HMS Hector: A Charles Mullins Novel (Sea Command Book 6)

by Richard Testrake

  Mullins told the French officer that he intended to leave them on an island with water and the means to obtain food. He assured the officer he would relay their situation to his own admiral with the expectation they would be taken off soon.

  It took two days of back-breaking work to get the prize to its destination. Flore’s hull had been breached and, unable to be sealed, it was necessary to man the pumps around the clock to get the ship within reach of the beach. There was no kind of protective harbor on the island and there was no time to search farther. As soon as they came near, men were hurriedly sent down into the boats and pulled ashore. When the first arrivals sent word to the ship that it would indeed be suitable, the remainder of the French crew was ferried to safety. The last load left the ship as it grounded on a coral reef just offshore.

  Mullins went ashore himself to inspect the island. At some time in the past, goats had been released on the island and the French officer agreed the castaways should be able to feed themselves on goat flesh. Mullins ordered a quantity of muskets and ammunition to be landed, as well as sailcloth and timber to be used to erect tents. Several streams running down from the heights of the central portion of the island would furnish water.

  Only relatively healthy men were landed. Those badly wounded were kept aboard Hector for medical care. The French surgeon sailed on Hector and assisted Doctor Burns in treating the wounded. Most of these were French, and both doctors worked incessantly on the injured. Much of their labor was in vain as the wounded succumbed to their injuries in droves.

  By the time the ship neared the African continent, there was now more space, as the more serious cases died and were sent over the side in a hammock with a shot at their feet. An air of depression fell over the ship as so many men left in that manner. It was while passing Madagascar that the mood began to lift.

  By then, most of those destined to die had already done so, while some of the others were showing signs of recovery. It was raining when Mister Cummings took the ship close inshore. The sailing master wished to inspect the accuracy of his charts by taking some depths along certain parts of the coastline.

  Everyone was surprised when the depths marked on the old charts agreed with the depths called out by the drenched leadsman swinging his lead from the main chains. Some were even more astonished when the murky view of a brig appeared coming out of an inlet they had been inspecting a few minutes before.

  It was difficult seeing her in the driving rain at the time, and Mullins doubted whether Hector had been seen. Not wishing to become involved in an action this close to land, Hector stood farther out from the coast and reduced sail. When the downpour subsided moments later, the brig could be seen clearly, steaming in the suddenly brilliant sun.

  Only two men could be seen on the brig’s deck. both covered in oilskins. It was the helmsman who saw them first. He pointed toward the frigate and gave his companion a shove.

  The companion, after recovering from his surprise, gave the brig’s bell a series of pulls, and the brig’s crew, the few there was of them, began emerging from the forward hatch.

  Mullins had not bothered to clear the frigate for action. This was obviously a trading vessel, not likely to put up a spirited resistance. Still, men hurried to their posts and the powder boys had brought fresh charges up from the magazine, just in case the brig tried any nonsense.

  The crew of the brig did nothing more warlike than stare at the frigate, perhaps trying to decide who she was. This should not have been difficult since she was flying her ensign and commission pendant.

  When Mullins saw her yards come over, in an attempt to take the brig inshore, he lost patience. Mister Sawyer was standing on the quarterdeck near Mullins and his captain informed him two shots should be fired. The first aimed as close as may be to the ship, the second fired into her a minute later if she did not submit.

  The gunners apparently did not quite understand their instructions. Two of the eighteen-pounder long guns fired almost instantaneously The first ball struck her foc’s’le, while the second struck the anchor hanging to the port cathead. The shots got the crew’s attention immediately. Letting fly the sheets, the brig wallowed to a halt immediately.

  The launch carried over her prize crew and the brig was under sail just moments later. Hector led the way out of the shallows and once reaching the open sea, went alongside and asked Mister Sawyer, her prize master for a report.

  “Sir, a strange situation. She is full of tea, in East India Company chests. I think the tea was taken from the rightful carrier by pirates, then transferred to the brig for sale to a market that does not discriminate. Some of the chests are damaged and a few have blood smeared on them.

  Mullins answered, “Very well. Secure the crew and separate them so they cannot compare stories. We will question them later.”

  When Mullins was pulled over to the prize, he heard Sawyer’s report. All of the prisoners, including the captain and first mate, had been placed in irons and shackled to ring bolts mounted on the orlop deck. Their mouths had been muffled so they could not speak intelligently to each other.

  Hector’s third officer was anxious, concerned that reports of the treatment of their prisoners might reach Admiral Berties’ ears. Mullins explained, “Mister Sawyer, while what we did may not agree with certain official’s sensibilities, neither do my sensibilities agree with bloody tea chests taken from the hold of a missing John Company ship. I expect that missing ship is likely on the bottom of the sea by now, with the crew brutally murdered.”

  “I intend to determine what happened to that ship and if any of these enemy captives find themselves insulted, then I will try to bear the pain.”

  Mister Person, the first office on Hector, probably had the best command of French so he would be the interpreter. The interrogation began by Mullins advising the captives what he was about in the English language. Persons then gave them the information in French.

  Mullins initial statement informed the prisoners he needed to know from what source the tea chests had come. Any person who professed to know should nod his head and he would be taken to the main deck and questioned there out of hearing of his comrades.

  This revealed no information. None of the prisoners would admit to knowing where the tea had come from, including the captain and first mate.

  While waiting, Mullins asked Sawyer whether any of the men had had food or water since they had come aboard ship. The shame-faced Mister Sawyer admitted he had not thought of that, and could not understand the prisoners when they tried to ask.

  “Very well”, replied the captain. “Please tell them they will receive all the water they need as soon as we learn about the tea.”

  Hours went by with no results. Mullins went up to the quarterdeck to clear his head. Moments later, Mister Sawyer came up. “Sir, I think one of the prisoners might be willing to talk to us.”

  “Why would you think that, Mister Sawyer?”

  “Sir, every time I walk near him, he reaches out and taps my leg. I think he wants to say something.”

  “Well, what the devil is stopping him?

  “Sir, I think he might be afraid of his fellow crewmen. He might fear they will do him harm if he talks.”

  Mullins studied the problem for a few moments then gave his order. “Mister Sawyer, I wish you to start bringing all the prisoners up one at a time. We will start with another person than the one we think may talk. Each will be asked privately what he knows, with a promise of protection should he tell us the truth.”

  The first person brought up was the man who had been the bosun on the French brig. This one had nothing to say, refusing to even give his name. After intensive questioning revealed no information, he was taken forward and his fetters secured to a ringbolt.

  The third person questioned was the cook. When questioned, he said the others would kill him if they found out he had spoken. He wished to know how he would be protected. Mullins answered in English, with Sawyer supplying the translation. “If you tell
us the truth, you will be sent up to the men’s mess deck. You will still be kept in irons, but our men will be constantly around you to prevent any harm from coming to you.”

  The man related the circumstances of the tea coming aboard. The French frigate was on a sweep of the trade route where one might expect shipping from Bombay to travel. The frigate was accompanied by five native proas from the Bengal region. When the Indiaman was sighted, sailing alone in light airs, the proas took after her. After coming up with her, the pirates swarmed aboard and went on an orgy of killing, rapine and torture, When the frigate caught up, no one of the Indiaman’s passengers or crew was left alive.

  The frigate’s captain purchased the contents of the ship from the pirates with gold and silver handed over on the main deck of the prize. The tea was carried to the frigate which later was delivered to the brig that met them at a rendezvous.

  This was interesting, but Mullins was suspicious. “Just how did the pirates get on the west coast of India after setting out from Bengal, on the other side of the continent?”

  Some discussion between the prisoner and Mister Sawyer ensued. Sawyer reported, “Sir, he says those big double-hulled canoes can sail all over the Indian Ocean, even reaching over to Africa.”

  “Very well then, this man was a cook on the brig. How does he know so much about what happened on the Indiaman?”

  Another conversation in French followed. “Sir, he says the brig had lost her cook. This one was a cook’s mate on the frigate when the Indiaman was taken. After the tea had been transferred to the brig, the frigates captain ordered him to go aboard her and cook for its crew. He was to have re-joined the frigate later at Ile Napoleon.”

  Unable to think of anything else, he sent this prisoner to the men’s mess deck and called for the next prisoner. This man was the person Mister Sawyer believed was trying to communicate secretly with them, and so it was.”

  Unlike the other man, this one had not witnessed the killing of the Indiaman’s crew by the pirates, but he had heard all about it and had helped transfer the tea to the brig. Disgusted by the sordid tale, Mullins assured them they would be separated from their shipmates again and left them on the mess deck.

  The others were given food and water and told they would stand trial for piracy. They would by necessity, remain on the orlop deck. Food and water would be brought to them twice a day.

  Chapter Nineteen

  HMS Hector sailed into Simon’s Town and saluted Admiral Bertie’s flag on HMS Raisonable. Ordered to report at once, he was pulled over to the third-rate in his gig. His servant had done his best to freshen his coat and hat, but both had seen rough service. If possible, he would have to see about getting some new clothing made here.

  He handed over his log and reports upon boarding the flagship, then was left on the quarterdeck to wait for his audience with the admiral. For some of that time the flag captain kept him company, asking him about his action with the enemy frigate. At length, the flag lieutenant appeared and said Admiral Bertie was ready to see him.

  Admiral Bertie was in good humor with the news that one of the pestiferous French frigates had been destroyed, along with many pirate craft. The captured crewmen of the brig caught transporting the stolen cargo would receive special attention. He disclosed some of the recovered chests might well have markings indicating the specific East India Company ship that had originally transported the tea. The admiral regretted the captain of the Flore had been lost in the action with Hector. Had he lived, there may have been the possibility of charging him with conspiring with pirates.

  As it was, the captain was dead, and those crewmen of the enemy frigate still alive could hardly be expected to know much about the illicit activities of their captain and his pirate allies.

  A survey showed HMS Hector had received some severe blows from her opponent in the recent action, injuries it would be difficult to repair locally. Since reinforcements to Admiral Bertie’s fleet had just reported to the Cape, Hector could be dispensed with and she could be assigned to deliver dispatches to London.

  After taking on stores, Hector prepared to sail for home. Admiral Bertie’s secretary gave Mullins some advice before leaving.

  “Captain Mullins, I expect you will be sailing up the western coast of Africa. You should know that fever is reported to be especially bad this year. In addition, piracy is rife in certain areas, especially around the Bight of Benin and all along the Slave Coast.”

  “Of course, your frigate will be in no danger from pirates, as long as your crew is healthy, of course. Fever should be avoided by remaining well away from the bad air along the coast. Admiral Bertie has asked me to bring to your attention the Company ship, ‘Lord Aston’. She sailed from Bombay in convoy but was separated in a storm.”

  “Originally thought lost, she came in last week, well battered but whole. Her previous convoy and escort have already left and it was thought it would be necessary for her to await the next escorted convoy. However, since you are sailing home, it is thought you might escort her.”

  Mullins took the ‘suggestion’ with good grace. Although escort duty was a nuisance, one ship alone should not be difficult and much preferable to a dozen or more ships to watch over. Calling for his cox’n. he directed his gig made ready for a call on Lord Aston’s captain.

  Coming aboard the East Indiaman was enlightening. Although the ship had recently survived a vicious storm, the evidence was hard to see in this beautifully maintained ship. He was greeted by the assembled officers, man-of-war fashion, with all due ceremony and lunched with Captain Dorset in his cabin. Together, they went over their planned route home and discussed any potential problems that might be expected. Captain Dorset, was in particular, concerned about contact with pirates. He had some wealthy and distinguished passengers aboard that he did not wish to disturb unduly.

  Mullins wished to know how well the big Indiaman could defend herself. “Captain Dorset, of course Hector will be close by in case of contact with any enemy, but it may well happen that we must face many small pirate craft, such as I have had experience in the Indian Ocean. If this should happen, it may be difficult for Hector to fend off all of your assailants.”

  Captain Dorset invited Mullins to accompany him on a walk about his ship. On deck, they passed along the dozen twelve-pounder guns on each beam. Upon his giving an order in the Hindi language, scores of Lascar crewmen appeared instantaneously and manned the guns.

  Explaining, Dorset explained that many European captains were prejudiced about native crewmen, but he had found that natives of the subcontinent, commonly called Lascars, were excellent seamen and well disciplined. As long as they had their preferred foods and some protection against the cold weather in northern climates, the Indiaman captain thought these hands were as capable as any European crew might be.

  HMS Hector and her charge set out up the western coast of Africa, remaining well off-shore as advised. Aside from local small craft, nothing was seen to alarm the pair until they reached the waters off Sao Tome, a Portuguese colony.

  Mister Cummings had already commented that some of their salt meat was going bad in this heat and there was a possibility they might renew their provisions in that port. Mullins, after inspecting the stores himself, asserted they would have to be much worse than they were before he would agree to go near the coast in these waters. Fever was endemic here, and he wished to run no chances.

  Later, with Guinea off to starboard as they continued the voyage north, a single sail of a large European ship was sighted ahead. She had been in some difficulty and as they approached, it could be seen that her rigging was badly damaged. Sailing alongside Lord Aston, Mullins called over with his speaking trumpet to determine whether Captain Dorset might have anything to say as to her identity.

  Dorset had been keeping an eye on the ship since she had come hull-down and thought she might be ‘Calcutta Pearl’, a ship he had sailed with in convoy previously. It soon became evident, the ship had followers. A dozen small
craft of various types were following her and she seemed to be attempting to evade.

  Mullins tried to signal her, but she apparently could not read his signals. He wished her to put farther out to sea, but instead, she began making directly toward shore. Not wishing to approach the deadly shore, Mullins considered his duty. This errant Indiaman, was, after all, none of his business. But the interests of humanity required that he make some effort to assist her. Accordingly, he called over to Aston to inform her captain of his actions.

  Captain Dorset reminded him they did not know who was actually in control of the ship. He knew its captain, who was normally a level-headed sort, not one that was prone to rushing blindly toward a pestiferous shore for no reason.

  Deciding he had no recourse, Mullins ordered Hector to close the Pearl. As the frigate closed on the Indiaman, several blossoms of smoke from the Pearl’s beam indicated all was not well aboard that ship. He watched one of her pursuers hook on to her port beam and saw a dozen boarders try to scramble on board.

  These were fended off and the Indiaman then tried to come about to port, seemingly in an attempt to evade other boats. This effort failed, and the big transport resumed her course toward the beach.

  Hector kept closing during these maneuverings and now was coming quite close. Just to gain attention, the frigates’ portside guns were fired in the general vicinity of the pursuers. None seemed to strike, but now the small craft decided they had business elsewhere and sheared off, heading in differing directions.

  The ship continued toward the beach and dropped anchor close off-shore. Mister Sawyer was ordered into the launch with a boat’s crew and ordered to investigate. When he climbed back into the frigate nearly two hours later, he was able to report.

  “Captain, the ship is an East Indiaman from London on her way to Bombay. A Frenchman caught her near the Line and put a ball into her forequarter. She escaped him and hoped to put into the Cape for repairs, but found an enemy frigate barring her way. When she lost this pursuer by evading northward, her captain decided to forgo the Cape, instead making for Sao Tome, where she hoped to find the latest news and perhaps make needed repair. By now, the ship was taking on water rapidly up forward.”.