Time Travel Adventures of the 1800 Club. Book III

by Robert P McAuley

  Daniel looked at the drawings, then back at Rocky as it suddenly dawned on him, the advantage of his design.

  “Ach! Capt’n Rocky, yer a smart one, ya are. Ya be a ships’ designer all along, an’ never once did ya brag ‘bout it. But, my query is this. How much faster will she be when the men be turnin’ her propeller?”

  Rocky shrugged his shoulders, “Three, maybe four knots faster.”

  “Three or four knots? Ach, ‘tis amazin’. Why, with that propeller we can outrun any o’ the Royal Navy boats. Yer a genius, Capt’n Rocky. A born genius.”

  “Actually, Daniel, all I want to do is, be faster than the ability of the warship’s cannons to follow us. Their seamen are used to tracking a ship going pretty much the same speed as they are, and I’m hoping we will be faster than they can take aim at us.”

  Rocky took a swig of ale, then continued as Rita put more in his glass.

  “We also need to tarnish up her wood and bright works. I’d like her to take on a look of a tramp at sea. Can you get some of your crew to take some soot and dirty up the canvas sails?”

  “Dirty ‘em up? I don’t understand ya on this one, Capt’n. Don’t ya want ta be proud o’ her?”

  “Looks can be deceiving, Daniel. I want any captain of a warship, to see her as a tramp and not worry about a fight from us. Keep their guard down, so to speak. To make it even more so, I want the men to cut smaller squares of sail and stitch them to the main sail, making it look as though the sails are a patchwork affair. Also, make sure they get even more soot rubbed into them before they are stitched on. I want it to look as though she was patched up and a danger to no one.”

  Daniel scratched his head as he listened to him. “Ach, Capt’n Rocky, ya make me head ache, ya do. But, ‘tis yer boat and I did agree ta ya wishes. But, do ya give me permission ta clean her up once she’s mine?”

  “Absolutely, Daniel. Absolutely and you can put the cannons back then too.”

  Daniel laughed as he took a swig of his ale. “Ha, Capt’n. Truth be known, I ‘ad planned ta dump the cannons in shallow water for later.”

  “Now, Daniel,” said Rocky as he sat down and refused the refill of ale that Rita offered, “about the weapons.”

  “Ahh, Capt’n, I knew ya had a plan fer weapons, I just knew it.” He put out his glass and his wife filled it. “Wha’ ya got planned for ol’ York?”

  Rocky smiled and said, “You mean the New York, Daniel.”

  Daniel’s eyebrows rose. “Aye, Capt’n, the New York. ‘Tis a wonderful sounding name, Capt’n, a wonderful name indeed.”

  “Now, as for weapons, Daniel, do you know any game hunters?”

  “Game hunters? Capt’n, yer in Scotland. Laddie, we invented hunting. Why a Scottish hunter can stalk a stag for days an’ bring him down at better than one hundred meters.”

  “Tell me, do they use the long bow?”

  “Aye, Capt’n. That, we did borrow from the English. And now we be as good as them with the long bow.”

  “Do you know the range of an English man-of-war’s cannons?”

  “Aye, they be ‘bout four hundred meters. But, ‘cause they like ta be in close to give a full blasting to the enemy, they like ta fire at two hundred meters or closer.”

  Rocky moved his hands along the tabletop as though they were two warships.

  “This is the plan. I want us to look like a tramp ship, hardly able to move, unarmed and harmless. Hopefully, the English captain won’t even open his gun ports. He’ll just want to see if we have any able seamen he can impress. We let him come to us. And he will, because of our slow ship he’ll want to get on with it. When he gives up his cannon’s range advantage, our thirty hunters who will be hiding behind the higher freeboard sides will fire off arrows dipped in pitch and lit on fire They should each be able to fire twenty flaming arrows a minute. That’s six hundred flaming arrows a minute, or three thousand flaming arrows hitting their ship in five minutes.” He emptied his mug and continued.

  “Their ship will never be able to handle that fire. I want our men to shoot their fire arrows into the ship’s wooden hull and canvas sails. Every man-of-war has a fire brigade and water ready on deck, but our attack will be so overpowering, they’ll have to abandon ship before the fire reaches the powder room.”

  Daniel and Edward sat stunned as they looked at Rocky.

  “Capt’n,” said Daniel, “taint nothin’ I kin say. Ya thought it all through,” He shook his head and his beard flopped from side to side. “Ingenious, nothin’ less. Me an’ my men’ll be proud ta serve ‘neath ya.”

  Six weeks went by as the men worked on the ship according to Rocky’s design. They were puzzled as to why the cannons were removed, and fine sails were sooted up and desecrated with old shards of small sails sewn onto the perfectly good ones. They also wondered why Rocky had them cut, small tree trunks into three-foot lengths and store them on the main deck. The biggest puzzle was why the carpenters drilled a hole in the rear of the ship, and inserted a long pole through the hole and surrounded it with a leather seal to keep water out. The propeller attached to the end of the pole just added to the puzzle. The sailors also laughed at the group of highland hunters in their kilts firing arrow after arrow into moving targets on the lake.

  Daniel kept them in the dark lest they talk when full of ale.

  Finally, it was June twenty-third, two days before the appointed departure for the mission. They took the ship out for a sea trial. They sailed a short distance offshore and used a small fishing boat that Daniel’s cousin Andrew owned, to pace them.

  Rocky looked at Daniel and smiled as he crossed his fingers. “Set, Daniel?”

  The Scotsman smiled back and patted Rocky’s shoulder, “Ach, Capt’n Rocky, the gods ar’ smilen’ on ya. Worry not, and let us unleash yer secret weapon.”

  Rocky nodded and Daniel shouted across at his cousin, “Ya ready, Andrew?”

  Andrew waved back in acknowledgement and they raised their sails together. The wind was offshore and they slowly picked up speed. Andrew’s smaller ship started out faster than the New York, but the larger sails of Rocky’s ship soon closed the gap and they sailed side by side.

  Daniel smiled as he shouted down the hatch to the specially trained crewmen, “Start turnin’ the pole men, start turning.”

  The men inside the ship’s hull turned the pole, which turned the propeller under the water. The prop bit into the water and the ship began to pick up speed. She went from four knots as measured by Andrew to seven knots, almost twice as fast as the smaller boat.

  A roar went up from the New York’s crew, and Daniel and Rocky congratulated each other enthusiastically as they pulled away from the other ship.

  That night everyone enjoyed a celebration and started making their farewells knowing they sailed on June twenty-fifth.

  Fifteen days later, on July tenth, the New York sailed slowly in a calm ocean. Ireland was just over the horizon and the men were all alert after being briefed by Rocky on the upcoming fight. That he knew of the upcoming fight was the talk of the crew. They relied on their Dr. Schure to keep them informed and he said he believed the captain had spies in the Admiralty.

  Edward asked Rocky when they were alone, “Why’d you tell the crew there be a fight coming this day? Are you so sure as to keep them on full alert?”

  Rocky nodded as they paced the deck looking at the horizon. “Believe me, Edward, this day will see us victors or vanquished in a fight with an English man-of-war, I promise you.”

  The doctor said, “I do believe you, Rocky. I know not why, but I do, and I do believe that ‘tis us that’d be the victor.” He left his friend on the deck scanning the horizon, went below and set out his equipment for the upcoming fracas as he thought, Lord, I pray that I don’t have need of these instruments.

  The sun was high in the cloudless sky and the wind blew offshore.

  “Speed, Daniel?” queried Rocky as he looked through his telescope toward land.

  “Four kno
ts, Capt’n, with a possible seven knots if’n ya ask fer it.”

  “Not yet, Daniel,” he grinned, “not yet.”

  Rocky looked up at the sun and thought, The probe said the HMS Raisonnable would be here at 1:36 on the afternoon of July tenth. That should be any minute now. He paced the deck and was deep in thought when one of the lookouts shouted, “Sail, Capt’n, sail off the stern. She’s a Brit three-master, man-o’-war.”

  All heads turned aft and observed the ship approaching the New York.

  “How long before she reaches us, Daniel?” asked Rocky.

  “At this rate, I’d give ‘em three hours ta be next ta us.”

  “Have the men eat now, and tell them I want to talk to them afterward.”

  Two hours later they were all assembled, and Rocky stood on the weather deck. He studied them and said, “Men, I wish to tell you that we will soon be in a fight. A fight like no other before, and I intend for us to win. Our mission this day is to free men aboard that British ship who have been impressed against their will. I’m sure you all know of someone who has been impressed, and I know how you feel about it, so this is a blow for freedom.”

  A tremendous roar came forth from the entire crew, and they ran to their stations.

  “Remember, Daniel, keep the archers below deck until I call for them.”

  Daniel nodded and went below to talk to his hunters.

  Edward came over to Rocky. He patted his shoulder and said, “My friend, I may not have the chance to tell you this again, but you are a unique fellow. A chameleon of sorts with many faces and personalities. You be two as one, a gentleman and a fighter. Truly, my hat is off to you, my friend and captain, Rocky Perna.”

  Rocky smiled and answered, “Edward, you became a friend of mine, when you didn’t have to, and for that I’m grateful. What will you do after the battle is won?”

  “Assuming we thrash them, I’m thinking of staying with Daniel and his crew. Where else would I get to better learn the practice of medicine than aboard a ship of sixty plus fighting men?” He smiled at his friend and continued. “And you? What’s your plan, pray tell, Rocky?”

  “Tis back to New York with me, Edward. I’ve business there.”

  They were interrupted as Daniel walked over to them and motioned toward the warship, “Capt’n Rocky, she’s ten minutes from being in cannon range.”

  “Steady on the course and ready the hunters,” he answered.

  Aboard the English warship HMS Raisonnable, Captain Maurice Suckling was having afternoon tea on the weather deck. They had been steadily closing on the unknown ship for more than three hours and as he looked through his spyglass, he was disgusted.

  How can a captain be so slovenly,” he thought, “even if they had no money for new sails, one could keep the wood and bright works up and handsome. Not this scow. No pride at all.

  He turned to his second in command and ordered, “Close and hail her, Smithers. Tell her to stop and we’ll send over the long boat so we can see if she’s carrying guns to the Irish rebels.” He smirked and continued, “I doubt we’ll find a good, able-bodied man aboard her, but give a look and press who you may need to fill the ranks below deck.”

  Smithers turned to walk away and then stopped. “Captain, should we roll out the guns?”

  The captain gave a grin as he answered, “What for, sir? The men did their gun drill this morn, else I’d be inclined to do so, but this scow doesn’t warrant getting the men tired.” He looked again through his telescope and said, “Besides, ‘tis as you said, she carries no armament. However, if you feel we need to be ready for this scow, have gun number six roll out. That gun crew was a tad slow this morn.”

  Smithers decided not to run any guns out, no sence in second-guessing the Captain, he thought.

  The British warship slowly came alongside the New York and Smithers brought out the hailing horn.

  “What ship?” he shouted from the deck as the warship’s crew made ready their long boat. The Raisonnable was now sailing slightly past the New York and backed her sails to slow down and match her speed. The crew of the warship was laughing at the slovenly-looking boat only one hundred feet away.

  The answer came back from Rocky standing on his weather deck and speaking through his cupped hands, “The New York, sir, out of Scotland. What is it that ya be seeking?”

  “To board you, sir. We be looking for gun runners.”

  “Pray tell, sir, what ship are you?”

  “Smithers felt insulted to have to answer any questions from the scow and the rough tone of his voice let the men of the New York know. “His Majesty’s warship HMS Raisonnable, captained by Captain Maurice Suckling. I am coming aboard. Please back sails and stand down.” He quickly joined a group of sailors and Royal Marines and entered the long boat.

  Rocky turned to Daniel and said, “It’s the Raisonnable, Daniel. This is it. Bring the hunters on deck as we rehearsed.”

  Daniel smiled and his eyes were wide as he readied for battle. “Capt’n Rocky, I wish ta thank ya fer givin’ me a chance ta get even wi’ them heathens what took me ship. ‘Tis as ya said it’d be. We got in under their guns. Why, laddie, they don’t even respect us ‘nough ta run one gun out. That’ll be their downfall; arrogance.” He went below deck as the warship started to lower its long boat with Smithers and ten sailors and armed marines.

  In a flash, the thirty hunters crept out of the hatch and slithered along the deck with their longbows and pots of hot pitch. The high freeboard on the New York’s sides hid them as they lit fire to the pots of pitch and dipped their arrows into it. They all wore their clan colors on their kilts. They looked at Rocky and grinned as they fitted the first arrows in their bows.

  Rocky gave them a ‘thumbs up’ sign and then shouted to Daniel, “Start turning the pole and give us full sails!”

  Daniel stood at the hatch and yelled down, “Turn the pole, lads, turn the pole!” Then to the deck crew, “Full sails, men, full sails on now!”

  Below deck, the men selected for their strength started to turn the long pole, which turned the propeller attached at the rear. Slowly, the ship started picking up speed.

  Captain Suckling noticed a slight increase in speed of the wreck and called for a bit more sail to keep abreast of her. He squinted as the scow’s sails suddenly filled and she started pulling away.

  “More sail, Mister Questy,” he shouted to the bosun’s mate, “more sail. She seems to have caught a favorable wind.”

  The warship poured on more sail and started to catch up, leaving the manned longboat behind.

  “Hail her, Mister Questy. Tell her to heave to or we’ll put a shot in her. Roll out a mid-deck gun, sir.”

  Questy shouted across the way, “Hail the New York. We ask ya ta lower yer sails, do so or we’ll put a ball through ya.” He turned to his gun crew and said, “Mid-deck gun number fifteen. Roll out and ready yer powder.”

  The British captain watched in shock. Damn their eyes, he thought, the scow be pulling away from us, and even looks to be picking up speed! He ran down to the main deck and shouted, “Fire on them! They be gun runners, fire on ‘em.” He was furious. “Roll out all the guns, fire when ready.”

  The New York easily pulled away as her crew shouted taunts to their adversaries. Daniel steered his ship ahead of the warship where there were no guns to affect the New York, then matched the warship’s turns as she tried to bring her guns to bear. He could hear Captain Suckling as he shouted orders to his men to fire on the New York.

  Rocky shouted to the archers, “Fire men! Fire away and keep it up. Light up their sails, then go low and fire up the hull. Pour it into them.”

  Much to Rocky’s surprise, out from the hatch came a large man dressed in the most colorful set of kilts he had ever seen. The man had a large set of bag pipes and started to step sharply along the main deck playing, “Scotland the Brave,” as the crew and archers gave a war cry as they readied for battle. The hunters now stood at the rail and aimed their fire
arrows across the short distance.

  All struck their targets easily. Each man shot at least twenty fire arrows a minute, and the flames overwhelmed the warship, which slowed down as its sails were burned up. The British sailors were torn between pouring water and sand on the expanding flames or manning their guns. As the guns now started coming to life it was evident the captain had waited too long to roll them out. The few that did fire couldn’t be trained fast enough to hit the fast-moving New York. A British Marine sharpshooter in the crow’s nest got off a rifle shot that dropped one of the archers with a ball in the leg, but Edward was at the hunter’s side and quickly dragged him to safety.

  After some hard rowing, the long boat pulled up next to the New York and the marines aboard fired up at the archers. The volley alerted Rocky and he shouted to his archers, “Hunters! Half of ya fire at the long boat and set her afire, the rest of you continue to fire at the warship.”

  Inside of five minutes the men in the long boat jumped over the side to escape the flames as their boat burned down to the waterline.

  Aboard the warship, Captain Suckling shouted orders to attack the fire on the sails only to see a greater fire on the bow spring up. He was frustrated as his men started panicking as they ran into one another in the thick smoke.

  Mister Questy ran to him and the captain saw his hair was singed on one side. The man shouted over the chaos on the deck. “Captain! Look!” He pointed at the fire raging at the center of the ship. “The magazines’ going to blow sir, we have ta’ abandon her.”

  Suckling watched through red eyes as the ship he thought to be a derelict easily swung about to his rear and he ducked as the fire arrows thumped into his cabin.

  “Damn their eyes!” he growled, “How can this be? She be such a swift ship fer a scow, why any captain would have done the same as I.”