Boy who sailed with Blake

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER TEN.

  A BITTER DISAPPOINTMENT.

  The news brought by the _Diamond_ made the officers and crews of thesquadron eager to return to England to avenge the insult put upon theEnglish flag by Van Tromp. The crew of the _Good Hope_, Royalists asmany of them had been, shared equally in the feeling. So would Lancelotand I, had we not had a more sacred duty to perform; but when wementioned our plan to the commodore, he positively forbade our makingthe attempt.

  "It would be the height of madness to venture in your small ship on theBarbary coast," he repeated. "Before you could explain your object, shewould be captured, and you and your crew would be carried into slavery."

  For a long time we entreated him in vain to allow us to prosecute ourundertaking. At last he said--

  "I will allow you to go, provided your people are ready to accompany youafter you have clearly explained to them the dangers of the enterprise;but I again warn you of your certain fate. My advice is that you shouldreturn to England, make known the sad condition of your own friends, andnumberless other Christian captives in Barbary, and I have little doubtthat as soon as we have thrashed the Dutch, Admiral Blake will be sentout to compel the corsairs to give up their prisoners."

  The only course open to us was to follow the commodore's advice. Bitterwas our disappointment when our crew declined further to prosecute theundertaking.

  In vain Martin and Dick urged them to fulfil their engagement, supportedby Mr Aylett.

  They were ready to fight with a prospect of success, but they had nodesire to be made slaves, or to lose their lives in a hopeless cause,they answered.

  I cannot describe our feelings; we did not possess even the means ofcommunicating with the captives, and letting them know that we weremaking efforts for their liberation. At last the signal was made toweigh anchor, and the _Good Hope_, with several ships ordered home, setsail for England.

  Having met a Dutch fleet which we beat off, though they left us sorelybattered, and encountered a fearful storm which well-nigh sent the _GoodHope_ to the bottom, we at length reached Plymouth in a sinking state.There the shipwrights pronounced the _Good Hope_ unfit again to go tosea.

  This was the climax of our disappointments, for we had not the means ofobtaining another vessel.

  "Cheer up, shipmates!" exclaimed Dick Harvey. "I'll try and induce myfather to help us. He will rejoice to see me back safe, and you too,for he has a sincere regard for you, and is grateful for the service yourendered him."

  Finding that Mr Harvey had gone to London, we repaired thither, takingMartin and Mr Aylett with us.

  Mr Harvey was glad to see his son, and treated Lancelot and me withgreat kindness; his means, however, would not allow him, he said, topurchase a ship, but he advised us to repair to Queensborough, in theisland of Sheppey, where Admiral Blake was busily employed in fittingout a fleet to attack the Dutch.

  That we might not miss the opportunity of joining the fleet, weimmediately went on board a hoy which was going down the river. Wefound the roads crowded with men-of-war, sixty sail at least, besidefrigates, all busily engaged in taking stores, and powder and shot onboard. The admiral's flag was flying at the mast-head of the _Triumph_.As we reached her deck, we found him surrounded by officers, to whom hewas issuing orders. It was some time before we could approach to payour respects. He recognised us at once, and holding out his hand, shookours warmly, listening with much interest to the account we gave him ofour adventures.

  "You have come in the nick of time," he said. "We sail to-morrow insearch of the Dutch. You shall all serve on board. There's work to bedone, and I have not too many officers or men to do it. After we havethrashed the Dutch, I promise you, should my life be spared, to inflictdue chastisement on the Barbary corsairs, and to endeavour to recoveryour friends."

  More than this we could not expect, and we at once zealously set aboutperforming the duties assigned to us. Lancelot and Aylett wereappointed to act as lieutenants, and the admiral directed Dick and me toremain by him ready to signal his orders to the rest of the fleet, tocarry messages, or to perform any other duties he might require.

  On inquiring for his nephew, young Robert Blake, we found that he hadbeen appointed to command the _Hampshire_, a thirty-four gun ship; butas no boat could be spared, we were unable to pay him a visit.

  Near us lay the _Speaker_, Vice-Admiral Penn, and the _Fairfax_,Rear-Admiral Lawson, while the other ships were commanded by the bestcaptains in the navy.

  At daybreak next morning we sailed. Soon after we got round the SouthForeland, a fleet was descried from the mast-head of the _Triumph_,standing out from the land. The hearts of all on board beat high, forwe believed that the enemy were in sight. But the strangers tackingsoon showed English colours, and we found that it was the Plymouthsquadron, which had been sent out to join us.

  Thus, with eighty ships, we stood down Channel, with a north-westerlywind, until we had passed the Isle of Wight. When nearly up to the Billof Portland, the _Triumph_ leading, just as day broke the look-out aloftshouted--

  "A fleet ahead, a fleet ahead! away to the south-west."

  There was no doubt now that the Dutch were in sight. The officer of thewatch ordered me to call the admiral.

  With a cheerful countenance he rose, and quickly dressing himself, cameon deck, going to the fore-top, where I accompanied him, that he mighttake a perfect survey of the enemy with whom he was about to engage.

  On one side of us was the _Speaker_, on the other the _Fairfax_, bothwithin hail, and about a score of other ships forming our vanguard; butAdmiral Monk, with the main body of the fleet, was still some four orfive miles astern. Though we could see them, they were not visible tothe Dutch admiral, Van Tromp, who, having under him many othercelebrated captains, was known to command the Dutch fleet.

  The sun, which was just rising above the horizon, clearing away thewintry mist, showed us the whole shining ocean covered with sails, alarge proportion nearest to us being men-of-war, but fully three hundredothers could be counted beyond them, which were supposed to be merchantvessels.

  Undaunted by the overwhelming numbers opposed to him, without waitingfor the rest of the fleet to come up, Admiral Blake pressed on with allsail to attack the enemy.

  The leading ship of the Hollanders was recognised as the _Brederode_,carrying the flag of Van Tromp. Close astern of us came the _Speaker_and the _Fairfax_, the rest of the vanguard not being far behind.

  "He hasn't got the broom aloft," whispered Dick to me, as he stood closeto the admiral on the after-castle watching the enemy. "If he had weshould soon knock it away."

  "We shall, I hope, before long knock away his masts," I answered. "Butsee, he is getting closer; before another minute is over the fight willbegin."

  We were now so steering, that we should speedily pass along the Dutchline, which only waited for the _Triumph_ to get within range to openfire.

  Presently a puff of smoke issued from the bows of the _Brederode_, andalmost before the shot aimed at us could strike, the _Triumph_ openedfire from the whole of her broadside. The _Speaker_ and the _Fairfax_followed our example, as did the other ships, receiving in return thebroadside of the entire Dutch fleet.

  The Dutch admiral, with the wind free, shot by us, delivering his firefrom one broadside, then tacking under our lee, discharged the otherwith tremendous effect, wounding our masts and spars, riddling ourcanvas and rigging, and strewing our decks with killed and wounded.

  Other Dutch ships imitated the example of their admiral and steered downupon us, when we should have fared ill from odds so overwhelming, hadnot Admiral Penn, followed by two other vessels, come to the rescue anddrawn off the attention of the enemy to themselves.

  As we got out from the circle of fire we could better see what was goingon, though all the time we were hotly engaged with one or more of theenemy.

  Dick and I immediately reported every circumstance to the admiral. Nowthe _Assistance_ was boarded by the Dutch. Now two ships
ran alongsidethe _Prosperous_, and in spite of the valour of her crew, she wascaptured by the enemy. The _Oak_ shared the same fate, though herpeople fought long and bravely.

  On my reporting what I had seen to the admiral, "We must go to theirhelp," he exclaimed, and ordering the master to steer for them, wefuriously attacked the ships to which they had struck.

  We had, however, to contend with the rest of the Dutch fleet, and itappeared to be going hard with us. In spite, however, of almostoverwhelming odds against us, we and the other ships of the vanguardfought on. Often I turned my eyes to the eastward, but could discoverno signs of the advance of the fleet, the thick wreaths of smoke oftenpreventing me from seeing to any distance. At length, however. I sawthe rays of the sun falling on their white canvas, and ship after shipappeared. It was the white division, led by General Monk; as theyarrived they gallantly opened their broadsides on the Dutchmen,increasing the fearful uproar. On every side the sea appeared coveredwith shattered spars and planks. Now a noble ship was wrapt in flames,now I caught sight of the tall masts of another sinking beneath thesurface as she and her crew went down to the depths below.

  The ship we had rescued was the _Prosperous_, of forty guns, commandedby Captain Baker; but he and many of his crew lay dead on the deck.Admiral De Ruiter, who had attacked her, was himself almost surrounded,and would have been captured had not several of the enemy under AdmiralEvertz come to his rescue. The _Speaker_, not far off, was meantimefiercely assaulted, and reduced almost to a wreck. First her foremastfell, then her mizen-mast was shot away, and she would have beencaptured had not several ships been sent to her assistance.

  A Dutch ship within sight, the _Ostrich_, commanded by Captain Krink,with her rigging cut to pieces and her sails in tatters, fought on untilher masts were shot away by the board, when two of our ships ranalongside and carried her. It appearing impossible that she could swim,her captain with the survivors of his officers and crew were hastilydragged on board their captors, and the _Ostrich_ was deserted.

  On the other side of us another Dutch ship, commanded by Captain DePort, was attacked by two of ours, and from the way they handled theirguns, in a short time it was very evident that they had reduced her to asinking state.

  Another brave Hollander, Captain Swers, seeing her condition, hastenedto her relief; but he came too late, and our ship turning on him, erelong reduced him to the same condition as his countryman.

  As I stood on our lofty after-castle I could look down on the fight, andsaw the brave De Port, though lying on the deck desperately wounded,flourishing his hanger and shouting to his crew to resist. Before theEnglish could get on board, down went his ship, carrying him and his menwith her. Scarcely had she disappeared than Swers' ship was seen to besinking, but more fortunate than his brother captain, he and several ofhis officers were rescued by their victors.

  In other directions we could see that several of the Dutch ships hadstruck their flags. Four of ours had been boarded by the enemy, butafterwards recaptured. Among them was the _Sampson_, commanded byCaptain Bullon. So fearfully had she suffered, he and the greaterportion of his crew having been slain, that the admiral ordered theremainder to be taken out, and allowed her to drift away.

  We ourselves, having endured the brunt of the battle well-nigh fromsunrise to sunset, had also suffered fearfully. I was standing near theadmiral, when a shot struck down Mr Sparrow, his secretary, by hisside, and our commander, Captain Ball, also fell shortly afterwards. AsI looked along the decks I could see them covered with dead and wounded,there being scarcely men left sufficient to carry the latter below, thesurvivors having to work on at the guns.

  Still the battle raged, and round shot continued tearing along ourdecks. One came whizzing close to me. Turning at the same moment, Isaw that the admiral was struck. I sprang forward to save him ere hefell to the deck.

  "It's a mere flesh wound," he replied to my inquiries. "Let not the mensuppose that I am hurt," and taking a handkerchief, he, with myassistance, bound it round the wound and resumed his upright position,cheering on the men as was his wont.

  The same shot had torn away part of the buff coat of General Deane, whohad remained on board to aid his old comrade in arms.

  I often, as may be supposed, looked out to see how it was faring with myold friends. Though many were laid low by their sides, still theyremained unhurt.

  The evening of that short winter's day was approaching, when ouradmiral, perceiving the shattered condition of a large number of theenemy's ships, and that no less than eight had been sunk, blown up, orcaptured, directed the fastest frigates nearest to us to make all sailand cut off the fleet of traders, which had been hove to in the distanceduring the day.

  This done he kept his eagle eye on Tromp, who shortly afterwards wasseen to throw out signals to steer to the south-east, followed by aconsiderable portion of his fleet, evidently with the intention ofprotecting the traders.

  Seeing their admiral apparently retreating, the rest of the fleet tookto hasty flight, on which from every English ship arose a loud shout oftriumph, the crews for the moment forgetting the heavy price at whichthe day's victory had been gained.

  As we passed in view of the captured ships, the scene which their deckspresented was sufficient to sicken our hearts. None of the braveDutchmen had yielded until the last hope was gone. Fore and aft lay themangled corpses of the slain, while the shattered bulwarks and even thestumps of the masts were bespattered with blood and gore.

  Though a battle was no new event to me, I turned away appalled andsickened at the sight. Not only were our crews exhausted, but few ofour ships were in a condition to pursue the enemy, and great was ourfear that they would escape during the night; but as the sun disappearedbeneath the western horizon the wind dropped, and both squadrons laybecalmed on the smooth ocean. All the boats which could float wereimmediately lowered, and the wounded being placed in them, they wererowed to shore, where hospitals had been prepared for their reception.General Deane and others entreated the admiral to land and obtain thatattention to his wound which he was so anxious to afford to others.

  "No, no, my friends," he answered, pointing to the lights from the Dutchships, which streamed across the wintry sea. "With the enemy out there,it is no time for me to seek for rest," and before retiring to his cabinhe issued orders that every effort should be made to prepare the fleetfor another battle on the morrow.

  Not a man or boy able to work turned in that night, for all wereemployed in stopping shot holes, knotting and splicing rigging, bendingnew sails, and repairing the tackles of the guns.

  The survivors of the crew of the _Sampson_ came on board the _Triumph_to assist, but even the united crews scarcely made up the ship'scomplement.

  As daylight broke, a light breeze enabled us to make sail, and followedby the whole fleet, the _Triumph_ stood for the enemy, who were steeringunder all sail to the eastward. Soon afterwards we saw ahead a shipfloating which we made out to be Dutch, and as we came up to her, weperceived that she was the _Ostrich_, the ship of the brave Krink, andterrible was the spectacle she exhibited. The masts, shot away by theboard, hung trailing over the side, not a human being stood alive on herblood-stained decks, which were covered with corpses, lying were theyhad fallen when she had been abandoned on the previous day.

  There was no time to take her in tow, and we left her afloat on theocean, the coffin of her hapless crew; then onward we pressed underevery sail we could carry. It was not until noon that we were nearenough to open fire, and it was two o'clock, Dungeness being in sight,before the whole fleet got into action.

  To give an account of the battle would be to describe the scenes of theprevious day. The gallant De Ruiter was well-nigh captured, and wouldhave been so had not another brave Dutch captain come to his rescue.

  Well and courageously did our captains do their duty, imitating theexample of the admiral, and carrying their ships as best they couldalongside the Hollanders. Five or six of their men-of-war were that
evening taken, besides which many others were fearfully mauled.

  Another night came down upon the world of waters, bitterly cold, yetcalm and clear, enabling us to distinguish the lights of the Dutchships, now retreating towards Boulogne.

  The second night was spent like the first, and a third day found usstill in sight of our unconquered foe. The wind had shifted to thesouthward, preventing their escape, and our frigates being againdespatched with all canvas set, bore down on the richly-ladenmerchantmen, while we once more assailed the men-of-war.

  In vain Van Tromp fought with courage and desperation, endeavouringwhile retreating to protect the merchantmen. Already in the distance wecould see the frigates playing havoc among the traders, which werethrown into the wildest confusion, numbers running against each other,some hauling down their flags, others contriving to escape.

  As we pressed on, we could see the other English war ships at length gotamong them, and several ran up to us with the intention, it was seen, ofyielding, and thereby delaying us in our pursuit of Van Tromp.

  "We are not to be delayed by such a device," exclaimed the admiral."Make the signal, Bracewell, to all the ships of war to press onregardless of the traders. The frigates will look after them; they canwith ease be picked up when we have finally defeated Van Tromp and hiscaptains."

  Thus we continued the pursuit until again night was approaching, whenVan Tromp with the remnant of his fleet was seen to run in under theFrench coast, where he dropped anchor and furled his sails. Before wecould reach him night came down upon us.

  It was a night very different to the last. The wind was blowing strongfrom the southward, threatening every instant to increase into a hardgale. Clouds obscured the sky, and darkness and mist shrouded the enemyfrom view.

  Our fleet dropped anchor to the southward of Cape Grisnez, when everyman who could keep his eyes open was employed in repairing damages.

  The pilots asserted that with the wind as it was then blowing from thenorth-east, and with the tide as it would be running during the morning,the Dutch would find it impossible to weather Cape Blanchnez, and welooked forward eagerly to the next day, in the anticipation ofinflicting a final and crushing blow on our enemy.

  Alas! and such is war, though I thought but little at the time of itssinfulness, its horrors, and the sufferings it entails, not only on thecombatants but on those at home, their wives and families. That lessonI was to learn in subsequent years from the son of one of our admirals,who pointed out to me its iniquity, and how contrary it is to all theteaching of the Gospel. Even on lower principles I had already seen thefolly of that war between two Protestant nations, who ought to havecontinued to advance each other's commercial prosperity, and more thanall, to resist the machinations of the sworn enemies of the faith.