THE SUPPLEJACK PROCEEDS UP THE PARANA--FIRED AT FROM THE SHORE--MEET
WITH FRIENDLY NATIVES--JOSE GOES IN SEARCH OF THE MIDSHIPMEN--RETURNS
WITH TIDINGS OF THEM--JOSE LEFT BEHIND--THE BRIG SAILS ON--FIRED AT FROM
THE SHORE--PASSING BATTERIES UNDER A HEAVY FIRE--THE BRIG FREQUENTLY
STRUCK--SEVERAL PEOPLE KILLED AND WOUNDED--GETS CLEAR AT LAST.
The night was calm, the brig lay on the Entre Rios shore, the
inhabitants of which were friendly. Tall trees clothed the bank,
towering high above her masts, while on the southern shore scarcely a
tree was to be seen. A mist hung over the water, and, though the stars
shone brightly from the sky overhead, partly obscured that side of the
river, and rendered the night darker than usual. Jack and Terence had
enjoyed a couple of hours of sound sleep, "not idling their time over
it," as Adair observed, when the sound of a gun made them both leap out
of their berths. It was followed by another and another. The next
moment Bevan came down.
"They are firing at us, sir, from the shore," he said. "Shall we return
it?"
"Not till the shots come unpleasantly near," answered Jack. "The flash
of our guns might show them the proper range, which at present they do
not appear to have got. Turn up the hands, but show no lights."
Meantime the enemy continued firing, the shot occasionally passing close
ahead or astern. At last one cut the fore-topmast-stay, a second
whistled between the masts, two others followed at a short distance
ahead.
"They have got the range now," cried Jack; "it is time to reply to
them."
Long Tom was brought to bear on the spot whence the flashes proceeded,
for the guns themselves could not be seen. His first bark, as Needham
called it, was replied to by several shots, but they did no damage.
"Depress the gun slightly; that shot went over them," said Jack.
Long Tom gave a second bark; no reply came; a third and fourth followed.
It was evident that the shot had told with considerable effect, and
that the enemy had thought it wiser to beat a retreat.
"We have done with them at present," observed Jack; "but we shall
probably have a good deal of this sort of work going up the river. The
rockets with which we have been supplied will come into play, I
suspect."
"At all events the trip is not likely to be a dull one," observed Adair;
"I only wish that we had the youngsters on board."
As there appeared no probability of the brig being again attacked, the
guns were secured, and the watch below turned in. Of course, every
possible care was kept to prevent surprise, should the enemy venture to
make another attack; which was not, however, at all likely to occur.
The next morning the wind again set up the river, and the _Supplejack_
continued her course. No enemy appeared, but occasionally a few country
people were seen on the banks, who seemed, simply from curiosity, to be
watching the brig as she glided by.
A vigilant lookout was kept, on the bare possibility that the midshipmen
might have made their escape, and gained the bank, in the hopes of being
taken off by any passing vessel. Jose, however, was still confident
that they had been carried off to the north, and were not likely to be
found in that part of the country.
The current being strong, and the wind light, the _Supplejack_ made but
slow progress. At last she reached a place at which Jose had desired to
be landed; he had friends in the neighbourhood, he said, and felt
confident that he should gain tidings of the midshipmen.
The river was here wide, and as she kept close on the opposite shore,
even should the enemy appear their field-pieces were not likely to do
much harm to the brig. The wind had again fallen, and the delay,
indeed, had there not been an important object to be obtained, could not
have been avoided. Farther on, where the river narrowed at Rosario,
Jose told them that they might expect to meet with considerable
opposition. Perhaps that was his reason for not desiring to accompany
them further. As soon as the brig had brought up, a boat was lowered,
and Adair conveyed their very doubtful friend to the shore. He took ten
men, armed with muskets, beside the crew, in case the boat should be
attacked.
"Set your mind at ease on that point," said Jose "they are my friends
hereabouts, and bear no enmity to the English."
As the boat approached, several country people were seen coming down the
steep bank with fowls and vegetables, which they were perfectly ready to
sell. Jose was recognised by several persons, who seemed surprised at
seeing him, but he had a talk with them, after which they became
thoroughly friendly and willing to communicate information. Terence
learnt from them that the squadron had passed up, and had already got
considerably higher than Rosario, where Jose had told Jack that he might
expect to be attacked.
"Probably Rosas, after the lesson he received at Obligado, is unwilling
again to interfere with us," thought Terence. "Perhaps, however, he
expects by allowing us to pass up, to catch us all in a net, and so
prevent our return. If he does that same he will find that he is
mistaken, and that he has not yet learnt what British seamen are made
of."
Terence, with his stock of fresh provisions, was heartily welcomed on
board. He and Jack only hoped that they might be detained for want of
wind where they were till the return of Jose, with any information he
might collect; they had agreed at all events to wait for him till the
following morning. He was, he had said, certain that Rosas must have
passed either through the village, or at no great distance from the
river, and he hoped to hear that the young midshipmen had been seen with
his troops.
Next morning at daybreak, Terence taking the same precaution as before,
returned to the shore. He had not been there long before several
country people appeared, but nothing was seen of Jose Gonzalves. Adair,
after waiting some time, began to fear that he had either been captured,
or was playing them false. He was about to return on board, to let the
men have their breakfasts, when the spy was seen, his horse, in a foam,
galloping down the hill towards the boat.
"Any news of the young officers?" asked Adair, eagerly.
"Yes, senor, important news. They were alive a week ago, and though I
don't know what the general might have done with them, had his anger
been aroused, they were not ill-treated, but I find that they made their
escape at the time I mention, and have not since been heard of. I am
afraid, therefore," and Jose shook his head, "that they may have been
overtaken by some of the gaucho cavalry, who would not scruple to run
them through with their lances, or they may have been seized by a
jaguar, and we have not a few man-eaters in these parts, fierce
creatures, who would quickly put an end to a couple of lads. Not long
since one leaped on board a vessel moored to the banks, and carried off
a man asleep on the deck; there is no telling what they will not do, or,
if the young officers have escaped the gauchos and jaguars, they may
have wandered far away from any habitation, and have been starved to
death. The country people would not hurt them, and would provide them
with food, but as I say, I have been unable to obtain any further
tidings of them, which makes me fear the worst."
"Well, come on board, and give your information to the commander; we
will then consult what is to be done," said Adair; "you have taken a
great deal of trouble without having gained your reward."
Jose shrugged his shoulders. "Paciencia, senor, I am an unfortunate
man, I know, but if you will excuse me, I will continue the search; it
is possible, that none of the accidents I have mentioned may have
happened to the young officers, and perhaps they are hiding in some
rancho, or have managed to find subsistence by themselves. You
Englishmen do wondrous things, only as they have no guns, and cannot, I
conclude, use a lasso, even if they have one, they will have been unable
to catch game, or obtain any other food."
Terence, after due consideration, seeing that there would be no great
use in taking Jose with him, and that he might be of more service by
remaining on shore, returned on board with the unsatisfactory
information, as he believed it, which he had obtained.
"As to its being unsatisfactory, I am not so sure of that," observed
Jack. "As the lads escaped being killed at first, and were not, as Jose
said, ill-treated, we may hope that they have found the means of
supporting themselves in their wanderings, and that they have either
made their way back to Obligado, or have reached the banks of the river.
As they decidedly have their wits about them, they may have found
subsistence where others might have starved. Indeed, as I think of it,
though you have to share my anxiety, I cannot help feeling glad that
Desmond was with Tom; had he been alone, the case would have been
different. Youngsters may occasionally lead one another into scrapes,
but they are as sure to help each other out of them."
The calm still continued, and thus a longer time was given to Jose to
continue his search for the midshipmen. In the afternoon smoke was seen
in the distance, up the river; Jack guessing that it proceeded from the
funnel of a steamer, sent Terence in a boat to intercept her and learn
the news.
She brought the satisfactory intelligence that the squadron had reached
Baxadar de Santa Fe without molestation, with their convoy of
merchantmen, of which there were upwards of one hundred sail, collected
off the place.
The commodore had gone up the river some hundred miles farther, to
Corrientes, the capital of the province of that name, to communicate
with the government on diplomatic matters. The town is situated near
the spot where the river Paraguay falls into the Parna.
"At first it was believed that Rosas, after the lesson which had just
been given him at Obligado, would not venture to interfere with us
again, and would be ready to sue for peace," observed the commander of
the steamer. "But he has made us no overtures, and from the information
we have gained he seems as determined as at first to hold out."
"I suppose there is but little chance of our being molested, however, as
we go up?" said Adair.
"I am not quite so certain of that," was the answer. "Rosas thinks he
has got us in a trap; and as I passed the cliffs of San Lorenzo I
observed a large number of men assembled, who quickly got out of the way
as I came within shot of them; they were evidently at work throwing up
batteries, and had their guns been ready, depend on it they would not
have allowed me to pass so easily; I can promise that you will not get
up without some warm work, here and there."
"Well, we must be prepared for them," said Adair; "we have a good supply
of rockets, and our carronades will pepper them with grape and canister,
while Long Tom will play his part as he always does."
"I would advise you not to expose your men more than you can help,"
observed the commander of the steamer; "a sailing vessel would have but
a poor chance when going up the river, should the wind fail her under a
battery."
"We must run it at all events;" and wishing his friend goodbye, Adair
returned on board with the information he had gained.
The calm still continued; but as a breeze might at any moment spring up,
Jack and he anxiously looked out for Jose. They were indeed in a hurry
to recommence the ascent of the river, for the longer they delayed, the
greater risk they ran of being attacked.
The sun set, and still Jose had not made his appearance. Jack was just
going below when Needham came aft. No one had showed more anxiety about
the midshipmen than he had.
"It has come into my mind, sir, that if the young gentlemen are anywhere
hereabouts they may have caught sight of the brig, and will be trying to
make their way down to the shore abreast of us. If you will give me
leave to take the jollyboat, I will pull in and have a look for them;
and even if they don't come, Jose may be wishing to get off, with any
information he has picked up, though I have no great hopes that he will
do much."
"I am afraid not either," said Jack, "but by all means take the boat and
remain as long as it continues calm. Should a breeze spring up, you
must, whether successful or not, return on board. It is my duty to
proceed up the river as fast as I can, and my anxiety to recover my
brother and Mr Desmond must not make me neglect that."
Needham found no difficulty in obtaining volunteers for his expedition.
They went well-armed in case any hostile natives might appear, though
the country people in general showed a friendly disposition.
Jack and Terence while at their frugal supper of corn beef and biscuit,
talked over a plan for protecting the men, should they be fired at as
they ascended. They arranged to build a barricade of hammocks and bags
to defend the helmsman on the port side while the crew were sent below,
they of course intending to remain on deck.
"The fellows have not shown themselves to be good shots, and if the
breeze holds we may run by them without much damage," observed Jack.
"But if the wind should fall or blow down the river?" suggested Terence.
"Then we must go about and wait for a better opportunity for running
up," answered Jack. "We may try it at night and may slip by the more
dangerous places without observation."
They both talked hopefully of recovering the midshipmen, and yet they
could not help occasionally feeling that the youngsters might after all
have lost their lives.
At last they turned in, Bevan having the watch. Though very gallant
British officers, they were not heroes of romance, and therefore
required sleep as much as anybody else. Jack had left directions to be
called should a breeze spring up or Needham return on board. It had
gone two bells in the morning watch when Norris came into the cabin and
awoke Jack.
"There is a light air from the south'ard, and it has been getting
stronger for the last few minutes, but the boat has not come off yet,"
he said.
Jack sprang up.
"We will make sail and stand over to the other shore to pick her up," he
answered; "we must not delay a moment."
The anchor was hove up, and sail quickly made, the breeze rapidly
increasing. She had got halfway across to the western shore when the
boat was observed approaching and was soon alongside.
"We have seen nothing of the young gentlemen, sir, nor has the spy shown
his face," said Needham. "I waited till the last moment, hoping that
some one would appear. I fancied I saw people moving about on the bank,
and now and then heard voices close down to the boat. We pulled some
way down the river and then back again as high up as we had gone down,
every now and then shouting out the young gentlemen's names, so that if
they had been anywhere hereabouts they must have heard us."
Jack agreed with Needham that Tom and Gerald were not likely to be in
the neighbourhood, and the boat being dropped astern, to be in readiness
should they or the spy appear, the _Supplejack_ continued her course up
the river. The increasing daylight enabled Jack to see his way, and of
course a sharp lookout was kept on the shore.
The brig continued on for some distance, neither cavalry nor artillery
being seen. A few foot soldiers were observed trudging along, and
occasionally country people appeared on the high ground, but none of
them came down to the beach.
The appearance of the banks varied considerably in different places; in
some they were sloping and were covered with trees and shrubs, in others
they consisted of high earthy cliffs with the open plains of the Pampas
reaching to the edge of their summits. Frequently the telescope
revealed projecting from the cliffs the bones of the megatherion,
mastodon, milodon, and other huge antediluvian animals, of which,
however, neither Jack nor Terence knew the names. Sometimes they were
so distinct that they were remarked by the men, who wondered how such
strange animals could have found their way there.
"They cannot have gone and buried themselves," sagaciously observed Bill
Lizard, the boatswain's mate.
"For my part, howsomedever, I cannot think that anybody would have taken
the trouble to bury them," answered Needham. "It's a pity we have not
got Mr Scrofton on board; he would have told us all about it, no
doubt."
The ship's company, however, had soon other matters to engage their
attention. The brig was now approaching that part of the river where
the deep channel runs under the lofty and perpendicular cliffs of San
Lorenzo. The bed is as wide as in other places, but on the eastern side
is a line of islands extending for several miles, and forcing the
current over to the west. It was still doubtful, however, whether the
enemy had observed the brig, or would venture to attack her if they had.
Terence had gone aloft to be able to get a better view over the plain,
when he made out several horsemen, and what he at first took for carts
in the far distance, but which as they emerged from a cloud of dust
partially concealing them he discovered were field-pieces. There could
be little doubt that the _Supplejack_ would not escape without being
fired at. Fortunately there was a good stiff breeze, and under all sail
she stood boldly up the clearly defined channel. The ensign was flying
at the peak, and Jack ordered one to be hoisted at each masthead, to
show the enemy that he intended to fight as long as the masts stood, or
his vessel remained above water.
The brig had not got far, however, when six field-pieces, dragged by
horses, with a considerable body of men, were seen some way ahead
approaching the edge of the cliffs. Jack was not left long in doubt as
to their object, for bringing their guns to bear on the brig, the
Spaniards opened fire, their shot whizzing over the brig, a few only
passing through her sails.
Needham had got his beloved Long Tom elevated as much as possible, the
two carronades loaded with canister, and the rockets were ready in their
stands.
"Let them learn what Long Tom can do," said Jack. Needham fired but the
shot flew over the heads of the enemy; the gun was quickly again loaded.
After the next shot two or three of the horses were seen plunging
wildly, and one of the guns appeared to have received some damage--the
distance was too great to ascertain what it was. The brig made rapid
way, the next shot buried itself in the cliff; it was evident that Long
Tom could do no more for the present. The carronades were now fired,
and a flight of rockets sent the horsemen galloping out of the way,
while the gunners scampered off or threw themselves on the ground; a
second flight of rockets and another dose of canister kept them from
returning till the brig had neared the cliffs; so close indeed was she
that her mainyard almost touched them, while the enemy, who by this time
had returned, could not sufficiently depress their guns to send a shot
down on her decks, neither did the riflemen approach sufficiently near
the edge to fire into her; probably having a wholesome dread of the
rockets or bullets which might be sent in return from the daring little
vessel.
As yet no one had been hit on board the brig, and Jack was beginning to
hope that she might pass without damage beyond the dangerous point, when
farther on appeared a line of batteries, and he had just reason to fear
that they would cause him greater injury than he had hitherto received.
He pointed them out to Terence.
"I would advise you to send the hands below while you and I and the
helmsman remain on deck," said Terence coolly. "We shall save the men,
and should a few shots go through the ship's side we shall have time to
stop the holes before much water gets in; there would be no use replying
to the batteries, and we must do our best to get by them as fast as
possible."
The order, which the men unwillingly obeyed, was given. Snatchblock
came aft to the helm, and Terence walked forward, while Jack stood at
his usual post to con the brig. Needham gave a fond look at Long Tom as
he went below.
"I only wish, old fellow, that I could stop on deck and let you send a
shot or two into those batteries ahead," he exclaimed, apostrophising
his gun.
Jack and Terence felt something like men leading a forlorn hope, but
felt that they must of necessity expose themselves to the round shot and
bullets of the enemy. They had not long to wait before the guns from
the battery opened fire; the first shot struck the starboard bulwarks
and went through them, the next plunged right down on the deck, and
others followed in quick succession. The enemy now opened with grape
and canister, numerous shots passing through the sails, and several
others striking the deck and bulwarks. Had the crew not gone below many
must have been killed or wounded; Jack and Terence, now the only two
exposed, were still unhurt, though several missiles whistled close to
their ears, and half a dozen lodged in the barricade erected for the
protection of Snatchblock. All Jack's attention was required for
conning the brig, so that he could attend to nothing else. After a shot
had gone through the deck, he heard cries proceeding up the hatchway as
if some one had been hurt below, but he had no time to inquire who was
the sufferer. Though from his natural temperament he took a pleasure in
being under fire, still he never so heartily wished himself out of it as
he did at present. It would have been a different matter had he been
able to defend his ship instead of being compelled to glide slowly by
and be peppered at without returning a shot. It was, indeed, extremely
trying, and it seemed a wonder, considering the number of shots fired
down into her, that she was not sent to the bottom. At length the brig
had to stand farther out from the cliffs, in a direction where fewer
guns could reach her, and Jack determined to try if he could not silence
those likely to annoy him with a few rockets and a dose of canister from
the carronades. Calling Needham and a dozen of hands on deck, he gave
the order. Never did men spring up with greater alacrity. Terence
directed the rockets, which pitched right into the fort, while the
canister coming directly after, must have driven the Spaniards from
their guns, for not a shot was returned till the brig was pretty well
out of their reach.
The rest of the crew now came on deck, and gave a loud cheer at the
success of their exploit; they had not, however, escaped altogether, one
had been killed and two wounded below, a shot entering the gunroom had
also killed the clerk in charge, and slightly wounded Jos Green.
Though the brig had passed the partly-formed batteries, she was not
altogether free from danger. Troops of flying artillery were observed
moving along at the top of the cliffs, accompanied by a body of
infantry. Though the brig had a strong breeze, as the current was
against her, she advanced but at a comparatively slow rate, the troops
above getting along almost as fast as she did. A shower of grape from
the carronades and a couple of rockets sent into their midst made them,
however, sheer off to a respectful distance, and the gallant little
_Supplejack_ continued her course without being further molested.
The dead were sewn up in their hammocks with shot at their feet, and
lowered into the deep stream, as there was no prospect of being able to
bury them on shore. Jos Green made light of his wound, as he did of
every other trouble in life, and Jack felt thankful, considering the hot
fire to which the brig had been exposed, that more casualties had not
occurred.