"The squall will not strike us, lads; let fall the canvas and haul aft
the sheets."
The crew, ignorant of what had occurred, obeyed, and were then ordered
on deck. There they stood waiting for the signal the boatswain was to
give them to set on us. There were three other ringleaders. The
captain called two of them aft by name to take the helm. They came
without hesitation, supposing that it would afford them a better
opportunity for carrying out their plan. Instantly they were seized and
placed in irons, the darkness greatly favouring our proceedings, as the
rest of the crew could not see what was taking place. The third man,
fortunately for us, coming aft was recognised by Martin, who, seizing
him, we had him in limbo before he could be rescued.
The crew not finding the signal they expected given, crowded together,
calling to their ringleaders and to each other.
Some among them now suspecting what had occurred, cried out that they
were betrayed, and summoning the rest to the rescue, they advanced
towards the place where their companions were confined.
On they came, armed with handspikes, belaying pins, boat stretchers,
knives and axes, the only weapons they could procure, with threatening
gestures, well able, it seemed, to overwhelm us.
"Stay where you are," shouted Lancelot; "the guns are loaded. If you
advance a step further we fire. You know the consequences."
The mutineers, well aware that the guns would sweep the decks and hurl
them in a moment into eternity, stopped short. Not one of them ventured
to utter a word.
"My lads," continued their young captain, "you have been deceived by
artful men, who would have led you to your destruction. I have no
desire to injure one of you, and will overlook your conduct if you
return to your duty. You engaged with me and my friends for a worthy
cause, to search for some helpless ladies and an old man who are
perchance held in bondage by the enemies of our country. We trusted to
you as honest Englishmen to fulfil your engagements. Let it not be said
that you turned renegades to a noble cause. Some of you have sisters
and parents for whom you would be ready to fight. Are you then acting
like brave men by turning against your officers? I will not believe
that you are so base and worthless. Now, lads, let me see who will
stand by us. Those who would keep to their pledges come over to
starboard, while the rest stand on the larboard side."
For a short time the men hesitated, then first one, then another, and
finally the whole body came over to the starboard side.
"I thought it would be so!" exclaimed the captain. "Thank you, lads. I
intend to trust you; and if we meet an enemy, I am sure you will prove
that you are true British seamen."
The crew gave a hearty cheer in reply, and that cheer must have proved
to the leaders of the mutiny that their influence over the men was lost.
To prevent them committing further mischief, we kept them in irons,
intending to deliver them over to the first English ship of war we
should meet.
Next morning, from the way the men behaved, and the quietness which
prevailed, no one would have supposed that a fearful conflict had been
imminent the previous night. They, indeed, went about their regular
duties with more than usual alacrity. We let them see, however, that we
were prepared, should they be inclined for mischief.
Our intention was to visit Sardinia, Majorca, Minorca, and other islands
in that direction, then to run down the coast of Italy and Sicily, and
afterwards steer for the Levant, making inquiries at all places and of
all the vessels we met for the missing _Hector_. We were many weeks
thus employed, often being delayed by calms and kept long in port while
prosecuting our inquiries.
When off Elba we sighted several ships showing English colours. We ran
down to them, and found that they formed part of a squadron under
Commodore Bodley. Heaving to, we lowered a boat, and I took Master
Watkins with the three other prisoners on board the commodore's ship,
telling him of the trick they wished to play us.
"They'll not attempt a like one again," answered the commodore. "We
shall probably engage with the enemy before long, and they will then
have an opportunity of retrieving their characters."
As the calm came on, I was able to visit each ship and make inquiries
for the _Hector_; but no tidings could I gain of her.
It would occupy too much space were I to describe the places we visited,
and all the adventures we met with.
We lay for several days in the beautiful Bay of Naples to refit, and
then stood across for Sicily, where we saw Mount Etna casting up fire
and smoke, and afterwards coming off the island of Stromboli, we were
well-nigh overwhelmed by the showers of ashes which fell on our deck,
making the men believe that we were about to be overwhelmed, or that the
day of judgment had come. Fellows who had never before prayed, fell
down on their knees and cried for mercy.
A breeze springing up, we got once more under the blue sky, and they
quickly forgot their fears. Hitherto we had been sadly disappointed.
Had the _Hector_ touched at any of the ports we had visited she would
have been remembered, as she was, as Watkins had described her, a stout
ship of peculiar build. We should have regretted losing him, as he
might have been able to identify her, had not two of the men who
remained served on board her, and they declared that should they set
eyes on the old _Hector_ they should know her among a hundred such
craft. We resolved, at all events, to continue our search as long as we
had the means of procuring provisions and stores. We had no small
difficulty, however, in keeping our unruly crew in order; accustomed as
most of them had been to the corsair life, they longed for the
excitement of the battle and chase, and murmured at the peaceable work
in which we were engaged. We promised them, therefore, that they should
have fighting enough should we fall in with an enemy to our country, and
of such England had many by this time, Dutch, French and Spaniards,
though the Italian princes and Portuguese wisely wished to keep on
friendly terms.
We had got some distance to the eastward of Malta, when a calm came on,
and we lay with our canvas flapping against the masts, the sea shining
like glass, and not a cloud overhead to dim the blue heavens or to
shield our heads from the rays of the burning sun. The crew lay about
the decks overcome by the heat, and grumbling at the idle life to which
they were doomed. The red sun went down, and the pale moon rose,
casting a silvery light over the slumbering ocean. Not a ripple broke
the mirror-like surface of the deep.
"We must give these fellows something to do, or they'll be brewing
mischief," observed Lancelot, as we listened to the growling tones which
came from forward.
"Unless we turn corsairs, or fall in with a Hollander or a Don, I do not
see what we can give them to do," answered Dick.
"The chances are we shall not have long to wait, or we may encounter a
storm. That will give them some occupation, especially if it carries
away some of our spars," I observed, laughing.
We were in truth put to our wits' end to keep our men in good temper.
Again the sun rose, and from the appearance of the sky there appeared
every probability that the calm would continue. We immediately set the
men to work with paint brushes and tar brushes, made them scrub the
decks, and black down the rigging. We then exercised them at the guns.
They were thus employed when, looking to the southward, I caught sight
of a white sail rising above the horizon.
"She can't move without wind, and if so, she'll be bringing up a
breeze," observed Dick. "We shall soon be throwing the spray over our
bows as we make way again through the water."
Still the ship lay as immovable as before, her masts and spars, her
black rigging, her white sails and shining hull reflected on the
glass-like surface; at the same time the stranger got closer and closer,
and now her topsails appeared, next her courses.
"She's a big craft, that; twice the size of the _Good Hope_, I opine,"
observed Martin. "If she's a friend, she may bring us news, but if
she's an enemy we shall have to up stick and run for it."
"Not until we see how many teeth she carries," said the captain, who
overheard the remark. "Big as she is, the _Good Hope_ may be able to
tackle her."
While we were speaking, our loftier canvas began to swell and flutter,
then the topsails and courses napped against the masts, and cat's-paws
ran playfully over the water. Presently ripples were seen on all sides,
and every sail swelled out. The ship gathered way, but instead of
keeping before the wind, the captain ordered the maintopsail to be
backed, and we lay to waiting for the stranger, while our white flag
with a red-cross was run up to the peak. Hardly had it blown out than
the approaching ship showed her colours, and the design of a crescent
moon proved that she was Turkish, or belonged to Tunis, Tripoli, or some
other of the Barbary States.
"My lads," cried Lancelot, "we shall probably have to fight yonder ship
if she proves what I suppose her to be. If we capture her we shall
obtain a rich prize. If she takes us, we shall have our throats cut, or
be carried into slavery."
"We will fight her, and beat her," cried the men, and they gave
utterance to a loud cheer.
"Brace round the main-yard, then," cried the captain, and the ship stood
on close-hauled, ready to tack, so that if possible we might gain the
weather-gauge. The stranger seeing this altered her course, in order to
prevent our doing what we proposed. At length, finding that we could
not gain the advantage we wished, we ran under her lee, and Lancelot in
a loud tone ordered her to strike to the Commonwealth of England.
As a haughty refusal was the answer, we opened fire, hoping to knock
away a mast or some of her spars, and thus be able to gain the position
we desired; but the corsair, for such the stranger undoubtedly was,
replied with a broadside of upwards of twenty guns, the shot from which
passing between our masts, did no further damage than cutting away some
of our running rigging.
We now stood on yard-arm to yard-arm, firing our guns as rapidly as they
could be run in and loaded. Our enemies meantime were not idle, and
their shot came crashing pretty thickly on board. Two of our men were
killed and others wounded. But we judged that we were committing more
damage than we received. Many of our shots went through and through the
corsair's sides, others swept her decks and killed several of her crew.
Still, from her superior size and greater number of guns, it was
probable before we could take her that she might so seriously damage our
little frigate that we might be prevented from prosecuting our object.
Notwithstanding this, Lancelot had no idea of retreating from the fight,
and it only made him more anxious to gain a speedy victory. It was soon
seen that the corsair was suffering the most in her hull, though her
masts and spars had hitherto escaped. On the other hand, we had lost
our fore-topmast, and shortly afterwards our fore-yard came down by the
run on deck, killing two of our men. Still these disasters did not
induce us to relax our efforts.
Our crew, now that they were put on their mettle, showed that they were
sturdy Englishmen, and as our shot went crashing through the side of our
big opponent they cheered again and again, believing that she would soon
be compelled to strike.
Lancelot stood on the after-castle, watching every movement of the
enemy. At last his voice shouted, "Boarders! be prepared to repel
boarders!" and as he spoke the big ship was seen bearing down, evidently
intending to run alongside. Our men had hangers and pistols in their
belts. Those not required to work the guns seized the boarding pikes
and stood ready to spring to that part of the ship's side where the
enemy might board us.
The corsair glided up, and her bow striking ours, she hooked on to our
fore-chains. The next instant a countless number of swarthy figures
with turbaned heads, bright scymitars flashing in their hands, swarmed
in the rigging of the corsair and came leaping down on our deck. Led by
Lancelot, Dick and I fighting by his side, we met them with hanger,
pike, and pistol, driving them back over the bulwarks, or cleaving them
from head to chine as they got within reach of our swords.
Those who were about to follow, seeing the rate of the first, held back,
and the next moment the ships separated. Ere they did so their sides
were brought close to each other, and I saw a man make a tremendous
spring from that of the enemy and grip hold of our bulwarks, to which he
clung desperately, crying out--
"I am an Englishman; save me, save me!" Several shots were fired at him
by the corsairs; but he escaped, and some of our men rushing to his
rescue hauled him on board.
"To the guns, to the guns!" shouted Lancelot, and we again began to work
our artillery with the same rapidity as before.