RETURN TO MALTA--SAIL IN A SCHOONER--SEARCH FOR THE WILLIAM--THE IONIAN
ISLANDS--REACH SMYRNA--SURPRISE THE PIRATES--I PRESERVE THE SHIP FROM
BEING BLOWN UP--MYERS AND HIS TRICKS.
We had a foul wind, and it took us three days to beat back into Malta
harbour. Our return caused much surprise, for it was deemed prudent to
keep Captain Hudson's narrative a secret till we had ascertained what
had become of Delano, lest any of his friends should hear of it, and, by
giving him notice, might enable him to escape. I was again Mr Vernon's
companion on shore, where we went as soon as we had dropped our anchor.
We first bent our steps to the office of Mr Dunnage, as he seemed to
take a warmer and more active interest than anybody else in the
mysterious disappearance of the _Ariadne_. We were shown into the
worthy merchant's private room, where he sat surrounded by piles of tin
boxes, with long bygone dates marked on their sides, and heaps of old
ledgers and journals; with pictures of ships on the walls, and a model
of one of antique build, fully rigged, over an old dark oak press at his
back. Mr Dunnage had a full fresh, Anglo-Saxon countenance, which,
though I at first thought rather grave and cold, after a few minutes'
conversation seemed to beam with kindness and good nature. He looked
grave as we entered, and having motioned us to be seated, shook his head
as he remarked, "I have no news, lieutenant, of the brig, I am grieved
to say. Have you anything to report."
"The worst surmises only, sir," said Mr Vernon; and he then gave him an
account of our having picked up the master and crew of the _Helen_, and
of the outrage they had suffered.
Mr Dunnage listened with deep interest.
"Ah! that fully accounts for a circumstance which has puzzled me
exceedingly. That very brig, the _William_, belongs to my friends,
Hodge, Podge, and Company, of Liverpool; and I am sure they would have
consigned her to me, had they intended her to come here. Here she came,
however, consigned to a Jew, a man of very disreputable character; and I
understand that she discharged but a very small part of her cargo. We
must try and find out what has become of it, and see if Captain Hudson
can identify any portion of it. When I sent down to inquire about her,
I found that she had sailed again, and, it was reported, had proceeded
up to the Levant. Altogether my suspicions were very much excited,
especially when I found, on inquiry, that Delano was her master. Her
crew, also, were said to have come on shore in gay-coloured silk
waistcoats, and to have spent more money than seamen are likely to have
lawfully possessed."
"Oh, let us at once try and find out what was the nature of the cargo
sold by Delano," exclaimed Mr Vernon. "Can you tell me what the
_Ariadne_ had on board?"
"I see the drift of your question," answered Mr Dunnage; "but I do not
think that, foolhardy as Delano may be, he would have ventured to offer
for sale articles which had been shipped from this, and would be so
easily recognised. No; all that we can hope to prove without a doubt
is, that the _William_ is the brig which plundered the _Helen_; and we
must then take means to find out, without delay, what has become of her,
and to put a stop to her career. Stay; let me consider what is best to
be done. The Admiral will, I am sure, gladly send all the men-of-war
that can be spared to look out for her."
"I have thought of that already," said Mr Vernon; "but, my dear sir, I
suspect that such would not be the best way to capture the pirate crew.
They would very likely hear of our being on the search for them, or
would become suspicious at the sight of a man-of-war, and contrive to
make their escape. We shall require to use great caution to get hold of
so clever a fellow as Delano is described to be. I would propose rather
to fit out a small merchantman, a xebeque or schooner, and to man her
with men-of-war's men. We may, in a craft of that description, be able
to get alongside the _William_, unsuspected, and to capture her without
loss of life."
"A capital idea," exclaimed Mr Dunnage. "I have a craft in my eye,
which I think you will consider suitable for the object; and I am
certain the merchants here will gladly defray all expenses."
So the matter was settled; and as neither Mr Dunnage nor my lieutenant
were men who would allow the anchor to block up Mr Neptune's cottage
door for many days together, we immediately set off to have a look of
the vessel proposed. She was a small schooner, the _Thisbe_,--most
vessels in the Mediterranean have classical names; and the result of the
examination was the opinion that she was well suited for the purpose.
"Now, my dear lieutenant," said Mr Dunnage, "do you go on board and
beat up for a crew. I will run round to the merchants to get them to
share the expenses. By this evening she shall have her stores on board
and be ready for sea. Don't suppose I'm bragging. Where there is a
will there is a way."
Off ran our excellent friend, while Mr Vernon and I hastened on board
to describe the proposed plan to Captain Poynder, and to get his leave
to borrow some of the _Harold's_ men. As may be supposed, there were
plenty of volunteers for the expedition,--indeed, everybody wanted to
go; but we had to wait patiently till Mr Dunnage came on board, as he
promised to do, to announce what arrangements he had made. When I got
back into the berth, I found all the youngsters discussing the subject
of the disappearance of the _Ariadne_. It was the general opinion that
it was possible Delano and his crew might have fallen in with her; but
still she had had ample time to reach Gibraltar. We made up our minds
that Mr Vernon would be placed in command of the expedition, and we
each of us hoped to be selected to accompany him. Adam Stallman, who
was in the berth, did not make any remark; but after a time he got up
and went on deck. He looked, I observed, more sad and full of care than
even Mr Vernon. At last Mr Dunnage came on board with a despatch from
the Admiral to Captain Poynder. Mr Vernon was soon afterwards sent for
into the cabin. The consultation was very short. When he came out, he
informed Adam Stallman that he had applied for him as his mate, and, to
my great satisfaction, told me that I was also to accompany him. I was
very anxious to get Dicky Sharpe; so, mustering up all my courage, I
boldly asked Captain Poynder if he might be of the party.
"I suppose Mr Du Pre can dispense with his valuable services in the
ship for a time," replied the captain; "so, if Mr Vernon will take
charge of him, and you, Mr D'Arcy, will undertake that he gets into no
mischief, he has my leave to go."
The truth was, the captain was glad to allow the mates and youngsters to
go away in small craft, as he considered that they thus gained more
knowledge of seamanship, and confidence in their own resources, than
they could have done by remaining on board. Twenty picked men were
selected from among the volunteers to man the schooner. Mr Hudson, and
four of his crew, were also asked to go, to identify, if they could, the
pirates. As soon as the volunteers had got their bags ready, and been
mustered, we were ordered away in the boats to bring the schooner down
to the frigate, from up a creek in the harbour where she lay; while the
purser was directed in the meantime to get provisions and stores in
readiness for her. Where a body of disciplined men labour with a will,
a large amount of work can be done in a short time; and thus, before
night set in, we had the _Thisbe_ fitted for sea, provisioned, stored,
and watered. We shipped, likewise, four light guns, and a supply of
small-arms and cutlasses, that we might make sure of mastering the
pirates, in case the plan of taking them by surprise should miscarry.
We were also ordered to take with us our rough clothes, that we might
look as much as possible like merchant seamen. Our shipmates in the
_Harold_ gave us three cheers as we cast off from her side, and, with a
light breeze and a clear sky, stood out of the harbour. The merchants
had left full discretion to Mr Vernon to proceed as he judged best from
the information he might obtain; but they suggested, at the same time,
that he should run through the Greek islands, among which it was
probable the pirate would have gone; and, not finding her there, proceed
to Smyrna, where it was reported one of the pirates had said they were
going. Both Mr Vernon and Adam Stallman had been on shore all day
picking up what information they could. Among other things, they found
that the crew of the _William_ had been very profuse in their
expenditure on shore; and, as if to account for the quantity of cash
they possessed, had said that they had the luck to fall in with an
abandoned vessel. To show, however, how difficult it is for rogues to
agree in a false story, one had said that they had met her in the Bay of
Biscay, and another, inside the Straits, while a third had the audacity
or blind folly to declare that the name was the _Helen_, though the
others gave her different names. As soon as it was known that
suspicions were attached to the crew of the _William_, several tradesmen
came forward to say what they knew about them. One of these gentlemen
said that he thought it rather odd, as I think indeed he might, when one
of the men ordered twenty silk waistcoats of him of different gay
patterns, and paid the price down at once, while another bought six
green coats. I dare say Mr Snip charged him a full price. He declared
that he had not sufficient reason to give any information to the police
about the matter, as seamen were curious fellows, and sometimes fond of
displaying fine clothes. Another had spent large sums in a jeweller's
shop, and had gone out with several gold chains about his neck. From
what was reported, indeed, it appeared that the wretched crew had spent
a large part of their ill-gotten wealth. To account for their having so
much cash, it was ascertained that they had at first gone to Leghorn,
where Delano had doubtless disposed of some part of the cargo. It is
only surprising that the authorities at Leghorn had not detained her,
when there were so many suspicious circumstances about her. Thus, all
the time that the wretches were under the idea that their crime was
unknown, and themselves unsuspected, they were insuring the means of
their own detection and capture. I kept the first watch, with Adam
Stallman, the night we sailed, when he made the above remark, and many
others.
"You will observe, D'Arcy," said he, "as you go through life, that
evil-doers nearly always lay nets for their own destruction: I might, I
think, safely say always. These men have already given us evidence
which must be sufficient to convict them; and, if not, depend on it, we
shall find it before long. Now, how do you think this happens?
Because, as I believe the Evil Spirit is ever going about seeking whom
he may devour, he tempts men to commit sin; and then so blinds their
minds, that they can no longer form a right judgment, even to save
themselves from the detection of their fellow men. His temptations,
also, are so weak and frivolous, when viewed in their proper light,
that, did not one know the folly of man, one would be surprised that he
could venture to make use of them. His baits are always of a tinselly
or shadowy nature, either worthless when caught, or altogether
illusions, as useless to people in general as the gold chains and silk
waistcoats are to these rough pirates. Should it not make our hearts
sink with sorrow, when we see the worthless wealth, the empty titles,
for which men barter away their souls?"
I agreed with Stallman as to the correctness of his remarks. My
excellent messmate was very fond of endeavouring, in a similar mode, to
give instruction to the youngsters brought in contact with him. To do
him justice, he contrived to do so in a more interesting way than my
account might leave my readers to suppose. We had a fair wind, though
light, for the first twenty-four hours, and the schooner made good way;
but at the end of that time it shifted round to the eastward, a regular
sneezer came on, the sea got up, and, close-hauled, the little schooner
was soon ploughing her way through the foaming waves. My long service
in the cutter made me perfectly at home; but Dicky Sharpe, who had never
been in a small craft in his life, was very soon done up. He threw
himself down on a locker in the little cabin aft, looking the very
picture of misery.
"Oh! D'Arcy, my dear fellow, do have the kindness to heave me
overboard," he groaned out. "I can be of no further use to any one in
this world, and it would be a charity to put me out of it. It would,
indeed, I assure you."
"Oh, nonsense, Sharpe," I answered. "You are speaking gross folly: only
your sea-sickness excuses you."
"Now, don't scold me, Neil,--don't," he replied. "If you felt as I do,
you would not be inclined to be very sensible."
"Well, then, get up, and be a man," said I. "If you give in like that,
and fancy yourself dying, and all sorts of things, you deserve to be
thrown overboard; though I'm not the person going to do it."
"All hands shorten sail!" sung out Adam Stallman, who had charge of the
deck.
I sprang up the companion-ladder, followed by Dicky, and from that
moment he forgot all about his sea-sickness.
We soon got the little craft under snug canvas, and time it was to do
so; for, as man-of-war's men often do small craft, we had been treating
her like a big ship, and carrying on till the last moment. Never had
the _Thisbe_ been shoved through the water, probably, at the rate we had
lately been going; but more haste the worst speed, as we ran a great
chance of proving to our cost, for we were very near carrying the masts
over the sides, or making the small craft turn the turtle.
For two days we beat up against the gale, not one of us keeping a dry
thread on our backs; but after forty-eight hours of a good honest blow,
the wind seemed to have done enough for the present, and turning into a
light baffling breeze, left us to make an easy, though slow, passage
across the blue calm sea. This sort of weather continued till we made
the mountainous and wild-looking coast of the island of Cephalonia. We
ran in close along shore, as there are no rocks to bring up a vessel;
and, standing up a deep bay on the western side, with Guardiana, or
Lighthouse Island, on the north, dropped our anchor off Argostoli, the
chief town. Most of the people were ordered to keep quiet below, while
Mr Vernon, in plain clothes, went on shore in the dinghy. He came back
in a short time, and reported that he could gain no tidings answering to
the description of the _William_.
My own knowledge of Cephalonia is but slight; but Stallman, who had been
there before, gave me some information about it. It is one of the
Ionian Islands, under the protection of England, and had an English
garrison, at that time consisting of about five hundred of the rifle
brigade. Thanks to Sir Frederick Adams, the country appears to be in a
flourishing condition; the roads are excellent, and the inhabitants
cultivate not only the fertile valleys, but every inch of soil to be
found among its rocky heights. There is another neatly-built and
pleasantly--situated town, called Luxuria, about three miles from
Guardiana.
If we thought Cephalonia interesting, Zante, the next place at which we
touched, was far more so. Its citadel occupies a lofty hill, situated
at the head of a deep bay. The citadel, bristling with guns,--the town,
with its steeples and domes,--and the surrounding country, with its
groves of olives, its fields of waving corn, and its villas and hamlets,
presented to our eyes a scene of surpassing loveliness. Not a word of
information could we obtain of the objects of our search; so we again
weighed anchor and stood on towards Corfu, the most beautiful and
interesting of all the Ionian Islands, within sight of the lofty and
picturesque mountains of Albania. The citadel of Corfu, standing on an
island on the southern side of the town, may, from its lofty position,
surmounted by a lighthouse, be discovered at a considerable distance out
at sea. Its southern side is completely inaccessible, and art has
rendered the other sides equally difficult to ascend; so that it is
almost, if not entirely, impregnable. The island is connected to the
mainland by a bridge, at the end of which is the fine open place called
the Esplanade, extending from the west side of the bay, to the palace of
the Lord High Commissioner on the east. Most of the streets run at
right angles to each other; the principal, the Strada Real, runs to the
gate which forms the chief entrance to the town. The houses are for the
most part built in an irregular and slovenly manner; and even the public
buildings cannot boast of much beauty. The inhabitants, of the town
especially, are a mixture of Greeks and Venetians. In the country the
population is more purely Greek. The roads, constructed chiefly by
fatigue parties from the garrison, are excellent, and extend to every
corner of the island, and must contribute much to its material
prosperity. At all events, British rule has been of great benefit to
the Ionian people. It might have been of greater. More might have been
done to educate and improve the people, both morally and religiously;
but had they been left to themselves, they would most probably be in a
far worse position than they now are.
Our inquiries here were as little satisfactory as at other places; and
we were just tripping our anchor, when a merchant-brig, coming up the
harbour, passed us. Mr Vernon hailed her, to learn where she came
from.
"Smyrna," was the reply.
She brought up near us, and he went on board. He returned shortly with
more animation in his countenance than I had long seen there.
"I have at last notice of the fellow," he said. "A vessel answering the
description of the _William_ was in Smyrna harbour when the brig came
out. The crew, by their conduct, seem to have excited some suspicion;
and my only fear is that they may find it not safe for them to remain,
and will, therefore, take their departure."
This information put us all in spirits, for we had begun almost to
despair of catching the pirate after all. Not a moment was lost in
getting under weigh, and in making all sail the schooner could carry.
We had a fair wind, and nothing worthy of note occurred on the passage,
till we made the entrance of Smyrna harbour, in the outer port of which
we dropped anchor. Mr Vernon then dressed himself like the mate of a
merchantman, and with one of our own people, and one of the crew of the
_Helen_, prepared to leave the schooner's side in the dinghy. Just at
the last moment I mustered courage to beg that he would let me accompany
him. I had rigged myself in plain clothes, and might, I fancied, have
been taken for a steward, or the captain's son. Mr Vernon considered
for a moment.
"Yes, come along, D'Arcy," said he. "You will not do us any harm in
that dress, and your eyes and judgment may be of service."
I was delighted at the permission I had gained, and eagerly jumped into
the boat. Away we then pulled up the harbour, in the lazy fashion of a
collier's crew. We scrutinised narrowly each vessel in our course, but
none answered the description of the _William_. At last John Norris,
the seaman from the _Helen_, exclaimed--
"There, sir, that's her; inside the barque there. See, she's got her
fore-topsail loosed, and there's the name of the maker on it--the very
thing which first let us know that she was the _William_."
To make more sure that the man was not mistaken, we pulled up the
harbour a little way, and then touching the shore, so as not to excite
the suspicion of the pirates, should they by chance observe us, we
passed close by the vessel on our return. There was, I thought, as I
watched her, a dark, ill-boding look about her; but that might have been
fancy. One man only was to be seen. He was walking the deck, with his
hands in his pockets, and occasionally looking over the side. He caught
sight of us as we pulled by, and seemed to be watching us narrowly. I
felt almost sure that he suspected something was wrong; but probably he
had got a habit of scrutinising everything which approached him, as a
London pickpocket does when he knows that the police are aware of his
course of life. As we dropped past the brig's quarter, I got a better
view of his countenance, and I felt sure that I had seen it before. It
was that of a man I supposed to have been hidden long ago, with all his
crimes, beneath the waves--no other than Bill Myers. It was a
countenance I could not readily forget, after our encounter in the
cavern. Then, in spite of all probabilities, he had contrived to escape
from the breakers of the Portland Race. I was afraid to look up again,
lest he should also recognise me, and give the alarm to his shipmates;
indeed, I was not at all satisfied that he had not already suspected our
intentions. A small boat was floating astern of the brig. He watched
us for some time, as we returned towards the schooner, and as long as I
could observe him, he was keeping his eye on us. We lost not a moment,
on returning on board, in getting out a merchantman's long-boat, which
we had brought with us. She pulled four oars, and was a large, roomy
boat. Besides the hands to pull her, eight of our men were stowed away
under a tarpaulin, which was thrown over them, to look exactly as if it
were covering up some merchandise. All hands under the tarpaulin were
strongly armed, and arms were placed in readiness, stowed away for the
use of those who were pulling.
Mr Vernon again changed his dress, and I followed his example, lest
Myers--or the man I took for him--might recognise us. With beating
hearts we once more left the schooner. We pulled slowly up the harbour,
and soon came in sight of the pirate brig. The people, who had probably
been at their dinners when we before passed, were now some of them
aloft, fitting the rigging, and others working on deck. It required,
therefore, careful management on our part to take them by surprise. We
pulled up, as if we were going to pass them at some little distance on
the starboard side. The men imitated admirably the lubberly, sluggish
fashion in which some merchant seamen handle their oars. Just as we
were abeam, each of the two men pulling our port oars pretended to catch
crabs, and this suddenly brought the boat broadside on to the brig's
side. Before, however, we could hook on, even the hands aloft seemed to
suspect that something was not right, and came sliding down the rigging.
But notwithstanding this, we were too quick for them, and before they
could get below to alarm the rest, the party under the tarpaulin had
thrown it off, and we all together sprung up the sides, and attacked
every one we encountered. Some fought desperately. One fellow tried to
throw himself overboard; but we soon overpowered them, and had them
lashed hands and feet. To rush into the cabin was the work of a moment.
The door was locked, but we burst it open. The noise made the captain,
who was in his hammock, start up. He gazed at us for a moment, wildly
and fiercely, and then drawing a pistol from under his pillow, fired it
at us. The ball passed close to Mr Vernon's ear, and buried itself in
the bulkhead. With a savage oath, the pirate was drawing out another
pistol, when we threw ourselves on him and seized his arms. The weapon
went off in the struggle, and very nearly finished my career--the ball
actually taking off the rim of my tarpaulin hat. Before he could make
any further resistance, three of our people followed us into the cabin,
and we soon had him, with his arms lashed behind him, and his feet
secured together. While the operation was going on, he glanced at us
like a tiger, but did not utter a word. The remaining few of the
pirates, who had been asleep forward in their hammocks, had been secured
without resistance. I looked round for Myers, or the man I had taken
for him, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Just as we had finished securing Delano, I bethought me that I smelt an
unusual sulphurous odour. A dreadful suspicion had seized me. Outside
the main cabin was a door, leading to a smaller one. I forced it open,
with a strength I did not think myself capable of exerting. I felt that
there was not a moment to be lost. On the deck were a couple of casks,
and a slow match, burning at one end, communicated with one of them. I
cannot say that I thought, and yet I was conscious, that in another
moment I and all on board might be blown into eternity. I know not what
impulse moved me; but, bending down my mouth, I seized the burning match
between my teeth, and, though it much burned my lips and tongue, held it
there till it was extinguished. Then, overcome by the excitement of my
feelings, I sunk down over one of the casks. There I lay for a moment,
almost unconscious of anything. I need scarcely say that the casks were
filled with gunpowder. I should have fainted had not Mr Vernon come
in, and had me carried on deck.
"Your presence of mind has saved all our lives, D'Arcy, and I can never
forget it," he exclaimed. "But we have still more work to do. Lift off
the hatches, my lads."
This order was quickly obeyed. With eager haste he hunted through every
part of the ship. I guessed at length what was in his mind. He was
seeking to discover any property of the Normans, or any articles which
might have been on board the _Ariadne_. It was a moment of dreadful
anxiety. Nothing, however, was to be found which could lead us to
suppose that the _Ariadne_ had fallen into the power of Delano. Mr
Vernon had directed Adam Stallman to get the schooner under way, and to
bring her up alongside the pirate brig, as soon as he calculated we
could have taken possession. She now appeared, and, furling sails,
dropped her anchor close to us. The scuffle on board the _William_ had
attracted the attention of the crews of the vessels lying near, several
boats from which presently came alongside; and it was, I fancy, at first
believed that we were a band of pirates, attempting to cut out a British
merchantman. Mr Vernon explained to them what had occurred, and after
a little time satisfied them that we had full authority for what we were
doing. I can scarcely describe events in the order they occurred. Our
search over the brig having been concluded, and no one else being
discovered, we made inquiries among the pirate crew, to learn who had
laid the plan for blowing up the ship; but one and all denied having any
knowledge of it. Even Delano was taken by surprise when he was told of
it by Mr Vernon.
"Ah! that's the work, then, of that unhung scoundrel, my mate, Dawson,"
he exclaimed. "It was a thought worthy of him. What! and has he
escaped?"
"We found no one who appears to be your mate," said Mr Vernon. "But
what could have induced him to commit such an atrocious act?"
"To try and save his own neck by sending us all to perdition before our
time," exclaimed Delano, evidently for the moment forgetting all
caution, from his feeling of exasperation, and thus clearly inculpating
himself.
"Where do you think he has gone, then?" inquired Mr Vernon, quickly,
hoping to gain further information from the pirate in his present mood.
"That's not for me to say," he replied; but not another word could we
elicit from him on the subject.
He kept his fierce eyes glaring on us as we searched the cabin. We came
on a box of cigars in one of the lockers.
"Ah! bring me one of those," he growled out. "You will let a man make
himself comfortable in his own cabin, at all events."
A seaman, as sentry, had been placed over him, with a pistol in his
hand.
"May I give it him, sir?" asked the man.
"No; not on any account," replied Mr Vernon; "but do you, D'Arcy, light
one and put it in his mouth."
As I stooped down to follow my superior's directions, I fancied the
pirate would have tried to bite off my fingers, he gave so vindictive
and fierce a look at me. As I stood by him, I asked, "Has your mate,
whom you call Dawson, ever been known by the name of Myers?"
"What's that to you, youngster? Most men have more than one name," was
his somewhat equivocal answer.
His manner, however, rather confirmed me in my suspicion that the man I
had seen on deck was no other than the daring smuggler we had so often
tried in vain to capture in the cutter. Having thoroughly examined the
ship, we transferred Delano and five of his crew into the schooner,
while the remainder were secured on board the brig, into which Adam
Stallman and Sharpe, with ten of our people, were sent as a prize crew.
Before sailing, Mr Vernon went on shore to report to the English
Consul, as well as to the Turkish authorities, what had occurred. He
got great credit from the merchants for the mode in which he had
captured the pirate. It appeared that even there the conduct of the
crew had begun to excite suspicion; but as it happened to be nobody's
business to inquire into the affair, they would have escaped, had we not
opportunely arrived, that very day.
No information could be obtained of the missing mate. He had not been
seen to land, and no one had heard of him. The dinghy, however, having
disappeared from the brig's stern, was sufficient proof that he had
effected his escape in her. I was too much occupied all the time I was
at Smyrna, to make many observations about the place. Figs are the
great staple produce and subject of conversation for the greater part of
the year, enlivened now and then by a visit from the plague, and then
people talk about that; but at the time I speak of, I do not know that
it had ever occurred to the inhabitants that they had the means in their
own hands of avoiding its constant presence by properly draining their
city. I have since, from the observations I have made in my course
through life, come to the belief that there is not an ill which afflicts
mankind which they have not the means of mitigating, if not of avoiding
altogether.--But to return to my narrative. As there was nothing more
to detain us at Smyrna, the two vessels made sail, and shaped a course
for Malta.