"There are two of them closer together than they should be;" and the
next instant he exclaimed, "They're foul of each other! I feared that
it would be the case."
Signals of distress were now thrown out from both the ships. We on this
closed with them; and Captain Macnamara ordered the boats to be lowered,
to ascertain what had happened, and to render assistance. I went in one
of them with our second lieutenant. The first we boarded proved to be
the _Nymph_. She had been run into by the _Alfred_. She was dreadfully
knocked about, being almost cut in two. We heard aboard her that the
_Alfred_ herself had also been severely damaged. A boat was at once
sent to report what had happened to the admiral, and as soon as daylight
dawned he threw out signals to the whole fleet to lay to while the
injuries the _Alfred_ had received were being repaired. The _Nymph_
herself was too severely damaged to proceed, and was ordered at once to
return to Antigua.
While we were lying to, a sail was seen in the distance, when the
admiral ordered by signal the _Liffy_ to chase. Before long we came up
with her. She proved to be a large French cutter, laden with shells and
ordnance stores for the besieging army.
Nearly the whole day was spent in repairing the damages the _Alfred_ had
received, and on our approaching Basse Terre, to our bitter
disappointment, we found that the Count de Grasse had put to sea. The
next night was spent in doubt as to what had become of him, but in the
morning the French fleet, consisting of about twenty-nine sail of the
line, was perceived about three leagues to leeward, formed in order of
battle. Sir Samuel Hood immediately ordered the British fleet to bear
down as if to attack him. This had the effect of driving him still
farther to leeward, when, to our surprise, the admiral threw out another
signal, directing the fleet to stand for Basse Terre.
In the evening we entered Frigate Bay, and anchored in line of battle.
The object of this was to cut off the French from all communication with
their forces on shore. Before we had brought up, the Count de Grasse
stood towards us, and commenced a furious attack on the rear of our
fleet, commanded by Commodore Affleck. He, supported by the _Canada_,
Captain Cornwallis, and the _Resolution_, Lord Robert Manners, kept up
so incessant a fire on the French, that, finding they could make no
impression on us, their squadron bore up and stood again to sea. I
mention these events to show the sort of work in which we were engaged.
The night passed quietly, but in the morning the French fleet was seen
again approaching. On they came, passing along our line, and pouring
their broadsides into us. Though superior to us in numbers, we returned
so furious a fire, that after a time, finding we remained firm, they
wore, and again stood out to sea. In the afternoon the French again
appeared, but we again pounded them so severely that they at length,
having had enough of it, once more retired, evidently having suffered
severe loss.
The French flag-ship, the _Ville de Paris_, was seen to be upon the
heel, blocking up the shot-holes she had received between wind and
water.
All this time on shore the French were attacking General Fraser, who had
been compelled to retire to a fort on Brimstone Hill, and with whom it
had become exceedingly difficult to communicate. I was in the berth
when I received a message from the captain, to go to his cabin.
"I have just come from the admiral," he said. "He wishes to send some
one on shore to communicate with General Fraser at Brimstone Hill. I
told him at once that you would be able to succeed if any one could;
though I warn you that the risk of being shot or captured by the enemy
is considerable. Are you, notwithstanding, ready to go?"
"With all the pleasure in the world, sir," I answered, "if I am likely
to be able to find my way to the fort."
"You'll not have much difficulty in doing that," he said, unless you're
stopped, for you'll be furnished with an exact plan.
"Am I to go in uniform, sir, or in disguise?" I asked.
"I wouldn't have you risk your life by going in disguise," he replied.
"If you were caught you would be shot as a spy. You must make the
attempt at night, and by wearing a cloak you may escape detection,
unless you happen to encounter any of the French soldiers; in that case
you'll have to yield yourself a prisoner."
"Whatever the difficulties, I'm ready to go through with them, sir," I
said; "and as I speak French, though not very well, should I meet any
French soldiers, I may perhaps be able to make my escape from them."
"The captain told me that the object of the admiral was to establish a
communication between the fleet and Brimstone Hill, by means of signals,
which I was to carry with me, the general not being supplied with them.
It will be safer to take a man with you to convey the flags, while you
carry the code of signals, which you must endeavour to destroy should
you be made prisoner," he said.
I had still some hours to wait, however, before it was dark enough for
me to land. I soon afterwards met La Touche. Both he and Dubois made
themselves very happy on board, caring apparently very little about
being prisoners. I told him of my intended expedition.
"If you succeed, well and good," he said; "but if you are taken
prisoner, I hope you'll mention Dubois and me to the Marquis de Boullie,
and suggest that he should make an offer to exchange you for me.
Perhaps he has captured another English officer, who would gladly be
exchanged for Dubois. Not that we are weary of our captivity, as you
all do your best to make it as light and agreeable as possible."
I told La Touche that I should be happy to carry out his wishes should I
be taken prisoner, though I had no intention of being made one if I
could help it.
When I told Tom Pim of what I had to do, he declared that he was jealous
of me, and that he thought he should try to get leave to go. I said
that I should like to have his company, and accordingly we went together
to the captain to ask leave. He, however, refused, saying that he would
not risk the loss of two midshipmen at the same time.
"You may, however, take Harrigan with you," he said; "he is a sharp lad,
and will serve you better than any other man in the ship."
Though I should have been unwilling to ask for Larry, for fear of
exposing him to danger, I was very glad to have him with me.
Just before dark a boat was lowered and manned, and Nettleship was
ordered to take me and Harrigan on shore. I shook hands with my
messmates.
"We hope you'll get back, Paddy," said Sinnet. "If you're killed or
taken prisoner, we will mourn over your hard fate. However, you're too
sharp to be caught, and we shall see you back again before long, I
daresay."
The captain desired to see me before I started, and gave me further
instructions, making me study well a plan of the road to the fort, so I
did not fear that I should lose my way. At length we shoved off.
Instead, however, of pulling directly for the shore, we steered over to
the opposite side of the bay to that where the enemy were encamped.
Nettleship seemed very anxious about me.
"I wish that an older man had been sent, Paddy," he said; "and I'm
ashamed of myself that I don't understand French, or I might have been
employed in the service. I envy you for the opportunity you have of
distinguishing yourself."
"I don't see that I shall have much to boast of, having only to creep
along in the dark up to the fort and back again. There's no great
difficulty in the undertaking, besides having to keep out of the way of
the French pickets."
"It's not so much what you have to do, as the object to be attained, and
the danger of doing it, which will bring credit on you," he answered.
It was perfectly dark before we reached the place which had been fixed
on for landing, so that we ran no risk of being observed from the shore.
It was arranged that Nettleship was to wait off it until I made the
signal for him to come in and take me aboard. Not a word was spoken as
Larry and I stepped on to the beach, he carrying the signals and I the
book and the admiral's letter. We kept first to our right till we found
a path leading inland through a wood. We went on as rapidly as the
nature of the ground would allow. The snake-like roots ran across the
path, and creepers hung low down in festoons, forming nooses, which
might have brought us sharply up if we had run our heads into them. Now
and then I fancied that I saw a huge snake winding its way along before
me; and tree-frogs, crickets, and other nocturnal insects, kept up a
noisy chorus as we went on. Sometimes it was so dark that it was with
the greatest difficulty I could make my way with the stick I carried. I
was very glad when, getting out of the wood, we found ourselves on the
borders of a sugar-cane plantation. This I knew I should have to skirt
till I reached another path leading almost directly up to the fort.