The ocean continued so calm, that Larry was quite cock-a-hoop, thinking
that he had become a perfect seaman. "I have heard tell, Maisther
Terence, that the say runs mountains high, for all the world like the
hills of Connemara, but I'm after thinking that these are all landsmen's
notions. We have been getting along for all the world like ducks in a
pond."
The very next day, Larry had a different tale to tell. In the morning
the line-of-battle ships parted from us, and we, the _Amethyst_ frigate,
and the _Piper_ corvette, had to continue our course alone, to protect
our somewhat erratic convoy. Dark clouds were seen coming up from the
north-west. The scud sped across the sky, the spin-drift flying over
the fast-rising seas. In a short time the ship began to pitch into them
as if determined to hammer them down, but they, not inclined to receive
such treatment patiently, sent masses of spray flying over our bows, as
if to show what they were capable of doing, should she persevere in her
attempt. The merchantmen on all sides were bobbing away, and kicking up
their sterns in the same comical fashion; and even the other frigate and
corvette were playing similar pranks. The tacks were got aboard,
however, and on we all went together, now heeling over when a stronger
blast than usual struck us, till the water came hissing in at our
main-deck ports. Sail after sail was taken off the ship. Now she rose
almost on an even keel, and then again heeled over as before. The
convoy followed our example, though not with the same rapidity. The
sheets had been let go, and the sails of some were flying wildly in the
breeze. Three or four lost their loftier masts and lighter spars, but
they were still compelled to keep up by the signals which we or the
_Amethyst_ threw out. At length I had to go aloft. I could not say
that I liked it. It seemed to me that with the eccentric rolls the ship
was making, I might at any moment be jerked off into the seething ocean;
but I recollected Tom Pim's advice, and held on with teeth and eyelids.
I got on, however, very well while I was aloft, and I managed somehow or
other to reach the deck. Then--oh! how truly miserable I began to feel.
Every moment I became worse and worse. As it happened, my watch was
just over, and I descended to the berth. When I got there my head
dropped on the table. I felt as I had never felt before; as utterly
unlike as could be the brave Tipperary boy I fancied myself.
"Why, Paddy, what's come over you?" exclaimed Nettleship, who had just
then come below. "Why, you look as if you had heard the banshee howl,
or dipped your face into a pot of white paint."
"Oh! oh!" I exclaimed, my lip curling, and feeling the most miserable
of human beings, so I fancied. I could utter no other articulate sound.
"Get up, youngster, and dance a hornpipe," cried Nettleship; "or I'll
just send to the galley for a lump of fat pork, and if you'll swallow an
ounce or so, it will do you all the good in the world."
The very mention of the fat pork finished me off. I bolted out of the
berth, which was to windward, and went staggering away to the opposite
side of the ship, having made a vain attempt to get to the main-deck,
upsetting Tom Pim in my course, and not stopping till I pitched right
against Doctor McCall, our surgeon, much after the manner that I had
treated old Rough-and-Ready. Our good medico, not being so secure as
the lieutenant on his pins, was unfortunately upset, and together we
rolled into his dispensary, out of which he was at that moment coming.
There we lay, amidst a quantity of phials, jars, and gallipots, which,
having been improperly secured, came crashing down upon us. The doctor
kicked and struggled, and endeavoured to rise, but I was too far gone to
make any effort of the sort. Had he been inclined, he might have
pounded me to death before I should have cried out for mercy. I was
unable even to say that I could not help it, though he must have known
that well enough. I need not describe what happened. Fortunately he
had got to his feet before the occurrence to which I wish only
delicately to allude took place. I felt wonderfully better.
"Why, Paddy, is it you, my boy?" he exclaimed, not a bit angry; for
being a good-natured man, he was ready to make every allowance for the
occurrence.
"I believe it's myself, sir; though I'm not altogether clear about it,"
I answered as I got up and tried to crawl out of the place.
"Stay, youngster, you shall have something before you go which will set
you to rights," he said in a kind tone.
As well as he could, with the ship pitching and rolling, he poured out a
mixture, which he handed to me, and bade me drink off. It revived me
considerably, though I still felt very shaky.
"If I should ever want to have a leg or an arm cut off, I hope, sir,
that you'll do it for me," I said, for I could think of nothing else at
the moment to express my gratitude.
The doctor laughed. "I wish you better luck than that, my boy," he
observed. "What makes you say that?"
"Because, sir, you didn't find fault with me for tumbling you over; now,
when I ran against Mr Saunders, he sent me to the masthead for a couple
of hours."
"You were skylarking then, my lad, and the ship was not pitching and
tumbling about as she now is," he said. "However, go and lie down in
the berth, if you can find room there, and you'll soon be all to
rights."
I willingly obeyed his injunctions, while he sent to have his dispensary
cleaned, and the phials and gallipots which had escaped fracture picked
up. I believe a good many were saved by tumbling upon us instead of
upon the deck.
As Nettleship and the other midshipmen were merciful, I managed to have
a good caulk on the locker. When I awoke I felt almost like myself
again. I dreaded, however, having to go on deck to keep watch, and was
much inclined to ask the doctor to put me on the sick list.
In my sufferings I had not forgotten my follower, Larry. As soon as I
could, I hastened forward to see how he was getting on, as I had
ascertained that it was his watch below.
As I got forward, a scene of human misery and wretchedness presented
itself, such as I had never before witnessed. Half the marines were
lying about the deck, unable to lift up their heads, while most of the
boys were in the same condition. Among them I found Larry. He gazed at
me with lack-lustre eyes as I approached.
"Shure, the say's not at all at all the place I thought it was, Mr
Terence," he groaned forth. "I've been turned inside out entirely. I
don't even know whether the inside of me isn't the outside."
There was a general groan, as the ship at that moment pitched into a
sea, and I had to hold on fast, or I should have been sent in among the
mass of human misery. When she rose again and was steady for an
instant, I was able to speak to Larry.
"I can't say I feel very comfortable myself," I said; "but rouse up and
try to prevent your feelings from overcoming you."
"Och, Master Terence, but my faylings are mighty powerful, and for the
life of me I can't master them," he groaned out.
This was very evident; and what with the smells and the closeness of the
air,--not to speak of the pitching and rolling of the ship,--I was again
almost overpowered, when there came a cry of "All hands save ship!" and
down sprang the boatswain's mates, and began kicking away at the hapless
marines and green hands. Larry in a moment leaped to his feet I heard a
savage growl close to me, and just then caught sight of Dan Hoolan's
countenance. Though he was kicked and cuffed, nothing would make him
get up, and I saw him still lying prostrate when I hurried off to gain
the deck.
The ship, struck by a heavy squall, was lying over almost on her
beam-ends; the officers were shouting out their orders through their
speaking-trumpets; the men were hurrying here and there as directed,
some going aloft, others letting fly tacks, and sheets clewing up and
hauling down. Suddenly the buoyant frigate righted herself. It seemed
a wonder that none of the men were jerked overboard. The canvas was
further reduced, and on we went, pounding away into the seas.
Larry was as active as any one. He seemed to have forgotten all about
his sickness. It was the last time, too, that I ever suffered from the
malady, and from that day forward--blow high or blow low--I felt as easy
in my inside as I should on shore. A few spars had been carried away on
board the merchantmen, but, as far as we could see, no other damage had
occurred.
In a couple of days more the gale had completely worn itself out, and
everything went as smoothly as heretofore. We were then within about a
week's sail of the West Indies. The weather was now warm and
pleasant,--sometimes, during a calm, a little too hot.
One morning, just at daybreak, the look-out from the masthead announced
that he saw three sail to windward. The second lieutenant went aloft,
and looked at them with his glass. When he came down he pronounced two
of them to be frigates, and the other a smaller vessel. We threw out
signals to the convoy to keep together, while we and the other two
men-of-war, hauling our wind, stood closer to the strangers. At first
it was supposed that they were English, but their manoeuvres made us
doubt this, and at length they were pronounced decidedly French. That
they intended to pick off some of the merchantmen there could be no
doubt; and this it was our object to prevent.
"Paddy, my boy," said Tom Pim, coming up to me as I stood looking at the
enemy from the quarter-deck, "we shall have some righting before long,
no doubt about that. How do you feel?"
"Mighty pleased, and very ready for it," I answered.
"We're fairly matched, I should think," remarked Tom. "If we could
count the guns of the enemy, I suspect there would not be found the
difference of half a dozen between us. All depends on the way our ships
are manoeuvred, and how we fight our guns,--though I've no fear on that
score."
It was soon evident that Captain Macnamara intended to fight, and the
order was given to clear the ship for action. The drum beat to
quarters. All hands went about their duties with alacrity. I was sent
down into the cockpit with a message. There I found the surgeons making
their preparations; with their tourniquets, saws, knives, and other
instruments, arranged ready for the expected operations; and there were
buckets, and bowls of water, and sponges, and various other things
likely to be required. In the centre was the amputating table, on
which, before long, some poor fellow would probably be stretched, to be
deprived of a leg or an arm; while an odour of vinegar pervaded the
place.
The powder magazine had been opened. The gunner and his mates were
engaged in serving out the ammunition, which the powder-monkeys were
carrying up on deck in their tubs. Cutlasses were girded on, and
pistols stuck in belts. Boarding pikes were arranged so as to be easily
seized if wanted. The men, hurrying to their respective guns, loaded
and ran them out; and as I passed along the decks I remarked their
countenances all exhibiting their eagerness for the fight.
Among them I observed Hoolan, who had been stationed at a gun. He was
apparently as ready to fight as any one on board. His features were as
stern and morose as ever, but there was a fire in his eye, which showed
that he contemplated the approaching battle with more pleasure than
fear. Judging from the look of the men captured with him, I couldn't
say the same of them. The crew generally were full of life and spirits,
laughing and joking, as if they had forgotten altogether that in a short
time they would be engaged in a fierce fight. I found Larry at his gun,
looking as pleased as if he were at a wake or a wedding.
"Shure we'll be after making this fellow bark, Maisther Terence," he
said, slapping the breach. "If the old chap doesn't drill a hole in the
side of one of those ships out there, or knock away one of their masts,
say I'm not a Tipperary boy."
His remark produced a laugh among the seamen within hearing,--indeed
they evidently thought that whatever Larry said ought to be considered
as a good joke. Larry seemed to have a notion that his especial gun was
to win the battle. As a similar feeling seemed to animate the rest of
the crew, it was likely to contribute to our success.
We were still some distance from the enemy, when Tom Pim, Chaffey, and I
were summoned to the quarter-deck, to act as the captain's
aides-de-camp, so that I was enabled to see all that was going forward.
The rest of the midshipmen were stationed mostly on the main-deck, each
in command of a certain number of guns.
The _Liffy_ leading, we were now standing close hauled towards the
enemy, who approached us almost before the wind.
The _Amethyst_ came next to us, and the corvette followed. We hoped
that within another ten minutes we should get within range of the others
guns, when suddenly the enemy's leading frigate hauled her wind. Her
consorts immediately afterwards followed her example. On seeing this,
our captain ordered every stitch of canvas the _Liffy_ could carry to be
set, when, the breeze freshening, we rapidly came up with the enemy. I
heard some of the officers say that they intended to make off. The men
at the gun near which I was standing swore at their cowardice, and I
began to think that there would be no fight after all.
Presently the French ships were seen to shorten sail, when our captain
sent the hands again aloft to do the same. They had barely time to come
down and return to their quarters, when a shot, fired by the leading
French frigate, came flying across our deck. No one was hit, but a
hammock and part of the hammock-nettings were knocked away. It showed
what we had to expect.
I expected that the captain would return the compliment, but he waited
calmly till we got nearer. We were to leeward, it must be understood;
but although that would have been a disadvantage had there been any sea
running, as the ocean was calm it didn't make much difference, while we
were thus better able to protect our convoy, and prevent the enemy from
running among them and committing mischief.
Again the breeze freshened, and standing on, we passed the corvette,
which fired a few shots at us without doing any damage. We then
received a similar compliment from the second French frigate, several of
her shots striking the _Liffy_. In a few minutes we were up to our
largest antagonist. As our bow gun came abreast of her quarter, our
captain shouted, "Fire!" and gun after gun was discharged in rapid
succession, the enemy blazing away at us in return.
The _Amethyst_ was meantime engaged with the second frigate, and the
corvette with the French ship of the same size as herself.
Shot after shot came on board. First one man was struck down, then
another and another, and several were carried below to be placed under
the hands of the surgeons. Some were drawn aside, their fighting days
over. What damage we were producing among the enemy could not at first
be ascertained, for all the ships, from our rapid firing, were enveloped
in clouds of smoke. Looking up, I could see that our sails were pierced
in several places. Crash succeeded crash, as the enemy's shot struck
our sides or bulwarks, and sent the splinters flying about in all
directions.
It was somewhat trying work for us, who had nothing to do except to keep
our eyes upon the captain, in case he should have any orders to give us.
We had made sure of capturing one of the French ships, if not all.
Presently, looking astern, I saw the fore-yard of the _Amethyst_ come
down on deck, and shortly afterwards our fore-top mast was carried away.
Our captain, hitherto so calm, stamped his foot on the deck with
vexation. Our men, to make amends, tossed their guns in and out as if
they had been playthings, firing away with wonderful rapidity; and I
believe the gun at which Larry was stationed fully carried out his
promise of drilling more than one hole in the side of our opponent. Her
masts and spars were entire, as were those of the other frigate, but
their bulwarks were shattered in several places, which was evident by
the white streaks their sides exhibited.
"Blaze away, my lads," cried the captain. "We'll still have one of
them, at least, for they'll not long stand the pounding you're giving
them."
Our crew cheered in reply; but just as we had delivered another
broadside, signals having been made on board the leading French frigate,
her crew were seen going aloft, and presently the courses, topgallant
sails, and royals were set, and she stood away close hauled, the other
frigate and corvette doing the same.
Neither the _Amethyst_ nor we were in a condition to follow, and to our
vexation, we saw the enemy escaping from us. That we had given them a
good pounding was very evident; but whether or not after repairing
damages they would renew the contest was doubtful.
The little _Piper_, being uninjured aloft, gallantly followed, and kept
blazing away at the enemy, till the captain made a signal to her to
return, fearing that she might be overpowered and cut off before we
could sufficiently repair damages to go to her assistance. She obeyed
the order, and the Frenchmen didn't follow her. She had received less
damage aloft than we had, though, as we afterwards found, she had lost
several men killed and wounded. As she came within hail, she reported
that the largest of the French frigates was pumping hard, and had
evidently received much damage, while the second was not in a much
better condition.
This accounted for their not wishing to continue the combat, and
standing away, while it seemed doubtful whether they would venture to
renew it.
We had plenty of work in repairing damages, clearing away the wreck of
the fore-top mast, and getting a new one ready to send aloft. We could
distinguish the convoy hull down to leeward, waiting the result of the
fight.
I asked Nettleship whether he thought, as soon as we had got to rights,
that we should follow the enemy.
"If our captain were to act as his feelings prompt him, I should have no
doubt about it," he answered. "Fighting Macnamara, as he is known in
the service, would not let an enemy escape if he could help it; but duty
before all other things, and our duty is to protect the convoy under our
charge. If we were to go in chase of the enemy, we might lose sight of
the merchantmen, and any rascally privateers might pounce down and carry
off the whole lot of them. My belief therefore is, that we shall bear
up and let the Frenchmen go their way. It is not likely, after the
taste they have had of our quality, that they'll again molest us."
Nettleship was right. The captain ordered the corvette to run down to
the convoy to direct them to stand on under easy sail till we should
join them. The captain and Mr Saunders, and the other officers, were
exerting themselves to the utmost to get the ships to rights. The
former sent me down into the cockpit, to learn from the doctor how the
wounded men were getting on, and how many had been killed. I turned
almost sick as I entered the place. There was anything but a fresh
smell there now. I can't properly describe it,--perhaps it was more
like the odour of a butcher's shop in the dog days, when the
blue-bottles are revelling in the abundance hung up for their
inspection. One poor fellow lay stretched on the table. The doctor was
just then too busy to speak to me. I saw a foot sticking out of a
bucket. It belonged to a leg which had just been taken off the man, who
was in a dead faint. The assistant-surgeon was endeavouring to restore
him to consciousness, while the surgeon was engaged in taking up the
arteries. Another, who had lost an arm, was lying on a locker, waiting
to be carried to the sick bay; and several others sat round with their
heads and shoulders bandaged up. At last the doctor looked up, and I
then delivered my message. "Five killed and nine wounded, and I'm
afraid one or two of the latter may slip through my fingers," he said.
I was thankful when I was able to hurry back on deck with my report.
The captain was not addicted to the sentimental, but I heard him sigh,
or rather groan, after I had delivered it. As soon as any of the men
could be spared, the bodies of the killed were sewn up in canvas, with
shot at their feet. As we had no chaplain on board, the captain read a
portion of the burial service, and the sound of quick successive plunges
told that they had sunk into their ocean grave. We and the _Amethyst_
then stood away after the convoy.
"Our first action has not been a very glorious one," I observed, when
most of the mess was once more assembled in the berth. "I made sure we
should have captured one of those frigates."
"It has been a successful one, Paddy, and we should be content with
that," said Nettleship. "If we had taken one of the enemy, we should be
probably more knocked about than we are, and should have delayed the
merchantmen, or allowed them to run the risk of being captured. Depend
upon it, our captain will get credit for what he has done, and the
credit he gets will be reflected on us."
The wind fortunately continued fair, the sea smooth, and by the time we
sighted Jamaica we were again all ataunto. Having seen the greater part
of our charge into Port Royal, and sent the wounded ashore to the
hospital, we stood on with the remainder of the merchantmen to Barbadoes
and other islands, where we left them in safety, and then made our way
back to Port Royal. We saluted the forts, and the forts saluted us;
flags were flying, the sea glittering, and everything looked gay and
bright as we entered that magnificent harbour.
"Shure it's a beautiful place this, Misther Terence," said Larry to me,
as, the anchor being dropped, and the sails furled, we lay floating
calmly on the placid waters. "There's only one place to my mind that
beats this, and that's Cork harbour, though, to be sure, the mountains
there are not so high, or the sky so blue as out here."
"Or the sun so hot, Larry," I remarked, "or the people so black. Did
you ever see Irishmen like that?" and I pointed to a boat manned by
negroes just coming alongside. Larry had never before seen a
blackamoor, for, as may be supposed, Africans seldom found their way
into Tipperary.
"Shure, your honour, is them Irishmen?" he asked.
"Speak to them, and you'll soon find out, and they'll tell you how long
it has taken the sun to blacken their faces."
"Then, Misther Terence, shall we be after getting our faces painted of
that colour if we stay out here?" he inquired with some trouble in the
tone of his voice.
"Depend upon it, Larry, we shall if we stay long enough," I answered. I
left Larry to reflect on the matter. I remembered a story I had heard
of an Irishman who had gone out intending to settle in Demerara, where a
large proportion of the white population have come from the Emerald
Isle. As soon as the ship had dropped her anchor a number of blacks
came off to her. The first he spoke to answered in a rich Irish brogue.
The new-comer looked at the negro with astonishment.
"What's your name, my man?" he asked. "Pat Casey," was the answer.
"And, Pat, say as you love me, how long have you been out here?"
"Little better than six years, your honour," was the reply, such being
the time that had elapsed since the negro had been imported, having in
the meantime had an Irish name given him, and learned to speak Irish.
"Six years, and you have turned from a white-skinned Irishman into a
blackamoor!" exclaimed the new-comer; and not waiting for an answer, he
rushed down into the cabin, which he could not be induced to quit until
the ship sailed again, and he returned home, satisfied that the West
Indies was not a country in which he could wish to take up his abode.
Not long after the conversation I have mentioned, Larry came up to me.
"I've been after talking, Misther Terence, with some of those black
gentlemen, and shure if they're from the old country they've forgotten
all about it, which no raal Irishman would ever do, I'll stake my
davey!" he exclaimed. "They've never heard of Limerick, or Cork, or
Waterford, or the Shannon, or Ballinahone, and that proves to me that
they couldn't have been in the old country since they were born. And
now, Misther Terence dear, you were joking shure," he added, giving me
one of his comical looks.
"Well, Larry," I said, "it's a satisfaction to know that it will take us
a long time to turn into niggers, or to forget old Ireland."
As no one was near, I asked him how Dan Hoolan and the other pressed men
were behaving.
"That's just what I wanted to be speaking to you about, Misther
Terence," he answered. "I'm after thinking that they'll not be on board
many days if they get a chance of slipping on shore. I heard them one
day talking about it in Irish, forgetting that I understood what they
were saying; and as we had a hand in the taking of them, says I to
myself, we'll not let you go so aisy, my boys, and I'll be after telling
Misther Terence about it."
"You have acted rightly, Larry," I answered. "It's the duty of every
seaman to prevent mutiny or desertion, and if you hadn't told me the
fellows might have got off, though, to be sure, the best of them are
king's hard bargains."