"We'll have that bit of bunting down before long, lads, and it won't be
my fault if I don't get hold of the halliards."
The crews cheered and pulled on with renewed vigour. Their strength,
however, was taxed to the utmost, for the banks of the river closing in
at this point, the water rushed down like a mill-stream, and at times
the boats remained almost stationary. It was no easy task to urge even
the light boats ahead. Though showers of shot came rattling about them
from numerous concealed foes on either side, it would have been useless
to return their fire, for not an enemy showed himself.
The marines and soldiers, however, got their muskets ready to pick off
any more adventurous foes who might for an instant appear among the
trees, but the enemy were too well accustomed to this sort of warfare to
expose themselves, and kept well under cover. It was trying in the
extreme, but their gallant leader had resolved not to be defeated in his
object, and all hands willingly followed him. He and Murray took the
lead in their respective gigs. Jack Rogers, with his brother Tom in the
pinnace, which carried the lieutenant of the marines and a party of his
men, were close astern. The frigate's and corvette's barges, with a
detachment of the regiment and their captain, were not far off; the
other boats were making the best of their way, but found it impossible
to keep up with the lighter-built ones. Considering the showers of
bullets which kept whizzing by them, it seemed wonderful that as yet no
one had been wounded. They were not allowed, however, to proceed much
farther with impunity. The boats had been repeatedly hit, and some of
the oars had almost been cut in two. As the headmost boats neared the
fort the fire became hotter.
The bowman of the pinnace was seen to relax his efforts, but still he
pulled on, a red stream issuing from his breast showed that he had been
hit; presently the oar slipped from his hands, and he sank down into the
bottom of the boat. A marine immediately took his place. Directly
afterwards another man was hit. Not a groan escaped him. Grasping his
oar he attempted to make another stroke, but his eyes gazed wildly,
blood issued from his mouth, the oar escaped from his hands, and he fell
back on the thwart a lifeless corpse. Another man sprang to his place
and with little ceremony, shoving the body aside, pulled lustily away.
The crews of the other boats were treated in the same manner. Nothing
daunted, other men took the places of those who were wounded; the gigs
offering a smaller mark were less frequently hit, but the white
splinters which flew from their gunwales and oars showed that the
bullets of the enemy had found them out; one of the captain's crew was
hit, and directly afterwards Murray had another man hurt. It was a
severe trial for the courage and patience of all, for eager as they were
to get at the foe, they could do nothing but sit still and be fired at.
Short as the distance was, an hour passed by before they reached the
fort. At length the leading gigs got up to it. As they did so the
river appeared to decrease in width, while the stream, consequently, ran
still faster, and the fire became even hotter than before. The gigs and
pinnace, which kept well up with them, had now got close to the fort,
the stockades rising on the projecting point, high above their heads.
The marines, in the last-mentioned boat, took aim at any of the enemy
who were seen for a moment on the fortifications, while the soldiers in
the other boats did their best to clear the banks of their persevering
foes. Still, however, they were exposed to a galling fire from all
directions; from foes on the starboard hand, and other concealed enemies
on the bows and quarter. Several more men were hit, but as long as they
could pull a stroke they refused to quit their oars. The boats were
almost riddled with shot; the gigs were struck several times between
wind and water, the holes being filled up with handkerchiefs, or
whatever first came to hand. Archy Gordon was employed in stopping one
with his handkerchief, when Murray, to his dismay, saw him fall forward;
steering with one hand he lifted the lad up with the other.
"Don't mind me," said Archy, in a faint voice, looking very pale; "a
sharp blow made me topple over, but I don't think that I am much hurt."
"I trust not, my boy; but we will get a doctor to look to you as soon as
possible," answered Murray, placing him into the stern sheets by his
side, so as to cover him as much as possible. Again and again the boats
were hit, and half the oars were cut through. Some breaking off, others
were immediately got out to supply their places.
The boats all this time were slowly working their way along against the
stream. This was the most trying part of the whole voyage. Upwards of
an hour they had been under fire, and for nearly forty minutes more they
were passing the stockades exposed to it. At length the extreme point
was neared; this they had to round, and then to pull some distance up
the river, so as to be able to descend rapidly to the landing-place,
which was on the other side of the point. The crews renewed their
efforts, and the remainder of the flotilla now appeared, coming slowly
up. As the leading gig at length rounded the point, her crew uttered a
cheer; and as the river became wider, and the current ran with less
force, they were able to make better way, and soon getting beyond the
fire of the fort, they were exposed only occasionally to a shot from
some of the more persevering of the enemy who had made their way along
the banks.
Murray was thankful when he could at length examine poor Archy's wound.
The lad had fainted from loss of blood; the bullet, it appeared, had
lodged in his side. McTavish, the assistant-surgeon, was fortunately in
the pinnace, and when she came up he took the midshipman under his
charge, as well as several other poor fellows severely wounded. Tom
held him in his arms while the doctor probed his wound, and at length
succeeded in extracting the bullet.
"He'll not die, I hope," said Tom, feeling very sick and sad.
"Not this time, I trust. He has a good constitution, and that's
everything in his favour," answered McTavish.
There was no time, however, for sorrow or sentiment.
Most of the boats had now got up, and Captain Hemming not waiting for
the rearmost ones, which he calculated would arrive in time to land the
men after the first part had gained a footing on the banks, gave the
order to attack.
With true British cheers the crews gave way, and the stream now being in
their favour, the boats, still exposed to a warm fire, rapidly
approached the landing-place.
In front of them was the principal stockade, guarding the landing-place,
a gun on which opened fire. As the boats kept in line it did no damage,
for missing one it missed all. Pulling quickly on, the leading boats of
the flotilla soon reached the landing-place, when the captain, with Jack
and Terence, were the first to leap on shore. Tom and Gerald, with
Needham, came close behind them. The marines, led by their tall
commander, followed, and formed quickly up. The bluejackets and
soldiers immediately afterwards landed, and the captain, with his
companions, again giving forth hearty cheers, rushed towards the
stockade in which the gun was posted. The Nicaraguans, dark, stalwart
fellows, stood their ground bravely, till they saw the cutlasses of the
seamen waving about their heads, and the bayonets of the soldiers
pointed at their breasts, when a well-directed volley of musketry laid
many low, and as the seamen climbed over the stockade, the survivors
abandoning their gun, fled for shelter within the fort. Here, rallied
by their officers, they made another stand, but the English sailors,
rushing forward, were soon climbing over the defences in spite of the
showers of bullets which were flying past them.
The bluejackets and redcoats vied with each other as to who should be
first over, and as they sprang down into the fort, the former began
slashing and hewing away with their cutlasses, while the latter, forming
as they got over, brought their weapons to the charge, and dashed
forward against the main body of the enemy, who stood their ground.
Needham had not forgotten his resolve to haul down the Nicaraguan flag.
Accompanied by the midshipmen and several men, having seen that it was
flying at the further angle of the fort, he made a dash towards it. A
dozen or twenty of the enemy, led by an officer, seeing him coming, and
guessing his object, threw themselves in his way to cut him off. With a
cheer, he and his companions dashed forward to the attack. The enemy
withstood them for a few seconds, but a small party of marines made so
vigorous a charge that they took to flight. Others of the garrison had,
however, rallied in the neighbourhood of the flagstaff.
Still the dauntless seamen dashed on, and so well used their cutlasses
that they forced their way through them, and Dick, with a loud shout,
sprang up to the flagstaff. In another moment he had the halliards in
his hand, and down came the Nicaraguan colours. Having tucked them
under his arm, he again, with cutlass in hand, made a rush at the enemy.
The fight, in the meantime, had been raging in all parts of the fort.
Its issue was never for a moment doubtful, though the enemy, mustering
nearly 200 strong, showed a bold front; but they could not withstand the
charge now made by the gallant soldiers and bluejackets. Turning tail,
off they scampered as fast as their legs could carry them, through the
outlets in the rear of the fort.
"On lads! on!" was the cry, and after them dashed the whole body of
their assailants uttering a ringing cheer which tended to increase the
rapidity of their flight. Jack and Terence, and the other officers led
the sailors. Captain Babbicome, though undoubtedly not as active as the
rest, had managed to scramble into the fort, and now puffing and blowing
was well in advance.
As soon as they gained the shelter of the wood, many of the fugitives
turned and fired, but again fled as their pursuers came up with them.
Tom and Gerald having assisted to capture the flag were somewhat behind
the rest. As they ran on they saw the obese, though gallant, commander
just before them, flourishing his sword and shouting, "On, lads, on!
Tally ho! tally ho! We'll have their brushes before long. Make
mincemeat of the rascals! Tally ho, boys tally ho!"
His voice grew hoarser and hoarser. Some of the fugitives stopped,
turned round, and fired. Suddenly, down he went on his face, his sword
flying out of his hand.
"There's old Babbicome knocked over," cried Tom and Gerald in the same
breath.
Though they would have preferred seeing the end of the "fun," as they
called it, they felt that it was their duty to stop and assist him.
Having summoned some of the men near them to their aid, they lifted him
up, but no wound could they discover.
"I'm done for," he groaned out.
"Where are you hit, sir?" asked Tom.
"Nowhere that I know of, but I'm shaken to death. Running doesn't suit
my constitution. Carry me back to my boat."
His groans and sighs showed that he was much hurt. His own men coming
up obeyed his orders, and Tom and his companions continued the pursuit.
A Nicaraguan officer and several men had already been taken prisoners
and sent down to the landing-place. Every now and then the pursuers
caught sight of the enemy among the trees, who, as soon as they saw them
coming, again darted off, easily finding concealment in the dense
forest.
"I wish that Archy was here," cried Gerald, "he would have enjoyed the
fun."
Needham, with several other sailors, were with the midshipmen. Just
then they caught sight of a person trying to conceal himself behind a
tree. By his uniform they knew that he was an officer.
"We must have that fellow," cried Tom, dashing forward.
The officer, who had a sword in his hand, made a cut at Tom, which he
parried with his cutlass. The Nicaraguan then seeing several of his
enemies approaching, cried out for "quarter," and presented the hilt of
his sword.
"Come along," cried Tom, highly delighted, "you're my prisoner; no one
shall hurt you now;" and he and Gerald, who was close at hand, grasping
him by the arm, shouted to Needham and the rest to come and take charge
of him.
Just at that moment the bugle echoing through the forest, sounded the
"recall." The summons was heard by the fugitives with more satisfaction
probably than by the pursuers. The latter obeyed it, and bluejackets,
marines, and soldiers began to assemble from all directions in which the
flying enemy had led them.
Few prisoners only besides the officers had been taken, for the
thickness of the forest favoured the flight of the Nicaraguans. Here
and there the dead body of one of them was seen, shot in the pursuit, or
who had fallen down after being wounded in the fort.
The midshipmen were excessively proud of their capture, and Needham not
the less so at having the Nicaraguan flag to show as a trophy. At
length the greater number of the pursuers returned to the fort. The
remaining stragglers, who had been led by their ardour farther than the
rest, came in soon afterwards, and the whole being mustered, it was
found that not a man had been killed on shore and five only wounded.
Tom and Gerald now came up to the captain with their prisoner, and
received due commendation for their zeal. Needham followed with the
flag, which he had kept fast under his arm, and which he now produced in
due form; the captain having heard the particulars, did not fail to
promise that he should receive a reward for his bravery.
He then addressed the men, and expressed his satisfaction at the
gallantry and good discipline they had displayed. "We have still some
work to do, my lads, however, and the more quickly we set about it the
sooner we shall get out of this broiling spot, and have our wounded men
properly cared for on board ship," he said. "We have to make the place
untenable for some time to come by the rascals you have so soundly
thrashed."
All hands then set to work to spike the guns, to break the trunnions,
and to gather together all the muskets and ammunition which the
fugitives had left behind them. With many a cheer the sailors, who
enjoyed the fun, then rolled the guns down the steep bank into the
river. While one party was thus engaged, the other was employed in
pulling up the posts of the stockades, and piling them in great heaps,
with the muskets on the top. The heaps were then set on fire, and the
place which a few hours before presented so formidable an appearance,
was utterly destroyed.
The order was now given to embark. Murray had been directed by the
captain to go over the ground and ascertain the number of the killed.
Twenty dead bodies were found; several more having been seen in the
forest, it was computed that twice that number had been wounded; the
larger proportion of these had, however, been assisted off by their
companions. Some of the prisoners proved to be boatmen, pressed into
the service. Twelve of these were taken to act as pilots, a hint being
given them that should they attempt to play tricks they would be
forthwith shot.
The two officers looked very crestfallen. Jack had one of them in his
boat, and Terence took charge of the other. They were not very
attractive gentlemen, and did little else than bemoan their hard fate
and smoke their cigarettes, which they assiduously employed themselves
in rolling up. Jack's prisoner, for most of the time, gave vent to his
ill-humour by abusing the commandant who had been the cause of their
misfortune. Jack knew but little of Spanish, but still he was able to
make out what was said.
"What regular daredevils you English are, nothing can stop you," cried
the officer.
"You are right, my friend; trifles don't hinder us when we have an
object in view; and as we were going up with purely pacific intentions,
merely to inquire why your colonel had carried off two of our
countrymen, it was not pleasant to find ourselves fired at by you and
your people, though you might have thought it good fun. We have made
you pay pretty dearly, however, old fellow, for your amusement."
"Yes, you have indeed," replied the Don; "but you have not recovered the
men you came to search for."
"No; but still you are not likely to regain your liberty till you find
them for us."
"Then we shall be prisoners for ever," sighed the Don.
"Why, what have become of the men?" asked Jack.
"They are `gastados,' `expended,'" answered the Don.
"What would you say if we were to expend you and your brother officer,
by running you up to the yardarm of one of our ships?" asked Jack.
The remark made the Don shake in his shoes.
The expedition remained for the night at the spot from which they had
started in the morning. The wounded were as well cared for as
circumstances would allow. Great anxiety was felt by all hands for
Archy Gordon, the surgeon being unable to give a satisfactory report of
his state. His two friends begged leave to assist in attending on him;
he was frequently insensible, and when he returned to consciousness the
groans which he uttered showed how severely he was suffering. The next
morning the expedition got under way and, piloted by the boatmen,
rapidly proceeded down the stream, performing the distance in a few
hours which had taken them so many days of hard toil to accomplish in
their ascent. Several men were also on the sick list from fatigue and
exposure to the hot sun by day and the damps of night. None of the
officers had suffered much except Commander Babbicome, who had remained
unconscious from the time he had been carried on board his gig. The
surgeon announced his case to be one of sunstroke; Captain Hemming,
therefore, sent him down in his gig ahead that he might sooner obtain
the assistance of his own doctor.
Archy Gordon was at once taken on board the frigate, that he might be
under the care of the surgeon, who expressed great anxiety about him.
Tom and Needham were his constant attendants; Tom, indeed, watched over
him, when off duty, with the affection of a brother.
"Never fear, Rogers," said the surgeon, observing how unhappy Tom
looked, "Gordon will pull through if he keeps quiet, and is watched over
with the care which you show him."
Tom was somewhat consoled on hearing this; he sent off a despatch to
Gerald, by the first opportunity, with a bulletin of their friend's
state.
The report from the corvette was not so favourable. The surgeon
expressed his fears that the commander would not reach Jamaica alive.
For the sake of his wounded men Captain Hemming was anxious to return as
soon as possible to Jamaica. Murray was walking the deck of the
_Supplejack_, when a boat from the frigate came alongside, and
Lieutenant Rogers stepped on board.
"Good news, Alick!" he exclaimed. "We are to get under weigh
immediately the wind will allow us, and proceed at once to Jamaica,
where the captain is anxious to land the sick and wounded. I knew you
would be glad to hear this; you will receive, I hope on arrival, a due
reward for your gallant deeds, for every one says that you are sure to
be promoted."
"I shall certainly prize that for many reasons," answered Murray, "and
thanks to you for cheering me up. Our energies have been taxed pretty
severely for the last few days, and I feel more out of spirits than
usual. What account do you bring me of poor Archy?"
"The doctor is more hopeful about him than at first. Young Highlander
as he is, he thinks that there is every prospect of his getting round
again in time by careful nursing, and I dare say your friends at Saint
David's will be happy to take charge of him when we get to Jamaica. He
will afford an object of interest to Miss O'Regan, and draw her off from
the thoughts of her own loss."
"I trust that such may be the case," said Murray. "But, my dear Jack, I
have been oppressed with all sorts of evil forebodings about her. I
cannot help dreading that she has been attacked by fever, or that she
has met with some accident, or that--"
"Nonsense, Alick, that's not like you," interrupted Jack. "You say that
your energies have been severely taxed: that alone is the cause of your
forebodings of evil. After we have been at sea a day or two you will
laugh at them. Good-bye, I must be off."
Jack pulled on for the corvette, and delivered the welcome order to
prepare for sea. The surgeon gave him a bad account of the commander.
His mind was wandering, and he was every day becoming weaker. He was
continually talking of his beloved beeves and his pigs, his orchard and
his cabbage-garden, and sometimes he fancied that he was bestriding his
trusty cob, setting off to market, and he would shout out to his old
housekeeper, Martha, to have his dinner ready at his return.
"Poor fellow, he would have been wiser had he continued cultivating his
little farm in Bedfordshire, instead of tempting again the treacherous
deep," thought Jack. "However, probably Alick will get the vacancy, so
it's all right."
A short time afterwards a light breeze came off the land. The sails
were let fall, and, the frigate leading the way, the small squadron
shaped a course for Jamaica.
The _Supplejack_ proved herself to be a fast craft, being well able to
keep up with the frigate and corvette, so Murray considered that he
could report favourably of her to the admiral.
When within about a day's sail of Jamaica the corvette, which had
separated during the night from her consort, was again seen approaching,
with her flag halfmast high. The flags of the other two ships were
lowered in compliment, and inquiries by signal were made as to when the
melancholy event had occurred. The reply was, on the previous evening,
and that the commander's last request had been that he might be buried
on shore.
The next day the squadron came to an anchor in Port Royal harbour.
Eager as Captain Hemming knew that Murray would be to proceed to
Kingston, his first duty was to attend to the funeral of the late
commander of the corvette, which could not be delayed.
The boats of the squadron being manned, followed the _Tudor's_ barge,
which contained the coffin. On landing it was borne by a party of
seamen to the burying ground of Port Royal, where the garrison chaplain
performed the service, and the marines having fired a volley over the
grave, the party returned on board.
The ceremony being over, the flags were hoisted up, and it must be
confessed that very little more was thought of or said about poor
Commander Babbicome and his eccentricities. Captain Hemming and Murray
then proceeded up to Kingston, where they were received with warm
congratulations and highly complimented by the admiral.
"I have already sent your despatch home," he said, turning to Alick,
"and I have secured your promotion, I hope. In the meantime I intend to
give you an acting order to take command of the corvette, and I shall be
glad, Captain Hemming, to appoint any officer you can recommend to the
_Supplejack_." The captain at once named Lieutenant Rogers. "I should
have been glad to have suggested my first lieutenant, Mr Cherry, but I
am unwilling to spare him, and I believe that he would rather continue
as at present on board the frigate."
On hearing that his young cousin was wounded, the admiral at once
desired Murray to have him brought up to the Pen, if the doctor thought
he could be moved, "and you, I suspect, will not object to a day or
two's leave to enjoy a trip into the country," he added; "I shall be
happy to see you on your return."
Alick thanked the admiral, who advised him to set out forthwith, while
he invited Captain Hemming to dinner. The boats were sent back, with
directions that the wounded midshipman should be brought to the Pen the
next day; and Murray, taking the admiral's advice, set off for Saint
David's, hoping to arrive there before nightfall.