A CHASE--A PRIZE--CAPTURE A FRENCH SMUGGLER--OUR PRISONER'S POLITENESS--
DO NOT TRUST A GREEK, EVEN WHEN POLITE.
At the hour I was asked to dine with Captain Bruff we were running out
at the Needles, with a fresh breeze and a thick, drizzling rain, which
called pea-coats and sou'westers into requisition. We cruised about for
three or four days without seeing anything suspicious; not a tub afloat,
nor a craft with a smuggling look about her. At last we found something
to give us employment. One evening a mist settled down over the water,
which, though there was a good breeze, was perfectly calm. Although the
night was in no ways dark, yet the density of the fog prevented our
seeing beyond the bowsprit end, or even so far. It was just such a
night as a smuggler delights in. The cutter was on her old ground, off
Portland Bill. We were slipping through the water at the rate of some
five or six knots an hour, when Stretcher, who was standing close to me,
exclaimed, "Ah! see there, sir; there's a craft of some sort right away
to leeward, trying to steal off from us." I looked, and could just
distinguish the shadowy form of a sail through the mist. The Commander
was called, and the cutter was instantly kept away in chase. Jack
pronounced her to be a wherry; but I thought her something much larger.
The wind was from the southward, and she, choosing what was probably her
best point of sailing, made for the English coast. She sailed well; but
we kept her in sight, for daylight had just broke, and the mist had
partially cleared away. As soon as my uncle came on deck he ordered a
shot to be fired wide of her, to make her heave-to. She paid no
attention to it.
"Fire another, Stretcher, right into her this time, and we will make her
show her quality," said he.
The mists had now cleared off sufficiently to show that she was a
wherry, though rather a small one. The shot went through her foresail,
but still she held on. She was heavily laden, and her crew must have
seen that her chance of escape was small, if not impossible. To render
this still more difficult, it was every instant growing lighter and
lighter. There were numerous sharp eyes on board the cutter fixed on
her, and we now perceived her crew heaving the tubs overboard as fast as
they could. They fancied, probably, that we could not see them. There
were no weights attached to them, so they floated; but as we had no time
to stop and pick them up, we noted carefully our course as we passed
them, so as to be able to find them again.
"Fire away at her, my lads, till she heaves-to," cried my uncle, seeing
that she still held on.
"Surely she'll not get away from us," I remarked to Jack.
"Not so sure of that, Mr D'Arcy," he answered. "Now she's got her
cargo out of her, should the wind fall on a sudden, and the fog come on
thicker, she may contrive to hide herself away in it before we can get
our boats out."
The fog deceived us as to her true distance from us, for after the
first, none of our shot struck her, though that mattered nothing, for
the breeze freshening, we were now coming up with her hand over hand.
"Lower your canvas!" shouted my uncle, as we got near.
Her people thought it wise to obey, to avoid the shot, which could not
now well miss its aim. She was next ordered to pull alongside, which
she immediately did; but there was not a symptom of a cask or keg of
spirits in her. She had five hands in her. They were desired to come
on board. One of them acknowledged himself the skipper.
"We want to know why you chased and fired at us, sir," he said, in the
most innocent manner possible, addressing my uncle.
"For having contraband goods on board," he answered.
"Lord love ye, sir--we have contraband goods aboard, sir!" replied the
skipper, with a feigned look of surprise. "We was just taking our
pleasuring, and didn't know but what you was an enemy, or a pirate, or
some chap of that sort, so we runned away, sir, do ye see."
"Very well; you'll remain on board the cutter for the present, and
perhaps I may prove to the contrary," said my uncle.
The smugglers were compelled, with a very bad grace, to go below; the
wherry was dropped astern, and the cutter stood back over the ground we
had before crossed. Before eight-bells we had picked up fifty tubs of
brandy. As plenty of our people could swear that they saw a number of
tubs thrown overboard from the wherry, there was no doubt of her being
condemned. When our prisoners perceived that their escape was
impossible, they seemed to screw themselves up to bear their reverses
like brave men. Though somewhat down in the mouth, they apparently felt
no ill-will, but were obedient and respectful. Luck was against them.
They had tried to smuggle, and we, as in duty bound, had stopped them.
The worst they had to expect was a few months' residence in Winchester
gaol. My uncle had each of them down separately in his cabin, to try
and obtain any information they might be inclined to give, especially
about Myers, whom he was most anxious to get hold of. From one of them
he learned that a large lugger was to run across the following night but
one, from Cherbourg; and he resolved to intercept her. A course was
immediately shaped for that port. He had explained his plan to Hanks,
who was to take the wherry with four hands and to keep a bright look-out
for the lugger, and to board her if he met her, as soon as she was
half-way across Channel. I obtained leave to accompany him, for though
I could not be expected to do much while blows were being given and
taken, I was considered a good hand at steering; and my uncle was glad
to let me see as much service as possible, holding the opinion that in
that way only could I become a good practical officer.
When we had got about mid Channel between Saint Catharine's and
Cherbourg, the cutter was hove-to and the wherry hauled up alongside.
"Success attend you," said my uncle, as Hanks and I stepped into the
wherry. "Mind, Mr Hanks, keep a sharp look-out for the lugger; but do
not let anything else with a smuggling air about her escape unexamined."
"Ay, ay, sir," answered Hanks, as we shored off. "I hope to get hold of
the lugger, and Myers in her."
We had in the boat provisions for four or five days; cloaks, blankets, a
compass, and lantern; with three muskets, and pistols and cutlasses for
each person. Our directions were to cruise about for three days, should
the weather remain moderate, and then to rejoin the cutter off the
Needles. We started away with a light breeze and a smooth sea, and
stood for a short way towards Cherbourg, while the cutter returned over
part of the course she had come. The weather was very pleasant, and the
sunbeams sparkled cheerily on the rippling wavelets caused by the
meeting of the tide and wind, as we ran through the water at the rate of
some five or six knots an hour. Hanks lighted his favourite short black
pipe, such as in Ireland we should call a "dodeen." He never indulged
in a cigar, except one was given him. While he leaned back, with his
legs stretched along the seats, I steered. I used to think it very hard
that he would never let me smoke, but I have since been much obliged to
him.
"This is what I call comfort, Neil," said he. "One of the smooths of
life; but it won't last, so let us enjoy it while we can. Before long
we may be getting broken heads, with a gale of wind into the bargain."
So he smoked his pipe, took ever and anon a sip from the rum-bottle,
sang a snatch from a song, and joked and talked away till the sun began
to hasten his descent into the ocean. We were all the time keeping a
look-out for any suspicious craft.
At last the sails of a lugger appeared against the evening sky as she
got clear of the land. We made sure it was the vessel we were in search
of, and prepared for action.
"D'Arcy, do you stay at the helm, and keep the wherry alongside, while
the rest of us jump aboard," said Hanks. "Stretcher, you must knock
down the fellow at the helm; I'll grapple with the skipper, if they show
fight."
On came the lugger. I thought it very unlikely if Myers was on board,
from his well-known character, that he would fail to show fight; indeed,
it seemed much more probable that he would do his best to knock us all
on the head, and heave us overboard again, should we manage to set foot
on his deck. However, I said nothing, and felt just as eager for the
fray as if such an idea had not crossed my mind.
Hanks had been taking a steady look at the lugger through his spy-glass.
"Well!" he exclaimed, "hang me if I don't think, after all, that she's
one of those French _chasse marees_. Our lugger hasn't yet come out."
"D'ye think, sir, that they chaps was deceiving of us?" said Jack.
"They be up to all sorts of dodges."
"Oh, hang it, no; I hope not," answered Hanks, with considerable doubt,
notwithstanding, in his tone. "The Commander cross-questioned them a
great deal too close for them to deceive us. We shall see the right
craft by-and-by."
We were soon convinced, however, that the lugger in sight was a _chasse
maree_. She hauled her wind, and stood along shore. Had she observed
us she would probably have had no little suspicion of our business out
there.
After watching for the lugger to no purpose for three hours or more, the
moon rose out of the dark water, and gave us a wider range of vision.
Hour after hour passed away, and still she did not appear. We began at
last to be afraid either that the smugglers had deceived us, or that she
had slipped out and passed us unobserved. As our blockade might be
somewhat long, Hanks divided the crew into watches; he taking command of
one, and I of the other. When it was my turn to sleep, I rested as
soundly as I usually did in my own berth, though I dreamed that I had
caught sight of Myers, and that I was chasing him round and round the
world with a pair of ten-league boots on my legs. How he kept ahead of
me I could not tell. Hanks awoke me to take some breakfast, and then
let me go to sleep again, for I was so drowsy that I could not keep my
eyes open. While I was still more asleep than awake, I heard Jack's
voice exclaim--
"That's her, sir, I'll take my davy."
"Yes, that's her, and no mistake, this time," added Hanks.
I was on my feet in a moment, and looking towards the French coast, I
saw a lugger about two miles off, running down to us. All hands were on
the alert, and every preparation was made to ensure the success of our
enterprise. We hauled our wind, and steered a course so as to intercept
her, without, if possible, exciting the suspicion of the smugglers till
we were alongside. As the sea was perfectly smooth and the wind light,
we should have no difficulty in getting on board. Hanks, Jack, and I
alone showed ourselves; the rest were ordered to lie down in the bottom
of the boat. The lugger, we could see, was heavily laden, and her
general appearance betokened her to be French.
"Remember, my lads, we shall have to give and take some hard blows; but
sharp's the word, and she'll be ours before her people know what we are
after," exclaimed Hanks, in an inspiriting tone. It was an exciting
moment. As we drew near, we could count some twelve men or more on her
deck. We were by this time well over on the British half of the
Channel.
"Keep her away a little, D'Arcy," said Hanks. The smugglers had been
watching us without apparently suspecting our intentions. "Now, hard
up!--ease off the mainsheet!--hook on!--follow me, my lads!"
As Hanks uttered the last words we had run alongside. The next moment
he leaped over the bulwarks of the lugger on to her deck, and grappling
with her captain, a Frenchman, tripped him up. Jack at the same time
knocked down the man at the helm with a boat's stretcher. There was a
mighty deal of jabbering and swearing in French, and some round oaths
uttered in English, when, as Hanks was working his way forward, some of
the crew, plucking courage, made a rush, and, seizing him, bore him
overboard, fortunately on the larboard side, on the same which the
wherry was: small thanks to the smugglers on that account. We were
going through the water, it must be remembered, though not very quick.
Hanks made a desperate attempt to clamber on board again by the lugger's
forechains, but missed his aim; then, giving a glance of defiance at the
rascals, he kept himself afloat while he sung out, "Hillo, D'Arcy, lend
me a hand here!"
Directly I saw what had happened I seized an oar, and thrust it out
towards him. He grasped it as we passed by, and quickly clambered into
the wherry. The moment after, with the stretcher, which he had never
let out of his grasp, he was again on the lugger's deck, belabouring
both right and left those of the crew who still resisted. As none of
the smugglers had seen him get out of the water, they were completely
taken by surprise, and without striking another blow, sung out for
quarter.
"You don't deserve it, you blackguards, for daring to resist a king's
officer in the execution of his duty," cried Hanks, flourishing his
stretcher. "But, forward with you, there, and don't move till I give
you leave." The Frenchmen did not understand him, but the English
smugglers did, and his action showed what he desired. The crew were
soon penned up in the fore part of the vessel, with the exception of the
captain and the man Jack had knocked down, who were sitting on deck
rubbing their eyes, hardly yet recovered. Scarcely three minutes had
passed since we ran alongside, and the lugger was ours. I was still in
the boat, waiting for orders.
"Come on board, D'Arcy," said Hanks at length, looking over the side.
"We'll lower the wherry's sails, and tow her astern."
I gladly jumped out of her when we had stowed her canvas and made fast
the painter. Our prize turned out to be a valuable one, for she had not
only spirits, but silk and lace on board. Her papers clearly proved
also that these goods were intended to be smuggled, so I remember Hanks
saying; but how that was I did not trouble myself, nor do I to this day
know. The smugglers, as well as they might, were certainly sulky; and
Hanks, as a gentle hint for them to behave themselves, stationed a man
with a double-barrelled pistol in his hand close to them, while they
stood huddled together on the little forecastle. I took the helm, while
the sails were trimmed and a course shaped for the Needles. In a short
time a breeze sprang up, and we spanked along at a furious rate. The
French skipper had now recovered, and getting on his legs, with a polite
bow, expressed a hope, in tolerable English, that we would make
ourselves at home on board his vessel.
"No fear of that, monsieur," answered Hanks. "Cool, is he not, D'Arcy?"
"You no have taken dinner, sare," continued the skipper. "I will tell
de cook to make dinner ready."
"Not a bad idea, monsieur," said Hanks. "Which of you chaps is cook?"
The Frenchman pointed to the fellow whose head Jack had nearly broken.
He spoke a few words to him, and the man--having got up and stretched
himself to ascertain, I suppose, that no bones were broken--dived below,
and presently returned with a white cap and apron, and several pans and
dishes, and began busying himself in the mysteries of his art. Again he
dived, the fire in the forepeak burned up brightly, and savory smells
began to ascend therefrom. In about an hour the skipper, with another
bow, invited us into his little well-like cabin aft, where a collation,
such as an epicure might envy, was placed before us. What were its
component parts I did not inquire. They may have been cats and frogs,
but neither Hanks nor I were in any way particular, and no dreadful
surmises crossed my mind. An Englishman would have broached a keg of
brandy, but our friend, Monsieur Didot, placed a bottle of
fine-flavoured claret and a variety of first-rate liqueurs before us,
not that either Hanks or I was well able to appreciate the former.
"Come, monsieur, hand us out a bottle of some real stuff or other; I'm
not fond of your pink vinegars," exclaimed Hanks, as he tossed off a
tumbler of the claret. "This isn't bad for washing the dust out of a
fellow's throat on a hot day, but there's no life-blood in it."
The skipper, with a twinkle of his eyes which betokened mischief, though
unfortunately Hanks did not perceive it, produced a large square bottle,
thick at the top, from which he poured out a glass of first-rate
Scheidam. Hanks smacked his lips as he tasted it.
"Take care, Neil, my child," said he, "you don't swallow much of that
stuff; it's too good. I'll just smack at another glass, and then we'll
go on deck out of the way of temptation."
The Frenchman looked mightily disappointed when he saw that Hanks was
not so easily taken in as he doubtless expected he would be. I happened
to look round as we left the cabin, and saw him shrugging his shoulders
and making hideous grimaces, and no very complimentary gestures at us.
Before this little incident I had thought him the pink of politeness.
He wore love-locks and rings in his ears, and was dressed with the most
accurate French nautical precision; in fact he looked thoroughly unlike
an English seaman. In his manners he was a very mild man, and certainly
he had nothing of the ruffian about him. I cannot say as much for his
crew, some of whom were very ill-looking dogs. It would have been wiser
in Hanks to have handcuffed them all, including the skipper and cook
(though we should thereby have gone without a good dinner), and
stationed a sentry with a loaded musket over them, with orders to shoot
the first who should attempt to escape.
The French skipper, when he found that his plan to obfuscate the brains
of the knowing old Hanks had totally failed, went and sat himself down
forward among his people, apparently in a fit of the sulks.
Hanks, who was in high spirits at the success of our enterprise, walked
the deck with me, looking out for the high land of the Isle of Wight
above the Needle rocks, which we were approaching. The breeze had
increased and kicked up a little sea, and we were running fast through
the water.
"D'Arcy, my boy, this is a fine haul, isn't it?" exclaimed my superior,
rubbing his hands. "Credit and prize-money together. Both good things.
When I was a youngster I thought something about the first; but now, do
you see, Mrs Hanks and I have a fancy for t'other. It keeps the pot
boiling, do ye see? I should think your uncle, by this time, was much
of my way of thinking, though he's a round number of years younger than
I am."
"I'm not so sure of that," said I. "My uncle thinks a good deal of
gaining honour, and I believe he'd rather take an enemy's frigate after
a hard-fought action, than capture a Spanish galleon without a blow."
"Well, it's the proper spirit," said Hanks, with a sigh. "The revenue
service don't nourish it much, though. Take my advice; get out of it as
soon as you can; or," he continued with much feeling, "it will spoil you
otherwise, depend on it."
We continued walking the deck for some time longer. We then sat down to
rest, watching the coast, from which we were about three miles distant.
Jack was at the helm, and the rest of our people were giving a hand to
the sheets, as the wind had veered a little to the westward.
The smugglers were seemingly fast asleep, with the exception of the
skipper, who had lighted a cigar to console himself under his mishap.