The Heir of Kilfinnan: A Tale of the Shore and Ocean
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CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
In vain Denham urged the brave Dutchman to save his own life, andpromised to use his best exertions in removing those who were least hurtamong the wounded men. He was looking anxiously for the return of theboats. One, however, only was seen to put off from the side of thefrigate with the remainder of the prize crew, Mr Hansom deeming itimprudent to allow more than necessary to make the passage. It was notwithout considerable difficulty that this boat reached the side of theprize. Again Denham urged the captain to quit her, but he refused onthe same plea as before. Indeed, it was very evident the boat herselfwould only carry in one trip the prize crew. Denham had ordered all themen to go into the boat, and at length finding that the Dutchmanpersisted in remaining on board, he could not bring himself to desertthe brave fellow.
"Well," he said, "I will remain too, and assist the men on board to keepthe ship afloat, for I feel I have no business to detain my own peoplewith so great a risk."
"If you remain, Mr Denham, so will I," exclaimed Ned Davis, who hadfollowed his friend. "It may be, if we keep the pumps going, that theship will float until there is time to get more boats alongside."
Before he allowed the boat to shove off Denham wrote a short note to MrHansom, begging him, unless the sea continued to increase, to send boatsto carry off the wounded people; "but," he concluded his note, "shouldit do so, run no risk of losing any lives--leave us to the care of God."
The boat shoved off, and the sinking frigate was left to struggle aloneamidst the fast-rising sea.
The French crew, encouraged by the example of their gallant captain,exerted themselves to the utmost to stop the leak, while those not thusoccupied stood manfully at the pumps. By this means the sorely batteredfrigate continued to keep afloat, but each time the well was sounded itwas found that the water had gained somewhat upon her, in spite of allthe efforts made to free her of water.
Ned Davis was a host in himself, flying here and there, aiding instopping shot-holes, and then returning to take his spell at the pumps.
The young lieutenant anxiously looked out for any signs of change in theweather, but that continued as bad as ever, till it became too evidentthat the frigate could not much longer be made to swim.
Denham thought of suggesting that the wounded men should be brought ondeck, to give them a better chance of escaping; but the doctor said theywould thus to a certainty perish, and that if the ship went down itwould be more merciful to them not to allow them to see the approach oftheir certain destruction.
The ensign was hoisted upside down, as a sign chat the ship was in greatdistress, and guns were fired to draw the attention of the _Cynthia_ toher. Denham anxiously watched the progress of his frigate, feeling surethat from the mode in which the prize laboured in the sea she was notlikely to float much longer. In a short time the _Cynthia_ bore downupon her, but already the sea ran so high that it was evidently a riskto send a boat; and it would have been almost impossible to lowerwounded people into her. Again Denham urged the brave Dutchman, shoulda boat be sent, to accompany him on board the frigate.
"No," he answered; "I have made up my mind to remain by these people,and nothing shall induce me to desert them."
After some time a boat was seen approaching from the _Cynthia_. Denhamnow feeling it was his duty to save his own life as well as that of hispeople, ordered them to take the opportunity as she drew near of leapinginto her. A few of the French crew, who were not wounded, followedtheir example. While Denham remained Davis refused to go into the boat.At length it was evident that at any moment the prize might sink.
"Now," he exclaimed to Davis, "leap into her, and I will follow." Heshook the Dutchman warmly by the hand. "You are a brave man, myfriend," he said; "and though I would stay by you if I could assist insaving your life, my duty to my men and to myself compels me to leaveyou."
"Farewell," answered the Dutchman, seemingly unmoved.
"No time to lose, sir," shouted Davis from the boat.
Denham sprang from the side of the vessel; and scarcely had he reachedthe boat, and taken his seat in the stern-sheets, when the bow of theprize lifted high up above the sea, and then down she sank, lower andlower, till the water washed over her deck, and finally closed againabove her masthead.
The frigate's boat had barely time to pull away clear of the vortex.Several people were seen struggling in the waves; among them Denhamobserved the brave captain, and, though not without great risk, heordered the boat to pull back, to endeavour to get him on board. Once,as they neared the spot, he disappeared, and Denham feared he was lostfor ever. He again, however, rose, when Ned Davis, leaning over thebows, caught hold of his jacket and succeeded in hauling him on board.He was the only person among the prisoners who was saved, for before theboat could reach the others, all disappeared beneath the waves. Happilythe boat had no great distance to go, for it was only by great exertionsand careful management that she was kept afloat. The whole of thewounded and many others of the French crew perished.
The loss of their prize was a great disappointment to the officers andship's company of the _Cynthia_, as they had only the bare victory toboast of, without being able to show the prize when they returned intoport; but far more did they mourn the death of their brave captain. Noone felt it more than Denham. To him he had been a warm and sincerefriend, besides which he knew the agony and grief it would cause to onewho was expecting his return. He dreaded having personally tocommunicate what had occurred, and he was greatly relieved by findingthat the frigate was to put into Port Royal, Jamaica, to refit after theaction.
Mr Hansom did not forget to mention him in his despatches, as havinggreatly contributed to gain the victory, by his courage in assisting tolash the enemy's bowsprit to the _Cynthia's_ foremast.
"Depend upon it, Denham," observed Mr Hansom, "this will be marked inyour favour at the Admiralty; and when you have served your time aslieutenant, you will obtain commander's rank. I wouldn't say this toothers,--but I have a notion that you have a friend at court, and a wordfrom the Earl, with so good an excuse, will be sure to gain whatever heasks for you."
On reaching Port Royal Denham felt it was his duty to write to the Earl,giving an account of the events that had occurred; but he did not alludeeven to anything he himself had done, nor did he ask for the Earl'sinterest for himself at the Admiralty.
Some few months after this Lord Kilfinnan gave up his appointment, andreturned with his family to his native land.