Two striplings, lads more like to run
Than to commit such slaughter.
CYMBELINE.
The gales of wind in the tropical climates are violent while they last,
but are seldom of long duration. Such was the case in the present
instance: for it subsided in a few hours after daylight; and the
schooner, that had been propelled before it, was now sheltered under the
lee of the island of St. Domingo, and, with all her canvas spread, was
gliding through a tranquil sea. Again they were collected round the
dinner-table, to a more quiet repast than they had hitherto enjoyed
since they had come on board. Paul had not quite recovered his spirits,
although, when he went on deck, just before the dinner was announced, he
was delighted at the sudden change which had taken place; but the mirth
of his companions at his expense was not received in very good part.
After dinner, finding himself in a better humour, he turned to Peter,
and addressed him--"I say, Peter, I made no answer to your remarks, last
night, when we expected to go down; but I have since had time
deliberately to weigh your arguments, and I should like you to explain
to me where the _comfort_ was that you so strenuously pointed out, for
hang me if I can discover it."
Seymour again had charge of the first watch; and, notwithstanding that
the orders for the prisoners to remain below after dark had been
communicated to them, he observed that, on one pretence or other, they
occasionally came on deck, and repeatedly put their heads above the
hatchway. This conduct reminded him of the conversation which he had
overheard, and again it was the subject of his thoughts. Captain
M--- had one day observed to him, that if there was no duty going on, he
could not employ himself in a more useful manner, when he was walking
the deck, than by placing himself or the ship, in difficult situations,
and reflecting upon the most eligible means of relief. "Depend upon
it," observed Captain M---, "the time will come when you will find it of
use to you; and it will create for you a presence of mind, in a sudden
dilemma, which may be the salvation of yourself and the ship you are
in."
Seymour, remembering this injunction, reflected upon what would be the
most advisable steps to take, in case of the French prisoners attempting
to recapture during his watch on deck. That there were but six, it was
very true; but, at the same time, during the night watches there were
but five English seamen, and the officer of the watch, on deck. Should
the Frenchmen have the boldness to attempt to regain possession of the
vessel, there was no doubt that, if the watch could be surprised, the
hatches would be secured over those below. What should be the steps, in
such a case, that he ought to take?
Such were the cogitations of Seymour, when midnight was reported, and
Jerry was summoned to relieve the deck--which he did not do, relying
upon our hero's good-nature, until past one bell. Up he came with his
ready apology--"I really beg your pardon, my dear fellow, but I had not
a wink of sleep last night."
"Never mind, Jerry, I am not at all sleepy. I had been thinking about
these French prisoners--I cannot get their conversation out of my head."
"Why, I did not like it myself, when I heard of it," replied Jerry. "I
hope they won't attempt it in my watch; it would not give them much
trouble to launch me over the quarter--I should skim away, `flying
light,' like a lady's bonnet."
"What would you do, Jerry, if you perceived them rushing aft to retake
the vessel?" inquired Seymour, who was aware of his ready invention.
"Skim up the rigging like a lamplighter, to be sure. Not that it would
be of much use, if they gained the day--except say a few prayers before
I went astern."
"Well, that was my idea; but I thought that if one had a musket and
ammunition up there, a diversion might created in favour of those
below--for the prisoners have no firearms."
"Very true," replied Jerry; "we might puzzle them not a little."
"Now, Jerry, suppose we were to take that precaution, for I do not like
their manoeuvres during my watch. It will do harm, if it does no good.
Suppose you fetch two muskets and cartouch-boxes from the cabin--I'll
take one and secure it in the fore-cross-trees, and you do the same at
the main: for Courtenay is too proud to keep an armed watch."
Jerry agreed to the proposal, and brought up the muskets and ammunition.
Seymour gave him a stout _fox_ to lash the musket; and taking another
himself, they both ascended the rigging at the same time, and were busy
securing the muskets up and down at the head of the lower masts, when
they heard a sudden rush upon deck beneath them.
It was dark, though not so dark but they could distinguish what was
going on, and they perceived that their thoughts had but anticipated the
reality. "The French are up!" roared the man at the wheel, to rouse
those below, as well as the watch, who were lying about the decks; but,
to the astonishment of the youngsters aloft, as well as of the men on
deck, not six, but about twenty Frenchmen, armed with cutlasses, made
their appearance. The hatches were over and secured in a minute; and
the unarmed English on deck were then attacked by the superior force.
It was with agonised feelings that Seymour and Jerry heard the scuffle
which took place; it was short; and plunge after plunge into the water,
alongside, announced the death of each separate victim. The man at the
wheel struggled long--he was of an athletic frame--but, overpowered by
numbers, he was launched over the taffrail. The French, supposing that
the remainder of the crew were below, placed sentries over the hatches,
that they might not be forced, and then collected together abaft,
altering the course of the vessel for St. Domingo.
It will be necessary to explain the sudden appearance of so many
Frenchmen. When the captain of the privateer was occupied during the
night previous to the attack, with his several plans of defence, he also
arranged one for the recapture of the vessel, in case of their being
overpowered. With this in view, he had constructed a platform in the
hold, on which a tier of casks was stowed, and under which there was
sufficient space for fifteen or twenty men to lie concealed. When the
privateer's men had been driven below, and the hatches secured over
them, fifteen, armed with cutlasses, concealed themselves in this place,
with the the hopes of recapturing the vessel from the prize-master,
after she should have parted company with the frigate. The prisoners,
who had been sent on board to assist in navigating the schooner to
Jamaica, had communicated with them, unperceived after dark. As all the
English were fatigued, from having been on deck during the previous
night, the middle watch was proposed for the attempt, which had thus far
been attended with success.
Seymour and Jerry remained quiet at the mastheads; for although they did
not attempt to communicate with each other, for fear of discovery, they
both rightly judged that it would be best to remain till daylight; by
which time, some plans would have been formed by the party below, which
their situation would enable them materially to assist. Nearly four
hours elapsed previous to the dawning of the day, during which interval
Jerry had ample time to say some of those prayers which he spoke of; and
which it was to be supposed that they both did not fail to offer up in
their perilous situation.
As soon as the day began to break, Jerry, who had not yet loaded his
musket, lest he might be heard, thought it time to prepare for action.
He primed, and put in his cartridge, in the ramming down of which a
slight ringing of the ramrod against the muzzle attracted the notice of
one of the Frenchmen, who, looking up, after a short time,
exclaimed:--"_Diable! c'est monsieur misere qui est la_!"
Jerry levelled with a steady aim, and the bullet passed through the
broad chest of the Frenchman, who rolled upon the deck.
"Now, they may chant your _miserere_," cried the youngster.
A second shot from the fore-cross-trees laid another Frenchman alongside
of his companion.
"_Comment! diable! nous serons abimes par ces enfans la; il faut
monter_."
The muskets were again loaded, and again each boy brought down his bird,
before the Frenchmen could decide upon their operations. It was a case
of necessity that the youngsters should be attacked; but it was a
service of no little danger, and of certain destruction to one, who must
fall a sacrifice, that the other might be able to secure the youngster
before he had time to reload his musket. Two of the most daring flew to
the main-rigging, one ascending to windward, and the other to lee-ward.
Seymour, who perceived their intentions, reserved his fire until he saw
the one in the weather rigging fall by Jerry's musket; he then levelled
at the one to leeward, who dropped into the lee-chains, and from thence
into the sea. Thus had six Frenchmen already fallen by the coolness and
determination of two boys, one but fourteen, and the other not sixteen
years old.
A short consultation ended in the Frenchmen resorting to the only
measures likely to be attended with success. Leaving three to guard the
hatchways, the remaining twelve, divided into four parties, began to
mount both fore and main-rigging, to windward and to leeward, at the
same time. The fate of Jerry and Seymour now appeared to be decided.
They might each kill one man more, and then would have been hurled into
the sea. But during the consultation, Seymour, who anticipated this
movement, and had a knife in his pocket, divided the lanyards of the lee
topmast rigging, and running up the weather side with his musket and
ammunition, as soon as he had gained the topmast cross-trees, hauled up
the lee rigging after him; thus gaining a position that would admit but
one person mounting up to him at a time. He called to Jerry, pointing
out what he had done, that he might do the same; but unfortunately Jerry
had not a knife, and could not. He contented himself with climbing up
to the topmast cross-trees, to which he was followed by two of the
Frenchmen. Jerry levelled his musket, and passed his bullet through the
skull of one of his pursuers, whose heavy fall on the deck shook the
schooner fore and aft: and then, aware that nothing more could be done,
pitched his musket overboard, that they might not gain possession of it,
and climbing, with a nimbleness suited to the occasion, up to the
masthead, descended by the top-gallant stay, to the fore-topmast
cross-trees, and joined Seymour, in the presence of the exasperated
Frenchmen, who now, unable to reach either of them, were at a nonplus.
"I say, monsieur, no catchee, no habbee," cried Jerry, laughing, and
putting his hand to his side from loss of breath.
But we must now acquaint the reader with what is going on below. The
surprise of Courtenay when he found the hatches down, and the deck in
possession of the French, was removed when the men who had been secured
with him stated that, as they lay in their hammocks, they had been
awakened by a large body of men running up the hatchway. He now
perceived that there must have been men concealed in the hold of the
vessel. The struggle on deck, the splashing in the water, all had been
plainly heard below; they were aware of the fate of their shipmates, and
did not expect to see daylight again until they were handed up as
prisoners in a French port.
The feelings of Courtenay were not enviable. He upbraided himself for
having, by his want of prudence, lost the vessel, and sacrificed the
lives of the two midshipmen and five seamen who had the watch on deck.
The party below consisted of Courtenay, Peter and Paul, Billy Pitt, and
five seamen; and a consultation was held as to their proceedings. To
regain the vessel and avenge the death of their shipmates, or to perish
in the attempt, was the determination of the lieutenant. He was aware
that the French had no firearms; and, amply supplied as they were, he
would have cared little for their numbers if once on deck; but how to
get on deck was the problem. To set fire to the vessel, and rush up in
the flames,--to scuttle her,--or to blow her up, and all go down
together, were each proposed and agitated.
Peter's plan was considered as the most feasible. He suggested, that
one half of the cabin table, which was divided in two, should be placed
upon the other, so as to raise it up to the coamings of the
skylight-hatch; on the upper table to place a pound or two of powder,
which, from the ascending principle of explosion, would blow off the
skylight and grating without injuring the vessel below. Then, with
their muskets loaded and bayonets fixed, to jump on the table, and from
thence, if possible, gain the deck. This was agreed to, and the
preparations were well forward, when the report of Jerry's musket was
heard--another succeeded, and they were perplexed. Had the Frenchmen
firearms?--and if so, what could they be firing at? The falling of the
bodies on deck, and the indistinct curses of the Frenchmen, puzzled them
even more. "What can it be?" observed Courtenay.
"I recollect now," said Paul, "as I lay awake I saw young _devil-skin_
pass my bed with a musket--I wondered what it was for."
"Then, probably, he has gained the rigging with it, and is safe," cried
Courtenay, intuitively. "Be quick! Where's the powder? Take that
candle further off."
The train was laid as the muskets continued to be discharged; they
removed from the cabin;--it was fired, and the skylight was blown up,
killing the Frenchman who guarded the hatchway, at the very moment that
the Frenchmen were in the rigging, puzzled with the manoeuvres of
Seymour and the escape of Jerry.
Courtenay and his party rushed into the cabin, mounted the table, and
were on deck before the smoke had cleared away: and the Frenchmen, who
had not had time to descend the rigging, were at their mercy. Mercy
they were not entitled to. They had shown none to the unarmed English,
whom they had wantonly thrown into the sea when they had overpowered
them, and were now thirsting for the blood of the two boys. No mercy
was shown to them. As they dropped one by one from the rigging wounded
or dead, they were tossed into the wave, as an expiatory sacrifice to
the manes of the murdered Englishmen. In a few minutes the carnage was
over. Seymour and Jerry descended from their little _fortalice_ aloft,
and were warmly greeted by their friends as they reached the deck.
"Really, Mr Paul," said Jerry, shaking his proffered hand, "this is
quite an unexpected pleasure."
"Well, I never thought that I could possibly like you," answered the
other.
"Well," observed Jerry, "it has quite stopped my growth."
"But not your tongue, I hope," replied Peter; "that would be a pity.
Now explain to us how it all happened."
Jerry entered into the detail with his accustomed humour, while
Courtenay walked aft with Seymour, to have a more sober narrative of the
transactions which we have described, and which afforded ample matter
for conversation until the prize was brought to an anchor in Port Royal
harbour, where Courtenay and his crew were ordered a passage to
Barbadoes, in a frigate that had orders to proceed there in a few days;
and Mr Peter Capon and Mr Paul Contract went on shore, declaring that
until a mail coach ran between there and England, they would never leave
the island, and again subject themselves to the charming vicissitudes of
a seafaring existence.