Malta lay basking on the calm blue ocean, in the full radiance of a
mid-day sun, hot, white, and dazzling, when Her Majesty's brig _Ione_
made her number in the offing, approaching the port from the northward.
It was observed at the signal station at the top of Government House,
and from thence telegraphed to the guard-ship. At the same time another
sail appeared from the eastward. She soon was made out to be a
merchantman. Both had a fair wind. The brig of war stood in for the
harbour on a bowline, her yards braced up on the larboard tack; and a
very beautiful object she appeared, with all her canvas to her royals
set to a nicety, as she rounded Fort Saint Elmo, and then kept away a
little and run to her former anchorage, when, at a wave of her
commander's hand, as if by magic, the whole crowd of canvas was in an
instant clewed up and furled, and she brought up off Fort Saint Angelo.
The merchant brig, which had the yellow flag flying, ran towards Port
Marsa Musceit, and deliberately furling one sail after another, she
dropped her anchor at the quarantine station, for she had come from the
land of the plague, and many a day must pass before she could get
_pratique_. Captain Fleetwood ordered his gig and hastened on shore, in
order to report himself and to deliver his despatches to the governor.
He had just returned from a trip to Naples, where he had been sent to
convey despatches and also to bring back a few casks of light wines for
the governor's table. He was cordially received by the old veteran,
with whom he was a favourite. He was just taking his departure when he
was called back.
"It may be for your satisfaction to learn, Captain Fleetwood, as I know
that you are in a hurry to reach England, that you are to be sent home
immediately with despatches and the mails," said the governor kindly.
"I dare say we shall see you out here again before long, from what I
hear, eh?" Charles Fleetwood actually blushed.
"I shall certainly come back to the Mediterranean, with or without a
ship, as soon as I can," he answered; "and I hope I shall find you well,
sir."
"I shall be glad to see you, my lad, and I wish ye every success," said
the old governor kindly, as Fleetwood took his final leave. On his way
back to the ship he called at the post-office, for he was anxious to
ascertain, without delay, if there were any letters for him. He hoped
to receive one from Cephalonia. He felt sure Ada would have contrived
to write to him; and as he made the inquiry his heart beat much faster
than usual. He had a packet of letters delivered to him; he ran his eye
hurriedly over the addresses. Her handwriting was not to be seen. They
were all from England. He then made every inquiry in his power from the
shipping agents and others about the _Zodiac_; but nothing had been
heard of her. It was supposed she must long ago have arrived at her
destination. None of Colonel Gauntlett's friends had heard of him.
Disappointed and out of spirits, he at last returned on board. He was
afraid that he should be obliged to leave Malta without hearing of her
safe arrival; and then how many months might pass away before he might
receive a line from her. He did not, however, forget that others would
be glad to hear that they were to revisit their homes, and as he passed
Mr Saltwell, the first lieutenant, who was superintending the business
of sending the governor's casks of wine on shore, he told him to prepare
for sailing to England in a day or two. Before the captain had thrown
himself on the sofa in his cabin, which he did as soon as he reached it,
the joyous news had flown through the ship. Jemmy Duff was the first to
carry the news into the midshipmen's berth.
"Huzza, my lads!" he exclaimed, whisking round his cap, and letting it
come down over the eyes of Togle, another youngster of his own standing,
who was reeling after the fatigue of furling sails, and eating his
dinner,--"Old England for ever! Who'll bet that we shan't be kissing
our sweethearts at home this day six weeks?"
"Why, what do you mean?" cried several, looking up.
"Who'll take my bet?" replied Duff.
"Why, I will," answered Togle, who did not like being disturbed,
clearing his head at the same time from the cap. "I will, because I
don't think such an ugly-looking chap as you are can have a sweetheart
to kiss."
Whereon he got the cap pressed down harder than before, with his nose in
a slop of rum-and-water on the table.
"But what makes you sing out in that way?" asked Tompion, the second
mate. "You don't mean to say that we are homeward-bound, youngster?"
"I do, though; and the skipper has just come on board to say so,"
replied Duff; and thereon there was a general shout of congratulation,
for though all hands were very happy together, the thought of change was
exciting, and that of home was dear to most of them.
"Well, the hope of the Duffs will be once more pressed to the maternal
bosom. I congratulate you, Jemmy," said Togle, who was trying to get
his own nose in order, after its flattening in more senses than one, by
putting that of his antagonist out of joint a little.
"Well, now we've had our cheer, and have all been flattering ourselves
with the thoughts of home, I'm ready to take any bet Duff likes to make
that we shall not be in England this day six weeks, or two months, if he
likes, for I believe, after all, it's a hum of his; and I propose we cob
him as a punishment for deceiving his Majesty's liege subjects and
gallant officers as he has done."
"I can prove, though, that I speak the truth," exclaimed Jemmy, who saw
the day turning against him. "Any one of you go and ask Mr Saltwell.
He heard it from the captain, I tell you."
"No, no," put in Togle. "Punishment first and proof afterwards. That's
the way the Turks manage, and they are sensible people. You can take
the cobbing first, and then go and ask Mr Saltwell, or the skipper
himself, if you like."
"You go and be damned, Togle," retorted Duff. "You know well enough
that I'm speaking the truth; and mind, old chap, I shall keep you to
your bet,--two months, you said."
"I made no bet," answered Togle. "You offered to bet yourself, but you
didn't propose what it should be,--a dinner at the Star, or--"
Just then a personage appeared at the door of the berth, who was
immediately appealed to.
"Oh! come in here, Muhajiar; you'll know all about it," cried Jack Raby.
"Take a glass. We haven't seen you for some time. Have you heard
whether we are going home?"
"So the purser's steward told me, gentlemen, and it is generally
believed throughout the ship," returned the individual addressed, who
entered with such a bow as he could contrive to find room to make, and
took his seat at the table, where with much gusto he drank off the
porter offered to him. He was a stout, tallish man, with a good
expression of countenance, and most of those who remember Malta in those
and even later days, will recollect him as one of the most respectable
tailors in the place. He had been, I believe, in the marines; but
getting his discharge, set up for himself as a builder of garments, and
soon managed to establish a very thriving business. He was always on
the watch, and the moment a ship dropped her anchor he would come on
board to take orders. He knew everybody and everything that was going
forward, and was, consequently, a great authority.
"Huzza! it is true, for Paolo Muhajiar has heard it," exclaimed Togle,
looking hard at Duff. "Well, Jemmy, I'll let you off your bet--but you
will see that I am right."
Signor Paolo Muhajiar took his leave, for he was not likely to get any
orders, at all events, to be paid, if he executed them; and the berth
was soon cleared of its rightful occupants--some to go on shore, others
to their duties, and the rest to see what was going forward in the
harbour.
The scene there was amusing. There were boats of all sorts and
descriptions alongside; but there is one peculiarity of which Valetta
may boast, to the disadvantage of nearly all other ports. The boats
intended for the conveyance of passengers are kept in good order, and
beautifully clean; and the boatmen belonging to them are also very
careful to dress neatly--their linen always looking as white as snow.
Some of the boats alongside had goats on board, and the aquatic
goat-herds were offering to milk them to supply milk for the officers'
tea. It is not a bad way to secure pure milk.
The three mids of the _Ione_--Jack Raby, Duff, and Togle--were on the
poop leaning over the quarter-rail, and amusing themselves by discussing
affairs in general, and watching the panorama round them, when a boat
with two thin, slight lads pulled out of the dockyard creek.
"He for dive, signor," sung out one of them, looking up at our mids.
"He says he'll bet you he'll dive to the bottom and be back again sooner
than you will, Togle. So overboard with you, and show him he's wrong,"
said Duff, trying to heave over his messmate.
"He says he'll bring up a shilling if you heave it overboard," answered
Togle, retaliating by seizing the first coin he could lay hands on out
of Master Jemmy's waistcoat pocket--it was fortunately only
half-a-crown. "There, Smaitch, it's too much for one of you though, so
both of you be after it."
And holding it up to show, before Duff could snatch at it, it was
glancing through the clear water of the harbour. Over went both the
lads after it, eager to appropriate so rich a prize, and it is to be
feared, had they had knives, they would have fought for it under the
waves, and have neither of them returned. Luckily Duff, as he could not
save his own coin, had managed to seize a shilling from Togle, which
served to attract the attention of the one who was furthest from the
great prize, and both of them came up to the surface an instant
afterwards, with the pieces of money in their hands.
"Me for dive, signor--me for dive," they both again sung out, hoping to
get another coin from Raby.
"No, no more me for dive, you blackguards," he answered, shaking his
head. "You've had quite enough from these two Master Greens already."
And the lads, after singing out a few more times, pulled on ahead, still
crying, "Me for dive, signor; me for dive;" though little, beyond a few
pence, did they get from the crew of an old Mediterranean cruiser like
the _Ione_.
"Now suppose there were sharks here as they have in the West Indies, it
would not be quite so easy to go overboard as it is," observed Duff, who
quickly recovered his temper, which he had lost with his half-crown.
"Oh, these fellows would laugh at a shark," answered Raby. "Why even
the blackies don't fear them, and will attack and kill the largest. By
the by, did you ever hear of the big fellow they keep in Port Royal
harbour to do the duty of guard-boat? Not a man dares swim on shore
when big Tom is on duty, and he never takes a snooze they say."
"You don't mean to say so," said Togle, "but how do they manage to keep
him there?"
"Oh, the Government promised him a superannuated pension when he's no
longer fit for work; but, as he finds he must go on shore to receive it,
he is obliged to keep afloat; though he's been so many years at it that
no one remembers when he first came on the station."
"He must be a rum old joker," observed Duff. "Hillo, here comes old
Monsieur Collet with his cargo of ginger-beer. Let's go and get some;
for I'm very thirsty."
And away they all three scrambled to the gangway, to which a boat had
come with a little wizened old man in her, and laden with bottles of
ginger-beer, and other refreshing drinks.
"Hand us up ginger-beer there," sung out Jemmy Duff. "But, I say,
Monsieur Collet, remember, no pop--no pay."
"Oh, no, signor. All my ginger-beer pop very much."
And, to prove the truth of his assertion, off went half a dozen of his
bottles fizzing away together; some, however, remained, and the old
Frenchman insisted on himself cutting the lashings of the corks to give
full effect of the pop. He would then put a far from clean thumb over
the mouth to prevent the liquid from escaping; but still the froth would
fiz and fume round it.
"Thank ye, Monsieur Collet, none of your digitalis for me," remarked the
assistant surgeon, who observed the operation, which, however, few
others seemed to care for.
The attention of the idlers was soon drawn off from old Collet, and his
refreshing draughts, towards a boat which pulled alongside, filled with
musicians, who if they produced sounds not especially harmonious, took
care that they should be loud enough to be heard far and wide.
"Huzza for the Banjee," sung out some of the men forward. "Come,
Smaitch, tip us a tune there--Go ahead, Banjee!" and on this requisition
the performers in the Banjee boat began to exert their talents to the
great delight of their hearers, who rewarded them with showers of pence.
Not, however, of this character are the principal Banjee boats; which
really contain very good musicians, who enliven the harbour with their
sweet harmony, and are often some of the best performers from the Opera
House. Valetta harbour is in truth as lively and animated, as
interesting and picturesque a sheet of water as is to be found in any
part of the world. On the north side of where the ship lay were the
dazzling white walls of the city towering towards the blue sky, with the
Marina below them, and numerous vessels moored along the quays; on the
other side the frowning batteries of Fort Saint Angelo, and the Venetian
looking canal, called Dockyard Creek; many of the houses having doors
cut through the rock opening down to the water, the whole wearing an
aspect more Oriental than European. Then the boats, darting about in
every direction, mostly painted bright green and yellow, with upright
sterns rising high above the gunnel, and great big eyes painted on the
bows--very often having the name of some ship or other on them in
addition.
And the boatmen, with their long red or blue caps, the tassel reaching
to their waists, their gay waistcoats, their shirt-sleeves rolled up
above their elbows exhibiting their brawny arms, their red sashes, their
blue overall trousers, and their nankeen ones below, are not unworthy of
remembrance. But the most picturesque objects are the lateen sails with
their long tapering yards either wing and wing when skimming along
before the wind, or heeling over when close-hauled upon it.
Such in part was the scene viewed from the deck of the _Ione_.
Captain Fleetwood sat meditating in his cabin. He had read all his
letters from home. They contained nothing that was not satisfactory,
and yet his thoughts were far from cheerful. He was out of spirits at
not hearing from Ada; from being unable to gain any information about
her. He, however, had received no positive orders for sailing, and he
trusted that tomorrow or the following day some vessel from Cephalonia
might arrive, and bring a letter for him; still his heart would sink
with forebodings of ill, when he recollected the suspicions he had
entertained, and the warnings he had given to Bowse respecting the
speronara and her crew. A man who is in love, when he is absent from
the object of his affections, is certainly very much to be pitied, if he
has the slightest particle of imagination; for he is sure to employ it
in conceiving that all sorts of misfortunes and miseries, and disasters,
are befalling her.
He was aroused from his meditations by a message from the governor,
requesting to see him immediately, on urgent business. He sprang up,
put on his cocked hat, buckled to his sword-belt, and ordering his gig
to be manned, pulled on shore as fast as he could, and toiled upwards,
by steps innumerable, to the governor's palace.
"Ye will be surprised, doubtless, Captain Fleetwood, at my sending for
ye again to-day," said the governor, in a kind tone, as he entered.
"But sit down, mon, sit down and rest yourself, for I have a very
extraordinary communication to make to ye, which I cannot fail to think
will agitate ye; and I therefore considered it advisable to speak to ye
on the subject myself."
"For Heaven's sake tell me what it is, sir," exclaimed Fleetwood, who,
on first entering, had seen that something was wrong; and his fears
having already pointed all round the compass, he had settled that it was
in some way connected with Ada Garden.
"Ye must be calm and tranquil, mon, in a case like this; for ye will
require all your judgment and discretion to discover the means of
accomplishing your object;" continued the governor, not noticing the
interruption. "And as I considered ye a mon in every way calculated for
the purpose I have in view, and, moreover, particularly suited, from
other reasons, which ye yourself will allow, I instantly made
application to employ you on it." Fleetwood almost groaned. He could
not again venture to interrupt the governor, though he was bursting with
impatience to have his fears relieved or confirmed. "Well, I see ye
wish to be informed on the subject, which is very natural, Captain
Fleetwood; and, therefore, I must premise that I have this day received
notice of the arrival of a brig, a merchantman from Smyrna, and that she
is now performing quarantine in Port Marsa Musceit. Her master has
written a statement which has been forwarded to me; and which, if
correct, and I see no reason to doubt it, proves that further efforts
are required to put down piracy and robbery and murder in these seas;
and by God they shall not be wanting as long as I'm ruler here."
"Well, sir; well, sir," ejaculated Fleetwood.
"But ay, the statement. It is to the effect that the brig _Mary Jane_,
William Jones master, on her voyage from Smyrna to Malta, did in
latitude ... degrees north, longitude ... degrees east, sight the hull
of a vessel dismasted. That not lying much out of her course, she
hauled up for her; and on a nearer approach she appeared to be
water-logged, by her lowness in the water, and the heavy way in which
she rolled; that on getting close to her, the _Mary Jane_ was hove to,
and a boat lowered into the water, into which the first mate and a
boat's crew got, and pulled on board her. It appears that the mate,
when he first got alongside, thought that she had been brought into her
present condition by a storm, from the appearance her shattered bulwarks
presented; but that, climbing up her side, she found a number of
shot-holes, and round-shot sticking in them, and her spars and rigging
lying about the decks, evidently destroyed by shot. He therefore came
to the conclusion that she had been hotly engaged with an enemy of very
superior force, as she herself only carried four guns; and it would
require a large number, or else very rapid firing, for a long time, to
send so many into her as he observed. He soon discovered that there was
no human being alive on board her; but on more minute examination, he
was of opinion, from the state of the decks, that there had been some
severe fighting, and a number of people killed on them. All the bodies,
however, had been thrown overboard. The hold of the ship had been
ransacked, was almost empty, as were the cabins, which had evidently
been fitted up for passengers, and there were a few articles of female
gear scattered about, which made him suppose that there had been ladies
on board."
"Great Heaven!" ejaculated Captain Fleetwood, starting up. "The name,
sir--the name?"
"The name is just what the mate had considerable difficulty himself in
discovering; for, you see, the master had a fancy to have it painted so
low under the counter, that it could not be seen, sunk deep in the water
as the ship now was. At last, however, one of the men who accompanied
him, found a book with the name of Bowse in it, which he concluded to be
that of the master."
"The same," groaned poor Fleetwood. "It was the _Zodiac_. She is
lost--lost to me for ever. Oh, Ada, Ada!"
And again he groaned, as if death could alone relieve his heart from his
load of misery.
"Hoot, mon, hoot! ne'er say die while there's life!" exclaimed the bluff
old governor. "Ye have no positive proof that any one ye care for is
dead or lost to ye. I tell ye, the mate of the _Mary Jane_ found no one
dead on board the vessel; and, as she had no boats remaining, it is just
a plausible supposition that the survivors of the crew and the
passengers may have escaped from the ship they thought was sinking in
one of them; and we may hear of your friends turning up somewhere or
other; for I do not pretend to deny that, when I first received notice
of the outrage, I felt convinced that my friend, Colonel Gauntlett and
his bonnie niece were among the sufferers."
"Too true, they were, sir," replied Fleetwood, by a great effort,
endeavouring to collect his thoughts for active service.
"It was that supposition, and not ignorant also of your attachment to
the young leddie, which made me resolve to apply, instanter, that the
_Ione_ might be sent in the first place to search for the crew and
passengers of the late brig the _Zodiac_; for I ought to say, she sank
while the _Mary Jane_ was yet close to her; and then, it will be
gratifying and soothing to your feelings, under the circumstances, to
chastise the miscreants who have perpetrated this atrocity--and I do not
suppose, Captain Fleetwood, that ye will be disposed to spare them more
than I should."
And the grim old soldier gave a look which indicated no inclination to
be lenient.
"We will hang every mother's son of them; and teach other villains that
these seas can no longer be made the field for the exercise of their
marauding disposition. Ye understand, Captain Fleetwood--ye may take
them alive if ye can; but ye may sink, burn, and destroy them all,
sooner than let one escape."
"I comprehend, sir, clearly," answered Fleetwood. "When can I sail?"
"I am expecting your orders every instant," replied the governor. "It
is a considerate change of destination, to be sure; but I knew the duty
would be gratifying to you; and, fortunately, your brig is the only
vessel on the station fit to be sent on it, while the despatches can go
home by the _Racehorse_ as well. Sit quiet a few minutes till the
orders arrive; and I will in the mean time glance my eye over a paper I
have to read."
Captain Fleetwood threw himself back in his seat, and covered his eyes
with his hands. The old governor, who had purposely been more
circumvolute even than usual, in order not too suddenly to shock his
feelings, looked up at him with a kind expression, which showed that he
truly entered into his wretchedness.
"I have been considering, sir," said Fleetwood, suddenly looking up,
"what clue can be found of the pirates' places of retreat; for, if they
did not destroy those on board the _Zodiac_, I feel sure that they will
have carried them off."
"Ah! that is the proper spirit with which to meet a misfortune,"
exclaimed the governor, rising and placing his hand on Fleetwood's
shoulder. "Look it in the face, and think how you can best overcome it.
You deserve to succeed--and you will succeed, mon, I am sure. Well, as
to the clue, that is an important consideration, which must be thought
of."
Captain Fleetwood remained some time longer in consultation with the
governor. His orders, which had been sent up to the palace, were handed
to him, and with them in his pocket he hurried on board.
"Mr Saltwell," he said, as he ascended the side, "hoist the blue-peter,
and take every means of getting all hands on board. We sail to-night
for the Levant. I shall be happy to see you as soon as convenient in
the cabin."
"Ay, ay, sir," mechanically answered the first lieutenant, who, as he
looked at his commander, at first thought that he had gone out of his
mind; but he soon saw that something extraordinary had happened to cause
this sudden change in their destination, and without stopping further to
consider what it was, he took the necessary steps to obey the orders he
had received. The announcement, as might have been expected, created,
at first, no little dissatisfaction and disappointment throughout the
ship, but that was before any one was aware of the reasons of the
change. Mr Togle was the first of the midshipmen to hear the news, and
down he rushed into the berth, where most of his messmates were
collected.
"You've lost your bet, Jemmy," he exclaimed, giving Duff a slap on the
shoulder. "Instead of going to England we're bound for the Levant, old
fellow; so fork out. You betted a dinner at the Star, didn't you?"
"Well, suppose I believed your humbug," answered Duff, "I'm ready to
give you a dinner at the Star; but if we don't go to England, I'm sure I
don't know how you are to eat it; so I've done you, old fellow!"
Thereon the discussion grew warm, as to how a bet under such
circumstances should be settled, no one believing Mr Togle's assertion
of their change of destiny. It was interrupted by the shrill pipe of
the boatswain's whistle, and the hoarse cry of--
"All hands, unmoor ship," which echoed along the decks.
"There's something in the wind, any how," exclaimed Jack Raby, as they
all jumped up to hurry to their stations.
"I told you so," said Togle. "We shall have plenty of adventures before
we again see old England, depend on it."