A burly islander showed the way when he went to his boat, retrieved a coil of line and fashioned a noose on one end. He went to the band of pirates, all sitting on the sand guarded by Marines and simply dropped the noose over one man’s head. This got the rovers’ attention and a vocal protest from their number ensued, almost drowning out the cheers of the islanders. With the assistance of several of his mates, the islander dragged his victim over to a tree with a branch jutting over the beach.
With the rope tossed over the limb, several men tailed onto the fall and walked away with it, pulling the man to his feet and into the air, leaving him kicking in the breeze. With the man taking minutes to strangle, other villagers’ retrieved rope from their own boats and soon every tree nearby had its crop of pirates kicking their lives out under the canopy.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Mister Clifford was given command of the schooner and directed to take her to Gibraltar. With only two lieutenants aboard Active now, he made Mister Midshipman Simmons a temporary, acting lieutenant, who would serve as third officer.
As the three vessels were leaving harbor. Simmons reported to the captain on the quarterdeck. It seemed Sawyer, one of the rescued slaves and an Englishmen at that, had been discussing his ordeal with the bosun who hailed from a nearby village back home, Sawyer had explained the galleys would often lose several of their oarsman slaves during the course of every raid. Those slaves becoming useless through illness or fatigue would simply be thrown over the side. If a galley had not captured enough captives of its own to man the oars, it would go to an island off the coast of Cyprus where slaves could be bought and sold.
The strongman who ruled the island paid no attention to treaties and sent his own raiders out to pillage and plunder, despite any agreements made by his political leaders. He kept a garrison of troops in a stone barracks and another barracks holding prisoners of various nationalities and genders that were for sale.
Anyone needing to buy or sell slaves could make their way to this island and conduct business. With the intention of investigating, Active and Achilles re-traced their course back to Cyprus and spent a week locating the desired island. There was no proper position for this and the only clue to its location was Sawyer’s memory. He knew it was east of Cyprus, a day’s journey by galley away. It was necessary to investigate several islands closely before the right one was found. Several other former slaves recognized it also and confirmed Sawyers report.
An ancient stone breakwater, probably of Roman or Greek build, guarded the harbor. Inside, close to shore, were a cluster of beautiful stone buildings, two of which were believed to be the barracks of the guards and the prisoners. In the harbor, at anchor, were four European ships of varying capacities and conditions, probably brought back by raiders.
Built onto the stonework of the breakwater, on either side of the harbor were batteries, four guns to each, of huge caliber. Sawyer, who had seen the guns up close, disclosed they fired big marble balls of about forty pounds in weight. The guns were ancient, relics themselves, so the gunners did not dare to fire full charges in them, fearing they might explode. The reduced charges the guns fired would likely propel the huge balls a short distance. As the ships sailed into the harbor, bands of horsemen were seen galloping into the defenses and a formation of infantry was seen in the distance marching toward the fortress.
Deciding nothing would be gained by dithering, Phillips ordered them into the attack. When the batteries began firing, none of their balls reached either ship. Men were seen marching from the barracks to reinforce each individual battery. With the ship’s guns outranging the batteries, the ships backed their topsails inside the harbor, and coming to a stop, first firing at the troops coming onto the breakwater to augment the battery’s gunners. They made deadly practice, with the iron balls striking stony splinters from the huge stone blocks that made up the breakwater. These splinters produced as many casualties as the projectiles themselves.
When the survivors retreated and began scrambling back to shore, the ships shifted their fire to the batteries themselves. An hour of fire sent their remaining gunners fleeing, whereupon the Marines were able to go ashore and disable the remaining guns.
A single gun on a naval carriage ashore began its harassment fire but it did not last very long. One shot in a broadside caught the gun square on the muzzle and sent it spinning into the barracks entrance.
Leaving enough men aboard the ships to sail them out if necessary, as well as man the guns of one side, Phillips led his Royal Marines and most of the seamen ashore to see what they could salvage. When bands of pleading slaves came up to them, he had them sent to the rear to be loaded aboard ship. Most of the slaves outside they were seeing and rescuing were male, but when they penetrated into one of the stone barracks, they found the women’s quarters. They found over two hundred women and children in this building, of all ages and conditions.
After retrieving every slave they could find, man or woman, they made a fighting retreat back to their boats. Some enemy fighters had taken up positions outside the buildings and began firing their jezails at them. Once the British withdrew from the buildings with their charges, the gunners on the ships had a better idea of where to fire, and every time a jezail fired, it generally attracted several cannon balls, as well as a storm of the big ball lead balls fired from the Brown Bess muskets carried by his own men.
When British marines and seamen began falling to enemy fire, the refugees took up their bodies and began carrying them back to the landing. Some of the healthier men grabbed up the muskets from fallen member of the landing party and used them to fire upon the enemy.
It was a confused conglomeration of people that reached the landing and it was fortunate it was not farther away since fire from the enemy side had increased drastically, and people were being continually hit, despite the devastating fire supplied by the warships. The naval personnel remained on the beach while the former slaves were ferried out to the ships. During this period, the lieutenant of Marines, Mister Raleigh, despite a shattered arm from enemy fire, incorporated the remaining seamen in his Line and had them issuing volleys like a battalion of regulars.
At one point, three men on horseback led a swarm of fighters against them, all waving their blades and screaming like so many banshees. One man Phillips noted. Apparently the leader of the mob, he rode a magnificent white stallion and was driving straight for them.
Lieutenant Raleigh waited for the mob to come within thirty paces and ordered the men to fire. The muskets exploded in a blinding crash of thunder and smoke, obliterating the scene. Ignoring the mob, Phillips concentrated on pouring another charge down the muzzle of the musket he had picked up, When he was able to look up, expecting to see that mob in his face, the breeze had drifted the smoke ban off and the mob was now in retreat, leaving the horsemen and their mounts lying amidst a pile of other bodies.
During this period the warships had maintained their fire, shooting over their heads into the barracks where other enemy troops were located. During this exchange, Achilles signaled she had nearly expended her powder and shot. Phillips learned his own ship was also in dire straits. Learning of the depletion of ball shot, he ordered the substitution of grape and dismantling shot, of which the ship still retained a limited supply.
The ships eased their way out to the anchorage, where the four captured European ships lay at anchor. Out here, musket shot from shore could not reach, and any larger gun firing from shore was answered by several of their own, discouraging enemy fire.
The decks and interior of Active and Achilles were packed with humanity, there being no spare space to stow the survivors they had taken aboard. Taking Acting Lieutenant Simmons aside, he told him to take a boat crew and investigate those ships at anchor.
As the boat crew tumbled down into the boat, he noticed a pair of freed slaves with them. Apparently these men wished to prove they too could assist in their own rescue. A boat from Achilles with a similar idea joined the launch and eac
h ship was examined. When the launch returned, Mister Handley, its midshipman reported all ships were free of pirates, although two ships had a remnant party of slaves locked up forward. Their masters had deserted during the firefight and they were happy to be free. One ship, an old snow was suspect. Her hull being full of water from a bad leak, but the other three seemed sound enough.
A major problem was all of them had been looted with all useful gear removed, including provisions, although each ship had a little water aboard. Each of the three ships deemed seaworthy were supplied with a midshipman to command her and given a few seamen to sail her. After the freed slaves were transferred to each ship, those males healthy enough, were also incorporated in the crews. Enough water, beef and biscuit were sent aboard and then it was time to leave. Phillips had no desire to face a squadron of Ottoman warships at the moment.
Setting a course that would take them well south of the boot of Italy, Phillips had a new plan. He no longer wished to find and take enemy shipping. The mission now was to avoid any contact with the enemy. With his skilled seamen spread out among the ships taken at the pirate lair, he realized his force was weak, especially considering the sad state of his ammunition supply. He was able to alleviate the manpower supply by drawing on the number of freed slaves, many of whom were seamen.
Another necessity was the need to obtain provisions for the ship. The number of people now consuming provisions was depleting the little fleet’s resources amazingly. Phillips had an island marked on one of his personal charts by his father. Several times in years past he had obtained provisions there and Phillips intended to do the same himself this time.
The island when they found it was a small one, its only flat surface on the top of high cliffs which surrounded the island. The only harbor was tiny, where the five vessels present would find a tight fit. In ancient days, the cliff inside the harbor area had collapsed, forming a tiny beach, where the locals constructed some salt basins where they evaporated seawater and obtained salt to sell to traders.
Phillips ordered Achilles to remain outside, patrolling and watching for other ships. He sent Mister Simmons take the launch ashore to investigate the possibility of securing supplies. The freed slave Sawyer went with them to act as interpreter. He spoke the lingua franca used as a common language in these parts and was told to inform the locals of their desire to purchase meat and salt, as well as obtaining water.
He saw right away through his glass the water would be no problem, as a streamlet was falling down the cliffs onto the beach. As the boat pulled to shore, a small party was seen coming down a goat path to the sea. There was a conference, then two of the island natives got into the boat and were pulled out to Active. An ancient woman was the leader, a well built man of mature years seconding her. Sawyer introduced her to Phillips, admitting he had difficulty understanding her accent.
The woman agreed to sell all the sheep and goats they wished to buy, adding a pest had killed most of their cattle so they had no beef. Salt to preserve the meat could also be furnished, and water from the streamlet could be used to fill their water barrels.
She herself needed gunpowder and lead for their muskets, and extra flints if possible. She explained Arab raiders were perpetually attempting to raid their island and take off the people for slaves. As long as they had powder and shot for their muskets, they could hold off these raiders.
With a price set, villagers began driving the animals down the cliff where they were dispatched on the beach. The old, empty beef and pork barrels were scrubbed out and filled with joints of mutton and goat meat, topped off with salt and loaded aboard ship.
Water barrels were taken to the waterfall and filled with fresh water. Active had her provisions brought aboard first, then sailed out and relieved Achilles from her patrol duties. Mister Jervis in Achilles was desperately happy to be relieved. He had just opened the last cask of water this morning and their beef was almost gone.
The other ships had mainly finished there resupply and it just needed two days for Achilles to renew her stores. With their needs supplied, the fleet stood of the island and set course for Gibraltar.
Managing to join a returning convoy, they made the trip in safety, and Phillips soon found himself ashore explaining himself to the various officials. There was much suspicion of his needs, with absolute disbelief of the expenditure of so much powder and shot. Only a close inspection of the relevant logs brought grudging acceptance of his requirements, with the proviso that he would certainly be questioned upon returning home. In view of the controversy, he did not bother to indent for new meat stores. He had paid for the beef and mutton back on the island from his own purse and decided he would just use that food as long as it lasted, in order to avoid all the questioning that reporting the expense would entail.
Questioning several of the petty officers indicated the hands were satisfied with the food, finding it preferable to some of the really ancient salt pork and beef they were forced to consume sometimes. He managed to obtain a receipt for the former slaves he had rescued and recovered most of his prize crews that had come into Gibraltar.
The dockyard insisted on replacing the old French eight pounders on Achilles with British nine pounders, although she only received six of them, the remaining ports being filled with twenty-four pounder carronades. Jervis was agreeable. Those carronades would not be of much use at long range, but would give him a powerful punch at closer ranges.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
It was now time to report back to Admiral Pellew. The flagship was found off Toulon and there Active and Achilles separated. Immediately after reporting, Achilles was sent with dispatches back home, while Active took her part in the blockade. She sent the next six months on that duty before it was her turn to deliver dispatches, this time to Gibraltar. Once there though, an urgent bag from Wellesley’s headquarters required rapid delivery to England and Phillips was not the least sad when Active was ordered to make delivery.
She sailed into Portsmouth harbor much battered but with a satisfied crew. All of them had earned a fortune in prize money, in their own minds that is. When it would be paid was another question however, and even when it was, would likely be spent in riotous behavior the first chance they had ashore.
All expected the ship would be given a fast turn-around and be sent back out to sea, but it did not happen. Upon reporting to the port admiral and handing over his dispatches, he was informed Active would be going into the dockyard for much needed repair. A report from Gibraltar mentioned some timbers infected with rot, and the ordnance people wished to replace some of the twelve pounder long guns with carronades. It was anticipated repairs would take a month or more, so he might as well go on leave. One officer must remain with the ship along with the standing officers but the remainder of the crew would go to the receiving ship where they might well be sent to other ships about to sail.
Before leaving, Phillips visited the dockyard superintendent. Pressing a purse into his hand, he told the official he would be glad if the ship could be painted while in the dockyard, and he had included funds for an especially good job.
With a month to spend, Phillips decided to post up to London and stay in the family city home for a while. He just did not wish to subject himself to the long ride to his Essex place for right away. Too, he had no wish to become embroiled in the gossip back home again. He thought he could remain in London more or less anonymously. Before venturing on the journey to London, he sent Lord Forsythe a note by post, wondering if he could beg an invitation to his club.
Captain Phillips spent the next few days in Portsmouth, then boarded the mail coach to London. The journey was as tiring as he had ever known it, but once there, he could take a hired carriage to the town house.
The servants there had all been notified of his expected arrival and he was able to sit down to a hot meal then retire to his bed. The next week was spent visiting old friends including Lord Forsythe. Forsythe assured him he would be welcome as his guest at his club w
henever he wished. He was having a most enjoyable vacation when controversy erupted.
Baker, his manservant, appeared at the door of his study one afternoon, and reported a young lady was at the door to see him. Asking who the young lady was, the embarrassed servant explained the ladies voice was rather faint and he had not heard her just right. Not wishing to ask her to repeat herself, he asked her in and decided to ask the master if he was expecting anyone.
Phillips smiled to himself. Compared with some of his recent adventures, discovering the identity of a mysterious woman did not seem to be such a trial. Telling the concerned servant he would be right down, he set himself right and descended the staircase. Baker pointed to the parlor where he had the woman waiting.
For a moment, the ramifications of this meeting flashed through his head. Of course, young women of respectable backgrounds did not just call on gentlemen uninvited, especially by themselves. It would have been more proper had she been accompanied by her mother or an aunt. However, matters such as this did not greatly concern him and if a young woman wished to speak to him, he was happy to oblige, especially if the lass was attractive.
Baker opened the door and Phillips entered. As he did so, the woman rose from her chair and faced him. At first, he did not recognize her. She was dressed in a high waisted sheer chemise that did nothing to conceal the mysteries of her figure. Only when he looked at her face which had been in shadow did he recognize her as Dorothy Hamilton.
For a moment, he was dumbstruck, and could not utter a word. Hamilton, as he realized, was a most attractive young lady who knew just how to emphasize that fact. Phillips had been at sea for months without having occasion to socialize with young women and was utterly unprepared for this sudden encounter.
She ignored his silence and stare and apologized for her unseemly visit. After all of the scandal of their last meeting, she had not dared to involve any third party, so had come alone, uninvited. She realized she had been utterly uncouth in her earlier approached to Phillips, but she had so wanted to get to know him any thoughts of correctness had vanished from her head.
Ships of Oak, Men of Iron: A Tim Phillips Novel (War at Sea Book 10) Page 14