The great difficulty which Sir Robert Barclay had to surmount, was to
find the means of transport over the Channel for their numerous friends,
male and female, then collected in the cave: now that their retreat was
known, it was certain that some effective measures would be taken by
Government, by which, if not otherwise reduced, they would be surrounded
and starved into submission.
The two boats which they had were not sufficient for the transport of so
numerous a body, consisting now of nearly one hundred and fifty
individuals, and their means of subsistence were limited to a few days.
The arrival of the cutter with the detachments was no source of regret
to Sir Robert, who hoped, by the defeat of the troops, to obtain their
boats, and thus make his escape; but this would have been difficult, if
not impossible, if the cutter had been under command, as she carried
four guns, and could have prevented their escape, even if she did not
destroy the boats; but when Sir Robert observed that it had fallen calm,
it at once struck him, that if, after defeating the troops, they could
board and carry the cutter, that all their difficulties were over: then
they could embark the whole of their people, and run her over to
Cherbourg.
This was the plan proposed by Sir Robert, and agreed to by Ramsay, and
to accomplish this, now that the troops were put to the rout, they had
made a rush for, and obtained, the boats. As for the women left in the
cave, they were perfectly secure for the time, as, without
scaling-ladders, there was no possibility of the remaining troops, even
if they wore rallied, being able to effect anything.
That part of the crew of the Yungfrau who had perceived them rush down
to the beach, reported it to Mr Vanslyperken, who had gone down to his
cabin, not choosing to take any further part in the affray, or to risk
his valuable life. Vanslyperken came on deck, where he witnessed the
manning of the boats, and their pushing out of the cove.
"They are coming to attack us, sir," said Coble, who had been left in
charge of the cutter when Mr Vanslyperken went on shore.
Mr Vanslyperken turned pale as a sheet; his eyes were fixed upon the
form of Ramsay, standing up on the stern-sheets of the first boat, with
his sabre raised in the air--he immediately recognised him, panted for
breath, and could make no reply.
The crew of the cutter, weakened as they were by the loss of most of
their best men, flew to their arms; Coble, Cornelius, and Jansen, and
Corporal Van Spitter were to be seen in the advance, encouraging them.
"Gott for dam! let us have one slap for it," cried Jansen.
"Mein Gott! yes," shouted the corporal.
Vanslyperken started up--"It's no use, my men--it's madness--useless
sacrifice of life; they are two to one--we must surrender. Go down
below, all of you--do you hear? obey my orders."
"Yes, and report them too, to the admiral," replied Coble; "I never
heard such an order given in my born days, and fifty odd years I have
served in the king's fleet."
"Corporal Van Spitter, I order you below--all of you below," cried
Vanslyperken; "I command here--will you obey, sir?"
"Mein Gott! yes," replied the corporal, walking away, and coolly
descending the ladder.
The boats were now within ten yards of the cutter, and the men stood
irresolute; the corporal obeying orders had disheartened them: some of
them followed the corporal.
"It's no use," said Coble, "I sees now it's of no use; it's only being
cut to pieces for nothing, my men; but I won't leave the deck." Coble
threw away his cutlass, and walked aft; the other men did the same, all
but Jansen, who still hesitated. Coble caught the cutlass out of his
hand, and threw it overboard just as the boats dashed alongside.
"Gott for dam!" muttered Jansen, folding his arms and facing the men who
jumped on the cutter's decks. Ramsay, who was first on board, when he
perceived that the men were standing on the decks without making any
opposition, turned and threw up the points of the swords of some of his
men who were rushing blindly on, and, in a minute all was quiet on the
decks of the Yungfrau. Mr Vanslyperken was not to be seen. At the
near approach of the boats he had hastened into his cabin and locked
himself in; his only feeling being, that Ramsay's wrath must cool, and
his life be spared.
"My lads," said Sir Robert to the crew of the cutter, "I am very glad
that you made no resistance to a force which you could not resist, as I
should have been sorry if one of you had lost his life; but you must now
go down below and leave the cutter's deck in our possession. Perhaps it
would be better if some of you took one of your boats and went on shore
to pick up your messmates who are wounded."
"If you please, sir, we will," said Coble, coming forward, "and the
cutter is yours, as far as we are concerned. We will make no attempts
to retake her, at all events, for your kindness in thinking of our poor
fellows lying there on the beach. I think you will promise that, my
lads," continued Coble, turning to the men.
"Yes, we promise that," said the men.
Coble then took the crew with him and pulled on shore to the cove, on
the margin of which they found all their men lying either killed or
wounded, Dick Short, Spurey, and nine others were taken on board: those
that wore quite dead were left upon the sand. Leaving only ten men on
board the cutter, which, however, was sufficient to cope with the few of
the Yungfrau remaining on board, had they been inclined to forfeit their
word, Sir Robert and Ramsay then returned with the rest of the party to
the boats, and pulled on shore, for the rest of their assailants were
not subdued; about twenty of the soldiers still remained unhurt, and
wore sitting down on the rocks.
Ramsay, as soon as he landed, showed a white handkerchief on a bayonet
fixed to the muzzle of a musket.
"Sergeant Tanner," said one of the men, "there's a flag of truce."
"Is there? I'm not sorry for it,--they are two to one even now. I'll
go forward to meet it."
The sergeant advanced to meet Ramsay.
"We might, if we pleased, oblige you to surrender or cut you to pieces--
that you must own; but we have no wish to hurt you--there are too many
good men dead already."
"That's true," replied the sergeant, "but it's one comfort you have
turned out at last to be men, and not women."
"We have; but to the terms. You were sent to take possession of the
cave,--you shall have possession as soon as we are gone, if you will
draw off your party higher up this cliff and allow us to embark without
molestation. If you do not immediately accept these terms, we shall
certainly attack you: or you may do better if you please--pile your
muskets, collect your wounded men, bring them down to the beach all
ready to put into the boats, which, as soon as we are safe, we will give
you possession of. Now is it a truce or not?--you must be immediate."
"Yes, then, it is a truce, for I see no chance of better terms. I am
commanding officer, and you have the faith of Sergeant Tanner."
The sergeant then returned, and when half way, called to his men:
"Party fall in--pile arms." The soldiers, worn out by the long
conflict, and aware that they had no chance against such superior
numbers, gladly obeyed, and were now divided in sections of three and
four, collecting the wounded and carrying them down to the cove.
Sir Robert and his men hastened to the rock--the ladder was lowered, and
all was on the alert for embarkation--Lady Barclay and Lilly flew into
his arms, while Wilhelmina hung on Ramsay; but they allowed but a short
time for endearment--time was too precious. The luggage had all been
prepared and the chests of specie were lowered, the bundles thrown down,
and, in a quarter of an hour, the cave was cleared of all that they
could take away with them.
The women then descended, and all hands were employed carrying away the
specie and luggage down to the boats. As soon as one boat was loaded
with the boxes of money, Lady Barclay, Lilly, and Wilhelmina were put in
it, and one half of the men went with them on board of the cutter where
Coble had already arrived with the wounded seamen. Ramsay remained with
the other boat to embark the women and luggage: when all was in, he
called the sergeant, pointed out to him the ladder, and told him that he
might find something worth his trouble in the cave.
"Is there a drop of anything to drink, sir? for we who are whole are
dying with thirst, and it's cruel to hear the poor wounded fellows beg
for water."
"You will find both water and spirits in plenty there, sergeant, and you
may tell your own story when you arrive at Portsmouth--we shall never
contradict you."
"The list of killed, wounded, and missing, will tell the story fast
enough," replied the sergeant; "but run up there, my lads, and get some
water for these poor fellows. Good bye, sir, and many thanks."
"Good bye to you, Sergeant Tanner," said one of the women in the boat.
"Nancy Corbett, by all that's wonderful!" cried the sergeant.
"I told you so, sergeant--you'll never lose the name of lady-killer."
"Pretty lady-killing," muttered the sergeant, turning away in a rage.
Ramsay took the boats on board, and, as soon as they were cleared, they
were towed on shore to the cove by some of the Yungfrau's men.
During this time the ladies, as well as the women, had remained aft on
deck, Vanslyperken having locked himself up in his cabin; but Sir Robert
now ordered his men to force the cabin door, and take Mr Vanslyperken
forward on the lower deck. When the door was opened, Vanslyperken was
found in his bed more dead than alive: he was pulled out and dragged
forward. The ladies were then handed below, and, as soon as the specie
had been put down, and the luggage cleared from the upper deck, the
women were ordered to go down on the lower deck, and Mr Vanslyperken
ordered to be brought up.