The Repulse at the Stockade
Who our new enemies were, and whence they came, we knew not. Judging
by the outer ring of flashes, it would seem that they outnumbered
the defenders of the stockade by seven to one; for only twenty-five
men had been left on shore on the preceding evening.
These were once more under the command of Touchstone, who, on the
termination of our fight with the pirate ships, had resumed his post
at the base of our operations on land. Yet the handful of men, under
the spirited leadership of the master gunner, ought to prove
themselves equal to their attackers, as they had the advantage of a
stout breastwork.
But while the fight continued we were tormented with doubts and
fears. In the darkness we could tell by the rapid spurts of flame
that came from the stockade that our men were fiercely contesting
their ground, although by the flashes encircling them we knew that
the attack was being pushed close home.
Nor could we render any assistance, for our broadsides might do more
harm to friend than to foe; while it would be extremely hazardous to
attempt to land an armed party on an open beach, as we knew not the
numbers of our enemies. Moreover, in the darkness we might fire on,
or be fired upon by our own men.
Above the crackle of musketry and the shouts of the combatants we
could distinguish the deeper crash of the ordnance that had been
landed from the _Golden Hope_, while now and again would come an
ominous lull, only to be broken by another crash of guns and the
noise of a hand-to-hand conflict.
Having loaded all our ordnance on the landward side, and kept such
of our boats as were still seaworthy close alongside, we could only
await the dawn, of which signs were already apparent.
At length it grew light, with all the splendour and rapidity of a
West Indian dawn, and we were able to see how things fared ashore.
The stockade was still in the hands of Touchstone and his men,
though two gaps in the palisades showed how close home the attack
had been pushed. Yet around these breaches the dead lay thick, while
scattered over the plain were other corpses, proving how well our
people had handled their muskets.
Drawn up at a distance of half a mile from the stockade was a body
of musketeers, to the number of about fifty. They were evidently
planning a fresh attack, for those who carried firearms had their
matches lighted. Yet they appeared to have no heart to advance, for
we saw one whom we supposed to be their leader beckon angrily with
his sword.
One broadside from the _Neptune_ sent them helter-skelter. They fled
past the landward side of the stockade, though beyond musket range,
and disappeared behind the rising ground that terminated in the
headland on the northern side of the harbour.
Captain 'Enery immediately sent two boats ashore laden with men,
and, going with them, I was able to see the effects of the attack.
It appeared that our sentinels had heard the sound of footsteps and,
receiving no reply to their challenge, had opened fire. The garrison
had barely time to stand to their arms and man the stockade ere the
foremost of their attackers gained the ditch, and attempted to rush
the palisade.
In the protracted defence we had lost but three men killed and four
badly wounded, while of our enemies nearly two score were found
lying outside the defence.
One of the latter, being but slightly wounded in the leg, was
brought into the stockade and questioned. Doubtless expecting to be
hanged forthwith, he maintained a sullen silence, till Touchstone
promised him his life should he speak the truth. This offer,
combined with a number of veiled threats should he still prove
obstinate, had its effect, and the prisoner became communicative.
His was a disquieting report. In the north-western part of the
island, some eight or nine miles by the direct route across the
marshy forest, though nearly twice that distance by the coast, was a
settlement inhabited by buccaneers. They had seen our arrival, but,
owing to the fact that their squadron of four vessels was away on a
cruise, they had refrained from molesting us till the ships
returned.
Possibly they were unaware of our expedition into the interior, for
had they known of this they would certainly have ambushed our party
on the march.
The prolonged stay of our two ships in the harbour had puzzled them
not a little, and when their three vessels returned, the fourth
having been separated from her consorts, a combined attack by land
and sea had been planned.
By some means the two buccaneering parties had failed to co-operate,
so that their ships had already been beaten off ere the land force
appeared. The latter had heard the firing, but, little thinking that
we should have held our own, they imagined the victory already
complete, till in the darkness they stumbled upon our stockade.
"How many men were left to guard your settlement?" demanded
Touchstone.
"Only a handful--enough to keep the slaves in order," replied our
prisoner.
"Is the place fortified?"
"By a wall and a ditch. There are eighteen guns in position."
"And when will the fourth ship return?"
"I do not know."
"Remove him," ordered the master gunner, and he hurried off to the
shore, whence the crew of one of the boats rowed him to the _Golden
Hope_.
In less than half an hour he returned, bringing with him another
reinforcement of armed men.
"My lads," said he, "I have obtained Cap'n 'Enery's consent. I
propose to lead a body of men across the island, ambush the rest of
these rascals, and, if successful, follow that up by seizing and
burning their dwellings and storehouses. Forty men will be
sufficient. Now, who's going to volunteer?"
Every one of us expressed his readiness for the service, but,
refusing to take more than the number he had stated, the master
gunner picked out his force, and examined their arms. Then, for
every moment was precious, he gave them the word to march, and the
little band set out on its errand.
Although I wished to share in the enterprise, Master Touchstone
refused to allow me to accompany them, and to my disappointment I
watched them disappear in the belt of canes and scrub by the route
that we had twice traversed but a few hours before.
Four days passed without any tidings of our comrades, and we were
naturally anxious at their prolonged absence. Yet those of our men
who remained were not kept idle. The work of refitting proceeded
apace, while advantage was taken of a spell of fine weather to bring
off all the precious cargo that remained in the shattered hull of
the wrecked buccaneer. Her name, we discovered, was the _Black
Arrow_, her burthen being two hundred and eighty tons. She was the
smallest of the pirate fleet, the others being the _Terror_, of
three hundred and twenty tons, the _Bonito_, of three hundred tons,
and the _Secret_, of the same burthen. This last was the vessel that
we had not as yet fallen in with. Should she have returned to the
pirates' haven, her crew would be able to rout our little force; so,
as this event might take place, our anxieties increased as the hours
passed with no news of Touchstone and his men.
Owing to the great reduction in the number of our men by death and
wounds, together with the absence of Touchstone and his party, only
eighty remained. Captain 'Enery therefore determined to temporarily
abandon the _Neptune_, so that our slender force might be divided to
the best advantage 'twixt the _Golden Hope_ and the stockade.
With our own ship well manned we could beat off any attack from
seawards, even should the still undamaged _Secret_ rejoin her
consorts; while the garrison ashore had to be maintained, so that
the master gunner and his people might have a refuge should they be
compelled to retreat before a superior force.
During the three days following their departure the wind had blown
steadily on shore, and we were thus prevented from hearing any
sounds of an engagement with the retreating buccaneers, although on
the evening of the third day I thought I heard the sound of a
distant cannonade.
"It does sound like it," assented Captain 'Enery, when I called his
attention to the circumstance, "though it may be thunder."
"Whatever it is, it comes from seaward," said the quartermaster.
"Sink me, if I like this business," replied Captain 'Enery. "No news
for three days, and then the sound of cannonade at sea. I'll send a
man away to-night, and let him gather news of Touchstone."
Accordingly Clemens, the Cornishman, was selected to make his way in
the darkness in the direction of the buccaneers' line of retreat.
The man could be thoroughly trusted to look after himself, for he
was as crafty as a fox, while he possessed such a turn of speed that
few could hope to overtake him in flight.
By daybreak, according to his instructions, he returned, without
encountering a single living being; yet he reported that there had
been an engagement, for the ground bore traces of a conflict, broken
weapons lying about everywhere. Who were the victors he was unable
to state, though he followed the marks left by a number of men till
the approach of daybreak made it necessary to retrace his steps. The
mystery seemed to deepen.
About noon on the same day our look-outs reported the appearance of
a body of armed men over the brow of the distant hill. Immediately
there was a rush on deck, and glasses were brought to bear on the
arrivals.
"Hurrah!" shouted one of the crew. "'Tis Master Touchstone and his
party."
"You're right," said Captain 'Enery. "But what doth it mean? There
are at least a score of armed men more than he took with him."