The Spanish crew understood his gestures more than his words, and with
might and main pulled back to the flag-ship. As we went on, the shot
fell like hail around us, but providentially none of us were hit. On
getting to the opposite side of the ship, the admiral and Vernon were
lifted on board. The rest of us quickly followed. Vernon was at once
carried below to be placed under the care of the surgeon; while, without
waiting to change our wet clothes, we hurried to the guns, to encourage
the Spanish crew, some of whom appeared to think they had had enough of
it. Don Barcelo, however, retired to his cabin, and, having changed his
uniform, shortly afterwards reappeared. He showed no wish, however, to
make another attempt to land, but sent off despatches by an officer to
the commander of the land forces. What were their contents did not at
the time transpire. He continued, however, pacing the deck, watching,
as far as the smoke would allow, the other ships, and the forts opposed
to us.
"I very much doubt whether we shall thrash the Algerines after all,"
said Nettleship to me. "The villains fight desperately, and I can't see
that we have made a single breach in any part of the walls. See! two
more of our galleys have sunk; and I have seen half-a-dozen gun or
mortar boats go down. Several of the ships and frigates are already
tremendously cut about. The old Don is a plucky fellow, or he wouldn't
keep at it so long."
While he was speaking the admiral came up, pointing first towards a
sinking vessel, and then at one of the boats alongside.
"Just ask him, Paddy, if he doesn't want me to go and rescue the
fellows," said Nettleship. I addressed the admiral in French, which he
understood tolerably well.
"Yes, I shall be obliged to him if he will. My officers and men are
required to fight the ship," answered the admiral.
"They don't exactly like the sort of work," observed Nettleship; "but
I'll go willingly."
"And I will go with you," I said.
We ran down and got into the boat, followed by Larry and Patchett, the
rest of our crew being made up of Spaniards, who were ordered by their
officers to man the boat. Away we pulled, and had time to save a good
many people from the vessel, which had sunk before we reached her. We
were exposed all the time to the shot, which came splashing into the
water close to us. I heartily hoped that none would come aboard, for,
crowded as the boat was, a number of the people must have been killed.
There was no necessity to tell the Spanish crew to give way, for they
were eager enough to get back.
Soon after returning on board, the admiral, having received intelligence
from the shore that the attack had again failed, threw out a signal to
his ships to discontinue the action. Fortunately the wind enabled us to
stand off the shore, in spite of the shattered condition of many of the
ships, when we anchored out of range of the enemy's guns. As soon as we
had brought up, Nettleship and I went down to see Vernon. Though the
surgeon had told him that the wound was a bad one, he didn't complain.
"I fear, after all, that we shall not succeed, and I advise you,
Nettleship, to return on board your brig, and get her into a condition
to put to sea," he said. "The admiral may not be able to help you as I
could wish, and you will have to look out for yourself."
Nettleship thanked him for his advice, saying that he intended to follow
it, as we could not further assist the cause, and that it was our duty
to get the brig to Gibraltar as soon as possible.
The admiral had invited both of us to supper in the cabin. He spoke in
the highest terms of Vernon, and said that he had intended to give him
command of one of his ships, that he might lead the next attack.
"I wish, gentlemen, also to show you my high sense of the assistance you
have rendered me by coming on board," he added.