“Kind of him.”
“Very much so, Sir Frederick, particularly as he informs us that they will likely go knocking on Bonaparte’s door if we refuse or ignore them.”
Light dawned, rather to Frederick’s displeasure.
“Hence, sir, I am to voyage along the coast to Barcelona, there to deposit you on shore, I presume, to discover whether there is a posse of slavering Spanish policemen waiting to take you up!”
“Just so, Sir Frederick – with one significant exception. I was despatched to Gibraltar on condition, set by my employers, that I was never to venture out of British territory. I think a naval ship of war may be regarded as sufficiently British and I am prepared to voyage with you. There will be a young gentleman besides, and he is to penetrate Barcelona for me. He is of Spanish extraction and speaks the language as his native tongue, equally fluent in English, his parents having resided many years in London, wine merchants by trade. He intends to live in London, and wishes to be established in a place in the Home Office; this adventure is by way of finally demonstrating that he may be trusted.”
“And may he be?”
“Who knows, Sir Frederick? We shall join you in two days from now, with your permission, sir.”
“Could that be made four, Captain Murray? My crew are in process of lining up in front of a paymaster, pay-tickets in one hand…”
“And what is in the other hand, Sir Frederick?”
“I would hate to imagine, sir!”
“I can see that sailing is the last thing on their mind just at the moment, Sir Frederick. We shall delay as suggested.”
Doctor Carlisle staggered up the gang-plank, carrying a vast box of bottles and followed by three laden porters.
“Necessaries, Sir Frederick, the crew having been paid and given shore leave for the first time in two years. Keyser’s Pills, sir, which are said to prevent syphilis; corrosive sublimate in various forms, to cure the syphilis; Norton’s drops and Ward’s White Drops, to prevent recurrence of the syphilis; guaiacum for gonorrhoea, sir. Additionally, the acids of chlorine and sulphur and nitrogen, which may be applied both externally and internally to the affected areas to reduce blains, lesions, chancres and other irritations related to those diseases. As well and equally desirable, various tonics and pills which will act to reinvigorate the system of those subjected to the more vigorous forms of treatment, Brodum’s Nervous Cordial prominent among them, sir – it contains gentian and is much recommended by the moderns in the profession!”
Frederick commended the doctor on his knowledge and enthusiasm and returned to his cabin, wondering whether paying the men had been such a very good notion after all.
At the end of the four days allocated to shore leave, two days to each watch, he sat with the First Lieutenant, numbering the missing and the dead, even more doubtful of his wisdom.
“Deserted are eight men, sir – though some may be laid drunk in a gutter and may yet return, most apologetic. Gibraltar is a difficult port to desert from, for lack of a friendly hinterland. Dead, of a certainty, are three – two knifed, fighting in a back-alley bar, and one who, for a bet, swallowed a whole bottle of brandy without removing the neck from his lips.”
“Did he win his bet?”
“He did, sir, but was unable to collect his winnings, death supervening.”
“Foolish – one might have expected a man to know better. He must be the third I have heard of who died that way.”
“The second for me, sir. ‘Alcoholic insult’ was the term I was given for the cause of death. Very foolish. The first I met up with was in my own midshipman’s berth, nearly ten years ago, Agamemnon, a sixty-four much like to this, sir. The senior in the berth, who had passed his Board on the previous day and proposed to celebrate. I had never thought him a clever young man.”
Frederick shook his head – it was a very wasteful process.
“Now then, Mr Gentry. What of boat guns?”
“Fortunately, sir, the Flag Captain has been urgent on our behalf. The Master Intendant had little to say to me but was grovelingly subservient when in the presence of the representative of the Admiral. Barge, launch, two cutters and the jolly boat are all now armed, sir; twelve-pound carronades, as is normal now, for the larger four and a pair of two-pound swivels for the jolly boat, and each with a brass chest to carry powder dry. Roundshot, grape and pistol balls for the swivel, sir. The yard also had a pair of Nock’s volley guns, sir, but I turned them down.”
“Quite right, too, Mr Gentry. I bought pistols of him not so long ago and he tried to interest me in his invention then. A half a dozen of musket barrels strapped tight to each other and firing off the one lock, forsooth!”
“We are then fully equipped for this venture up the coast. Short eleven men – which could be far worse and often has been in my experience. Accommodation for Captain Murray, sir?”
“Arranged, sir. The Master and the Doctor have, in the most gentlemanly fashion, agreed to take vacant spaces around the gunroom – there is a cabin for a Pilot, for English shoal waters, sir, for a ship posted to Harwich, say; and there is as well a place for the Surgeon’s Mate who habitually resides in the sick berth, so as to be close to his patients, being the most conscientious of men.”
“Which reminds me of Olsen, of course.”
“He has left the sick-berth, sir, and we have made him a little hutch next to the place occupied by your man Bosomtwi. He is to learn his new trade there, sir.”
“All to the good, it would seem. We are in all ways ready to sail, I believe.”
Book Seven: The Duty and Destiny Series
Chapter Six
Euripides weathered Europa Point, always a cause of relief as it was possible to be delayed for days waiting for a favourable wind when the easterly set in; often ships were reduced to putting out the boats and towing, slowly and painfully, to finally escape into the Mediterranean.
The new Second Lieutenant, Mr Blenkinsop, showed himself to be an active and cheerful gentleman, and was no taller than Frederick; desirable in many ways, the quarterdeck officers on this commission otherwise all close to six feet. Blenkinsop also knew his ship and its habits and particularly the main deck battery where he was familiar, he said, with each of the twenty-four pounders and knew how it would throw at any range. He took the guns off Doolan’s hands, much to the latter’s pleasure.
“Nasty, noisy beasts, sir – I have no love for great guns in confined quarters! On the open deck, all very well, sir, but deafened by the explosions and half-blinded by the smoke – not for me, sir. And the smell, as well!”
Frederick liked the smell of powder, could not understand the man’s objections. He wondered if perhaps his red hair made him more susceptible to loud noises and such – he would ask the doctor, one day.
“Mr Gentry, you will be aware that war has been declared, finally, between Spain and Britain? Such being the case, sir, then I would wish to double the lookouts, a guinea apiece to the masthead that reports a sail that we prize and ten if it be a ship of war.”
Gentry had never received a penny in prize-money, having spent almost his whole service in ships of the line; this was his first ever experience of a cruise, of independently sailing off in search of trouble. He was not quite certain of all that they must do.
“We are to make our way to Barcelona, more correctly to a bay some three leagues short of the port, where we shall set down the young gentleman who came aboard in Captain Murray’s company. We shall then spend some two weeks on the coast, seeking such Spanish vessels as may be so unwise as also to be sailing in the vicinity. We will then, one trusts, take up the young man and return him to Gibraltar, and await new orders, the meanwhile gloating over our prizes which will, one hopes, be occupying a large part of the harbour!”
Gentry had a small private income, would have no objection to it increasing; he gave some thought to the selection of lookouts.
Frederick made his way to his cabin, begged the company of Captain Murray.
A good question, Murray was forced to admit; one to which he did not know the answer. He left to discover the extent of Sanchez’ experience.
“Never, Sir Frederick! Not so much as a trip on a canal barge, sir. He says he has a strong stomach, however.”
“Good. I shall detail two seamen to accompany him and ensure that he enters and leaves the boat in a reasonably vertical fashion. I do not like this business, you know, Captain Murray. I think all may be well when we set him down, but I much fear that he may be taken up and persuaded to divulge the details for his return. Might your d’Antraigues have sent false information in the hope of persuading you to go ashore where you might be taken up?”
Murray shrugged, his face sombre.
“It is the risk of the game, Sir Frederick. One can never be utterly certain in one’s sources, and a man who was honest on the last occasion he was used may have turned since, or he may have been playing one along, dropping small gems to lead one to trust him so that he may finally pass across a great falsehood. It may be the case that the word d’Antraigues received was a lie designed to catch him out; or he might be doubling; or he might be wholly honest and have provided the most reliable of information. Sanchez will be rewarded if all goes well; he knows that he risks torture and death if there is the least failure in any of the arrangements. He has made the choice – unless, of course, he is himself false!”
“I could not live your life, sir!”
“I do not know that I can for many more years, Sir Frederick – but I am not rich enough to retire yet, although your prize money has helped me no end in building up my savings!”
They were interrupted by a shout from a lookout.
“You may have made an apposite comment, Captain Murray. I have to say that I have been considering my way of life just lately. I found myself quite dreading the prospect of ordering the guns to fire on slave galleys – and that will inevitably happen if I remain on this station.”
The Marine sentry opened the door and Airey ran in, flushed and excited, all of his first lessons forgotten.
“A ship, sir! A fat merchantman…” He saw the expression on Frederick’s face, caught himself, stood to attention, hand rising to his hat. “Beg pardon, sir! Mr Gentry begs to report a ship bearing north north east, sir, at a distance of eight miles, sir. He believes it be a Spanish merchant vessel, sir.”
“Thank you, Mr Airey. You came very close to a visit to the boatswain, sir! You will never run into my cabin, again; you will never deliver a report other than in the proper form! Do you understand me, sir?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good, my thanks and compliments to Mr Gentry. Course and sail as appropriate to close the Spanish sail.”
Airey about-faced and walked out; they heard him break into a run the second he was out of sight.
“You are right, Captain Murray. They should not come to sea so young. Not on active service certainly. A training ship where they can learn the trade, with classrooms as well so that they can at least read and write with some fluency, and learn their navigation. Those who are unsuited to the life could be weeded out, rather than killed off as so many are now… North north east – on course from Port Mahon, which we so foolishly returned to Spain – to one of the west coast ports, in all probabilities, perhaps to Corunna or Cadiz with naval stores. If she does not recognise us as hostile, and she must have left port before word of war reached them, then we have ourselves a tender duckling for dinner, sir!”
Frederick judged that a proper time had elapsed and led Murray on deck.
“I do not wish to give the impression that I am hungry for prizes, Captain Murray; it can awake piratical feelings in the men’s breasts! Equally, sir, two eighths of the value of a nice fat merchantman, as Mr Airey so elegantly expressed it, will be very pleasant. I am under the orders of the Admiral in Gibraltar, so he takes one eighth for his own greedy, grabbing pocket!”
Murray smiled his agreement, wondering if he was in for a share.
“Ah, Mr Gentry, what of the chase, sir?”
“Spanish, sir, or built in Spain at least – who has her now is not yet certain; she is wearing no colours. Three hundred tons; a ship; well laden from Port Mahon. Sardines in barrels or dried or salt fish in all probabilities, unless, just possibly, she is a Levanter making port with silks, sir!”
“One may always hope, Mr Gentry!”
She was in fact a prosaic trader from the Balearics, carrying the products of the sea to the mainland – but the fleet would buy in much of the fish, and barrels of sardines fetched a price in London and the hull would sell for several hundreds of pounds. A well worthwhile prize, albeit an indignant one who had not known that war was at all likely and had been bitterly disappointed when the vast line-of-battleship had first run up her colours and then come broadside on to her, gun ports opening in unison.
“No newssheets in Spain, Sir Frederick. The people know only what they are told.”
“Thus they rely upon the imagination and outright lies of the local leaders, Captain Murray, while we depend on the invention and utter fabrications of the press!”
Murray, who rather thought he could detect his own words in Frederick’s witty comment, was forced to agree.
“Ah yes, Sir Frederick – but at least we do not have the self-serving dishonesty of the Church added to the mix.”
“Have you spoken to Mr Samways, our chaplain, Captain Murray?”
They sent the Spaniard away with a tiny prize-crew of four men, all Frederick wished to afford; he risked a petty officer in command, rather than a master’s mate, the voyage being of less than a day with ordinary good fortune.
“You have a good name, Monk. A young man to have the mizzen-mast for your own. Would you look to become master’s mate or boatswain’s mate if the opportunity arose?”
Monk had gone to sea as a boy from the streets, was said to have fifteen years of service behind him at the age of twenty-two. Mr Blenkinsop said that he was known to watch very carefully at noon when the position was taken; Mr Oates said he had many times allowed Monk to perform the calculations with him.
“I have my reading and writing, sir, and I got a book of navigation and they logarithms, sir, which I bought it when in Chatham years ago. If so be I could ever become a master’s mate, sir, then I could do summat, sir.”
“Take her into Gibraltar for me, Monk, and you will receive your warrant, my word on it!”
Frederick needed another master’s mate and it would be good for the crew to see one of their own given a warrant. Captain Murray was pleased for the young man, but doubtful of the propriety of his ambition, bearing in mind his background.
“He has ambition and, I expect, loyalty, Sir Frederick. But… will he ever grace a wardroom, do you think?”
“It is wartime, and there are many small ships in commission; officers who have come through the hawsehole are not so uncommon in them, and they are not at all picky when it comes to midshipmen. When peace is declared and the guns fall silent, then he and the others like him, men of no birth and small education, will be less wanted, I fear. But a good lieutenant may make mate in the merchant service as a rule; add to that, there is a place for professionals in every harbour, and the Revenue service tends not to recruit gentlemen – he can make a good life for himself. He would not do well in the wardroom of a liner, I fear, but in a sloop or gunbrig he could be a damned good man!”
Murray had not realised that it was possible for any seaman to make his way in the world – he had thought them essentially to be a lower breed.
“The prize-crew have their seabags with them. Is that normal?”
“They may be kept at Gibraltar until we return; they might be drafted into the next ship needing hands. Monk should be held on shore to wait for our return; he will probably report to the Admiral in person and will tell hi
m of my promise and then custom of the service will be all.”
There was a great network of ‘Customs of the Service’, it appeared; a set of rules not to be found in the Articles or in any officially produced set of governances, but effectively binding upon the bulk of officers.
“Might it be the case that a man such as your Captain Bligh excited mutiny because he was less tender of your customs, Sir Frederick? I have read of Pigott, who was a wicked man, but Bligh was not a tyrant of that nature.”
“Probably.” Frederick was very uncomfortable with the trend of the conversation; unspoken rules, and the defects of other captains, should not be talked of. “Captain Bligh has many virtues, I am told, but is a stranger to tact and compromise, and prefers his rules to be written in black and white.”
Captain Murray was part of a profession that had no rules, and wrote down nothing if it could possibly be avoided. He found he had little sympathy of feeling for Captain Bligh.
They watched as the prize got under way, Monk packing the sails on with a remarkable degree of confidence for a man in a strange ship with a captive crew. Oates nodded and grinned.
“Always one for knowing his own mind, young Friar, sir! The lad will have looked at the wind and decided what sail can be borne and he will be booting the topmen up to do the job. Not a man for doubts, sir!”
“’Friar’?” Captain Murray scowled, the conversation suddenly over his head.
“Monk, sir – that’s what the lads call him.”
“Every man has a nickname, Captain Murray, unless he is very insignificant. Mostly, but not always, they are kindly meant. Some are traditional, like Jack Nastyface of the breadroom. Often they are thought to be funny; sometimes they are merely rude.”
The Odd-Job Man (The Duty and Destiny Series, Book 7) Page 16