead to within some fifteen +degrees of the horizon were faintly yet quite perceptibly tinged +greenish hue, the tinge being strongest about midway between our +weather-bow and beam. Pearce had noticed it, it appeared, when I came +to question him about it, and had thought that it might possibly portend +a change of weather until he had looked at the barometer and found it +inclined to rise; then he had become alarmed by the smoothing of the +water, which seemed to him far more portentous than the light on the +clouds. + +I had not been on deck more than a quarter of an hour when the blackness +under the lower edge of the bank blink away over our starboard cathead +began to pale, first to a cold slaty-grey, and from that, by rapid +gradations, to a rich purple, then to crimson, and from crimson to an +orange tint so deep as to be almost scarlet, beneath which the horizon +loomed out black as ink, the intervening space of water lightening, as +it swept toward us, until at the distance of a couple of miles it became +a livid bluish-white. This marked the western edge of the shoal, and +sufficiently accounted for the smoothing of the deep-water in which we +were sailing. + +As the orange light spread north and south from the point at which it +had originated, at the same time reaching upward from the horizon, the +bank blink began to fade, or rather to become merged in and overpowered +by it; and the shapes of the heavy, lowering clouds that overhung us +began to reveal themselves, their lower edges here and there suddenly +flushing into hues of the richest yet most delicate rose that rapidly +strengthened first into scarlet and then to burning gold as the rays of +the yet unrisen sun smote upon them. Presently, in the midst of the +rich orange light that was now flashing up on the eastern and +north-eastern horizon, there emerged a shape of indigo, practically +flat-topped, but with two small protuberances, one at each end, which, +by a stretch of the imagination, might be termed hills, rising to a +height of perhaps sixty or seventy feet. This was the island of West +Caycos, the most westerly of the cays on the bank, and ten minutes later +we were under its lee and within less than a cable's length from the +beach. + +But what a change had taken place in the aspect of sea and sky during +those ten minutes! As we stood, spellbound, watching the gorgeous +changes of colour that were taking place along the eastern horizon, a +broad ray of white light, the edges slightly tinged with violet, +suddenly shot vertically aloft from the horizon, piercing the +cloud-masses as though with the thrust of a spear; and as though there +had been magic in the touch those cloud-masses at once began to break up +and melt away, assuming, ere they vanished, every conceivable tint of +the rainbow, from the deepest and richest hue of purple, through crimson +and scarlet, to purest molten gold. And while these wonderful changes +of colour were taking place, shaft after shaft of living, quivering +light flashed into the sky, radiating like the spokes of a wheel against +the warm primrose tints of the horizon--merging by imperceptible degrees +into the pure, delicate azure of the sky revealed by the breaking up and +dissolution of the clouds--to be followed, a few seconds later, by the +appearance above the horizon of a great rim of blazing, palpitating +golden fire, the level rays from which shot along the tumbling surface +of the ocean, splashing it with a million scintillating points of +dazzling light, as the crests of the tiny wavelets curled over and broke +under the whipping of the freshening breeze. Then, while we still stood +watching, a gauzy veil of rain--"the pride of the morning"--swept down +upon us, blotting out the glories of the sunrise for a brief minute or +two, then driving away to leeward, leaving our sails and deck dark with +wet, and revealing the sun, now fully risen, and the sky clear and pure +to windward. + +With the freshening of the breeze we rapidly brought West Caycos first +abeam and then on our weather quarter, while the high land of +Providenciales grew upon the weather-bow. Here we were very nearly +getting into an exceedingly awkward scrape, for while I went below to +prepare for my morning bath under the head-pump, after witnessing the +magnificent sunrise that I have endeavoured to describe, the wind +suddenly fell light and died away; and then, while I was dressing after +my bath, the sea-breeze suddenly sprang up, blowing half a gale; and +there were we, not three miles from the land, with as dangerous a +stretch of lee-shore as is to be found in all this region abeam of us. +Fortunately the schooner's extraordinary weatherliness stood us in good +stead, and enabled us to claw off, but for which we should probably have +left her bones, if not our own, there. Our mid-afternoon observations +showed us to be in latitude 22 degrees 21 minutes North, and longitude +71 degrees 57 minutes West, which position I considered far enough out +for our purpose; we therefore hove about and, under short canvas, +proceeded to work our way slowly to the southward and eastward, on the +lookout for anything that might chance to come our way. + +For several days after this nothing of moment occurred. Finally we +found ourselves some two hundred miles to the northward and eastward of +the Mona Passage, and I was debating within myself whether to bear up +and go back over the ground which I had just traversed, or to continue +on and have a look at Porto Rico. But while I was thinking over the +question, the lookout in the fore crosstrees reported a sail to +windward, quickly succeeded by several others, whereupon we made sail +and shaped a course that would enable us to get a somewhat clearer view +of them, and, if necessary, to intercept them. + +The lookout aloft soon reported that the leading ship was under short +canvas, while those which immediately followed her were covered to their +trucks, and showing studdingsails as well, from which piece of +information it was not difficult for me to guess that the strangers to +windward consisted of a convoy of merchantmen, with its escort of +men-o'-war. This conjecture of mine soon proved to be correct, for +within half-an-hour of their first appearance the leading ships were in +sight from the deck, and we made out the biggest of them to be a 74-gun +ship, the others in sight obviously being merchantmen. As we closed, +with ensign and pennant hoisted, the commodore signalled me to come +alongside and send a boat aboard, which I did, going in the boat myself +to see what news I could pick up. I thus learned that the ship I had +boarded was the _Goliath_, the captain of which was the commodore of the +squadron of convoying ships, consisting of--in addition to the +_Goliath_--the frigates _Tourmaline_ and _Spartiate_, and the gun-brigs +_Vulcan, Wolverine, Spitfire_, and _Tortoise_; the convoy consisting of +three hundred and eighty-seven sail of all sorts, bound to the various +West Indian ports. I informed the commodore of the nature of the duty +upon which I had been sent out by the Admiral on the station, and +inquired whether any suspicious craft had been sighted during the +passage; to which he grimly replied in the affirmative, but added that +they had all been accounted for, and would be found, with prize-crews +aboard them, in the main body of the fleet. I stayed on board the +seventy-four for a couple of hours, gathering what news the inmates of +the ward-room could give me; during which the _Wasp_, under +boom-foresail and fore-staysail only, easily kept company with the +ponderous two-decker, looking in comparison with her "no bigger as my +thumb," as the negroes would say. She excited a great deal of +curiosity, on account of her very peculiar model, and likewise a very +considerable amount of admiration as she swept along lightly and +buoyantly as a seagull over the long undulations of the heavy swell that +was running. It was the first time that I had ever beheld her under +sail, from outside her own bulwarks, and although, looked down upon from +the lofty poop of the _Goliath_, she seemed to be the merest +cockle-shell, small enough to be hoisted inboard and stowed upon the +two-decker's main hatch, there was still a look of staunchness about her +that, coupled with the beauty of her form and the rakish sauciness of +her entire appearance, made me feel very proud of the fact that I +commanded her, as well as very anxious for an opportunity to show of +what she and her crew were capable. + +Having extracted all the information I could obtain--which, after all, +was not very much--I made my adieux, descended the side, stepped into my +boat, and returned to the schooner. Upon rejoining her, we made sail +and hauled to the wind, in the hope of finding some picarooning craft +hanging on to the skirts of the convoy; but although we hovered in the +wake of the latter until the very last of them had disappeared beneath +the southern horizon, our hopes were vain; and, finally, I decided to +bear up for the Navidad, or Ship Bank, proceed through the Sea of Hayti +as far as the entrance of the Windward Channel, and then, if still +unsuccessful in my search for traces of the pirate, to work my way back +to the Atlantic by the Crooked Island Passage, exploring some of the +cays in Austral Bay on the way, they seeming to me to afford +considerable facilities for the establishment of a pirate depot. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +WHAT THE GUNNER SAW. + +Two mornings later--the _Wasp_ being at the time off Ysabelica Point, +which is the most northerly point of the island of Hayti--I was awakened +by young Dundas, one of the two midshipmen whom I had on board. He +entered my cabin, laid his hand lightly on my shoulder, and, as I +started up at his touch, said: + +"I beg your pardon, Mr Delamere, for entering your cabin, but I knocked +twice and you did not seem to hear me. The gunner is sorry to have you +disturbed, sir, but he would be very much obliged if you would come on +deck for a minute or two." + +"Very well," said I; "I will be up in a brace of shakes. Just turn up +the lamp, if you please, youngster, and let us have a little more light +on the subject. Ah! that's better, thanks. Kindly hand me those +unmentionables. I say, Mr Dundas, there doesn't seem to be very much +wind. What's the weather like?" + +"Stark calm, sir; smooth water, and as dark as the inside of a cow," +answered the lad. + +"Does the weather look threatening, then; or what does--? But never +mind; those shoes, if you please. Thanks. That will do. Now I am +ready. Away you go, youngster." + +Preceded by the lad, I passed into the fore-cabin and thence up on deck, +where, as Dundas had picturesquely intimated, the darkness was profound +and the air breathless, save for the small draughts created by the +flapping of the great mainsail to the gentle movements of the schooner +upon the low undulations of the swell. + +As I stepped out on deck I heard Henderson's voice close at my elbow, +although the man himself was invisible. + +"Sorry to have been obliged to disturb you, Mr Delamere," he said, "but +something's happened that I thought you ought to know about." + +"Yes?" I remarked interrogatively. "Well, what was it, Henderson?" + +"Well, it's like this here, sir," he replied. "We've been becalmed this +last hour or more, durin' which the schooner have been boxin' the +compass, while it's been that close and muggy that one don't seem to +have been able to get air enough to breathe. And the closeness made me +feel so drowsy that, to prevent myself from droppin' off to sleep, I've +been obliged to keep on my feet, pacing fore and aft atween the main +cabin skylight and the main riggin'. The watch have coiled theirselves +away somewheres, and I don't doubt but what they're snatchin' a +cat-nap--and I haven't troubled to disturb 'em, sir, for the lookout on +the fo'c's'le is keepin' his eyes skinned. + +"Well, a few minutes ago--it may be five, or it may be ten--I'd just +swung round to walk aft from the main riggin' when, as my eyes travelled +away out here over the port quarter, I got the notion into my head that +there was somethin' goin' on down there, for it seemed to me that I'd +got a glimpse--out of the corner of my eye, as it might be--of a small +sparkin', like--like--well, hang me if I know what it was like, unless +it might be twenty or thirty pistols or muskets all being fired close +after one another." + +"Ah!" I ejaculated. "And did you hear any sound, Henderson--anything +like that of distant firing, for instance?" + +"No, Mr Delamere; not a sound, sir," answered the gunner. "But then," +he continued, "that ain't very surprisin' when you comes to think of it, +for just listen to what's goin' on aboard here--the old hooker ain't so +very noisy, I'll allow; still, what with the rustlin' of the canvas +overhead, the patter of the reef-points, the creakin' of the jaws o' the +mainboom, the clank o' the wheel-chains, and the wash and gurgle of the +water alongside with the roll of her, there's not much chance of pickin' +up sounds comin' from a distance, is there, sir?" + +"No, that is true, there is not," I admitted. "Did you see, or hear, +anything else, Henderson?" I asked. + +"No, sir; never another thing," answered the gunner. "And I'd like ye +to understand, Mr Delamere, that I wouldn't care actually to stand up +in court and swear that I really saw what I told ye; for, as I +explained, I only caught the thing out o' the tail-end of my eye, as it +might be, and then 'twas gone again, and I saw nothin' more. But the +impression that I really had seen something was so strong that I felt it +was my duty to report it." + +"Of course; you did perfectly right," I agreed; "particularly in view of +the task that has been given us to do. Did the lookout see anything of +this appearance of flashes?" + +"No, sir," answered Henderson; "he didn't. Nat'rally he wouldn't, for +he was keepin' a lookout ahead and on either bow, while this here +flashin' showed--if it really did show at all, and wasn't my +imagination--out there over the port quarter." + +"Quite so," I concurred. "Under those circumstances he would not be in +the least likely to see the appearance. Did it occur to you to take the +bearing of the spot where you thought you saw those flashes?" + +"Yes, sir, it did," answered Henderson. "I stood, just for a second or +two, to see if there was any more comin': and then, not seein' anything, +I went straight to the binnacle and took the bearin', which I found to +be nor'-west and by west, half west." + +With one consent we both walked aft to the binnacle and peered into it. +The schooner had swung several points while the gunner had been spinning +his somewhat long-winded yarn, for the bearing which he gave now lay +about a point over the starboard quarter. I stared into the blackness +in that direction, but could see nothing. Then I got the night glass +and, setting it to my focus, raised it to my eye, pointing it out over +the starboard quarter and sweeping it slowly and carefully to right and +left. For a minute or two I saw nothing; then, as I swept the tube +along what I judged to be the line of the horizon, a tiny smudge of +radiance--so dim as to be scarcely more than a suggestion--seemed to +float athwart the lenses and was gone again. There is probably nothing +in ordinary life much more difficult than to pick up and retain in the +lenses of a telescope, levelled by hand, a spark of light so minute and +faint as to be invisible to the unaided eye in the midst of the +surrounding darkness, and the difficulty is enhanced when the attempt is +made from the deck of a small vessel oscillating though ever so gently +on the ridges of a long, low-running swell, and for the life of me I +could not again find the feeble glimmer that had seemed to swim athwart +the instrument, try as I would. + +"It is no good, Henderson," I said at last, abandoning the attempt in +despair, and handing the telescope over to him. "I am almost certain +that for a single instant I caught a faint blur of light away out there; +but I cannot find it now. Take the glass, and see if you can meet with +any better success. But verify your bearing before you do so." + +The schooner had swung a point or two further round by this time, and +the bearing now lay broad over the starboard beam, in which direction +Henderson pointed his glass. Meanwhile Dundas, the midshipman who had +called me, had slipped down below and brought his own telescope on deck, +and was working away with it, but neither he nor the gunner met with any +luck; and I was about to try my hand again when a slight lessening of +the intensity of the darkness away down in the eastern quarter indicated +the approach of dawn. In those low latitudes the transition from night +to day, and _vice versa_, is extraordinarily rapid, occupying but a few +minutes; and, even as we stood watching, the pallor strengthened and +spread to right and left and upward, suggesting the stealthy but rapid +withdrawal of an infinite number of dark gauze curtains from the face of +the firmament, until presently the eastern quadrant of the horizon +became visible, the pallid sea showing like a surface of molten lead, +sluggishly undulating like the coils of a sleeping snake, while overhead +stretched an unbroken pall of dark grey cloud that seemed to promise a +drenching downpour of rain before long. + +The light from the east stole upward among the clouds and westward along +the surface of the sea with amazing rapidity, yet to our impatience its +progress seemed exasperatingly slow, for away down in the west the +darkness was still profound. And yet, even as we gazed, that darkness +seemed to become diluted, as it were, with the advancing light that we +could almost see sliding along the surface of the water, until suddenly, +as though emerging from an invisible mist, a ghostly object appeared, +grey and elusive, against the background of darkness, and with one voice +we all three shouted: + +"There she is?" + +Yes, there she was--a large ship, about seven miles away, lying +becalmed, like ourselves, with all plain sail set, to her royals and +flying-jib. For perhaps half a minute after our first sight of her the +light was too weak and uncertain to enable us to discern details; but as +we kept our telescopes persistently bearing upon her, first one +distinctive feature and then another became revealed. + +"She's a full-rigged ship, lying broadside-on to us, Mr Delamere," +announced young Dundas. + +"So I perceive," I returned somewhat dryly. "And I notice, also, that +she has swung with her head to the southward." + +"She's a big lump of a craft, not very far short of 900 tons, I should +say," commented Henderson, with his eye still glued to the eye-piece of +the schooner's glass. "And," he continued, after a slight pause, "I +reckon she's a foreigner; that high poop and them deep-curvin' +headboards never took shape in a British shipyard, I'm prepared to swear +to that. Looks to me like a Dutchman. What do you think, Mr +Delamere?" + +"I agree with you that she is undoubtedly a foreigner," answered I; "but +I don't think she is Dutch--there is too much gilding and +gingerbread-work about her quarters for that. There,"--as the sun broke +through the clouds and showed his upper rim above the horizon, flashing +a long, level beam along the surface of the water, striking the stranger +and causing the stern of her to blaze into a sudden flame of glittering +radiance--"do you see that, Henderson? Her quarter is a solid mass of +painted and gilded carving. The Dutchman is too economical, too fond of +the dollars to lavish so much gold-leaf as that on the adornment of his +ship; he prefers to put the money into extra bolts and fastenings. No; +that fellow is a Spaniard, or I'm greatly mistaken!" + +"Spaniard, or Dutch, or French, it don't make much difference to us, Mr +Delamere," answered the gunner, as he replaced the telescope in the +beckets; "she'll give us a nice little bit o' prize-money as soon as the +breeze comes and enables us to run down alongside her." + +"Ay, that she will--if she doesn't happen to be a man-o'-war--and I +don't believe she is," I answered, as I again levelled my glass at her. +"No," I continued, "she is no man-o'-war, although I see she shows a set +of teeth; but there are not many of them, they are all small pieces, and +half of them may be quakers, for what we can tell to the contrary. She +is a Spanish West Indiaman, I believe, bound, no doubt, to Cartagena, or +some other port on the Main; and she has probably come in through the +Handkerchief, or Turks Islands Passage. Well, there does not seem to be +much chance of the wind coming just yet, Henderson, so you had better +get your head-pump rigged and muster your scrubbers; meanwhile I will +have my bath, as usual, and then get dressed, so as to be all ready by +the time that the breeze comes." + +When eight o'clock and breakfast-time arrived there was no perceptible +change in the aspect of the weather, which remained stark calm; while +the heavy pall of cloud that had shrouded the night sky had thinned away +to a kind of dense haze in the midst of which the sun throbbed--a great +shapeless splotch of misty light that, notwithstanding its partial +veiling, still contrived to impart a scorching quality to the breathless +atmosphere. + +As I ascended to the deck after breakfast I found Pearce, the boatswain, +whose watch it now was, apparently waiting for my reappearance. He held +the schooner's glass in his hand, and had evidently spent practically +the whole time since eight bells in watching the stranger. + +"I've been thinkin', Mr Delamere," he began, "how would it be to get +the boats out and go after that chap? We could do it quite +comfortable--take possession of her, leave a prize-crew aboard her, and +get back to the schooner again before dinner." + +"No doubt," I agreed. "But why should we trouble to get the boats into +the water and fatigue the men by a long pull in this sweltering heat? +That ship can't get away from us without wind; and if I am any judge of +the looks of a vessel we shall walk up to her as if she were at anchor +as soon as the breeze comes. She is a good seven miles away, a pull of +an hour and a half at the least in this weather, and at the end of it +the men would be too tired to face resistance effectively, if it were +offered--as it very possibly might be. No, I really do not see any +necessity to dispatch the boats, just yet at least; do you?" + +"Well, 'pon my word, Mr Delamere, I don't know," answered Pearce, +scratching his head with a puzzled air. "The way you puts it there +don't seem to be no sense at all in doin' of it. And yet, I don't know, +sir. The fact is, I'm a bit puzzled about that there ship. Here are +we, regularly boxin' the compass, our jibboom pointin' first this way, +then that, and then t'other, while that ship haven't veered nothin' to +speak of all the time that I've been on deck; she've pointed steady to +the south'ard ever since I first set eyes on her, and it seems to me +that she've altered her bearin's a bit. I suppose it ain't likely that +she've got her boats into the water, towin' on t'other side of her, have +she?" + +"Good gracious, man, no, surely not!" I ejaculated. "What in the world +should they do such a mad thing as that for? What effect would two, or +even three, boats have on a big heavy ship like that? They could never +hope to tow her below the horizon and out of sight of us before the wind +comes; and, if not, why should they tire themselves to death by making +such an attempt? I admit that it is rather strange that her head should +point so steadily in one direction while we are boxing the compass; but +she probably draws twice as much water as we do, and that may have +something to do with it." + +I took the telescope from Pearce's hands and again levelled it at the +stranger. She was still lying broadside-on to us, showing us her port +side, and her yards were braced sharp up on the starboard tack, as +though--assuming her to have come in through one of the passages--she +had had a wind from the westward, while the breeze which had brought us +where we were had been from the eastward. The peculiarity of this now +struck me for the first time, but it carried no particular significance +to my mind beyond the suggestion that possibly she might, after all, be +homeward instead of outward bound. But as I stood scanning her through +the lenses it gradually dawned upon me that her people seemed to be +extraordinarily busy, for I could detect indications that quite a large +number of men were actively moving about her decks; and presently, to my +astonishment, I noticed that she had a tackle at her mainyard-arm; and +while I was still wondering what this might be for, I saw a large case +rise slowly above the level of her bulwark and then vanish again, +apparently over her rail. + +Then, in a second, illumination came to me and I understood everything. +There was a craft of some sort alongside her, completely hidden from our +view by her hull and canvas, braced as sharp up as possible, and +undoubtedly there were boats in the water on the other side of her, +employed to keep her broadside-on to us and thus keep the other craft +hidden from us; moreover, certain portions of her cargo were being +hoisted out and transferred to the hidden vessel. The inference was +obvious: the hidden craft was a pirate which had somehow managed to +sneak up alongside and surprise her in the pitchy darkness of the early +hours of the morning--Henderson had actually caught a glimpse of the +very act of capture--and now she was being plundered by the audacious +scoundrels under our very eyes. + +I laid down the glass and looked sharply round the horizon. The +atmosphere was distinctly thickening, to such an extent, indeed, that +the sun was now almost blotted out, and there was a greasy look about +the sky that seemed to portend bad weather. The sea was still +glass-smooth, not the faintest suggestion of a catspaw to be seen in any +direction; but there was a certain gloomy, lowering appearance over the +western horizon that appeared to promise a breeze before long. It might +be hours, however, before it came, and we could not wait for it; for +robbery, and very possibly violence, ay, even cold-blooded murder, was +being perpetrated at that moment, and speedy intervention was +imperative. I felt horribly vexed that we should all have allowed +ourselves to be hoodwinked so completely; for although the device was +undoubtedly quite clever, the conviction would insist upon forcing +itself upon me that I had attached altogether too little importance to +the gunner's story of those mysterious flashes, seen "out of the corner +of his eye." I told myself that that story ought to have aroused my +suspicions, ought to have conveyed a distinct suggestion to my mind; and +that, if it had, we should have detected the ruse almost with the first +appearance of daylight. This, however, was not the moment for +reproaches, either of myself or others, it was the moment for action; +and I turned sharply upon the boatswain. + +"Mr Pearce," I said, "on the starboard side of that ship there is +another craft, completely hidden from us by the hull and canvas of the +stranger, and cargo is being hoisted out of the one and transferred to +the other. That means that an act of piracy is being perpetrated; and +we have been commissioned for the express purpose of suppressing piracy. +It is as likely as not that the hidden craft is the identical vessel +that we have been sent out to capture, but in any case our duty is +clear; we must get up within striking distance and interfere without a +moment's loss of time. Now, the question in my mind is this: Should we +man and arm boats, and send them away; or should we rig out our sweeps +and attempt to sweep the schooner up to the scene of action? Under +ordinary circumstances I should be for dispatching the boats; but I +don't quite know what to make of the weather. There is no sign of a +breeze in any direction at the present moment, but that lowering +appearance away to the westward may mean wind; and if it does, it may +come down very strong. Should it do so, it would bother the boats, and +enable the pirates to slip away; on the other hand, the wind may not +come away for several hours yet. This is one of those occasions when +experience is valuable, and I shall be glad to have your opinion as to +which plan is the better." + +Pearce, meanwhile, had been peering through the glass again; but when I +finished speaking he laid it down and turned to me. + +"'Pon my word, Mr Delamere, it's very difficult to say," he answered. +"While you've been talkin' I've been lookin' at that ship away yonder, +and I believe, sir, as you're right about there bein' another craft +alongside of her, although they've so managed things that they might ha' +stayed all day as they are without our bein' any the wiser, if we hadn't +kept on watchin' 'em. Yes; it's a hact of piracy, right enough, I +haven't a doubt; and, as you says--what's the best thing to be done?" + +He paused and gazed earnestly toward the increasing appearance of +thickness and greasiness in the western quarter, carefully studying its +aspect for a full minute or more; then he turned to me again. + +"I don't like the look of it at all, Mr Delamere," he said. "There's +bad weather brewin' yonder--I'm sure of it--but how long it'll be before +it comes no man can say; it may be hours, or it may be on us within the +next half-hour or so. What does the barometer say?" + +We both stepped to the open skylight and peered down through it at the +barometer, which hung in gimbals from the fore transom. The mercury was +falling rather rapidly. + +"Yes," Pearce continued, "I don't like the look of it, sir, and I +shouldn't like to take the responsibility of advisin' of you to send the +boats away. For, ye see, Mr--" + +"Yes," I interrupted, cutting ruthlessly in upon the man's speech, "I +see quite clearly, boatswain, that you and I are of one mind upon that +point, therefore there is no need to discuss it further, and we will at +once proceed to action. Call all hands if you please, Mr Pearce." + +The next moment the shrill chirruping of Pearce's pipe and his gruff +bellow of "All hands ahoy!" resounded throughout the little vessel, and +our decks at once became a scene of animation. The galley fire was +extinguished, although the cook was by this time busy upon the +preparation of the men's dinner; screens were fastened up round the +hatchways, the magazine was opened, powder and shot were passed up on +deck, and the guns were cast loose and loaded, the men dancing about the +decks with the glee and activity of schoolboys preparing for a day's +amusement. Then, as soon as we were all ready for action, the heavy +sweeps were rigged out, four men to each sweep, and the schooner's bows +were pointed straight for the stranger. To overcome the inertia of the +little vessel, and get way upon her, was laborious work, and the men, +stripped to their waists, were soon streaming with perspiration; but +after the first five minutes' toil, during which we worked up a speed of +about three knots, it proved a comparatively easy matter to keep her +going. + +It soon became evident that a keen watch upon our movements was being +maintained by the pirates; for no sooner had it been made apparent that +we intended to close with the strangers than all attempts at further +concealment were abandoned, the ship's courses were clewed up, her yards +were squared; to facilitate the hoisting out of cargo, additional +tackles were got aloft, and all the signs of greatly increased activity +on board her at once became manifest. It now also became apparent that +some means had been resorted to for the purpose of keeping her broadside +presented to us and her hull interposed between us and the pirate +vessel, and that these means had now been abandoned as of no further +avail; for within the next ten minutes she swung stem-on to us, and we +saw that there was indeed another craft alongside her--a slashing big +topsail schooner, immensely beamy, with all her canvas clewed up and +furled, and her decks cumbered with bales and packages of all sizes and +descriptions, which were being hoisted out of the big ship's hold and +lowered over the side with feverish activity. As the two craft swung +round, revealing the presence of the second vessel, our lads gave a +cheer of delight and exultation, and applied themselves with such fierce +energy to the toil of working the heavy sweeps that they churned the +glassy surface of the ocean into a long double row of miniature +whirlpools, that went swirling and frothing away from the blades of the +sweeps into the wake of the schooner, to the distance of a full quarter +of a mile. + +Fortunately, however, they were not compelled to toil very long at this +exhausting labour; for when we had progressed about a mile a few +catspaws came stealing along the surface of the water from the westward, +while a dark line gradually extended along the western horizon and +advanced steadily in our direction, the catspaws meanwhile multiplying +and spreading until, within a quarter of an hour of their first +appearance, the sails of the strange ship were wrinkling and flapping to +quite a pleasant little breeze. The moment that this happened the +pirate schooner cast off and made sail with the rapidity and precision +of a man-o'-war, thus demonstrating that she was manned by an +exceptionally strong and efficient crew. As soon as she was clear of +the ship she was brought to the wind, under an enormous spread of +exquisitely cut canvas, and away she went, close-hauled on the port +tack, heading to the northward at a pace which made us gape with +astonishment; while the ship, with squared yards, gathered stern-way and +first fell broadside-on to us, then gradually paid off until she was +before the wind, when down she came driving toward us, yawing so broadly +to port and starboard that it was easy to see she had nobody at her +helm, which seemed to point pretty clearly toward the presumption of +tragedy. A quarter of an hour later the catspaws were ruffling the +surface of the water here and there all round us, and stirring our +canvas at rapidly decreasing intervals, with the true breeze coming fast +and close behind them; we, therefore, laid in our sweeps, put the helm +up, trimmed our sheets on the port tack, took a long pull and a strong +pull upon the halliards all round, and paid off just in time to receive +the first of the true breeze into the hollows of our canvas, when, +heeling over to the extent of a strake or so, away we too went, with a +merry buzzing and seething of water under our bows and along our bends. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +THE WASP FIGHTS THE PIRATE SCHOONER. + +The pirate schooner--a craft of apparently two hundred tons or more, +very long and low on the water, painted dead black, with immensely tall, +wand-like masts, and an enormous spread of canvas--was now slipping +along fast through the water, heading to the northward, and some six +miles dead to windward of us. It was a long start, and I foresaw that, +fast as the little _Wasp_ undoubtedly was, unless something quite +unforeseen occurred, a good many things might happen before we could get +alongside the enemy. Why such a big powerful vessel--she showed seven +ports of a side, and there was something suspiciously like a long +32-pounder on her forecastle--should turn tail so ignominiously and run +from a little shrimp of a craft like the _Wasp_ I could not imagine, +though I was to receive enlightenment upon that point before long. Our +immediate business, however, was not with her, but with the big ship +that was coming yawing down the wind toward us. + +She was now about five miles distant, and as she came driving along, now +stem-on, with her square canvas full, and anon sweeping round until she +presented one or the other of her broadsides to us, with only her +fore-and-aft canvas drawing, we were enabled to get a very good view of +her. She was a big craft, of from nine hundred to a thousand tons, +perhaps, and at a distance might very well have been mistaken for a +man-o'-war. But she was evidently not that, for she showed only four +guns of a side upon her upper-deck, and they were but small, apparently +not more than 6-pounders. She was very heavily rigged, with a wide +spread to her lower yards, but the heads of her square sails narrowed +away to such an extent that her royal-yards looked to be scarcely more +than ten feet long. Her hull was painted bright yellowish-brown, with a +broad white ribbon round it, and her bottom was painted white, with a +black stripe between it and the brown, but below the water-line the +white paint was foul with barnacles and sea grass, as we could see when +she rolled. She carried, by way of figurehead, the image of a female +saint, very elaborately painted and gilded, with a good deal of gilded +scroll-work round about it, and her stern and quarters were also +elaborately carved and gilded. Her topsides tumbled home enormously, +her width on deck being little more than half that at her water-line. +Surmounting her stern there was a great poop lantern, almost big enough +for a man to stand in. A rough painting of the Crucifixion adorned her +fore-topsail. She showed no colours; but she was Spanish, beyond a +doubt, and most probably, as I had at first surmised, a West Indiaman. + +We manoeuvred the _Wasp_ in such a manner as to close with the stranger, +as nearly as possible without incurring the risk of being run into and +sunk by her in one of her wild sheers, and at the proper moment the +schooner was hove-to, the quarter-boat lowered, and with four hands in +her, armed with pistols and cutlasses, I jumped in and pulled away for +the other craft. + +Carefully watching her movements, we contrived to get alongside and hook +on without very much difficulty; and then all hands of us swarmed up her +towering side and tumbled in on deck, with our drawn pistols in our +hands, for there was never any knowing what ghastly trick a pirate might +play, or what fiendish trap he might set--they were capable of anything +and everything--therefore it behoved us to be wary; but nothing +happened. There was not a soul on deck to interfere with us, or to +demand our business; and the first thing we did was to put the helm hard +over and lay the mainyard aback as she came to the wind. Then I +ascended to the poop and took a comprehensive glance round me. + +The circumstance that thrust itself most obtrusively forward, demanding +immediate notice, was that the main hatchway was gaping wide-open, with +a tackle dangling down it from the main-stay, evidently for the purpose +of hoisting cargo out of the hold. All round the hatchway the deck was +littered with bales and cases of every description, some of them intact, +as they had come up out of the hold, while others had been ripped or +wrenched open and their contents scattered hither and thither about the +decks. There was a cask lying on its bilge, its head knocked out, and +perhaps a gallon or so of port wine still in it, while all round about +it the deck was dark, wet, and reeking with the fumes of the spilt wine. +But there were other and more sinister stains than those of wine on the +planks--there were great splashes of blood here and there on bulwarks +and deck, much of which was partially hidden by the scattered cargo; but +the scene was not nearly so sanguinary or revolting as I had expected to +find it, for there were no ensanguined, mutilated corpses to shock the +eye, or harrow the imagination, by the sight of their hurts. + +Nor, for that matter, were there any living people on board the ship, +either in cabins or forecastle, although there was abundant evidence +that both had had their full complement of occupants. The forecastle, +for example, was lumbered up with the chests of the seamen, boots, caps, +and various other articles of clothing lying scattered about the deck, +while oilskins, sou'westers, and more clothing hung from pegs and nails +driven into the timber walls; the bedding in the bunks also was +disarranged, as though the men had just rolled out of them; and a large +copper slush lamp, suspended from a deck beam, still burned, smoking and +flaring to the roll of the ship upon the swell. The confusion here was +merely normal, and such as is always to be found in a ship's forecastle; +but the grand saloon presented a very different and terribly suggestive +appearance. The whole place was a scene of dreadful disorder and +violence, a carouse seeming to have been succeeded by a life and death +struggle. For the massive mahogany table was bare, while the cloth that +should have covered it lay upon the carpeted deck in a confused heap in +the midst of a medley of smashed decanters, glasses, and viands of +various descriptions, while the reek of spilled wine, mingled with the +odour of gunpowder and tobacco smoke, filled the air; one or two of the +handsome mirrors that adorned the cabin were smashed, the cracks +radiating from the point of fracture right out to the frame; two or +three discharged pistols and a broken sword lay among the debris on the +carpet; some of the rich velvet cushions had been torn off the locker +and then kicked under the table; and a number of men's, women's, and +children's garments lay scattered about the apartment. Nor was this +all. The doors of the staterooms on either side of the saloon stood +wide-open, hooked back to the bulkheads; and here again the bedding was +all in disorder, as though the occupants had leapt hurriedly from the +bunks under the influence of some sudden alarm; trunks and boxes were +standing open--some of them overturned--and their contents scattered all +over the cabin, as though the receptacles had been rummaged in search of +jewellery or money, or both. And the soft white linen sheets that +formed part of the bedding in one of the cabins was deeply and horribly +smeared with scarcely dry blood, with which also the mattress underneath +seemed to be soaked! The captain's cabin--or what I took to be such-- +had likewise been rifled, the charts having been taken from the racks, +the chronometer from its padded well in the book-case, and the sextant +had vanished, as well as the ship's papers. But we were able to +ascertain her name and port of registry, for it was engraved upon the +broad brass rim of her steering wheel, and upon her bell: "_Santa +Brigitta_, Santander." + +It was evident that there were no living persons on board this fine but +ruthlessly despoiled ship, or if there were, they must be in hiding; and +with the view of testing this latter point I now swung myself down +through the open hatchway leading to the lazarette, believing that that +would be the part of the ship wherein a person might most successfully +hide and evade capture. I was no sooner down in this gloomy receptacle, +devoted to the stowage of the ship's cabin stores, than I saw that it +too had been rummaged, if not actually rifled; but I could detect no +sign indicative of the presence of a person, or persons, in hiding; and +although I shouted until I was hoarse, no sound save the furtive +scurrying of rats reached me by way of reply. But presently, as I stood +listening, and my ears became accustomed to the subdued creaking and +groaning of the vessel's framework and cargo, another sound came to me-- +the sound of gurgling, bubbling water; and making my way toward it as +best I could down between the casks and cases that cumbered the place, I +suddenly dropped down into a void, and found water--salt water, surging +and washing to and fro with the movements of the ship, to the height of +my knees. I tried to find the source of the inflow, but I was now down +in the ship's run, standing upon her steeply sloping side, and I +speedily realised that the points of influx were already so far beneath +the surface as to be entirely beyond my reach; and the water was coming +in fast, too, for even as I stood there I could feel it creeping +insidiously up my legs. The scoundrels had evidently followed their +usual custom and had scuttled the ship, in order that no tangible +evidences of their crime might remain. + +Until I made this discovery it had been my intention to put a prize-crew +on board her and send her into Port Royal; but with one or more-- +probably half-a-dozen--bad leaks below the water-level, and utterly +beyond our reach, this plan was no longer feasible; and now the only +thing to be done was to leave the unfortunate craft to her fate, proceed +in chase of the authors of the mischief, and do our utmost to bring them +to book. I therefore scrambled up out of the lazarette into the main +saloon, made my way out on deck again, and, summoning my boat's crew, +descended the deserted ship's side, and pushed off on my way back to the +_Wasp_. + +But it was with something akin to shock that I looked back at the _Santa +Brigitta_, as the boat sped across the short space of water that +separated her from the schooner. For although we had only been aboard +her a short half-hour, she had settled perceptibly during that time; so +deeply, indeed, that as I looked at her I felt convinced she must have +been scuttled forward as well as aft, and that the water must be pouring +into her from at least a dozen auger-holes. At that rate she would sink +long before we could get out of sight of her, although the breeze was +now perceptibly stronger than it had been when I boarded the ill-fated +ship. + +By the time that I had regained the deck of the _Wasp_, and that craft +was once more under way, the pirate schooner was hull-down on the +north-western horizon, nearly ten miles away. But light breezes and +smooth water, such as we had at the moment, constituted absolutely ideal +weather for the _Wasp_; it was under precisely such conditions that her +marvellous sailing powers showed to the utmost advantage, and, smart as +the other schooner had revealed herself to be, I had very little doubt +as to our ability to overhaul her and bring her to account. We +therefore piled upon the little hooker every rag that we could find a +spar or stay for, brought her to the wind, flattened-in her sheets until +her mainboom was almost amidships, and generally made all our +preparations for a long chase to windward. + +But although the weather was at the moment everything that could be +desired, from our point of view, I did not by any means like the look of +it; the hazy appearance of the atmosphere, far from clearing, was +steadily increasing in density, the sun had by this time vanished +altogether, and the appearance of gloom away down to the westward was +now deepening and, at the same time, working round into the northern +quarter of the heavens. Also, the mercury was dropping quite rapidly. + +My chief anxiety now was to overhaul the pirate schooner and bring her +to action before nightfall; for, with bad weather threatening, unless we +could succeed in doing this, there was every likelihood of her giving us +the slip during the hours of darkness. A stern-chase is proverbially a +long chase, and a chase to windward is apt to be even longer, while a +start of some ten miles, under such circumstances, must necessarily +prove a heavy handicap to the pursuing vessel; nevertheless I was not +without hope that, difficult as our task threatened to be, we might yet +accomplish it. For it still wanted nearly an hour to noon, the _Wasp_ +was slipping along through the water like a racer, and was looking up a +full point nearer the wind than our antagonist, and, early as it yet was +to form such a conclusion, I felt almost certain that we were +head-reaching as well as weathering upon the chase. + +As soon as it became apparent that some hours would probably elapse +before we could go into action, I gave orders for the guns to be secured +and the galley fire to be lighted again, in order that the men might not +be deprived of their usual dinner; and this meal was just nicely over +when, to our utter amazement, the chase suddenly hoisted the black flag, +bore up, and with squared yards came running down with the obvious +intention of coming to close quarters with us; whereupon we once more +made ready for battle, at the same time shortening sail to our ordinary +working canvas. At first I was distinctly puzzled to account for or +understand this sudden change of tactics upon the part of the pirates; +but a remark of Henderson's seemed to offer a tolerably plausible +explanation of it. + +"Depend upon it, sir," he suggested, "they only hauled off to give +themselves time to stow away the plunder that cumbered their decks when +they shoved off from the Spaniard. They wouldn't want to go into action +with a lot of bales and cases hamperin' their movements; but now that +they've got everything snugly stowed under hatches, they're comin' down +to try conclusions with us; and if they really mean business we've a +very tidy little job afore us." + +"Ay," I assented; "that schooner will prove a very tough nut to crack, +Henderson; she carries more than twice our weight of metal, even if I am +mistaken in supposing that I saw a long gun on her forecastle; and she +appears to be very strongly manned. Our only chance will be to engage +her at close quarters, lay her aboard, and carry her by boarding." + +"D'ye think they'll be such fools as to let us do that, sir?" +caustically demanded the gunner, chewing hard upon his quid, in his +evident perplexity. + +"N-o," I returned dubiously; "I don't suppose they will--if they can +help it. But that is our only chance, all the same, and we must bend +all our energies to accomplish it. And there is no particular reason +why we should not, so far as I can see, unless of course we are +unfortunate enough to have a spar or two knocked away. Good shooting is +what is going to decide this fight, Henderson; and we must hope that +ours will be better than theirs." + +"Ay," agreed the gunner, "there's no harm in hopin' that; but--" He +shook his head, and spat vigorously over the side by way of expressing +the doubts that were worrying him. + +As it turned out, his doubts and apprehensions were by no means without +foundation, for when our antagonist arrived within range of her long +32--I was not mistaken as to that matter--she hauled her wind, and +opened fire upon us with it, making very excellent practice, too; +although it was not until she had fired six shots at us that any of them +actually came near enough to do us any damage, and then the shot only +passed through our foresail, making a neat hole in the canvas, but doing +no further mischief. Her previous attempts, however, had come close +enough to us to prove that she had at least one excellent gunner on +board her, for every one of the shot fell within two or three fathoms of +us at the utmost; and when a man shoots so well at long range he is +bound to score a few hits, sooner or later. And this was precisely what +Henderson and I most feared; for so long as the pirates chose to play +the game of long bowls they might blaze away at us at their leisure, and +in perfect safety, their 32-pound shot flying over and over us at a +distance far beyond the range of our 9-pounders. + +What we now had to do was to shorten the distance between ourselves and +our antagonist as quickly as possible, and bring her within reach of our +guns before we sustained any very serious damage from her long gun, if +fortune would so far favour us; and I thought that possibly I might here +be able to make one of the _Wasp's_ peculiarities very useful. This +peculiarity consisted in the fact--which we had by this time had many +opportunities of observing--that, in smooth water, such as then +prevailed, the little vessel would, if properly handled, shoot quite an +extraordinary distance to windward while in stays; and I had it in my +mind to utilise this peculiarity now by making a series of very short +boards, getting good way upon her, and then easing her helm very gently +down, allowing her to shoot the maximum possible distance to windward +every time that we hove about. I mentioned the idea to Henderson, but +he had not very much faith in it; his idea being that of most old salts, +that the best way to work to windward was to break tacks as seldom as +possible; he agreed, however, that it might perhaps be worth while to +make the experiment and see what the result would be. We accordingly +put my plan into practice, with such good effect that half-an-hour later +we had actually succeeded in working up near enough to the pirate to +bring her within range of our own guns. But meanwhile she had been most +assiduously pegging away at us, in the first instance with her long gun +only, but latterly with her 12-pounders--of which she mounted seven in +each battery--as well, and we had by no means come off scathless, having +been hulled three times, and losing two men killed and five wounded +before a single shot of ours had reached her, though our spars had thus +far escaped, and our rigging had not suffered to any very serious +extent. + +With our arrival within range of our own guns, however, matters began to +be a little more lively; we were fortunate enough to have some +half-a-dozen very excellent shots among us, and these men now began to +make play, each man being evidently anxious to win for himself the proud +distinction of being the champion shot of the ship, with the result that +daylight began to show here and there through the pirate schooner's +canvas, severed ropes streamed out from the spars, and the splinters +began to fly on board her. Then a particularly lucky shot struck her +main-masthead fair, just above the nip of her lower rigging, and the +next moment down came her main-topmast, with its huge gaff-topsail, +while the peak of her mainsail drooped until the gaff hung almost up and +down. + +"Hurrah, lads!" I cried exultantly; "now we have her. See how she pays +off! She is bound to come to leeward now; she cannot help herself. +Down helm, Mr Willoughby, and let her go round. Stand by to give her +our starboard broadside as we cross her bows. Slap it right into the +eyes of her--Phew! that's a nasty one," as a shot from her 32-pounder +came along, smashing right through both our quarter-boats, cutting their +keels clean in half, tearing a great gap in the bottom planking of each, +filling the air in the immediate neighbourhood with splinters, and +whizzing so close past my head that the wind of it whipped my hat off +and overboard. + +The two craft were now not more than a short half-mile distant, and fast +approaching each other, the pirate's loss of after-sail causing her to +fall broad off and come foaming down toward us, despite obvious efforts +to keep her to the wind, while we on our side were making the most +desperate efforts to get to windward and thus secure the advantage of +the weather-gage, which, in a sea-fight, often means so much. Conned by +Willoughby, who was acting master, the lively little _Wasp_ swept round +into the wind, fore-reaching magnificently in stays, and then paying +smartly off on the starboard tack; and as she did so our three starboard +pop-guns barked out, one after the other, and I saw the splinters fly +white as the shot struck, close together, about half-way between her +starboard hawse-pipe and her cathead, just at the precise moment when +she was dead end-on to us. The shot must have raked her from end to +end, and quite a small uproar of yells and shrieks that came floating +down from her to us on the wings of the freshening breeze told us that +they had wrought a very fair amount of execution on board her. But it +was evident that her captain knew his business, for the next moment +several hands sprang into her fore-rigging; her topsail, topgallantsail +and royal were clewed up and furled with exemplary celerity; her jib was +hauled down and stowed, and she was again brought to the wind, while +half-a-dozen hands swarmed aloft to her mainmast-head to clear away the +wreck of her topmast and to pass strops round the shattered stump, to +hook the peak-halliard blocks to, and enable them to sway away the peak +of the mainsail again. And all the while that this was doing they +maintained their fire upon us with the most ferocious energy, and alas! +with very deplorable results to the little _Wasp_ and her crew, for we +were by this time so close to each other that it was practically +impossible for either side to miss; and now it was that her superior +weight of metal began to tell. + +Our casualties were by this time becoming serious, for we had already +lost nine men killed outright, while every moment more wounded were +being taken down into my cabin, where Saunders, the surgeon, was working +like a nigger, affording temporary relief--he could do no more just +then--to the injured. We were still devoting all our energies to the +task of getting to windward of our antagonist, and firing at her as fast +as our leaping guns could be loaded, in the endeavour to disable her, +when they succeeded in bringing her again to the wind, and as she +rounded-to they gave us their whole broadside of seven 12-pounders, with +a shot from their long 32-pounder by way of make-weight. The result was +absolutely disastrous, for as the iron shower hurtled about our ears +there was a crashing, tearing sound aloft, and away went both our masts +over the side, the foremast shot away close to the deck, while the +mainmast went about half-way up its length. Nor, bad as this was, was +it all, for poor Willoughby, who was standing by my side, had the top of +his skull literally shot away, and fell dead into my arms. The next +moment the carpenter came to me with the report that we had been hit +between wind and water by a 32-pound shot, and that the schooner was +making water fast. + +The pirates cheered with ferocious glee as they saw the plight to which +they had reduced us, and their captain--a tall, handsome scoundrel, with +a very Spanish-looking cast of countenance--had the impudence to leap up +on the rail of his vessel and hail us, demanding to know whether we had +struck! + +"No!" I shouted back fiercely; "and we never will to such a hang-dog, +murderous set of scoundrels as man that schooner. Do your worst, you +villains. You have the advantage of us this time, but when next we meet +it will be my turn!" + +"You crow loudly, young cockerel," retorted the pirate captain +scornfully, "but if your men are wise they will leave their guns and go +below, for I swear to you that if they fire another shot I will sink +you!" + +"Sink us, then, and be hanged to you!" I yelled back in reply. Then in +my exasperation I whipped a pistol out of my belt, and levelling it at +him, pulled the trigger. But he did not mean to be shot if he could +help it,--preferring, I suppose, to take the risk of being hanged later +on,--and the moment that he saw what I would be at he sprang off his +perch so hurriedly that he fell headlong to the deck, while our lads +sent up a howl of savage derision. + +"Put a charge of grape in on top of your round shot, lads," I ordered, +"and blaze away as fast as you can load. The _Wasp_ has lost her wings, +but her sting remains, and we'll make those scoundrels feel it yet +before we have done with them!" + +The men responded to this with a loud, fierce hurrah, and turned to +their guns again as cheerfully as though they were still certain of +victory, although there was probably not a man there who did not by that +time realise that the chances were all against the gallant little +schooner ever reaching port again. + +The battle now raged with absolutely maniacal fury, the two schooners +being by this time within biscuit-toss of each other, the pirate +schooner lying on our weather-beam. The guns--so hot that they +threatened to leap over the low rail into the sea--were loaded and fired +as fast as the men could serve them, and, fighting at such close +quarters, the carnage on both sides was frightful, the bulwarks of both +vessels being practically shot away, and the guns and those who served +them left absolutely defenceless. Our deck was like a shambles--there +seemed to be more dead than living upon it--and the scuppers were all +spouting blood, while the pirates were in scarcely better case, although +it was now apparent that they had originally outnumbered us by something +like three to one. How long the matter would have continued in this +fashion it is impossible to say, but after we had thus been fighting +almost hand to hand for about a quarter of an hour, during which the +pirate schooner gradually drew ahead of us, a lucky shot from one of our +guns brought down her mainmast, when she fell broad off, passed across +our bows, raking us severely as she went, and then drove rapidly away to +leeward, her people having apparently at length come to the conclusion +that they had had all that they wanted in the way of fighting. + +The moment it became certain that the fight was over I sank down upon +the breech of the nearest gun, mopped the blood and perspiration from my +face, and tried to understand the scene of ruin and carnage that +surrounded me; for, with the cessation of the turmoil and excitement of +battle, everything seemed suddenly to assume the inconsequence and +unreality of a dream. I could not quite realise that the shot-torn, +blood-bespattered wreck over which my gaze wandered wonderingly was the +erstwhile smart and dainty little schooner of which I had been so proud, +or that those maimed and disfigured forms lying broadcast about the deck +were really dead men; also, my head ached most consumedly, there was a +loud buzzing in my ears, the silence--or rather the comparative silence +that succeeded to the continuous, sharp explosions of the guns, the +excited shouts of the men, and the cries of the wounded--seemed weird, +uncanny, unnatural; for now there were no sounds save the wash of the +water alongside, an intermittent groaning--cut into now and then by the +sharp cry of a man under the hands of the surgeon--coming up through the +smashed skylight, and the low murmur of the men speaking to each other +from time to time where they had flung themselves down exhausted between +the guns. The fact was that I was suffering from the reaction that was +inevitable after so fierce and protracted a fight--the battle having +lasted for over an hour--and I felt that I must bestir myself or I +should become light-headed, or hysterical, or something equally foolish. +I, therefore, rose to my feet, called to the steward to bring me a +glass of water--the water-cask which usually stood on deck having been +smashed to staves early in the fight--and then gave orders for the men +to secure the guns. I also sent young Hinton down below to ascertain +and bring me the particulars of our casualties. + +Thus far we had all been much too strenuously engaged, and our attention +too fully occupied, to take note of the weather; but now, as I glanced +round at the lowering heavens and observed their threatening aspect, I +bethought me that, fatigued though we all were, there still remained an +abundance of work to be done in preparation for the storm that was +evidently brewing. For the sky was now completely overcast with a pall +of dense, livid, purplish, slate-coloured cloud that clearly portended a +gale; the wind was coming in hot, fierce, intermittent puffs that +scourged the sea into miniature foam-flecked waves for a few seconds at +a time and then dropped almost to a calm again, and upon looking at the +barometer I saw that the mercury had fallen almost half-an-inch since I +had last looked at it shortly before the commencement of the fight. The +Spaniard had vanished, and the pirate schooner was still running away to +leeward. + +Presently young Hinton, the midshipman whom I had sent below to +ascertain the extent of our casualties, came up to me with a list in his +hand which he had himself prepared, Saunders, the surgeon, being at that +moment far too busy to spare time for the making up of returns; and from +this list I learned the appalling news that, of our entire complement of +fifty-eight, all told, we had lost no less than seventeen killed, and +thirty-two more or less severely wounded, leaving only a poor paltry +nine of us untouched, of whom I was one. Fortunately, of the thirty-two +wounded only about half of them were hurt severely enough to be rendered +totally unfit for duty; but that was bad enough in all conscience, with +the ship dismantled and leaking, and something very like a gale +threatening. + +I had just finished the perusal of young Hinton's list when Henderson +and the carpenter came up on deck, the former bringing with him the keys +of the magazine, which he had secured, in accordance with an order which +I had sent down below to him, while Mills was fresh from his examination +of the ship's interior. His report was anything but reassuring, for the +news he brought was to the effect that we had been hulled no less than +seventeen times, four of the shot that had hulled us being 32-pounders, +one of which and two of the pirate's 12-pounders had struck us between +wind and water. He added that he had plugged the holes as well as he +could, but that there was nearly three feet of water in the hold, that +the little ship was very severely strained, and that she was making +water at the rate of nearly eight inches an hour! + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +THE END OF THE WASP. + +It was clear that in the face of such a report as that, and the +threatening sky that frowned down upon us, it was not a moment in which +to indulge in thoughts of rest, however loudly our poor aching bodies +might clamour for it. There was much to be done to secure our own +safety and that of our injured and helpless comrades, and very little +time in which to do it; I therefore directed Pearce, the boatswain, to +pipe all hands to splice the main-brace; and when this had been done the +little band who were still capable of doing duty were divided into three +parties--one of which, under Henderson, was stationed at the pumps, with +orders to work at them until they sucked; while a second and much +smaller party, under the leadership and guidance of the carpenter, was +given the task of temporarily securing the various openings in the deck +against the possible influx of water--both the skylight and the +companion having been completely wrecked by shot; the third party, under +Pearce, the boatswain, devoting itself to the task of clearing away the +wreck of the spars, and securing as much as possible of the wreckage in +order that we might have the wherewithal to give the schooner a jury rig +that would enable us to take her into port. The pirate schooner, +meanwhile, had continued to run away to leeward upon a course that would +carry her to the northern coast of Hayti in a few hours. + +The work went slowly forward--it could not be otherwise with men so +utterly exhausted as were the little moiety of the _Wasp's_ crew who +survived that desperate fight, many of them smarting with the wounds +that they had received--and meanwhile the weather grew ever more +threatening, stimulating us all to exertions of which I am confident we +should have been utterly incapable under more placable circumstances. +Not that there was very much to find fault with at the moment, for it +was not exactly blowing hard; but the gusts, which for the last hour or +more had been sweeping over us, now from this quarter and anon from +that, were steadily growing more frequent and stronger, while the sky +had become black as night. But before night actually fell we had made +shift to pump the schooner dry, the hatches were battened down, the +skylight and companion openings had been protected, after a fashion, and +we had cleared away the wreck of the mainmast, saving the spar and all +attached; and, having done this, the men declared that they must have a +meal and some rest before they could again turn-to. And I felt that +their claim was just; for indeed they had done wonders, taking all +things into consideration. I had not the heart to spur them to further +effort just then, for I had worked with them and, therefore, knew from +personal experience how utterly exhausted they must feel, and how +impossible it would be to get further useful work out of them until they +had rested for an hour or two. Indeed, there did not appear to be any +good and sufficient reason why I should call upon them for more hard +work just then. It is true that much that I intended to do still +remained undone, the most important task of all being the getting up of +something in the nature of a jury rig; but, short-handed as we now were, +that would prove a very formidable task--much too formidable and too +protracted to justify the hope that it could be accomplished before the +expected gale came; and as I considered the question, and talked it over +with Henderson and the boatswain, it seemed that if it could not be +completed beforehand, it would really be better on the whole to defer it +until after the gale had blown over; I, therefore, gave the order to +knock off work and get supper and a rest. Two minutes later the decks +were deserted, save by myself, and I was bracing myself up to keep a +lookout as best I might. + +I felt bound to acknowledge to myself that our situation was very much +the reverse of satisfactory; for there we were, totally dismasted, +strained and leaking badly, our crew exhausted, and only nine of us +unwounded, the land barely twenty-five miles to leeward of us, and, to +crown all, a heavy gale springing up. Fortunately, we had been able to +make all the provision that was possible to meet the impending +struggle--for the wreck of our mainmast was now inboard, while the +lanyards of the fore-rigging had been cut away on both sides; and the +wreckage of the foremast was now under the schooner's bows, attached to +the hull by the stays only, so that it served as a floating anchor, to +which the little vessel was already riding head to wind. + +I allowed the men two hours in which to rest and refresh themselves, and +then once more summoned them on deck; for upon sounding the well I found +that, although the schooner had been pumped dry before we had cried +"Spell-ho!" there was now eighteen inches of water in her; and I was +determined that this leak should be kept down by frequent spells of +pumping. It would never do to have the little hooker waterlogged while +battling for life in a gale, as there was little doubt that she would be +in the course of the next few hours. + +In fact, while the men were still toiling at the pumps we got our first +real taste of it. For up to that moment the wind had been coming in a +steadily-increasing succession of scuffling gusts, each more fierce than +its predecessor, first from this quarter of the compass, and then from +that, with quite moderate breezes in between, mostly from a northerly +direction, that sometimes moderated almost to a calm. But now, after a +somewhat longer spell than usual of the moderate breeze, the wind quite +suddenly increased in force to that of a full gale, swooping down upon +us in a mad scuffle that twirled the little craft about like a teetotum +for a minute or two as it howled and raved around us, lashing the whole +surface of the sea into one unbroken sheet of foam and spray, and then +it settled down and began to blow great guns from the northward, +whipping up a nasty short, choppy sea into which, within ten minutes, +the little schooner was plunging to the height of her hawse-holes. + +This however, as it turned out, was only the beginning of it; for when +once the gale had fairly broken loose it steadily grew more furious, +with the result that in about half-an-hour we were plunging bows under, +while, to add to our difficulties, the violent motion strained the +little vessel and opened her seams to such an extent that, so far from +getting the pumps to suck, it needed the utmost exertions of all hands, +working in quick relays, to keep the leak from gaining upon us. + +Clearly, it would never do to permit such a state of things as that to +continue, for the only partially rested men would soon become exhausted +by the laborious toil of the pumps; and then what would become of us? +I, therefore, summoned a council of war, consisting of the gunner, the +carpenter, and the boatswain, to whom I explained my view of the +situation, and asked their advice. It was my opinion--founded upon our +experiences during the recent fight--that if the pirate schooner was to +be tackled successfully, it would have to be by a bigger craft than the +_Wasp_, or, at all events, that if the _Wasp_ was to be again employed +against the pirates, she would certainly have to be equipped with a very +much heavier armament; her insignificant little array of six 9-pounders +could never be expected to cope successfully with the other craft's +fourteen 12-pounders and her long 32. Therefore, I argued, since our +present armament could never be of further use to us, so far as the +pirates were concerned, while at the present moment they were doing much +to make the schooner strain herself to pieces, and were indeed actually +imperilling her safety and that of all on board her, why not throw them +overboard, and so relieve the little vessel of their weight and give her +the best possible chance to weather the gale? Henderson and the +boatswain were rather opposed to this plan, the gunner suggesting, as an +alternative, that we should cut adrift from the wreckage that was +holding us head to wind, and endeavour to get before the wind and scud; +and to this view they still adhered, even after I had pointed out to +them that the island of Hayti constituted a lee-shore only some +twenty-five miles distant, upon which we must inevitably be dashed +before morning if we adopted their plan. The carpenter, however, took +my view that we must lose the guns in any case if the schooner went +ashore, and probably the ship and our lives as well; while by making a +timely sacrifice of the guns there was at least a possibility of saving +the ship. We were thus two to two; and as I was absolutely convinced +that the plan advocated by the gunner and the boatswain involved the +destruction of the ship and the drowning of at least as many of the poor +fellows below as were too seriously injured to be capable of taking care +of themselves, I unhesitatingly decided in favour of my own alternative, +and at once gave the order to throw the guns overboard without further +ado. + +Watching our opportunity, therefore, and taking advantage of the roll of +the ship, we launched our 9-pounders overboard, one after the other, +until all six of them had vanished in the ocean depths; and the +increased liveliness of the little vessel at once demonstrated her +relief at the loss of so much weight from her deck. + +The carpenter had just sounded the well, and had announced the joyous +news that at last the pumps were gaining upon the leak--which +announcement was greeted with a feeble cheer from the now utterly +exhausted men, who had for so long been toiling at the almost hopeless +task of clearing the ship of the inflowing water--when a sudden and +dreadful change occurred in the weather. The wind, which had been +blowing a whole gale a moment before, fell dead in an instant, an +appalling darkness overspread the firmament, and the atmosphere suddenly +became so rarefied that it seemed impossible for one to draw a full +breath; the sea, which a moment earlier had been breaking furiously, +ceased to do so, and instead began to leap high into the air, falling +back with a splash that, in the sudden stillness, seemed positively +terrifying, and the schooner, swinging broadside-on, rolled so furiously +that she momentarily threatened to turn bottom-up, while those of us who +were on deck had to seize hurriedly the first fixed portion of the +vessel's framework that we could lay hands on, to save ourselves from +being pitched overboard like a shot out of a catapult. To continue +pumping under such circumstances was impossible, for it needed both +hands and all one's strength to merely hold on. + +"Now what's goin' to happen, I wonder!" growled the gunner, who was +clinging with me to a belaying-pin in a part of the rail that still +remained intact in the wake of the main rigging. "I can understand a +gale o' wind, Mr Delamere, but this here sudden calm don't seem natural +to me." + +"It is not natural," said I; "the mere look of the sky is sufficient to +assure us of that. There is something behind it, you may be certain, +though what it is I am sure I cannot say; possibly it may be a fresh +outfly from some other point of the compass, or it may end up with a +violent thunderstorm, though I do not think it will; that sky--" + +"No, no," interrupted Henderson, "there's no thunder there, sir, ye may +take my word for it. Listen, Mr Delamere! D'ye hear that?" + +I thought for an instant that he was directing my attention to the +pitiful cries and moans that were being extorted from the unhappy +wounded down below as they were flung hither and thither by the furious +lurches of the schooner, and I was about to make some sort of reply when +a low moaning smote upon my ear, increasing with appalling rapidity to a +fierce medley of sounds, in which the savage roars of maddened beasts +and the shrieks and wailings of mortally terrified human beings seemed +to be about equally mingled; a long line of phosphorescent white +appeared upon the northern horizon, showing up with ghastly distinctness +against the background of black scowling sky; a fierce scuffle of hot +wet wind swept over us and was gone again, leaving a taste of salt upon +our lips, and with a deafening howl, as of concentrated fury, the +tempest leapt upon us, filling the air with drenching spindrift and +scudwater, while, taking the schooner fair abeam, it heeled her over +until the water was up nearly level with the coamings of her hatchways. +For nearly a minute she lay thus, and despite the fact that she was +dismasted I believed that she was about to turn turtle with us, when +gradually, as the drag of the wreckage ahead brought her round head to +wind again, she righted to an even keel once more and rode almost as +still as though she were in harbour, while the spindrift and scudwater +raked her decks fore and aft like a continuous tempest of small shot, +which stung our faces and hands so severely that it was literally +impossible to face it, and turning our backs to it and dropping upon our +hands and knees, we were driven to creep for shelter wherever we could +find it. + +The sea had gone down as though by magic, for such was the power of the +wind that the slightest irregularity of surface, the slightest lift of a +wave, was at once torn off and swept away to leeward in the form of +spray so dense that it was impossible to see farther than a few yards in +any direction. And perhaps the worst and most terrifying feature of the +whole experience was that there was nothing to be done--nothing that we +could possibly do to abate the peril of our situation; we were as +absolutely helpless as though we had been bound hand and foot, and could +merely crouch impotently waiting for the end, whatever it might be. + +But it was not possible for matters to continue very long as they were; +the hurricane endured only for about twenty minutes, and then moderated +to the strength of a heavy gale, whereupon the sea began to rise again +with frightful rapidity; and half-an-hour after the first stroke of the +hurricane the schooner was pitching bows under, and shipping increasing +quantities of water at every plunge. And now, as we once more bestirred +ourselves, we were confronted with a fresh calamity. For our makeshift +protection of the damaged companion and skylight, as well as the +fore-scuttle, had been swept away, probably at the first stroke of the +hurricane, although not one of us had observed it, and already vast +quantities of water were pouring into the little vessel's interior, +principally through the fore-scuttle. We had scarcely made this +alarming discovery when Saunders, the surgeon, who had remained below +through all the hubbub, busily engaged in attending to the wounded, came +up on deck and confirmed our worst fears by informing us that the +schooner was rapidly filling, the water having already risen to the +level of the cabin floor! + +It was now obvious that the little ship was doomed; the hurricane, +coming so close upon the heels of the fight, and smiting us before we +had had time to repair our damages, was proving too much for her; she +was strained and battered all to pieces, and nothing that we could do +out there, short-handed, and buffeted by that pitiless wind and sea, +could avail to save her. She was doomed, and now the utmost that lay in +our power to do was to make some sort of provision for our own safety +and that of our wounded shipmates. + +Yet, when one came to consider the question, what could we do? Our +boats, badly damaged by the shot of the pirates in the first place, had +been utterly destroyed and swept away by the first furious stroke of the +hurricane; while by the same agency our decks had been swept clear and +clean of everything not actually bolted down, except the wreckage of the +mainmast, which we had lashed firmly to ring bolts in the deck before +the gale arose. There was that wreckage, it is true, and also the +wreckage of the foremast under the bows; if it could possibly be got +alongside, a raft of sorts might perhaps be constructed out of that, and +there our resources would end. But there was no time for pondering and +consideration, whatever was done would have to be done at once; I +therefore called the gunner, the carpenter, and the boatswain to me, +hastily explained to them my ideas as to the construction of a raft, and +bade them muster all available hands and get to work forthwith, while +Millar (the purser) and the cabin steward were instructed to get +together as large a quantity of provisions and water as possible, +wherewith to stock the structure when finished. + +Now that the wind had moderated from hurricane force to that of a heavy +gale, the sea rose with really startling rapidity, and was already +running so high that when we came to set about the task of cutting +adrift the wreckage of the foremast, with the idea of hauling it +alongside and utilising it in the construction of a raft, it at once +became evident that the time for undertaking such a piece of work was +already past; for even alongside the schooner, and partially under her +lee, the wreckage would be swept so violently by the breaking seas that +it would be impossible for men to go over the side and work upon it +without being washed off and drowned; we were, therefore, compelled to +abandon that part of our plan and turn our attention to the construction +of a raft on deck which would float clear when the battered hull sank +from under our feet. But alas I even that was not to be; for we had +scarcely got the wreckage of the mainmast cut adrift from its lashings, +and were busily engaged in arranging it, with the topmast and the +mainboom, in the form of a triangle as a base upon which to construct a +platform, when it happened that the schooner, having just surmounted a +sea, got pinned down by the head, in consequence of all the water in her +rushing forward as she settled down, stem-on, into the succeeding +trough. At this critical moment a yell of dismay from the carpenter +caused us all to look up from our work, and we beheld him, with his eyes +almost starting from their sockets, glaring and pointing ahead. A +single glance in that direction sufficed to account for his terror. For +there, sweeping down upon us with deadly implacability, towered a +perfect mountain of a sea, its front almost as steep as the side of a +house, and its foaming, hissing crest reared threateningly aloft as high +as our lower-mastheads--had they been standing. It was at once apparent +to us all that, pinned down as the schooner was at that moment, by the +bulk of the water in her interior having concentrated itself in the fore +part of her, she could not possibly lift in time to rise over the summit +of that on-sweeping sea, it must inevitably break on board her, sweep +her from stem to stern, and send her to the bottom! For a second we all +stood, petrified with consternation; then, with a yell of "Hold on +everybody for your lives!" I dashed to the companion opening and +shouted to those below, "On deck, all hands of you; up you come, men, +this instant; you have not a second to lose!" + +A dreadful, wailing cry of despair floated upward from below in response +to my warning, and was echoed by the people on deck as that awful liquid +mountain hovered above us, seeming to pause for an instant, as though in +sentient enjoyment of our helplessness and terror. The next moment its +crest curled over and the whole mass of water seemed to hurl itself +headlong upon the hapless schooner, foaming in over her bows and burying +them fathoms deep in its heart. I felt the poor shattered hull quiver +and tremble beneath me like a frightened thing as the giant wave smote +her, and then I was seized by the on-rushing water, swept off my feet, +overwhelmed, whirled helplessly hither and thither in the midst of a +medley of whirling wreckage, flying ropes'-ends, and struggling men. +Opening my eyes I beheld the hull of the schooner, a short distance +away, standing almost perpendicular, and slowly gliding downwards, bows +first. Even as I looked she vanished into the dark profundity beneath, +and then I directed my glances above me. It seemed that I was fathoms +deep, for the phosphorescent foam that boiled overhead looked almost as +far aloft as a frigate's lower yard; and by the same ghastly +phosphorescent light I could distinguish vaguely a number of swirling +objects, some of which appeared to be merely inanimate wreckage, while +others looked like struggling human beings. Then, suddenly conscious of +the fact that I was within the influence of the downward draught of the +sinking schooner, and was being dragged down after her, I instinctively +struck upward desperately with hands and feet, fighting to return to the +surface. I must have been dragged down to a very considerable depth, +for I presently lost sight of the phosphorescent light on the surface +caused by the breaking of the seas, and found myself involved in pitchy +darkness, struggling madly, and with my lungs almost bursting. How long +this awful struggle lasted I have no means of determining; probably it +was much less than a minute, but the time seemed to drag itself out +first to minutes, then to hours, and finally I lost all idea of time, +all sense of my terrible situation, all recollection of the dreadful +catastrophe that had just happened, and found myself, as in a vivid +dream, re-enacting many a long-forgotten episode of earlier days. Then, +in a moment, all these scenes vanished, and I was suddenly--I knew not +how--on the surface, gasping for breath, half smothered with the seas +that were breaking over my head, and convulsively clutching a rope that +had somehow found its way into my grasp. Gradually it dawned upon me +that this rope must be fast to something--for it alternately tautened +and slackened with the sweep and swirl of the sea--thereupon I proceeded +to haul cautiously upon it, with the result that I presently found +myself alongside the floating wreckage of the mainmast. With some +difficulty I at length managed to drag myself up and get astride this +substantial spar; and then, finding that it did not roll over and throw +me off, as I more than half feared it would, I gradually worked my way +along it until I found myself close up against the crosstrees. And then +I thought I perceived the reason why the spar maintained its stability +so well. The mainsail had been set when the mast was shot away, and the +gaff, with the sail attached, still retained its position on the mast, +the main halliards having somehow jammed in the block, and this it +evidently was that prevented the spar from capsizing. The rope by which +I had hauled myself alongside the spar proved to be the end of the +peak-halliards, and I thought that if I made this fast, and so prevented +the peak from sagging, I should secure still further the stability of +the wreckage; I accordingly did so, knotting the bight round one arm of +the crosstrees, and then firmly lashing myself to the same arm with the +loose end of the halliard. + +I was now much better off than when I first found myself overboard, for +I had a stout spar to support me, and might remain afloat until I fell +off from exhaustion; moreover, even when my end of the spar was +submerged--as of course it very frequently was--I was never buried +deeper than my armpits, while there were moments when I was hove up +clear out of the water altogether. Besides, the water was quite warm. +I was therefore by no means uncomfortable, notwithstanding my situation. + +Having made myself secure, I next began to look about me with the view +of ascertaining how many of my companions in misfortune had survived the +catastrophe; for I had not a doubt that a few at least would be as lucky +as myself. But to my horror I found that I was the sole occupant of +this particular mass of wreckage; and although I shouted at the full +power of my lungs until I was hoarse, in the hope that if there were any +more survivors they would hear me and thus be guided to the same refuge +that I had gained, the sole response was the howling of the gale and the +hissing wash of the breaking seas. True, there was a moment when I +fancied that I heard a faint shout in reply to my cries, but I concluded +that it was only imaginary, for I did not hear--or fancy that I heard-- +it again. Then, as opportunity offered, I looked about me in quest of +other wreckage, thinking that possibly there might be a few fragments to +some of which one or more of my shipmates might be clinging, but the +darkness was so intense that I could not see farther than some two or +three fathoms in either direction; and indeed it was only the faint +phosphorescent light given off by the breaking seas that enabled me to +see anything at all, even at that short distance. The thought occurred +to me that, as whatever floating wreckage there might be would all drive +in the same direction, possibly I might be more fortunate in the +morning; and with this reflection I composed myself as well as I could +to rest, for I was by this time literally half-dead with fatigue. + +So utterly exhausted was I that, despite my desperate plight, I believe +I actually did lose consciousness in sleep at brief intervals during +that terrible night, for the dawn came very much more speedily than I +had dared to hope, and with its appearance the gale broke, the wind +perceptibly moderating with the rising of the sun. As soon as it was +light enough to permit objects to be distinguished I aroused myself from +the lethargy that seemed to have gripped me, and proceeded to search the +heaving surface of the ocean as well as my aching eyes would allow. + +As a matter of fact, there actually were a few small scattered fragments +of wreckage floating at no great distance from me, but there was no sign +of a human being, far or near. Then I scanned very carefully the +horizon in every direction, but particularly to the northward, in the +hope of discovering a sail of some sort heading toward me; but the +horizon was bare, save to the southward, where the high land of Hayti +loomed up with startling and quite deceptive distinctness. Although I +had hoped that I might perchance be so fortunate as to sight a sail, the +hope was a very feeble one, and my disappointment by no means acute, for +I was perfectly well aware that I was many miles too far to the eastward +to render the appearance of a sail of any sort in the least degree +probable. + +With the pangs of hunger beginning to assail me, and not the smallest +fragment of any kind of food wherewith to relieve them, I began for the +first time to realise fully the exceeding awkwardness of my situation, +and to realise, too, that if deliverance was to come to me I must bestir +myself and do what might be possible to meet it, for to remain passively +lashed to that inert piece of drifting wreckage might very well mean a +slow and agonising death by starvation. Yet, after all, what could I +do? The land was my nearest refuge, and that, I considered, must be at +least twenty miles distant, altogether too far to dream of swimming to +it, although I rather prided myself upon my prowess as a long-distance +swimmer. But twenty miles! The idea was ridiculous, especially in that +heavy sea, in my exhausted condition, without food, and with no means of +getting any. I looked rather longingly at the smaller fragments of +wreckage floating in my neighbourhood; if I could but secure one of them +of sufficient size to support me partially, yet not large enough +materially to hamper my progress through the water, I might perhaps with +its aid be able to accomplish the distance, great though it was, before +my strength entirely gave out. But the run of the sea and their greater +buoyancy were already widening the distance between them and the +comparatively massive piece to which I had lashed myself, and I +regretted that it had not occurred to me earlier to abandon the mainmast +in favour of one of them the moment that the light of dawn revealed them +to me. + +I struggled into a standing position on the spar that supported me, +steadying myself upon my somewhat precarious perch by grasping the arms +of the crosstrees, and carefully examined such fragments as came within +my ken with the heave of the sea. The detached pieces, which seemed to +consist mostly of pieces of planking, with what looked very like a +hatch, were all floating together, pretty much in a bunch, with only a +few fathoms of water separating any two pieces; I thought that if I +could but get in among them surely I ought to be able to find a piece +that would serve my purpose. The point that worried me was whether, in +my exhausted state, and in so heavy a sea, I dared make the attempt to +swim unaided the comparatively short distance that separated me from +those coveted fragments; but I reflected that, if I had not the strength +to achieve so simple a feat as that, I should certainly never be able to +accomplish the longer swim, even with the advantage of a support; the +choice seemed therefore to lie between the risk of drowning on the one +hand, and that of starvation upon the other; and it took me but a moment +to decide in favour of the former. Yes, I told myself, better in every +way to drown than to starve, and the sooner the matter was decided, the +better. + +To give myself the best possible chance I flung off my jacket and kicked +off my shoes, retaining only my shirt and trousers. Then, casting off +the lashings by which I had secured myself to the shattered mainmast, I +stood up, and carefully took the bearings of the _flotsam_ relative to +the sun, to guide me when swimming. This done, I poised myself upon the +spar preparatory to diving off the mast, and had raised my hands above +my head, when not half-a-dozen fathoms away, and immediately between me +and the spot for which I was bound, I saw the dorsal fins of two +enormous sharks sculling quietly to and fro, as though to blockade me +and cut me off from my only hope of escape. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +MY VOYAGE ON THE HATCH. + +I pulled myself up just in the nick of time, for in another second I +should have made the plunge, and that would have meant death, a horrible +death; for the splash which I should have made upon entering the water +must have inevitably attracted the attention of the monsters and brought +them upon me with a rush. It almost appeared as though some malicious +influence was at work to prevent my escape, as though fate was against +me! Yet, after all, it was not fate that was to blame, but my own +dullness in not perceiving my chance and availing myself of it the +moment that it presented itself. If instead of vacillating, as I had +done, I had promptly taken the plunge, I should have accomplished my +short swim before the sharks had made their appearance and cut off my +retreat. When I first sighted the detached fragments of wreckage the +distance which separated them from me was trifling; now it was at least +double as far, and was increasing rapidly; soon it would pass out of +sight altogether and my last hope would be gone. + +I stood watching those two sharks as they swam lazily to and fro between +me and the fast receding wreckage. It really looked as though they were +aware of my presence, had divined my purpose, and were determined to +frustrate it. For what seemed at least half-an-hour, but was probably +not more than ten minutes, the voracious fish tacked this way and that, +approaching me a little nearer every tack, until at length they were so +close that I could have leapt upon the back of the nearer one, so close +that I could distinctly see their entire bulk; and the sight turned my +blood cold, for they were veritable monsters, one of them being fully +twenty feet long from snout to the tip of the unevenly fluked tail, +while the other was perhaps three feet shorter. And there was now no +room to doubt that they were fully aware of my existence, for every time +that they passed me their great goggle eyes glared at me hungrily with +an expression which seemed to say--"All right, my boy; you may hold on +there as long as you like: but we will wait for you, and get you at +last." + +I began to cast about in my mind for some means by which I might drive +the creatures away. I had a knife with a long, strong, sharp blade, +attached to my neck by a lanyard, and I looked about me to see if there +was anything available which I could convert into a spear by lashing the +knife to it; but there was nothing; and I was still puzzling my brain +when suddenly the two fish paused in their patrol, swung quickly round, +and the next instant made sail dead to windward, as though they had just +caught the scent of some especially tempting morsel. + +Now, if ever, was my time, I told myself; the brutes had undoubtedly +left me, there were no other sharks in sight, and every second was +precious; therefore, without allowing myself an instant for pause and +hesitation, I quietly slid off the mainmast into the water and struck +out smoothly and steadily for a certain knoll ashore, in line with which +I had last seen the floating fragments that I desired to reach. + +It was still blowing quite fresh, and there was a very heavy sea +running; but it no longer broke badly, and it was in my favour, every +sea that overtook me flinging me forward at least a couple of fathoms, +so that I made excellent progress, as I ascertained when I turned for a +moment to glance back at the mass of wreckage that I had just abandoned. +I saw also that, whatever happened, I must keep on, there must be no +thought of turning back, for while the run of the sea was helping me +grandly in my progress to leeward, it was powerful enough to render +return to my late refuge an impossibility; I, therefore, set my teeth +and, with my eyes fixed upon the distant knoll which was to serve me as +a guide, struck out with a long, quiet, steady stroke that I knew from +experience I could maintain for hours on end, if need were. Of course, +I kept a very sharp lookout for the wreckage that I was aiming for, but +saw nothing of it for a long time, and more than once a qualm of +something very nearly approaching terror seized me, as the idea +suggested itself that possibly I had missed my goal, and was every +moment leaving it farther behind me. I was fast approaching a state of +panic that might very easily have resulted in fatal consequences, when +it suddenly occurred to me that, of course, it would be quite impossible +for me to see those insignificant fragments of flotsam, unless they and +I each happened to be hove up on the crest of a wave at precisely the +same moment, and the reflection so far steadied my nerves that I was +able successfully to combat the almost irresistible impulse to put forth +my whole strength in a frantic struggle to increase my speed through the +water and quickly settle the question one way or the other. My reward +came to me some ten minutes later when, as I went soaring up on the +breast of an unusually high wave, I caught a momentary glimpse of what +was undoubtedly a small piece of plank of some sort floating in the +midst of a lacework of foam on the crest of a wave immediately in line +with the knoll by which I was directing my course, and which, like +everything else at a greater distance than some fifty or sixty fathoms, +I could only see when on the summit of a wave. But the fragment of +plank still seemed to be a terribly long way off, my strength was +beginning to flag, and despair was again gripping at my heart when, as I +rose upon the next sea, I was cheered by the quite unexpected sight of a +considerable quantity of wreckage not more than a hundred fathoms +distant. The sight renewed my courage, my composure returned; I was +once more calm enough to be able to husband my remaining strength and +employ it to the best advantage; I found myself steadily gaining upon +the objects of my pursuit; and finally, after a long and dreadfully +exhausting struggle, I arrived in the midst of the wreckage. + +The first thing I came to happened to be a seaman's chest, which had +undoubtedly floated up through the hatchway when the schooner foundered. +It floated deep, for in addition to being full of water it evidently +contained several articles of the usual kind which a sailor takes to sea +with him; but it had a sufficient reserve of buoyancy to afford me an +appreciable measure of support, and I clung to it while recovering my +breath and resting my wearied limbs after my long swim; it also enabled +me to look round at my leisure and make up my mind as to which of the +objects in sight would best serve my purpose. There was one of the +halves of the wheel grating floating at no great distance from me, but +it was a small, thin affair, made of oak, possessing no very great +amount of buoyancy, and, although it would undoubtedly be better than +nothing at all, I quickly came to the conclusion that there were other +pieces that would serve my purpose better. There was, for instance, a +hatch--probably one of the main hatches; and after some consideration I +decided that I could not do better than secure possession of it. But I +wanted something else as well; I could not resign myself to the idea of +merely supporting myself upon it and passively allowing the wind and sea +to take me whithersoever they would; there was land in sight, and it was +my purpose to reach it, if possible, therefore I required something in +the nature of a paddle wherewith to propel my hatch and guide it in the +right direction; and presently I saw a piece of splintered plank, about +four-feet long and six inches wide, which looked more suited to my +purpose than anything else in sight. I had by this time quite recovered +my breath, and was also somewhat rested; I, therefore, abandoned the +chest without more ado, and, swimming first to the piece of plank, +secured possession of it, and then, pushing it before me, headed for the +hatch, which I soon reached. + +To climb up on the hatch was a very much more difficult feat than I had +imagined it would be, for my first efforts merely resulted in causing it +to turn over; but at length, having considered the matter a little, I +managed partly to guide it under me, and partly to climb up on it, until +I had it fairly under me, when, to my great delight, I found that it was +just buoyant enough to support my weight, and that by carefully seating +myself cross-legged, tailor fashion, in the exact centre of it, I could +keep it right side up. I next experimented with my makeshift paddle, +and although the hatch proved so terribly crank that I was several times +in imminent danger of capsizing by the mere sway of my body from side to +side, I presently acquired the trick of keeping my balance, and found, +to my great delight, that I could actually progress, although only +slowly and at the cost of great exertion. + +Strangely enough, I had not thus far suffered very greatly from thirst, +although something like eighteen hours had elapsed since the last +draught had passed my lips; but my sense of hunger was by this time +painfully acute. I had no means, however, of satisfying my gnawing +craving for food, and I, therefore, addressed myself to the task of +paddling my tiny raft shoreward, fully convinced that the only hope of +saving my life lay in reaching the land before the scanty remains of my +strength became exhausted. + +I estimated, from the height of the sun above the horizon, that it was +about nine o'clock in the morning when I fairly started upon my +shoreward voyage, and the exasperating slowness with which I drew away +from the rest of the wreckage caused me to put my speed through the +water at not more than a mile an hour at the utmost, while the grey +misty appearance of the land for which I was making convinced me that it +must be at least twenty miles distant; I had, therefore, something like +another twenty-four hours of continuous laborious paddling before me +before I might once more hope to feel the solid earth beneath my feet, +and find something--were it no more than a little wild fruit--wherewith +to stay my hunger. But this was not all: the skin of my hands had +become so exceedingly soft and tender through long immersion in the +water that the sharp edges of the board which I was using as a paddle +quickly caused them to blister, and although I paused long enough in my +labours to enable me to trim those sharp edges away with my knife, and +to work the board into somewhat more convenient shape, the blistering +process continued until within about an hour my palms were quite raw, +and smarting most atrociously from the salt in the water. Moreover, I +had lost my hat, and the sun struck down so fiercely upon my unprotected +head that I was soon nearly delirious with headache and the throbbing of +my old wound, received in the attack upon the pirate brigantine on the +Costa Firme. Still, headache or no headache, blisters or no blisters, +there was the land, yet a long distance off, and it had to be reached +before my strength gave out, or my life would pay the forfeit; so I set +my teeth and paddled doggedly on, hour after hour, my hunger ever +growing keener, while now I began to experience in addition the torments +of thirst, my whole body became racked with aches and pains as though I +had been unmercifully bruised and beaten, my head throbbed until it +seemed as if it would burst open, and, as for my hands, they at length +felt as though the rough paddle were white-hot iron; I had certainly +never in all my life before experienced such a complication of agonising +pains. And, despite it all, the land seemed to draw never an inch +nearer. + +I think I must at length have become light-headed, for gradually a +feeling stole over me that everything--my surroundings, my situation, +and my suffering--was unreal; that I was the victim of a peculiarly +ghastly and horrible nightmare; and that I should by and by be wakened +fortunately to find that I was in my own bunk, and that the events of +the past twenty-four hours had been nothing more than an exceptionally +vivid and realistic dream. From this state I was partially aroused by +seeing a number of glittering objects start out of the sea all round me, +while at the same instant I was conscious of receiving a sharp blow on +the chest, when, on looking down into my lap, I saw a fine flying-fish +wriggling and flapping there, making a gallant but ineffectual effort to +hoist himself out of the hollow formed by my crossed legs, and return to +the water. For a second or two I stared stupidly down at the struggling +creature, and then it seemed to dawn upon my dazed faculties that here +at last was food, something that would at least mitigate for a time the +fierce pangs of my gnawing hunger, and in a very frenzy of eagerness I +clutched the unfortunate fish and bit savagely into its writhing body! + +Yes, I know that the idea is inexpressibly repugnant, even revolting, +yet I solemnly declare that never in my life before had I tasted +anything so exquisitely delicious as that raw fish, never had I so +keenly enjoyed a meal. I am glad to believe that there will be very few +who can sympathise with or appreciate my enjoyment; for, reader, you +must have experienced the first agonies of starvation--which are the +worst--before you can do so. But, revolting or not, I am profoundly +convinced that I owe my life to that meal, for my senses returned to me +at once upon its completion; and although with them there also returned +a full appreciation of the acuteness of my physical discomfort, I felt +distinctly revived and reinvigorated. Moreover, with the full return of +my senses I became aware that, after all, my painful efforts had not +been nearly so ineffectual as I had imagined them to be, the land being +now appreciably nearer than it had been at daylight that morning, a few +of its bolder details being now visible. + +And now once more I was sufficiently rational to take cognisance of the +flight of time. I was not at all certain of my bearings, but I felt +that the sun must certainly have crossed the meridian--that the eternity +of suffering through which I had passed could never have been compressed +into a short half-hour or so--and if I was correct in this surmise the +hour must be somewhere about three o'clock in the afternoon. + +Three o'clock in the afternoon! And the land still so far away that +many further hours of toil and agony must be endured ere I might hope to +reach it! My brain reeled again at the mere prospect of it, and in a +perfect frenzy of despair I resumed my paddle, crying aloud mad, +incoherent prayers to God that He would either send me help in my +extremity, or mercifully put an immediate end to my sufferings. Then +another thought came to torment me: in something like three hours the +sun would set, darkness would encompass me about, and if the sky should +become obscured with clouds and the stars be hidden, how should I +continue to find my way? At that idea I looked about me--my mind had +been too confused, and too busily occupied with other matters to take +intelligent note of the weather during the last few hours--and I was +somewhat relieved to observe that the sky was now clear, save for a few +scattered, solemnly drifting clouds, that the weather had a tolerably +settled appearance, that the wind had moderated to quite a gentle +breeze, and that the sea had gone down very considerably and was no +longer breaking. This certainly was a point in my favour, since I was +not any longer in momentary peril of being capsized or washed off my +frail ark; but the advantage was to a certain extent counterbalanced by +the fact that the run of the sea was not materially helping me. + +Wearily yet desperately I continued to ply my clumsy paddle, first on +this side and then on the other, and with alarming rapidity my +sufferings seemed to grow in acuteness until I found myself moaning and +uttering short, sharp cries of distress with every movement of my body, +ay, and with every breath I drew; for now, to add to my discomfort, I +suddenly became aware that my lungs were in some way affected, and that +the mere act of breathing seemed to tear them asunder. Yet, though my +situation appeared to be so utterly hopeless, I doggedly persevered in +my efforts, telling myself over and over again, out loud, that if I +would but hold out long enough I must, in the natural order of things, +eventually reach the shore and succour. I think it was about this time +that I finally lost control of myself, for thenceforward I was conscious +that I was continually talking to myself--in a hoarse, guttural croak, +that even now I shudder to call to mind--now arguing, now encouraging, +now reproaching myself, until at length my ideas wandered away to all +sorts of incongruous subjects; and by turns I detected myself laughing, +singing, praying, apostrophising the sun, the clouds, the distant land, +and even the spirits of my drowned companions, whom I imagined to be +crowding round me and trying to drag me off the floating hatch. I was +aware, in a vague, impersonal fashion, of the gradual decline of the sun +toward the west, of his disappearance beneath the horizon, and of the +fact that just as the outlines of the land ahead were fading into the +gathering darkness a small spark of light sprang into view somewhere in +the direction that I was steering for, and then suddenly all grew black +about me, there was a singing in my ears--and oblivion. + +When consciousness returned, and I opened my eyes, I found myself +stretched upon a bed in a large and lofty room, very barely furnished, +there being nothing in the apartment save the bed upon which I lay, a +large old-fashioned wardrobe, a dressing-table, a small round table by +my bedside, and two massive carved chairs upholstered in stamped leather +which showed signs of having seen many years of service. It was night, +apparently, for the only illumination came from a large handsome lamp +that had the appearance of being wrought out of silver. One of the two +chairs in the room stood by the side of my bed, and was occupied by a +very respectable-looking negress of some forty years of age, or +thereabout, sound asleep. Two jugs, one of porcelain and one of cut +glass, stood on the table, in company with a large tumbler and a cup +with a spoon in it. The glass jug was three-parts full of lemonade, if +my eyes did not deceive me, and the sight of it suddenly caused me to +become acutely conscious of the fact that I was athirst. Had the +negress been awake I would have asked her to give me a drink, but seeing +that she was sleeping the sleep of the just I decided to help myself, +and with that intent essayed to raise myself in bed. But I might as +well have attempted to lift the house itself, for when I came to move I +discerned, to my consternation, that I was so weak I could scarcely stir +hand or foot, much less raise my entire body. In my alarm and distress +I unwittingly gave vent to a feeble groan, which, faint as it was, +proved sufficient to arouse my attendant, who stirred in her chair, +adjusted her turban, and then, rising to her feet, leaned over the bed +and peered down into my face. For some seconds she stood thus, when-- +her eyes having adjusted themselves to the rather dim light of the +lamp--she perceived that I was awake. + +"Ah!" she murmured, in a half whisper, in Spanish, "the Senor is at +length himself again, thanks be to all the blessed saints! And how are +you feeling, Senor?" + +"Very thirsty," I replied, in the same language, which I spoke fairly +well, and to my amazement, though I had intended to speak out loud, my +voice was no more than a scarcely audible whisper, which the negress had +to bend her head to catch. + +"_Bueno_!" she ejaculated, with every evidence of keen satisfaction; +"the Senor is thirsty--and he has the Spanish. He shall drink, and +then,"--she laid her hand upon my forehead, and I now discovered, to my +further astonishment, that my head was swathed in bandages--"yes, then +the medicine, and more sleep." + +So saying, she filled the big tumbler with lemonade--how delicious it +looked with the thin shreds of lemon and the leaves of mint floating on +its surface!--passed her arm very gently beneath my shoulders, raised me +to a semi-sitting posture, and applied the tumbler to my lips. + +Oh! how good, how delicious, how refreshing was that long, cool draught; +how grateful to the parched palate its exquisite acidity of flavour! +You talk of nectar; but my belief at that moment was that nectar was +merely lemonade under another name! I smacked my lips audibly as I +gasped for breath after emptying the tumbler, and my sable friend smiled +with satisfaction. Then, still holding me, she poured about a +wine-glassful of very dark-brown--almost black--liquid from the +porcelain jug into the cup and presented it to me. This, too, I drank, +for I was still thirsty; but the "medicine" was by no means so palatable +as the lemonade, being of an exceedingly pungent, bitter taste, and I am +afraid I made a rather wry face as the negress removed the cup from my +lips. + +"Ah!" she murmured smilingly, "the Senor does not like that so well as +the lemonade, but it is nevertheless the better drink of the two, for it +will kill the fever in his blood and give him back his strength, while +the lemonade merely refreshes." + +Then, as she gently laid me back on my pillow, and adjusted the sheet-- +my only covering--about my throat, she continued: "Now the Senor must +sleep; and when he awakes Mama Elisa will have some nice nourishing +broth ready for him--very good, ah! very good indeed, to make him strong +again." + +Whether it was the comfort and refreshment that followed the slaking of +my thirst, the effect of the medicine which my kind-hearted nurse had +administered, or the cooling night breeze that swept in through the open +window and played freely over me, I cannot say,--possibly it might have +been a combination of the three,--but, whatever the cause, true it is +that my head was scarcely back on the pillow before I sank into a +profound and most refreshing sleep, refreshing both to mind and body; +for during the hours of unconsciousness that followed my brain remained +absolutely quiescent, and I was no longer disturbed or harassed by the +vague yet terrifying phantasies, dim memories of which had haunted me +during the few minutes of my wakefulness. + +When I next opened my eyes the room in which I lay was flooded with +brilliant sunshine, that streamed in through a large open window in the +wall that faced me, and which also freely admitted an indescribably +refreshing breeze, richly laden with the mingled perfumes of a tropical +garden. A spray of rose bush, laden with magnificent crimson blooms, +swished to and fro before the window, swayed by the breeze, and wafted +dashes of its scent-laden breath toward me; and beyond it there +stretched a vista of flowering shrubs, orange and banana trees, the +straight smooth stems of palms, part of the gigantic trunk of a +silk-cotton tree springing from a smooth sward of guinea grass; and +beyond it again a thicket of bamboo, the delicate feathery foliage of +which closed the view. Splendid butterflies flitted hither and thither, +a few humming-birds, poised upon their swiftly-fanning wings, hung over +the flowering plants, like living gems, sipping the nectar of the +blooms; and occasionally a brilliant green lizard would dart along the +broad window-sill in chase of a fly. + +For several minutes I lay quite motionless, lost in admiration of the +beauty of the picture upon which my eyes rested, and inhaling long +breaths of the perfumed air that played about me; then a swiftly awaking +consciousness that I was distinctly hungry caused me to turn my head +toward the chair which Mama Elisa had occupied when I fell asleep. The +chair was still occupied, not by Mama Elisa, however, but by a quadroon +girl of about seventeen years of age, clad in the usual garb of the +coloured women, namely, a sort of loose chemise of white cotton, and a +petticoat, printed in a kind of Paisley pattern, which reached to a +little below her knees. Her long black hair hung in two thick plaits +down far below her waist; she wore massive gold earrings in her small +shapely ears; a necklace of big amber beads encircled her +finely-modelled neck, and her otherwise bare feet were shod in low-cut +crimson morocco slippers. When I first glimpsed her she was leaning +back in a chair, idly waving a palm-leaf fan, while her fine dark eyes +gazed abstractedly, and with a somewhat sad expression, methought, upon +the brilliant picture presented by the open window; but as I stared she +started to her feet and bent over me, gazing intently into my eyes; then +she laid her soft, shapely hand for a moment upon my brow, withdrew it +again, and murmured, in pure, rich Castilian: + +"The Senor is better. He has slept long and well. His skin is cool; +the fever has gone. And he is hungry; is it not so?" + +I nodded. + +"Good!" she exclaimed, with a smile of satisfaction that disclosed two +rows of small, perfectly-shaped teeth. "I will go and tell Mama Elisa." + +And before I could say a word, or ask a question, she had vanished +through a door in the wall against which stood the head of my bed. + +A minute later in came Mama Elisa, smiling all over her honest, still +good-looking face, bearing in her hands a large, massive tray, which +looked as though it might be solid silver. This tray was draped with a +cloth of snow-white damask, upon which were symmetrically arranged a +small silver bowl, the steaming contents of which emitted a most +savoury, appetising odour, a spoon, a small cruet, a plate upon which +lay a slice of white bread and another of dry toast, and a wine-glass +containing some liquid of a rich ruby colour, that might possibly be +port wine. + +"Aha!" she cheerily exclaimed, as she placed the tray and its contents +upon the table by the side of the bed, "it is easy to see that the Senor +is better; his eyes are brighter; the long sleep has done him good. And +now he needs only plenty of nourishing food and careful nursing to set +him again upon his feet. Teresita tells me that you are hungry, Senor-- +which is another good sign. Do you think you could take a little broth, +Senor?" + +I replied that I had very little doubt upon that point, whereupon the +good soul proceeded to crumble a small quantity of the bread into the +steaming bowl, after which, slipping her arm under my shoulder and very +tenderly raising me, she supported my body against her ample bosom as +she fed me from the bowl, a spoonful at a time, coaxing me between +whiles to nibble at the toast. The broth was delicious, whatever it +might have been made of--I was in no mood to ask the question--and to my +own surprise and Mama's intense gratification I consumed it--in quantity +about half-a-pint--to the last drop, and also ate about half a slice of +toast. Then came the wine-glass of ruby-coloured liquid, which proved +to be, as I had anticipated, port wine, rich and generous, seeming to +fill me with new life. And when I had finished my meal and had drained +another bumper of lemonade, Teresita was summoned to assist in the +process of washing my face and hands and inducting me into clean linen, +after which followed another long sleep. + +My progress toward recovery was now rapid, although I soon learned that +my escape from death had been little short of miraculous. Naturally, as +soon as my reason returned to me, and I was strong enough to engage in +conversation, I began to inquire where I was, and how I came to be +there; but for the first three or four days after the events above +described my nurses, Mama Elisa and Teresita, refused to tell me +anything save that I was with friends. But at length, when I had so far +recovered as to be able to sit up in bed without assistance, Mama Elisa +took compassion upon me and proceeded to satisfy my curiosity. She +informed me first, that the gale in which the _Wasp_ foundered had +occurred more than three weeks previously! Then she proceeded to say +that on the second day after the gale had moderated, the sea having by +that time gone down sufficiently to permit the fishermen once more to +proceed to sea in their canoes, one Tomasso, a negro--formerly a slave +but now a freeman, in the service of Senor Don Luis Fernando Maria +Calderon y Albuquerque, owner of the Bella Vista estate--had sallied +forth from a certain small cove on the estate for the purpose of +procuring a supply of fish, as usual. After having been thus engaged +for some hours, with very scant success, Tomasso had decided to try his +luck farther out; and while padding to seaward his attention had been +attracted by the appearance of something floating about a mile away. +Paddling in that direction, in the hope that what he saw might be worth +picking up, he had at length come alongside the hatchway, with me upon +it, in a state of collapse. The negroes on the island had risen in +insurrection against the whites only some six years previously, while +slavery had been abolished only about four years, the relations between +the blacks and the whites on the island were consequently still greatly +strained, and many a negro, finding one in that helpless state, would +have callously left me to die. Tomasso, however, luckily for me, was +not one of that sort: he had always been well treated by his master, and +therefore felt no animus against the whites; consequently as soon as he +found that a spark of life still remained in my body, he transferred me +to his canoe and, abandoning for the moment all further thought of +fishing, paddled back to the shore. Then, hauling his canoe up on the +beach, he had hastened to the house and acquainted his master, Don Luis, +with his find. The latter, a generous, humane, high-spirited fellow, +and as noble a specimen of the Spanish hidalgo as one need wish to meet, +at once hastened down to the cove and, upon perceiving my condition, +gave immediate orders that I was to be carried up to the house, put to +bed, and everything possible done to save my life. The nearest reliable +doctor being at Santiago, over forty miles distant, on the other side of +the mountains, he had quickly decided to put me in the hands of Mama +Elisa, born upon his estate, of amply proved fidelity, and marvellously +skilled in the use of herbs and the treatment of disease, with the +result that, having battled for a fortnight with the raging fever that +almost immediately developed itself, she had at length triumphantly +brought me to the point of convalescence. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +A NIGHT ALARM. + +Having heard Mama Elisa's story, the next thing I wanted was, naturally, +to see Don Luis and thank him for his extraordinary kindness to me, a +stranger, and more than that, an enemy. Accordingly, upon being +informed of my desire, and learning from Mama Elisa that I was now well +enough to receive a visitor, my host presented himself at my bedside +that same evening, and expressed the very great pleasure he felt at +finding me making such good progress toward recovery. He accepted my +expressions of gratitude with much graciousness, professed himself happy +to have been the means of saving the life of a fellow creature, begged +me to regard himself, his house, and everything that belonged to him as +entirely at my service for as long as I might be pleased to make use of +them, and then said he would be glad to learn how I came to be in the +plight in which Tomasso had found me, if I felt equal to the task of +telling the story. I thought that, for a moment, he looked a trifle +disconcerted when I mentioned the fact that I was a British naval +officer; but, if so, the expression was quickly suppressed, and he +listened with deep attention and much sympathy to my story of our +falling in with and boarding the _Santa Brigitta_, our subsequent fight +with the pirate schooner, and the foundering of the _Wasp_ during the +gale. + +Somewhat to my surprise, he was quite a young man, scarcely more than +thirty years of age. I had somehow got it into my head that, being the +owner of so fine an estate as Bella Vista, he must of necessity be at +least a middle-aged, if not an elderly man; but I understood when he +explained that the estate had originally been purchased, and afterwards +developed, by his father, who, I now learned, had perished in the +insurrection of 1791. + +At length, after we had been chatting together for fully an hour, Mama +Elisa intervened, protesting that I had been sufficiently excited for +one day, and quite unceremoniously ordered her master out of the room; +upon which Don Luis, laughing heartily at his favourite servant's +brusqueness, shook me cordially by the hand, hoped I should soon be well +enough to quit my sick chamber, and informed me that he would now do +himself the pleasure to visit me for a few minutes daily, if only for +the purpose of assuring himself that Mama Elisa had not poisoned me with +any of her vile concoctions. After which parting shot at Mama he +effected a masterly retreat. + +From this time onward I mended rapidly, and on the sixth day after Don +Luis's first visit I was well enough to rise from my bed and leave my +room for an hour or two. And now I should have been in a ludicrous +difficulty in the matter of clothes--for the scanty garments in which I +had come ashore were not only ruined by long immersion in sea water, but +were also in rags--had it not been for the fortunate circumstance that +Don Luis and I were, as nearly as possible of the same height, which +enabled him generously to place his wardrobe at my disposal. But while +Don Luis was a fine, square-shouldered, well-built fellow, I had shrunk +to little more than a skeleton, so that although the clothes fitted me +well enough as to their lateral dimensions, in other respects they made +me look pretty much of a scarecrow, and I could not avoid seeing the +ghost of a smile flickering in Don Luis's eyes when, upon my first +appearance in public, so to speak, he presented me in due form to his +wife, Dona Inez. But there was no smile on that sweet lady's lips, nor +in her eyes as they fell upon me and noted the evidences of suffering in +my hollow cheeks and wasted form; on the contrary, she was at once all +commiseration and sympathy as she expressed her gratification that it +had fallen to the lot of one of her people to find me in the hour of my +need, and to bring me to the shelter of her roof instead of leaving me +to perish, as might very well have happened had the fisherman who found +me been any other than Tomasso. + +She was quite a young woman, not more than twenty-five, I thought; a +typical Spaniard, with dark melting eyes shaded by very long, curving +lashes, an immense quantity of black glossy hair, a clear colourless +skin, _petite_, handsome, and exceedingly graceful in her every +movement; but, even better than all that, she was kind, gentle in her +manner, tender-hearted and sympathetic, and appeared to be absolutely +idolised by every man, woman, and child upon the estate. + +She received me in her drawing-room, a fine, lofty, spacious apartment +occupying approximately half the width of the front part of the house, +the other half being occupied by the dining-room, between which and the +drawing-room there was a fine hall, roomy enough to be used as a lounge, +and very cool and pleasant, since the house stood on the slope of a +hill, facing north, and overlooking the sea, while the wide front door +stood always open, freely admitting the sea-breeze. The drawing-room +was a really handsome room, the floor being of some very beautiful +native wood, polished to the brilliancy of a mirror, and covered here +and there with mats, rugs, and skins; the walls, of polished satin-wood, +arranged in panels, were hung with a few very fine pictures; a few small +tables, loaded with miniatures and native curiosities, were arranged +apparently haphazard about the room; there was a large, low couch, and +about a dozen lounging chairs, and a piece of fancy work and a very +handsome guitar lay upon the couch. + +The large French casement was wide-open, giving access to a wide gallery +reaching right athwart the house from side to side, and shaded from the +direct rays of the sun by an overhanging veranda; and into this gallery +I was taken, inducted into a low, spacious basket chair, well equipped +with cushions, and made thoroughly comfortable: the Senora seating +herself on one side of me, and Don Luis establishing himself on the +other, each of them obviously doing their utmost to make me feel +thoroughly at home. And oh! it was good to sit out there feeling the +soft, warm breeze playing about me, to drink in the perfume-laden air, +and to gaze abroad upon the sun-bathed, gently sloping lawns +interspersed here and there with neat, symmetrically shaped flower-beds, +gay with luxuriant, rainbow-tinted blooms, to watch the tall palms +swaying as the wind swept through their clashing fronds, to note the +magnificent butterflies and the brilliant-plumaged birds flitting hither +and thither, with the blue foam-flecked sea, mottled with rich purple +cloud shadows, stretching away to the far horizon. I was allowed to sit +there for two hours, drawing in renewed health with every breath; and +then Mama Elisa and Teresita, her lieutenant, swooped down upon me, +declaring that I must not be further fatigued, and marched me back to my +room, put me to bed, gave me a dainty little meal of broth and the +breast of a roasted chicken, administered a stiff dose of some new +concoction, characterised chiefly by its superlative nastiness, and then +left me to go to sleep, which I did with amazing promptitude. + +This sort of thing continued for a fortnight, my "sitting-up" time being +gradually extended until on the fourteenth day Mama Elisa, my +medico-in-chief, pronounced me well enough to turn out for second +breakfast and to stay up for the remainder of the day. Then, as I +gradually recovered my strength, came little walks in the company of Don +Luis, Dona Inez, or perhaps both together, at first for a few yards +only, as far as a certain flower-bed and back, then to some point near +at hand from which a specially charming vista was to be obtained, and +finally up into the mountains for a distance of a mile or so. + +By the time that this stage of my convalescence was reached I had +arrived at the conclusion that it was high time I should think of +relieving my kind benefactors of my company, and return to duty, and on +a certain day I took advantage of the circumstance of being alone with +my host to mention the matter, and to ask him if he could put me in the +way of obtaining a passage back to Jamaica, explaining that although, as +he was aware, I had not a single coin in my possession, I could pay my +passage-money immediately upon my arrival at Port Royal. + +"My dear fellow," said Don Luis, laying his hand almost affectionately +upon my shoulder, "I knew of course that this must come, sooner or +later; we could not reasonably expect to keep you with us always--you +naturally desire to return to your profession and your duty as early as +possible; but do you not think that you are just a little hasty, a +little over-eager, in mentioning this matter to me so soon? After all, +you know, you are by no means well, as yet; your strength is no doubt +equal to a leisurely walk of two or three miles about the neighbourhood; +but do you really think that you are strong enough to return at once to +the hardship and exposure of a sailor's life?" + +"Yes," I said; "I certainly think so; indeed, I believe I am a great +deal stronger than you seem to imagine. Besides, it is quite possible +that I may not be sent to sea again immediately upon my return; there +may be no ship for me just at the moment when I next turn up at Port +Royal, and in that case I may have a short spell of shore duty before +again going afloat. But, in any case, I am anxious to return and report +to the Admiral the unfortunate result of my encounter with the pirates, +and undergo my trial by court-martial for the loss of the _Wasp_." + +"Your trial by court-martial?" he gasped. "Surely you do not mean to +say that your countrymen will be so cruel as to treat you as a criminal, +simply because you were inadequately equipped to cope with an +overwhelmingly superior force, and because, after beating off that +force, a storm happened to arise ere you had time to make suitable +preparation for it? The idea is monstrous, absolutely monstrous!" + +I was about to explain to Don Luis that it is a custom of the British +Navy to try the officers who are unfortunate enough to lose their ship, +no matter what the circumstances may be, but he would not let me speak; +he was so full of indignation at what he evidently considered the rank +injustice of the thing, and so eager to avail himself of the lever which +it seemed to afford for pressing home upon me a certain proposition +which he now sprang upon me, that he would not suffer me to utter a +single word by way of explanation. + +"Wait, my dear fellow, wait!" he exclaimed. "What you have just told me +affords me the opportunity to mention what Dona Inez and I have +discussed together more than once, without any real hope, however, of +being able to bring it to pass. Now, however, I find that if you go +back you must surrender yourself a prisoner, and be tried as a criminal +for what was certainly no fault of yours, I will speak what is in my +mind. Why go back at all? Why not give up the sea, remain here, and be +my trusted friend and right-hand man in the management of the estate? I +very badly need some one like yourself, some one in whom I can place the +most absolute trust; for the estate is altogether too big for me to +manage single-handed; and my overseers, while they are good enough men +in their way, and no doubt understand their business, are scarcely the +kind of men whom I could put upon an equality with myself, or admit to +the house and to intimacy with Dona Inez. You, however, are different; +you are a gentleman, and although an Englishman--" + +"Thanks, Don Luis; a thousand thanks for your extraordinarily friendly +and generous proposal," I interrupted; "but what you suggest is +impossible. I must return to Port Royal, at all costs; my honour +demands it. And, as to your exceedingly kind offer, all I can say is +that not even to accept it would I give up a profession to which I am so +greatly attached, and of which I am so inexpressibly proud. I am afraid +I shall never be able to make you and the Senora understand how deeply +moved I am, how profoundly grateful for this really remarkable proof of +your kindly feeling toward me, but--" + +"Quite so," interrupted my companion, again laying his hand upon my +shoulder; "you need say no more; I think I understand. Since you feel +that you really must go I will not make any further effort to tempt you, +but, on the contrary, will do everything I possibly can to assist your +wishes. I will ask you, however, my dear young friend, not to make any +reference to this conversation in the presence of Dona Inez; for I am +convinced that if she were to become aware that I had actually made this +proposal to you, and that you had felt yourself bound to reject it, she +would be profoundly disappointed." + +We then changed the subject, Don Luis promising to send one of his +negroes into the little town of Puerto Plata, some twenty miles distant, +to make inquiry as to the possibility of my being able to obtain passage +on board one of the small vessels that occasionally traded between that +port and Kingston. At the same time the generous fellow gave me to +understand that his purse was entirely at my disposal for the purpose of +defraying all necessary expenses, and that the loan could be repaid at +my own convenience. + +The negro messenger was duly dispatched on the following morning; and +then, as he was not expected back until the evening of the third day, I +had to possess my soul in patience; meanwhile Don Luis, who seemed to +have taken a most extraordinary liking for me, allowed matters on the +estate practically to look after themselves while he and Dona Inez gave +themselves up almost entirely to me, taking me short walks into the +adjacent country, and showing me as much as possible of its beauties. + +It was on the second night after the occurrence of the above-recorded +conversation--or rather in the early hours of the following morning-- +that I was awakened out of a deep sleep by the sound of galloping hoofs, +evidently approaching the house, and before I had found time to rub the +sleep out of my eyes and sit up in bed, wondering meanwhile what such +unusual sounds might portend, I heard the animals sweep past the end of +the house and pull up, with much snorting and scattering of gravel, +before the front door; and the next moment footsteps--apparently of +several people--were heard ascending the front steps, crossing the wide +gallery running along the front of the house, and entering the hall by +way of the front door, which stood open day and night, except in bad +weather. Then a strong voice pealed out, in Spanish--and methought +there was a note of panic in it-- + +"Hola, there! Don Luis--Don Luis, where are you, man? Arise, I pray +you, and at once. I have momentous news for you." + +"Who is it? What is it?" I heard Don Luis exclaim, and then came the +creak of the bedstead in the adjoining room as the good man leapt from +it; and I heard him busy with the flint and steel, endeavouring to +obtain a light. + +"It is I--de Mendouca," answered the strange voice, "I and my family. +The negroes from the mountains are out again, and, being warned that +they were making for Montpelier, I abandoned the place, took horse, and +came on here to warn you." + +"_Ave Maria_!" Don Luis exclaimed, as he seemed to be scrambling into +his clothes. "The negroes out again! I heard that they were showing +signs of unrest. I will be with you in a moment. Nay, do not be +alarmed, _carissima_, the danger is certainly not immediate; you will +have ample time to rise and dress at your leisure." + +"Oho!" thought I. "Danger, eh? It is time for me to be making a +muster." I therefore rolled out of bed and, without waiting to strike a +light, felt for my clothes, scrambled into them, and made my way to the +entrance hall just as Don Luis, having joined his unexpected visitors, +had succeeded in lighting the great hall lamp. + +The strangers were five in number, and I was hurriedly presented to each +of them in turn. First, there was Don Esteban de Mendouca, a tall, +thin, cadaverous-looking man, with intensely dark eyes, a thin crop of +hair, exceedingly long moustache with thin, drooping ends, and a pointed +Vandyke beard, all dark, but beginning to be sprinkled with grey. Then +there was Dona Christina, his wife, a small woman, as dark as her +husband, but with a perfectly preserved complexion--fat, and fifty if a +day. Next there was Don Pedro de Mendouca, Don Esteban's elder son, a +very proud and haughty-looking man of about twenty-seven years of age; +Don Silvio, his brother, some three years younger, and exceedingly like +his elder brother, but with a much more agreeable expression of +countenance; and lastly, but by no means least in attractiveness, +Senorita Eugenia, Don Esteban's daughter, a most lovely young woman of +about seventeen years of age, exquisitely fair, and with a pair of +melting blue eyes. They all acknowledged the introduction with that +stately courtesy which seems natural to the Spaniard; and then, as Don +Esteban began his brief story, I had time to take a good look at them +all. It was easy enough to see that they had risen from their beds and +fled in the utmost haste, for the toilette of each had been very +inadequately performed; but despite this the predominating impression +which they produced upon me was distinctly favourable. Indeed, the only +thing of which I in the least disapproved was the demeanour of Don Pedro +de Mendouca, which struck me as being a good deal more haughty and +arrogant than there was any excuse for. The circumstance that, I think, +surprised me most was that these people should have fled in such +apparent unreasoning panic, abandoning a fine property and absolutely +all that they possessed, excepting the horses they had ridden and the +clothes they stood up in, to a parcel of lawless negroes. I was soon to +learn, however, that it was not lack of courage that had inspired their +flight. + +"I have no doubt, Don Luis," began Don Esteban, "that you, like myself, +have heard rumours of late that the negroes up in the mountains were +again beginning to show signs of unrest. But, so far at least as I was +concerned, those rumours have been so exceedingly vague and +contradictory that I paid little or no attention to them; for, as you +are, of course, aware, scarcely a month passes over our heads but some +story of an impending outbreak reaches us. Yet it has never come, and I +think we have at last all grown to regard the rumours as mere idle talk, +without foundation or justification. Consequently I was not only very +greatly surprised, but also distinctly incredulous, when one of my house +boys aroused me shortly after midnight to-night with the intelligence +that the negroes were actually out, and that practically all my own +people had abandoned their huts and gone forth to join them! It was +this latter circumstance which alarmed me; and when, a little later, I +had verified the statement I came to the conclusion that the time for +action had arrived, and accordingly we saddled up and came away without +further ado. As we came along my sons and I discussed the situation, +and ultimately decided that the proper thing, and also the best thing, +would be to make for Bella Vista in the first instance, inform you of +the facts, and learn your views as to the situation." + +"Were you able to learn in what strength the blacks have turned out?" +demanded Don Luis. + +"No," answered Don Esteban, "I was not; but we know from experience that +when they begin these raids they usually divide themselves into a number +of small bands, attacking in several directions simultaneously, and +depending upon being reinforced by the negroes on the estates which they +purpose to attack. Thus, for example, whatever may have been the +original strength of the band which set out to attack Montpelier, they +have already been augmented by two hundred of my people. Probably they +now muster about two hundred and fifty altogether--not more, I should +say. Ah! look yonder. Do you see that blaze? That is Montpelier. +They have already plundered the house and set it on fire, so you see we +did not get away from it any too early." + +Looking out through the open door at the back of the house, which could +be seen from the hall, we beheld a small, flickering spark of fire, well +up on the lower slopes of the mountain, which, even as we gazed, waxed +in size and brilliancy. Snatching up a powerful telescope that always +hung ready to hand in the hall, and bringing it to bear upon the spark, +I was able to make out that it was indeed a large house, from the +windows and thatched roof of which flames were bursting in momentarily +increasing volumes, while round about it a crowd of negroes were +apparently dancing a dance of savage delight at the destruction which +they were effecting. + +"Yes," I said, as I laid down the glass, "that is undoubtedly your +house, Don Esteban; I distinctly remember Dona Inez pointing it out to +me while we were out for a walk about a week ago." + +At this moment Dona Inez, fully attired, emerged from her room, and +there was instantly a cordial interchange of salutations between her and +our visitors. Then she turned to me and asked: + +"What was that I heard you say just now, Don Ricardo? Surely not that +Montpelier is in flames?" + +"I deeply regret to say that you heard aright, Senora. Look yonder; you +may see the blaze for yourself. And the blacks are dancing round it +like so many demons," I answered. + +Dona Inez clasped her hands together and wrung them in distress. + +"Oh, Don Esteban--Dona Christina--I am so sorry for you all," she +exclaimed. "It is horrible; and they will be here next. What do you +intend to do, Luis? Must we really run away and leave this beautiful +place to be destroyed and ourselves ruined? Is there nothing that can +be done to save it?" + +"I will not go so far as to say that," answered Don Luis; "on the +contrary, I am strongly indisposed to abandon it without a struggle. +What say you, Don Ricardo?" turning to me. "You are a fighting man; do +you think this house is capable of being defended successfully against +an armed but undisciplined rabble of some three hundred blacks?" + +"That depends entirely upon how strong a garrison you can muster, my +dear friend," answered I. "So far as the house itself is concerned I +believe that, given, say, a couple of hours for preparation, it might be +put into a very excellent state of defence; but that would be no good at +all unless you could raise a garrison of, let us say, thirty fighting +men, and at least as many non-combatants to act as loaders, ambulance +party, and so on." + +"Thirty fighters, and thirty non-combatants," returned Don Luis. +"Surely that might be managed. Why, my `boys' number more than three +hundred, nine-tenths of whom were born and bred upon the estate. A few +of them might possibly desert--perhaps twenty-five per cent of them, to +put the figure at its very highest; but I feel certain that the bulk of +them would stand by me through thick and thin; they have everything to +lose and nothing to gain by going over to the outlaws. Oh yes, I am +convinced that there should be no difficulty in the matter of raising a +sufficient number of fighters." + +"So far, then, so good," said I. "The next question is that of +weapons--firearms especially. I am afraid, my dear Don Luis, you will +scarcely be able to raise thirty guns, with adequate ammunition for the +same." + +"Ah, true," answered Don Luis, "I had not thought of that. Still--now, +let me think a moment--" + +"I may as well tell you here," cut in Don Esteban, "that although we +could not see our way to defend Montpelier successfully, my sons and I +have each brought our guns with us, and they of course will be +available, should you decide to make a stand and defend the house." + +"But, my dear Don Esteban, you will need them for your own protection on +your way to--to--wherever you propose to make for; unless, of course, +you choose to throw in your lot with us, which would perhaps be scarcely +more dangerous than the attempt to reach one of the towns. For the news +of this rising will spread among the negroes like wildfire, and--" + +"Precisely," cut in Don Esteban again. "That is exactly my own thought. +Therefore, if our presence here will not embarrass you we will gladly +remain and take our chance with you." + +"My dear Don Esteban," exclaimed Don Luis, "let me hasten to assure you +that nothing could possibly give me greater satisfaction than to have +the assistance of yourself and your two gallant sons at this critical +juncture in my fortunes." + +"Then that is settled," exclaimed I, breaking in rather ruthlessly, I am +afraid, upon Don Luis' compliments, for which, I considered, there was +scant time just then. "That makes three guns to start with. Now, how +many more can we muster?" + +"Four of my overseers have two guns each, while the remaining two have +one each," answered Don Luis. "And each of them possesses a brace of +good serviceable pistols in addition. Then, as for me, you must know, +my dear Don Ricardo, that firearms are rather a weakness of mine; +whenever I see an especially good gun I buy it, if I can, consequently I +have a very fair selection in my gun-room, probably about twenty in all, +as well as a few brace of pistols, duelling and otherwise." + +"Oh, but that is excellent," I exclaimed; "far better than I dared +expect. And as to ammunition?" + +"I think you will find that we have as much of that as we are at all +likely to need, for I always make a point of keeping an ample supply in +stock," answered Don Luis. + +"Good!" answered I. "The next point to determine is the identity of +your garrison. First, there is Don Esteban and his two sons; that makes +three. Then there is you and myself--five. Will your six overseers +fight, think you, Don Luis?" + +"Oh yes, without a doubt," answered Don Luis. "They are most excellent +fellows, and devoted to me." + +"Then, so far, we muster eleven," said I. "We want nineteen more +fighters, and at least thirty good, steady non-fighters, men who can be +depended upon to retain their coolness and do exactly as they are told +during the confusion and excitement of a fiercely contested fight. Now, +Don Luis, can you lay your hand upon forty-nine men of the kind I have +indicated--men who are trustworthy enough to be admitted inside these +walls at a moment when treachery on the part of any one of them would +probably be fatal to us all?" + +Don Luis flushed and looked almost angrily at me as I suggested the +possibility of treachery on the part of any of his people. + +"Really, Don Ricardo," he exclaimed, "put as you put it, you almost make +me tremble at the vastness of the responsibility that I am about to +undertake. But you shall see. I will at once go down to the huts, +choose my men, and bring them up here for your approval." And with that +shot at me he walked out at the back door and disappeared into the +darkness, while Don Silvio, at his father's request, went out to lead +the horses round to the stables, and bring in the guns. + + + +CHAPTER SEVENTEEN. + +THE ATTACK ON BELLA VISTA. + +Some twenty-five minutes later Don Luis returned; and so colourless were +his lips, so wild his eyes, so dreadfully agitated his entire appearance +that I saw in a moment something had gone very radically wrong +somewhere. Dona Inez saw it too, and approaching, laid her hand +soothingly upon his arm as she anxiously asked: + +"What is it, Luis? What is the matter, _mi querido_? Tell me; I can +bear it." + +"I could never have believed it!" ejaculated Don Luis, clasping his +hands in front of him and wringing them, in his distress and +disappointment. "I have always believed every one of my negroes to be +absolutely faithful to me; yet now, upon the news that the outlaws are +out, more than half of them have left me, and quite possibly will, an +hour or two hence, be joining in the attack upon this house. The +ungrateful wretches, the--!" + +"Precisely," I cut in; "they are all that and more. But what about +those who remain? Are any of them trustworthy enough to be permitted to +assist us; or must we do the best we can without them?" + +"Oh no," answered Don Luis emphatically. "Thank God, I can trust every +one of those who remain. And, as for the forty-nine whom I have chosen +to come into the house to help us--well, I am going to demonstrate the +extent of my faith in them by placing all our lives at their mercy. Oh +yes; I have no shadow of doubt, so far as they are concerned." + +"Very well, then," said I; "in that case they had better be admitted at +once, for all our defences have still to be made. What are you going to +do with those who are not wanted?" + +"I have given them instructions to go away and conceal themselves in the +woods until we have beaten off the attack," answered Don Luis. "Then +they will return and help us to put right whatever damage may have been +done during the fight." + +"Will they?" thought I. "I very much doubt it!" But I kept my doubts +to myself, and turned instead to another matter. + +"The next thing that we have to consider is the safety of the ladies," +said I. "What is to be done with them during the fight?" + +Don Luis looked at me rather blankly. + +"The ladies!" he ejaculated. "But surely, my dear Don Ricardo, they +will be more safe in this house than anywhere else, will they not?" + +"It all depends," I answered. "If you think it would be safe for them +to start on horseback for the nearest town, either alone or escorted by +a few of the most trusty of your negroes--" + +"Oh no, no!" exclaimed Dona Inez and Dona Christina in the same breath; +"you must not propose anything of that kind, Don Ricardo. We will not +be separated from our husbands. If they are to face danger, we will +face danger with them." + +Then Don Luis broke in. "I do not altogether like your suggestion that +the ladies should attempt to make their way to the nearest town," he +said. "For, you see, we have no means of knowing what is the state of +the intervening country. An hour ago I might have deemed the suggestion +an excellent one, but now, after the shameless desertion of half my own +`boys,' I know not what to think." + +"I suppose there is no snug, secret place of concealment, such as a +cave, or something of that sort, the existence of which is known only to +yourselves?" I suggested. + +"The very thing!" exclaimed Don Luis enthusiastically. "There _is_ such +a place, and its existence and locality are known to absolutely no one +but Dona Inez and myself--" + +"It is useless to speak of it," interrupted Dona Inez in a tone of +finality. "I will not go there, or anywhere else; I remain here with +you, Luis. If Dona Christina, or Dona Eugenia would like to go, let +them do so by all means." + +But Dona Christina and Dona Eugenia were quite as emphatic as their +hostess in their determination not to be separated from their men-folk; +so that question was very soon settled. After that there was nothing to +be done but to call up our black auxiliaries, and put the house in as +efficient a state of defence as the means at our disposal permitted; and +this we at once proceeded to do. + +Don Luis seemed naturally to look to me to take the lead in our warlike +preparations; and this I as naturally did, finding that he had only very +hazy notions of how to set to work. In the first place, the house +itself was excellently adapted for defence, the outside walls being +built of stone, and about two feet thick, to keep out the heat, while +the roof was tiled; there was consequently very little danger of the +place being set on fire from the outside, and ourselves burnt out of it. +Its chief weakness consisted in the exceptionally large size of the +door and window openings; but I thought I could see a way to minimise +that evil. While out walking with Don Luis and his wife, I had noticed +a spot that I remarked at the time might be very easily converted into +an excellent sand and gravel pit; while only a few days prior to the +eventful morning when Don Esteban de Mendouca and his party had burst in +upon us with the news of the negro outbreak, Don Luis had received a +large consignment of new sacks destined to receive the crop of coffee, +cocoa, and other products that were at that moment coming forward upon +the estate. + +Now, the moment that the question of defending the house was raised, +these sacks and the sand pit came into my mind. The first thing I did, +therefore, was to get hold of the six overseers, instruct them to +organise into gangs the blacks who still remained on the estate: equip +one party of them with pick and shovel; set a second party to bring the +sacks from the store, as required; a third party to fill the sacks with +the gravel and sand as excavated; and the remainder to carry the filled +sacks up to the house on hand-barrows and arrange them in the door and +window openings under my direction. While this was being done, Don Luis +produced his stock of firearms and ammunition; then he, Don Esteban, and +Don Pedro set to work to clean them, oil the locks, and generally put +the weapons in reliable working order; while Don Silvio, aided by his +sister and Dona Inez, lighted a fire in the dining-room and went to work +upon the task of casting bullets for the pistols, it proving upon +examination that only a very small stock of these remained on hand. +And, lastly, while Mama Elisa and Teresita busied themselves in the +detached kitchen, cooking an ample supply of food for the little +garrison, Dona Christina so far laid aside her dignity as to prepare the +dining-room table and set it for breakfast; for day was by this time +breaking, and we had decided that it would be sound policy to snatch a +meal, if possible, before the fight began. + +My scheme of defence consisted in blocking up all the door and window +openings throughout the building with a good substantial wall of +sand-bags, leaving here and there small loopholes just wide enough to +admit of a musket being pointed through them. My musketrymen would be +stationed at these loopholes, each man having an assistant who would +stand by to pass him a fresh cartridge and bullet as soon as his weapon +was discharged; and of course the musketrymen and their assistants would +be moved from room to room as required, according to the point against +which the attack was most strongly directed. I considered that we ought +to stand a very good chance of making an effective defence, because it +would be exceedingly difficult for our assailants to force a way into +the building so long as our sand-bag walls stood firmly, and I believed +it would require more courage than a negro possessed to charge home to +them and overthrow them in the face of such a fire as we could direct +upon them from the advantageous position which we should occupy. +Moreover, we should possess the important advantage of being almost +completely protected from their fire, and consequently should be able to +take aim coolly and collectedly, while they would be fully exposed, +there being no better cover for them than a few scattered bushes here +and there, which I determined to remove, should there be time after our +more important defences were complete. + +At length, after some two hours of the most strenuous work that those +negroes had ever performed in their lives, we had done everything that +it was possible to do; so, first stationing a dozen of our best men at +various commanding points, to act as pickets and give us timely warning +of the approach of the enemy, we went to breakfast, most of us with +excellent appetites, although I am bound to admit that the ladies did +not eat much. When the meal was over, without any news from our +pickets, I went out through an opening that we had purposely left in the +front door barricade, and took a good look round. Passing from picket +to picket, I questioned each man closely as to whether he had seen any +signs of the enemy; but they all replied in the negative. Indeed, +although I carefully scanned every open space I could see, even +examining it with the telescope, not the faintest indication of lurking +danger could I anywhere discover, although Montpelier was by this time a +mere smouldering ruin, to all appearance utterly deserted. + +I was about to return to the house to inquire whether, after all, we +might not have taken too much for granted in assuming as a certainty +that Bella Vista would be attacked, when one of the pickets uttered a +shout and, raising his hand, pointed. I looked in the direction +indicated, and there, sure enough, I beheld a party of negroes marching +confidently toward the house. How many there were I could not tell--for +they were just then winding their way through thick detached masses of +scrub beyond the boundaries of the estate--but the confident manner of +their approach led me to suppose that they believed they were quite +strong enough to achieve an easy conquest of the place. + +Raising a whistle to my lips, I blew a shrill call, not only as a +warning to those in the house to be on the _qui vive_, but also as a +signal for the pickets to fall back; then, when I had made sure that the +latter were all on the run toward the house, I brought my telescope to +bear upon the approaching party, with the view of learning a little more +concerning their equipment and, if possible, their numbers. + +The first thing that impressed me with regard to them was that they were +a remarkably fine, stalwart-looking set of men, hard, wiry, and full of +endurance, as indeed might be expected from the history of them which I +had gathered by snatches from Don Luis during our preparations that +morning. It appeared that they were practically all runaway slaves, or +the descendants of such, who had made good their escape from the various +plantations on the island before slavery was abolished a few years prior +to the date of this story. These men had established themselves in +mountain fastnesses, so difficult of approach and so easy to defend +that, although the attempt had often been made, it had been found +impossible to dislodge them. In those mountain fastnesses they had +increased and multiplied prodigiously, raising their own cattle, growing +their own corn, and supporting themselves generally in a state of +comfort, if not of actual luxury, that to those who had not seen it, +seemed incredible. To them fled every criminal, for every desperate +character in the island found welcome and a safe sanctuary among them. +Of course, they were all outlaws; their hand against every man, and +every man's hand against them; and of late--that is to say, within a +year or so of the time of which I am now writing--they had adopted a +policy of sallying forth from their mountain retreats at irregular +intervals, attacking isolated plantations, looting and destroying the +buildings, and either murdering or carrying off captive the whites; +their avowed intention being to terrorise and drive every white person +off the island and make it their own. Although most of them had been +brought up in the Catholic religion, it was said that they had all +reverted to heathenism, and were addicted to the practice of voodooism, +snake worship, and other hideous barbaric rites. + +But although the physique of the men was good enough, I did not think +very much of their equipment. It appeared that about every fourth man +of them carried a firearm of some kind, with powder flask suspended by a +cord round his neck, and bullet pouch attached to his belt, while the +remainder carried cutlasses, pikes, and, in some cases, axes, cane +knives, or even scythe blades lashed to the end of long poles. + +Having learned as much of the approaching enemy as it was possible for +me to ascertain without exposing myself to the risk of capture by having +my retreat cut off, I retired in good order to the house, pausing at the +detached kitchen on my way, and ordering Mama Elisa and Teresita to +hasten at once to the house, with such provisions as they had been able +to prepare. I waited until they were fairly on the way, and then set +fire to the place, for it was within about sixty yards of the house, and +would have afforded excellent cover for a dozen sharpshooters who, from +its shelter, might have galled us rather severely. It was a flimsy +structure, the walls built of wattles plastered with mud, while the roof +was of thatch; by the time, therefore, that I reached the house it was +blazing furiously, and a quarter of an hour later was a mere heap of +smouldering ashes. + +The sight of the blazing kitchen caused the approaching outlaws to raise +a shout of triumph--possibly they were under the impression that the +building had been fired by some of the negroes belonging to the estate +who were about to join forces with them and had already begun the work +of destruction--but when they saw me retiring toward the house their +shouts quickly changed their note from triumph to anger, and several of +them who carried guns halted, dropped on one knee, and proceeded to take +pot shots at me. A few of their bullets came quite near--indeed, much +too near to be pleasant; but the bulk of them flew wide, and I made good +my retreat to the house, untouched, and was at once admitted by my +friends, who immediately proceeded to block up with sand-bags the +aperture by which I had entered. + +The moment that the motley army of our assailants came close enough to +the house to enable them to see that it had been put into a state of +defence, they halted, and some half-a-dozen of them clustered about an +immensely tall and powerful-looking negro who was attired in the stained +and somewhat tattered uniform of a Spanish infantry colonel, and wore a +sword buckled about his waist, with a pair of big horse pistols thrust +into his belt. Apparently they were conferring together as to what was +to be done under the unexpected circumstances; for it now appeared that, +so completely had they succeeded in terrorising the whites, serious +resistance to their raids had practically become a thing of the past. + +The appearance among the attacking force of the big negro +above-mentioned seemed to fill Don Luis and Don Esteban with +consternation, for they recognised him at once as the chief of the +outlaws, and a man with a reputation for ruthless savagery that had +caused his name to become a word of terror among the whites on the +island, only to be mentioned with bated breath. + +"It is Petion himself!" gasped Don Esteban in accents of dismay, "and if +we should be so unfortunate as to fall into his hands after resisting +him, our fate will be too dreadful for description! Would it not be +better," he suggested, with quivering ashen lips, "that we should +surrender at discretion, without attempting resistance? If we do so we +shall probably be shot, out of hand; but even that would be preferable +to being carried off into the mountains, and there dying a lingering +death by torture, as we know that many other whites have done who have +dared to resist Petion." + +"No, certainly not!" answered Don Luis with decision. "I will never +agree to it. Our young friend, Don Ricardo, here, seems to be of +opinion that the house is capable of being defended effectively, and he +ought to know, since fighting is his trade. And I do not suppose that +the mere fact of Petion's appearance among our assailants is going to +make him alter his opinion. Is it, Don Ricardo?" + +"By no means," said I. "Rather the other way about. For if we can only +contrive to bowl over Mister Petion--" + +Don Esteban uttered an ejaculation of horror. "Kill Petion!" he +exclaimed. "My good sir, I most fervently hope that no one in this +house will be so ill-advised as to attempt Petion's life. For if +anything were to happen to him his followers would be so incensed, so +utterly maddened with fury, that they would simply pull the place down +about our ears, and drag us out from among the ruins to die a death of +unimaginable horror!" + +"My dear Don Esteban," I retorted, "do you really believe that those +fellows will fight any the more courageously if their leader happens to +be slain? Because I do not; on the contrary, I am firmly convinced that +if the head is destroyed the body will also lose vitality, and very +speedily collapse. Therefore I, for one, shall make it a point of +honour to do my best to kill Petion, if he will only afford me the +chance, and I very strongly recommend that the rest should do the same. +If Petion falls, his followers will very soon be discouraged." + +"Yes, yes, I quite agree with you, Don Ricardo," exclaimed Don Luis. +"Nothing is so likely to discourage those fellows as to see their leader +fall, therefore let us kill Petion, if we can--although he is popularly +believed to bear a charmed life." + +"It will need a very much more potent charm than any that he is at all +likely to possess to stop a bullet, if I can only get a fair shot at +him," I exclaimed. "But, come, gentlemen, let us get back to our posts. +We must watch their every move now, or they may take us unawares and +play us some very ugly trick." + +Our dialogue had lasted less than five minutes; but, brief as it was, it +had outlasted the consultation between Petion and his lieutenants, who, +I was annoyed to find upon returning to my point of observation, had +retired and were now out of sight. + +A period of suspense lasting nearly ten minutes now ensued, at the end +of which a whistle sounded shrilly from somewhere, and at the sound of +it the whole band of outlaws, numbering somewhere about four hundred, +suddenly broke cover and, with a yell, came charging down upon all sides +of the house, firing as they ran. Their aim was not bad, considering +that none of them paused to bring their pieces up to the shoulder, but +just pointed the weapon in the direction of the house and pulled the +trigger while still on the run. But although we heard several of the +bullets strike the walls and roof, not one came through our loopholes, +or penetrated to the interior of the house, and none of us were hit. +The next second an irregular, straggling sort of volley rattled out from +the house by way of reply; but I could not see that anybody was a penny +the worse for it, at least on that side of the house where I was +stationed. So far as I was concerned, I had not attempted to fire, +having made up my mind that I would not pull trigger during the fight +until I could be certain of making a hit; but the negro who had been +told off to help in the defence of the window at which I was stationed +had simply thrust his musket through his loophole and blazed away, +apparently without taking the trouble even to sight along the barrel. + +"My friend," I said, digging him savagely in the ribs, "which of those +fellows was it that you aimed at?" + +"Which of them, Senor?" he echoed in astonishment. "I did not aim at +any one in particular; I simply fired my piece, believing that the +bullet would be certain to hit some one." + +"Just so," I retorted. "Well, that is not at all the way to win a +fight, for, you see, your bullet has hit no one. Next time you shoot, +aim straight at some particular individual, and make sure that your gun +is pointing straight before you pull the trigger. For example--you see +that big man running straight toward us, the man with the scythe on the +end of a pole? Well, keep your eye on him for a moment, and see what +happens." + +The man in question was coming straight for our window, with the +intention, probably, of attempting to dislodge some of the sand-bags and +force his way into the house. He was only about ten yards away when, +having carefully covered his chest with my two sights, I gently pressed +the trigger. When the smoke blew away the fellow was lying motionless +upon his face, and some twenty others who had been following him had +come to an abrupt halt, and were gazing with indecision, first at the +house and next at him. + +"Another cartridge, quick!" I whispered, thrusting my hand out behind +me. A small, soft hand met mine, thrusting a cartridge between my +fingers, and glancing hastily over my shoulder, in some surprise, I saw +that it was Teresita who had established herself as my assistant. The +next moment I had bitten off the end of the cartridge, poured the powder +down the barrel, thrust the empty paper after it by way of a wad, and +was ramming a bullet home on top of all. Then, peeping through the +loophole as I cocked the lock, I saw that a party of four of his +comrades had picked up the stricken man, and were just about to carry +him away, while the others were in full retreat for a clump of bushes +not very far away, probably for the purpose of securing cover while they +reloaded their weapons. The four bearers, however, were still within +easy range, and, taking careful aim for a moment, I caught one of them +fair between the shoulders, and down he went on top of the man who was +being carried away. The other three at once took to their heels and +ran, but did not finally get away scot free, for I snatched the now +reloaded musket from my assistant's hand and was lucky enough to bring +one of them down with a shot in the leg, though he was up and limping +away the next instant. + +"There," I said to the negro who was supposed to be helping me; "you see +how it is done? Very well; see to it, my friend, that you make no more +misses." And he did not; or, at least, not very often. Meanwhile, the +firing from the other rooms had been proceeding pretty briskly, though +with what results, so far as the other three sides of the house were +concerned, I could not tell. But it had been fairly effective on my +side of the building; for, in addition to the three men for whom I had +accounted, there were five motionless figures lying on the grass within +view of my loophole, while I had seen others go staggering away palpably +hit. I imagined that the outlaws were somewhat disconcerted at finding +so many guns in the house, and had not very much stomach for a fight, +wherein it was possible that a good many of them might get very +seriously hurt. Hitherto, it appeared, the utmost resistance which they +had met with had amounted to nothing more formidable than a few hasty, +ill-aimed shots, followed by the immediate retreat of the defending +party. But this adventure upon which they were now engaged was quite a +different matter. Here was a good, solidly built house, constructed of +materials which it was scarcely possible to set fire to from the +outside, well barricaded, and evidently full of resolute men quite +determined to sell their lives dearly. Oh yes, this was quite +different, and it looked as though they did not half like it, for, +having failed in that first rush, they had now withdrawn out of range +and were apparently discussing some new scheme of operations. During +this pause I visited the other rooms in succession to see how the +occupants had been faring, and what measure of success they had met +with. The result of my inspection was the discovery that twenty-seven +of the attacking party had lost that number of their mess, while nearly +double as many had been more or less seriously hurt in that first rush; +which was quite as good as could reasonably have been expected; and it +seemed fully to account for the shyness which the enemy was now +exhibiting. I stated what had happened at my own window, urged every +man individually to keep quite cool, and to take careful aim before +pulling trigger; and then returned to my post, just in time to see some +sixty negroes emerge from the bush bearing the trunk of a palm-tree +which they had cut down, and which they were apparently about to employ +as a battering-ram with which to batter in some of our defences. The +men in the adjoining room saw it at the same moment, and instantly, in +spite of the warning which I had so recently given, two shots rang out +from the window at which they were stationed. The range, however, was +too long, and nobody was hurt. Hurrying from my own room into the one +from which the shots had come, I found that it was occupied by one of +the overseers and a negro. I was engaged in giving them as severe a +lecture as my knowledge of Spanish permitted, when there was a sudden +call for all hands from the front of the house, and, rushing round, I +saw that a party of about a hundred of the enemy were charging across +the lawns in open order, leaping from side to side as they came, in a +manner admirably adapted to render our aim utterly ineffective. A man +was crouching at every loophole in the room, with the barrel of his +piece projecting through it, and even as I entered one of the pieces +spoke, ineffectively. The man who fired was Don Pedro, and he turned +from the loophole with a savage execration at his failure. + +"It is not of the slightest use to attempt to pick them off at long +range while they are jumping about in that fashion," I exclaimed. "Wait +until they are so close that you can make sure of them, and then shoot. +To drop them at twenty yards, or even ten, or five, is just as effective +as though you bowled them over at a hundred. And as each man fires, let +him step aside and make room for another." + +While I was thus exhorting my companions I stepped to the loophole which +had just been vacated by Don Pedro, and thrust the muzzle of my weapon +through it, sighting along the barrel. There was an individual coming +toward me, jumping from side to side like the rest, first to the right, +then to the left. I watched him for a moment or two, and noticed that +each spring of his to the left brought him exactly in line with a tall, +slender tree stem, some distance in his rear; I, therefore, aimed +straight for this stem, and then waited until he made his next spring to +the left, when I pulled the trigger, and down he toppled. Almost at the +same instant three or four other shots rang out, and each proved +sufficiently well aimed to reach its mark. A few seconds later another +half-dozen shots followed, and down went four more of the charging +negroes. The effect was instantaneous; at least half of them halted, in +manifest indecision, some wheeled abruptly round and fled, and only +about a dozen of the boldest maintained their rush. Another quick +discharge brought even these to a halt, with the loss of four of their +number; and while they stood, hesitating whether to advance or retreat, +we peppered them again, to their manifest astonishment and +consternation--possibly they thought that, with our guns empty, they +were reasonably safe for a minute or so--whereupon they turned and fled, +leaving six of their comrades prostrate on the ground. At this moment a +cry from Teresita sent us all with a rush, helter-skelter, to the room +which I had originally undertaken to defend; and here we found a +critical state of affairs indeed. For while we had all been engaged in +checking the rush upon the front of the house, the party with the +palm-tree battering-ram had, under cover of various patches of +vegetation, stolen up to within a hundred yards of the side, and were +now manifestly preparing to make a rush across the open, bearing their +battering-ram with them. Thanks, however, to Teresita's warning cry, we +were just in good time to pour in a brisk fire upon them almost before +they had fairly started upon their rush, and three or four men went +down, throwing the others into momentary confusion, which afforded us +the opportunity to treat them to a second volley. As this second volley +crashed out I, having reloaded my weapon, stepped forward to take my +place at a loophole just vacated by some one else, and as I did so I +observed that the whole party had been thrown into great confusion by +the second volley, the tree trunk having fallen to the ground, or been +dropped. That, however, was not all; the negro dressed in Spanish +infantry uniform had come to the front and was standing stock still, +with his back toward the house, haranguing the battering-ram contingent +and apparently urging them to pick up the tree again and make another +attempt. The opportunity was too good to be lost, for he was within +long range, and it was quite worth while to throw away a shot on the +chance of hitting him; I therefore levelled my piece, aiming steadily at +an imaginary point about two inches immediately above his head--feeling +certain that, with this amount of elevation, I should get him +somewhere--and pulled the trigger. The smoke of the discharge obscured +my view for a second or two, but a wild shout of triumph from those in +the next room told me that my shot had been successful; and then, as the +smoke drifted away, I saw the fellow lying prone on the ground, with his +men standing staring at him, as though fascinated, yet seemingly afraid +to approach and attempt to raise him. As I stood, still peering through +the loophole at the scene, my empty piece was gently withdrawn from my +hand by some one behind me, and a loaded one substituted for it, +whereupon I chose another mark and fired, bringing that man down also. +This second casualty, at such long range, seemed to galvanise the party +into sudden life; for, raising their weapons, they poured in a +straggling, irregular, but ineffective volley, as though in obedience to +an order, and then turned and raced for the nearest cover, followed by a +few dropping shots, which at least served to freshen their way, if it +did nothing else. + +The entire attacking party now took cover, and opened fire upon the +house at long range. Apparently they possessed little or no skill in +the use of firearms, for, although a few shots struck the house, not one +of them came anywhere near the loopholes, and every one of the garrison +remained unscathed. Our foes were amply strong enough to have carried +the building by assault had they but possessed the courage and +resolution to charge across the open, right up to the house, and tear +down but a single one of our barricades; but they had already learned by +experience that this meant certain death to some of them; and while, if +report did not belie them, they were all ready enough to take the lives +of others with every accompaniment of the most atrocious cruelty, there +was apparently none among them willing to contribute to the success of +his party by sacrificing his own. This innocuous fusillade of the house +continued for nearly two hours, during which we made no pretence of +reply except when some individual, in a temporary access of courage, +attempted to slip across from one piece of cover to another situated a +few yards nearer the house, when he was immediately subjected to a +volley that either laid him low, or sent him scuttling back, like a +scared rabbit, to his former place of refuge. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHTEEN. + +CAPTURED BY THE NEGRO OUTLAWS. + +At length, about ten o'clock in the forenoon, the fire of the outlaws +ceased, and for aught that we could tell to the contrary they might have +abandoned the attack altogether and retired. But the situation was one +of far too much peril to permit us to take anything for granted; while, +therefore, the main body of our party, so to speak, seized the +opportunity thus afforded to snatch a hasty but much-needed meal, a +watcher, with loaded weapon, was stationed at each door and window of +the house, with instructions to maintain a sharp lookout, and +immediately to report any movement that he might detect on the part of +the enemy. + +But the minutes passed, the meal was concluded, and still everything +remained tranquil; so perfectly tranquil, indeed, that at length we +could come to but one of two conclusions--either the outlaws had +withdrawn altogether, or they were elaborating some scheme for a renewed +attack of a particularly deep and cunning character, of the nature of +which it behoved us to secure some hint of information, by hook or by +crook. + +I suggested that I should go forth alone, and, keeping well in the open +in order that I might be effectively covered by the guns of the others +in the event of anything in the nature of treachery being attempted, +take a look round in the immediate neighbourhood of the house, and +endeavour to ascertain what the outlaws were doing, or, if they had +gone, what had become of them. At first no one would listen to the +suggestion; it was denounced as too utterly hazardous to be entertained +for a moment; and when I pointed out that it could only be hazardous if +the enemy still remained upon the ground, Don Silvio proposed, by way of +amendment, that the men should all sally forth in a body, for mutual +protection. But to this I would not agree, arguing--very reasonably, I +think--that if the outlaws had departed it would be as safe for me to go +forth as for the whole of us; while, if treachery happened to be afoot, +the safety of the female portion of the party absolutely depended upon +the men remaining in the house ready to defend it in the event of a +renewed attack. These arguments of mine, coupled with the necessity, +which everybody at length recognised, for us to make a move of some +sort, finally prevailed; and about noon I left the house, armed with a +musket and a brace of pistols, all loaded, and fortified by some item of +advice from each of my companions. + +My first act was to examine carefully the bodies that lay round about +the house, taking those that lay nearest at hand, and then passing on to +the others. The result of this examination was the discovery that the +fallen numbered in all sixty-seven, fourteen of whom were still alive, +but so seriously injured that they had been unable to withdraw to the +safety of cover. I inquired of each of these men what had become of +their companions, but they were unable to answer me; they could but +groan--"_Agua, agua, por amor de Dios_!" + +I informed them that they should be supplied with water, and otherwise +looked after, as soon as I had satisfied myself that their friends had +retired and that no further danger from them was to be apprehended; but +I at the same time reminded them that they could scarcely expect much +consideration from people whom they had so wantonly attacked. When at +length I came to the body of Petion I found that life was extinct, the +fellow having been shot clean through the heart I was somewhat surprised +that his followers had made no attempt to carry off his body; and that +they had not done so I took to be a sign of pretty thorough +demoralisation on their part I conducted my examination of the ground +with the utmost circumspection; for I knew not at what moment a volley +might rattle out at me from one or another of the large clumps of +ornamental shrubs that were scattered about here and there upon the +lawns, or the still larger masses of bamboo, palmetto, and other wild +vegetation that at one particular spot was still allowed to flourish +almost within musket-shot of the house; but nothing happened, and no +sign of the enemy was to be discovered; I, therefore, at length came to +the conclusion that, finding the house was not to be captured except at +the sacrifice of a very considerable number of lives, the outlaws had +withdrawn, and were now on their way to attack some estate, the owners +of which were incapable of making so resolute and effective a defence as +ourselves. + +I began to wonder in which direction our assailants had gone, +remembering that much of the effectiveness of the defence of Bella Vista +had been due to the early warning given by Don Esteban de Mendouca, +which had afforded us the time to make the necessary preparations; and +it occurred to me that if the route taken by the outlaws could be +determined, it might be possible to pass on the warning, and so enable +somebody else to prepare a warm reception for them. I, therefore, +proceeded to examine the ground carefully, quartering it now in this +direction and now in the other, in search of some mark or sign which +should furnish us with a clue. Nor was my search by any means barren of +results, for after a time I came to a spot where the guinea grass had +been well trampled, indicating, to my mind, that this was the point +where the various divisions of the attacking party, including their +wounded, had rallied, and from which they had begun their retreat. And +in this belief I was fully confirmed, a little later, by finding that +the footmarks led away in a direction that gradually trended round +toward the back of the house, past the coffee plantation, and so back +toward the mountains. + +Now, if they had decided to retreat to their mountain fastnesses, there +was no need to trouble further about them, at least for the moment. But +in my walks in the same direction with Don Luis I had noticed several +paths which, I had been informed, led to certain plantations in the +neighbourhood; and it was of course quite possible that the brigands +might be making for one of these; I, therefore, determined to follow up +the trail while it was fresh, and endeavour to obtain some definite clue +to their actual destination. My first idea was to return to the house, +acquaint the occupants with the result of my investigations thus far, +inform them as to my further plans, and then retrace my steps to the +spot where I at that moment stood; but I reflected that to do all this +meant the loss of some twenty minutes or more, which might make all the +difference between success and failure to my plan, so I determined to +push on at once, and immediately proceeded to do so. + +I had not proceeded very far before I had conclusive evidence that I was +on the right track by coming upon a wounded negro, who lay fair in the +middle of the path, groaning piteously as he clasped his head, swathed +in a blood-stained bandage, between his hands. I asked him if he was +badly hurt. + +"_Si, senor_," he answered; "hurt to the death, I fear, unless I can +obtain speedy help. I could walk no farther, and my companions have +abandoned me. Take me to the house, I pray you, Senor, and let my hurt +be attended to. It will be horrible to die here alone in the open; +moreover, the ants will find me before long, and consider what my fate +will then be." + +Dreadful enough, no doubt, if the man were as bad as he considered +himself to be. But I did not believe he was; for though his voice +seemed feeble enough when he began to speak it distinctly gained in +strength as he went on, and I very speedily came to the conclusion that +his weakness was more than half imaginary; also I was not very greatly +disposed to be tender-hearted over the sufferings of such fiends as +these negro outlaws had proved themselves to be; instead, therefore, of +responding to his appeal I asked him curtly: + +"Which way have your companions gone?" + +"Straight up toward the mountains," he answered, pointing upward along +the path in which I was standing. + +"Very well," I said. "It is necessary that I should verify your +statement; I am, therefore, going on a little farther. But I shall soon +be back; and I will then help you to the house and have your wound +attended to, although that will avail you little, for I warn you that +you and the rest of the wounded will be handed over to the authorities +forthwith. And that means for you, death upon the gallows." + +The fellow grunted. "Even that will be less disagreeable than being +devoured alive by the ants," he answered. + +Without bandying further words with him I continued my way up the path, +which took a rather sharp turn a few yards farther on. As I rounded the +bend I was somewhat surprised to see two more men lying in the road: one +of whom seemed to be either dead or in a swoon, while the other appeared +to be almost in a state of collapse. + +"The inhuman villains," I thought, "to abandon their wounded in this +heartless fashion! Surely they might have somehow made shift to carry +off their injured comrades with them, for they must be fully aware that +if the unfortunate wretches fall into the hands of the authorities they +will meet with short shrift. Well, we seem to have punished them rather +more severely than I had thought; I should not be very greatly surprised +if I find a few more poor beggars in the same plight before I have +finished my walk." + +With these thoughts uppermost in my mind I approached the prostrate +figures, one of whom was moaning most piteously, while the other lay +still, with half-closed eyes staring upward at the sky. + +"Well, _picaro_," I said to the man who was moaning, "what is the matter +with you?" + +"Oh, Senor," he gasped, "for the love of God help me to get into the +shadow of yonder bush. I am perishing of thirst, and this scorching sun +is adding to my torments. If you will raise me to my knees perhaps I +can manage to crawl to--Ah, good! I have him! Quick, Jose, help me! +He is strong as a horse, and--So, that is right; now kneel upon him +while I lash his wrists together. And Miguel,"--as the man I had left +in the road a minute before came running up--"take the gun and those +pistols, they will be safer in your hands than in his." + +The surprise was perfectly managed. Completely taken off my guard by +the admirably assumed helplessness of the three scoundrels, I was easily +captured. For as I incautiously laid down my gun for a moment to place +my hands under the arms of the moaning hypocrite who had begged me to +assist him, the rascal flung his arms and legs round me, pinning me in a +grip that for the moment held me helpless, and dragged me to the ground, +rolling over on top of me, while the other, springing with equal +suddenness into vigorous life and activity, also flung himself upon me +and held me face downward in the sandy soil while his comrade swiftly +bound my hands behind my back with the long silken sash which he had +rapidly unwound from his waist. While he was doing this up came the +third man, who had been so dreadfully afraid of being devoured alive by +the ants, and took possession of my weapons. Now, when it was too late, +the truth dawned upon me; the villains, far from being seriously hurt, +were as sound as I was, and had simply been left behind in feigned +helplessness upon the off-chance that some one of the whites might +incautiously venture out, as I had done, with the object of ascertaining +where the retreating brigands were actually going, and thus be captured. + +Oh! how I execrated my folly, now that it was too late, and I was being +hurried along the rough path by the jubilant trio who had captured me +and who were in a great hurry to rejoin the main body of outlaws. And +how fervently I hoped and prayed that none of the rest of the whites at +Bella Vista might be as foolish as I had been. My thoughts went back to +the wounded men lying scattered here and there round the house and +within musket-shot of it, and for a moment my soul sickened with dread +as I thought of what might happen if they too were merely shamming. But +the fear was only momentary; I remembered that the hurts of every one of +them were visibly, indisputably real, serious enough to disable and +render them harmless; and I hoped that my failure to return would put +the whole household upon its guard and, by demonstrating to them my +imprudence, open their eyes to the fact that all danger was not +necessarily over because the brigands had withdrawn. + +My companions were in high feather at having achieved my capture, and +extolled the shrewdness of a certain Mateo--who, I gathered from their +remarks, was their new chief, in place of the deceased Petion--in having +devised so ingenious a trap as the one into which I had unsuspectingly +fallen. Moreover, they endeavoured to beguile the way by drawing vivid +word-pictures--presumably in the hope of frightening me and enjoying my +terror--of the unspeakable torments that would be inflicted upon me by +way of appeasing the manes of those of their comrades who had fallen in +the attack upon the house. Truly I might very well have been excused +had I blenched at the prospect which, according to them, lay before me; +for if they were to be believed, it was not an hour or two, but several +days of excruciating suffering which I might expect. However, I did not +by any means believe all that they said. They might be clever enough +actors, so far as shamming being wounded was concerned, but in the finer +art of inflicting suffering in anticipation they were mere clumsy +bunglers, for they lacked that finer sense of dissimulation which endows +a man with the power of lying with conviction; they allowed their motive +to become apparent; and, seeing this, I disappointed them by laughing in +their faces. Besides, whether what they said was truth or falsehood, I +was not going to afford a trio of sable outlaws the satisfaction of +boasting that they had succeeded in frightening an Englishman. + +Enlivening the way with such conversation as I have hinted at, we +trudged along the upward path for a distance of about a mile and a half, +when we suddenly came upon a wide-open space where the main body of the +outlaws had halted to rest and refresh themselves, and also, as I soon +became aware by the trend of the general conversation, to determine +whether they should return to their head-quarters, or proceed to attack +some other estate in the immediate neighbourhood. + +My appearance, in the character of a prisoner, was the signal for a +great yell of ferocious delight on the part of the outlaws, immediately +followed by a brisk fusillade of scurrilous, ribald jests concerning the +sport that they would have with me upon their return to their mountain +stronghold; and so bloodcurdling were the suggestions thrown out by some +of those fiends that I confess a qualm of fear surged over me for a +second or two; for I saw at once that, unlike my captors, these ruffians +were not endeavouring merely to frighten me, but were in deadly earnest. +Not that I feared death; no man who ever knew me could dub me coward. +In the heat of battle, or under most ordinary circumstances I can face +death--ay, and have faced it a hundred times--without a tremor; but to +be triced up, helpless, and to have one's strength sapped and one's life +slowly drained away by a long drawn-out succession of unspeakable +torments is a prospect that I venture to say few can bring themselves to +face without some manifestation of discomposure. Although my cheeks and +lips may have blanched for a moment, I permitted no further and greater +sign of fear to escape me. I returned their glances of fiendish +ferocity with an unquailing eye, and listened to their diabolical jests +in apparently unruffled silence, as I was conducted through their ranks +by my captors toward a small hillock, overshadowed by a gigantic _bois +immortelle_, upon which sat a negro in solitary state, appeasing his +hunger by wolfishly tearing, with his strong white teeth, the flesh from +three or four roast ribs of goat which he grasped with both hands. + +I do not think I ever encountered a lower, or more bestial type of +humanity than was this man. He was a pure-blooded black, of almost +herculean proportions, and evidently of enormous strength, as are many +of the pure-blooded West African negroes; but one completely lost sight +of his splendid physique in contemplation of the expression of low +cunning and ferocious cruelty that blazed out of his small, narrow eyes +and contorted his wide, flat nostrils, his thick, blubber lips, and his +unnaturally prominent chin and jaws; he was the very embodiment and +picture of all the most savage and debasing passions that characterise +the worst specimens of humanity, and reminded me of nothing so much as a +combination of snake, tiger, and monkey clothed in the outward semblance +of a human form. "Heaven have mercy upon the unfortunate who stirs this +brute to anger!" thought I. He was undoubtedly well aware of the +feelings of horror and repulsion that he inspired in the breasts of +others, and seemed rather to pride himself upon it, I thought; for as I +was led forward into his presence he paused in his wolfish feeding and +glared upon me with an expression of concentrated malignity that seemed +to freeze the very marrow in my bones. But I believed that he was +deliberately striving to frighten me, and horrified though I actually +was, I was determined he should not have the satisfaction of feeling +that he had succeeded. I, therefore, steadily returned his stare with +all the coolness and nonchalance I could summon to my aid, and after the +lapse of a full minute or more he turned his glance aside to one of the +men who held me, and said: + +"Well, Carlos, my ruse succeeded, it would appear. But it is a poor +sort of capture that you have made; I hoped you would contrive to get +hold of Don Luis, or at least of Don Esteban, or one of his sons; but +who is this? He is a mere boy!" + +"True, he is," answered the man addressed as Carlos--the scoundrel who +had taken advantage of an appeal to my humanity to catch me unawares. +"But," he continued, "boy though he is, he is as strong as a young lion, +and will afford us sport for three or four days, if things are carefully +managed; and after that--" He added a few words in some language that I +did not understand. + +"But who is he, and what is he?" snarled the other. "He does not look +like a Spaniard." + +"He is not a Spaniard," answered Carlos. "Pepe, one of the Bella Vista +`boys' who joined us last night, told me that there was a young +Englishman in the house who had been found by old Tomasso, Don Luis' +fisherman, floating about on a piece of wreckage, nearly dead, and had +been brought ashore by him and, at Don Luis' orders, taken up to the +house and nursed back to health by Mama Elisa; and without doubt this is +he." + +"Is this so?" demanded the quintessence of ugliness, turning his gaze +upon me. + +"It is," answered I. "And perhaps it may prevent misunderstanding and +attachment of blame to the wrong people if I explain that it is I who am +responsible for the defence of Bella Vista and the losses that you have +sustained. It was I who supervised the erection of the barricades, and +who also arranged the plan upon which we fought." + +"A-h!" he breathed, and the note of diabolical malignity with which he +contrived to imbue that single word sent a shudder of fear through me, +so intense was it. "Then, perhaps," he continued, "you may be able to +tell us whose hand it was who slew Petion, our late leader?" + +"As well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb," thought I, and answered at +once "Yes. As a matter of fact I am responsible for that, too; and I am +glad of it. It was my finger that pulled the trigger that sent the +bullet through his heart; and my only regret is that you did not stay +long enough to enable me to send a few more of you after him." + +Carlos, my captor, actually released my arm and stepped a pace away, the +better to gaze upon me, so astounded was he at the unimaginable rashness +of my speech. And, to speak truth, I was astounded at myself; I knew +perfectly well that I was in all probability only adding fuel to the +flame which would ultimately consume me, yet some perverse influence +altogether beyond my control seemed to urge me to speak as I did, +whether I would or no. And, strangest circumstance of all, my words, +instead of evoking from my questioner the white-hot explosion of wrath +that I fully expected, seemed to gratify the man rather than otherwise, +for he grinned appreciation as he gazed into my flashing eyes. Then a +thought seemed to suddenly strike him. + +"You were picked up floating upon a piece of wreckage, you say?" he +remarked. "Now, I wonder whether, by any chance, that piece of wreckage +happened to belong to the British man-o'-war schooner that engaged a +pirate schooner a few miles in the offing, about a month or two ago?" + +"It did," I answered. "It belonged to His Britannic Majesty's schooner +_Wasp_, which foundered in the gale that sprang up immediately after the +engagement; and I, her commander, was, so far as I know, the only person +saved." + +"You her commander!" he reiterated incredulously. "Why, you are only a +boy!" + +"Nevertheless, what I have told you is the truth," I answered. + +The fellow sat considering this statement for so long a time that I +began to wonder whether perchance it was destined to affect my fate in +any way. At length, however, he appeared to have arrived at a decision, +for, drawing a greasy notebook from one pocket and a stub of pencil from +another, he proceeded with much labour to indite a communication of some +kind upon it, which, when completed, he folded in a peculiar way and +handed to Carlos, at the same time giving him, in a tongue with which I +had no acquaintance, what I took to be certain instructions. Whatever +the nature of the communication may have been it appeared to meet with +Carlos' emphatic disapproval, for he began to argue strenuously with the +other, the argument lasting some ten minutes and rapidly growing more +heated, until finally something was said that apparently convinced him +of the futility of further dispute on his part. Then he suddenly +desisted and, seizing me by the arm, dragged me away to a spot where we +were somewhat isolated from the rest of the camp, where he left me in +charge of his companions Jose and Miguel while he went off elsewhere. +His absence, however, was of but brief duration, for presently he +returned, followed by two other negroes who bore in a large calabash an +ample supply of boiled rice, roasted yams, and substantial portions of +roast goat mutton, which they deposited on the ground within easy reach +of us before they departed and left us to ourselves. + +As soon as they had gone fairly out of ear-shot Carlos turned to me and, +pointing to the provisions, said, as he released me from my bonds: + +"Help yourself, and eat freely, Senor Englishman, for we have a long +march before we are likely to again see a decent meal." + +"Indeed!" I exclaimed. "Is your camp, or head-quarters, or whatever +you call it, so far off, then, as that would seem to imply?" + +"We are not going to head-quarters," he replied rather tartly; "and you +may thank the good God that it is so; for, whatever may be your mode of +death, you may accept my assurance that it will not be anything like so +protracted or unpleasant as that which awaited you among the mountains +yonder." + +"Well," said I, "that at least is good hearing. But if we are not going +to head-quarters, pray where are we going?" + +"My orders from Mateo, our new chief--whose beauty doubtless impressed +you," he replied, with a grin, "are to conduct you down to the coast and +deliver you over to his very good friend Manuel Garcia, the pirate, +whose schooner _Tiburon_ you and your crew punished so severely when-- +according to your own admission, mind--you engaged her some little time +ago. Mateo is under the impression that Garcia would be peculiarly +gratified to find in his power the officer who commanded the schooner +which mauled the _Tiburon_ so severely; so, as you have confessed that +you are the man, he has decided to make a present of you to his friend, +and to take the risk of the rumpus that will certainly arise when the +band learns that it is not to have the pleasure of amusing itself with +you." + +"And how far is your friend Garcia's lair from here?" I demanded. + +"Not very far," was the answer. "But it will take us until close upon +sunset to do the distance, because Mateo prefers that we should not +start until the rest of the band are on the move. He fears that if you +were seen going toward the sea, instead of up into the mountains, some +of our `lambs' might begin to ask awkward questions, and insist upon +your accompanying them. Therefore, if you feel at all tired, you had +better avail yourself of the present opportunity to snatch a little +sleep." + +As a matter of fact I did not feel in the least tired, but I wanted an +opportunity to think quietly over this change in my prospects; I, +therefore, gladly accepted the suggestion made by Carlos and, stretching +myself out beneath the shade of an adjacent clump of bush, closed my +eyes and, before I knew it, was fast asleep. + +I was awakened by the sound of many voices and the stir of many feet, +and sat up to see that the whole band of marauders was in motion; and +ten minutes later there was nothing to betray their presence save a +cloud of dun-coloured dust rising into the air over the tops of the +bushes. It appeared to me, however, that instead of wending their way +toward the mountains they were bearing away in a westerly direction +toward a spot where, at a distance of some eight or ten miles, I knew a +group of extensive and prosperous plantations existed. As soon as the +last of the stragglers had vanished, Carlos rose to his feet and said: + +"Now, Senor Englishman, if you are sufficiently rested we will be +moving; because, if it should be noticed that you are not among them, +some of our people might return to look for you; and it would be very +bad indeed for you if they should do that--and find you." + +"I am quite ready," I answered, as I sprang to my feet; and in another +minute our little party also--consisting of Carlos, Jose, Miguel, and +myself--had disappeared from the scene. + +Our way lay in precisely the opposite direction to that taken by the +raiders; that is to say, while they marched toward the west, we followed +a narrow, winding footpath that, if it could be said to have any +definite direction at all, trended toward the east. For three hours we +trudged steadily onward, Carlos, with one of my pistols in his belt, in +addition to his own weapons, walking on one side of me, with Jose, +similarly equipped, on the other, while Miguel, with my gun upon his +shoulder, brought up the rear. For several miles we traversed the lower +slopes of the range, winding hither and thither but steadily working our +way eastward, now passing over sterile, rocky ground, sparsely dotted +here and there with clumps of thorny scrub, and anon opening out a +glorious prospect of gently undulating, fertile country, dotted with +plantations,--the smoke-blackened roofless walls of some of the mansions +built on them clearly suggesting a recent visit from the late Petion and +his fellow-outlaws,--and, beyond all, the grand old ocean, blue, save +where darkened by the drifting cloud shadows, and flecked here and there +with white from the scourging of the trade-wind. At length, however, +when the sun had declined to within a span's length of the western +horizon, we bore away sharply toward the north, and presently came in +sight of an indentation in the coast which, at the first glimpse, had +the appearance of being land-locked; but which, as we approached it more +closely, I saw was really a nearly circular bay about a mile in +diameter, the entrance of which was most effectively masked by a small +islet stretching completely across it and leaving only two narrow +passages, one to the east and the other to the west of it. A small +felucca lay at anchor a cable's length from the shore; and when at +length we reached the lip of the basin-like depression, the bottom of +which formed the bay, or cove rather, I perceived, to my amazement, that +a sort of village of quite respectable extent had been built along its +southern margin, some of the buildings being so large that I at once set +them down as storehouses. A number of people were moving about the +buildings; and quite a dozen boats were hauled up on the beach above +high-water mark. + +And now I noticed a very remarkable peculiarity in connection with the +cove: the sides of the basin wherein it lay consisted everywhere of +perfectly vertical cliffs, some two hundred feet high, so that, look +where I would, I could at first discover no way down into it. Looking a +little closer, however, I presently became aware of an exceedingly +narrow and dangerous zigzag path traversing the cliff-face, about a +quarter of a mile farther on, and toward this we at once made our way. +A quarter of an hour later, having first encountered a sentry at the +upper end of the path, to whom Carlos whispered some password which I +could not catch, we found ourselves safely at the base of the cliff and +at the extreme end of the village. Arrived here, we directed our steps +toward the most important-looking house in the place, at the door of +which Carlos knocked. An ancient, frosty-headed negro responded to the +knock and, in reply to Carlos' question, stated that Don Manuel Garcia +was at the moment away in the schooner, but that Senor Fernandez was, as +usual, in charge of the settlement, and possibly might do as well; to +which suggestion Carlos assented, whereupon we were ushered into a large +bare room, furnished in such a manner as to suggest the idea that it was +chiefly used as a council chamber, and the door was shut upon us. + + + +CHAPTER NINETEEN. + +IN THE PIRATE'S STRONGHOLD. + +Here we waited nearly half-an-hour, at the conclusion of which a door at +the upper end of the chamber opened, and a tall, rather good-looking +man, dressed entirely in white, entered. At his appearance Carlos +sprang to his feet and, saluting, handed over the note which Mateo had +scrawled. The stranger, who was none other than "Don" Victor Fernandez, +Captain Manuel Garcia's second-in-command, took the note, read it, +glanced at me curiously, and then nodded curtly to Carlos and his +companions. + +"Good!" he ejaculated. "The Captain will highly appreciate the +thoughtfulness of your new chief, Mateo, in sending him this Englishman. +In his name I desire to tender his warmest thanks to Mateo, and request +you to convey them, with every expression of his highest consideration. +Do you leave us to-night, or will you remain until the morning? If the +latter--" + +"_Mille gracias, senor_!" answered Carlos; "we should greatly like to +stay here for the night, and rest, for this day has been an +exceptionally trying and fatiguing one for us; but Mateo's instructions +that we should rejoin him at the earliest possible moment were +imperative and must not be neglected. But if we may be permitted to +stay long enough to share your people's supper, we will gladly do so." + +"So be it," answered Fernandez. "Find Pacheco, and tell him that you +will sup in the great hall with the rest of the hands, and then request +him to come to me." Whereupon Carlos and his two fellow-cut-throats +saluted and retired. + +For a minute or two after the departure of the trio, Fernandez sat +meditatively regarding me in silence, twisting and turning Mateo's note +in his fingers meanwhile. At length, with just the ghost of a smile +flickering over his features, he said, tapping the note in his hand: + +"The worthy Mateo tells me that you were the officer in command of the +little schooner that gave the _Tiburon_ such a severe dressing down a +little while ago. Is that really the fact?" + +"Yes," I answered, "I am proud to say that it is." + +"Well," he returned, "I can scarcely credit it. Why, you are only a +boy!" + +"So people are constantly reminding me," I retorted. "But in the +British Navy boys soon learn to do men's work." + +"So it would appear," assented my interlocutor, apparently in nowise +offended at my brusque method of answering him. "And you are an +Englishman, of course. What is your name?" + +I told him. + +"Well, Senor Delamere," he said, "it is perhaps a lucky thing for you +that Captain Garcia went to sea four days ago in the refitted _Tiburon_, +and that he may possibly not return for nearly a month. Had he been +here at this moment I do not for an instant believe that he would have +given you the chance that I am going to offer you; for he has vowed that +if ever he can lay hands upon you he will make such an example of you as +will strike terror to the heart of his every enemy. Of course I +sympathise with him to a great extent, for he has never in his life had +such a trouncing as you gave him with that ridiculous little schooner of +yours; and, apart from other considerations, his self-love has been very +severely wounded. Therefore, being a man who never forgets nor forgives +an injury, he will not be satisfied until he has salved his wounded +pride by making you pay in full in a manner that will cause every sailor +in West Indian waters to shudder with horror. But I am not vindictive-- +as he is; I am always willing to subordinate revenge to the good of the +community, by which, of course, I mean our community, the little +republic which at present is bounded by the cliffs which enclose this +cove, but which in process of time is destined to include the whole of +this magnificent island of Hayti and--who knows?--possibly the entire +group of islands now known as the West Indies. And you, young as you +are, have proved yourself to be a formidable enemy; you have courage, +resolution, and apparently all the other qualities that go to the making +of a successful leader; therefore I think it a thousand pities that you +should be wasted, uselessly expended, in the mere gratification of a +petty revenge which will benefit nobody anything; on the contrary, I am +convinced that we should gain immensely by making you one of ourselves-- +Nay, do not interrupt me, please; hear me to the end before you attempt +to reply. In the absence of Garcia I am supreme here; I can secure your +election as a member of our band, and once a member, you are absolutely +safe from Garcia, for it is one of the rules of our brotherhood that +`One is for all, and all are for one;' private jealousies and +animosities are absolutely forbidden, and the punishment for +transgressing this law is _death_, let the offender be who he will. + +"Now, that is one argument in favour of your joining us. But there are +others. We are weak, as yet, it is true; but that is because, as a +community, we are still very young. We are, however, gaining strength +almost daily; every capture we make adds to our numbers, because we give +our prisoners the choice between joining us, and--death; and nine of +every ten choose the former. Also, we are rapidly accumulating wealth, +which is power; and with the power which unlimited wealth will give us, +added to the power of constantly increasing numbers, all things are +possible to us, even to the conquest of the world! Now, a lad of your +intelligence ought to be able to see, without much persuasion, how +tremendous an advantage it will be to belong to such a formidable band +as we shall soon become, therefore I put it to you in a nutshell--Will +you join us?" + +Upon discovering the direction in which my companion's arguments were +trending, my first impulse had been to interrupt him indignantly by +declaring that I saw through his purpose, and would have naught to do +with it. But he would not permit me to do this; he insisted upon saying +his say to the end; and while he was doing this I had time for +reflection. I perceived that the man was an enthusiastic visionary +possessed of such boundless ambition that he was able to see nothing +except the impossible goal which he and his fellow-leaders had set +before themselves. I saw that this fellow Fernandez, at all events, had +dwelt upon the mad scheme of conquest, first of Hayti, then of the West +Indian Islands, and ultimately, as he had declared, of the whole world, +until it had become an obsession with him in which all difficulties were +swept away and his gorgeous dream had seemed to be a thing already +almost within reach. It occurred to me that by pretending to listen to +this dreamer, to appear to treat his dreams as though it was possible +for them to eventually materialise, and to seem to weigh the proposal +seriously which he had made to me, I might gain time enough to mature +some plan of escape, and to put it into effect before the return of the +_Tiburon_ and my arch-enemy Garcia; and while, as a general rule, I most +emphatically disapprove of everything that savours of deception, I felt +that, taking all the circumstances of the case into consideration, I +should be perfectly justified in practising such dissimulation as might +be necessary to extricate myself from the exceedingly awkward situation +in which I now found myself. + +Therefore when, with eyes ablaze with enthusiasm, Fernandez flashed the +question at me, "Will you join us?" I hesitated just for a second or +two, and then replied: + +"I suppose you hardly expect me to answer offhand so momentous a +question as that, do you? It is all very well, of course, for you, who +have given the matter much careful thought, to feel so confident as you +do that your plans are capable of realisation, but with me it is very +different; the entire idea is absolutely new to me, and--if I may be +permitted to say so--looks little short of chimerical." + +"But it is _not_ chimerical," Fernandez impatiently insisted; "on the +contrary, it is perfectly feasible and, as we have planned it, +absolutely certain of realisation." + +There is no need for me to repeat at length all the arguments that this +man adduced in support of his contention; let it suffice me to say that +I listened to him with deep attention--for I wanted to learn as many +particulars as I possibly could concerning the plans of this +extraordinary band, with a view to future contingencies--and when at +length I left his presence I believe I also left him under the +impression that he had more than half convinced me of the advisability +of acceding to his proposal. + +Meanwhile the man Pacheco, in obedience to the command conveyed through +Carlos, had been patiently waiting in the antechamber for the summons to +appear and receive the commands of Fernandez concerning me; and now, the +interview being at an end, the former was called into the room. + +"Pacheco," said Fernandez, "this young gentleman is Senor Delamere, the +officer who commanded the small British man-o'-war schooner that lately +attacked the _Tiburon_. His vessel foundered in the gale that sprang up +immediately after the action, and he contrived somehow to make his way +to the shore, where he was nursed back to health and strength in the +hacienda of Bella Vista, belonging to Senor Don Luis Calderon y +Albuquerque. That hacienda was attacked by Petion and his band in the +early hours of this morning, and--as Carlos has doubtless already told +you--Petion was killed during the attack, while Senor Delamere +subsequently fell into the hands of Mateo, Petion's second-in-command, +who very thoughtfully sent him on to us. + +"Now, Senor Delamere, being, although still very young, a naval officer +of considerable experience and undoubted courage, will be an acquisition +of the utmost value to us if we can but succeed in inducing him to join +us--and I have hopes, very great hopes of doing so. I, therefore, want +you to take him in charge for the present, showing him the utmost +consideration, and allowing him free range of the settlement,--since it +will be impossible for him to escape,--because I desire him to become +thoroughly acquainted with all our resources, and to see for himself the +perfection of all our arrangements for securing the success of our great +enterprise." + +I could scarcely believe my ears when I heard Fernandez give this +extraordinary and, as I deemed it, most imprudent order. It seemed too +good to be true! Why, if the foolish man had but known it, there was +nothing I could possibly have more ardently wished for than liberty to +range freely the settlement and become fully acquainted with all its +resources! If I had ever dreamed of such a possibility as this it would +not have needed that I should be brought a prisoner to the place; I +should have been but too eager to make my way to it voluntarily. But, +of course, it was much better as it was, for now all that I had to do +was to keep my eyes and ears wide-open, learn everything I possibly +could, and, generally, make the very best use of my time before the +return of Garcia, while humouring Fernandez to the top of his bent in +his delusion that he would ultimately convince me of the advantage of +joining the band. Moreover, I believed I should not have much +difficulty in accomplishing this last; for, although I was at first +somewhat at a loss to understand his great eagerness to secure me as a +recruit, it became perfectly intelligible when I learned a little later +on that the only weak point in the entire scheme consisted in the +extreme scarcity of trained sailors capable of undertaking the more +important executive duties. Seamen, of the kind to be found in a ship's +forecastle, they possessed, not exactly in abundance, but sufficient for +their ordinary necessities; but it appeared that, apart from Garcia, his +first lieutenant, and one other, they had not a single navigator among +them; and it was easy to understand that, if anything untoward should +happen to either of these men, the activities of the brotherhood would +be seriously crippled, while a fatality that swept the whole of them +away might well mean the utter ruin of all their hopes. I did not learn +this quite at once, for it seemed to be the one item of information upon +which Fernandez desired me to remain ignorant; but, mingling freely with +everybody, as I was permitted to do, it was impossible for them to +prevent the secret from ultimately leaking out, and I had not been in +the settlement more than three days before I became acquainted with it, +and with a good many other things as well. + +For instance, I learned that of the three navigators which the community +boasted, two--namely, Garcia and another--were on board the _Tiburon_, +while the third was in command of a most respectable-looking brig, +which, provided with a complete set of false papers, was engaged in +conveying to various ports such portions of the cargoes of plundered +ships as were not needed by the pirates themselves, disposing of the +same for cash, and procuring with that cash such commodities as were +required from time to time. The felucca that lay at anchor in the bay +had also been similarly employed; but she was now idle, the man who had +commanded her being with Garcia in the _Tiburon_, in place of an officer +who had been killed in the action with the _Wasp_. + +At the time of my arrival this extraordinary pirate settlement, or +community, consisted of some forty seamen of various nationalities-- +except Englishmen--who had thrown in their lot with Garcia, Fernandez, +and the rest; and about a hundred others who, although not seamen, were +most useful for the performance of such strictly shore duty as the +erection of houses, the loading and discharging of the trading brig, the +storage of the various commodities needed by the community, the working +up of rough spars into spare masts, yards, booms, etcetera, for the brig +and schooner, the making of spare sails for the same, and, in short, the +execution of all those multitudinous kinds of work that are essential to +the comfort of man in his civilised condition. And exceedingly +comfortable the rascals made themselves, for the houses were well-built, +and in many cases beautifully furnished; also they enjoyed many +luxuries, procured either from the cargoes of plundered ships, or +purchased out of the proceeds of the sale of such plunder as they did +not require for their own use. + +It was not long before I discovered that there was a mystery of some +sort attaching to the felucca that lay at anchor in the bay. I had made +more than one attempt to go on board her, with the object of giving her +an overhaul, but each attempt had been quietly met and frustrated in +such a way that I soon grew to understand I could not persist further +without exciting grave suspicion, which was the one thing of all others +that I most desired to avoid. For it was this felucca that I regarded +as my only possible means of escape from the pirates, and, that being +the case, it was of the utmost importance that I should do nothing to +betray the thought that lurked at the back of my mind. She was a fine, +sturdy-looking little craft, measuring somewhere about sixty tons; and I +felt that if I could but once get aboard her, and get enough sail +hoisted to take me out to sea, the most difficult part of my adventure +would be over; for Jamaica lay to leeward, and I could not very well +lose my way, even if I were compelled to go to sea without a chart. It +is true that the rig of a felucca--namely, a single latteen-sail, its +head stretched along an enormously long, tapering yard, hoisted to the +top of a stout, stumpy mast raking well forward--is not precisely the +rig that I would willingly choose to go to sea alone with; but beggars +must not be choosers, and it seemed to me to be Hobson's choice--that or +nothing. I must therefore make up my mind to face the difficulties of +the rig and do the best I could with it, or remain until Garcia's +return, and so miss my only chance. Of course, there was just the bare +possibility that I might find a man, or even two or three, willing to +share the adventure with me--for I could scarcely believe that every +member of the community had quite willingly joined it without compulsion +of any kind--but I had no intention of jeopardising my chances of +success by making inquiries, of however cautious a character. If such +men were to be found it would have to be almost by pure accident; +meanwhile it was for me to make my plans in such a manner that, if +necessary, they could be carried out single-handed. + +But it was imperative that I should visit the felucca, by hook or by +crook; and since I had already discovered that it could not be managed +during the day, there was nothing for it but to make the attempt at +night. Now, I was in Pacheco's charge, he was responsible for me, and +although I was nominally free to come and go as I would, it was not long +before I discovered that it was practically impossible for me to get out +of his sight for more than five or ten minutes at a time, except at +night time, when I was granted the privilege of a small room to myself +in his house. Even then, for the first week of my sojourn, I could +scarcely stir in my bed but at the creaking of it he would be at my +door, inquiring why I was moving, and whether I required anything, the +questioning being, I fancied, simply for the purpose of assuring himself +that I was still in the room. But as the days--or rather the nights-- +went on his vigilance gradually relaxed, for I so shaped my speech as to +convey the impression that, at least in my own mind, I had practically +decided to join the band. It was this, perhaps, that so far threw him +off his guard as to betray him, on a certain night, into the indulgence +of his favourite vice, which was a too-marked devotion to the rum +bottle. For several nights in succession--ever since I had been placed +in his charge, in fact--he had been perforce compelled to remain +perfectly sober in order that he might keep a strict watch upon me, but +at length when, while we were sitting at table together, taking supper, +I allowed him to believe that I had finally decided to go to Fernandez +the next morning and take the oath, he ventured to celebrate my +conversion by drinking my health in a stiff nor'wester of rum and +water--rather more rum than water. That act of weakness was his +undoing, for at the first taste of the spirit after his forced +abstention he completely lost all control of himself, and could no more +refrain from taking a second tumbler than he could have flown. The +second naturally led to a third, and the third to a fourth; whereupon, +recognising that my chance was at hand, I yawned twice or thrice most +portentously, complained of fatigue, and retired to my room, he +following as far as the door and locking me in, as was his custom before +going to his own room. But that troubled me not a whit, for the house +was of one story only, and to slip out of it by way of the open window +was almost as easy as walking out through the door, once my gaoler +became so deeply wrapped in sleep that my stealthy movements would not +awake him. + +I moved quite carelessly about the room for a minute or two, and then +flung myself heavily upon the bed, fully dressed; and as I did so I +heard Pacheco go tiptoeing clumsily back to the table, stumbling against +a chair on the way, and muttering imprecations at his own clumsiness as +he went. A further gurgling of liquor being poured into a glass +followed, then a deep sigh of satisfaction as the glass was emptied, the +bang of it as it was noisily replaced on the table, and finally the +man's staggering footsteps along the floor as he made his way to his own +room. Then came the kicking off of his shoes, followed by other sounds +indicative of the fact that he was undressing, a heavy creaking of the +bedstead as he flung himself upon it, and, a minute or two later, deep +snoring. + +But it was still much too early for me to think of making a move, for +sounds reached me from the outside which told me that quite a number of +people were still up and about; I therefore waited, with such patience +as I could muster, until these had all ceased, and then allowed +something like another half-hour to elapse, in order to make all sure-- +for this was a case where it were better to be half-an-hour late than +half-a-minute too early, and by undue haste spoil everything. + +At length, however, the complete absence of all sound suggestive, of +human movement outside, and the steady, regular, resonant snore of +Pacheco in the next room, encouraged me to make my preliminary move, +which I did by rising, slowly and with infinite caution, to a sitting +position on my bed. This done, I next got off the bed altogether, not, +however, without causing the thing to give forth sundry most alarming +creaks, each of which brought my heart into my mouth. But the snoring +in the next room went on steadily, without pause or break, and two +minutes later I found myself standing, barefooted, outside my window, +ready to scramble back into the room upon the first suggestion of +danger. Nothing happened, however; and with my shoes in my hand I next +proceeded to creep very cautiously round to the front of the house. + +The night was clear, with no moon, but the sky was brilliant with stars +affording even more light than I really wanted; and at length, having +peered cautiously round me and noted that the buildings were all dark, +showing that the inhabitants had retired to rest, I stole slowly, +crouching, across the open and so down to the beach. Among the boats +drawn up on the sand there was a small Norwegian boat, much used as a +dinghy, and consequently not drawn as far up on the beach as the others; +this was the craft that I was on the lookout for, and by and by I found +her, half afloat, and secured by her painter to a small anchor dug well +into the sand. Lifting the anchor with the utmost care, I noiselessly +deposited it in her bows, and then, making sure that her oars were in +her, I lifted her bow and slid her off the sand until she was fairly +afloat, when I gently turned her round, gave her a vigorous push, and +scrambled in over her stern, taking care to do everything without noise. +Then, throwing out an oar over the stern, I headed the boat in the +direction of the scarcely visible felucca, and proceeded to scull off to +her. + +Thus far everything had gone smoothly and without the ghost of a hitch, +but the really difficult part of my enterprise was still to come. I +estimated that a good four hundred miles lay between the cove and Port +Royal harbour, which distance, at an average speed of six knots, would +take me the best part of three days and nights to cover, under the most +favourable conditions. To do this, I should need both food and water, +and I had not the most remote idea whether either was to be found on +board the felucca, although I hoped they might be, for I had seen +half-a-dozen men go off to her regularly every day, for some purpose +which I could not divine, unless perchance it were to pump her out. But +food and water were absolutely necessary to ensure my success, and +unless I could find at least a sufficiency to last me three days, I must +return and take measures to provide a supply; for to start without would +be simply courting disaster. That, however, was a point which could +only be settled upon my arrival on board. + +Taking the matter very easily, husbanding all my strength for the +exceedingly difficult task of getting the felucca under way +single-handed--in the event of all things conspiring to render such a +decided step justifiable--and sculling so gently that I scarcely raised +a ripple on the highly phosphorescent water, I at length glided quietly +up alongside the felucca and, taking the end of the boat's painter with +me, climbed in over the vessel's low bulwarks, passed the dinghy astern, +made her fast, and forthwith proceeded to overhaul the craft which I had +thus surreptitiously visited. + +My first visit was to her tiny cabin, the companion door of which I +found unlocked. But when I got below it was so intensely dark that I +could see nothing, and I felt that at all costs I must have a light, or +it would be morning, and my flight would be discovered long before I +could learn all that I wanted to ascertain. I, therefore, went on deck +again, loosed the immense sail, and spread a fold of it over the small +skylight in order to mask the light in the cabin--should I be fortunate +enough to obtain one--and then went forward to the forecastle to hunt +for a lantern of some sort. I found the fore-scuttle not only closed, +but also secured by a stout iron bar, the slotted end of which was +passed over a staple and secured by a padlock. Fortunately, however, +the individual who had last visited the little vessel had been too +careless or too lazy to remove the key from the lock, therefore all I +had to do was to turn the key, remove the padlock from the staple, throw +back the bar, lift off the cover, and my way down into the forecastle +was clear. But I had no sooner lifted off the hatch cover and was +preparing to descend than, to my utter consternation, I became aware of +the fact that the forecastle was inhabited. For as I flung my leg in +over the coamings I distinctly heard a sound of stirring, followed, to +my amazement, by the drowsy muttering of a voice in English, grumbling: + +"What the blazes do they want now; and who comes off here at this time +o' night? 'Taint time to turn out yet, I'll swear, for I don't seem to +have been asleep more'n five minutes!" + +English! Then the speaker must certainly be a friend, and without more +ado I dropped down into the little forecastle, exclaiming: + +"Hillo, there! Who are you, my friend; and what the dickens are you +doing locked up here in this forecastle?" + +"Who am I?" retorted the voice. "Why, I'm an Englishman; my name's Tom +Brown, and the name of my mate here is Joe Cutler; both of us late of +His Britannic Majesty's schooner _Wasp_, what foundered in a gale o' +wind somewheres off this here coast a while since. We was picked up off +a bit of wreckage by the crew of this here hooker--what turned out to be +something in the piratical line--and brought into harbour. And since +we've been here we've been made to work like niggers because we wouldn't +jine the `brotherhood,' as they calls theirselves. Latterly we've been +kept aboard this here feluccer, because it appears that there's some +chap ashore there as they don't want to see us. Ay, and if it comes to +that, perhaps you're the chap. Seems to me as I've heard your voice +before. Who are you at all, gov'nor?" + +"My name is Delamere," I replied, "and I commanded--" + +"Of course, of course," interrupted Brown; "Mr Delamere it is! I +knowed that I knowed that voice of yours, sir. Here, you Joe, rouse and +bitt, man; here's the skipper come to life again. Half a minute, sir, +and we'll have a light. Joe, you lighted the `glim' last; what did ye +do wi' the tinder-box?" + +The two men were broad awake, out of their bunks, and bustling about +almost before one could draw a breath, and the next moment they had +lighted a lantern, in the dim glimmer of which they stood up side by +side, saluting, as I stared into their faces scarcely able to credit +such a stupendous piece of good fortune as the unexpected discovery of +these two men, not only Englishmen, but actually members of my own late +crew! + +"My lads," I exclaimed, as they stood before me at attention, "I am more +glad than I can express, not only to find that you, like myself, have +managed to escape with your lives, but also that you are here, aboard +this felucca. For I fully intended to make the somewhat desperate +attempt to escape in her single-handed; but the presence of you two men +puts a very different complexion upon the affair. What I might have +been wholly unable to accomplish alone, we three can together manage +with ease. There is only one possible difficulty in our way: Can you +tell me whether there happens to be any food and water aboard this +craft?" + +"Yes, sir," answered Brown, "there's both, for we're fed every day out +of the ship's stores. There's the scuttle butt on deck nearly full o' +water, and there's grub down in the lazarette, but how much I don't +know." + +"Then let us go at once and ascertain," said I, "for my escape may be +discovered at any moment, and naturally this would be where they would +first look for me. Mask that lantern with your jacket, one of you, and +bring it along aft. Every second is now of importance to us." + +It took us but a few minutes to penetrate to the little vessel's +lazarette, where we found an ample supply of provisions of all kinds for +a much larger crew than ourselves and a much longer voyage than we +contemplated. + +"Very well," I remarked, as I ran my eye over the array of biscuit and +flour barrels and the casks, some of which were branded "prime mess +beef," while others contained potatoes and sundry other commodities, +"that will do; we shall certainly not starve during the next few days, +whatever else may happen to us. Now clap on that hatch again, and we +will go on deck, slip the cable, and make sail without further ado." + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY. + +THE BEGINNING OF THE END. + +As I turned to quit the cabin I suddenly became aware that a bell was +furiously jangling somewhere; and, dashing up the companion ladder to +the deck, I discovered that the sounds proceeded from the shore, where +lights were beginning to flash, one after the other, in rapid succession +until the whole settlement appeared to be awake and stirring. + +"On deck, both of you, at once!" I shouted, sending my voice down +through the open companion. "Never mind about the hatch; leave +everything as it is, for the moment, and clap on to these main +halliards; there is an alarm of some sort ashore, and if it happens to +be that they have discovered me to be missing, they will come off to +this felucca the first thing. Yes, and by Jove, if I am not mistaken +there is a boat shoving off already. Look, lads,"--as the two men came +tumbling up on deck--"is that not the sparkle of oars in the water, +there, right in the heart of that deep shadow?" + +"Ay, sir, it do look uncommon like it, and no mistake--yes; that's the +sea fire shinin' to the stroke of oars, right enough," exclaimed Cutler. +"And they're comin' along as though they meant business, too! Mr +Delamere, it'd be a good plan, sir, if you was to jump for'ard and cast +that cable off the bitts while Tom and me here sees about mastheadin' +this here yard; there won't be so very much room to spare atween us by +the time that this here hooker's paid off and gathered way." + +"You are right, Joe, there will not," answered I; and, dashing forward +to the windlass bitts, I proceeded to throw off turn after turn of the +stiff hempen cable that held the felucca to her anchor, until the last +turn was gone and the flakes went writhing and twisting out through the +hawse-hole; then, as the end disappeared with a splash I dashed aft and +rammed the tiller hard over to port--noticing, as I did so, that a large +boat, pulling eight oars, was less than a hundred fathoms distant from +us, and coming up to us hand over hand. Then, catching a turn of the +main-sheet round a cleat, I jumped forward again to where the two seamen +were dragging desperately at the halliard which hoisted the heavy sail. + +"Put your backs into it, men," I cried, as I tailed on to the fall of +the tackle; "there is a large boat close aboard of us! It will be +`touch and go' with us, even if we are able to scrape clear at all." + +Fiercely we dragged at the fall of the fourfold tackle that formed the +working end of the halliard, and at each pull the great, heavy, swaying +yard slid a few inches up the short, thick mast, as though reluctantly, +while away on our weather quarter we heard the fierce shouts of the men +in the approaching boat as they encouraged each other, punctuated by the +quick jerk of the oars in the rowlocks, and the swish of the water as +the oar-blades clipped into it. With the passage of every second those +menacing sounds drew appreciably nearer, dominating even the thunderous +rustle and slatting of the sail that slowly climbed into the air over +our heads, while the felucca, now fast gathering stern-way, and at the +same time paying off, was driving steadily down toward the boat at a +rate that seemed to render our capture inevitable. + +At length, with a final jerk that made the little craft tremble to her +keel, the big single sail filled, and the felucca careened to her +bearings, as her canvas caught the full pressure of the wind. At the +same instant I heard an oar-blade clatter as it was hastily laid in, and +an exultant cheer arise from immediately under our counter. + +"Catch a turn with the halliards, quick, and then lay aft," I gasped. +"The villains are alongside, and will be in over our quarter before we +can do anything to prevent them if we are not smart." + +As I spoke I passed the rope under, then over, a belaying-pin before +surrendering it to Cutler to complete the operation of belaying, and +then bounded aft, followed by Tom Brown, who had snatched a handspike +from the rack as he passed it. My first act was to drag the tiller over +to windward and pass a turn of the tiller rope round the head of it, to +help the felucca to pay off; for she was now gathering headway. Then I +sprang to the taffrail and looked over it. The pursuing boat had +actually overtaken us, and the man who pulled "bow," having laid in his +oar, had grabbed the gunwale of the small boat in which I had come off +from the shore--and which I had dropped astern upon boarding the +felucca--and was now hauling his own boat up alongside her, while some +half-dozen of his companions had risen to their feet and were scrambling +into the smaller boat, apparently with some idea of climbing aboard us +by shinning up her painter. But the felucca had by this time gathered +way, and was moving so fast through the water that it was as much as the +man could do to hold on, and quite beyond his power to haul the one boat +any closer to the other. For a couple of breathless seconds longer he +hung on desperately, and then, with a yell of savage disappointment, was +obliged to let go, while somebody in the stern--I fancy it must have +been Fernandez--seeing how things were going, shouted to the crew to +throw out their oars again and give way. But before this could be done +the big boat was half-a-dozen fathoms astern, and we were leaving her so +rapidly that for her to overtake us was a manifest impossibility. +Meanwhile the small boat, with six men in her, was towing astern of the +felucca, with her nose raised high in the air and the water bubbling and +boiling up to the level of the top of her transom, and even slopping in +over it occasionally, so that it was impossible for any of her occupants +to move, lest by so doing they should cause her to fill and swamp. The +said occupants therefore did what they could in the way of relieving +their feelings by vigorously anathematising us in good sonorous Spanish, +and explaining, in short, pithy sentences, the sort of treatment that we +might confidently look for when next they got us into their power. Then +one of them happened to remember that all this time a brace of loaded +pistols were sticking in his belt, whereupon he whipped them out and +blazed away at us, his companions promptly following suit, but, luckily, +without doing us the slightest injury. + +By this time the felucca was rapidly nearing the weathermost extremity +of the island that guarded and masked the entrance of the bay, and +presently we weathered it handsomely and bore up to pass out to sea, +gliding between the two Heads a minute later. We were now fairly +outside, and with the first plunge of the little vessel's sharp stem +into the surges that met us as we swept into the open sea a yell of +dismay arose from the occupants of the boat astern, who cried out that +they were being swamped, and implored us, for the love of all the +saints, to cast them off before they were washed out and drowned. I +could not resist the temptation to retort that even, if that happened, +they would still be getting less than their deserts; then, adding that I +hoped I should soon have the pleasure of seeing them all hanged at +Gallows Point, I cast off the painter and set them adrift, leaving them +to get back into the cove as best they could, with only one pair of +small oars among them. We stood on, close-hauled, until we had gained +an offing of about three miles, when we put the helm down, tacked, and +lay-to, it being my intention to remain off the entrance of the pirates' +cove until daylight, in order that I might obtain bearings and +landmarks, which would enable me to identify the locality of the spot +upon my return to destroy the settlement--as I was determined to do. + +It was well that I took this precaution, for when daylight came we found +that, so admirably had nature masked the cove, it was impossible for us +to discover it until we again stood close in; and even then we could by +no means make sure of the spot until we were within a cable's length of +it. Then, however, by means of a carefully taken set of compass +bearings, I obtained the means which would enable me to run in from a +distance and hit off the place with unerring precision. + +We duly arrived in Port Royal harbour early on the fourth morning after +our escape from Pirate Cove--as by common consent we called it--our +passage being of a perfectly uneventful character. As may be supposed, +I kept a sharp lookout for the arrival of the Admiral from Kingston; and +the moment that his barge hove in sight I hailed a shore boat--the +felucca not possessing a boat of any kind--and landed for the purpose of +making my report. + +He was surprised, but at the same time very pleased to see me, shaking +me warmly by the hand as the office messenger closed the door behind me, +after showing me into his presence. + +"Well, youngster," he exclaimed, "I am very glad to see you back again, +all alive and kicking; for to tell you the truth you have been absent so +long that I had given you and the _Wasp_ up for lost. Well, and what +luck have you had? Strange that I did not notice the little schooner at +anchor as I came down; for I have been on the lookout for her now a long +while." + +"Ah!" I replied; "I am grieved to say, Sir Peter, that you will never +again set eyes on the _Wasp_, for she lies at the bottom of the Sea of +Hayti, with all her crew, I am afraid, save myself and two others." + +"Tut, tut, tut!" exclaimed the Admiral; "that is bad news indeed. Tell +me how it happened." + +As briefly as possible I related the entire history of the cruise, +including my adventures upon the island of Hayti, and my escape from the +pirates, winding up by pointing out the felucca, which lay in full view +of the office window. + +The old gentleman remained silent and sunk in deep thought for several +minutes after I had concluded my story, shaking his head occasionally as +he thought the matter over. At length, however, he looked up, and said: + +"It is a sad business, very sad, losing all those poor fellows, but I do +not blame you, boy, in the least; you did what you could, and did it +very well, too! To fight and beat off so immensely superior a force as +that of the pirates was a very creditable feat, I consider; and all +might have been well had it not been for that gale springing up at so +inopportune a moment. Well, well, it cannot be helped; these things +happen sometimes, in spite of all that we can do. But there is +generally a lesson to be learned from every mishap, if we will but look +for it, and the lesson conveyed in this case is that we made a mistake +in the arming of the _Wasp_. Instead of fitting her with those six long +9-pounders, we ought to have mounted a long 18 and a long 32 upon her +deck, then you would have been able to play a game of long bowls with +the pirates and fight them upon practically equal terms. As it was, you +were badly peppered before you could reach her at all with your own +guns. Well, it cannot now be helped; the little hooker is gone, and +there's an end of it. Now, the thing to consider is what is next to be +done. What is your own idea? You have been among the rascals, and know +their strength; I suppose you have some sort of a notion of how they can +best be circumvented, eh?" + +"Yes, sir," I said. "It seems to me that there are two ways of dealing +with the pirates. One way is, to waylay their schooner at sea, capture +her, and then go into the Cove and destroy the settlement. To do that +effectively we must have a vessel as fast, as heavily armed, and as +strongly manned as their own craft--" + +"Which we don't happen to possess just now, worse luck!" cut in the +Admiral. "What is your other plan?" + +I explained the alternative scheme--which I regarded as the more +effective of the two--in pretty full detail; and as I unfolded it I saw +the old gentleman's eyes begin to sparkle. When at length I came to an +end he dashed his fist down upon the table, and exclaimed with +enthusiasm: + +"That's the plan, boy; that ought to do the trick! But I've no vessel +to spare you, so you'll have to take the felucca, and do the best you +can with her. Strictly speaking, you know, I ought to put you under +arrest, and not employ you again until after you have been tried for the +loss of the _Wasp_; but the circumstances are such that we cannot afford +to waste time in mere formalities just now; and I will take the +responsibility of sending you to sea again at once. You will be a bit +crowded aboard the little hooker, I'm afraid, but that can't be helped; +and if all goes well it ought not to be for long. Now, go and find +Carline, talk over the matter with him, and then come up to the Pen to +dinner to-night--seven o'clock, sharp--and report to me what you have +arranged." + +I took the hint, and went, very well pleased, on the whole, with the +result of my interview. For I must confess that I had gone to that +interview not altogether without trepidation; it was quite possible--I +had told myself--that the Admiral might find fault with the manner in +which I had engaged the pirate schooner; he might have picked holes in +my tactics, or something of that sort; he might even have considered +that the _Wasp_ might have been saved, after the fight, had we acted +otherwise than we did; but, to my great relief, there was not a word of +blame from him; on the contrary, he had murmured a word or two of +approval here and there while I had been telling my tale, and was now +about to prove his undiminished confidence in me by entrusting me with +the command of another expedition against the same formidable foe. I +could not possibly have hoped for a more favourable reception. + +I soon found the Master-Attendant, and inexorably button-holed him while +I explained what I wanted done, although the poor man was frightfully +busy just then, several ships being in harbour, refitting after having +been in action with the enemy. But, let him protest as he might, I +would not release him until he had agreed to do everything that I +required; the result being that when the dockyard men knocked off work +to go to dinner that day, the felucca was already alongside the wharf, +and more than half her ballast out of her; while, when the dockyard bell +rang at six o'clock that night, signalling the cessation of work for the +day, her hold had been swept clean, a quantity of dunnage laid in it, +and four 68-pounders stowed on the top thereof, well packed up all round +to prevent them from shifting when the craft was at sea. But although I +remained on the spot until the last moment, supervising matters in order +that everything might be done to my satisfaction, I still managed to +reach the Pen by seven o'clock--a smart sailing boat up to Kingston, and +a ketureen from thence out to the Pen being my means of conveyance. + +Sir Peter was as much surprised as pleased when I reported to him the +amount of progress that I had made during the day. + +"It is wonderful!" he exclaimed. "How in the world did you manage it?" + +"Simply by sticking to the Master-Attendant, and so preventing him from +doing anything else until he had attended to my requirements," I +replied. + +The Admiral laughed in enjoyment of the picture his mind conjured up of +the Master-Attendant vainly trying to shake me off. + +"Poor Carline!" he remarked. "How he must have suffered before he could +bring himself to the point of setting aside all his other work to attend +to you. He is a good man, a most excellent fellow in every way; but he +has one fault--he allows himself to be too much trammelled by routine. +With him everything, irrespective of its importance, must be attended to +in its proper order; and now that you have jolted him out of his groove +it will be days before he will be able to get comfortably back into it." + +I have no doubt Sir Peter was right, but I did not wait to see; all I +know is that by noon the next day I had brought the unhappy man into the +frame of mind that caused him to yield prompt attention to my +requirements, rather than waste valuable time in a fruitless endeavour +to evade them; with the result that, three days later, the felucca was +ready for the next expedition which I was to lead against the pirates. + +The moment that my preparations were complete I reported to the Admiral, +and received his formal instructions to proceed to sea at once; and that +same evening we weighed and stood out of harbour with the first of the +land-breeze. We now had to make a passage to windward; and although I +hugged the southern coast of Jamaica as closely as I dared, thus +availing myself to the fullest possible extent of the land-breeze as far +as Morant Point, it was not until daybreak of the ninth day after +sailing from Port Royal that we arrived off the entrance to the Pirate +Cove. Here we were baffled for a couple of hours, waiting for the +springing up of the sea-breeze; but we caught the first breathing of it, +and took it in with us, arriving at the anchorage about one bell in the +forenoon watch. + +My plan of campaign was perfectly simple. I intended to enter the Cove, +and, if the pirate schooner should happen to be in harbour, run straight +alongside her, and board before her crew should have time to clear away +their guns and bring them to bear upon the felucca. + +I had a strong enough crew to do this, and had no doubt as to our +ability to carry the schooner in the face of the most determined +resistance that the pirates could offer. Then, the schooner captured +and her crew safely confined below, the establishment ashore would have +no alternative but to surrender at discretion, or be annihilated by the +schooner's guns. There was only one weak point that I could see in this +scheme, which was that a considerable number of the men constituting the +shore portion of the establishment might escape into the interior of the +island, unless some means were devised to prevent them. It was, +however, not very difficult to accomplish this; for it will be +remembered that there was but one way of entrance to--and egress from-- +the Cove on the land side, namely, a narrow and very dangerous zigzag +path down the face of the perpendicular cliff, a gap in which, wide +enough to prevent all effectual possibility of passage that way, might +easily be made by the explosion of a bag of powder. The preparations +for the little expedition which was to accomplish this piece of work +were made during the time that we were lying becalmed off the mouth of +the Cove; and when at length we entered, a boat, containing four seamen +in charge of a midshipman, who had been most carefully instructed +concerning the precise nature of the duty which he was to perform, was +cast adrift, just inside the Heads, but outside the islet which masked +the entrance. While they pulled away for the shore we in the felucca +stood on into the Cove, every man of us with his sword or cutlass girded +to his waist, and a brace of loaded pistols thrust into his belt, +standing ready to leap aboard the schooner--should she happen to be in +the roadstead. + +We had no sooner cleared the islet, however, and fairly entered the +Cove, than we discovered that the schooner was not in harbour, and that +consequently we should be obliged to adopt the modification of plan +which I had devised in view of such a very possible contingency. But +although the _Tiburon_ was not in the Cove, the anchorage was not +tenantless, a brig of some two hundred and seventy tons being moored +therein, while apparently every boat belonging to the settlement, as +well as her own, was passing to and fro between her and the shore, those +bound shoreward being loaded to the gunwale, while those coming from it +were light. At the first glimpse of this somewhat unexpected sight, I +jumped to the conclusion that the vessel was a prize; but almost +instantly I remembered that, in addition to the _Tiburon_, the pirates +owned a brig, by means of which they disposed of such captured booty as +they did not require for their own use, purchasing with the proceeds +other goods of which they stood in need; and I had very little doubt +that the craft before us was the brig in question. Be that as it might, +our first task was, obviously, to secure possession of the vessel; and +the felucca was accordingly at once headed for her. + +So busily employed were the pirates aboard the brig in the task of +hoisting out cargo and striking it into the boats alongside that we were +quite half-way across the bay before they discovered our presence, +although the people ashore, who were unloading the boats, did their +utmost to warn their comrades, by hailing and pointing. But no sooner +was the felucca seen and recognised than the whole place was thrown into +a state of consternation. The alarm bell ashore was rung, the people +made a dash for their weapons, and then, tumbling the goods haphazard +out of the boats on to the sand, sprang in and pulled might and main for +the brig, while those on board her swarmed up out of the hold and down +over the side into the half-loaded or empty boats, and gave way for the +shore in a very panic of confusion. + +But although the brig was moored well in, so that the boats passing to +and fro might have but a short distance to travel, we in the felucca +were alongside and had secured undisputed possession of the vessel +before the boats with their armed crews had traversed half the distance +between her and the shore; seeing which, the occupants paused and drew +together, as if to confer and to await further developments. Of this +brief pause we promptly availed ourselves by getting the brig under way +and working her and the felucca out toward the entrance, when, much to +our astonishment, the boats with one accord turned round and pulled back +to the beach. This unexpected action on their part was a great relief +to me, for I had fully expected that they would make a concerted effort +to recapture the brig, or the felucca, or both, by boarding, in which +case we should have had our hands full, and must almost certainly have +lost a few men. But probably they believed the felucca to be armed with +cannon, and fully expected to be received with liberal doses of grape +and canister, which would fully account for their sudden and unexpected +display of prudence. Be that as it may, we were allowed to work both +craft out to sea without molestation; when, having hurriedly overhauled +our prize and found that she was amply provisioned for a much longer +voyage than that to Port Royal, I put her in command of my second +midshipman, with a prize-crew of ten men, and, giving him instructions +to report to the Admiral without delay, dispatched him forthwith. Then, +transferring myself and the remainder of my following back to the +felucca, we re-entered the Cove and came to an anchor outside of but +close to the islet that masked the entrance, and in such a position that +the little craft could be warped right in alongside a bit of cliff that +dropped sheer down into the water. We had scarcely done this when a +deep, hollow _boom_, echoing and re-echoing along the face of the cliff +that enclosed the Cove, told us that the party which had been dispatched +to breach the road up the face of the cliff, and so cut off the retreat +of the pirates toward the interior of the island, had accomplished its +task. + +Time was now all important to us; for, of course, we could not tell at +what moment Garcia, the arch-pirate, and his crew in the _Tiburon_, +might put in an appearance upon the scene; and we had a few very +important preparations to make before we could consider ourselves ready +to deal with him; therefore we had no sooner let go the felucca's anchor +than we lowered the only other boat that we had brought with us, and ran +warps away to the shore of the islet, securing them to such rocks as +were most convenient for our purpose. This done, we warped the little +craft right in alongside the cliff, and made her secure; after which our +next task was to carry ashore two stout hawsers which we had brought +with us for the purpose, and convey them to the top of the cliff under +which the felucca lay moored. Then we rigged a pair of sheers over the +vessel's hatchway, and proceeded to hoist our 68-pounders out of the +hold--one at a time, of course. Then, having got the first gun on +deck--already prepared in Port Royal dockyard, by being encased in a +stout cylindrical packing of planks--we passed the bights of our two +hawsers round it, one at each end, and with all hands tailing on--except +one, whom we set to watch as a sentinel--proceeded to parbuckle it up +the face of the cliff. It was a stiff job, but, all our preparations +having been made beforehand, everything went without a hitch; and when +we knocked off work for the night all four guns were landed, together +with their carriages; while, so far as we could discover, the pirates +ashore remained in absolute ignorance not only of our doings but also of +our whereabouts. + +The same night, waiting until the darkness was sufficient to hide our +movements from the pirates ashore, the gunner, the boatswain, the +carpenter and I ascended to the highest point of the little islet, in +search of a suitable spot upon which to construct our projected battery, +and were fortunate enough to find it on the very summit itself. It was, +indeed, perfectly ideal for its purpose, for it commanded not only the +whole of the interior of the Cove, with the settlement ashore, but also +both entrances, and the open sea, for a space of about a mile. And it +possessed the further advantage that it needed but very little labour to +completely adapt it for our purpose. So eager was I to complete our +preparations that I would fain have set the men to work upon it that +night; but they had already done extraordinarily well in getting the +four guns landed and mounted upon their carriages; I therefore decided, +though somewhat reluctantly, to let them have a long, unbroken night's +rest; and when the next day arrived I was glad that I had been wise +enough to do so, for they came to their work fresh, and laboured with a +will. As for me, I spent the night doing sentry-go, for I fully +expected to receive a visit from the shore some time during the hours of +darkness. But nothing happened; and when at length day dawned and I was +relieved, I was inclined to believe that our efforts to conceal our +presence on the island from the pirates had been successful. + +With the dawning of a new day, however, the critical period was past, +and I cared very little whether the inhabitants of the settlement did or +did not discover our whereabouts. We, therefore, got all hands to work +the moment that it was light enough to see; and by the time that the +pirates ashore began to show themselves, two of our four 68-pounders +were in place on the spot which we had chosen for our battery, and were +ready to open fire at a moment's notice. But the Cove was too small, +and the islet too close to the settlement for us to conceal our +whereabouts or our movements, when once we began to work upon the +summit, where we were in full view of every eye within a range of a +couple of miles; and the pirates ashore had not been on the move more +than half-an-hour before it became apparent that our presence had been +discovered. The indications that this was the case were clear and +unmistakable; the alarm bell clanged out its summons, and instantly all +work ceased and every man was seen to be hurrying toward the building in +which I had been interviewed by Fernandez upon my arrival in the +settlement. This could mean but one thing, namely, a speedy attack upon +the islet; and in anticipation of this we hastened the completion of our +preparations, so that we might be quite ready to meet that attack when +it came. Our first business was to get the remaining two guns into +position, and bring up to the battery our entire stock of ammunition. +This did not cost us more than half-an-hour's strenuous labour, at the +completion of which all hands went to work to tumble a sufficient +quantity of ballast into the felucca to enable her to stand up under +sail; and the moment that this was done I sent her out to sea, with a +midshipman and four hands on board--in order that she might not fall +into the hands of the pirates--with instructions to return only when the +British ensign should be displayed from the battery. + +Scarcely was the felucca under way when the sentinel who had been left +in the battery, to keep watch upon the movements of the pirates ashore, +summoned us to our posts; and upon our arrival there we at once saw that +our preparations had not been completed a moment too soon. For, as we +topped the hill that obstructed the view of the Cove from the seaward +side of the islet, we saw the whole male population of the settlement, +numbering about one hundred and forty, marching down to the beach, with +the evident intention of embarking in their boats and pulling off to +attack us. With the aid of my telescope I could distinctly distinguish +the figure of Fernandez, who was assuming the direction of operations; +and I could not but admire the strictness of the discipline which he +appeared to exercise over his followers, for the fellows seemed amenable +to his briefest order. They possessed exactly twenty boats in all, +ranging in size from a craft capable of accommodating forty men down to +the little Norwegian dinghy in which I had made my escape, and it was +evident that every man of the party had been previously told off to some +particular boat; for upon their arrival at the beach the hitherto +compact body at once dissolved into twenty separate detachments, each of +which made its way, in a perfectly orderly manner, to a particular boat; +the whole flotilla being launched and manned at Fernandez' word of +command. This done, the boats were turned round with their bows +pointing straight for the islet, and--again at the word of command--the +oars, as one, dropped into the water and the expedition advanced to the +attack in a long straight line. + +The boats had not so much as a single gun among them, their crew being +armed simply with cutlass, pistol, and musket; I therefore felt no +apprehension at all concerning the result of the coming conflict, but +rather a somewhat unaccountable pity for the unfortunate wretches who +seemed to be quite unaware that they were advancing to their doom. But +this singular feeling of pity was quickly swamped by the reflection of +the fate that would certainly be ours, should we by any chance be +foolish enough to let the pirates get the better of us; and since it was +important that we should make the utmost of our opportunities, I gave +orders for the four guns to be loaded with grape and carefully aimed at +the four largest boats. This was done, and the four pieces spoke their +deadly message almost simultaneously, the smoke momentarily obscuring +our vision, while the thunder of the discharge echoed and re-echoed +round the cliffs in a long series of slowly decreasing reverberations. +But long before these had died away the breeze had swept aside the pall +of smoke that hid the boats from us, and we saw that, so carefully had +the guns been aimed, each shot had taken effect, the four boats at which +they had been discharged being now mere shapeless masses of wreckage, +among which a few men struggled, here and there, to keep themselves +afloat. + +The casualties among the pirates must have been appalling, for I +estimated that those four boats, being the largest in the entire +flotilla, must have contained at least half the total number of men +comprising the expedition, and, so far as I could ascertain, with the +aid of my telescope, the survivors of the four crews scarcely numbered a +dozen in all! Of course the nearest boats at once closed in upon the +wreckage, with the object of rescuing those few survivors, and in so +doing some half-a-dozen of them became bunched close together for about +a minute. Such an opportunity was too good to be missed, and our guns +having meanwhile been smartly loaded again, two of them were brought to +bear upon the bunch, and simultaneously discharged. The result of these +two shots was scarcely as effective as that of the previous discharge-- +possibly because the gun-captains had become a little flurried and +excited--nevertheless two of the boats aimed at were blown to pieces, +while two or three of the others showed signs of more or less serious +damage, and the occupants were thrown into such dire confusion that, +abandoning all further effort to save their comrades, they took to their +oars and seemed intent only upon getting apart as quickly as possible, +an example which was immediately followed by the remaining boats, the +crews of which opened out until there was at least a couple of fathoms +of clear water separating boat from boat. + +For a few seconds I was under the impression that the havoc thus quickly +wrought by our guns had so far discouraged the pirates that they +intended to abandon the attack upon the islet--for there were several +very evident signs of hesitation among them--but presently, apparently +in response to the exhortations of Fernandez, who pulled along the line +in a fast gig, the oars dipped once more, and the remnant of the +flotilla most gallantly resumed its advance, amid cheers and yells of +encouragement and defiance that clearly reached us on the islet. + + + +CHAPTER TWENTY ONE. + +THE EXTERMINATION OF THE PIRATES. + +Nothing could possibly have been better, from our point of view, than +the foolhardy gallantry of the pirates in thus persistently pressing +home their attack upon the islet, for the advantage was all on our side, +and must remain so until the enemy had landed and come to hand-grips +with us; and it was imperative that, in order to ensure our own success, +as many as possible of our foes should be put _hors de combat_ before +the fight became a hand-to-hand melee. It certainly seemed, at the +first blush, to be rather cowardly to pelt the poor beggars with grape +while they were unable to strike a blow in return; but the feeling was, +after all, one of very weak, false sentimentality. Every man of them +was an outlaw and, even if not yet an actual murderer at least a +potential one, and a consorter with cruel, cowardly brutes in human +shape who would destroy without mercy if they were not themselves +destroyed--who were, in fact, worse than wild beasts; for whereas the +latter take life merely to satisfy the cravings of nature, the average +pirate slew for the sheer love of slaying, and in order that he might +gratify the unnatural lust that caused him to revel in the sight of +human suffering. Therefore, after the first qualm of reluctance, I felt +no compunction in ordering the gunners to ply their weapons upon the +advancing enemy with all the skill at their command. And right +willingly did the men obey my order, sponging, loading, priming, +pointing, and firing with the fell determination of men who knew that +they must slay or themselves be slain; aiming so carefully that every +shot was made to tell with disastrous effect; so that the advancing +boats gradually fell into confusion as shot after shot whistled through +them, sinking a boat here, shattering another there, and killing or +maiming so many of her crew that she could neither advance farther nor +retire, but lay upon the water a mere drifting, blood-bespattered wreck. +Had the distance between the beach and the islet been half as far again +as it actually was, there can be no doubt that the entire expedition +would have been swept out of existence; as it was, nine out of the +twenty boats which left the settlement survived to reach the islet, and +were grounded upon the beach just below the battery. As the keels +grated in upon the shingle their crews sprang out, dragged the boats +well up, so that they would not go adrift, and then, sinking upon one +knee, emptied their muskets at us, to cover the landing of their +comrades; we, on our part, holding our fire in readiness to meet the +rush upon the battery that was now imminent. + +Here Fernandez, still unwounded, exhibited the only bit of sound +generalship that had distinguished the attack; for instead of allowing +his men to charge up the slope promiscuously as they landed, to be cut +down or bowled over by our pistols, in detail, he ordered them to form +up, in single file and open order, until the last boat had arrived, +probably guessing that we were without muskets, and knowing that he and +his men were for the moment beyond pistol-shot. Then, after allowing +them time to recharge their muskets, and a minute or two additional in +which to recover their breath and prepare for the desperate up-hill rush +at the battery, he gave the word to advance, himself leading the way, +while we, with naked cutlass in one hand and pistol in the other, +crouched behind our low breastwork, watching the toiling figures +scrambling and struggling up the steep, almost precipitous slope. + +They had advanced about half-way, and Fernandez, still leading, was just +about within pistol range, when I rose to my feet, sprang up on the low +earth parapet which we had constructed, raised my sword above my head, +and, in as loud and authoritative a voice as I could command, shouted, +in Spanish: + +"Halt!" + +Then, as the advancing pirates wavered and hesitated, in astonishment at +my unexpected action, I continued: + +"Fernandez, and you others, I call upon you to throw down your arms and +surrender, in order to prevent the further sacrifice of life. You can +do no good by persevering further in this futile attack, for we are the +masters of the situation, and we can shoot down every man of you before +it will be possible for you to reach the spot where I stand. To push on +will simply mean--" + +_Crack_! One of the pirates, crouching behind another, had coolly +levelled his musket and taken a pot shot at me, the bullet passing +through my hat and searing my skull like a white-hot wire, so that I +toppled over with the shock and fell back into the arms of one of my +men. The yell of savage joy raised by the pirates at the sight of my +fall was echoed by my own men as they sprang to their feet, intending to +leap over the low parapet and charge down upon the advancing foe to +avenge me. But I was not really hurt, and, shaking off the grip of the +man who held me, I cried out in time to stay them, adjuring them, by all +that they held dear, to stand fast where they were, and finish the fight +in the battery itself. And splendidly they obeyed me, although they +might well have been excused had they ignored my command; for the firing +of that musket-shot served as the signal for a general fusillade on both +sides, in the course of which four of our men fell. But ours was the +commanding position, and by the time that the pirates had emptied their +muskets and pistols at us we had brought them to a standstill, with more +than half their number down. After that there was no possibility of +further restraining our lads, nor, indeed, was there any need. We, +therefore, poured out over the low earthwork and down the few yards of +slope that still intervened between us and the enemy, and the next +moment were engaged in a hand-to-hand, life-and-death conflict, neither +side expecting or giving quarter. For the few seconds that it lasted it +was warm work, the pirates fighting desperately--since they knew that, +if taken alive, the halter awaited them--and then, in the space of a +minute it was all over. The last of our foes was down--as well as a few +more men on our own side--and we who remained unhurt stood gasping for +breath, and mopping our perspiring brows as we glared hungrily about us +for more foes to conquer. But there were none; and presently pulling +ourselves together, we gathered up our own wounded and carried them to +such shade as could be found, where the surgeon's mate, who formed one +of our company, at once got to work upon them, attending to their hurts. +Meanwhile the ensign was hoisted as a signal to the felucca to return +to the harbour; and then such of us as could be spared went out to +disarm the wounded pirates and afterwards afford them such relief as lay +in our power, while others again gleaned the weapons and ammunition of +the fallen, recognising that they might possibly be useful in our fight +with the crew of the _Tiburon_ later on. + +Then, having made all arrangements for the conduct of the work on the +islet during the next few hours, I took the two largest boats that had +survived the passage across the waters of the Cove, and with a dozen +men, armed to the teeth, under the leadership of myself and the +boatswain, pulled away to the settlement, to see how matters stood in +that direction. As I had anticipated, there was not a man left in the +place--not even a boy above fourteen years of age; every male above that +age had been detailed to take part in the attempt to capture the islet, +which Fernandez had fully recognised to be the key of the entire +position. And now, of the hundred and fifty who had taken part in the +disastrous attempt, every one was either slain, or lay wounded in our +hands. + +While I was taking stock generally of the situation, so to speak, and +making my further plans, the boatswain, assisted by the seamen whom we +had brought ashore with us, made a careful and systematic search of +every building in the place, removing every weapon, everything that +could be used as such, and all ammunition, and transferring them to the +two boats prior to our return to the islet. There were not many +weapons, and not a very great quantity of ammunition; but there was more +than we could conveniently stow in the boats. We, therefore, took a +portion of it out to about the middle of the bay and there threw it +overboard, returning for the remainder and conveying it to the islet. +The most important result of our visit to the shore, however, consisted +in the information, freely given me by one of the women, that, so far as +she had been able to gather from the conversation of the men, the +_Tiburon_ and her crew might be expected to arrive in the Cove at any +moment. + +By the time that I and my party got back to the islet the day was well +advanced, the felucca had returned to the Cove and was now anchored +inside the islet, close to its southern shore, and the surgeon, although +still busy among the wounded pirates, had doctored up the whole of our +own wounded and made them comfortable. As might have been expected from +the peculiar character of the engagement and the enormous advantage of +position which we enjoyed, our casualties were singularly light, +consisting only of five killed and nine wounded. But in the case of the +pirates there was a very different story to tell. I had ascertained, +while ashore, that they left the settlement one hundred and fifty +strong; and now all that remained of them amounted to just thirty-seven +wounded, of whom at least one quarter would probably succumb to their +hurts. Those thirty-seven I caused to be put into the boats, as soon as +they had, been attended to, and conveyed to the settlement, where I +turned them over to the care of the women folk, who, I thought, would +probably be able to give them more attention and better nursing than we +could hope to afford. The next day, at the urgent request of several of +the women, I also caused our own wounded to be taken ashore, where, +under the supervision of the surgeon, they were taken in hand and most +tenderly cared for. The dead--both our own and as many as we could find +belonging to the pirates--were hastily sewn up in canvas, weighted, and +launched overboard from the felucca, which was taken well out to sea for +the purpose. + +It was about three bells in the forenoon watch, on the fifth day after +the attack upon the islet, that two sail were sighted by the lookout, +standing in toward the Cove; and half-an-hour later I was able to +identify one of them as the infamous _Tiburon_, while the other was a +large craft, apparently British, judging by her build and the cut of her +canvas; doubtless a capture. + +We had long ago made every possible preparation to give the pirate +schooner a warm reception upon her arrival, going even to the length of +surrounding our battery with a parapet and masking the latter by +covering it with sods of growing grass. We had now, therefore, nothing +to do but patiently to await the arrival of the enemy, confident that he +would sail right into the Cove, unsuspectingly, and never get so much as +a hint of our presence until we should open fire upon him. + +As we had planned so matters turned out; the two vessels entered the +Cove together and simultaneously came to an anchor, the big craft--upon +the stern of which we descried the words Berwick Castle: Bristol-- +anchoring about a cable's length east of the schooner and, very +fortunately for those chiefly concerned, well out of our line of fire. + +We waited until we saw the anchors of both vessels splash into the +placid waters of the Cove, and heard the rumble of their cables as they +smoked out through the hawse-pipes; then, while the gunners brought the +four 68-pounders, loaded with round shot and grape, to bear upon the +crowded deck of the pirate schooner, another party raised a rough +flagstaff, to which a British ensign had been nailed, and dropped its +heel into a socket already prepared for it. Even then it was nearly a +minute before our presence was discovered by the pirates, who were at +that moment busily clewing-up and hauling down their canvas preparatory +to stowing it. But the boatswain, the gunner, and I all had our +telescopes focussed upon the schooner, keenly watching every movement on +board her, and it was not long before I recognised upon her +quarter-deck, issuing orders and generally carrying himself with an air +of authority, the handsome rascal who, during the fight between the +_Tiburon_ and the _Wasp_, had hailed us asking whether we had struck. +Almost on the instant of recognising him I saw a man run up to him, +excitedly say something to him, and point toward the islet. The +handsome rascal--who was without doubt the pirate captain, Manuel Garcia +himself--stood, stared amazed for a few seconds at the islet, and then +made a dash for the companion, from which he withdrew a telescope, which +he levelled in our direction. For perhaps a quarter of a minute he kept +the tube steadily pointed toward us; then with a gesture of mad ferocity +he dashed the instrument to the deck, and, seizing his speaking-trumpet, +placed it to his lips. The effect was an instant stoppage of the +operation of clewing-up and hauling down aboard the _Tiburon_, while +every eye in her was, as by one impulse, directed toward the islet. But +the pause endured only for a space of a few seconds, just long enough to +enable the gazers to identify the flag flying on the islet as the +British ensign, thereupon everybody seemed to be galvanised into +instant, breathless activity again. Now, however, the former processes +were reversed; the men who were already half-way aloft, intent upon +furling the canvas, started to return to the deck, others sprang to the +sheets and halliards and began to sheet home and hoist away as if for +their lives, and, in short, it was evident that the pirates contemplated +getting under way again and attempting to escape out to sea. + +It was at this moment that the boatswain, who still had his glass +focussed on the schooner, cried out: + +"They're goin' to cut her cable, Mr Delamere! Look, sir, and you'll +see a chap hurrying for'ard with an axe in his hand." + +"Is that so?" I exclaimed. "Then bring Number 1 gun to bear on the +schooner's forecastle and sweep it clear. Quick, before they can cut +her adrift! It will never do to have her drifting all over the Cove." + +I was interrupted by the crashing report of Number 1, which, with the +others, had already been most carefully trained upon the schooner; and +as the smoke blew away we saw the vessel's port bulwark, all about the +cathead, thickly dotted with white marks where the shot had struck, +while the forecastle, which had been crowded with men a moment before, +was now clear; not so much as a single head showed above the rail. + +"Give them the other three guns, as quick as you please; and keep up +your fire, with grape only, until you receive further orders," I cried. +And almost as the words left my lips the other three guns bellowed their +terrible message, in response to which the men on the _Tiburon's_ deck +seemed to shrink and disappear. But although a good many of them went +down, enough were still left to enable them to man their port broadside +of seven 12-pounders, as well as their long 32; and with astounding +rapidity they brought the whole of these guns to bear upon the spot from +which the jets of flame and smoke issued, marking the position of our +guns, while they defiantly ran up the black flag to their main truck. + +Now the action raged fast and furious, both sides loading and firing as +rapidly as they could, although I continually exhorted our own gunners +to give themselves plenty of time to take careful aim. The enemy +quickly got our range to a nicety, and their shot came screaming about +our ears and plumping into our earthen rampart in an almost continuous +shower, blinding us with the dust and dirt that they threw up, and +occasionally sending the splinters flying in all directions when the +shot happened to strike a stone. Yet, marvellous to relate, although +several of us were suffering from severe contusions caused by those +flying splinters of rock, not one of us was, thus far, actually +disabled, while, within ten minutes from the beginning of the firing, +that of the schooner slackened perceptibly, showing plainly how severe +was the punishment which we were inflicting upon her. This was further +exemplified by the fact that presently a man was seen to be hailing the +_Berwick Castle_, in response to which two boats were lowered, and, +crowded with men, pulled over to the schooner. Thus reinforced, the +_Tiburon's_ fire breezed up again for a few minutes; then it gradually +slackened again; and finally, when the action had been in progress some +twenty minutes, it died away altogether, the black flag being slowly and +reluctantly hauled down, a minute later, in token of surrender. + +"Cease firing, lads," I cried; "the schooner has struck. Now, while the +guns' crews remain here, ready to open fire again, if need be, the rest +of us will go aboard and take possession." And, with a wild cheer, some +thirty of us leaped the ruins of our parapet and dashed headlong down +the steep slope to the little strip of beach where half-a-dozen boats +were drawn partly up out of the water. + +To pounce upon those boats, rush them afloat, and then tumble +helter-skelter in over the gunwales was the work of seconds only; then, +throwing out the oars, away we went for the pirate schooner, keeping +well apart, in case of a treacherous resumption of firing on the part of +the pirates. But nothing occurred, everything remained silent--almost +ominously so--on board the schooner, one head only showing above the +torn and splintered bulwarks--that of a man who, apparently wounded, +clung to the main-topmast backstay, seeming to watch our approach. As +we drew nearer that head gradually assumed a recognisable appearance in +my eyes, until at length I felt convinced that it was that of Garcia +himself. Suddenly, as I watched, the fellow disappeared, not as though +he had sunk to the deck exhausted but rather as though he had gone +elsewhere at a run, and with his disappearance a strong suspicion of +some diabolical treachery on his part gripped me. I wrestled with it +for a few seconds--until in fact we were within half-a-dozen fathoms of +the schooner's side; then, influenced by some irresistible impulse, I +sprang to my feet and shouted: + +"Hold water all! we will go alongside the ship first, and see what is +the state of things there. The schooner is safe; she cannot escape; but +while we are aboard her who can tell what may be happening aboard the +ship? Round with the boats, men, and pull alongside the Englishman!" + +With one accord the boats swept round and headed for the _Berwick +Castle_, and a couple of minutes later we were alongside and swarming up +her lofty sides. I was in the act of swinging in over her rail, in the +wake of her main rigging, when a terrific concussion shook the vessel +from stem to stern, a loud _boom_, like the explosion of a pent volcano, +rent the air, and, looking in the direction of the sound, we saw a vast +sheet of flame and smoke suddenly burst from the schooner; her masts, +guns, and a vast quantity of debris--among which we recognised some +thirty or forty human bodies--went hurtling high into the air; her sides +opened out, showing her ribs here and there black against the white +flame; and then the torn and dismembered hull sank in the midst of the +seething waters of the Cove, followed by the plunging debris as it came +down again after its flight into the air. My instinct had warned me +aright; the man I had seen was, beyond all doubt, Garcia himself; and he +had fired the vessel's magazine in the hope of blowing us all into the +air with him as we boarded! + +"By the Living Jingo, sir, that was a lucky thought of yours to order us +to board this ship first!" gasped the boatswain, with white and +quivering lips, as he clung to the rail. "Where would we all ha' been +if we'd gone on and boarded that schooner, as we at first intended to?" + +As soon as our somewhat shaken nerves would permit we proceeded to +search the _Berwick Castle_, in the hope of finding some at least of her +crew, but there was no trace of them beyond the seamen's chests in the +forecastle and the clothing of the master and officers in their +respective cabins, all of which showed signs of having been made free +with by the captors; the crew had vanished, to the last man, having +doubtless been offered, in accordance with the pirates' usual policy, +the alternative of service under the black flag, or--death. And +apparently, to their eternal honour, they had chosen the latter. + +My story is done, for there is no need to weary the reader with prosaic +details regarding the arrangements which I made for the removal of the +women from the pirate settlement prior to its destruction, or how the +latter was accomplished. Let it suffice me to say that the destruction +was so thorough and complete that no encouragement was left for other +pirates to adopt the place as a rendezvous; and, so far as I am aware, +no other pirates ever attempted to do so. + +We sailed for Port Royal that same afternoon, about two hours before +sunset; and just as the great luminary was about to sink gorgeously +beneath the western horizon the wind failed us and afforded me the +opportunity to do something which I very greatly desired to do, namely, +to call upon my friends Don Luis and Dona Inez, the two warm-hearted +friends who had played the Good Samaritan, and treated me with such +generous hospitality, when I had been brought to their house, more dead +than alive, after the loss of the _Wasp_. Thus far I had had no +opportunity to pay them a visit, but now, by a lucky chance, the wind +happened to fail us when we were within a couple of miles of the shore, +and almost exactly abreast of Bella Vista, which was distinctly visible +from the deck of the _Berwick Castle_, in the strong light of the +setting sun. + +I took my glass and carefully examined the shore, found the beach upon +which I had been landed, saw that the water was smooth enough to permit +of my landing, and recognised that here was an opportunity to visit my +friends, and express my gratitude for all that they had done for me, +which might never occur again. Next, I turned my glass upon Bella Vista +itself, and saw that the doors and windows were opened, the latter +draped with curtains, and I fancied I could even make out one or more +persons seated under the shadow of the veranda; it was pretty certain, +therefore, that my friends were at home, and I at once made up my mind +to visit them, as I felt that I might with safety, for the calm would +last about two hours, and then the land-breeze would spring up, and the +_Berwick Castle_ could then work close inshore and heave-to until I +should rejoin her. + +My preparations were soon made, and within ten minutes of arriving at my +decision to go ashore, having left the boatswain in charge and given him +all necessary instructions, I was in the boat and heading for the beach. +Of course it was quite dark some time before the boat's keel grated +upon the sand; but that fact did not greatly trouble me, for I knew my +way quite well, and had very little difficulty in finding the path which +led up to the house. + +The building was by this time lighted up, and as I approached I heard +voices, among which that of Don Luis was easily distinguishable. Then, +as I ascended the steps which led up to the gallery running round the +house, I heard Dona Inez speak, and the next moment she stepped out +through the drawing-room window, and caught sight of me. + +For a moment she stopped dead, with a startled look in her eyes; then, +with a little scream of delight she darted forward, seized my hands, and +impulsively kissed me on both cheeks in the Spanish fashion, much to my +embarrassment. + +"Luis--Luis," she cried, still holding my hands, "come hither quickly, +_caro mio_, and see the most welcome sight that you have seen for many a +day!" + +"Why, yes, of course I will," responded Don Luis. And the next moment +he too stepped out on to the gallery, straight up to me, and, like his +wife, kissed me! + +"Welcome! a thousand welcomes, my dear Don Ricardo!" he exclaimed, +snatching my hands from his wife's clasp. "But where on earth have you +sprung from?" + +"From yonder," I answered, pointing to seaward where the lantern at the +_Berwick Castle's_ gaff-end shone like a star through the darkness. + +"Well, you are just in time for dinner," he exclaimed, "so come in. +There are others here who will rejoice to once more see you whom we +thought dead long ago." And as these two dear, warm-hearted, impulsive +friends dragged me in through the open window I became aware that the +entire Mendouca family were in the drawing-room; and by them, too, I was +very cordially welcomed, though, naturally, with a little more restraint +than that displayed by Don Luis and his wife. + +Oh! what a dinner that was, and how genuinely delighted they all were to +see me--not excepting Mama Elisa and Teresita, both of whom insisted +upon seeing me when they learned that I was in the house. Of course I +had to relate to them in detail everything that had happened to me, from +the moment when I went forth to reconnoitre on the memorable day of the +attack on Bella Vista by the blacks, and many and loud were the +ejaculations of amazement as I reached the most telling points of my +story. It appeared that they had waited anxiously for my return, and +had only finally given up hope at nightfall, by which time they had +arrived at the conclusion that the blacks had got me and carried me away +into the mountains to torture me to death. They told me that they had +mourned for me as for a brother, and their delight at finding I still +lived convinced me of the truth of the assertion. Later I learned that +the Mendouca family were still enjoying Don Luis' hospitality, pending +the rebuilding of Montpelier. + +It was not until after ten o'clock that night that I succeeded in +dragging myself away from Bella Vista, and only then upon the promise, +which I most willingly gave, to keep in touch with them by letter, and +repeat my visit as often as possible. But so far as the latter part of +my promise was concerned, fate was against me, for I never again was +privileged to meet any of them. + +It was six bells of the first watch when I reached the _Berwick Castle_, +by which time the land-breeze was piping up strong; and as soon as the +boat was hoisted to the davits we filled away for Port Royal, where we +arrived in due course, and landed our prisoners, to the number of +twenty-three. Three weeks later they underwent their trial for piracy +on the high seas, and, the evidence against them being overwhelming, +they were all hanged at Gallows Point a fortnight after their +conviction. + +As for me and my crew, we obtained full and even generous recognition +for our exploit, the merchants of the various West Indian islands +combining together to present me with an exceedingly handsome service of +plate, and to subscribe to a purse the contents of which was to be +divided _pro rata_ among the other officers and men of the expedition. +The Admiral was good enough to express unbounded satisfaction at what he +was pleased to term "the unusual skill and discretion" with which the +task of exterminating a most formidable nest of pirates had been carried +out; and he took considerable pains to afford me an early opportunity, +not only to undergo the formalities of a court-martial for the loss of +the _Wasp_, but also to pass my examination. Immediately after this +latter event he presented me with my commission to a crack frigate; and +in her I subsequently saw much exciting service, lasting up to the +short-lived peace of Amiens, toward the end of the year 1801, by which +time I had attained to the rank of post-captain. But although many of +my subsequent experiences as an officer of the British Royal Navy were +sufficiently strange and exciting, it was never again my lot to cross +swords with a pirate; for "pirating" became an occupation to be shunned, +so far as the West Indian waters were concerned, for several years after +the memorable example made by the British Government in the inexorable +hunting down and destruction of the notorious Garcia, the pirate of +Hayti, and his formidable band. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's A Middy of the King, by Harry Collingwood + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A MIDDY OF THE KING *** + +***** This file should be named 24615.txt or 24615.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/1/24615/ + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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