Roger Riddle continues his story--Goes to sea as a man-o'-war's-man--
His voyages--The Mediterranean--Toulon--Chasing the enemy--Caught in a
trap--A hard fight for it--Escape of the frigate--Corsica--Martello
Bay--The tower and its gallant defenders--Its capture--Origin of its
name--San Fiorenzo--Convention redoubt--What British tars can do--
Capture of the "Minerve"--The taking of Bastia--Nelson loses an
eye--"Jackass" frigates--Toulon again--More fighting--The advantage of
being small--Prepare to repel boarders--The colours nailed to the
mast--The chase--Never despise your enemy--Teneriffe--Attack on Santa
Cruz--Nelson loses his arm--Abandonment of the enterprise--What people
call glory--The Hellespont--The captain steers his own ship--The
island of Cerigotto--Breakers ahead--The ship strikes--The value of
discipline--Their condition on the rock--The ship goes to pieces--
Their chances of escape--The gale--A brave captain--A false hope--The
effects of drinking sea-water--Water, water everywhere, and not a drop
to drink--Reduced to extremities--They lose their brave captain and
first lieutenant--They construct a raft--Cowardice of the Greek
fishermen--The rescue of the survivors--Fresh adventures--The
Dardanelles--Fire!--An awful spectacle--Destruction of the ship--
Reason to be thankful--A father's love--How they took a Spanish
sloop-o'-war--The ruse and how it succeeded--Between two fires--Good
and bad captains--Roger quits the navy--Becomes mate of a merchantman
and retires on his laurels--His marriage and settlement--Our picnic
breaks up.
"Mother had a good many friends, old shipmates of hers and father's, but
most of them having families of their own were not able to do much for
me. I was now, however, big enough to go to sea, and of course there
was no question but that I should be a sailor. England had been at
peace for some time, but she and France were once more at loggerheads,
and ships were fitting out with all despatch at every port in the
kingdom. There was no difficulty therefore in finding a ship for me,
and an old messmate of father's, Andrew Barton, having volunteered on
board the `Juno' frigate, of thirty-two guns, took me with him. He was
rated as captain of the maintop and I as ship's boy, having to do duty
as powder-monkey. I quickly found myself at home, and those who didn't
know that I had been to sea before, wondered how well I knew my way
everywhere about the decks and aloft. I soon took the lead among the
other boys, many of them much bigger and older than myself. `Why, one
would suppose that you had been born at sea,' said Tom Noakes, a big
hulking fellow, who never could tell which was the stem, and which the
stern. `And so I was,' I answered. I then told him how many storms and
battles I had been in, and all that I remembered about my early life.
This made my messmates treat me with wonderful respect, and they never
thought of playing me the tricks they did each other.
"Our frigate was bound out to the Mediterranean to join the fleet under
Lord Hood. She was, I should have said, commanded by Captain Samuel
Hood, a relation of the Admiral's. We knew that we should have plenty
of work to do. When we sailed, it was understood that an English force
had possession of Toulon, which was besieged by the republicans, who had
collected a large army round the city, but it was supposed that they
would be kept at bay by the English and royalists. We had been cruising
off Toulon, when we were despatched to Malta to bring up supernumeraries
for the fleet. We were detained, however, at the island for a
considerable time, by foul winds. At length we sailed, and steered
direct for Toulon. We arrived abreast of the harbour one evening, some
time after dark. The captain, anxious to get in, as we had no pilot on
board, nor any one acquainted with the dangers of the place, stood on,
hoping by some means or other, to find his way. The officers with their
night-glasses were on the look-out for our ships, but they were nowhere
to be seen. Our captain, however, concluded that as a strong easterly
wind had been blowing, they had run for shelter into the inner harbour.
We accordingly shortened sail, and stood on, under our topsails. As at
last several ships could be distinguished, it was supposed that we were
close up to the British fleet. We soon afterwards made out a brig, and
in order to weather her, the driver and topsail were set. As we were
tacking under the brig's stern, some one on board her hailed, but not
being able to make out what was said, Captain Hood shouted, `This is His
Britannic Majesty's frigate "Juno."' `Viva,' cried the voice from the
brig, and after this we heard the people on board her jabbering away
among themselves. At last one of them shouted out, `Luff, luff.' The
captain on this, ordered the helm to be put down, but before the frigate
came head to wind, she grounded. The breeze, however, was light, and
the water perfectly smooth, and the sails were clewed up and handed.
While this was being done, we saw a boat pull away from the brig,
towards the town. Before the men aloft had left the yards, a sudden
flaw of wind drove the ship's head off the bank, when her anchor was let
go, and she swung head to wind. Her heel, however, was still on the
shoal, and the rudder immovable. To get her off, the launch was hoisted
out, and the kedge anchor with a hawser, was put into her. While we
were engaged in hauling the frigate off the shoal, a boat appeared
coming down the harbour, and being hailed some one in her answered `Ay,
ay.' She quickly came alongside, and the crew, among whom were two
persons apparently officers, hurried on deck; one of the latter
addressed our captain, and said he came to inform him that according to
the regulations of the port, the frigate must go to the other part of
the harbour, and perform ten days' quarantine. The Frenchmen, who were
supposed to be royalists, were jabbering away together, when one of our
midshipmen, a sharp young fellow, cried out, `The chaps have national
cockades in their hats.' The moon which shone out brightly just then,
threw a gleam of light on the Frenchmen's hats, and the three colours
were distinctly seen. They finding that they were discovered, coolly
said in French, so I afterwards heard, `Make yourselves easy, the
English are good people, we will treat you kindly. The English fleet
sailed away some time ago.'
"`We are prisoners, caught like rats in a trap!' cried the men from all
parts of the ship. The entrance to the harbour is guarded by heavy
forts on either side, between which we had run some distance, and their
guns pointed down on our decks might sink us before we could get outside
again. The officers, on hearing the report, hurried aft, scarcely able
to believe that it was true. They found, however, on seeing the
Frenchmen, that there was no doubt about the matter. Just then a flaw
of wind came down the harbour, when our third lieutenant, Mr Webbley,
hurrying up to the captain, said, `I believe, sir, if we can get her
under sail, we shall be able to fetch out.' `We will try it at all
events!' cried the captain; `send the men to their stations, and hand
those French gentlemen below.' The mounseers, on finding that they were
not yet masters of the ship, began to bluster and draw their sabres, but
the marines quickly made them sound another note, and in spite of their
`_Sacres_!' they were hurried off the deck under a guard. The men flew
aloft, and in three minutes every sail was set, and the yards braced up
for casting. The frigate was by this time completely afloat, the cable
was cut; her head paid off, the sails filled, and away she stood from
the shore. The wind freshening, she quickly gathered way. The launch
and the French boat were cut adrift, and we had every hope of escape.
Directly we began to loose sails, we saw lights appear in the batteries,
and observed a stir aboard the brig. She soon afterwards opened fire on
us, as did the fort on the starboard bow, and in a short time every fort
which could bring a gun to bear on us, began to blaze away. We were
now, however, going rapidly through the water, but there was a chance of
our losing a topmast, as the shot came whistling through our sails,
between our rigging. The wind shifting, made it seem impossible that we
could get out without making a tack, but our captain was not a man to
despair, and I am pretty sure that there was no one on board who would
have given in, as long as the frigate was afloat. Fortunately the wind
again shifted and blew in our favour. Blocks and ropes came falling
from aloft, we could see the holes made in the canvas, by the shot
passing through them. Several of the masts and spars were badly
wounded, and two thirty-six pound shot came plump aboard, but no one was
hurt. As soon as the hands came from aloft, they were ordered to their
quarters, and we began firing away in return at the forts, as well as at
the impudent little brig, which we at length silenced. As may be
supposed, we gave a right hearty cheer when we saw the shot the
Frenchmen were firing at us fall far astern, and we found that we were
well clear of the harbour. We made sail for Corsica, where we found a
squadron under Commodore Linzee, engaged in attempting to drive the
French from that island. The first expedition in which we took part was
to Martello Bay. It was guarded by a strong round tower, to which the
same name had been given. The troops to the number of fourteen hundred,
were landed the same evening, and while they took possession of a
height, which overlooked the tower, we, and the `Fortitude' frigate were
ordered to attack it from the sea. The `Fortitude' got the worst of it,
for the French turned their fire chiefly on her, while for three hours
we kept blazing away, without producing any visible effect. Some guns
had been got up by the troops to the height, and by the use of hot shot
they managed to set on fire some bass junk which lined the parapet. At
last the gallant little garrison had to give in, when it was found, that
they numbered only thirty-three men, and had but one six and two sixteen
pounders; yet so well did they work their guns, and so strong was the
tower, that they had held it for nearly two days against a large body of
troops and our two frigates. During the time the `Fortitude' had lost
six killed, and fifty-six wounded. Three of her lower-deck guns had
been dismounted, and she had been set on fire by the red-hot shot
discharged at her, besides other damages. The tower, I believe, took
its name from the myrtles growing on the shores of the bay. In
consequence of the way this little tower had held out, the government
had a number of similar towers built on the English coast, which were
called after the original, `Martello' towers. We next attacked a
fortification called the Convention redoubt, which was considered the
key to the town of San Fiorenzo. The redoubt was commanded by a rocky
hill, rising to the height of seven hundred feet above the level of the
sea. As it was nearly perpendicular at its summit, it was considered
inaccessible, but British sailors had to show the Frenchmen that where
goats could find a foothold they could climb.
"Looking up at the hill, it certainly did appear as if no human being
could reach the summit. Not only, however, did our men get up there,
but they carried several eighteen-pounders with them. On the right
there was a descent of many hundred feet, down which a false step would
have sent them headlong, and on the left were beetling rocks, while
along the path they had to creep, only one man could pass at a time.
The pointed rocks, however, served to make fast the tackle by which the
guns were hoisted. To the astonishment of the Frenchmen, the
eighteen-pounders at length began firing down upon their redoubt, which
was then stormed by the troops, and quickly carried. Part of the
garrison were made prisoners, but a good number managed to scamper off
on the opposite side. We, however, took possession of a fine
thirty-eight-gun frigate, called the `Minerve,' which the Frenchmen had
sunk, but which we soon raised and carried off with us. She was then
added to the British navy, and called the `San Fiorenzo,' and was the
ship on board which King George the Third used often to sail when he was
living down at Weymouth. She also fought one or more actions when
commanded by Sir Harry Neale, one of the best officers in the service.
However, young gentlemen, these things took place so long ago that I
don't suppose you will care much to hear about them."
"Oh, yes, we do. Please go on!" cried out several voices from among us.
"It is very interesting, we could sit here all day and listen to you."
"If that is the case, I'll go ahead to please you," said old Riddle.
"In those days we didn't let grass grow on our ship's bottoms. Soon
after we left San Fiorenzo we took Bastia, the seamen employed on shore
being commanded by Captain Nelson, of the `Agamemnon.' After we had
besieged it for thirty-seven days the garrison capitulated, we having
lost a good many officers and seamen killed and wounded.
"We next attacked Calvi, which we took with the loss of the gallant
Captain Serocold and several seamen killed, and Captain Nelson and six
seamen wounded. It was here Captain Nelson had his right eye put out.
I saw a good deal of service while on board the `Juno.' Whilst still on
the station I was transferred with Andrew Barton and others, to the
`Dido,' twenty-eight-gun frigate, commanded by Captain Towry. These
small craft used to be called `Jackass' frigates, but the `Dido' showed
that she was not a `Jackass' at all events. Soon after I joined her she
and the `Lowestoff,' thirty-two-gun frigate, were despatched by Admiral
Hotham to reconnoitre the harbour of Toulon. We were on our way, when,
one evening, we discovered standing towards us two large French
frigates. We made the private signal, when, supposing that we were the
leading frigates of the fleet, they both wore and stood away. We chased
them all night, but in the morning, when they discovered that there were
only two frigates, and both much smaller than themselves, they tacked
and stood towards us. One of the Frenchmen was the `Minerve,' of forty
guns, and the other the `Artemise,' of thirty-six guns. When the
`Minerve' was about a mile away from us, on the weather bow, and ahead
of her consort, she wore, and then hauling up on the larboard tack, to
windward, commenced firing at us. I was still, you will understand,
only a powder-monkey. My business was to bring the powder up from the
magazine in a tub, upon which I had to sit till it was wanted to load
the guns. Still, I could see a good deal that was going forward through
the ports; besides which I heard from the men what was taking place. My
old messmate, Tom Noakes, had joined the `Dido.' He was now seated on
his tub next to me--the biggest powder-monkey I ever knew. Poor Tom was
not at all happy. He said that we smaller fellows had only half the
chance of being killed that he had, as a shot might pass over our heads
which would take his off. I tried to console him by reminding him that
there were a good many parts of the ship where no shots were likely to
pass, and that he had less chance of being hit than the men who had to
stand up to their guns all the time. We stood on till the `Minerve' was
on our weather beam, when we could see her squaring away her yards, and
presently the breeze freshening, she bore down upon our little frigate
with the evident intention of sinking us. So she might have done with
the greatest ease, but having fired our broadside just as her flying
jibboom was touching our mainyard, we bore up, and her bow struck our
larboard quarter. So great was the shock, that for the moment many
thought we were going down, but instead of that our frigate was thrown
athwart the `Minerve's' hawse, her bowsprit becoming entangled in our
mizen rigging. The Frenchmen immediately swarmed along their bowsprit,
intending to board us. Our first lieutenant then shouted for `boarders
to repel boarders,' but as the French crew doubled ours, we should have
found it a hard matter to do that. Fortunately the Frenchman's bowsprit
broke right off, carrying away our mizen-mast, and with it the greater
number of our assailants, who failed to regain their own ship. With our
mizen-mast of course went our colours, but that the Frenchmen might not
suppose that we had given in, Harry Barling, one of our quarter-masters,
getting hold of a Union Jack, nailed it to the stump of the mizen-mast.
All this time, you must understand, we had been blazing away at each
other as fast as we could bring our guns to bear. The `Minerve' at last
ranged ahead clear of us, but we continued firing, till the `Lowestoff,'
seeing how hard pressed we were, came up to our assistance, and tackled
the Frenchman. In a few minutes, so actively did she work her guns,
that she had knocked away the enemy's foremast and remaining topmast.
As the `Minerve' could not now possibly escape, we threw out a signal to
the `Lowestoff' to chase the `Artemise,' which instead of coming to the
assistance of her consort was making off. She however had the heels of
us, and we therefore, returning again, attacked the `Minerve,' which, on
her mizen-mast being shot away, hauled down her colours. We had our
boatswain and five seamen killed, two officers and thirteen men wounded.
The `Lowestoff' had no one hurt, and so, although she certainly
contributed to the capture of the prize, we gained the chief credit for
the action, which, considering the difference in size between our
frigate and the Frenchman, we certainly deserved. But in those days we
didn't count odds. We thought that we had only to see the enemy to
thrash him. Even our best captains, however, sometimes made a mistake.
"I afterwards belonged to the `Terpsichore' frigate, Captain Richard
Bowen, which formed one of a squadron under Lord Nelson, who was then
Sir Horatio, to attack Santa Cruz, in the Island of Teneriffe. The
squadron consisted of three seventy-fours and one fifty-gun ship--which
afterwards joined us--three frigates, and the `Fox' cutter. It was some
time before we could get up to the place. At last we managed to embark
nearly seven hundred seamen and Marines in the boats of the squadron,
nearly two hundred on board the `Fox' and others, including a detachment
of Royal Artillery, in some captured boats. Sir Horatio himself took
the command. Shoving off from the ship some time after midnight, we
pulled in for the town. The plan was to make a dash for the mole, and
then to fight our way forward along it, we fully believing that the
enemy would run as soon as we appeared. When the leading boats, under
the command of Captains Freemantle and Bowen, had got within half
gunshot of the mole head, the enemy took the alarm, and immediately
opened fire on us from forty heavy guns. A hot fire it was, I assure
you. The `Fox' cutter, crowded with men, was sunk by the heavy shot
which struck her, and nearly a hundred of those on board perished. I
was in the `Terpsichore's' barge with my brave captain, when, just
before she reached the mole, a shot struck her, and down she went,
drowning seven of my shipmates; but the captain, with the rest of us,
managed to get on shore. In spite of the hot fire with which we were
met from the mole head, we succeeded in effecting a landing, and drove
the enemy before us. Having spiked the guns which had done us so much
mischief, we advanced along the mole, led by Captain Bowen, and our
first lieutenant, Mr Thorpe. Here we encountered a tremendous fire of
musketry from the Citadel and houses, so that the greater number of our
party were either killed or wounded. Our brave leader, Captain Bowen,
was among the first who fell, and soon afterwards Lieutenant Thorpe was
killed. Nearly all the rest of the officers were killed or wounded. It
being found at last that there was no chance of success, we were ordered
to fall back.
"We had neither seen nor heard anything of Sir Horatio who would have
been certain, had not something happened to him, to have been ahead. We
now learned that just as he was landing and about to draw his sword, he
had been struck by a shot on the elbow, and that he had been carried on
board his ship by the few men who remained in the boat, the rest having
landed. One of them, John Lovell, who I knew well, as soon as he saw
the Admiral wounded, took the shirt from his own back, and tore it into
strips, to bandage up his shattered arm. In the meanwhile we were
waiting for the arrival of Captains Trowbridge and Waller with another
squadron of boats. They however missed the mole head, but though some
landed to the southward of it, in consequence of the heavy surf breaking
on the shore, others put back. Captain Trowbridge, not finding the
Admiral and the other officers he expected to meet there, sent a
sergeant to summon the Citadel to surrender. The poor fellow did not
return, having probably been shot. The scaling-ladders had also been
lost in the surf. When morning broke we altogether mustered only 340
men. Every street in the place was defended by artillery, and we heard
that a large force of 8000 men was advancing. The enterprise had
therefore to be abandoned. Captain Trowbridge proposed to the Governor
that we should re-embark with our arms, and he engaged that the squadron
should not further molest any of the places in the Canary Islands.
These terms were agreed to. We obtained also permission to purchase
such provisions as we required. The affair was a disastrous one. We
gained nothing, for besides 150 men killed or drowned, among whom were
several brave officers, we had upwards of 100 wounded, and the Admiral
lost his right arm.
"People call this sort of thing `Glory,' but for my part I could not
make out what advantage we expected to gain, or what business we had to
go there at all."
"I say, Mr Riddle, were you ever shipwrecked?" sang out one of the old
sailor's auditors, who was getting rather tired of the long yarn about
his battles with which he had been indulging us.
"Bless you, young gentlemen, that I have, well-nigh a score of times I
might say. Some time after this I belonged to the `Nautilus' sloop of
war, commanded by Captain Farmer. We belonged to the squadron of
Admiral Lewis, then cruising in the Hellespont, when we were ordered to
England with despatches of the utmost importance. We had a fresh breeze
from the north-east as we threaded our way through the numerous islands
of that sea. When at length we got off the island of Anti Milo, the
Greek pilot we had with us declared he knew nothing of the coast to the
westward. As, however, our captain was anxious to make a quick passage
for the sake of the despatches, he determined to try and pilot her
himself. Though the weather looked threatening, we sailed at sunset
from Anti Milo, and shaped a course for Cerigotto. As the night grew on
the wind increased to a heavy gale, torrents of rain fell, the thunder
roared and rattled, the flashes of lightning were as vivid as I ever saw
in my life. Sometimes it was almost brighter than day, then pitchy
dark. The captain had just given orders to close reef the topsails,
intending to bring the ship to till daylight, when a bright flash of
lightning showed us the Island of Cerigotto right ahead, about the
distance of a mile or so. Now, knowing his position, the captain
resolved to run on, believing all danger past. The watch below was
ordered to turn in. Those who remained on deck stowed themselves away
under shelter of the hammock nettings.
"We of course kept a bright look-out, though it was not supposed that we
had anything to fear. Except the officer of the watch, the rest had
gone below--the captain and master probably to examine the chart--when
the look-out on the forecastle shouted out `Breakers ahead!' `Put the
helm a lee!' cried the officer of the watch. Almost before the order
could be obeyed we felt a shock which lifted us off our feet, and sent
those below out of their hammocks. We knew too well that the ship was
ashore. In one instant the sea struck the ship, now lifting her up and
then dashing her down upon the rocks with tremendous force. It seemed
like a fearful dream. Almost in a moment the main-deck was burst in,
and soon afterwards the lee bulwarks were carried away. The captain and
officers did their best to maintain discipline. The first thing to be
done was to lower the boats, but before they could be got into the water
they were all either stove or washed away, and knocked to pieces on the
rocks. Only a whale-boat of no great use was launched by the boatswain
and nine other hands. As soon as they got clear of the rocks they lay
on their oars, but it would have been madness in them to come back, as
the boat already contained as many people as she could carry with
safety. The captain accordingly ordered her to pull towards the Island
of Pauri, in the hope that assistance might there be obtained for us.
The ship continued to strike heavily. Every instant I expected that she
would go to pieces, when one and all of us would have been lost. About
twenty minutes after she struck the mainmast fell over the side towards
a rock, which we could distinguish rising above the water, followed by
the foremast and mizen-mast. Hoping that the rock would afford us more
security than the ship herself, I, with others, made my way towards it,
though at no little risk of being carried off by the seas. On reaching
it we shouted to the rest to come on, as at any moment the ship might go
to pieces. The whole crew followed our example. Many parts of the rock
itself were scarcely above water. It seemed, as far as we could judge,
to be about 400 yards long, and half as many wide. Here all hands
collected, for as yet none had been washed away or lost, but many of the
people had no clothing on, or only just their shirts, in which they had
turned out of their hammocks. We had not a scrap of food, and we knew
that it might be some hours before the whale-boat could bring us
assistance. Scarcely had we reached the rock when we knew by the
crashing, rending sounds, and the loud thundering noise, as the planks
and timbers were dashed against it, that our stout little ship had gone
to pieces. When day dawned we saw the foaming sea covered on all sides
with fragments of the wreck, while several of our shipmates were
discovered clinging to spars and planks, they having returned to the
ship in the hopes of obtaining either food or clothing. It was known to
the captain and officers that we were about twelve miles from the
nearest island. There was but little chance of the boat getting back to
us during the day. We secured a flag which had been washed up. This we
hoisted to the end of a spar, and fixed it in the highest part of the
rock. The day was bitterly cold, many of the men were almost perished
for want of clothing. The officers made inquiries if any man had a
flint. At last one was found. At the same time a small keg of powder
which had been floating about was thrown up. The powder, though damp,
served instead of tinder. We were able to get a fire alight. It gave
us some occupation to collect fuel, though at the risk of being carried
away by the seas, as they rolled up on the rock. We got also a quantity
of canvas, and with this, and the help of some planks, we put up a tent,
which afforded us some shelter. Though we had no food to cook, the fire
warmed us, and enabled us to dry our clothes. We kept it burning all
night in the hope that it would serve as a beacon. Another night passed
away. In the morning we saw to our joy a boat pulling towards us. She
was our own whale-boat, with the boatswain and four hands; but they
brought no food nor water, as they found neither one nor the other on
the Island of Pauri. The boatswain tried to persuade our captain to
leave the rock, but he refused to desert us; so he ordered the boatswain
to take ten men and make the best of his way to Cerigotto, and to return
as soon as possible with assistance.
"We had been badly enough off before. Matters now grew worse, the wind
again increasing to a heavy gale, which sent the seas washing nearly
over the rock. We should have all of us been carried away, if we had
not secured ropes round a point which rose higher than the rest. I
don't like, even now, to think of that night. The cries and groans of
my poor shipmates still ring in my ears. Now one man sank down, now
another. The cold was terrible, even to those who, having been on
watch, were well clothed. In the morning, several of our number were
missing, and others lay dead on the rock. We were looking out for the
whale-boat, when a sail was seen standing directly down for us. In our
eagerness to get off, we began to form rafts of the spars and planks we
had collected. As the ship approached, she hove-to and lowered a boat,
which came towards us till almost within pistol-shot, when her crew
rested on their oars, and looked at us earnestly. Who they were we
could not tell. The man at the helm waved his hat, and then, seeming
suspicious of our character, steered back to the ship. In vain we waved
and shouted, the fellows paid no attention to us. To our bitter
disappointment, we saw the boat hoisted up, when the ship again made
sail. We were now in despair. I'd before felt somewhat hungry and
thirsty, but till now never knew what real thirst was. Some of the men
drank salt water, but that only made them worse.
"Another day came to an end. Fortunately the weather had moderated, and
we tried to keep ourselves warm by huddling close together. Death was
now making rapid progress amongst us. Those who had drunk salt water
went raving mad, and threw themselves into the sea; others died of
exhaustion, among them our captain, and first lieutenant. I never
expected to see another day, when, the voice of the boatswain hailed us.
The cry was at once raised for `water! Water!' but to our bitter
disappointment, he told us he had brought none, as he could only get
some earthen jars, in which it was impossible to bring it through the
surf. He said, however, that a large vessel would arrive the next
morning, with provisions and water. The thought of this kept up our
spirits. When daylight returned, we eagerly looked out for the expected
vessel, but she didn't appear, and all that day we had to wait in vain.
More of our people died. It seemed a wonder that any of us should have
survived, suffering so terribly from hunger and thirst as we were. Some
attempted to satisfy their hunger in a way too horrible to describe.
All day long we were on the look-out, expecting the boats to appear
which the boatswain said would come, but hour after hour passed. I can
tell you they were the most dreadful hours I ever remember. To remain
longer on the rock seemed impossible. It was agreed therefore next day
to build a raft on which we might reach some shore or other. It would
be better, we thought, to die afloat than on that horrible spot. As
soon as daylight broke we set to work, lashing together all the larger
spars we could find, but our strength was not equal to the task. Still
we contrived to make a raft. At length we launched it, but scarcely was
it in the water, when the sea knocked it to pieces. Many of our poor
fellows rushed in to try and secure the spars, and several of them were
swept away by the current. Unable to render help, we saw them perish
before our eyes. In the afternoon the whale-boat again came to us, but
the boatswain told us that he had been unable to get the Greek fishermen
to put to sea while the gale continued. He brought us neither food nor
water, though many of us thought he might have managed to bring off some
of the goats and sheep from the island. Even if we had eaten them raw,
they would have assisted to keep body and soul together. I had hitherto
kept up, but at last I lay down, unable to move hands or feet, or to
raise my head from the rock. During the night many more of my unhappy
shipmates died. I was lying on the rock, just conscious enough to know
that the day had returned, when, I heard some one sing out, `The boats
are coming! The boats are coming!' I raised my head and tried to get
up on my knees. Looking out, I saw four fishing vessels with the
whale-boat pulling towards us. I can't tell you the joy we felt. Many
of us who had before been unable to move, sat up, some few even were
able to stand on their feet, while we made an attempt to cheer, as the
boats drew near. They brought us water and food. Our second
lieutenant, now commanding officer, would allow only a small portion to
be given to each man at a time, and thus saved us from much suffering.
When our strength was a little restored, we were carried on board the
boats, which at once made sail for Cerigotto, where we were landed in
the evening. Of our complement of one hundred and twenty-two people,
only sixty-four remained. When I think of all we went through, it seems
surprising that any of us should have lived to reach the shore. We were
treated in the kindest way by the people of the island. After staying
with them for eleven days, at the end of which time most of us had
somewhat recovered our strength, we proceeded to Cerigo, and thence
sailed for Malta. There have, I'll allow, been more terrible
shipwrecks. Few people, however, have suffered as much as we did during
the six days we were on the rock, without food or water. As soon as I
was recovered, I was drafted on board the `Ajax,' seventy-four,
commanded by Captain Sir Henry Blackwood. We lay off the mouth of the
Dardanelles, forming one of the squadron of Vice-Admiral Sir John
Duckworth. I'm fond of old England, as I hope all of you young
gentlemen are, but I must own that the spot where we lay is a very
beautiful one.
"It had just gone four bells in the first watch, and all hands except
those on duty were asleep, when we were roused up by the cry of fire!
Directly afterwards the drum beat to quarters, and the guns were fired,
as signals of distress. A boat was also sent off with one of the
lieutenants and a midshipman, to summon assistance from the other ships.
We all stood ready to obey the orders we might receive. The captain
and one of the officers at once went down to the cockpit, from which
clouds of smoke were bursting out. They quickly had to beat a retreat.
We then, forming a line, passed the buckets along full of water, to pour
down upon the seat of the fire, as far as it could be discovered. So
dense was the smoke, that several of the men who were closest and whose
duty it was to heave the water, were nearly suffocated. It was soon
evident that the flames had the mastery of the ship. The carpenter
endeavoured to scuttle the after part, but had to abandon the attempt.
In less than fifteen minutes after the alarm had been given, the flames
raged with such fury, that it was impossible to hoist out the boats.
"The jolly-boat alone had been lowered by the captain's orders, directly
he came on deck. The fire was now bursting up through the main
hatchway, dividing the fore from the after part of the ship. The
captain accordingly ordered all hands forward. There we were nearly six
hundred human beings huddled together on the forecastle, bowsprit, and
sprit-sail yard, while the after part, from the mainmast to the
taffrail, was one mass of fire. Smoke in thick columns was now rising
from all parts of the ship, while the flames crackled and hissed, then
they caught some of the poor fellows who had taken refuge in the tops.
Some kept silent, but others shrieked aloud for mercy. Above the roar
of the flames, and the cries of the men, the sound of the guns could be
heard when they went off as the fire reached them. Captain Blackwood
retained his composure and cheered us up by reminding us, that the boats
of the squadron would soon arrive. They came at last. It was no easy
matter to get on board. Many of the men jumped into the sea, in their
eagerness to reach them. Others stood, shouting and shrieking to them
to come nearer. I, at last seeing a boat which had not as yet taken
many men aboard her, and thinking it was time to save myself, leapt
overboard, and was soon picked up. Many who had imitated my example
were of necessity left swimming or floating, and would have perished had
not other boats arrived and saved them. The ship's cable had some time
before this been burnt through. All this while she was drifting towards
the island of Tenedos--now her stern, now her broadside alternately
presented to the wind. One of the men in the boat had been hurt. I
took his oar. I found that the boat I was aboard of belonged to the
`Saint George,' and was under the command of Lieutenant Willoughby. As
soon as we fell in with another boat, we put the rest of the people on
board her, and rowed back again, to try and save some more. This we
succeeded in doing. The third time we returned to our burning ship.
Just then she rounded-to, and we saw several men hanging by ropes under
her head. The brave Lieutenant resolved to rescue these poor fellows
before she again fell off. Straining at our oars, we dashed up to her,
and succeeded in taking all of them on board, but before we could get
clear of the ship she again fell off, carrying us with her, and as she
surged through the water nearly swamping us. At the same time flames
reached the shank and stopper, when her remaining bower anchor fell over
her sides, very nearly right down upon us. Just then, the cable caught
our outer gunwale, over which it ran, apparently one sheet of fire. The
flames were at the same time raging above our heads, and rushing out
from her bow-ports. Our destruction seemed certain; we might have left
the boat to try and save ourselves by swimming, but we were too much
exhausted to try and reach any of the other boats; all we could do was
to try and keep the flames from off our own. Just as we had given up
all expectation of escape, the anchor took the ground, and though the
cable was nearly burnt through, it had strength sufficient to check the
ship's head, which enabled us to clear ourselves; though we were
somewhat scorched, no one was otherwise much hurt. In a short time the
wreck drifted on shore on the north side of the island of Tenedos, where
she blew up with a tremendous explosion, which must have been heard
miles away. We who were saved had reason to be thankful, but of the
ship's company two hundred and fifty perished that night by fire or
water, including several of the officers, together with the greater
number of the midshipmen, who, being unable to swim, were drowned before
they could reach the boats. There were three women on board, one of
whom was saved by following her husband down a rope from the jibboom.
The boatswain had two sons on board. When the alarm of fire was given,
he had rushed down, and bringing up one of them, had thrown him into the
sea, where he was picked up by the jolly-boat. He then descended for
the other, but never returned, being, as several of the midshipmen
probably were, suffocated by the dense smoke rising from that part of
the ship. I could go on into the middle of next year, as the saying is,
telling you of my shipwrecks and adventures, but I have a notion that
you would get tired of listening before I had brought my yarn to an
end."
"Oh, no! No! Go on, Mr Riddle, go on, go on!" we shouted out.
"Well, then, young gentlemen, I'll just tell you the way we once took a
Spanish sloop-of-war.
"I belonged at the time to the `Niobe' frigate out in the West Indies.
We had been cruising for some weeks without taking a prize, when we
captured a Spanish merchant schooner, after a long chase. From some of
her crew our captain learnt that a Spanish corvette, of twenty guns, lay
up a harbour in Cuba. He determined to cut her out. He had intended
sending the boats away for that service, when our second lieutenant, as
gallant an officer as ever stepped, proposed to take in our prize under
Spanish colours, and running alongside the corvette, to capture her by
boarding. Having shifted the prisoners to the frigate, the second
lieutenant, with three midshipmen and thirty volunteers, I being one of
them, went on board the schooner. There were batteries on either side,
with heavy guns which would have opened fire upon us had it for a moment
been suspected what we really were. The lieutenant and one of the
midshipmen blackened their faces, and rigged themselves out in check
shirts and handkerchiefs bound round their heads. The rest of the crew
wanted to do the same, but the lieutenant would only allow me and
another man to rig up as he had done, and regular blackamoors we made of
ourselves. We laughed, I can tell you, as we looked at each other and
talked the nigger lingo, so that even if a boat had come alongside they
would not have discovered who we were. We had besides a real black and
mulatto on board belonging to our crew. The rest of the people were
sent below, with their cutlasses and pistols ready for the moment they
were wanted. Everything was prepared by the time we got near the mouth
of the harbour. The midshipman, a fine young fellow, taking the helm,
the lieutenant sat on the companion-hatch smoking a cigarette, and
Sutton, the other man, and I, with the mulatto and negro, lolled about
the deck with our arms folded. On we stood close under the batteries,
which, if we had been discovered, would have sunk us in pretty quick
time, but as the schooner was very well-known in the harbour, her real
character was not suspected. As soon as we got inside the harbour, we
saw the corvette anchored right in the centre. The breeze headed us.
That would be all in our favour, we knew, when we had to come out again.
We made four or five tacks, taking care not to do things too smartly.
The lieutenant turned his eye every now and again on the batteries. I
think he expected, as I can tell you I did, that the Spaniards would
before long smell a rat, and begin blazing away at us. They seemed,
however, to have no suspicion, and we were allowed to beat up the
harbour without being interfered with. We had got nearly up to the
corvette, when we saw two or three boats coming off from the shore
towards us. We well knew that if they got alongside they would soon
find out that the schooner had changed hands. We could see only a few
people on the deck of the corvette, and the rest of her crew we guessed
were either below or gone ashore. In the latter case we hoped soon to
master her. As the boats drew near us the breeze freshened, and the
lieutenant ordering the helm to be put down, we luffed up alongside the
corvette, before those on board suspected what we were about to do. No
sooner did they discover what we were up to, than they began shouting
and shrieking, some running to the guns, others to get hold of muskets
and cutlasses, while numbers of the crew came swarming up from below.
Several officers made their appearance. We didn't give them much time,
you may be sure, to defend themselves, before, led by our brave
lieutenant, we threw ourselves upon their deck, and were soon slashing
away with our cutlasses. But few of them stopped to meet us, so
completely did we surprise them, but leaped below faster than they had
come up. The officers for a few seconds held out, but they were quickly
disarmed and placed under a couple of sentries in the after part of the
poop. Three or four hands only had been left on board the schooner, and
the lieutenant at once ordered her to lead the way down the harbour,
while the corvette's cable was cut and the topsails loosed. We had made
such quick work of it, that the soldiers in the fort didn't discover
what had happened until the corvette was under way, with her topsails
and courses set, following the schooner. They then began to open a hot
fire on us and the schooner, but the breeze freshening, we made such
good way, that they could not get a proper range; their shot, however,
came pretty thickly on board, passing through the sails, cutting away a
rope now and then, and several times hulling us, but not a man was hurt.
As soon as we could get some powder and shot from below, we fired in
return, though there was but little use in doing that, you may be sure.
We gave three hearty cheers when we at last got clear of the harbour,
and sailed away with our prize for Jamaica, accompanied by our frigate.
Our lieutenant and all engaged gained great credit for the way the
enterprise had been accomplished.
"Had I been a wise man, I should have stuck to the navy; but soon after
this, I had the misfortune to belong to a ship commanded by a very
different sort of officer to any I had before served under. If ever
there was a hell afloat she was one. Well-nigh a quarter of the crew at
a time were on the black list. Not a day passed that one or more were
not flogged. At last, two other men and I, when off the coast of
America, leaped into a boat alongside and made for the shore. If we had
been caught, we should have been well-nigh flayed alive. So we took
good care to keep in hiding till the ship had sailed. I afterwards
shipped on board an American merchantman, but I would not join Uncle
Sam's navy on any account. I can't say that I found myself in a perfect
paradise, and I was not sorry, after two or three years, to get on board
an English merchant vessel. I became mate of her, and in one way or
another saved money enough to buy my cottage here, with a boat and nets,
and to settle down with my wife and family. I mustn't keep you any
longer, young gentlemen, listening to what befell me in the meantime;
but if you'll pleasure me by coming here another day, I'll go on with my
yarn."
"Thank you, my friend," said Mr Reynell, getting up, "it's time for all
of us to be returning home, but I am very sure these young gentlemen
will be very much obliged to you, if we can manage to make another
excursion here, to listen to some more of your adventures."
While some of us gathered round the old sailor, asking him questions,
the rest were employed carrying the baskets of provisions to the
carriage, which set off on its return, we soon afterwards following on
foot. Although many of the party declared that they had no wish to go
to sea, the accounts I had heard only strengthened my desire to become a
sailor, and I determined more resolutely than ever to use every means to
accomplish my object.