"Osman the Victorious," as Skobeleff called the matchless Turkish
pasha, had kept the Russian hordes at bay for one hundred and
forty-two days. Never in the annals of warfare had the world beheld
such unexpected military genius, combined with stubborn endurance, as
was shown during the siege of Plevna. On December 10th, 1877, Osman
came out and made a desperate struggle to break through the Russian
lines; but after four hours' hard fighting the Turks sent up the white
flag, and boisterous cheering swelled over the snow-clad land when it
became known that the greatest Turkish general of modern times had
surrendered. His little army of Bashi-Bazouks had annihilated more
than one Siberian battalion. The Russian loss was forty thousand, and
the Turkish thirty thousand. Had Suleiman and the other Turkish
generals shown the same stubborn spirit as Osman, the Russian army
would never have been permitted to cross the Balkans, much less reach
Constantinople.[1] But after the fall of Plevna the resistance of the
Turkish army was feeble, and the Muscovites were not long in pitching
their camp at San Stefano. Indeed, a rumour got abroad one night that
the Russians were in the suburbs of Constantinople. This roused the
indignation of the English jingoes to such a pitch that the great
Jewish Premier, with the dash that characterized his career, gave
peremptory orders for the British fleet to proceed, with or without
leave, through the Dardanelles, and if any resistance was shown to
silence the forts. Russia protested and threatened, and Turkey winked
a stern objection, but Lord Beaconsfield was firm, and suitable
arrangements were arrived at between the Powers.
Bismarck offered his services as mediator, and suggested that a
European Congress should be held at Berlin to discuss the contents of
the Treaty of San Stefano. This was agreed to, and Lord Beaconsfield,
accompanied by Lord Salisbury, were the British representatives at the
Congress. The Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary drove a hard
and favourable bargain for Turkey and for Britain. Turkey, it is
needless to say, got the worst of it; but, considering her crushing
defeat, came well out of the settlement. Cyprus was ceded to the
British, to be used as a naval station, and subsequent experience has
proved the wisdom of this acquisition. Lord Beaconsfield proclaimed to
a tumultuous crowd on the occasion of his return to London that he had
brought back "peace with honour." This was the acme of the great
Jew's fame. It looked as though he could have done anything he liked
with the British people, so that it is no wonder that the old man lost
his balance when such homage was paid him by that section of the
public which was smitten with his picturesque and audacious
personality.
Naturally, his policy impregnated Russia with a strong anti-British
feeling, and it was said that her activity in running up earthworks
and apparently impregnable fortifications was in anticipation of
Disraeli declaring war and ordering the fleet to bombard the Crimean
ports; hence, too, in addition to the strong fortifications, torpedo
mines were laid for miles along the seaboard, and every possible means
and opportunity were taken to make it widely known that the Black Sea
was one deadly mine-field. The Press on all sides was, as usual,
brimful of reports of the most alarmist nature--these, of course, for
the most part extravagant and inaccurate rumours. Nor did the Russian
Press minimize accounts of the terrible devastation that was wrought
on unarmed trespassers who came within the zone of terror. I read
twice of my own rapid and complete destruction. There is no doubt that
mines were laid, though both their capacity for destruction and the
number of them was very much exaggerated.
From the end of ---- outer breakwater to beyond the ---- there was a
line of mines which left between the land and them a channel less than
half a mile wide. A gunboat with torpedo pilots aboard was moored at
the south end, and vessels prior to the war and during the armistice
were compelled to take a pilot in and out; but no vessel was allowed
to pass in or out from sunset to sunrise. A gunboat was also stationed
outside the inner breakwater. A large fleet of steamers had been
attracted by the high freights, inflated by the war fever that
permeated Europe at that time, and also because the season was far
advanced, and merchants were anxious to get their stuff shipped in
case hostilities broke out. The heavy snowstorms had made the roads
almost impassable, but in spite of great difficulties the loading was
carried on; slowly, it is true, but with dogged perseverance. The
frost had become keen, and large floes of ice were rushed down the
reaches by the swift current. Booms were moored outside the vessels to
protect them, but these were constantly being carried away, and not a
little damage was done. A consultation amongst the captains was held
as to the advisability of leaving with what cargoes they had aboard,
but only two decided to start on the following morning. Some of the
others said they could force their way through six inches of ice, and
would risk waiting to receive their whole cargo. Accordingly, as soon
as it was daylight one of the captains who had made all arrangements
to leave gave orders to unmoor. The other had changed his mind, and
fell in with the views of the majority. The captain of the
_Claverhouse_, however, got underweigh, but before getting very far
his engineer reported that the hot-well cover had broken in two. It
was temporarily repaired, and she got along famously until they came
to a bend in the river where there was much packed ice. For two hours
manoeuvring continued without any appreciable result. At last the big
mass began to move, and a navigable channel was opened, which enabled
the vessel to make slow though risky progress through a field of
moving ice.
The anchorage at ---- was reached before darkness set in, and a vessel
which had left four days previously was observed to be ashore, with
the ice drifting up against her port side, forcing her farther on to
the bank. Signals were hoisted offering assistance, but before the
reply could be made a blinding snowstorm came on, which lasted all
through the night. The next morning, at daylight, signals were again
made by the _Claverhouse_ to the stranded vessel asking if they would
accept assistance. The reply came, "I want lighters." The crew were
jettisoning the cargo of wheat on to the ice as it flowed past, but
the more they lightened the farther the vessel was forced on to the
bank by the rushing current. The master of the _Claverhouse_,
observing the critical position, sent a boat away with a small line.
A communication was effected, but not without great difficulty. The
master of the _Aureola_ was worn out with anxiety and want of rest,
for his vessel had been ashore for forty-eight hours. He very wisely
accepted the assistance which had opportunely come to him. A tow-rope
was attached to the small line, and by this means a thick tow-line was
got aboard, and she was dragged off the bank; then orders were
unaccountably given to cut the tow-rope. This very nearly resulted in
a more serious disaster, as the engineers in the confusion kept the
engines going astern, and the rope drifting with the current, became
entangled round the propeller. If the anchor and chains had not held
the great strain that was put on them, she would have gone ashore
again in a worse position, and inevitably have broken her back. As it
was, the propeller was cleared in about a couple of hours. The captain
of the _Aureola_ was not well acquainted with the locality, and
arranged that he should follow the other steamer to----. Suitable
plans and signals were settled, and both vessels weighed anchor and
proceeded as fast through the ice as was compatible with safety. Once
out of the narrows and clear of the obstruction, the engines were put
at full speed and kept going until they were forced to slow down on
account of the snow squalls, which obscured everything. The sea had
become rough, and the utmost resources of the commanders were taxed in
their efforts to navigate the coast and yet keep together. They groped
their way until ---- town lights were visible. It was then seen that
the gunboat anchored at the south end of the mine-field was signalling
to them to stop; but still they went slowly on, feeling their way by
the lead, while those aboard the gunboat began to fire rockets with
exciting rapidity. Regardless of the warning, the two steamers kept on
their way until they got to the anchorage, when the warship was hidden
from view.
It was past midnight; and although the crews of both vessels had gone
through a severe ordeal of physical endurance, they were each anxious
to hear what the other had to say about the events of the last
forty-eight hours, which were beset with peril, and had culminated by
boldly running into the anchorage over the mines in defiance of the
regulations--to say nothing of the danger of being blown up, or the
mysterious prospect of Siberia! The captain of the _Aureola_ was
greatly perturbed, and he promptly ordered his gig to be manned to
take him to the _Claverhouse_. On getting aboard, he reproached his
friend for leading him into what might prove a serious scrape. The two
men talked long of the exciting doings of the day and the policy that
should be adopted on the morrow, when they would be confronted with
officials that were not over well-disposed to British subjects. They
fully realized that the case would have to be managed with great
astuteness, so they bethought themselves of one of the cleverest and
most popular men in----, and sent a message to him asking his help.
His name need not be mentioned; he is long since dead, and it is
sufficient to say that he was an educated Maltese, and held a kind of
magnetic influence over the harbour authorities. The Admiral was an
amiable man in an ordinary way, and susceptible to the temptations
that beset officials in these places; but the _Claverhouse's_ offence
was no common one, nor could it be approached in an ordinary way of
speech.
On going ashore, the captains were ushered into the presence of the
infuriated official who was to decide their destiny. He fumed and
foamed savagely, and whenever an attempt was made to speak his
paroxysms became inhuman. Their Maltese friend had come to their aid,
and was waiting patiently for the storm to subside, so that he could
explain how it happened that the regulations came to be broken. Things
looked black until Mr. C---- began to speak in Russian. It took him
some time to get the great man pacified, and as soon as that was
accomplished he said to the master of the _Claverhouse_--"You know
that you could be sent to Siberia or less. How am I to explain it? Why
did you not keep at sea all night? There is only one thing that will
save you."
"Well, then," responded the captain of the _Claverhouse_, "let that
one thing be arranged; but let me also state the cause of our breaking
the law. We could have kept the sea quite well had we known exactly
where we were, but we could see nothing, and had to navigate by taking
soundings, and as soon as we got into seven fathoms the water became
smooth, and, fearing we might run aground, the anchor was let go. As
for the rockets that were fired by the gunboat, we had passed the line
of torpedoes before our attention was attracted by the firing. The
Admiral himself could not have avoided it. Surely he cannot think we
deliberately ran into the anchorage?"
"That is just what he does think," said Mr. C----. "What am I to do?"
"Settle on the best terms," said the captain.
At this point two officers took the captains to another room, and they
were locked in. An hour afterwards Mr. C---- came to them and said--
"I have managed to get him quietened down. You have had a narrow
squeak. It took me a long time to get him to speak of liberating you,
and now I am requested to bring you to him so that you may be severely
reprimanded. He talked of gaol, and sending you out of the country for
ever, and inflicting a heavy fine; but that stage has passed, so come
with me."
When they were ushered into the Admiral's presence he frowned severely
at them. Russian officers and high officials always expect you to
tremble when they administer a rebuke. Needless to say, the reception
was harsh. There was a good deal of long stride, prancing from one end
of the room to the other, vehement talk in Russian, and wild
gesticulation. The Maltese told the somewhat callous captains that the
Admiral declared the next Englishman that attempted such a thing, if
he were not blown up, would have to be shot. An example must be made.
The genial intermediary interjected with apparent sternness--
"Captains, you must apologize for the crime you have committed, and be
thankful that you are going to be dealt leniently with. The Admiral
is right: you deserved to be blown up with your ship. But apologize
suitably, and leave the rest to me."
All but the last sentence was interpreted to the gallant official. An
apology was made, and silently accepted; but the real penalty was not
disclosed to the captains until afterwards, and then it was kept
secret by them and by the two contracting parties. The two commanders,
when being congratulated on their release, said they did not know what
all the fuss was about. They had done no harm to anybody, and if
hostilities were resumed they hoped the Turks would wipe the Russians
off the field, and so on.
Three stirring months passed before the _Claverhouse_ returned to
----. When she arrived at the gunboat guarding the torpedo channel,
she took a pilot, and proceeded into the harbour in a law-abiding
manner, while her captain, audibly and inaudibly, declaimed against a
Government whose barbarous notions led them to impose restrictions
that caused expense and interrupted the normal process of navigation.
"What right have these beastly Russians to hamper British shipping
like this?"
When the captain landed he was met by several friends, who cheerfully
inquired if he had found another new channel into the port. He
jokingly retorted--
"No; but I might have to find a new one out."
He was solemnly advised not to attempt it. The Admiral, whom he
occasionally met, was unusually cordial, and this attitude of courtesy
was ungrudgingly reciprocated. One evening the captain wished to visit
a friend of his, whose vessel lay at the forts. The sentry asked him
to retire. He refused to move, and commenced to harangue the soldier
in a language he supposed to be Russian. There must have been
something wrong about it, for after a few words of conversation the
sentry rushed at him with the bayonet fixed, and but for the swiftness
of his heels there might have been a tragedy. He immediately called at
the Admiral's office, informed him of what had occurred, and
requested that he should be escorted where he desired to go. An
officer was sent with him, and when they got to the sentry the officer
spoke to the man in a heated tone, and then slapped him on the face
with the flat of his hand. The captain asked why he had struck the
sentry. The officer replied--
"Because he told me you had used some Russian language to him that
caused him to believe you were a suspicious character. I told him he
was a fool, and that you were a friend of mine and of the Admiral. You
will have no more trouble."
A _douceur_ was slipped into the willing hand, and on the return
journey another was given to the poor sentry, who showed a meekness
and gratitude that was nearly pathetic.
On the following day there was a sensational rumour that the armistice
would be raised and hostilities between the two belligerents resumed.
At the forts and at the military quarters of the city there was much
activity. The troops were being reviewed by one of the Grand Dukes,
and there were evidences of conscription everywhere. Aboard the
warships the flutter was quite noticeable, and the frequent
communications between them and the shore augured trouble. Merchants,
agents, and captains displayed unusual energy to complete their
engagements. A strongly-worded order was handed to the captains of the
few vessels still remaining in port that, on penalty of being sunk by
the warships or blown up by torpedoes, no vessel was to go out of the
port after sundown at 6 p.m.
On the second day after this instruction was given the loading of the
_Claverhouse's_ cargo was completed. A gentleman sent a note
requesting the captain to see him, and not to remove the staging
between his vessel and the quay, as it would be required to carry out
an important shipment which would be of great benefit to himself and
all concerned. Negotiations were opened, and were briefly as
follows:--This estimable Briton had been approached by a person of
great astuteness and easy integrity, who was neither an Englishman nor
a Turk, to engage at all costs a steamer to take bullocks on deck to
a certain unnamed destination. The freight would be paid before the
cattle were shipped, but the vessel would have to sail that night, and
a large sum would be paid for running that risk.
"State your price," said the genial agent; "anything within reason
will be paid."
The captain was as eager to do a deal as his new acquaintance, though
he pleaded the almost impossible task of running out of the port
without being observed, and if observed the inevitable consequence of
being sunk, probably with all on board. The agent, having in mind his
own considerable interest, played discreetly on the vanity of the
commander, and laughed at the notion of an astute person like him
allowing himself to be trapped; appealed to his nationality, and the
glory of having run out of a port that was severely blockaded. The
captain cut this flow of greasy oratory short by stating that for the
moment he was thinking of the amount of hard cash he was going to get,
and not of the glory.
"I know what I will have to do, and I think I know how it will have
to be done; but first let us fix the amount I am to have for doing it.
My price is £----. Do you agree?"
"Yes," said the agent; "though it's a bit stiff. But the animals must
go forward."
The captain did not expect so sudden a confirmation, and remarked, "I
fancy I have not put sufficient value on the services I am to carry
out; but I have given my word, and will keep it."
In due course the money was handed over in British gold. The cattle
were taken aboard, and just as the sun was setting the moorings were
cast off, and the vessel proceeded to the outer harbour and anchored.
The chief mate was instructed to put as little chain as possible out,
and the engineer was told to have a good head of steam at a certain
hour. Meanwhile, the captain proceeded to the city to clear his ship,
and at the stated hour he was stealthily rowed alongside. The pawls of
the windlass were muffled, and the anchor was hove noiselessly up by
hand; the engines were set easy ahead, and as soon as she was on her
course the telegraph rang "full speed." She had not proceeded far
before a shot was fired from the inner gunboat, which landed alongside
the starboard quarter. The chief officer called from the forecastle
head--
"They are firing at us--hadn't you better stop?"
"Stop, be d----d! Do you want to be hung or sent to the Siberian
mines?"
The next shot fell short of the stern. They now came thick and heavy,
but the _Claverhouse_ by this time was racing away, and was quickly
out of range. The most critical time arrived when she was rushed
headlong over the line of torpedoes; and as soon as the outer gunboat
was opened clear of the breakwater, she, too, commenced to fire. Once
the line of mines was safely passed, the course was set to hug the
land. The firing from the torpedo gunboat was wildly inaccurate, never
a shot coming within fathoms of their target, and soon the little
steamer was far beyond the reach of the Tsar's guns.
Her captain had no faith in the report industriously circulated that
the Crimean coast and the Black Sea were impenetrably mined, so he
proceeded gaily on his voyage, shaking hands with himself for having
succeeded in running the gauntlet without a single man being hurt, or
the breaking of a rope-yarn. The crew were boisterously proud of the
night's exploit. They knew that no pecuniary benefit would be derived
by them, and were content to believe that they had been parties to a
dashing piece of devil-may-care work. The average British sailor of
that period loved to be in a scrape, and revelled in the sport of
doing any daring act to get out of it. It never occurred to the
captain that his crew might jib at the thought of undertaking so
perilous a course. He had been reared in the courage of the class to
which he belonged, and his confidence in the loyalty of his men was
not shaken by the thoughtless interjection of the chief officer, who,
in a shameful moment asked him to turn back after the first shot was
fired. He had no time to think of that senseless advice when it was
given, but it may be taken for granted the cautious mate did not add
to his popularity with the crew. He had commanded large sailing
vessels in the Australian passenger trade, and this was his first
voyage in steam. The new life, with all its varied sensationalisms,
was a mystery to him, and this little incident did not increase his
belief in the wisdom of his change from sail to steam. He explained
that the thought of what he regarded as inevitable disaster caused him
to spontaneously call out that they were firing.
"Besides," he continued, "I don't like the business; so I'll resign my
position and go back to sailing vessels again, on the completion of
the voyage."
The captain reminded him of the fine spirit of enterprise that
prevailed amongst the crew; only in a lesser degree, perhaps, than
that which caused Nelson under different circumstances to say of his
sailors, "They really mind shot no more than peas."
"Nelson may have said that, and our crew may have a fine spirit of
wholesale daring, but I don't like to be mixed up with either the
enterprise or the shot," retorted the reflective officer; and I
daresay if the captain were asked for an opinion now he would be
disposed to take the mate's view.
The thought of being pursued kept up a quiet excitement. The vessel
was pressed through the water at her maximum speed and arrived at her
first destination without any mishap to herself or the deck cargo,
which was landed expeditiously. She then continued on her voyage. On
arrival at the discharging port, a letter was received from the owners
complimenting the captain on the success of an undertaking which would
contribute so considerably to the profits of the voyage, and at the
same time calling his attention to a newspaper cutting. An official
telegram to the English Press stated that "_A British steamer, name
unknown, in attempting to run out of ---- harbour over the torpedo
lines, was warned and fired upon by a Russian warship which was
guarding the harbour. The steamer refused to stop. She was shelled,
and in crossing the mine zone the vessel, with her crew, was blown to
atoms!_" This was a sensational piece of news to read of one's self.
Two years elapsed before the captain again steamed into ---- harbour.
He expected to meet his old friend the Admiral, and a few other
Russian gentlemen in whom his interest was centred; but they had
either gone to their rest or had been removed. It seemed as though the
incident that caused so much commotion at the time had passed out of
recollection. Indeed, there seemed quite a new order of things. New
officials were there. The gunboats were removed from their familiar
stations. The torpedoes that had been the dread of navigators had been
lifted, and it was commonly reported that many of them were loaded
with sand. No signs were visible of there having been war defences
that were meant to be regarded as impregnable--and it is not to be
denied the earthworks justified that opinion. There were whisperings
that when those in high places discovered what some of the mines were
charged with, the persons responsible for the laying of the mines
were seized; and tradition has it that an impromptu scaffold had been
erected outside the town, and every one of the suspects hanged without
trial--and merely on the suspicion that they knew of, even if they had
not contributed to, the treacherous act. In the light of the horrors
that are occurring in Russia at the present time, it is not improbable
that there was treachery; and that when it was discovered, suspicion
centred on certain persons, who were, in accordance with Muscovite
autocracy, dispatched without ceremony, guilty or not guilty.
"Ah!" said Mr. C---- to the captain, who had just finished describing
his last departure from ---- Harbour, "you may thank your stars that
the torpedoes were loaded with sand or some other rubbish, or you
wouldn't have been here this day. The officers were in a great fury at
the wires not operating when you were running out, and the
men--submarines, I think, they are called--who were behind the
earthworks were knocked about badly. They came to my place to get to
know the name of the vessel, but I bamboozled them, and gave them
cigars and vodka, and they weren't long in forgetting about what had
happened. I think there is no doubt about your being the cause of
having the mines raised, as, to my certain knowledge, they tried to
explode them the day after you left the port, and very few of them
went off. Things were kept a bit quiet, but I can always get to know
what is going on, and if the gunboats had been properly handled that
night it would have been all up with you."
"But," said the captain, "what on earth is the use of talking that
way! They were not properly handled, and here I am. And what I want to
know is this: do you think there will be any more about it, now the
war is over, and old Pumper Nichol [the Admiral] and his friends are
not here?"
"I don't know," said his friend. "You never can tell what these sly
rascals are thinking or doing; but I will know as soon as there are
any indications. If I had been you, I wouldn't have come out here so
soon; or, at least, have first made sure that all danger was over. But
never mind; we'll soon smuggle you off, if we can get the slightest
hint. 'Palm oil squares the yards,' as the old sailors used to say,
and nobody has had more experience of that than I."
"Does G----d and old J----b know about the affair?"
"I think they are bound to, though they may have forgotten. Anyhow,
they are absolutely loyal, and may be depended upon if their aid is
called into requisition. Do you know they had to clear out of the
country with their families, and nearly every English family had to do
the same?"
"Well, Patrovish C----," said the captain, "they may seize the
steamer, but they will never be allowed to seize me, even should it be
legal to do so, now the war is at an end."
"What do they care about what is legal," said Patrovish. "If it suits
their purpose, and those in authority learn what took place, there
will be no scruples about doing anything. My advice is to keep quiet
and cool-headed, and I feel almost certain you won't be interfered
with. But there comes Yaunie. Hear what he says."
This gentleman was a Greek pilot, who had previously been a boatswain
aboard a Greek sailing-vessel. He saw an excellent opening at the
beginning of the steamship era to add to his income, so commenced a
business which flourished so well that his riches were the envy of a
large residential public, to say nothing of the seafaring itinerants
who swarmed in and out of the port. He spoke English with a Levantine
accent. Physically, he was a fine-looking, well-built man, who
commanded attention and respect from everybody. He was on excellent
terms with the port authorities, and with sea captains, and deemed it
part of a well thought-out policy to share with popular shrewdness a
portion of his takings. His benevolence was more partially shown
towards the officials than to those from whom he derived his income;
but because of his geniality, and--mostly, I should say--on account of
his generosity, he was well liked by both sections of people. He was
quite uneducated, and, like most clever men who have this misfortune,
he had great natural gifts. His memory was prodigious, and he invested
his savings with the judgment of an expert, keeping mental accounts
with startling accuracy; but, notwithstanding this, his memory never
retained anything he conceived it to be policy to forget. When asked
his opinion as to whether there was any likelihood of anything more
being heard of the captain's running out of the harbour and over the
torpedoes, he suggestively put his finger to his mouth, and said--
"I can know nothing, but I tink it is over." And shrugging his broad
shoulders, he 'cutely remarked, "Some dead, some maybe Siberia,
and"--with a significant smile he lowered his voice to a
whisper--"some, maybe, 'fraid to say anything because for many reason.
Yes, I tink finis; but if not, den you trust me to help. I knows these
people, and some of dem knows me."
Yaunie was taken fully into the confidence of the captain and
Patrovish, and when he took his leave they felt sure that to have him
as a friend was of great value in the event of the affair being
resurrected. The captain had renewed many old friendships, and spent
his evenings in the hospitable homes of an English colony whose
kindness is unequalled anywhere. Unlike most English families who
settle in foreign countries, they retained a great many of their
national customs in food, and also in their mode of life generally. Of
course the extremes of climate have to be considered, but all their
homes preserve their British atmosphere.
The _Claverhouse_ had nearly completed loading, and the kindly
emissaries of her captain had reported nothing of a disturbing
character, until one morning a steamer came in and was moored
alongside the _Claverhouse_. Yaunie was the pilot, and after
completing his work he went aboard the _Claverhouse_ and asked to see
the captain.
"He is not astir yet," said the steward.
"I must speak with him at once," said Yaunie.
The captain, overhearing the conversation, called out, "All right,
come to my room."
"Well, Yaunie, what news this morning?" asked the captain.
"Ah, it is very bad news," replied Yaunie. "That fool Farquarson,"
pointing to where the other steamer lay, "speaks all the time about
what happened when you went from the port without permission. He say
that he was aboard the gunboat asking for a torpedo channel-pilot, and
that he could not get one because they were firing at you all the
time. They asked him the name of the steamer, but he told some other.
I say to him he was wrong, but he say no; and he will jabb, as you
call it."
"Well, Yaunie, what's to be done? What is the remedy?"
"What's to be done--I don' know what you call the other. I say, get
the steamer loaded quick and away. I don' tink trouble, but O Chresto!
his tong go like steam-winch, and you much better Black Sea dan here."
"Very excellent advice, Yaunie. Now let us go on deck."
A sudden inspiration came to the captain, which caused him to
exclaim--
"Yaunie, I'll ask him to eat with us. This is our English mode of
settling obstacles, and making and retaining friendships. Don't you
think it a good suggestion?"
"Do anything you like. Give him the Sacrament, but keep him quiet. He
is very dangerous now."
The captain of the other steamer was on deck, and as soon as he got
his eye on them he bellowed out in terms of unjustifiable
familiarity--
"Hallo, old fellow, how are ye? So they've not sent ye to the silver
mines yet?"
"No," smartly retorted the captain, with some warmth, "they've not, or
I wouldn't have been here. But they d--d soon will if you don't keep
your mouth shut!"
Without heeding what was said to him, the distinguished commander of
the new-comer slapped his thigh vigorously with his right hand, and
laughed out--
"By Joshua, you were in a tight corner, and will never be nearer
being popped! [sunk]. They were furious at me, and would have blown
all England up because I said I didn't know who it was."
"Oh," said the _Claverhouse's_ commander, "that is old history. Come
aboard and have breakfast with me."
"All right," said Farquarson, "I'll have a wash up, and then come. But
what a darned funny thing not to blow you up with the mines. I just
said to my mate, they are a lot of lazy beasts, or there's something
wrong with the wires. But the mate said, 'No; he's taken them
unawares.' 'Unawares be d----d!' said I; 'he's not taken these gunboat
chaps unawares, for I couldn't get them to stop firing.'"
"He's off again!" interjected Yaunie.
"All right, all right!" replied the impatient captain to his voluble
compatriot. "Come to breakfast as quick as you can, there's a good
fellow."
Farquarson got to the companion-way--_i.e._ the entrance to the
cabin--and was about to make some further remarks when the captain of
the _Claverhouse_ said to Yaunie, "Let's go below, for God's sake! As
long as he sees us he'll keep on."
When they got into the cabin, the burly pilot was almost inarticulate.
All he could say was--
"My goodness, what a tong! He must be dangerous to his owners. I have
never see such a tong."
In due course the irrepressible person appeared, and was received with
professional cordiality. He had no sooner taken his seat at the table
than he became convulsed with laughter, slapped his hand on the table,
and shouted--
"By Cocker, I'll never forget it! The rage of them Russians, and the
way they blazed away their shot, and it never going within miles of
where you were! Miles, mind you!"
Yaunie and his friend looked at each other in savage despair, as he
persisted in reeling off quantities of disconnected incoherencies. But
relief to his perturbed friends came when the steward placed the
breakfast on the table. He stopped the flow of narration, and
exclaimed--
"Ah! that's what I like--dry hash and a bit of ham with an egg or two.
I was just saying to my mate--who's as big a born fool as ever drank
whisky--there's not a better meal made at sea than dry hash."
By this time his mouth was full, and it was difficult to know what he
wished to convey. His eating was quite as boundless as his talk,
though he could not do both at once. Having finished a good sound
plate of hash, he passed his plate along for some ham and eggs, and
asked his host if he did not observe what a good appetite he had
compared with what he used to have.
"Yes," said the captain, in blissful ignorance of what he was saying.
"Your appetite was never very good. I'm glad to see you making such a
good breakfast."
"Well, you know," replied the guest, "the worst of me is, I appear to
be unsociable when I'm eating, as I cannot both eat and talk."
"Go on eating, then," said the host.
"Yes, go on eatin'," responded Yaunie. "You had a long passage, and
must be hungry."
"Quite right," replied the guest, with his mouth full. "I'm glad you
don't think me uncivil, but as I say, I like my breakfast better than
most meals, and I can only do one thing at a time. My wife always says
I must have been born either eating or talking."
He laughed heartily at this little domestic joke, and proceeded with
the putting in of the "bunker coals," as he called it. The captain of
the _Claverhouse_ and the pilot had purposely lingered over their meal
to keep him company. He observed this, and effusively asked them not
to mind him a bit, and to leave the table if they wanted to. After
expressing a few unreal excuses for their apparent rudeness, they were
prevailed upon to go into the state-room, where the captain solemnly
conveyed to Yaunie that he never thought he would live to have imposed
upon him such humiliation.
"I hope the brute will have an apoplectic fit!" said he.
Yaunie did not quite understand all that was said, but knew it meant
some form of obliquy, and replied, "Yes, and I hope so too."
As soon as Farquarson had finished eating, he straightway came to the
state-room and assured his host that he never remembered enjoying a
breakfast so much.
"Let's have a cigar," said he, "to soothe my nerves a bit."
This was given him. He lit up, and was proceeding to discuss the
merits of good feeding with great volubility when his harangue was
snapped by a request from his host to "cut it," as he wished to have a
yarn with him about a matter which was of great importance to himself.
"In short, I wish you to be most careful not to attract attention to
me by any friendly comment about that affair of two years ago. No one
who is in office now would appear to have any suspicion of what took
place; or if they do, it is obvious they are not desirous of opening
the question up again. But should it be brought prominently before
them, they will have to do something, and it may make it very awkward
for me. Now, what I want you to do for me is this: never mention the
incident again. I am sure you would not intentionally do anything that
would jeopardize my safety, and I feel that I have only to ask and you
will give me your word not to do it."
Farquarson jumped to his feet, gripped the hand of the captain in a
sailorly fashion, and said--
"On my Masonic honour, I swear never to breathe again what you have
warned me against, and I'm glad you told me. I might innocently have
got you into a nasty mess. It never struck me when I was bawling out
to you that there was danger. But between ourselves, it was a bit
thick your dashing out of the 'impregnable port,' as they called it,
and expectin' to get off scot-free, I have often spun long twisters
about it, and you can bet it was always made attractive."
"I feel sure you would do that, Farquarson, as you were always a good
story-teller."
This encouraging flattery switched his mind with eager interest on to
a subject quite irrelevant to the one which had engaged their
attention so long.
"Yes," said he, with a self-satisfied smile, "that's true. But talking
about yarns, you remember when I was with Milburn's, running to
Hamburg? The old gentleman asked me to take a few overmen a trip. They
belonged to some mine he was interested in. By the time we got
outside, and got the decks cleared up, it was dark, and the watch was
set. The look-out man went on to the topgallant forecastle, and I was
walking from side to side of the bridge when one of the miners came
running up, and in great excitement he said--
"'Captain, for God's sake gan doon to the cabin and pacify them!
They're playin' nap, and they've faalen oot amang theirselves, and
there's fair almighty hell gannin' on. Aa's sure if ye divvent get
them pacified ther'll be morder!'
"'My good man,' I said,'I cannot leave the bridge.'
"'Ye canna' leave the bridge! What for, then?'
"'Because,' I said, 'I must keep a look-out and see that that man on
the forecastle-head does the same. If he were to see me leave the
bridge, the chances are he would get careless and sit down and go to
sleep, and we might run into something, and probably sink ourselves or
somebody else and lose a lot of lives.'
"By this time I heard loud voices and awful oaths coming from the
after-end of the ship, so says I, 'This must be put a stop to, but I
cannot leave here without somebody takin' my place. You must take it,
and walk across and across as I am doing, so that that fellow on the
look-out will think it's me.'
"'Aa'm not pertikler what aa dee, mister, if ye ony get thor
differences settled before ye come up. Aa nivor heerd sic swearin'.'
"'Very well,' said I; 'you do what I've told you to do. Walk steadily
to and fro, and I'll go and see what can be done.'
"When I got down below they were still wrangling, but I soon made
peace with them, and they asked me to have a hand with them. I had a
look on deck. It was a fine moonlight night, and nothing seemed to be
in the way, so I began to play, and forgot all about the fellow on the
bridge, and everything else for that matter, until I heard four bells
go. This reminded me, so I stopped short, went on to the poop, and the
other fellows came up with me. I was chaffing them about their row,
and I heard the look-out man call out, 'A red light on the port bow,
sir!' I saw we were going a long way clear, so took no notice; but the
miner on the bridge increased his pace. In less than a minute the
look-out man called out again, 'A red light on the port bow,' and got
no answer. I thought to myself, 'What's going to be the upshot of
this?' when the man called out again, sharply this time, 'A red light
on the port bow!' The miner quite excitedly shouted at the top of his
voice, 'Blaw the b----y thing oot, then, and let's hear ne mair aboot
it!'"
At this conclusion the two captains laughed heartily, and so did
Yaunie. Then all at once Farquarson began as suddenly as he had left
off--
"Now, let us make up our minds never to broach running the gauntlet
again in Russian waters, for they're devils to listen, and you never
know where they are. Why, I've seen them at the time of the war
crawlin' and sneakin' about all over, lying on the sofa in the
billiard-rooms, and come and ask you to play in good English.
Sometimes the impudent villains would come and barefacedly sit down at
the same table where you were having a meal, and begin speakin' and
get you to say something disrespectful about Russia and their Tzar,
and lots of poor fellows were asked to leave the country for it. Talk
about despotism and bribery! Well, I've seen some of their goings on.
What did they do when the poor Turks that were taken prisoners when
Plevna fell marched into Reval? A few of us cheered them, and the
Russians got quite annoyed about it, and hustled us about as though we
were common thieves, and threatened to run us into their filthy gaol.
My word, how things have altered since the days when you could kill a
Russian and nobody cared a brass button! But now--well, there's no
word to express it."
"Ah! they're a cruel, merciless lot," interjected Captain S--; "but I
think you are getting excited, Farquarson, so you better cease talking
about them."
"It is time I was getting up to the city. They are rattling it into
her. She'll be loaded in a jiffy, and I've much to do."
"Very well," said the bluff skipper, "get away. And it's understood
that mum's the word; but mind you're not through the wood yet. What do
you say, Yaunie?"
"I say you no speak so loud or so much. It is better not."
"Very well, old skin-the-goat," said Farquarson playfully; "I suppose
I am a bit noisy."
He then jumped aboard his vessel, and invited the trusty pilot to
follow him so that they might work out a scheme that would thwart any
possibility of a raid being made on the _Claverhouse_. He prided
himself on being fertile in strategy, and certainly his notions were
not those of an ordinary person. His confidences were given to Yaunie
without any reserve. First, he suggested inveigling the raiders from
S----'s vessel to his own, getting them down below and filling them
full of champagne or whisky, whichever they preferred; and in the
event of their remaining on board his friend's ship, they were to be
made drunk there, and that being accomplished, the vessel was to be
unmoored and taken to sea with them aboard, and they were to be landed
or cast adrift in an open boat. The recital of these dare-devil
propositions caused Yaunie's face to wear a careworn look, and when
asked what he thought of it he said--
"Well, I try to tink, bit it is impossible. You speak what cannot
happen. If you do what you say, how can you come back here? No, no;
that must not be. I have better plan. No trouble, no get drunk, no run
off with officers, no put him in boat; but leave it me: I settle
everyting, suppose trouble come."
"Agreed again, old cockaloram. I'm only saying what I'd do. As I said
before, you can do as you like, but I prefer giving these fellows
'what cheer!' I says again, what business have they to interfere with
Englishmen carryin' on their business in their own way? I say they had
no right to put a blockade on, and England should see that her
subjects are duly protected."
This eloquent pronouncement of patriotism, with comic gesture added,
excited the fiery dissent of the critical Levantine.
"Yes!" he retorted; "you tink everyting foreign should be for English.
You swagger off with other people's country and say, 'This mine.' You
like old J----b and G----d; they speak all the time same as you.
English, English, everyting English! an' I say what for you stay? I
Greek, an' I stay because Russia better for me."
This was said partly in jest and partly in good-natured earnestness,
for Yaunie was a student of English characteristics. Farquarson
explained that he would have to go to the Custom-house, and then to
see his agents. Yaunie, with a significant look and gesture, warned
him not to speak too much to port officers, bade him good-morning,
said he would call back again in the afternoon, jumped on to the stage
and went ashore.
It was late in the afternoon before Captain S---- got down to the
docks. His steamer was loaded and ready for sea. At the quay, close to
the stern of the vessel, Mrs. C----, with her daughter, was seated in
a drosky. She explained that they had come to say good-bye, and to
convey a message from Patrovish that he, Yaunie, and some officers
were aboard Captain Farquarson's vessel. "He commissioned me to say
that you were to slip out of the harbour quietly to avoid trouble, as
he had reason to believe that there was something going on, and you
might be stopped. Meanwhile, they are doing some entertaining for your
benefit, so I will not detain you longer. Good-bye, and we hope to see
you again soon."
The captain made haste aboard, and gave instructions to cast off the
moorings. The _Claverhouse_ glided quietly out of the harbour, and in
less than an hour she was steaming fall speed towards the Bosphorus.
The two captains did not meet again for several months, and when they
did, Farquarson gave a vivid account of the development and ultimate
success of what he termed the plot to extricate S---- from the
possibility of being detained or heavily fined.
"I assure you," said he, "they were on the scent. They asked if I was
the man who was on the gunboat when the English steamer ran over the
mines. I swore by all that was holy that I didn't know what they were
talking about. Then Yaunie and Patrovish asked them in Russian to have
some refreshment aboard my ship, and they kicked up a devil of a row
when they found you had gone without saying good-bye. Yaunie swore it
was to cheat the pilotage, and Patrovish said he couldn't have
believed it of you. I said you always were a bowdikite, and that you
were putting on 'side.' The Russians were very jolly. They had a
thimbleful or two of whisky, which made them talk a lot. We had a good
laugh after they went away, and Patrovish said it was a good job you
were gone, because they would have been sure to have caused trouble.
Yaunie wasn't sure, but I was on C----'s side, for, I said, why did
they mention the gunboat to me, if they didn't mean anything?"
"Whatever their intentions were," rejoined Captain S----, "the
precautions you took to checkmate were successful, and I am much
obliged for the trouble you took after you realized the danger. I must
always be grateful to you for that; and the next time you go out
there, thank my two friends for their important share in it, and say
to Patrovish that his own and his wife's wish to see me soon back is
much appreciated, but my present plans are such that I will not be
able to visit Russia for a long time to come, and it may be I never
shall again."