James Braithwaite, the Supercargo: The Story of his Adventures Ashore and Afloat

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER TEN.

  AN ANXIOUS TIME.

  Our anxiety to ascertain the fate of those on board the ship which the_Mignonne_ had brought in as a prize induced me, with my brother Williamand Trundle, to make another expedition to the French settlement. Weventured much nearer during daylight than we had done the first time, aswe were certain that the people would be watching the arrival of theprivateer and her prize. We were able, indeed, to reach a spotoverlooking the harbour, where, among some thick bushes, we concealedourselves before the ships came to an anchor. William had brought histelescope, and we could almost see the countenances of the people on thedecks of the ships. The large one was, we saw at once, an Indiamanoutward bound. We knew that by the number of young men and the youngladies on board, and their clear ruddy complexions. Had she beenhomeward bound, there would be old yellow-faced generals and judges,black nurses, sickly ladies, and little children.

  We anxiously watched the proceedings of those on board. The passengerswere walking up and down in a very disconsolate mood: the crew wereclustered forward. By their looks and gestures as they cast their eyestowards the privateer, we thought that even then they were about toattack the Frenchman, and attempt to regain their liberty.

  "I hope they will. I should like to help them," exclaimed William andTrundle, starting up simultaneously.

  I drew them back. "Nonsense! we could not help them, and they will notmake the attempt," I said. "See, the Frenchmen are going on boardarmed. They know what they are about."

  Two large boats with armed men were pulling from the privateer to theIndiaman to strengthen her prize crew, while Captain La Roche was goingon board her in his gig. He was soon up her side, and began bowing andscraping away most politely to the passengers, especially to the ladies.We could almost fancy that we heard him apologising to them for theinconvenience and disappointment he was causing them, with a spice ofmockery in his tone, suggesting that it was the fortune of war, and thatanother day their turn might come uppermost. The crew of the Indiamanwere then sent down the side, and rowed off to one of the hulks, whilethe passengers were conveyed to another.

  "Then those hulks are prison ships after all," observed William, whenthe operation was concluded. "We may get on board them and let out theprisoners some day."

  In this I partly agreed with him, though I could not help seeing thedifficulties in the way. Even this hope was likely to be frustrated,for as we watched the Frenchmen who came on shore, we saw that they werejoined by several men whom we had little difficulty in recognising asthe crew of the wrecked ship, the very people who had lately desertedus. The mate was with them, but we did not see the captain. Perhaps,drunkard as he was, he was ashamed to go over to the enemy. All theparty now entered a drinking-house together, being evidently on the mostfriendly terms.

  We had therefore no longer any doubt that our existence would be madeknown to the privateer's men, and that the difficulty of surprising themwould consequently be much greater than we had calculated on. We foundthat it was time to retrace our steps, all we had gained from ourexpedition being the knowledge that many of our countrymen andcountrywomen were in even a worse condition than we were. Our reportwhen we got back to the tents put our companions very much out ofspirits. What were we to do? was the question. Some proposed that weshould go at once and deliver ourselves up to the French, petitioningfor their clemency. O'Carroll strongly opposed this.

  "We are at liberty now, boys: if we once get into the hands of theseFrench they will be our masters, and make us do what they like," heobserved; and his influence, supported as he was by us, carried thepoint.

  We wondered that Jacotot did not betake himself to his countrymen; buthe laughed and said that he was now an English subject, that he shouldthen be only one among many, that he was with us not only the principalcook, but the only man worthy to be called a cook; indeed, that he wasperfectly content to continue to share our fortunes.

  As several days passed and we received no visit from the Frenchmen, webegan to hope that the seamen had not betrayed us. So far that wassatisfactory, but had they remained faithful, I think that there islittle doubt that we should have attempted the rescue of the prisoners.At last once more we saw the _Mignonne_ put to sea; and immediately onthis, with O'Carroll and Sam Kelson in company, after watching for sometime without seeing anything of the English sailors, we thereforeconjectured that either they had quarrelled with the French and been putin prison, or had gone on board the privateer--too probably the latter.After a consultation, we agreed that we would, at all events, pay avisit to the passengers of the Indiaman. The French could scarcelythink it necessary to keep guards constantly watching them, and we mighttherefore easily accomplish the undertaking. We accordingly set off tomove round the harbour, intending to conceal ourselves in some spot nearthe Indiaman, that we might watch our opportunity for getting on board.We had gone on for some distance, and were approaching the spot,concealing ourselves carefully as we advanced, when sounds of laughterreached our ears--honest English laughter. We stole on, very muchinclined to join in it, considering that we had not had a good laugh forsome time, when from some rocks up which we climbed we saw below us alarge party of ladies and gentlemen engaged in discussing a dinner inpicnic fashion on the grass. They all seemed remarkably merry andhappy. The younger gentlemen were running about helping the ladies, anddoing the polite in the most approved fashion.

  Trundle smacked his lips so loudly at the sight that some of the partyturned a hasty glance in the direction where we lay hidden, supposingprobably that the noise was made by some bird in the foliage above theirheads. In a short time one of the young gentlemen was called on for asong. He without hesitation complied. I forget the strain. It was aright merry one. Another followed him, and then another.

  "I say, Braithwaite," whispered Toby Trundle, "just let me go down andintroduce myself, and then you know I can introduce you all, and I'msure that they will be glad to make your acquaintance."

  I nodded to Toby, and in an instant he slid down the rock, and was inthe very midst of the party before any one observed where he had comefrom. Their looks of astonishment at finding an English midshipmanamong them were amusing.

  "Why, where have you dropped from, youngster?" exclaimed a civilian, ajudge returning from--what was more unusual in those days than atpresent--a visit to England. "The clouds?"

  "Not exactly; 'tis but from up there, where I have a number of friendswho would be glad to make your acquaintance," answered Toby promptly."May I introduce them?"

  "By all means--very happy to see them," answered the nabob, as all civilservants of the Company were called in those days if they were well upthe tree, and had made money. "Bring them down at once."

  "I have not a gun, sir, or I might do it; but I'll hail them, which willanswer the purpose," answered Master Toby, with a twinkle in his eye.

  We scarcely waited for his call, but tumbling down one after the other,we stood before the assembled company, to whom Toby, looking as grave asa judge, introduced us formally by name, finishing off with "Sam Kelson,boatswain's mate of his Britannic Majesty's frigate _Phoebe_."

  "The very ship we spoke the day before we were captured," observed ourfriend the judge. "She was on the look-out for Captain La Roche and hismerry men, and if she falls in with them, they will have a hard matterto escape; but sit down, gentlemen, we are very glad to make youracquaintance. We are companions in misfortune, though in some respectsyou have the advantage over us, by being at liberty."

  We found that the passengers were allowed to live as before on board theIndiaman, and were under no sort of restraint, they having given theirword not to attempt to escape from the island while the French hadpossession of it. We were treated in the most friendly manner by allthe party, Sam Kelson finding a companion in a corporal, the servant ofa military officer going out to rejoin his regiment Trundle soon let outto our new friends the intention we had entertained of trying to releasethem. They thanked us, bu
t said that the attempt would have beenuseless, as the mouth of the harbour was strongly guarded. There were agood many other people on board the ships, while the officers and seamenremained strictly guarded, and were not allowed to visit the shore,except when the _Mignonne_ or some other privateer ship of war was inthe harbour. Their only fear was that they might run short ofprovisions before they were released, or that at all events they shouldhave to live on very coarse and scanty food. They advised us to keepout of the Frenchmen's sight, lest we should be pounced on and treatedas seamen and belligerents; this we very readily promised to do.Altogether we had a very pleasant and merry meeting, and were sorry whenour friends told us that the hour for their return on board had arrived.It was arranged that they should have another picnic party in the samespot in three days, and they kindly invited us to join them. On our wayback we had, as may be supposed, plenty of subjects for conversation.

  "That Miss Mary Mason," said Toby, "is a sweetly pretty girl. I wouldgo through fire and water to serve her."

  "And Julia Arundel is one of the most lively, animated girls I have metfor a long time," remarked William, with a sigh. I had observedO'Carroll in conversation with a lady who seemed to be a formeracquaintance. He told me that he had known her in her younger andhappier days, that she had married an officer in India, had come homewith three children, who had all died, and that she was now on her wayto rejoin her husband.

  "Her case is a very hard one," he remarked.

  "So I suspect we shall find are the cases of many," I answered. "Sadindeed are the effects of war! The non-combatants suffer more even thanthe combatants. That is to say, a far greater number of people sufferwho have nothing to do with the fighting than those who actually carryon the murderous work. Oh, when will war cease throughout the world?"

  "Not until the depraved heart of man is changed, and Satan himself ischained, unable further to hurt the human race," answered O'Carroll."What has always struck me, besides the wickedness of war, is its utterfolly. Who ever heard of a war in which both sides did not come offlosers? The gain in a war can never make amends for the losses, the menslain, the physical suffering, the grief: the victorious side feel thatonly in a less degree than the losers."

  I cordially agreed with him. Yet how many hundreds were daily fallingat that time in warfare--how many thousands and tens of thousands wereyet to fall, to gratify the insane ambition of a single man, permittedto be the fearful scourge that he was to the human race? We said aslittle about our expedition as we could, for the emigrants, as soon asthey heard of so many of their countrymen being in the neighbourhood,were eager to set out to see them. We, however, persuaded them toremain where they were, for a visit of so large a party would not failto be discovered by the French, and greatly increase the annoyances ofour position. We, however, paid our second visit to the passengers ofthe Indiaman, and found them on shore at the place where we had firstmet them. Their spirits, however, had already begun to flag; theirguards had been less courteous than at first, sickness had attacked twoor three, gloomy apprehensions were troubling the minds of many. Stillwe had a pleasant dinner, and the song and the jest went round asbefore. The two midshipmen were the merriest of the party, and paid, asmay be supposed, the most devoted attention to the two young ladies whomthey thought fit to admire. Their happiness was, however, disagreeablyinterrupted by the appearance in our midst of half-a-dozen armedFrenchmen. They nodded familiarly at us. "Bien, messieurs; you havesaved us the trouble of going to fetch you," said one of them, in asarcastic tone. "You will not leave this, but as you are seamen, youwill accompany us to the prison ship."

  We soon found that they had been made acquainted by the seamen of the_Kangaroo_ of our being on the island, and had only waited for leisureto go and bring us to the settlement. Another party had already beendispatched to bring in the emigrants, and from the rough unmannerly wayin which these treated our new friends, we could not but feel thegravest apprehensions as to the indignities to which they might besubjected. Our own existence in the hands of lawless ruffians would bevery different from what it had hitherto been. The appearance of theseunwelcome visitors completely broke up the picnic party, and while ourfriends returned to their ship, we were marched off towards one of thehulks. We soon had evidence of the bad disposition of our captorstowards us, for Toby Trundle, who was very indignant at being thuscaught, beginning to saunter along as if he had no intention of hurryinghimself to please them, one of them threatened to give him a prog withhis bayonet. As we were walking along as slowly as Trundle couldcontrive to go, the sound of a shot reached our ears. It came from thesea. Our guards started and talked rapidly to each other. Severalother shots followed in succession, some close together.

  "There are two at it, of that I am sure," exclaimed O'Carroll.

  The Frenchmen continued their gesticulations with increased animation.They were evidently eager to get to the mouth of the harbour, whencethey could look seaward.

  "They think that there is something in the wind, depend on that,"observed Trundle.

  Presently the firing became more and more rapid, seeming to our ears tocome nearer and nearer. The Frenchmen could no longer restrain theireagerness to learn the cause of the firing, and totally disregarding,probably indeed forgetting us, off they set running towards the shore asfast as their legs could carry them. We waited for a few minutes to letthem have a fair start, and then followed in their wake for somedistance, turning off, however, after a time, to the right, so that,should they come back to look for us, we might not so easily be found.We in a short time reached a high rocky mound, whence we got a view ofthe sea spread out before us. Within a mile and a half of the land weretwo ships, both with topgallant sails set, standing in close-hauledtowards the harbour. The wind was somewhat off the land, but yet, if itcontinued steady, it was possible that they might fetch theharbour-mouth. Such, it appeared evident, was the object of the one,while to prevent her so doing was the aim of the other, which was thelarger and nearer to us. As soon as the two midshipmen set eyes on thelatter, they clapped their hands like children with delight, exclaimingat the top of their voices, "The _Phoebe_! the _Phoebe_! hurrah!hurrah!" O'Carroll took a more steady glance at the other ship, andthen shouted, with no less delight, "And that's the _Mignonne_, and LaRoche's day has come at last."

  "I should hope so, indeed," cried Trundle; "depend on it the _Phoebe_won't have done with him till she has made him eat a big dish of humblepie."

  The frigate kept firing rapidly her foremost guns at the Frenchman, whoreplied to them in a spirited manner with his aftermost ones, as theycould be brought to bear. He was all the time luffing up, trying to eatinto the wind, as it were; but as that was scant, it gave the _Phoebe_,which was well to windward, a great advantage, and she was now rapidlycoming up with him. As she did so, she every now and then luffed up foran instant, and let fly her whole broadside, doing considerableexecution. We eagerly watched the effect of the shot. The Frenchman'ssails were soon riddled, and several of his spars seemed to be wounded,many of his ropes, too, hanging in festoons. At last, directly afteranother broadside, down came his spanker gaff, shot away in the jaws,while the mizen topsail braces shared the same fate. In vain the crewran aloft to repair the damage; the ship rapidly fell off, and allprospect of her fetching up to the harbour was lost, unless by a miraclethe wind should suddenly shift round. The instant the sail came down,the midshipmen gave vent to their feelings of exultation in a loud "Hip,hip, hurrah!" in which we could not help joining them, and the crew ofthe _Phoebe_, whom we could fancy at the moment doing the same thing.

  "Don't be too sure that the _Mignonne_ is taken, however," criedO'Carroll. "I never saw a faster craft, and see, she is keeping away,and going to try what her heels can do for her, dead before the wind."

  The _Mignonne_, however, could not keep away without being raked by the_Phoebe_, whose shot, now delivered low, must have told with fearfuleffect along her decks. This done, the _Phoebe_ instantly bor
e up inchase, and not having lost a spar, though her sails had severalshot-holes through them, rapidly gained on her. The Frenchmen, to givethemselves every chance of escape, were now busily employed in gettingout studden-sail booms, in spite of the shot which went whizzing afterthem. In a marvellously short space of time a wide spread of canvas wasexhibited on either side, showing that, though many of her men hadfallen, she had a numerous and well-trained crew.

  "They are smart fellows, indeed," I remarked. "Many of them fight withhalters round their necks."

  "That makes fellows smart in more senses than one," answered O'Carroll.

  The _Phoebe_, of course, had to set her studden-sails, and away the twoships glided before the freshening breeze. We watched them withbreathless interest. Their speed at first seemed so equal that thechased had still, it seemed, a chance of escaping.

  "Trust to our captain, he'll stick to her till he has made her strike,or he will chase her round the world," said the two midshipmen, in thesame breath.

  The _Mignonne_ was firing away all the time with her stern chasers,while the frigate was replying from those at her bows. They were bothfiring at each other's spars, the one hoping, by crippling her opponent,to escape, the other to prevent her doing so. What had become of ourguards all this time we had not for a moment thought, while we hopedthat they had equally forgotten us. The chase, indeed, probablyabsorbed their attention as it did ours. Few of us doubted that theEnglish frigate would ultimately capture the Frenchman; but should shedo so would she of necessity come back with her prize to our island, orwould she sail away, and, perhaps ignorant of our existence, leave us toour fate? One thing was evident, that we ought to guard ourselvesagainst the insolence of the French garrison. The men were evidentlythe scum of society, and should they find themselves without restraint,it was impossible to say what atrocities they might not commit. Anxiousas we were to know the result of the chase, we agreed at once to go backto our friends to give them warning, and to consult with them what stepsto adopt. Before leaving our look-out place we took one more anxiousglance at the two ships. Both O'Carroll and the midshipmen declaredthat the _Phoebe_ was positively overhauling the _Mignonne_, and that ina short time we should see the latter haul down her flag. I doubted it.