Brave hearts! to Britain's pride
Once so faithful and so true,
On the deck of fame that died
With the gallant, good Riou--
Soft sigh the winds of Heaven o'er their grave!
While the billow mournful rolls,
And the mermaid's song condoles,
Singing glory to the souls
Of the brave!
CAMPBELL.
Hasty congratulations between the survivors of the victorious party were
exchanged as they proceeded to obey the orders which were issued by
Captain M--- who directed their attention to the relief of the wounded,
lying in heaps upon the deck, in many instances nearly smothered with
the dead bodies which had fallen upon them, and which their own
exhausted powers would not permit them to remove. The task of
separation of those who were past all mortal aid from those who might
still derive benefit from surgical assistance, was as tedious as it was
afflicting. No distinction was made between the rival sufferers, but,
as they came to hand, English or French, they were carefully conveyed to
the half-decks of the respective ships, the surgeons of which were in
readiness to receive them, their shirt-sleeves turned up to the elbows,
and hands and arms stained with blood, proving that they had already
been actively employed in the duties of their profession.
On the foremost part of the larboard side of the French frigate's
quarter-deck, where Captain M--- and his crew had boarded, the dead and
dying lay in a heap, the summit of which was level with the tops of the
carronades that they were between; and an occasional low groan from
under the mass, intimated that some were there who were dying more from
the pressure of the other bodies, than from the extent of their own
wounds.
Captain M---, although he had lost much blood, and was still bleeding
profusely, would not leave the deck until he had collected a party to
separate the pile; and many were relieved, who, in a few minutes more,
would have been suffocated.
At the bottom of the heap was the body of the gallant French captain;
and Captain M--- was giving directions to the first-lieutenant to have
it carried below, when Willy, who was earnestly looking about the deck,
brushed up against the latter, who said to him--
"Come, youngster, out of the way, you're no use here."
"Has any one seen my hat?" interrogated the boy, as he obeyed the order,
and removed to a short distance.
"Here it is, my bantam," said one of the boatswain's mates, who had
discovered it as they removed the body of the French captain, under
which it had lain, jammed as flat as a pancake.
"Then it was to you that I was indebted for that well-timed assistance;"
said Captain M---, taking the hat from the boatswain's mate, and
restoring it as well as he could to its former shape before he put it on
Willy's head.
Willy looked up in the captain's face, and smiled assent as he walked
away.
"A good turn is never lost," observed Captain M---; "and the old fable
of the mouse and the lion is constantly recurring to make us humble. If
I had not put that boy on the quarter-deck, I should in all probability
have made a vacancy. It was remarkable presence of mind on his part."
We have not broken in upon our narrative to state, that during the scene
we have described Mr Pearce, the master, had succeeded in putting both
vessels before the wind, although they still were hugged in each other's
embraces, as if they had always been the best friends in the world, and
they were now out of the reach of the enemy's batteries, which (as soon
as they perceived the unfavourable results of the action) had commenced
firing with red-hot balls, emblematical of their wrath.
When the wounded had been carried below, and placed in comparative
comfort on board of their respective ships, the dead bodies were next
examined. Those of the French (with the exception of that of the
captain) were launched overboard; while those of the English were then
removed, and the French officers, having delivered up their swords, were
permitted to remain on deck upon parole, while the men were secured down
below in the fore and main holds of the _Aspasia_, the hatchways being
covered over with a strong splinter-netting, that they might not be
deprived of fresh air in their crowded situation. The charge of the
prize having been confided to the first-lieutenant and fifty men, the
two ships were separated, and laid to, to repair the damages sustained
in the conflict.
Captain M---, whose wounds were not serious, had descended for a short
time to have them washed and dressed. His anxiety to put his ship in an
efficient state, and get clear of the bay, previous to bad weather
coming on, had induced him to return on deck as soon as he had taken a
little refreshment.
McElvina had also cleansed himself from the gore with which he had been
begrimed, and having applied to the surgeon to assuage the pain of a
severe cut which he had received on his shoulder, came upon the
quarter-deck with his arm in a sling, dressed with his usual precision
and neatness. He touched his hat to Captain M---, with whom he had not
communicated since he had quitted him on the quarter-deck of the French
frigate, to create the fortunate diversion in favour of the boarders.
"Captain McElvina," said Captain M---, taking his hand, and shaking it
warmly, "I can hardly express how much I am obliged to you for your
conduct this day. You may be assured that, upon my return, I shall not
fail to make a proper representation of it to Government. I only wish
that there was any situation in my ship that could induce you to
remain."
"Thank you, Captain M---," replied McElvina, smiling; "but, although on
a smaller scale, I have long been accustomed to command; and I should be
very sorry that a vacancy should occur in the only situation I would
accept."
"I expected an answer to that effect," replied Captain M---. "However,
you have this day nobly redeemed your character, and silenced any
imputations of hostility to your country that might be thrown upon you
in consequence of your late employment; and I sincerely congratulate
you."
"Captain M---, as you are kind enough to express friendly feelings
towards me, may I request that they may be shown by the interest you
take in young Seymour? I cannot but approve his following the
honourable career marked out for him; and my regret at parting with one
who has so entwined himself round my heart will be considerably lessened
by the assurance that you will be his friend and protector. Any
expenses--"
"Not one word upon that score," replied Captain M---; "the boy saved my
life this day by his unusual presence of mind, and I shall watch over
him as if he were my own child."
"His education?"
"Shall be attended to. I pledge you my honour to do him every justice."
McElvina bowed and walked away to the other side of the quarter-deck;
the idea of parting with Willy was always painful to him, and, weak with
the loss of blood, he was afraid that the emotion would be perceived,
which he now felt less able to control.
Thus it is with proud man. He struggles to conceal effects arising from
feeling which do honour to his nature; but feels no shame when he
disgraces himself by allowing his passions to get the better of his
reason--and all because he would not be thought _womanish_! I'm
particularly fond of crying myself.
The list of killed and wounded was brought up by the second-lieutenant
(the duty of the first, who was in charge of the prize, having devolved
upon him)--the former having been ascertained by mustering the ship's
company, the latter from the report of the surgeon.
A deep sigh escaped from the breast of the captain as he looked own at
the total. "Forty-four killed--sixty-seven wounded! This is heavy
indeed. Poor Stevenson, I thought he was only wounded."
"Since dead, sir," replied the second-lieutenant; "we have lost a
pleasant messmate."
"And His Majesty a valuable officer," replied the captain. "I am afraid
his mother will feel it in more ways than one--he supported her, I
think."
"He did, sir: will you not give an acting order to one of the young
gentlemen?" (It was the third-lieutenant over whom they were
lamenting.)
"Yes, make it out for Mr Robertson."
"He's in the list, sir."
"What! killed? So he is, poor fellow! Well, then--Mr Wheatley--let it
be made out for him."
"Ay, ay, sir."
It was not until the ensuing day that the loss of the enemy could be
ascertained. Crowded as were her decks with troops, it was enormous.
Not only the first and second captains, second-lieutenant, and seven
junior officers of the frigate had fallen, but eleven officers of the
detachment of soldiers sent on board of her. The total loss appeared to
be one hundred and forty-seven killed, and one hundred and eighty-four
wounded, out of an aggregate of nearly nine hundred men.
In a few days the _Aspasia_ and her prize arrived at Plymouth, the
English colours proudly waving over the tricoloured flag of her late
opponent, and both vessels ran into Hamoaze amidst the cheers of
thousands of spectators assembled upon Mount Wise and Mount Edgecomb to
greet their gallant and successful defenders. Captain M--- immediately
proceeded to London, where the representation which he made of
McElvina's conduct was followed by an order for his immediate release,
and McElvina, taking an affectionate leave of Willy, with a parting
injunction to "_be honest_," set off to report to old Hornblow, and his
daughter Susan all the circumstances attending the capture of his
lugger, and the events which had subsequently ensued.