Courtenay and the Mercenaries

by Brian Withecombe

  Courtenay took the mug and smiled. “Perhaps whoever named the country liked it so much, they used it for the main town as well! We will be there shortly, if Captain Coles’ Master is to be believed.”

  “Seems to be someone with a lot of experience sir, so I’m sure he’s right.”

  Wetherby squeezed into the small space. “Just spoken to the Sailing Master sir, and he assures me we will sight Mondiana in the forenoon tomorrow.”

  “Good. Thank you Justin.”

  They did indeed sight Mondiana the following just as the forenoon watch had run half its course. Four bells had just been rung from the foc’s’le belfry when the mainmast look-out yelled down ‘Land ho! Off the port bow!’

  Harry Coles had turned to his Sailing Master with a smile. “Well done Mr Rogers. Almost to the minute!” Then he turned to Courtenay as he came on deck, reporting formally, “Mainmast look-out has reported land off the port bow sir. Mondiana. Orders sir?”

  “Oh I think we will just sail past at a reasonable. but visible distance Harry. I am sure that King’s ships are not a rarity in this part of the world, after all, so the good people of Mondiana will not think it in the slightest odd if they see us sailing past.”

  “I am sure our anti-slave patrols must work this way at some stage sir.” said Coles.

  “Yes, we may even run into one of them. When we are level with the town, we will see what we shall see!”

  Wetherby stood next to him. “Would you like me to go aloft sir, with the signals glass, and see what I can find?”

  Courtenay smiled. “No need Justin, but thank you very much for the offer. I shall go myself.”

  There was a muffled “What?” from Lieutenant Piper, and even a quizzical glance from the Sailing Master, who remembered Courtenay from previous cruises, and one or two unbelieving looks from some of the men working on the quarterdeck.

  Giles Courtenay looked around in surprise. “What is the matter gentleman? You do not believe your Admiral is capable of running up the rigging to get to the maintop? Would anyone of you care to race me there? A Golden Guinea to the man who gets there before me!”

  There were smiles from the men and even Piper relented to the extent a small grin appeared on his face. Rogers and Trafford merely looked at each other and shrugged their shoulders.

  “I’ll cheerfully race you to the maintop sir!” said one of the maintopmen a very experienced seaman who was busy flaking down a halliard.

  “Very well. Let us go. Mr Thomas, the signals glass if you please.” said Courtenay. He slipped the strap over his shoulder, and smiled at the seaman, indicating that he should go first. They both climbed into the starboard ratlines. Courtenay looked down at Coles. “Say when Captain!”

  Harry Coles gave a huge grin, and said ‘GO!” and Courtenay and the seaman started the climb. They were neck and neck as they neared the maintop, and Courtenay saw the other man glance at him from time to time, almost to make sure his Admiral was not in any difficulties. Courtenay did not know quite how he kept up with the man, but he did, and only just missed out on beating him when he almost lost his hold as he leant out and down to climb up into the maintop. The seaman was waiting there with a huge grin, and the look-outs could not quite believe what they had just witnessed.

  ‘By God, sir, that were a fair climb. I thought you were goin’ to beat me for a moment there!”

  “Well, I did not, so the Guinea is yours. I will see you receive it later. Name?”

  “Lees sir. John Lees.”

  “Lees? I used to have a maintop look-out called Harry Lees, years ago.”

  The man smiled. ‘Aye sir. My Uncle.”

  “Well, well. I was most sad to hear he had died. He was a good man.”

  “He were dead proud to serve with you sir.”

  “Well, John Lees, I had best get on with what I came all this way to do, so make some room my lads, so that I can have a good look see at yonder town.”

  Whilst Giles Courtenay spent his time looking through the signals glass at the nearby town, the frigate ploughed steadily off shore, its duty officers also watching through their own telescopes, picking out what they needed to see. Eventually, Courtenay felt he had seen enough and in any case soon the town would be hidden from view by the changing coastline, so he nodded to the look-outs in the maintop, and then to their surprise, reached for a backstay and taking it in his hands and feet, slid down onto the quarterdeck.

  He looked at his white shirt and breeches as he landed on the decking, casting a rueful glance at the streaks of tar and rubbed his hands. He heard one or two knowing chuckles from some of the men working on the deck and turned to see their smiling faces, but those smiles were soon wiped off their faces by a growl from Piper. “Difficult to get rid of, eh lads?” said Courtenay as he rubbed at his hands with a piece of canvas. They nodded and smiled, much to Piper’s anger. Harry Coles was wearing a huge smile as well: he knew his Admiral far better than anyone else aboard, and nothing the man did surprised him any more.

  “Well Harry, I trust you all got what you needed down here?” asked Courtenay. “I thought I could see some batteries in the front of the town, which I confess was a little more firmly built than I thought it would be, and I would wager there are others elsewhere.”

  “I believe Captain Walker found at least two sir, right where you would expect them to be.” said Coles, indicating the debonair Captain of Marines standing on the port side of the deck near the mizen ratlines, and who was only just lowering his glass, turning to one side to mention some points to his sergeant. ‘Captain Walker?”

  Walker, a tall young man in the usual tight-fitting red tunic of the Royal Marines, and who affected a small and well-trimmed moustache, almost marched the short distance from where he had been standing to where Courtenay and Coles were waiting. “Yes sir. Well, as we know, the town is slightly sheltered by two arms of the bay. I could see batteries near the ends of the arms of the bay, and although I couldn’t see much, I am sure they are at least 12-pounders. They were quite well hidden, although, ah, not well enough sir for my sergeant to miss ‘em!”

  Courtenay smiled briefly. “How many times have we found such similar defences Harry, eh? I saw batteries at the front of the town, and there are some stone walls near the beach which I would wager have ramparts and probably more guns. I wonder how well it is defended to the rear?”

  “Put a party ashore tonight and find out sir?” offered Coles.

  “We do not even know yet, for sure, whether it is the person who rules Mondiana who is behind all the attacks on Balathis yet Harry. It might not be too friendly to put an armed party ashore to find out the state of the defences to the rear in the event something goes awry and they are caught, would you not agree?” Coles nodded soberly. “However, having said that, I am sure you saw that frigate anchored just off the town, the one with the Spanish colours?”

  All on the quarterdeck had seen the frigate. She was, according to those who counted the gunports, a 38 gunner. The red and gold of Spain had been limply hanging from her stern.

  “Do you think she is the Senora de Fuentes sir?” put in Wetherby, who had just finished making his own notes.

  “Yes Flags, I rather think she is. That would certainly tie in what is happening with Mondiana, on the face of it, or, as my late father would have put it. there is a prima facie case that the country is involved, but it may well be that the frigate is simply seeking shelter there, rather than anything else.”

  “Bit odd sir that she is flying Spanish colours?” said Harry Coles. “:She has something to hide perhaps.”

  “Perhaps. Now then Captain Coles, on the chart we were poring over a short while ago, I noticed a small inlet further to the south. Let us suppose that Mondiana is behind what has been happening. The frigate is there, but what of the dark blue corvette, the Majestie ? There was no sign of her at all. They are clearly in this together, of that there is no doubt at all, so is she hiding herself away somewhere. After all, the Captains
of those ships know we will be looking for their lair, and if we find it, we are liable to attack them to put them out of action. They cannot go near Balathia again, at least in broad daylight, because we are too strong for them, so the chances are they are awaiting their next move against us when they hope they can catch us out. I wish to inspect this inlet.”

  “Very well sir. In that case, we will continue on this course for the time being.”

  “And I will disappear to incur my servant’s wrath at the state of my clothing Harry. I shall return later when we are closer to the inlet I have in mind.”

  “Aye aye sir.”

  Trafford came aft to report that the inlet was about to be seen, and Courtenay, in clean shirt and breeches, was soon back on deck. He noticed that some of the duty officers were raising their telescopes so he said sharply, ‘No glasses gentlemen, if you please. I did not mind the townfolk of Mondania seeing us having a look at them, but the sun is going to be just about shining on the lens of any telescope and if that damned corvette is hiding in that inlet, I suspect she will be disguised and I do not wish her company to know we are looking for her.” He turned to Piper. “Who is your best look-out up there in the maintop?”

  “Garner sir.” replied Piper instantly.

  “Good. Pass him the word that he is to keep his eyes skinned on the shoreline and tell me if he finds anything that does not seem to be in order. I do not mind if it is nothing, but believe me, I have some experience in hiding ships and smelling them out!”

  “Aye aye sir.”

  Courtenay then turned to his cox’n, who was already looking out over the port side at the inlet which was now unfolding. “You know what to look for Alex. We have been here a few times before.”

  “Too damned right sir!” He turned back to look at the shoreline that was unfolding. Green undergrowth and jungle came almost down to the water’s edge, apart from in those places where there was a small crescent of beach. It could rightly be classed as a typical tropical paradise, but Courtenay knew what secrets places like that could hold.

  With no-one watching through give-away telescopes, Tiger sailed across the entrance to the inlet, to all intents and purposes not in the slightest interested in whatever might be ashore, but aboard her there were many pairs of inquisitive eyes watching, looking, seeking that little tell-tale sign that would tell them the dark-blue corvette was there and hidden. When they were almost at the other side, Trafford turned to his Admiral and smiled slightly, shaking his head.

  “Reckon they are there sir, or at least, someone is, if it ain’t that frog corvette.”

  “Did not see a damned thing.” said Coles, wiping his face and neck with a large blue handkerchief/

  There was a quiet ‘Nor me.” from Piper.

  Courtenay smiled at both of them, then looked at Wetherby. “Flags? Did you see anything?”

  “Well sir, I think there was something not quite right, but I could not put my finger on it. It was rather a sort of…well, feeling that we were being watched.” He smiled at Trafford. ”Was that the feeling you had Trafford?”

  Alex Trafford smiled broadly and watched as the look-out named Garner slid down a backstay to report his findings. “No sir. They did a good job o’ hiding the ship, but not good enough. What say you Garner?”

  Garner was quite a serious man, but he gave a small grin. “Cox’n is right sir. She be there all right. Saw her as plain as day. It were her topworks Cox, yes?

  Trafford nodded. ‘Yes, they have not taken the camouflage up far enough. They may have painted the topmasts blue to blend in with the sky hereabouts, but they should have carried the creepers and vines right up to the truck, then we might not ‘ave seen her. She’s there sir, dead certain.”

  Courtenay looked at all of them and nodded to Garner. ‘Thank you Garner. You have good eyes.” He turned to the others. “I agree with Trafford and Garner. She is there, or at least, someone is there, and not wishing to be seen, so she is hardly likely to be some innocent trader laying up for the night.”

  “Orders sir?” asked Coles.

  “Continue on this course Captain, until we are out of sight and then, provided the wind assists, we will claw out to sea and return here after dark. I trust your Master has all the bearings he needs?”

  Coles beamed. “Oh yes sir. He was very busy taking bearings and he is happy he can bring the ship back her after dark.”

  “Very well Captain. We will return and put a small party ashore to see what can be found. Near where I fancy there is a small creek up which the corvette is hiding there seems to be a beach. That might be very useful, but only pick volunteers, naturally. And an officer will have to go with them.”

  “I am willing to perform the service sir.” said Lieutenant Piper immediately. Courtenay looked at Coles.

  “It is your ship Harry,” he said quietly, ‘so I will leave it to you who you choose.”

  “Thank you sir. Very well Mr Piper, pick your men, but remember what the Admiral has said. Volunteers only, and I do mean, volunteers!”

  Piper gave the merest smile. “Of course sir.”

  After he had gone to pick his men, Coles turned to his Admiral. “What do you intend if that corvette is there?”

  “Oh, I have a little plan that I have used before that I think will entice the ship out into the open. “ He looked at Trafford, who nodded, his mind going back over the years to a small island in the Caribbean and a pirate called LeCorsair.

  “But first, Captain Coles, we have to see if she is the ship we are seeking!”

  EIGHT

  It was necessary to await a dark night for the plan Courtenay had in mind to be executed, and that meant waiting two days for a moonless night. When it came, Lieutenant Piper was instructed again by Courtenay as to what he was to do, and Coles ensured the boat’s crew was to comprise only volunteers. Fortunately, Piper was not too unpopular with Tiger’s company, so volunteers were not hard to find.

  Courtenay paced the deck as he waited for Piper and his men to return. He had told the First-lieutenant that he was not to go too close to where the ship was hidden. All he wished to know was whether she was the dark blue former French National corvette Majestie although clearly in the dark, it would be difficult to make out her colouring. If it was a corvette, it would be the one they were seeking. Courtenay had no doubts as to why the ex-Spanish frigate was riding at her anchor in Mondiana’s anchorage, yet the corvette, her partner in crime, was hidden away from prying eyes. With British warships in the area, whoever was running Mondiana would not wish to have both ships blatantly on show, so as to speak, and therefore allow the Royal Navy the excuse to barge into the bay with all guns blazing to destroy them. The frigate was flying Spanish colours and therefore, to all intents and purposes insofar as any inquisitive onlooker was concerned, she was a Spanish National ship on a visit. Courtenay smiled inwardly, and rubbed the scar on his cheek.

  Harry Coles, sharing the quarterdeck, chuckled as he saw the movement and gratefully accepted a mug of coffee from his servant. Trafford, lounging against the port nettings, also saw the action and groaned. His lord and master was thinking something up!

  “Bad part, the waiting, is it not sir?” said Justin Wetherby, cradling a mug.

  “Yes Justin, always the worst. If one is involved, he knows what is going on. The ones who wait do not.” He turned away, looking out over the dark sea towards where he knew the land was, although he could see nothing. Tiger had closed the land that evening after day suddenly turned into night, and had hove-to when the Master considered they were about a mile or so off-shore.

  Another two hours passed, with more mugs of coffee and far more pacing this way and that. The watch on deck were keeping an eye open for any trace of the boat returning, and it was shortly after Kingston had supplied Courtenay and Trafford with more coffee, Courtenay’s laced with brandy and Trafford’s with rum, that word was passed onto the quarterdeck that someone had seen something. It had been the merest hint of a bow-wave
from a small boat, but in another few moments, the small boat was in sight and closing on the frigate. In no time, it was alongside and Piper was climbing the ladder to the quarterdeck. He was dishevelled and dirty, his uniform coat covered in strands of creeper and his usually immaculate breeches stained, but he was smiling broadly.

  “Well Mr Piper?” asked Courtenay, ’From the look on your face I would hazard a guess and say you found our corvette?”

  Piper beamed, tiredly, but he beamed. “Yes sir. You were absolutely right. She is there right enough. The Majestie . We got close enough to see she was painted in a very dark colour, and then we heard French voices, as well as some others in tongues I did not recognise. One of the lads, Thomas, reckoned it was a Portugee, but there were also some Africans on board. However, to make sure, one of the men, Edwards, said he would go for a little swim, and he got right up under her counter.”

  “And no-one saw you?” put in Coles.

  Piper smiled again. “Nary a one sir.”

  “Well done Mr Piper and well done to your lads.” said Courtenay warmly.

  “I did promise them a double tot sir,” said Piper almost apologetically to Harry Coles, “if that is in order with you.”

  “Good, because had you not already offered it, I would have ordered it. See to it Mr Piper, then go and have some rest. Well done again.”

  “Thank you sir.”

  Piper left and Coles looked at Courtenay. “Orders sir?”

  “Well, first of all Harry, we will return to Balathia and I will go back on board my flagship. Then we will have to decide what to do, although it is clear to me that Mondiana has a lot to do with what has been happening. I wish to discuss matters with Captain Horrocks and Mr Minter before taking any further action, as I do not wish to cause any discord between the King and whoever rules Mondiana. “