'Tis man's bold task the gen'rous strife to try,
But in the hands of God is victory.
ILIAD.
Newton, and the other men who had been selected for the frigate, on
board of which they had been despatched (victualled the day discharged),
were mustered on the quarter-deck by the first lieutenant, who asked
them the questions, whether they were bred to the sea, and could take
the helm and lead. Having noted down their answers, he stationed them
accordingly, and they were dismissed. Newton would again have appealed,
but on reflection thought it advisable to await the arrival of the
captain. Beds and blankets were not supplied that evening: the boats
were hoisted up, sentries on the gang ways supplied with ball-cartridges
to prevent desertion, and permission granted to the impressed men to
"prick for the softest plank" which they could find for their night's
repose.
At daylight the hands were turned up, the capstern manned, the frigate
unmoored, and hove "short stay a-peak" on her anchor remaining down.
The gig was sent on shore with two midshipmen, one to watch the men and
prevent their desertion, while the other went up to the captain's
lodgings to report her arrival: the topsails were loosed, sheeted home,
and hoisted, the yards braced by, and Newton to his sorrow perceived
that the captain's arrival would be the signal for immediate departure.
The signalman, on the look-out with his glass, reported the gig coming
off with the captain; and in obedience to the orders he had received,
the first-lieutenant immediately hove up, and the anchor having been
"catted and fished," the frigate lay-to in the Sound. As soon as the
boat came alongside, and the captain had been received with the
customary honours, he desired sail to be made on her as soon as the boat
was hoisted up, and then descended to his cabin. In three minutes
Newton perceived that all chance of release for the present was over;
the courses and topgallant sails were set, and the frigate darted past
the Ram Head at the rate of ten miles per hour.
In about twenty minutes, after the messenger had been stowed away, the
cables coiled in the tiers, and the ropes flemished down on deck, the
captain made his appearance, and directed the first-lieutenant to send
aft the newly impressed men. In few words he pointed out to them the
necessity of their servitude; and concluded by recommending them to
enter his majesty's service, and receive the bounty to which they would
become entitled; observing, that the men who did so would raise
themselves in his good opinion, and as far as he had the power, would
not be forgotten by him, provided that their general good conduct
merited his favour. Some few accepted the terms, but the most of them
positively refused. When Newton was addressed, he stated to the captain
that he was master of a vessel, and exempted by law from the impress.
"It is easy to assert that," observed the captain; "but where are your
proofs? your youth almost denies what you affirm."
"There are my papers, sir, my clearance from the Custom-house, and my
bill of lading, which I had in my pocket, intending to sail a few
minutes after the time that I was impressed."
"I observe," replied the captain, examining the papers, "they appear to
be all correct. What is your name?"
"Newton Forster."
"Then this is your signature?"
"It is, sir."
Mr Pittson, desire the clerk to bring up a pen and ink.
The clerk made his appearance.--"Now, sign your name."--Newton obeyed,
and his signature was compared with that on the bill of lading, by the
captain and first-lieutenant.
"Why did you not mention this before?" continued the captain.
"I attempted several times, but was not permitted to speak." Newton
then stated how he had been treated when impressed, and afterwards by
the officer commanding the cutter.
"You certainly were exempted from the impress, if what you state is
true; and I believe it so to be," replied the captain.--"It is a hard
case; but what can I do? Here we are at sea, and likely to remain on a
cruise of several months. You cannot expect to eat the bread of
idleness on board of a man-of-war. You will do your duty wherever you
are stationed. There is no disgrace in serving his majesty, in any
capacity. I tell you candidly, that although I would not have impressed
you myself, I am very glad that I have you on board; I wish I had fifty
more of the same sort, instead of the sweepings of the gaols, which I am
obliged to mix up with prime seamen."
"Perhaps, sir, you will have the kindness to send me back by the first
homeward-bound vessel?"
"No, that I cannot do; you are on the ship's books, and the case must be
referred to the Admiralty on our return: that it will be my duty to
attend to, upon your application; but I hope before that you will have
entered into his majesty's service."
"And in the mean time my poor father may starve," said Newton, with a
sigh, not addressing those around him, but giving utterance to his
thoughts.
The captain turned away, and paced the quarter-deck with the
first-lieutenant. At last he was overheard to say--"It's a very hard
case, certainly. Forster, can you navigate?" continued the captain,
addressing Newton.
"Yes, sir, I can work up a dead reckoning, and take the sun's altitude."
"Very well, that will do.--Mr Pittson, you may dismiss them. Are they
put into messes?"
"All, sir."
"It's twelve o'clock, sir," said the master, touching his hat, with his
quadrant in his hand.
"Make it so, and pipe to dinner."
Newton was stationed in the foretop. In a few days the awkwardness
arising from the novelty of the scene and from the superior dimensions
of every variety of equipment on board of the frigate, compared to the
small craft to which he had been accustomed, passed away. The order
which was exacted to preserve discipline, the precision with which the
time was regulated, the knowledge of the duty allotted to him, soon made
him feel that no more was exacted than what could easily be performed,
and that there was no hardship in serving on board of a man-of-war; the
only hardship was, the manner in which he had been brought there.
Although he often sighed as he thought of his father and mother, he did
his duty cheerfully, and was soon distinguished as a most promising
young sailor.
Captain Northfleet was a humane and good officer, and his
first-lieutenant followed in his steps, and equally deserved the
character. Before the ship's company had been six weeks together, they
were in a tolerable state of discipline; and proved such to be the case,
by acknowledging that they were happy. This, added to the constant
excitement of chasing and capturing the vessels of the enemy with the
anticipation of prize-money, soon made most of those who had been
impressed, forget what had occurred, or cease to lament it as a
hardship. The continual exercise of the guns was invariably followed up
by a general wish that they might fall in with an enemy of equal force,
to ascertain whether such constant drilling had been thrown away upon
them. The Terpsichore received supplies of provisions and water from
other ships, and for nine months continued a successful cruise.
Several prizes had already been captured, and sent home to England. The
complement of the frigate was materially reduced by so many absentees,
although some of her men had been brought out to her by other vessels,
when a strange sail was discovered from the mast-head. A few hours
sufficed to bring the swift Terpsichore alongside of the stranger, who
first hoisted, and then immediately hauled down the tricoloured flag in
token of submission. She proved to be a French brig, bound to the Cape
of Good Hope, with ammunition and government stores. The
third-lieutenant, and all the midshipmen who could navigate, were
already away; and this prize proving valuable, Captain Northfleet
resolved to send her in. The difficulty relative to a prize-master was
removed by the first-lieutenant, who recommended Newton Forster. To
this suggestion the Captain acceeded; and Newton, with five men, and two
French prisoners to assist, was put on board of the Estelle, with
written instructions to repair to Plymouth, and, upon his arrival there,
deliver up the prize to the agent, and report himself to the admiral.
Captain Northfleet also returned to Newton the papers of his sloop, and
gave him a letter to the admiral, stating the hardship of his case. At
the same time that he informed him of the contents of his letter, he
recommended Newton to continue in the service, promising that, if he
took the vessel safe into port, he would put him on the quarterdeck, as
one of the mates of the frigate. Newton thanked Captain Northfleet for
his good intentions; and, requesting permission to reflect upon his
proposal, took his leave, and in a few minutes was on board of the
Estelle.
There was a buoyancy of spirits in Newton when he once more found
himself clear of the frigate. He acknowledged that he had been well
treated, and that he had not been unhappy; but still it was emancipation
from forced servitude. It is hard to please where there are so many
masters; and petty tyranny will exist, and cause much discontent before
it is discovered, even where the best discipline prevails. The
imperious behaviour of the young midshipmen, who assume the same
despotic sway which is exercised over themselves, as soon as their
superiors are out of sight and hearing, was often extremely galling to
Newton Forster, and it frequently required much forbearance not to
retort. However in strict justice this might be warranted, discipline
would not permit it, and it would have been attended with severe
punishment. It was therefore with a feeling of delight, that Newton
found himself his own master, and watched the hull and canvass of the
Terpsichore, as they gradually sunk below the horizon.
The Estelle was a fine vessel, and her cargo not being all composed of
heavy materials, was sufficiently light on the water to sail well. At
the time of her capture, they were, by the reckoning of the frigate,
about fourteen hundred miles from the Lizard. In a fortnight,
therefore, with the wind at all propitious, Newton hoped to set his foot
upon his native land. He crowded all the sail which prudence would
allow; and, with the wind upon his quarter, steered his course for
England.
The men sent with him in the brig consisted of two able seamen, and
three of the gang which had been collected from the gaols and brought
round from the eastward. Captain Northfleet spared the former, as it
was necessary that a part of the crew should be able to steer and
navigate the vessel; the latter, with the sincere hope of never seeing
them again, taking it for granted that they would run away as soon as
they arrived at Plymouth. With the two prisoners, they were sufficient
to work the vessel.
During the first ten days the wind was generally in their favour, and
the brig was not far off from the chops of the Channel, when a low
raking vessel was perceived bearing down upon them from the North West.
Newton had no glass; but as she neared to within three miles, the vessel
wore the appearance of a privateer schooner; but whether an enemy or
not, it was impossible to decide. The Estelle had two small brass guns
on her forecastle; and Newton, to ascertain the nation to which the
privateer belonged, hoisted the French ensign and fired a gun. In a
minute the privateer hoisted English colours; but as she continued to
bear down upon them, Newton, not feeling secure, rove his studding sail
gear, and made all preparation for running before the wind, which he
knew to be the brig's best point of sailing. The privateer had
approached to within two miles, when Roberts, one of the seamen, gave
his decided opinion that she was a French vessel, pointing out the
slight varieties in the rigging and build of the vessel, which would not
have been apparent to any one but a thorough-bred seaman.
"We'd better up helm, and get the sail upon her. If she be French,
she'll soon show herself by firing at us."
Newton was of the same opinion. The brig was put before the wind, and
gradually all her canvass was spread. The privateer immediately shook
out all her reefs, set her lofty sails, hoisted French colours, and, in
a few minutes, a shot whizzed through the rigging of the Estelle, and
pitched into the water ahead of them.
"I thought so," cried Roberts. "It's a Johnny Crapeau. A starn chase
is a long chase, anyhow. The brig sails well, and there ain't more than
two hours daylight; so Monsieur must be quick, or we'll give him the
slip yet."
The privateer was now within a mile of them; both vessels had "got their
way;" and their respective powers of sailing were to be ascertained. In
half an hour the privateer had neared to three quarters of a mile.
"I think our little guns will soon reach her," observed Newton.
"Williams, give me the helm. Go forward with Roberts and the men, and
rouse them aft. Be smart, my lads, for she has the heels of us."
"Come along," said Roberts. "You, Collins, why don't you stir?--do you
wish to see the inside of a French prison?"
"No," replied Collins, sauntering forward, "not particularly."
"Only by way of a change, I suppose," observed Thompson, another of the
convicts. "You have been in every gaol in England, to my knowledge--
havn't you, Ben?"
"Mayhap I have," replied Collins; "but one gentleman should never
interfere with the consarns of another. I warn't whipped at the
cart-tail, as you were, last Lancaster 'sizes."
"No; but you had a taste of it on board of the Terpsichore. Ben, you
aren't forgot that?" retorted Hillson, the other of the three characters
who had been sent with Newton.
In a few minutes the guns were run aft, and the ammunition brought on
deck. Newton then gave the helm to Williams, and served one gun; while
Roberts took charge of the other. The privateer had continued to near
them, and was now within their range. A smart fire was kept up on her,
which she returned with her superior metal.
After the firing had commenced, the approach of the privateer was in
some degree checked. The guns fired from the stern of the Estelle
assisted her velocity through the water; while, on the contrary, the
privateer, being obliged to yaw from her course that her guns might
bear, and firing from the bow, her impetus was checked. Still the
privateer had the advantage in sailing, and slowly neared the brig.
"There's no need of your coming aft so close upon us," said Roberts to
the two Frenchmen who had been sent on board; "go forward, and keep out
of the way. That 'ere chap is after mischief; he had his eye upon the
_amminition_," continued the sailor to Newton. "Go forward--d'ye hear?
or I'll split your damned French skull with the handspike."
"Don't touch him, Roberts," said Newton.
"No, I won't touch him, if he keeps out of my way. Do you hear?--go
forward!" cried Roberts to the Frenchman, waving his hand.
The Frenchman answered with a sneer and a smile, and was turning to obey
the order, when a shot from the privateer cut him nearly in two. The
other Frenchman, who was close to him, made a rapid descent into the
cabin.
"That was well meant, any how," observed Roberts, looking at the dead
body; "but it wasn't meant for him. Shall I toss him overboard?"
"No, no--let him lie. If they capture us, they will perceive it was
their own doing."
"Well, then, I'll only haul him into the lee-scuppers, out of the way."
Another shot from the privateer passed through the cabin windows, and
went forward into the hold. The French prisoner ran on deck with as
much haste as before he had run below.
"Ay, it will be your turn next, my cock," cried Roberts, who had been
removing the body to the gunnel. "Now, let me try my luck again," and
he hastened to his gun. Newton fired before Roberts was ready. The
topsail-sheet of the schooner was divided by the shot, and the sail flew
out before the yard.
"That's a good two cables' length in our favour," cried Roberts. "Now
for me." Roberts fired his gun, and was more fortunate; his shot struck
away the fore-top-gallant mast, while the royal and top-gallant-sail
fell before the topsail.
"Well done, my little piece of brass!" said Roberts, slapping the gun
familiarly on the breech; "only get us out of our scrape, and I'll
polish you as bright as silver!"
Whether the gun understood him or not, or, what is more probable, the
short distance between the brig and the privateer, made it more
effective, more mischief took place in the sails and rigging of the
schooner. Her topsail-sheet was, however, soon re-bent, the sail reset,
and her other casualties made good. She ceased firing her long gun, and
at dusk had crept up to within a quarter of a mile, and commenced a
heavy fire of musketry upon the brig.
"This is rather warm work," observed Williams at the helm, pointing to a
bullet-hole through his jacket.
"Rather too warm," observed Collins, the convict. "I don't see why we
are to risk our lives for our paltry share of prize-money. I vote for
hauling down the colours."
"Not yet," said Newton, "not yet, my lads. Let us try a few shots
more."
"Try!--to be sure," rejoined Roberts, "didn't I say before, that a starn
chase was a long one."
"That only makes the matter worse," replied Collins; "for while we are
to be peppered this way, I think the shorter the chase the better.
However, you may do as you please, but I'm not so fond of it;--so here's
down below to the fore-peak!"
"Ben, you're a sensible chap, and gives good advice; we'll just follow
you," said Hillson.
"Birds of a feather always flock together; so, Ben, I'm of your party,"
added Thompson.
The convicts then descended forward out of the fire of the musketry,
while Newton and Roberts continued to load and fire, and Williams
steered the brig. The Frenchman had already found his way below again,
before the convicts.
The schooner was within two cables' length, and the fire of the musketry
was most galling; each of the English seamen had received slight wounds,
when, just as it was dark, one of the shot from the brig proved more
effective. The main-boom of the schooner was either cut in two, or so
much injured as to oblige them to lower her mainsail, The brig now
increased her distance fast, and in a few minutes they lost sight of the
schooner in the darkness of the night.
"Huzza!" cried Roberts, "didn't I tell you that a starn chase was a long
one?"
Not a star was to be seen; the darkness was intense, and Newton
consulted with Williams and Roberts, as to what was their best plan of
proceeding. It was agreed to haul up for a quarter of an hour, then
furl all, and allow the privateer to pass them. This was put in
execution; the convicts, now that there was no more firing, coming to
their assistance. The next morning the weather proved hazy, and the
schooner, who had evidently crowded sail in pursuit of them, was nowhere
to be seen.
Newton and his crew congratulated themselves upon their escape, and
again shaped their course for the Channel. The wind would not allow
them to keep clear of Ushant, and two days afterwards they made the
French coast, near to that island. The next morning they had a slant of
wind, which enabled them to lay her head up for Plymouth, and
anticipated that in another twenty-four hours they would be in safety.
Such, however, was not their good fortune; about noon a schooner hove in
sight to leeward, and it was soon ascertained to be the same vessel from
which they had previously escaped. Before dusk she was close to them;
and Newton, aware of the impossibility of resistance, hove-to, as a
signal of surrender.