I GO ON SERVICE, AND AM MADE PRISONER BY AN OLD LADY, WHO, NOT ABLE TO
OBTAIN MY HAND, TAKES PART OF MY FINGER AS A TOKEN--O'BRIEN RESCUES ME--
A LEE SHORE AND NARROW ESCAPE.
Two or three days after this conversation with Mr Chucks, the captain
ran the frigate in shore; and when within five miles, we discovered two
vessels under the land. We made all sail in chase, and cut them off
from escaping round a sandy point, which they attempted to weather.
Finding that they could not effect their purpose, they ran on shore
under a small battery of two guns, which commenced firing upon us. The
first shot, which whizzed between the masts, had to me a most terrific
sound; but the officers and men laughed at it, so of course I pretended
to do the same, but in reality I could see nothing to laugh at. The
captain ordered the starboard watch to be piped to quarters, and the
boats to be cleared, ready for hoisting out; we then anchored within a
mile of the battery, and returned the fire. In the meantime, the
remainder of the ship's company hoisted out and lowered down four boats,
which were manned and armed to storm the battery. I was very anxious to
go on service, and O'Brien, who had command of the first cutter, allowed
me to go with him, on condition that I stowed myself away under the
fore-sheets, that the captain might not see me before the boats had
shoved off. This I did, and was not discovered. We pulled in abreast
towards the battery, and in less than ten minutes the boats were run on
the beach, and we jumped out. The Frenchmen fired a gun at us as we
pulled close to the shore, and then ran away. There were a few
fishermen's huts close to the battery; and while two of the boats went
on board of the vessels, to see if they could be got off, and others
were spiking the guns and destroying the carriages, I went with O'Brien
to examine them: they were deserted by the people, as might have been
supposed, but there was a great quantity of fish in them, apparently
caught that morning. O'Brien pointed to a very large skate--"Murder in
Irish!" cried he, "it's the very ghost of of my grandmother: we'll have
her if it's only for the family likeness. Peter, put your finger into
the gills, and drag her down to the boat." I could not force my finger
into the gills; and as the animal appeared quite dead, I hooked my
finger into his mouth; but I made a sad mistake, for the animal was
alive, and immediately closed its jaws, nipping my finger to the bone,
and holding it so tight that I could not withdraw it, and the pain was
too great to allow me to pull it away by main force, and tear my finger,
which it held so fast. There I was, caught in a trap, and made a
prisoner by a flatfish. Fortunately, I hallooed loud enough to make
O'Brien, who was close down to the boats, with a large cod-fish under
each arm, turn round and come to my assistance. At first he could not
help me, from laughing so much; but at last he forced open the jaw of
the fish with his cutlass, and I got my finger out, but very badly torn
indeed. I then took off my garter, tied it round the tail of the skate,
and dragged it to the boat, which was all ready to shove off. My finger
was very bad for three weeks, and the officers laughed at me very much,
saying that I narrowly escaped being made a prisoner of by an "old
maid."
We continued our cruise along the coast, until we had run down into the
Bay of Arcason, where we captured two or three vessels, and obliged many
more to run on shore. We had chased a convoy of vessels to the bottom
of the bay: the wind was very fresh when we hauled off, after running
them on shore; and the surf on the beach even at that time was so great,
that they were certain to go to pieces before they could be got afloat
again. We were obliged to double-reef the topsails as soon as we hauled
to the wind, and the weather looked very threatening. In an hour
afterwards, the whole sky was covered with one black cloud, which sank
so low as nearly to touch our mast-heads, and a tremendous sea, which
appeared to have risen up almost by magic, rolled in upon us, setting
the vessel on a dead lee shore. As the night closed in, it blew a
dreadful gale, and the ship was nearly buried with the press of canvas
which she was obliged to carry: for had we sea-room, we should have been
lying-to under storm staysails; but we were forced to carry on at all
risks, that we might claw off shore. The sea broke over as we lay in
the trough, deluging us with water from the forecastle, aft, to the
binnacles and very often, as the ship descended with a plunge, it was
with such force that I really thought she would divide in half with the
violence of the shock. Double breechings were rove on the guns, and
they were further secured with tackles; and strong cleats nailed behind
the trunnions; for we heeled over so much when we lurched, that the guns
were wholly supported by the breechings and tackles, and had one of them
broken loose, it must have burst right through the lee side of the ship,
and she must have foundered. The captain, first lieutenant, and most of
the officers, remained on deck during the whole of the night. What made
it more appalling was, that we were on a lee shore, and the
consultations of the captain and officers, and the eagerness with which
they looked out for daylight, told us that we had other dangers to
encounter besides the storm. At last the morning broke, and the
look-out man upon the gangway called out, "Land on the lee beam!" I
perceived the master dash his feet against the hammock rails, as if with
vexation, and walk away without saying a word, and looking very grave.
"Up, there, Mr Wilson," said the captain to the second lieutenant, "and
see how far the land trends forward, and whether you can distinguish the
point." The second lieutenant went up the main-rigging, and pointed
with his hand to about two points before the beam.
"Do you see two hillocks inland?"
"Yes, sir," replied the second lieutenant.
"Then it is so," observed the captain to the master, "and if we weather
it we shall have more sea-room. Keep her full, and let her go through
the water; do you hear, quarter-master?"
"Ay, ay, sir."
"Thus, and no nearer, my man. Ease her with a spoke or two when she
sends; but be careful, or she'll take the wheel out of your hands."
It really was a very awful sight. When the ship was in the trough of
the sea, you could distinguish nothing but a waste of tumultuous water;
but when she was borne up on the summit of the enormous waves, you then
looked down, as it were, upon a low, sandy coast, close to you, and
covered with foam and breakers. "She behaves nobly," observed the
captain, stepping aft to the binnacle, and looking at the compass; "if
the wind does not baffle us, we shall weather." The captain had
scarcely time to make the observation, when the sails shivered and
flapped like thunder. "Up with the helm; what are you about,
quarter-master?"
"The wind has headed us, sir," replied the quarter-master, coolly.
The captain and master remained at the binnacle watching the compass;
and when the sails were again full, she had broken off two points and
the point of land was only a little on the lee bow.
"We must wear her round, Mr Falcon. Hands, wear ship--ready, oh,
ready."
"She has come up again," cried the master, who was at the binnacle.
"Hold fast there a minute. How's her head now?"
"N.N.E., as she was before she broke off, sir?"
"Pipe belay," said the captain. "Falcon," continued he, "if she breaks
off again we may have no room to wear; indeed there is so little room
now, that I must run the risk. Which cable was ranged last night--the
best bower?"
"Yes, sir."
"Jump down, then, and see it double-bitted and stoppered at thirty
fathoms. See it well done--our lives may depend upon it."
The ship continued to hold her course good; and we were within half a
mile of the point, and fully expected to weather it, when again the wet
and heavy sails flapped in the wind, and the ship broke off two points
as before. The officers and seamen were aghast, for the ship's head was
right on to the breakers. "Luff now, all you can, quarter-master,"
cried the captain. "Send the men aft directly. My lads, there is no
time for words--I am going to _club-haul_ the ship, for there is no room
to wear. The only chance you have of safety is to be cool, watch my
eye, and execute my orders with precision. Away to your stations for
tacking ship. Hands by the best bower anchor. Mr Wilson, attend below
with the carpenter and his mates, ready to cut away the cable at the
moment that I give the order. Silence, there, fore and aft.
Quarter-master, keep her full again for stays. Mind you ease the helm
down when I tell you." About a minute passed before the captain gave
any further orders. The ship had closed to within a quarter of a mile
of the beach, and the waves curled and topped around us, bearing us down
upon the shore, which presented one continued surface of foam, extending
to within half a cable's length of our position, at which distance the
enormous waves culminated and fell with the report of thunder. The
captain waved his hand in silence to the quarter-master at the wheel,
and the helm was put down. The ship turned slowly to the wind, pitching
and chopping as the sails were spinning. She had lost her way, the
captain gave the order, "Let go the anchor. We will haul all at once,
Mr Falcon," said the captain. Not a word was spoken; the men went to
the fore brace, which had not been manned; most of them knew, although I
did not, that if the ship's head did not go round the other way, we
should be on shore, and among the breakers, in half a minute. At last
the ship was head to wind, and the captain gave the signal. The yards
flew round with such a creaking noise, that I thought the masts had gone
over the side, and the next moment the wind had caught the sails; and
the ship, which for a moment or two had been on an even keel, careened
over to her gunnel with its force. The captain, who stood upon the
weather hammock-rails, holding by the main rigging, ordered the helm
amidships, looked full at the sails, and then at the cable, which grew
broad upon the weather bow, and held the ship from nearing the shore.
At last he cried, "Cut away the cable!" A few strokes of the axes were
heard, and then the cable flew out of the hawse hole in a blaze of fire,
from the violence of the friction, and disappeared under a huge wave,
which struck us on the chess-tree, and deluged us with water fore and
aft. But we were now on the other tack, and the ship regained her way,
and we had evidently increased our distance from the land.
"My lads," said the captain to the ship's company, "you have behaved
well, and I thank you; but I must tell you honestly, that we have more
difficulties to get through. We have to weather a point of the bay on
this tack. Mr Falcon, splice the main-brace, and call the watch.
How's her head, quarter-master?"
"S.W. by S. Southerly, sir."
"Very well; let her go through the water;" and the captain, beckoning to
the master to follow him, went down into the cabin. As our immediate
danger was over, I went down into the berth to see if I could get
anything for breakfast, where I found O'Brien and two or three more.
"By the powers, it was as nate a thing as ever I saw done," observed
O'Brien; "the slightest mistake as to time or management, and at this
moment the flatfish would have been dubbing at our ugly carcasses.
Peter, you're not fond of flatfish, are you, my boy? We may thank
Heaven and the captain, I can tell you that, my lads; but now, where's
the chart, Robinson? Hand me down the parallel rules and compasses,
Peter; they are in the corner of the shelf. Here we are now, a devilish
sight too near this infernal point. Who knows how her head is?"
"I do, O'Brien: I heard the quarter-master tell the captain S.W. by S.
Southerly."
"Let me see," continued O'Brien, "variation two and a quarter--lee way--
rather too large an allowance of that, I'm afraid; but, however, we'll
give her two and a half points; the _Diomede_ would blush to make any
more, under any circumstances. Here--the compass--now we'll see;" and
O'Brien advanced the parallel rule from the compass to the spot where
the ship was placed on the chart. "Bother! you see it's as much as
she'll do to weather the other point now, on this tack, and that's what
the captain meant when he told us we had more difficulty. I could have
taken my Bible oath that we were clear of everything, if the wind held."
"See what the distance is, O'Brien," said Robinson. It was measured,
and proved to be thirteen miles. "Only thirteen miles; and if we do
weather, we shall do very well, for the bay is deep beyond. It's a
rocky point, you see, just by way of variety. Well, my lads, I've a
piece of comfort for you, anyhow. It's not long that you'll be kept in
suspense, for by one o'clock this day, you'll either be congratulating
each other upon your good luck, or you'll be past praying for. Come,
put up the chart, for I hate to look at melancholy prospects: and,
steward, see what you can find in the way of comfort." Some bread and
cheese, with the remains of yesterday's boiled pork, were put on the
table, with a bottle of rum, procured at the time they "spliced the
main-brace;" but we were all too anxious to eat much, and one by one
returned on deck, to see how the weather was, and if the wind at all
favoured us. On deck the superior officers were in conversation with
the captain, who had expressed the same fear that O'Brien had in our
berth. The men, who knew what they had to expect--for this sort of
intelligence is soon communicated through a ship--were assembled in
knots, looking very grave, but at the same time not wanting in
confidence. They knew that they could trust to the captain, as far as
skill or courage could avail them; and sailors are too sanguine to
despair, even at the last moment.
Before twelve o'clock the rocky point which we so much dreaded was in
sight broad on the lee bow; and if the low sandy coast appeared
terrible, how much more did this, even at a distance! the black masses
of rock covered with foam, which each minute dashed up in the air higher
than our lower mast-heads. The captain eyed it for some minutes in
silence, as if in calculation.
"Mr Falcon," said he at last, "we must put the mainsail on her."
"She never can bear it, sir."
"She _must_ bear it," was the reply. "Send the men aft to the
mainsheet. See that careful men attend the buntlines."
The mainsail was set, and the effect of it upon the ship was tremendous.
She careened over so that her lee channels were under the water; and
when pressed by a sea, the lee side of the quarter-deck and gangway were
afloat. She now reminded me of a goaded and fiery horse, mad with the
stimulus applied; not rising as before, but forcing herself through
whole seas, and dividing the waves, which poured in one continual
torrent from the forecastle down upon the decks below. Four men were
secured to the wheel--the sailors were obliged to cling, to prevent
being washed away--the ropes were thrown in confusion to leeward--the
shot rolled out of the lockers, and every eye was fixed aloft, watching
the masts, which were expected every moment to go over the side. A
heavy sea struck us on the broadside, and it was some moments before the
ship appeared to recover herself; she reeled, trembled, and stopped her
way, as if it had stupefied her. The first lieutenant looked at the
captain as if to say, "This will not do."
"It is our only chance," answered the captain to the appeal. That the
ship went faster through the water, and held a better wind, was certain;
but just before we arrived at the point, the gale increased in force.
"If any thing starts, we are lost, sir," observed the first lieutenant
again.
"I am perfectly aware of it," replied the captain, in a calm tone; "but,
as I said before, and you must now be aware, it is our only chance. The
consequence of any carelessness or neglect in the fitting and securing
of the rigging, will be felt now; and this danger, if we escape it,
ought to remind us how much we have to answer for if we neglect our
duty. The lives of a whole ship's company may be sacrificed by the
neglect or incompetence of an officer when in harbour."
The ship was now within two cables' lengths of the rocky point; some few
of the men I observed to clasp their hands, but most of them were
silently taking off their jackets, and kicking off their shoes, that
they might not lose a chance of escape provided the ship struck.
"'Twill be touch and go indeed, Falcon," observed the captain (for I had
clung to the belaying pins, close to them for the last half-hour that
the mainsail had been set). "Come aft, you and I must take the helm.
We shall want _nerve_ there, and only there, now."
The captain and first lieutenant went aft, and took the forespokes of
the wheel, and O'Brien, at a sign made by the captain, laid hold of the
spokes behind him. An old quarter-master kept his station at the
fourth. The roaring of the sea on the rocks, with the howling of the
wind, were dreadful; but the sight was more dreadful than the noise.
For a few moments I shut my eyes, but anxiety forced me to open them
again. As near as I could judge, we were not twenty yards from the
rocks, at the time that the ship passed abreast of them. We were in the
midst of the foam, which boiled around us; and as the ship was driven
nearer to them, and careened with the wave, I thought that our main
yard-arm would have touched the rock; and at this moment a gust of wind
came on which laid the ship on her beam-ends, and checked her progress
through the water, while the accumulated noise was deafening. A few
moments more the ship dragged on, another wave dashed over her and spent
itself upon the rocks, while the spray was dashed back from them, and
returned upon the decks. The main rock was within ten yards of her
counter, when another gust of wind laid us on our beam-ends; the
foresail and mainsail split, and were blown clean out of the
bolt-ropes--the ship righted, trembling fore and aft. I looked
astern:--the rocks were to windward on our quarter, and we were safe. I
thought at the time, that the ship, relieved of her courses, and again
lifting over the waves, was not a bad similitude of the relief felt by
us all at that moment; and, like her, we trembled as we panted with the
sudden reaction, and felt the removal of the intense anxiety which
oppressed our breasts.
The captain resigned the helm, and walked aft to look at the point,
which was now broad on the weather quarter. In a minute or two, he
desired Mr Falcon to get new sails up and bend them, and then went
below to his cabin. I am sure it was to thank God for our deliverance:
I did most fervently, not only then, but when I went to my hammock at
night. We were now comparatively safe--in a few hours completely so:
for, strange to say, immediately after we had weathered the rocks, the
gale abated, and before morning we had a reef out of the topsails.