CHAPTER SEVEN.
MY COMMAND ENDS.--AT SEA ON BOARD THE ORPHEUS.--ON A LEE-SHORE.--SAVED.--SENT UP PROVIDENCE RIVER.--THREATENED BY FIRE-SHIPS.--EMPLOYMENTOF SPIES.--THE OLD SPY AND HIS NEPHEW.--ATTACKED BY FIRE-SHIPS.--EXECUTION OF THE SPIES.--SAIL ON A CRUISE WITH OTHER FRIGATES.--PRIZESTAKEN.--A PRIVATEER ESCAPES US IN A GALE.--CHASE VESSELS ON SHORE.--EXPOSED TO HEAVY FIRE.--NARROW ESCAPE.--MY YOUNG MESSMATE WOUNDED.
"Well, skipper, I'm afraid our cruise is at an end," said Delisle,coming into my cabin one morning as I sat discussing such a breakfast asrarely fell in those days to the share of a midshipman before my warmstove.
"Oh, bird of ill omen, why croak you forth such dire intelligence?" Iasked, as he threw off his snow-covered coat, and prepared to join me inmy meal with a look which made me fear there were not many more such instore for us.
"Because, by the pricking of my thumbs, something evil this way comes,in the shape of the `Orpheus,' of which I caught a glimpse as I camealong, standing into the harbour," he replied, knocking the top off anegg.
We had been reading Shakespeare, and various other literary productions,and had become somewhat poetical in our style of conversation. Mymessmate's information was but too true--that very afternoon we receivedorders to deliver up our prizes to the agents, and to rejoin our ship.With what sorrow of heart did I bid farewell to my neat cabin, my airysleeping-place, my comfortable sofa, my warm stove, and all the otherluxuries with which I had been surrounded; and with what thoroughdisgust and discontent did I take possession, after my long absence, ofmy berth on board the old Orpheus! Really, I had no right to complain,and I was truly glad to see many of my shipmates again.
The heavy islands of ice, which came floating down with each ebb,threatening to crush in the bows of the ship, compelled us to move downclose to the fish-market, where we were sheltered from them.
On the 20th, having received on board a number of rebel prisoners, whomwe were to take round to Rhode Island, we sailed in company with HMSSolebay, Daphne, and Harriet packet, but parted with them off SandyHook. Our passengers were in a very sad state of destitution andsickness. Fever soon broke out among them, and it spread rapidly amongour crew.
We quickly were doomed also to experience another of the numerous illswhich seamen are heirs to. This was a gale of wind which sprung upabout midnight from the south-east, catching us most completely on alee-shore. We had made but little offing, and every minute the windincreased, and we, I saw, were drifting closer and closer onto the coastof Long Island. Captain Hudson, Mr Willis, and Mr Flood, the master,were in earnest consultation.
"What will you give for our chance of saving the ship?" said Delisle tome as we stood holding on to the weather bulwarks, while the spray indense masses was breaking over us--the ship heeling over till herlee-guns were buried in water with the heavy press of canvas it wasnecessary to carry to give us a hope of beating off.
"A midshipman's half-pay for a week and a day, unless the wind shifts ormoderates," I answered. "I believe the old barkie was never in greaterperil. If we save the people's lives we shall be fortunate."
"So the captain seems to think. I never saw him more anxious," repliedDelisle. "My idea is that we shall have to cut away the masts andanchor. My only consolation is that if we escape with our lives, it isthe only part of the coast where we should not to a certainty be madeprisoners of war."
I agreed with Delisle. To anchor would be our only resource, but one onwhich I feared we could place very little reliance. The anchors mighthold; but with the whole roll of the Atlantic tumbling in on us, and theterrific gale there was already blowing, and every instant increasing, Ifelt that there was small chance of their so doing. Dark and darkergrew the night, higher and higher rose the sea, and fiercer and morefurious blew the wind. Still the stout ship struggled bravely on; herlee-side pressed deep into the water, while torrents of foam broke overher weather-bow and deluged us fore and aft. It seemed doubtful indeedwhether the masts would long stand the tremendous strain put upon them.High above the roaring of the tempest was occasionally heard the ominousvoice of the man in the chains as he sung out the depth of water inwhich we floated, showing that we were slowly though surely shallowingit.
That dark and terrific night will not easily pass from my memory.Captain Hudson had ordered the cables to be ranged in readiness toanchor. The carpenter and his crew were sent for, and ordered toprepare for the last desperate expedient of cutting away the masts.Every now and then, as a bright flash of lightning darted from the sky,they might be seen with their gleaming axes uplifted, ready at a momentto execute the fatal order. Everybody was on deck, for our danger wasapparent to all.
"What shall we have to do?" asked little Harry Sumner, as he stoodshivering with the cold by my side.
"Obey orders and trust in Providence, my boy," said I. "If the anchorsdon't hold and the ship goes to pieces, we may have to swim for it, andthen, Harry, keep an eye on me, and if I can lend you a helping hand, Iwill. I must not promise too much, for I may not be able to helpmyself."
"Thank you, Hurry, thank you. Oh, I am sure you will do all you can forme," said the boy gratefully.
The coolest man on board was the captain. He stood on the weather-sideof the quarter-deck, one hand holding on by a stanchion, the othergrasping his speaking-trumpet, his hair streaming from beneath his hat,and his coat-tails fluttering in the gale. I love to picture our bravecommander as he appeared at that moment, when he knew the lives ofhundreds depended on his calmness and decision.
"By the deep nine," was heard from the man in the chains. Scarcely hadthe words been uttered, when down came the tempest on us with redoubledfury, and the wind and sea roared so loudly that it would scarcely havebeen possible to have heard his voice again. Suddenly there was a lull.
"By the mark eight," was now heard with startling distinctness. A flashof lightning revealed the captain as he raised his speaking-trumpet tohis mouth. We knew what was coming. At that very moment the sails gavea loud flap against the masts, the ship plunged violently, but rose onan even keel. The captain took the trumpet from his mouth. Suddenlythe gale backed out of its former quarter, and shifted to thenorth-west. There was a shout of satisfaction; some few, perhaps,breathed a prayer of thankfulness for our preservation as we ran offfrom the dangerous coast.
On the 23rd we reached Rhode Island. The fever had spread so rapidlyamong our men that in a few days we sent no less than ninety of them tothe hospital on shore, while we kept an equal number of sick on board.On the 27th the commodore sent us a hundred men from other ships, andordered us to cruise for a month in Buzzard's Bay, between New BedfordHarbour and Martha's Vineyard. The latter quaint-named place is one ofthe many islands off that coast inside Nantucket Island. The extremeseverity of the weather made our cruise thoroughly disagreeable, andmuch prevented the people from recovering their health; indeed, itconsiderably increased the number of our sick. In truth, it was verytantalising and provoking to be kept for nearly a week knocking aboutfor no purpose scarcely ten leagues from our port without being allowedto enter it. At last the captain could stand it no longer, so we putback on the 3rd of March, and were forthwith sent up Providence River asan advanced ship. Here we had frequent skirmishes with the enemy, whotook a sly pop at us whenever they could, but without doing us muchdamage. On the 10th of March we received orders to proceed to seaimmediately. We sailed accordingly that night, and the next morningcaptured a sloop from Charleston, bound to Boston with dye and indigo.That night we anchored under Block Island, and for some days cruisedabout in the hopes of picking up some prizes, I conclude. I fancy thatthe commodore had received notice that some vessels with valuablecargoes might be expected in the neighbourhood about that time. Weanchored in Martha's Vineyard on the 16th, where some of our youngstersexpected to find grapes growing, and were much disappointed ondiscovering that none were to be found there, especially in March, andtwo days after we once more returned to Rhode Island without having madeanother c
apture. We were quickly sent off again, and, having bagged aprize, returned on the 3rd of April, when we were ordered up the riverto relieve the Cerberus as the advance-ship off Providence, our stationbeing between the Island of Prudence and the mainland. A glance at themap will show the number of islands in that fine estuary, whichterminates in Providence Bay. On one of them, called the Island ofHope, near which the ship was generally at anchor, to vary the monotonyof a sea life we employed ourselves in the cultivation of gardens. Ourhorticultural knowledge was not very extensive, but we managed duringour stay to raise various crops of quick-growing esculents, and on ourdeparture we disposed of our property to our respective brother-officersbelonging to the ship which relieved us. Our life was, however, farfrom one of Arcadian simplicity, for we were constantly aroused by war'srude alarms, and had every night to row guard in three flat-bottomedboats ahead of the ship, to prevent a surprise. The enemy were ever onthe alert, endeavouring to find some means of destroying us. This wasbut natural, as we were completely putting a stop to their commerce, onwhich their existence mainly depended. We had, however, a number ofspies employed, who brought us information of all the plots formedagainst us. Some brought us information, influenced by a spirit ofloyalty to the king, and a belief that they were serving a good cause;but others were mercenary wretches, who were willing to be employed bythose who paid them the highest. The reports of these latter, though itwas necessary to employ them, were always received with great caution byour captain. He could scarcely conceal the disgust he felt for them.One morning, about ten days after our arrival, as we were washing decksat sunrise, while I happened to be looking over the ship's side, Iobserved a small boat standing towards us from Prudence Island. As shedrew near, I saw that there were two men in the boat. They were dressedas ordinary seamen. One was a young man of nineteen or twenty; theother was much older, with his hair already turning grey--a stout,strong-featured, healthy-looking man. The younger man was rather tall,and had a pleasant, honest face. When the sentry hailed them, theyasked leave to come on board to see the captain. Captain Hudson wasalready up. I went to inform him of their arrival, and by his desireconducted them to him. Their manner was frank and open, and they seemedto have made a favourable impression on the captain. When they left thecabin he ordered them to be carefully provided and looked after. Iafterwards had much conversation with them. The elder had been asoldier in his youth, and served the king in many parts of the world.They were both imbued with an almost romantic feeling of loyalty. "KingGeorge was always a good and kind master to me, and I'm not going todesert him when he most wants me because his ministers choose to do whatsome of the people of this country don't like," said the elder man. "Igot a wound in his service in my thigh here, so I can't march and carrya musket as I did once, or I would have gone down and joined theroyalists at New York, but there are other ways of serving his Majesty,though they are somewhat risky, I own; but what of that? every manshould be ready to die in a good cause. It's very bad, though, all thisfighting and bloodshed among folks of the same race and kindred, andnow, if they'd followed my advice, I don't think it would ever have comeabout. As I used to say to my nephew, Amos Weeks here, `Amos,' said I,`wait a bit and don't be in a hurry. Write and petition against thetaxes as much as you like. Taxes must be laid on, and somebody must paythem, and if we don't like them we must petition, as I say; but anythingbeyond that will be rank treason and rebellion, and that's wicked andabominable. Suppose this country was to become free and independent asthey talk of, what would the people do? Either they must make GeneralWashington a king, or they will soon quarrel among themselves and cuttheir own throats.'" The old soldier spoke so earnestly, and thereseemed to be so much good sense in what he said, that I put it down. Hecertainly proved himself a very good advocate of the king's cause. Fromhim we learned that the enemy were about to make a grand attack on uswith their fire-ships, and in the hurry and confusion which wouldnecessarily ensue they hoped to enable three of their frigates, whichhad long been waiting an opportunity, to run past us and to get to sea.That night we were doubly on our guard, though we could scarcelyincrease the precautions we had already taken. It was very dark, with astrongish breeze blowing down the river. There had been almost a galein the day, with a heavy rain, which would have afforded the enemy agreater chance of success had we not been on the watch for them. MrGaston, our third lieutenant, Delisle, and I had charge of the threeboats. Our ears were more likely to serve us than our eyes, consideringthe thick darkness with which we were surrounded. My boat was theheadmost--that is, farther up the river than the rest. Grampus was withme. "Hist, sir, didn't you hear the chirp of a block?" said he in awhisper. "The lubbers should have taken care to use more grease if theywanted to surprise us." I fancied I had heard the same sound. Welistened breathlessly while the crew lay on their oars. It came from upthe river, directly ahead of us. "Ah! there it is again," said I. Forsome time we waited without moving, all hands peering into the darkness.At length I thought I discerned one spot darker than the surroundingatmosphere. I gazed at it earnestly. Gradually the spot increased indensity till it resolved itself into the hull of a vessel, with canvasset, standing directly down towards us. There could be no doubt thather intention must be to run aboard the Orpheus, and that she must be afire-ship. "Give way, my lads," I whispered, steering directly for herbows. The instant we reached them we threw on board the grapnels we hadprepared for that purpose, and began to tow her away across the stream.As we did so a fire of musketry was opened on us from her deck, whichwounded one of our men. We had no time to reply to it, nor was itrepeated, the crew of the fire-ship having taken to their boat. Thesound and flash of the fire-arms brought the other boats to ourassistance, and they began to pepper away at the retreating boat as shewas disappearing in the gloom. In less than a minute she was no longerto be seen. For another instant there was a perfect silence, thensuddenly a bright light shot up from the hold of the fire-ship, flamesburst forth from her ports and from every quarter, and climbed up herrigging, while fire-balls and all sorts of missiles of destructionleaped forth in every direction, a bright glare extending far and wideover the broad stream showing us our own ship on one side, with herspars and rigging in bold relief, traced against the dark sky; and onthe other, towards Providence, it shone on the white sails of three orfour large ships and several smaller ones, which we concluded werefire-ships. We fully expected an abundance of hot work.Notwithstanding the great risk we ran of destruction, we towed lustilyaway till we had got the fire-ship well out into the stream, so thatthere was no longer any risk of her drifting down on the Orpheus; whilefortunately, as we had a long painter, we escaped without injury. Weknew that before she reached the other ships she would have burnt out,so we cast off and prepared to grapple with any more of the same uglycustomers which might be sent against us. The Orpheus had, in the meant ime, sent all her boats to our assistance, and together we waited inexpectation of the attack; but hour after hour passed away, and when themorning dawned our mysterious and phantom-like enemies had, like theghosts of romance, disappeared from the landscape. The adventure of thenight would have seemed like a dream, had it not been for our woundedcomrade and the charred bits of wood which lay scattered about the boat.This night's work I describe as a specimen of what frequently occurredduring our stay in the river. The following night I was sent on shoreto land our two spies, that they might learn what were the nextmovements proposed by the enemy.
"Good-bye, Mr Meeks, good-bye," said I, as I landed the old soldier;"it is hazardous work you are on, so be cautious."
"I know that, sir," said he, "I know that; but the man who would servehis country must be ready to risk life and property, and all he holdsdear."
I have sometimes, long, long since then, thought, if people were but asready to devote themselves to the service of their Creator as they arebody, mind, soul, and strength, for the purpose of carrying out someworldly objects, how much better would it be for their spiritual
good,for their eternal welfare!
For several nights after this the enemy were very quiet; no attempt wasmade with their fire-ships, nor were we aware that their boats ever camenear us. We therefore began to suspect that they meditated an attack ofgreater magnitude than heretofore. We therefore looked somewhatanxiously for the information which we hoped our spies would be able tosupply. Nothing was done, however, till the evening of the 20th, whenCaptain Hudson sent for me. "Mr Hurry," said he, "Lieutenant Douglasof the `Chatham' has received orders to go on shore at midnight to bringoff our spies, the two Meekses. You are to accompany him. It is adelicate service, and I must caution you to be careful that none of yourmen do anything to give the alarm. I send you on the expedition as Iknow that I can trust to your discretion."
I thanked him for the good opinion he was so often pleased to express ofme, and went below to prepare for what was before me. I took Grampusand Tom with me, and a picked boat's crew, and at the hour arrangedshoved off from the ship's side. Mr Douglas had come on board in theafternoon. He had to communicate with a person on shore, while I had tolook-out for the spies. It was a darkish night, but there was verylittle wind, so that it was necessary to muffle our oars in order thatour approach might not be perceived. As we pulled over the stillwaters, in which here and there the reflection of a star might be seen,as it peeped out between the clouds, we could just distinguish thefringe-like tops of the trees which surrounded the sheltered nooktowards which we were steering. All was still as death as we approachedthe shore. We ran into the nook and landed. Two men were left incharge of the boat, and while Mr Douglas proceeded to the place wherehe was to meet the person he had appointed to see, I led the men throughthe wood to a spot where two roads met, and where the Meekses hadarranged to be in waiting. I whistled twice very low as agreed on, butno one answered. Telling Grampus to wait, I walked along the road inthe hopes of meeting our friends; but seeing no one, I returned to awaittheir coming. It occurred to me, that as strangers might be passing itwould be unwise to expose my men to view; so I posted them behind athicket, and sat down where I was myself concealed, and could at thesame time command a view along the roads as far as the light wouldallow. I had remained there fully half an hour, when I heard footstepsapproaching at a rapid rate. The person stopped where the road branchedoff, as if in uncertainty which to take. I was about to rush forwardwith my men to seize him, when I recognised Mr Douglas. "We shall haveto retreat to the boats, I fear," said he; "some one has giveninformation that we are here, and the neighbourhood is alarmed; but wemust wait till the last moment for the poor fellows we were sent tobring off."
Ten minutes, or rather more, elapsed when we heard footsteps advancingalong one of the roads. They came at a leisurely pace, as if the peoplewere in no hurry. I gave the signal. It was answered by the personsapproaching. "All's right," I observed to Mr Douglas; but almost as Ispoke, the dark figures of a body of men could be distinguished in thegloom, turning a corner of the other road. Seeing this, Mr Douglas hadno resource but to give the order to our party to retreat, for it wasvery evident that the enemy far outnumbered us. As we did so, I calledto the spies to hasten forward, for I knew that we could no longerremain concealed. Hearing my voice, the two men ran on; but at the sametime our foes advanced at a double quick step along the road. I sawthat not a moment was to be lost if we would save the lives of old Meeksand his nephew; so, calling on Grampus and Tom, I made a dash forward inthe hopes of checking the enemy till we could meet them. Unfortunatelythe rebels were too quick in their movements for us, and before we couldreach the fork of the road they had already gained the same place, andeffectually prevented us from saving our friends whom we had too muchreason to apprehend had fallen into their hands, unless they had beenable to save themselves by flying in an opposite direction. From what Ihad seen of the old soldier, I feared he was not likely to run even onan occasion like the present. Mr Douglas now hailed me to return, andof course I did so as fast as I could, as I should inevitably have beenmade a prisoner. As it was we had enough to do to keep our enemies atbay, and had not the darkness prevented them from learning the smallnessof our numbers, they might easily have surrounded us. Though theypressed us hard we kept as close together as the nature of the groundwould allow, and every now and then, led on by Mr Douglas, we utteredloud cries and shouts, as if we were going to make a rush on them. Thestems of the trees also assisted to protect us from the fire which theyopened on us, so that not a man was hit. We were not sorry, however, toreach our boats, when we jumped in with no little haste, for theAmericans were close upon us. They were almost seizing the bows of theboat before we had time to get out the oars and shove into the stream.One, indeed, had seized the painter, but Tom Rockets dealt him such ablow with his cutlass that he was glad to let go. The enemy now rusheddown in numbers to the shore, and began firing away at us as fast asthey could load. Fortunately in the darkness our boat offered no verycertain mark; but the shot came flying about us, spluttering into thewater like a shower of hail. Now and then, _thud_--that peculiarsound--gave notice that a bullet had struck the boat, but not a man washit. As soon as we had got a little way off, we pulled up the stream,and then steered for the ship so as to mislead the enemy as to thecourse we had taken. Long after they must have lost sight of us theflash of their muskets showed that they were still peppering away in thedirection in which they supposed we had gone.
We reached the ship without further adventure. Captain Hudson was verysorry to find that we had come off without the spies; but he at once sawthat this was owing to no fault of ours.
The next morning, as the first lieutenant, as usual, was sweeping theshore with his glass, an exclamation of horror he uttered made me pointmine in the same direction. There, directly abreast of the ship, hungsuspended on the branches of a tree scathed by lightning two humanforms--one was stout and short, the other tall and slight. There wastoo much reason to believe that they were the bodies of our unfortunatespies. No one was near them. Solitary they swung on the river shore, awarning to others who might be inclined to follow their example--a sadresult of the ruthless necessity of war. They probably had been seizedand executed directly after they were captured. We could not blame theAmericans. Our generals had frequently been compelled to do the samewith their spies whom they had taken, but even this did not put a stopto the system. The sad spectacle I have described saluted our eyeswhenever we turned towards the shore; and I, for one, was very sorry forthe fate of Meeks and his nephew; but I must confess that we werebecoming so accustomed to the sights and horrors of warfare that suchsensations lasted but a short time.
I forgot to mention that one of the pieces of information Meeks broughtus was that our messmate Kennedy, who had charge of one of the prizestaken off Cape May, had been taken by the rebels, and was now a prisonerof war in their hands. It was with no slight satisfaction that we sawthe Greyhound come up to relieve us on the 30th of May, when we madeover to our brother-officers belonging to her the full right to all theproductions of the gardens we had so assiduously cultivated on theIsland of Hope. On the 1st of June we ran down the river and anchoredoff Newport, and on the 3rd sailed on a cruise towards the Bay of Fundy,in company with the Amazon and Juno frigates. The officers and ships'companies of the three ships had previously agreed to share theprize-money which might be made on the cruise.
I should be almost afraid of wearying my readers, were I to give aminute account of all the captures we effected and the adventures we metwith, but still I do not like altogether to pass them by. Our mainobject, however, was to intercept the American Commodore Manley, but ashe had a force much superior to ours, it was absolutely necessary for usto keep together, or we might have found ourselves very much the worsefor the encounter. Had it not been for this, we should have taken manymore prizes than we did; indeed, we were compelled to allow numbers ofconsiderable value to pass by without going in chase. On the 26th wetook a sloop from Philadelphia bound for Boston with rice. On
the 26thwe re-took a brig from Oporto, bound to London, which had been capturedby a rebel privateer off Scilly. We sent her to New York, but we neverheard anything more of her, so that she must either have foundered orhave been taken by the enemy. In the latter case the prize-master andcrew must have joined them. On the 11th we took a vessel laden withlumber, which we burnt, and on the 14th a sloop with wood, which we gaveup to the owners, as they were royalists; and on the 16th we took a brigwith fish and lumber from Boston to the West Indies. At length, on the23rd at daybreak, a flush-deck ship was seen becalmed within two milesof us. We made out that she was pierced for twenty guns, and from herappearance we had no doubt that she was a rebel privateer. The boatswere ordered out immediately, but before they were in the water a breezesprang up, and setting every stitch of canvas she could carry, away shewent before the wind. We at the same time made sail in chase with ourconsorts, which were a little astern of us, and of course we had everyhopes of making an important capture. By this time the rebel governmenthad given letters of marque, not only to Americans, but to theinhabitants of various other countries, who, under their flag, hadbecome very troublesome to our trade, and it had become necessary toendeavour to put a stop to the system.
The privateer soon showed us that she had a remarkably fast pair ofheels, and it became doubtful, after a couple of hours' chase, whetherwe had gained much, if anything on her. Sometimes the wind increased,and then our greater size and wider spread of canvas gave us theadvantage, so that our hopes of capturing her rose and fell somewhat asdid the breeze.
We had the whole of the day before us, and a day it was of no littleexcitement. We kept the lead, our consorts following, one on eitherquarter, to be ready to cut her off, should the breeze shift, and placeher to windward. Hour after hour passed, and still we were no nearer toher.
"What chance have we of getting hold of her?" said I to Grampus, who wasstanding with me forward, keeping a look-out on her.
"Why, sir, do ye see a stern chase is a long chase, as every one knows,but a flaw of wind or a bit of a calm, or somewhat of that sort, maythrow her into our power, so that from all I've seen, and you knowthat's not a little, Mr Hurry, I says never give up a-following anenemy as long as you can keep eyes on her. When once you loses sight ofher, why, then its all guess-work, and a chance that you ever claps eyeson her again."
I ever after remembered Grampus's observations both when chasing andbeing chased, and frequently experienced their practical wisdom.Everything was done to increase the speed of the ships, the sails weredrenched with water, so that not a whistle full could escape throughthem, and the hammocks were slung, and shot placed in them, but all wasapparently at first to little purpose.
"The rogues are laughing at us," said Delisle, as he and I paced thedeck together, "I wish we could get a calm, and have a chance ofboarding them with the boats. They would give us some warm work though,I suspect."
"I should hope so," said I. "I have always preferred the excitement ofdownright fighting to the sort of work we have lately had offProvidence."
"I should think so, indeed!" said he. "I have often thought that if Iwere made a prisoner, I should die of ennui. How people can exist shutup within the walls of a dungeon has always puzzled me."
We afterwards had good reason to remember this conversation, and he,poor fellow, sadly to his cost. While we had been speaking, dark cloudshad been gathering in the north-west. They now began to form a thickand heavy bank, which rose gradually higher and higher in the sky.There was little doubt that they indicated the approach of a strongwind, but whether or not it would aid us in capturing the chase was aquestion.
"We shall have something to try our sticks soon, Mr Willis," said thecaptain to the first lieutenant; "but we must carry on as long as theywill stand, rather than let that fellow escape. So fast a craft as heis will commit no little damage to our trade, if allowed to continue atlarge."
"No fear, sir. It is not likely that a rascally rebel will be ableultimately to escape from three of his Majesty's ships," answered MrWillis, who held the Americans in supreme contempt.
"I do not know that," observed the captain, who had a very differentfeeling for the foe. "They have shown in many ways that they are not tobe despised, and several of their vessels have contrived to give us thego-by."
"Ay, yes, to be sure; but then they were probably not worth catching,"said Mr Willis, not liking to acknowledge that the enemy had anythingto boast of. According to him, every battle they had fought had beenlost by them, and the time of their entire destruction was fastapproaching. The squall which had for some time been brewing in thewestward, now made its advent known by curling up the waves, toppingthem with foam and swelling out our sails to the utmost from thebolt-ropes. The chase kicked up her heels a little as it caught her up,and then went staggering away before it faster than ever. After her,however, flew our two consorts and, ourselves, and still we felt surethat we should capture her. The sea rose higher and the wind increased,which was all in our favour, and after some time, there could be nodoubt that we were gaining on her, but night was now approaching, andthe darkness would give her a far better chance than before of escaping.
"Do you think, Mr Willis, we should have a chance of winging her, if wewere to send a shot after her?" said the captain to the firstlieutenant, as they stood together, watching the chase attentively.
"Certainly I think so!" replied Mr Willis; "at all events, I'll try,and I won't fail to do my best."
One of the bow-chasers was forthwith run out and pointed by Mr Willishimself. For a minute or more he looked along the gun at the chase. Atlast he fired. The white splinters were seen to fly from her quarter.The result of his first attempt encouraged him to make a second. Thegun was again loaded, but when he fired no apparent effect followed. Athird time he fired, but if the shot struck, no damage was to beperceived. It was now rapidly growing dark, and Mr Willis was becomingimpatient, for uncomfortable doubts began to rise in his mind as to thepossibility of the cruiser of the much-despised enemy escaping after allfrom us. Grampus was standing near him. "Here, my man," said he, "youhave the credit of being one of best shots in the ship--try what you cando in clipping one of that fellow's wings."
The old seaman looked gratified at the compliment, and prepared himselfto obey. First, however, he cast a hurried glance to windward notaltogether devoid of anxiety. I looked in the same direction. There,gathering thickly and close overhead, was the black mass of clouds whichhad long been driving towards us, the seas looking white and more brokenin the increasing gloom. I thought he was about to speak, but turningto the gun he stooped down, before it and applied the match. Scarcelyhad he fired when its report was echoed by a discharge from theartillery of the clouds, the wind roared in the rigging, the studdingsails, which had not been taken in, were blown away like light fleecesfrom a sheep's back and carried far-off before the gale. Thefore-topgallant sail and fore-topsail sheets were carried away; the shipflew up into the wind, taking the wheel out of the hands of the men,while she almost broached to, creating a scene of confusion which didnot often occur on board; over she heeled to the blast; sheets were letfly; the spray in showers broke over her; the voices of Captain Hudsonand Mr Willis were heard above the uproar caused by the dashing of thesea, the rattling of blocks, and the howling and whistling of the wind,with the other accompaniments of a sudden squall. When order wassomewhat restored, sail decreased, and the ship put on her formercourse, we once more looked out for the chase. Not a trace of her wasto be seen. The dim outline of our two consorts could be perceived oneither quarter. They apparently had been thrown into as much confusionas we had from the squall, but were once more with diminished canvasstanding in the same direction as before.
"Oh, we shall soon be up with her again," said Mr Willis, who had goneforward to look-out himself for the chase. "She doubtless lost some ofher spars, if not her masts altogether, in the squall."
"Not so sure of that," I heard old Grampus mu
tter as he passed me. "Isaw her all a-taunto, running away from us in fine style when we werefirst caught. She's given us the go-by, or I'm no seaman."
All night we ran on, looking out for the chase, and when daylight brokeand a hundred eager eyes were glancing round the horizon she was nowhereto be seen. To pursue her farther would have been vain, besides leadingus too far from our cruising-ground and risking the main object we hadin view.
Returning to our station on the 28th we took two vessels laden withwood, which we gave up as before. On the 4th of July we saw a brig in acalm, about four miles from us. The signal was made for all the boatsof the squadron, manned and armed, to be ready to attack her.Lieutenant Moss, of the Juno, had the command of the expedition. Makingsure of an easy victory, away we pulled towards the stranger over thesmooth shining ocean.
The brig we saw, as we drew near, was heavily armed; her colours wereflying, and she seemed prepared not to strike without a blow. As soonas we drew within range of her guns she opened her fire on us. This, ofcourse, only expedited our movements, and we dashed on towards her asfast as the oars could send the boats through the water. The brig'screw founded their hopes of escape probably on the chance of a breezespringing up, of which there were already some signs, while our aim wasto get on board before the wind filled her sails. The rebels foughtwith desperation, and never relaxed their fire till we were alongside.Two or three of our men had been struck. One lost the side of his faceby a round-shot which shaved him more cleanly than he would have wished,and spoilt his beauty for life. With loud shouts and cries our menleaped on board, and in two minutes the brig was ours. She mounted tencarriage guns and twelve swivels, was laden with rum and sugar, and wasbound for Boston.
On the 5th we ran a brig on shore after a chase of some hours. From hersize and pertinacity in endeavouring to escape, we from the firstsuspected that her cargo was of value. No sooner had she struck thanthe squadron hove-to and the boats were ordered to pull in to re-takeher. I on this occasion remained on board. We were expecting to seethe boats haul off the vessel, when, just as they drew near, a largebody of troops were perceived hurrying down to the shore. The soldiersat once began firing away at the advancing boats, but notwithstandingthey pulled alongside, drove the crew below, and took possession. Wesaw them make a gallant effort to tow off the vessel, but in three orfour minutes, so heavy became the fire, they were compelled torelinquish the attempt. When they reached the ship we found that threemen had been wounded, but happily none were killed.
"A tremendous loss we have had!" exclaimed Mr Heron, who commanded theexpedition, with a look of disgust. "She is worth twenty thousandpounds at least, if not much more. It is not every day the rebels havea vessel like her to give us."
"We must keep a sharp look-out after her, and if she gets off, try toget hold of her another day," said Mr Willis.
In the evening we were directed to stand close in shore to cannonade andendeavour to destroy her, but scarcely had we opened our fire when agale of wind sprung up, and we were compelled for our own safety to runto sea. We, however, did not yet give up all hopes of capturing her. Afew days afterwards, indeed, she fell into our hands, but we were not alittle disappointed to find that the rebels had in the meantime removedthe greater portion of her cargo.
Nothing for some days occurred to break the monotony of our existenceexcept innumerable unsuccessful chases which sorely tried our firstlieutenant's temper, and the capture of a prodigious quantity of fish.So abundant was the supply that it was the business of the mate of thedog-watch to see that what were not eaten were thrown overboard everynight, to prevent the people from keeping them too long. At length Iwas engaged in an expedition with more serious results than had for sometime occurred.
On the 14th we rounded the end of that narrow neck of land known by thename of Cape Cod, and which, circling round like an arm with its elbowbent, forms a wide and extensive bay. We stood along the eastern shore,eagerly looking into every nook and inlet in which a craft could takeshelter. As we got abreast of Cape Cod Harbour we saw three vessels atanchor there--a brig, a schooner, and a sloop. Mr Willis reported themto the captain.
"We'll stand in and overhaul them, then," was the reply, and the ship'scourse was altered accordingly.
No sooner were we perceived by the three vessels than they slipped theircables and made sail in the hopes of escaping. They steered across tothe western shore, either on the chance of finding shelter in somecreek, or being able to beat out of the bay, and thus get to windward ofus.
"We shall bag the fellows this time at all events," said Mr Heron,rubbing his hands as we were fast over-hauling the chases.
They did not, however, give in, trusting to a flaw of wind or somethingelse turning up in their favour. The Amazon and Juno, however, bystanding more to the northward soon cut off all chance of escape. Theywere running for the harbour of Truro, but before they could get therewe drove them all three on shore at some distance from each other. Aloud shout from our crews proclaimed the result of the chase. Theboatswain's shrill whistle sounding along the decks was followed by theorder for all the boats to be manned and armed and sent in to get offthe vessels. I had charge of a cutter with Grampus and Tom, and littleHarry Sumner accompanied me. Our first aim was the brig. We pulledtowards her in good order as fast as we well could. It was not till wewere close alongside that the enemy showed themselves to defend her. Wetook no notice of them, though they opened a warmish fire of musketry onus, but, boarding together, got out hawsers, and while some of the boatswent ahead to tow her out the crews of the others remained on the deckand kept the enemy at bay. Thus in a few minutes we got hertriumphantly afloat, and while she was being towed out from the shore Iwas sent in my boat to set fire to the sloop which lay nearly a milefrom the other vessels. I thought that as the attention of the enemywas engaged with the brig the work would be easy, and pulled boldlytowards her. We had got within musket range when up started threefellows from behind the bulwarks and let fly at us. Their aim was good,for each of their shots struck the boat, though happily no one was hit.This salute, however, did not stop our progress.
"Give way, my lads, give way!" I shouted. "We will soon punish themfor their audacity."
They fired several times after this, but without doing us any damage. Iwas surprised at their boldness in still remaining on board, but on ourfiring the swivel we had in our bows, accompanied by a round ofmusketry, they quickly jumped out of sight. As, however, we were closealongside, and just about to hook on to her chains, the mystery wassolved by the unwelcome apparition of two or three hundred men, withlevelled fire-arms, who appeared mounting a line of sand-banks close tothe water, and behind which they had till now remained concealed. Thefirst discharge with which they saluted us knocked over two of my men,and the next wounded two more. In addition to the musketry two piecesof cannon were brought to bear on us, which, unfortunately for us, werevery well served. Seeing this, and believing that I and all my peoplemust be killed if we attempted to escape, I turned the boat's head roundand sang out for quarter, and all the disagreeables of a longimprisonment rose up before me. So exasperated, however, were thepeople on shore that they paid no attention to my request. Sumner had awhite handkerchief, and, tying it to a stretcher, waved it above ourheads. It was, however, all in vain. The enemy seemed resolved on ourdestruction.
"Harry, my boy," said I, "there is no help for it. If I am hit, do yourbest to carry the boat out. Now give way, my lads! If we can but holdon a little we shall soon be clear."
Even the wounded men pulled away with all their might except one who wastoo much hurt to handle an oar. I took his place and put Harry at thehelm. The shot fell thick as hail around us, the enemy shouting andshrieking at us like demons. Still we held on. Now another of my menwas hit. Suddenly I saw little Harry turn pale. He sat upright asbefore, but his compressed lips and an uneasy look about the eyes mademe fear he was hit.
"Are you hurt, Sumner?" I asked.
"I think so," he answered; "but never mind, it is nothing, I am sure."
I was sure that he was hurt, however, very much, and this made me feelmore savage against our enemies than anything that had occurred for along time, but there was no time to stop and examine his wound. I hadscarcely a man now left unhurt--most of them seriously so. Two poorfellows let the oars drop from their hands, and sank down in the bottomof the boat. Tom was one of them. Grampus, indeed, was the only manunhurt. He seemed to bear a charmed life, for he had run in his timemore risks than any of us without receiving a wound. I was in despair,for I every instant expected to feel a bullet enter my body, and thatafter all we should fall into the hands of the enemy. The boat, too,was almost knocked to pieces, and it seemed a wonder that she couldstill swim. The wind, fortunately, was blowing strong off the land.
"We must try and get the foresail hoisted, Grampus," said I. "If wecan, we may do yet."
"Ay, ay, sir," he answered, stepping forward over the prostrate bodiesof our shipmates to execute the order.
Assisted by two of the men the least hurt, we got the mast stepped.
"Now up with the sail, my men!" I sang out.
At length it was hoisted, though the moment the enemy saw what we wereabout they seemed to redouble their efforts to destroy us. I breathedmore freely as I got the sheet aft, and saw the canvas swelling with thebreeze; but even then I knew that a shot might carry away our mast orhalliards, or, indeed, send us all to the bottom. Just as I had got allto rights, and was ready to take the helm, poor little Harry, overcomewith pain and the loss of blood, sank down by my side. I placed himcarefully in the stern-sheets, and Tom Rockets, though badly woundedhimself, crawled aft and endeavoured to examine his wound and to staunchthe blood which flowed copiously from his side. The bullets began nowto fall less thickly about us than before--a sign that we wereincreasing our distance from the shore. Had the enemy possessed a boatthey might have taken us without difficulty, but, fortunately, they hadnone. Indeed, I have no doubt that their aim was to destroy uscompletely, as a punishment on us for our attempt to burn their vessel.In spite of the shots which still fell around us, we kept steadily onour course, while occasionally I turned an uneasy glance over myshoulder to see how far we had got from the enemy. At length scarcely ashot reached us; a gentle thud every now and then showing us that thosewhich did so had almost lost their power. I was able now to pay moreattention to my young companion. I asked him how he did.
"I am afraid that I am more hurt than I at first fancied," he replied."If I die, you will write to my mother, and tell her all about me, willyou, Hurry?"
"Oh, don't talk of dying, my good boy," I answered, though I felt achoking sensation in my throat as I spoke. "We shall soon be on board,and then you will be properly cared for, and will feel more easy."
"Oh, I do not complain," said he, "still, I have an idea that I ammortally wounded. Perhaps it is only fancy, you know, and I am notafraid."
"That's right, be a brave boy, and keep up your spirits. You've manymore years to live, and will be an admiral one of these days, I hope,"said I, though my hopes were far less sanguine than my words. "See,scarcely any of the shots reach us; we shall soon be out of the enemy'sfire."
He looked up in my face and smiled. One of the wounded men groaned.Harry heard the poor fellow. A look of intense pain passed over hiscountenance.
"Oh, I wish that we could get to the doctor! Let him look to that poorman before me; I am sure he wants him most. Who is it?"
I told him, "Tom Ogle."
"Ah, Tom Ogle," said he. "Don't give way, my man. We were doing ourduty, and there's One aloft who'll not forget us if we trust in Him."
"Bless you for those words, Mr Sumner," Tom Ogle gasped out between theparoxysms of his pain; "they do a poor fellow's heart good."
All this time we were running off the land, with a strong fair breeze,every moment the enemy's shot falling farther and farther astern. Mygreat fear now was that some of my men would bleed to death before theycould receive surgical help. However, they had bound up each other'swounds in the best way they could. From the enemy we at all events weresafe. I did my utmost to keep up the spirits of my men. I was therebyperforming, I knew, half the doctor's work. I had been eagerly lookingout in the offing for our squadron. To my intense satisfaction I nowmade out a sail standing towards us from the northward. I pointed herout to Grampus.
"She's the `Orpheus,' sir. I knows the look of them taw'sels too wellto be deceived," he answered, after watching her for a few moments.
"You're right, Grampus. It's her without doubt," said I. "Hurrah, mylads! We'll soon be snug on board the old barkie."
We neared the ship rapidly. Many eager faces were looking out at us aswe got alongside. Poor little Harry Sumner first claimed my attention.I stooped down to lift him up, that he might be handed on deck. Hischeeks were blanched, his eyes were closed.
"Oh, dear, oh dear! is the child dead?" exclaimed old Grampus, as hetook him from me.
"I fear so," I answered with a sad heart. "Let the doctor look to himat once."
One after the other the wounded men were handed up.
"This is sad work, Mr Hurry," said Captain Hudson, as I went to reportmyself on the quarter-deck. I told him how it happened.
"We must send in again, though, and punish the rascals," said he.
Notice was forthwith given that another attempt was to be made to getoff the brig. Plenty of volunteers came forward; indeed, they are neverwanting when any hazardous work is in hand. The way we had been treatedhad excited great indignation against the enemy among our people. JobSamson, our old boatswain, volunteered to head the expedition. He hadan idea that what others failed to do he could always find out some modeof accomplishing, and, to do him justice, he was ever ready to attemptto carry out his plans in spite of every risk, though he did notinvariably succeed. He soon had his expedition ready. We heartilywished him success as he pulled in towards the shore. The Amazon had inthe meantime come up, and as she was in-shore of us and drew less water,she was ordered to stand in and cover the attack. We eagerly, with ourglasses, watched the proceedings. We could see the enemy, in greatnumbers, mustering on shore. Probably they did not expect that theAmazon's guns were going to take part in the fray. She stood in asclose as she could venture, and then opened her fire: but the enemy,nothing daunted, returned it manfully from an earth battery, which hadbeen thrown up near the brig. In the meantime, in the face of thisfire, old Samson advanced boldly to the attack; but round-shot andmusket-balls are stubborn things to contend against, and the boatswainseeing, however easy it might be theoretically to capture the brig, thatpractically, if he attempted it, he should lose the boat with himselfand every man in her, very wisely resolved to return on board, and waitfor another opportunity of signalising himself. We afterwards foundthat, in this instance, the grapes really were sour, as the sloop andschooner had taken in the most valuable part of the brig's cargo, andthat she had remaining on board only ninety tons of salt. We madeseveral attempts during the afternoon to cut out these vessels, but sowell guarded were they from the shore by riflemen and flying artillery,that after all our exertions we were compelled to abandon the attempt.Happily, however, no one was hit except those who had been wounded in myboat. In the evening, before turning in, I went round to see how thepoor fellows were getting on. They all received me cheerfully.
"We're better off, sir, than if we had been boxed up in a Yankee prison,even though as how we've got some eyelet holes through us, d'ye see?"said Bob Nodder, who was the most severely wounded of any of the party.He observed that I was grieved to see the sufferings they were enduring.
"It could not be helped, Mr Hurry. You did your best for us, and ifyou had not kept cool, sir, we might every one of us have been riddledwith rifle-bullets."
I felt still greater pain when I went to the side of little HarrySumner's cot. He was in the officers' sick-bay, and the doctor had done
his best to make him comfortable. He was slumbering, so I did notspeak. I stood for some minutes watching his youthful countenance. Itwas almost feminine in its beauty--so clear, so fair, so free from theeffects of the evil passions which distort and disfigure so often thefeatures of those of older years. His long light-brown hair had fallenoff his clear broad forehead, and his lips were parted, and movedslightly, as if he were speaking to himself. A sickly gleam of lightfrom the ship's lanthorn, which hung from a beam above, fell on hiscountenance, and gave it a hue so pallid that I thought the shades ofdeath were fast gathering over him. My heart sank within me. Were hisanticipations, then, of evil so soon to be realised? Of evil? Wouldit, indeed, be an evil to him, poor child, to be removed from all thetemptations to vice, from the scenes of violence and wrong with which hewas surrounded? I felt it would not, and still I could not bear thethought of losing him; and there was another, far, far away, who wouldmourn him still more--his mother. Who would have the courage to tellher that she would see her boy no more? I trusted that I might not havethe painful task to perform. I prayed earnestly, for his widowedmother's sake, that he might recover; that he might go through his fierytrials in the world unscathed; that he might withstand the world, theflesh, and the devil, and, through the merits of our Master, attaineternal happiness in the end. The surgeon entered the sick-bay. Isigned to him that the boy was sleeping.
"What do you think of his case, doctor?" said I with an anxious face."Will he recover?"
"If fever does not set in he'll do," answered the medico. "McCallumwill keep a constant watch on him during the night. He'll call me ifany change takes place. Ye need not fash yourself, Hurry; the boy is inno danger, I tell you."
These words consoled me. Still I was not perfectly satisfied. Theheart of a sailor, far removed as he is from the social influences ofthe shore, looks out for something on which to set its more tenderaffections.
I felt for that lone boy as if he had been a young brother or sister.My feelings were, I dare say, shared by many of my messmates. We mostof us, if not cast originally in the same mould, had by circumstancesbecome shaped very much alike as to the inner man; the same prejudices,the same affections, the same passions, the same ideas of honour, and Iwill say the same tender feelings and generous impulses, were shared bymost of us alike. But I was speaking of Harry Sumner. Several timesduring my watch below I turned out to see how he was getting on.McCallum reported favourably of him; so, tolerably contented, I wentback to my hammock and slept soundly.
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