Captain Blood

by Rafael Sabatini

  CHAPTER XXVII. CARTAGENA

  Having crossed the Caribbean in the teeth of contrary winds, it was notuntil the early days of April that the French fleet hove in sight ofCartagena, and M. de Rivarol summoned a council aboard his flagship todetermine the method of assault.

  "It is of importance, messieurs," he told them, "that we take the cityby surprise, not only before it can put itself into a state of defence;but before it can remove its treasures inland. I propose to land aforce sufficient to achieve this to the north of the city to-night afterdark." And he explained in detail the scheme upon which his wits hadlaboured.

  He was heard respectfully and approvingly by his officers, scornfullyby Captain Blood, and indifferently by the other buccaneer captainspresent. For it must be understood that Blood's refusal to attendcouncils had related only to those concerned with determining the natureof the enterprise to be undertaken.

  Captain Blood was the only one amongst them who knew exactly what layahead. Two years ago he had himself considered a raid upon the place,and he had actually made a survey of it in circumstances which he waspresently to disclose.

  The Baron's proposal was one to be expected from a commander whoseknowledge of Cartagena was only such as might be derived from maps.

  Geographically and strategically considered, it is a curious place. Itstands almost four-square, screened east and north by hills, and itmay be said to face south upon the inner of two harbours by which itis normally approached. The entrance to the outer harbour, which is inreality a lagoon some three miles across, lies through a neck known asthe Boca Chica--or Little Mouth--and defended by a fort. A long strip ofdensely wooded land to westward acts here as a natural breakwater, andas the inner harbour is approached, another strip of land thrusts acrossat right angles from the first, towards the mainland on the east. Justshort of this it ceases, leaving a deep but very narrow channel, averitable gateway, into the secure and sheltered inner harbour. Anotherfort defends this second passage. East and north of Cartagena liesthe mainland, which may be left out of account. But to the west andnorthwest this city, so well guarded on every other side, lies directlyopen to the sea. It stands back beyond a half-mile of beach, and besidesthis and the stout Walls which fortify it, would appear to have no otherdefences. But those appearances are deceptive, and they had utterlydeceived M. de Rivarol, when he devised his plan.

  It remained for Captain Blood to explain the difficulties when M. deRivarol informed him that the honour of opening the assault in themanner which he prescribed was to be accorded to the buccaneers.

  Captain Blood smiled sardonic appreciation of the honour reservedfor his men. It was precisely what he would have expected. For thebuccaneers the dangers; for M. de Rivarol the honour, glory and profitof the enterprise.

  "It is an honour which I must decline," said he quite coldly.

  Wolverstone grunted approval and Hagthorpe nodded. Yberville, whoas much as any of them resented the superciliousness of his noblecompatriot, never wavered in loyalty to Captain Blood. The Frenchofficers--there were six of them present--stared their haughty surpriseat the buccaneer leader, whilst the Baron challengingly fired a questionat him.

  "How? You decline it, 'sir? You decline to obey orders, do you say?"

  "I understood, M. le Baron, that you summoned us to deliberate upon themeans to be adopted."

  "Then you understood amiss, M. le Capitaine. You are here to receivemy commands. I have already deliberated, and I have decided. I hope youunderstand."

  "Oh, I understand," laughed Blood. "But, I ask myself, do you?" Andwithout giving the Baron time to set the angry question that wasbubbling to his lips, he swept on: "You have deliberated, you say, andyou have decided. But unless your decision rests upon a wish to destroymy buccaneers, you will alter it when I tell you something of whichI have knowledge. This city of Cartagena looks very vulnerable onthe northern side, all open to the sea as it apparently stands. Askyourself, M. le Baron, how came the Spaniards who built it where it isto have been at such trouble to fortify it to the south, if from thenorth it is so easily assailable."

  That gave M. de Rivarol pause.

  "The Spaniards," Blood pursued, "are not quite the fools you aresupposing them. Let me tell you, messieurs, that two years ago I made asurvey of Cartagena as a preliminary to raiding it. I came hither withsome friendly trading Indians, myself disguised as an Indian, and inthat guise I spent a week in the city and studied carefully all itsapproaches. On the side of the sea where it looks so temptingly open toassault, there is shoal water for over half a mile out--far enough out,I assure you, to ensure that no ship shall come within bombarding rangeof it. It is not safe to venture nearer land than three quarters of amile."

  "But our landing will be effected in canoes and piraguas and openboats," cried an officer impatiently.

  "In the calmest season of the year, the surf will hinder any suchoperation. And you will also bear in mind that if landing were possibleas you are suggesting, that landing could not be covered by the ships'guns. In fact, it is the landing parties would be in danger from theirown artillery."

  "If the attack is made by night, as I propose, covering will beunnecessary. You should be ashore in force before the Spaniards areaware of the intent."

  "You are assuming that Cartagena is a city of the blind, that at thisvery moment they are not conning our sails and asking themselves who weare and what we intend."

  "But if they feel themselves secure from the north, as you suggest,"cried the Baron impatiently, "that very security will lull them."

  "Perhaps. But, then, they are secure. Any attempt to land on this sideis doomed to failure at the hands of Nature."

  "Nevertheless, we make the attempt," said the obstinate Baron, whosehaughtiness would not allow him to yield before his officers.

  "If you still choose to do so after what I have said, you are, ofcourse, the person to decide. But I do not lead my men into fruitlessdanger."

  "If I command you..." the Baron was beginning. But Blood unceremoniouslyinterrupted him.

  "M. le Baron, when M. de Cussy engaged us on your behalf, it was as muchon account of our knowledge and experience of this class of warfareas on account of our strength. I have placed my own knowledge andexperience in this particular matter at your disposal. I will add thatI abandoned my own project of raiding Cartagena, not being in sufficientstrength at the time to force the entrance of the harbour, which is theonly way into the city. The strength which you now command is ample forthat purpose."

  "But whilst we are doing that, the Spaniards will have time toremove great part of the wealth this city holds. We must take them bysurprise."

  Captain Blood shrugged. "If this is a mere pirating raid, that, ofcourse, is a prime consideration. It was with me. But if you areconcerned to abate the pride of Spain and plant the Lilies of Franceon the forts of this settlement, the loss of some treasure should notreally weigh for much."

  M. de Rivarol bit his lip in chagrin. His gloomy eye smouldered as itconsidered the self-contained buccaneer.

  "But if I command you to go--to make the attempt?" he asked. "Answer me,monsieur, let us know once for all where we stand, and who commands thisexpedition."

  "Positively, I find you tiresome," said Captain Blood, and he swung toM. de Cussy, who sat there gnawing his lip, intensely uncomfortable. "Iappeal to you, monsieur, to justify me to the General."

  M. de Cussy started out of his gloomy abstraction. He cleared histhroat. He was extremely nervous.

  "In view of what Captain Blood has submitted...."

  "Oh, to the devil with that!" snapped Rivarol. "It seems that I amfollowed by poltroons. Look you, M. le Capitaine, since you are afraidto undertake this thing, I will myself undertake it. The weather iscalm, and I count upon making good my landing. If I do so, I shall haveproved you wrong, and I shall have a word to say to you to-morrow whichyou may not like. I am being very generous with you, sir." He waved hishand regally. "You have leave to go."

  It was sheer ob
stinacy and empty pride that drove him, and he receivedthe lesson he deserved. The fleet stood in during the afternoon towithin a mile of the coast, and under cover of darkness three hundredmen, of whom two hundred were negroes--the whole of the negro contingenthaving been pressed into the undertaking--were pulled away for the shorein the canoes, piraguas, and ships' boats. Rivarol's pride compelledhim, however much he may have disliked the venture, to lead them inperson.

  The first six boats were caught in the surf, and pounded into fragmentsbefore their occupants could extricate themselves. The thunder of thebreakers and the cries of the shipwrecked warned those who followed,and thereby saved them from sharing the same fate. By the Baron's urgentorders they pulled away again out of danger, and stood about to pickup such survivors as contrived to battle towards them. Close upon fiftylives were lost in the adventure, together with half-a-dozen boatsstored with ammunition and light guns.

  The Baron went back to his flagship an infuriated, but by no means awiser man. Wisdom--not even the pungent wisdom experience thrusts uponus--is not for such as M. de Rivarol. His anger embraced all things, butfocussed chiefly upon Captain Blood. In some warped process of reasoninghe held the buccaneer chiefly responsible for this misadventure. He wentto bed considering furiously what he should say to Captain Blood uponthe morrow.

  He was awakened at dawn by the rolling thunder of guns. Emerging uponthe poop in nightcap and slippers, he beheld a sight that increased hisunreasonable and unreasoning fury. The four buccaneer ships under canvaswere going through extraordinary manoeuvre half a mile off the BocaChica and little more than half a mile away from the remainder of thefleet, and from their flanks flame and smoke were belching each timethey swung broadside to the great round fort that guarded that narrowentrance. The fort was returning the fire vigorously and viciously. Butthe buccaneers timed their broadsides with extraordinary judgment tocatch the defending ordnance reloading; then as they drew the Spaniards'fire, they swung away again not only taking care to be ever movingtargets, but, further, to present no more than bow or stern to the fort,their masts in line, when the heaviest cannonades were to be expected.

  Gibbering and cursing, M. de Rivarol stood there and watched thisaction, so presumptuously undertaken by Blood on his own responsibility.The officers of the Victorieuse crowded round him, but it was not untilM. de Cussy came to join the group that he opened the sluices of hisrage. And M. de Cussy himself invited the deluge that now caught him.He had come up rubbing his hands and taking a proper satisfaction in theenergy of the men whom he had enlisted.

  "Aha, M. de Rivarol!" he laughed. "He understands his business, eh,this Captain Blood. He'll plant the Lilies of France on that fort beforebreakfast."

  The Baron swung upon him snarling. "He understands his business, eh? Hisbusiness, let me tell you, M. de Cussy, is to obey my orders, and I havenot ordered this. Par la Mordieu! When this is over I'll deal with himfor his damned insubordination."

  "Surely, M. le Baron, he will have justified it if he succeeds."

  "Justified it! Ah, parbleu! Can a soldier ever justify acting withoutorders?" He raved on furiously, his officers supporting him out of theirdetestation of Captain Blood.

  Meanwhile the fight went merrily on. The fort was suffering badly. Yetfor all their manoeuvring the buccaneers were not escaping punishment.The starboard gunwale of the Atropos had been hammered into splinters,and a shot had caught her astern in the coach. The Elizabeth was badlybattered about the forecastle, and the Arabella's maintop had beenshot away, whilst' towards the end of that engagement the Lachesis camereeling out of the fight with a shattered rudder, steering herself bysweeps.

  The absurd Baron's fierce eyes positively gleamed with satisfaction.

  "I pray Heaven they may sink all his infernal ships!" he cried in hisfrenzy.

  But Heaven didn't hear him. Scarcely had he spoken than there was aterrific explosion, and half the fort went up in fragments. A lucky shotfrom the buccaneers had found the powder magazine.

  It may have been a couple of hours later, when Captain Blood, asspruce and cool as if he had just come from a levee, stepped upon thequarter-deck of the Victoriense, to confront M. de Rivarol, still inbedgown and nightcap.

  "I have to report, M. le Baron, that we are in possession of the forton Boca Chica. The standard of France is flying from what remains of itstower, and the way into the outer harbour is open to your fleet."

  M. de Rivarol was compelled to swallow his fury, though it chokedhim. The jubilation among his officers had been such that he could notcontinue as he had begun. Yet his eyes were malevolent, his face palewith anger.

  "You are fortunate, M. Blood, that you succeeded," he said. "It wouldhave gone very ill with you had you failed. Another time be so good asto await my orders, lest you should afterwards lack the justificationwhich your good fortune has procured you this morning."

  Blood smiled with a flash of white teeth, and bowed. "I shall be glad ofyour orders now, General, for pursuing our advantage. You realize thatspeed in striking is the first essential."

  Rivarol was left gaping a moment. Absorbed in his ridiculous anger, hehad considered nothing. But he made a quick recovery. "To my cabin, ifyou please," he commanded peremptorily, and was turning to lead the way,when Blood arrested him.

  "With submission, my General, we shall be better here. You behold therethe scene of our coming action. It is spread before you like a map."He waved his hand towards the lagoon, the country flanking it andthe considerable city standing back from the beach. "If it is not apresumption in me to offer a suggestion...." He paused. M. de Rivarollooked at him sharply, suspecting irony. But the swarthy face was bland,the keen eyes steady.

  "Let us hear your suggestion," he consented.

  Blood pointed out the fort at the mouth of the inner harbour, which wasjust barely visible above the waving palms on the intervening tongue ofland. He announced that its armament was less formidable than thatof the outer fort, which they had reduced; but on the other hand, thepassage was very much narrower than the Boca Chica, and before theycould attempt to make it in any case, they must dispose of thosedefences. He proposed that the French ships should enter the outerharbour, and proceed at once to bombardment. Meanwhile, he would landthree hundred buccaneers and some artillery on the eastern side of thelagoon, beyond the fragrant garden islands dense with richly bearingfruit-trees, and proceed simultaneously to storm the fort in the rear.Thus beset on both sides at once, and demoralized by the fate of themuch stronger outer fort, he did not think the Spaniards would offer avery long resistance. Then it would be for M. de Rivarol to garrison thefort, whilst Captain Blood would sweep on with his men, and seizethe Church of Nuestra Senora de la Poupa, plainly visible on its hillimmediately eastward of the town. Not only did that eminence afford thema valuable and obvious strategic advantage, but it commanded the onlyroad that led from Cartagena to the interior, and once it were heldthere would be no further question of the Spaniards attempting to removethe wealth of the city.

  That to M. de Rivarol was--as Captain Blood had judged that it wouldbe--the crowning argument. Supercilious until that moment, and disposedfor his own pride's sake to treat the buccaneer's suggestions withcavalier criticism, M. de Rivarol's manner suddenly changed. He becamealert and brisk, went so far as tolerantly to commend Captain Blood'splan, and issued orders that action might be taken upon it at once.

  It is not necessary to follow that action step by step. Blunders onthe part of the French marred its smooth execution, and the indifferenthandling of their ships led to the sinking of two of them in the courseof the afternoon by the fort's gunfire. But by evening, owing largely tothe irresistible fury with which the buccaneers stormed the place fromthe landward side, the fort had surrendered, and before dusk Blood andhis men with some ordnance hauled thither by mules dominated the cityfrom the heights of Nuestra Senora de la Poupa.

  At noon on the morrow, shorn of defences and threatened withbombardment, Cartagena sent offers of surrender to M. de Rivar
ol.

  Swollen with pride by a victory for which he took the entire creditto himself, the Baron dictated his terms. He demanded that all publiceffects and office accounts be delivered up; that the merchantssurrender all moneys and goods held by them for their correspondents;the inhabitants could choose whether they would remain in the city ordepart; but those who went must first deliver up all their property, andthose who elected to remain must surrender half, and become the subjectsof France; religious houses and churches should be spared, but they mustrender accounts of all moneys and valuables in their possession.

  Cartagena agreed, having no choice in the matter, and on the nextday, which was the 5th of April, M. de Rivarol entered the city andproclaimed it now a French colony, appointing M. de Cussy its Governor.Thereafter he proceeded to the Cathedral, where very properly a Te Deumwas sung in honour of the conquest. This by way of grace, whereafter M.de Rivarol proceeded to devour the city. The only detail in which theFrench conquest of Cartagena differed from an ordinary buccaneering raidwas that under the severest penalties no soldier was to enter thehouse of any inhabitant. But this apparent respect for the persons andproperty of the conquered was based in reality upon M. de Rivarol'sanxiety lest a doubloon should be abstracted from all the wealth thatwas pouring into the treasury opened by the Baron in the name of theKing of France. Once the golden stream had ceased, he removed allrestrictions and left the city in prey to his men, who proceeded furtherto pillage it of that part of their property which the inhabitants whobecame French subjects had been assured should remain inviolate. Theplunder was enormous. In the course of four days over a hundred mulesladen with gold went out of the city and down to the boats waiting atthe beach to convey the treasure aboard the ships.