CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
A CRUISE.--LEAVE THE CHESAPEAKE.--NEW YORK.--PRESS-GANGS AT WORK.--CRUELSCENES.--EVIL TIDINGS FROM HOME.--BRITISH TAKE POSSESSION OF YORKTOWN.--PREPARATIONS FOR DEFENCE.--A DANGEROUS TRIP.--MORE LOSSES--ANARROW ESCAPE.--SLIGHT HOPES OF SUCCESS.
At this period of the American war both parties seemed so equallybalanced that it appeared doubtful which after all would come offsuccessful in the contest. The superior discipline of the British, andthe experience and talent of their generals, had frequently obtained forthem the victory in the expeditions which had of late been undertaken.General Arnold's plans had hitherto never failed in Virginia. LordRawdon had obtained a considerable advantage over General Greene inSouth Carolina, while it was hoped, from the bravery and talent of LordCornwallis, that he would carry everything before him in North Carolina.He had been posted at Wilmington in the southern part of that province.His supplies however failing, he took the bold resolution of marchingthrough North Carolina to join Generals Phillips and Arnold atPortsmouth. Sir James Wright held the town of Savannah in Georgia, andColonel Cruger the important post of Ninety-six in South Carolina. NewYork and the country in the immediate neighbourhood was in possession ofthe British, and at that city Sir Henry Clinton, as Commander-in-chiefof the British Army in North America, held his head-quarters.
The British forces however, it will thus be seen, were broken into smalldivisions and stationed at posts so much apart as to be of little mutualassistance. The war thus raged pretty equally in South Carolina, NorthCarolina, and Virginia, and while the force seemed everywhere sufficientfor destroying considerable tracts of country, and accumulating a greatdeal of spoil, it was wholly inadequate to the main purpose of bringingmatters to a conclusion. Thus numbers of brave men lost their liveswithout any equivalent result, and veteran battalions were worn down byfruitless exertions of valour, and by a series of most brilliantsuccesses which produced no permanent result. On the other hand,although the French had landed a small army under the Marquis de laFayette, the American forces were mostly ill-disciplined anddisorganised, and although it cannot be said that they were favourableto the English, they were discontented with the treatment they werereceiving from their own government, many of them being ill-paid,ill-clothed, and often but scantily fed. The unsuccessful attempt ofthe French fleet to enter the Chesapeake was also a great damper to thepatriot cause.
At this time the American forces were separated into as many divisionsas the English. General Greene commanded in the Carolinas, the Marquisde la Fayette was in Virginia, and watched the banks of the James River,to prevent the further advance of the British in that direction, whileGeneral Washington himself remained with another army in the north, hishead-quarters being Newport in Rhode Island. Soon after this GeneralPhillips died, and General Arnold, greatly to the disgust of ourofficers, who did not at all like serving under him, would have had thecommand, had not Lord Cornwallis arrived with his army from the south atPortsmouth.
Such was the state of affairs on shore. At sea the British arms were inmost instances victorious. While the Marquis de la Fayette was hoveringabout General Arnold in the hopes of cutting him off by land, the Frenchexpedition to the Chesapeake, concerted at Rhode Island by Monsieur deTernay and the Count Rochambeau was, as I have described, defeated bythe fleet of Admiral Arbuthnot. The British also were collecting alarge fleet to be ready to encounter one which was expected on the coastof America from the West Indies under the Count de Grasse.
The war was no longer confined to one between England and her revoltedcolonies, but we had now the French, Spaniards, and Dutch to contendwith on various parts of the American coasts, and mighty fleets werecollecting to contest with us as of yore the sovereignty of the seas.I, for one, looked forward with the greatest satisfaction to anengagement with either the Spaniards or the French, the hereditaryenemies of England. I regretted at the same time that the Americans hadadopted the dangerous expedient of calling in their assistance. If theywere to be free, I felt that it would be better for them to achievetheir independence by themselves, instead of trusting to those who weretoo likely to play them some treacherous trick in the end. I felt,however, that our own Government was more likely to come to termsconsidering the immense pressure brought against the country if theAmericans would be but moderate in their demands.
On the 2nd of April we sailed from the Chesapeake with the whole of thesquadron, consisting of seven line-of-battle ships, two fifty-gun ships,five frigates, and two sloops, and stood to the southward in search ofthe French fleet. On the 5th the fleet tacked and stood to thenorth-east.
There is something very exciting and interesting in forming one of alarge fleet of men-of-war. I had sailed often, and more than enoughwith fleets of merchantmen and transports, but then I had generally toact the part of a whipper-in to a pack of lazy or worn-out hounds, andhad to run in and out among them, hailing one, signalising a second, andfiring a shot at another to keep them all in order, caring very littlehow my own ship looked, provided I could accomplish my object. Now, onthe contrary, each ship sailed in proper order, and one vied with theother in the neatness of their appearance, and the rapidity with whichvarious evolutions could be performed.
On the 6th the Charon was detached ahead of the squadron to look intothe Delaware to ascertain if the French fleet was still there. Weobeyed the order with alacrity, though we expected that if they werethere we should be very quickly chased out again. We had great hopesthat this would be done, as we might thus lead them down upon our ownsquadron which was well prepared to receive them. O'Driscoll rubbed hishands as we sailed up that magnificent estuary, keeping a brightlook-out on every side for the mast-heads of the enemy's fleet.
"Arrah, now, won't it be fun to see them all come bounding out likebulldogs when by chance a stranger comes suddenly into the courtyardwhere they are chained up, all barking, and leaping, and pulling withthe amiable wish of tearing him to pieces!" he exclaimed, as I wasexpressing a hope that they might still be found there.
On we sailed, till at last we felt convinced that the Frenchmen hadalready put to sea. Once more therefore we stood out again in search ofthe Admiral. On the 11th we spoke the Chatham, which ship had also beensent to look-out for the enemy. She had taken a prize, and from her hadgained the information that a large fleet of merchantmen was in theneighbourhood, bound from Saint Domingo to Philadelphia under the convoyof the Dean and Confederacy State frigates.
I ought to have said that we had hove-to, and that Captain Ord of theChatham had come on board us, Captain Symonds being the senior officer.Captain Ord now proposed that we should in company cruise off the headsof the Delaware in the hopes of intercepting this valuable convoy. Oncemore there appeared a certain prospect of my picking up an ample supplyof prize-money, but greatly to our disappointment; Captain Symondsdeclined to accede to the proposal, though he allowed Captain Ord toremain if he thought fit. This Captain Ord said he should do, andreturned on board the Chatham, while we made sail to the northward.That evening I heard Nol Grampus holding forth on the subject.
"I knew it would be so," he exclaimed, clapping his right hand down onhis hat, which he held in his left; "our ship's got ill-lack in hersails, depend on that. I don't say nothing against our skipper; what hedoes is all right and above board, and a better man nor officer neverstepped a deck, but, mark my words, that 'ere `Chatham's' people nowwill be filling their pockets with gold dollars, while we shan't have apenny piece to chink in ours; as for our ship, I knows what I knows, andI thinks what I thinks."
The effect of old Nol's remarks were, however, counteracted before long,for on the 13th we sighted a large brig, which immediately stood awayfrom us. We, therefore, made sail in chase. She sailed so fast we hadto do our best to come up with her. It seemed, however, doubtfulwhether we should do so. Nol shook his head, and remarked that nightwould come down, and that she would slip away before we could overhaulher. Hour after hour passed. It was evident that we were gaining o
nher, and at length, at the end of a chase of seven hours we came up withthe stranger, when she struck her flag and proved to be the Peggy, rebelprivateer, of fourteen guns and seventy men, loaded with rum and indigo,from Carolina to Philadelphia.
On our arrival at New York with our prize, we had the mortification tofind that the admiral approved of Captain Ord's proposition, and stillgreater was our annoyance to hear a few days afterwards that he, withthe Roebuck and Orpheus, had taken the Confederacy and several of herconvoy.
And now I was engaged in a scene, to do proper justice to whichcompletely baffles all my powers of description. The fleet were sadlyin want of men. By some means or other they must be procured. New Yorkwas, we heard, full of seafaring men, boatmen and others, accustomed tothe water, whom the war had driven from their usual vocations, and whowere now living on shore. To get hold of these was our object. Itwould not do to attempt to capture them by driblets, for if a few werepressed, the rest would take alarm and hide away where we were notlikely to find them. The admiral's plans were quickly and secretlyformed. All the boats of the fleet were ordered to assemble, with thecrews well armed, by break of day, on board the Rainbow. Silently wepulled in for the city much in the same way that we should haveattempted to surprise a place held by an enemy. Having completelysurrounded all the lower parts of the town inhabited by the class of menwe wanted, we commenced our press. While one portion of our force weretold off to keep guard, the others broke into every house withoutceremony, where there was a probability of finding men. Very seldom westopped to knock for admission. Generally the door was forced open, andin we rushed, seizing the husband from the arms of his wife, and veryoften allowing him scarcely time to put on his clothes, while we werecompelled to endure the bitter invectives, the tears, the screams, andabuse of his wife, whom we were thus cruelly robbing. Sometimes themen, aided by their better halves, made an attempt at resistance, butwere speedily overpowered, bound hand and foot, and carried off. Often,too, we fell in with young men of a better class, mates of merchantmenand others lately married; and truly pitiable was it to witness thegrief and agony of the poor young wives as they saw their husbands inthe power of our rough-looking and seemingly heartless press-gangs.They did not scream; they did not abuse us; but often on their knees,with tears and sighs, they implored us to release those who had becomedearer to them than life itself. These appeals I found harder towithstand than anything else, and had to steel my heart and to assume aroughness which I did not feel, to resist giving way to theirentreaties. I did, as it was, all I could to assure them that theirhusbands would soon again be at liberty; though I might have remembered,had I thought more about it, how bitterly they would be disappointed.In too many instances, husbands and wives then parted, never met again.Fathers, also, were torn from their children, leaving them desolateindeed; young sons were carried off from their parents. We had not timeto stop to listen to any remonstrances. Men must be had at every cost.The only question asked was, "Have you a protection?" If not, seamen,and often landsmen, if they were stout fellows, were bound hand and footand carried off to the boats. I would have given much to have allowedone young man, especially, to escape. He had been aroused by the noisein the street, and was sitting up dressed when we entered his house,holding his wife in his arms. She was a fragile, delicate-looking girl,soon about to become a mother. I felt almost sure when I saw the couplethat the shock would kill her.
"You will not take him, sir?" she said, calmly appealing to me as Ientered the room in which my men had just seized him, though even theywere inclined to treat him with some delicacy. "He has been an officer,sir. You will not carry him off and make a common seaman of him? Oh,sir, he is my husband, he does not wish to leave me. Let him, let himremain!"
This simple and artless appeal affected me much.
"He surely has some protection," said I. "Pray, let me see it."
"Oh, you relent, you relent!" she shrieked out joyfully.
"I have no protection that I am aware of, except the right of beingfree," answered the young man mournfully.
If I let this poor fellow off, so I must many others, and, besides, myduty is to take him; orders must be obeyed, I reflected.
"It cannot be helped," said I gruffly. "You must come along with us.The captain may let you off when he hears your story."
"I'll go quietly, but do not bind me, for mercy's sake," he answeredcalmly.
I walked out of the room. There was the sound of something falling onthe floor. The poor young wife had fainted. Thus the husband had toleave her, unconscious of her bereavement, he was conveyed on board theCharon. Before we left the port, a letter was brought him from theshore. He was a widower. While he remained in the ship he was to allappearance a steady, obedient man, but I suspect that he wreaked abitter vengeance ere long for the cruel wrong he felt that he hadsuffered.
The result of this hot-press was four hundred men, captured thatforenoon. A fleet of transports now received on board another divisionof two thousand troops, to be conveyed to the assistance of LordCornwallis, at Portsmouth.
On the 12th of May, having fallen down to the Hook, we sailed with thewhole fleet for the southward. Nothing occurred on the passage exceptthe capture of an unfortunate brig, which found herself near us in acalm, and upon which nearly all the boats of the squadron set at once.It made me think of a number of birds of prey pouncing down on some poorbeast of burden which has dropped through fatigue on the road. Thecommander-in-chief having given up the command of the convoy to CaptainSymonds, leaving also the Roebuck and Assurance, he parted company,while we continued our course for our destination.
We anchored with the convoy off Sewel's Point on the 20th, and CaptainSymonds remained in command till the 30th, when the Richmond coming in,he was relieved of that duty by Captain Hudson. Twice during that timeI was sent on shore with flags of truce to Hampton, where I was, asbefore, most hospitably received by my friends the Langtons. My firstinquiries on returning to the coast of Virginia had been for ColonelCarlyon. He was still a prisoner at Portsmouth; but, from what I couldlearn, I had hopes that he would soon be exchanged. I was unable to seehim before I was sent off to Hampton. On reaching the house of myfriends, I eagerly asked after Madeline. I felt that it was unnecessarywith them to disguise my feelings, and that it would please them betterif I spoke openly to them on the subject.
"Where is she? Is she safe? Is she well?" I exclaimed, almost beforethe first greetings were over.
To all my questions they gave me satisfactory answers, and I went backmuch lighter of heart than I had been for a long time. They also loadedme with all the luxuries and delicacies which their most fertileprovince can produce, and welcomed indeed they were by my messmates, whohad been for some time living chiefly on salt pork, beef, andpeas-pudding--not pleasant food during a warm spring in that southernclime. On my second visit I had the satisfaction of negotiating theexchange of Colonel Carlyon and some other Americans with several of ourown officers, who had been captured in the numerous engagements ourforces had lately had in the Carolinas, as well as in some of what Imay, with justice, call our marauding expeditions in Virginia. I had anopportunity of seeing Colonel Carlyon but for a moment, when he againexpressed his gratitude for what he was pleased to call the very greatservices I had done him. Curious it may seem, but I had rather he hadsaid less on the subject, and taken it for granted that nothing couldgive me greater satisfaction than assisting the father of one to whom Iwas so deeply attached. There was, I thought, too much stiffness andformality in his mode of expressing himself. I, of course, speak ofwhat my feelings were at the time, and after I had left him my spiritsonce more sank to their former level. Those were busy times, and I hadnot much opportunity of being troubled with my own thoughts.
Once more, on the 4th of June, we put to sea, to convoy thirty sail oftransports back to New York; chased a rebel privateer on our way, butshe escaped us. When there, we refitted the ship, and sailed again forVirginia on the
24th of June. On the 26th spoke the Solebay andWarwick, with a convoy from Europe, and after parting from them on thesame day, sighted another sail, which did her utmost to escape from us.We accordingly made sail after her, and at the end of four hours, oncoming up and signalising her, she proved to be no other than theCartwright packet from Falmouth to New York. The moment I discoveredthis my heart began to beat with anxiety to hear from those I loved sowell. It was long since I had had any news from home. Letters might, Iknew, have been written, but being so constantly on the move as I hadbeen, there were great probabilities of their having missed me. Thepacket hove-to. She had letters on board for the Charon. The bag wasdelivered. I had one. There was a black seal to it. The handwritingwas that of my sister.
There was bad news, I knew. For some moments I dared not open it. Oneof our family circle was gone. When I returned his or her place wouldbe empty. I tore open the letter. One we could all of us least spare,one we had every reason to love and revere, was taken from us. Myfather was no more. A choking sensation filled my throat--tears, longstrangers, then started to my eyes. Often had I pictured to myself thedelight I should feel, should I carry home Madeline as my bride, inpresenting her to him. I knew how he would admire her, how proud hewould be of her, how he would have delighted to call her his littlerebel American daughter-in-law. All that was ended. I should neveragain see the kind, good old man. I dashed the tears from my eyes, andin a hoarse voice gave the order to trim sails as we once more shaped acourse to the southward.
We arrived off the Heads of Virginia on the 9th of July, and found therethe Richmond, Guadaloupe, Fowey, and Vulcan fire-ship. It had been forsome time seen that the town of Portsmouth was not a tenable post. Theneighbourhood, especially in the summer season, was unhealthy, and shipsof any size could not get up sufficiently near it to assist in itsdefence. The commanders-in-chief had accordingly resolved to evacuateit, and to occupy York Town, on the James River, instead. The latterplace was supposed to possess many advantages over the former, while theriver was navigable for ships of far larger burden than those whichcould approach Portsmouth.
The first division of the army having embarked on board the transportsby the 30th of July we sailed with them, Lord Cornwallis himself, whotook the command, being on board the Richmond. We landed the troops onthe 2nd, and took possession of York Town and Gloucester without anyopposition. It was not, however, till the 19th that the second divisionof the army arrived, Portsmouth being entirely evacuated. There was ageneral feeling that events of considerable importance were about tooccur. While we were eagerly looking for a reinforcement of troops andthe arrival of a fleet capable of competing with the French, the enemywere assembling their forces in the neighbourhood, and it was veryevident would bring the whole of their strength to bear upon York Town,and to endeavour to crush our army there before the arrival of the aidwe so much required. I resolved at all events to note down from day today with even greater care than heretofore the occurrences which mighttake place in the stout brown journal which had already been so long mycompanion, and which I had preserved through so many chances ofdestruction both by fire and water--from thieves and the carelessness ofservants and others to whom I had from time to time been compelled toentrust it. Yet here it still is, battered on the outside, like itsowner; but, though its leaves are somewhat yellow and stained, as soundas ever in the main, and with the ink as black as the day it waswritten. Brief but, believe me, perfectly accurate, according to mymeans of information and my own observation, are the descriptions I amabout to offer of those events. Before, however, I go on with myjournal I will give a short account of the position now taken up by theBritish army.
The peninsula which is formed by the rivers James and York is one of therichest and most beautiful parts of Virginia. York Town is situated onthe south bank of the latter-named stream and on the narrowest part ofthe peninsula, which is there but five miles across. Gloucester Pointis on the north, and therefore the opposite side of the river, intowhich it extends so far that it reaches within almost a mile of YorkTown. The two posts thus completely command the navigation of theriver, which is here of sufficient depth to allow ships of considerablesize to ascend it. The force with which we now occupied these twoimportant positions amounted to about 7000 men, and it was the intentionof Lord Cornwallis so completely to fortify them both on the sea andland sides, that they might resist any attack likely to be made againstthem either by the French fleet or the combined American and Frencharmies till we could be relieved by Sir Henry Clinton or by a fresh armyand fleet from England. It was too well known from the first that thearmy was but ill-supplied with guns, and indeed with all the munitionsof war requisite for carrying on offensive, or even defensive,operations against the enemy. This became still more evident when theguns and ammunition were landed from the ships-of-war, and the crewswere summoned on shore to work them. Every effort was made to put ourpositions in an efficient state of defence, for our hopes of beingrelieved from New York were very slight, it being understood thatGeneral Washington was preparing for an attack on that city with all theforces he could muster in the north, at the same time that a sufficientnumber of troops were left in the south to give us a good deal oftrouble, and to cause much anxiety to our commanders-in-chief. By mydaily journal I find that on the 20th of August the Charon's lower deckguns were landed for the defences on shore, while she with the Richmondwas moored so as to flank the enemy should they make an attack onGloucester.
21st.--The troops were engaged in throwing up works, while the seamen ofthe squadron were employed in landing the guns and ammunition, thetransports, meantime, being secured under the town of York.
22nd.--The seamen were employed in the boats, landing at every availablespot on the river, and foraging. On the following day detachments ofmen were landed to assist the troops in throwing up works.
24th.--Foraging parties from the army and navy procuring freshprovisions often having to take them by force, while the remainder wereemployed on the works. It was an ominous circumstance that at no timedid the inhabitants offer a cordial welcome to any of our troops,although to individuals they were often inclined to show courtesy andkindness.
25th.--The Richmond sailed for New York, leaving the command of thesquadron to Captain Symonds.
26th.--I was sent to get off a schooner belonging to the enemy which hadbeen run on shore in a small creek. I accomplished my mission, and, shebeing found a serviceable little craft, the commodore kept her as atender, and appointed me to the command of her.
27th.--The Bonetta was sent to anchor on the Shoe as advanced ship togive notice of the approach of an enemy. I was employed with thirtyseamen in fitting out the tender.
28th.--While the army was employed as before on the works, they wereengaged in pulling down the houses in front of York Town, greatly totheir amusement, it seemed. Tackles were hooked on to the top of thewalls, and thundering down they came almost on the heads of the men.The wonder was that numbers were not crushed beneath the ruins as offthey ran, laughing and shouting with glee at the havoc they hadcommitted.
29th.--The Guadaloupe and Express despatched to Charleston, and theLoyalist sent to the Shoe to relieve the Bonetta.
30th.--A day of much excitement and no little anxiety. About noon theGuadaloupe and Bonetta were seen standing up the harbour under all sail,and soon it became known that they had been chased by a fleet of Frenchships, consisting of twenty-six sail of the line, besides frigates,fire-ships, bombs, and transports, who followed them to the mouth of theharbour and captured the Loyalist within three miles of the town after amost gallant resistance, her masts having gone by the board before shestruck her colours to the enemy. This fleet is commanded by the Countde Grasse, and has come direct from the West Indies. Three of theirships brought up at the mouth of the harbour, but the main body anchoredat Lynhaven Bay.
31st.--The enemy's forces have assembled at Williamsburg, about twelvemiles from York, under the command of the
Marquis de la Fayette, and theFrench fleet advanced to the Shoe. Thus is York Town shut in both bysea and land, and it becomes evident that they intend more and moreclosely to press us in till they completely invest our positions. Thetroops and seamen engaged hard at the works. The shipping removingfurther up the harbour.
September 1st.--The French landed 6000 troops up the James river, whichjoined the Marquis de la Fayette at Williamsburg. The enemy now faroutnumber us. I was sent for by the commodore that night, and directedto guard, till she had safely passed the French advanced ships, anexpress boat which was sent off to convey important despatches to NewYork, describing the dangerous position in which we were placed. Therisk of being captured was very great. My greatest safeguard was in thevery boldness of the undertaking. The night was dark, and as the roadswhere they were anchored were very wide, I might hope to slip by withoutbeing observed. As soon as night fell we sailed. The wind was fair,and we stood boldly on, looking out for the dark forms of the enemy'sships. One after the other were passed, till at midnight we were clearof the enemy, as we believed, and the despatch-boat stood on her coursefor the northward, while I made the best of my way back to port. Here Iarrived by daylight, and my report seemed to give great satisfaction tothe commodore.
2nd.--The seamen of the fleet were removed on shore, and took up theirquarters in tents. Engaged night and day in throwing up works towardsthe sea, from which quarter an attack may be expected.
3rd.--Nine of the French ships advanced to Tous Marsh, and the restemployed in landing the artillery and stores up James river.
4th.--Mounted all the Charon's eighteen-pounders on the new sea works.The seamen engaged in pulling down the front of the town, and in cuttingtrees for stockades.
5th.--The enemy preparing to commence the attack.
6th and 7th.--The seamen unrigging the ships and hauling some transportson shore for the defence of the place. The army, as before, employedwithout intermission on the works, day and night.
8th.--The enemy's advanced ships quitted the river and joined the mainbody at Lynhaven Bay in consequence of Admiral Graves having appearedoff the Capes with twenty sail of the line. After some slightskirmishing with the French, the British admiral was compelled fromtheir great superiority in strength to retreat. The French also ontheir return to Lynhaven Bay unfortunately fell in with the Richmond andIris frigates, both of which were captured.
9th.--My duties are very arduous, but honourable, and show theconfidence reposed in me by my superior officer. I went down the riverin the tender to reconnoitre the enemy's fleet, with orders to comeoccasionally up in sight of York to signal what was going on among them.The French fleet from Rhode Island under Monsieur de Barras had nowjoined them, making their force consist of thirty-six sail of the linebesides frigates, fire-ships, bombs and transports. During the night Isignalled to York Town that the enemy were at anchor in Lynhaven Bay,and then I stood off and on in sight of them, watching for any movementtill daylight.
10th.--Observed the enemy getting under weigh from Lynhaven Bay.Watched them till they stood towards the Shoe. Ran up and signalledaccordingly. Soon after they anchored at that place.
11th.--Calm, moderate weather. At four AM the enemy began to advancefrom the Shoe, at which time I lay becalmed about three miles from them,and as they brought the sea breeze with them while I was without powerof moving, I felt that my time was come, and that I should once morefall into their hands as a prisoner. Ou Trou and all its horrors roseup before me. Old Nol looked very grave.
"It's hard times we shall have of it, Mr Hurry, if the breeze don't besmart about coming, sir," he remarked, shaking his head. "I'd sooner byhalf have a chance of fighting, sir, than running for our liberty."
"We have no choice left us, I fear, Grampus," said I. "However, we'lldo our best, and not give in as long as the little barkie can swim."
"That's it, sir, that's the thing. The people will stick by you and godown in the craft if you wishes it," was his answer.
This being the spirit of my men, my hopes revived. The enemy came onslowly, but still they were nearing me. With hearty good-will every oneon board kept whistling for a wind, but for all that the breeze did notcome. At six o'clock one of the headmost ships tried the range of herguns by firing a shot at me. It came pretty near, but a miss is as goodas a mile. There was, however, no time to be lost. Another and anothershot came whistling after me. I cut away my boat, the breeze wasrippling the water astern. I trimmed sails, the wind filled them. Oncemore the craft began to move. She slipped faster and faster through thewater, and away she went before the wind with everything we could clapon her like a scalded cock, as O'Driscoll remarked afterwards, and forthis time happily escaped the durance vile I had been anticipating. Atnoon I made the signal that the enemy were still approaching, and atfour o'clock, they having anchored at the mouth of the harbour, I ran upto the town with the conviction that Othello's occupation had gone. Inthe evening I accordingly received orders to haul her on shore and tojoin the Charon's at the battery in which they were posted. I do notmean to say that we did not hope by some means or other to succeed, buteven the most sanguine could not help acknowledging just then thatthings looked black and threatening in the extreme.
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