Daylight found the _Falcon's_ crew still hard at work, the prisoners on
board the _Concorde_ being assisted by the English seamen taken out of
the two merchant vessels. The latter were South Sea whalers, furnished,
as was not unusual in those days, with letters of marque, and returning
home from round Cape Horn with full cargoes and a considerable amount of
booty. They lay, their sails all set, about two miles off, waiting for
a breeze to make their escape. Their masters, who had been found as
prisoners on board the _Concorde_, were eager to attempt their recovery,
and offered to man the _Falcons_ boats with their crews, and to lead an
expedition against them. Mr Handsel, however, at first considered that
it would be extremely hazardous, and he could not spare the necessary
number of men for the enterprise. So busy were all hands that no
inquiries had been made about the killed and wounded. Few perhaps even
thought of their shipmates writhing in agony below. The voices of
several officers wont to be heard were silent, and not a few of their
messmates were missed from among them. At length there was a rumour
that their brave captain was even worse hurt than was at first
supposed--it was soon whispered that he was dying--and then came the
news that he was dead. Many a tear was dropped from the eyes of his
hardy crew, which the loss of their own messmates had failed to draw
forth. But there was no time to express their sorrow. All hands had to
work on as hard as ever. The carpenters, having secured the masts and
spars, were busy with the boats. Mr Handsel at length determined to
send an expedition to recapture the whalers, which, fortunately lying
rather more than a mile apart, could not assist each other. Ralph
offered to go in one of the boats; as it was his left arm which was
wounded, he could steer or handle a cutlass with his right.
"Yes, you will go in charge of the gig as an officer; Mr Symonds will
take command of the expedition in the pinnace; the masters of the
whalers will go in the other boats: should Mr Symonds fall, the command
will devolve on you," said Mr Handsel. Mr Symonds was a master's
mate; one of the lieutenants being wounded and the other on board the
_Concorde_, he was the next in rank able to go. Four boats were quickly
in the water, the last nail being driven in by the carpenter as they
were being lowered. Their crews were armed with pistols and cutlasses.
It was resolved to attack the nearest vessel first; and as she was said
to be the fastest sailer, should she be captured, it was hoped that the
other would be quickly overtaken. Old Jacob and Dick were with Ralph.
The boats shoved off from the ship's side and pulled for the nearest
whaler. As they approached she opened a hot fire, on which Mr Symonds
ordered them to keep apart and to steer for her stern. One of the
masters in charge of the pinnace did not hear the order. Ralph saw that
she was struck several times. Mr Symonds's boat also suffered. He
with the second cutter dashed on, the others following: one boarded on
each quarter. The Frenchmen had to quit their guns and to defend
themselves with pikes and pistols, but their assailants quickly swarmed
on board, Ralph, in spite of his wounded arm, getting up the side with
Jacob's assistance. The fight on deck was short. The prize-crew gave
way, and in three minutes the English were in possession of the ship.
Ralph looked round for Mr Symonds. He lay dead in the stern of his
boat, and Ralph found himself in command of the prize. The master of
the whaler just captured was also killed. The other was badly wounded,
and several of their men had fallen. Having secured the prisoners and
released the crew below, he ordered the boats to tow ahead towards the
other whaler. As they approached she opened her fire, but by steering
to the eastward he kept directly ahead of her, out of range of her guns.
Getting still nearer, he brought his broadside to bear on her, when the
Frenchmen, to avoid the consequences, hauled down their colours. She
was quickly taken possession of, when the prize-crew were secured and
the Englishmen remaining on board were released. As each vessel had six
boats they in a short time were towed near to the _Falcon_. As they
approached they were received with a loud cheer, and Mr Handsel ordered
Ralph to take command of the first re-captured, the _Eagle_, and to send
all the hands he could spare to assist in refitting the _Concorde_ and
setting up jury-masts. Of the other vessel, the _Penguin_, her only
surviving mate took charge; for both had fought bravely, and had not
struck till after a long chase, and when several officers and men had
fallen. Both vessels had also so severely suffered in hull and rigging,
that it would have been dangerous without undergoing repairs to proceed
on their voyage.
Lieutenant Handsel therefore determined to proceed with all the ships to
Rio de Janeiro, the nearest port in the Brazils. Ralph could scarcely
believe that he was not in a dream when he thus found himself in command
of a fine ship, with the probability of having to navigate her home.
Should, however, a fitting man be obtained at Rio to take charge of her,
he would be superseded and have to return to the _Falcon_. He naturally
hoped that no one would be forthcoming. He should then realise his
fondest hopes--be united to Jessie--with a good sum from his prize-money
and pay as captain of the _Eagle_ with which to set up house. He might
then rejoin the navy as an officer, or obtain his discharge, or go back
to the _Amity_, should Captain Mudge wish him to do so. "I will not be
ungrateful to my kind old friend, though I suspect that Jessie would
wish me to remain in the service; and though I entered unwillingly, I
should now be sorry to leave it," he thought. "Perhaps I may rise still
higher--others have done so--why should not I, if I do my duty, and my
life is preserved?"
Ralph quickly got accustomed to his new position. His scanty crew
acknowledged that they had never had a better captain. They were kept
of necessity at work, but he made that work as light as possible by
setting them to do it in the best way it could be done, and only
ordering them to do what was absolutely required. Sailors, as indeed is
the case with most classes of men, are very quick in discovering when
they have an efficient officer placed over them who knows his duty.
Insubordination and mutiny are generally the consequences rather of the
ignorance and sloth of the captain than of tyranny.
Fortunately, the calm continued. The decks were washed clean of their
bloody stains; the dead were committed to their ocean graves, and their
shipmates, if they did not forget, soon ceased to talk about them.
Jury-masts were rigged on board the _Concorde_, and a breeze at length
springing up, the four ships, thus partially repaired, made sail for
Rio.
Old Jacob and Dick had accompanied Ralph on board the _Eagle_. It was
an unfortunate circumstance for the latter. Spirits were more easily
obtained than on board the frigate, and he very soon became quarrelsome
and mutinous. Ralph, not observing his state, had directed him to
perform some duty.
"Not for you, or any man like you. You, who were before the mast only
yesterday--you think you can top the officer over me, do you? I told
you I wouldn't stand it, and I won't," exclaimed Dick, reeling about and
flourishing his arms as his excitement increased.
The whaler's crew laughed, and some of the rougher characters even
encouraged Dick with their applause.
Ralph knew that discipline must be maintained, though ready himself to
bear any insult, and most unwilling to punish his former messmate. A
boat from the _Falcon_ was alongside. He ordered the boatswain and some
other men on whom he could depend to seize Dick and lower him into her.
It was done before the unhappy man knew what was happening. Ralph then
wrote a note to Lieutenant Handsel, saying that the proceeding was
necessary to prevent worse consequences, but begging that, as Bracewell
had behaved bravely in the action, his offence might be overlooked.
Dick stormed and raged when he found himself being carried back to the
frigate, and vowed that he would be revenged. Ralph regretted what had
happened, the more as he had hoped that, by keeping Dick on board the
_Eagle_, he might have prevented him from attempting to desert. He
resolved, however, as soon as they arrived at Rio, to go on board the
_Falcon_ and to try and bring him to reason. Though the distance to be
run was not great, they were very long about it. Light winds and calms
prevailed, and when there was a breeze, the other ships had to wait for
the _Concorde_, which, under jury-masts, made but slow progress. At
length land was sighted, and all hoped to get in the next day. As,
however, evening drew on the weather looked very threatening. Dark
clouds gathered rapidly in the sky. Squalls in quick succession swept
over the ocean, and a heavy sea got up, in which the ships plunged and
rolled as they made their way towards the harbour's mouth. Night coming
down on the world of waters, the rest were ordered by a signal from the
_Falcon_ to stand off the land till daylight. Ralph trembled for the
masts of the _Eagle_, and was still more anxious about those of the
_Falcon_, The night became very dark, and the gale increased. The
lights from the other ships could be distinguished at some distance
apart. The _Falcon_ and _Penguin_ appeared to be making fair way, and
the _Eagle_ behaved very well, but the _Concorde_ was evidently dropping
astern. Ralph had kept his eye on her lights. They grew dimmer and
dimmer. It was doubtful whether she was even holding her own. The
_Eagle_ was under close-reefed topsails, and could with difficulty carry
them. A perfect hurricane was blowing dead on shore. "Lord help those
on board the prize! I can nowhere see her lights," exclaimed old Jacob,
who had been looking out to leeward. "She must have carried away her
jury-masts, or her canvas has blown to ribbons, I fear. If not, we
shouldn't have lost sight of her."
Ralph looked in vain in the direction in which he had last seen the
lights of the _Concorde_, while those of the frigate and the whaler were
clearly visible, the former about a mile ahead of the _Eagle_, and the
latter rather further off, astern.
"If the wind doesn't change soon there'll go a good lump of prize-money
and the lives of a good many poor fellows," observed old Jacob.
"But won't she be able to steer for the harbour, Crane?" asked young
Chandos, who was, however, thinking more of his two messmates and others
on board than of prize-money.
"It will be a hard matter to find it, even if they can steer the ship at
all: and considering the way we knocked her about, it will be a wonder
to my mind if she doesn't go to the bottom before morning," answered old
Jacob with a sigh.
The anxious night passed away. When day dawned, it was found that the
ships were nearer the land, notwithstanding all their endeavours to beat
off it, than they had been on the previous evening. Many a glass was
turned westward in search of the _Concorde_, though the hope of
discovering her was slight. Not a trace of her was to be seen. She,
with her prize-crew, had probably foundered or gone on shore at the
moment her lights had disappeared. Still it was thought possible that
she might have been driven into some bay, or between high rocks, and be
concealed by them from sight. Soon after dawn the _Falcon_ made the
signal to bear up for the harbour. She leading, and the two re-captured
whalers following, they stood towards it. Though the sea broke
impetuously on the rocks on either side, they safely entered the
magnificent harbour of Rio de Janeiro, and dropped their anchors off the
town.
Lieutenant Handsel at once applied to the authorities for guides, and a
party was sent off, under the master and purser, to search the coast to
the northward for the wreck of the _Concorde_, and to assist any of the
crew who might have escaped. The sea was still too rough to allow of an
expedition by water. Ralph in the meantime was ordered to return to the
_Falcon_ with Mr Chandos and the men-of-war's men who had accompanied
him on board the _Eagle_. Mr Handsel then told him that as there was
no probability of an English master being found at Rio to take the
_Eagle_ home, he should direct him to do so, and would furnish him with
a document which would enable him to obtain a passage to rejoin the
_Falcon_ in India, should he desire to remain in the navy. "I would
strongly advise you to do so," he added; "and it will not be my fault it
you do not gain promotion."
Ralph heartily thanked his commander, and begged that he might be
allowed to defer his decision till his arrival in England. Before going
on shore, which he had to visit to obtain workmen for the repairs of the
_Eagle_, he went below to speak to Dick Bracewell. He hoped to soothe
his anger and to persuade him to give up his intention of deserting. He
did not see him as he went along the decks. He ascertained that he had
not formed one of the exploring party. He sent others to search for
him, but he was nowhere to be found. A number of shore-boats had been
going backwards and forwards all day between the ship and the shore, and
Ralph had too much reason to fear that Dick had smuggled himself into
one of them and made his escape. He felt it his duty to inform the
commander, that watch might be kept to prevent others from following so
bad an example; and he received orders to take a couple of men and to
bring back the deserter if he could be found. He first returned to the
_Eagle_ to warn the boatswain, who was in charge, to look sharply after
their own men.
"Half are drunk already, and as they have somehow or other managed to
get liquor on board there is no fear of them," was the unsatisfactory
answer.
Ralph could only hope that the boatswain himself would keep sober, and
as he could not remedy matters by remaining, he pulled on shore. Having
obtained an interpreter and guide from the British consul, he commenced
his search for Dick. After looking for him for some time, he heard that
an English seaman, answering to his description, had been seen to enter
a house in the neighbourhood of the town. Though it was now nearly dark
he set off at once in the hopes of finding him before he could make his
escape. He knew that he was acting really a kind part towards Dick, who
would, if left on shore, soon fall a victim to intemperance and the
unhealthy climate. The house was reached. The inhabitants appeared to
be very much surprised at the visit, and though they allowed a search to
be made for the runaway, they protested that they had never seen or
heard of him. With much regret Ralph returned to the quay to go on
board his ship. As he and his party approached the shore they observed
a bright glare in the sky over the harbour.
"As I'm alive, there's a ship on fire," exclaimed one of the seamen.
"Hope it isn't our frigate."
"It is one of the ships which came in this morning, at all events,"
observed the guide.
Ralph with an anxious heart hurried down to the quay, where a number of
people were already collected. A ruddy glare extended far and wide over
the harbour from a fiery mass which floated on its surface, lighting up
the buildings and the figures of the people on the shore, and the ships
at anchor off it. Among them lay the _Falcon_, her sides and lofty
masts and rigging brought prominently into view. At some distance from
her was the _Penguin_; and what was Ralph's dismay when he discovered
that the burning ship was the _Eagle_. His impulse was to go off at
once to her--but what aid could he render? Already the flames were
bursting through her hatchways and ports and encircling her masts and
spars. The oil and casks in her hold once having ignited, no human
means could extinguish the conflagration. He looked for his boat. A
boy alone was in her; the men, as was to be expected, had gone off to a
wine-house, and only just having heard that a ship was on fire, came
reeling down to the quay, uttering exclamations of surprise when they
discovered that she was their own. Having tumbled into the boat they
were sufficiently sober to row, and Ralph ordering them to shove off,
steered for the unfortunate _Eagle_. Numerous boats were moving about,
and some around her, and he hoped, therefore, that the people on board
had been rescued. It made him fear, however, that all hope of saving
the ship had been abandoned. Still it was his duty to get on board if
he could, to ascertain that every possible effort had been made. He had
passed through an outer circle of native boats, and was dashing on, when
he was hailed by a man-of-war's boat, but not hearing what was said, he
was still continuing his course, and would soon have been close to the
ship, when there came a thundering report as if a whole broadside had
been fired. Her mizen mast shot up into the air, followed by a large
portion of the afterpart of her deck and bulwarks and interior fittings;
some parts in large pieces, others rent into numberless burning
fragments, which hung suspended in the air, and then in a thick fiery
shower came hissing down into the water, the lighter bits reaching
considerably beyond where the boats lay. Ralph had scarcely time even
to get his boat round before the shattered pieces of burning wood began
to fall thickly round his boat, threatening in an instant to sink her,
and to kill any one who might be struck. Happily no one was hurt. The
downfall of the wreck ceased; still the fire in the forepart of the ship
was raging on, when the bows and bowsprit rose in the air surrounded by
flames which, tapering up into a vast cone of fire, suddenly disappeared
as, the stern sinking first, the water swept over the remainder of this
hapless ship, and all was instantly dark, except here and there where
the smouldering ends of spars and planks floated above the calm surface
of the harbour. Ralph with a sad heart pulled on board the _Falcon_,
feeling himself reduced from the position of captain of a fine ship to
that of a master's assistant; and what weighed still more on his
spirits, that he had no longer the prospect of returning to England and
to his dear Jessie. He was thankful to find that the boatswain and most
of the crew of the _Eagle_ had been rescued, with the exception of three
unhappy men who, overcome by liquor, had been suffocated below. The
whole of the survivors entered on board the _Falcon_--indeed, they were
not offered a choice. A dozen of her best hands were also taken out of
the _Penguin_--such being the custom of the times, when a King's ship
wanted men. Their places were filled by Portuguese and other
foreigners, thirty of whom were shipped by the _Falcon_ to make up her
complement, in addition to a few runaway English seamen reduced to
beggary, and sent on board by the consul. The exploring party returned
without a survivor from the _Concorde_, a few pieces of wreck alone
having been found as evidence of her fate. Such is the sad result of
warfare. Three hundred human beings had lost their lives on board the
four ships, two only of which now remained afloat. Ralph did his utmost
to discover Dick, but without success, and at length he began to fear
that he had been drowned in trying to make his escape, or had--not an
unlikely occurrence--been murdered on shore. The _Falcon_, her repairs
being completed, and Mr Handsel having written his despatches to send
home by the _Penguin_, and having given himself an acting order as
commander, sailed for the East Indies.
Ralph, as may be supposed, did not fail to write to Jessie and Captain
Mudge by the _Penguin_, and to leave duplicates of two letters with the
consul, to be forwarded by another opportunity.