It was early in March in the year 1702. As Jack Deane was approaching
London, he heard a postman shouting, "Sad news! sad news!"
"What is it?" asked Jack.
"The king is dead!" was the answer. "Our good King William is no more!"
Jack, on making further inquiry, learned that the king had, on Saturday,
21st, gone out to hunt, as was his custom, near Hampton Court, when his
horse fell, and he fractured his collar-bone. The injury was not
considered serious, and he was conveyed to his palace at Kensington.
Having been, however, in a very weak state, he did not rally, and it was
evident to those around him that he was near his end. On the 8th of
March one of the best and most sagacious of English monarchs breathed
his last, holding the hand of the faithful Duke of Portland. His voice
had gone ere that; but his reason and all his senses were entire to the
last. He died with a clear and full presence of mind, and with a
wonderful tranquillity.
On the accession of Queen Anne, the Jacobites remained quiet, under the
belief that she would leave the crown to the son of James the Second,
now known as the Chevalier Saint George. They were not aware of the
sound Protestant principles of the great mass of Englishmen, and that
any attempt to bring back a Romanist member of the hated House of
Stuart, so often tried and found utterly unfit for ruling, would have
produced another civil war. Those infatuated men, the Jacobites, did
not conceal their joy at the death of the Protestant monarch. Banquets
were held among them to celebrate the event, and some had the audacity
and wickedness, it may be said, to toast the health of the horse which
had thrown William. Another toast they drank was to the health of the
little gentleman dressed in velvet, in other words, the mole that raised
the hill over which Sorel (the king's favourite horse) stumbled.
Jack Deane on hearing these things felt as if, had he been present, he
should have been very much inclined to challenge those who showed this
disrespect to a sovereign whom he had learned to honour and love.
The fleet had taken its departure some time before John Deane reached
Portsmouth, but he found a fast frigate on the point of sailing to carry
despatches to the admiral, the "Venus." Admiral Benbow's object in
going out to the West Indies had been to detain the Spanish galleons.
When war was declared on the accession of Queen Anne, a French admiral
had also sailed from Brest for the same station, with fourteen sail of
the line and sixteen frigates, to meet the galleons and convoy them to
Cadiz. Although the brave Benbow's squadron was far smaller than that
of the French, he kept a sharp look-out for the enemy. He had performed
many services in the West Indies to the merchants by capturing
privateers and protecting their settlements from the attacks of the
enemy.
Admiral Benbow's ship was the "Breda," of seventy guns, and her youngest
lieutenant having died of fever, Jack Deane, greatly to his
satisfaction, found himself appointed to that ship. Early in July, the
admiral sailed from Jamaica, with seven sail of men-of-war, in the hope
of joining Admiral Whitstone, who had been sent from England with a
reinforcement to endeavour to intercept the French squadron which had
sailed under Monsieur Du Casse. The admiral on the 10th of August,
being off Donna Maria Bay, received advice that Du Casse had sailed for
Carthagena and Portobello. He instantly went in quest of him, and in
the evening of the 19th, discovered off Santa Martha ten sail of ships.
On his nearer approach he found the greatest number of them to be French
men-of-war. Four ships of from sixty to seventy guns, one great Dutch
ship of about thirty or forty guns, and another full of soldiers, the
rest being of a smaller size. They were steering along shore under
their topsails. The admiral made a signal to form a line of battle
ahead, and bore away under an easy sail, that those to leeward might the
more readily get into their station. It was the admiral's intention not
to make the signal of battle but only of defiance, when he had got
abreast of the enemy's headmost ship. Before he reached his station,
however, the "Falmouth," which was in the rear, began to fire, as did
also the "Windsor" and "Advance," and soon after the Vice-Admiral was
engaged; and now an act was performed which has rarely happened in the
British Navy. After exchanging two or three broadsides, the "Windsor"
and "Advance" luffed to windward out of gunshot, and left the admiral
exposed to the fire of the two sternmost ships of the enemy, by whom he
was very much galled. Neither did the ships in the rear come up to his
assistance with the alacrity he expected. In spite of this, the brave
Benbow continued to engage the enemy from four o'clock until night, and
although the latter then ceased firing, yet he kept sight of them,
intending to renew the action in the morning. On the following day at
daybreak he found himself close to the enemy, with the "Ruby" only near
enough to support him. Unintimidated by the misconduct of those who had
so shamefully deserted him, he pursued the enemy, who were using every
effort to escape. The "Ruby" in a short time was so dreadfully knocked
about that he was obliged to order her to return to Port Royal. Two
more days passed away, and still the brave old admiral kept up the
pursuit. On the morning of the 24th, he got up with the sternmost ships
of the French, and although receiving but little assistance from the
rest of the squadron he brought them to close action. Round-shot, and
chain-shot, and langrage came flying on board the "Breda," the British
seamen sending back much the same sort of missiles as those with which
they were complimented. Volumes of smoke from the guns rolled out of
the ports. Still undaunted, and excited by the example of their brave
admiral, the British sailors fought on. At length a shot swept across
the quarter-deck, on which the admiral was standing. He was seen to
fall. His right leg was shattered by it. Immediately he was carried
below. He urged the surgeons to dress the wound as rapidly as they
could, and then being placed in his cradle, he directed himself to be
brought once more on the deck. There, in spite of the agony he was
suffering, he continued to give his orders. One of the last he issued
was to direct the other captains to "keep the line and behave like men."
Great was his grief, vexation, and rage, when the recreant captains
came on board and declared that enough had been done, and that it would
be dangerous to follow the enemy. In vain the old admiral pleaded with
them. They persisted that by so doing they would ensure the destruction
of their ships and crews. Wounded and sick at heart he had at length to
yield to them, and he issued the order for the squadron to return to
Jamaica. Here the brave old admiral was carried on shore, and shortly
afterwards died of the wound he had received. The captains who had
refused to support him were tried by a court-martial, and two of them
were carried home and shot on the decks of their ships, as soon as they
arrived in an English port.
To return to John Deane. Soon after the "Breda" reached Port Royal, as
she was likely to remain there for some time, and he was anxious for
active employment, he got re-appointed to the "Venus," which was sent to
cruise for the protection of British commerce.
As soon as the frigate was clear of the island, a bright look-out was
kept for the French privateers or any other of the enemy's vessels. The
frigate had been cruising for a week or more, and had already got some
distance from Jamaica, having during the time captured several small
vessels, some of which had been destroyed and others sent to Port Royal,
when one forenoon a large ship was descried to leeward. All sail was
crowded in chase, and as the frigate had the advantage of the wind, the
stranger being almost becalmed, she soon came up with her.
As soon as the breeze reached the stranger, without hoisting her
colours, she made all sail in an attempt to escape. Various opinions
were offered as to her character. Some thought she was a Spanish
galleon, though how she should have come thus far north was a question
not easily answered. Others believed she was a large French
merchantman, and some pronounced her to be a privateer. She was a fast
craft, at all events, for as soon as she felt the breeze she slipped
through the water at a rate which made it doubtful whether the "Venus"
would come up with her. This made the English still more anxious for
her capture, as, in the first place, if a merchantman, she was likely to
have a rich cargo on board, and at all events she might be converted
into a useful cruiser.
It was a general opinion in those days that the French vessels were
faster sailers than the English, and certain it is that many of the best
models of men-of-war were taken from the French. The Genoese, however,
were reputed to be better ship-builders than either. A stern chase is a
long chase always. The stranger persevered in her flight, in the hope
that some accident might secure her escape. The English pursued in the
hope that an accident to the chase might enable them to capture her.
The day wore on, and fears were entertained that the chase would escape
during the darkness of the night. Every stitch of canvas which the
frigate could carry was set on her, while the sails which could be
reached were kept constantly wet, that no wind might pass through them.
The crew cheered with glee when they found that their efforts were not
without good effect, and that the frigate at last was overhauling the
chase. At length she got near enough to fire a bow-chaser. The shot
took effect, and cut away several of her braces. This allowed the sails
to fly wildly in the air. In consequence, the frigate now came up more
rapidly, and, as she did so, continued firing with good effect. The
chase at length let fly all her sheets, and hauled down the French flag,
which had just before been run up. As soon as the frigate hove to,
Lieutenant Deane was ordered to board the prize with a boat's crew. She
proved to be a rich merchant vessel outward-bound to the French colonies
on the Main, with a large and valuable assorted cargo, and was evidently
a prize worth taking.
The captain of the "Venus" was ordered to send in his prizes, as he
should take them, to Port Royal, but as long as he had sufficient men to
fight his ship not to return himself. It was important, however, that
so rich a prize should be carefully navigated, and he accordingly
ordered his junior lieutenant--John Deane--to take charge of her with a
crew of fifteen men, to carry her into Port Royal. Ten of her former
crew volunteered to assist in navigating her, and they were allowed to
remain, while the rest, with the captain and officers, were carried on
board the "Venus."
Jack now found himself for the first time in his life in command of a
large ship. As may be supposed, he had not been asleep all the time he
had been at sea, and he already possessed a very good knowledge of
seamanship, as well as of navigation. He had no doubt, therefore, that
he should be able safely to carry his prize to her destined port.
Two midshipmen were sent with him to act as lieutenants, and an old
quarter-master to do the duty of boatswain. Jack was a great favourite
among all with whom he had served, both with his superiors and with
those beneath him. His two young midshipmen--Dick Lovatt and Ned
Hawke--had become particularly-attached to him, while Will Burridge, the
old quarter-master, would have gone through fire and water to serve him.
On one occasion, Burridge, whether he had had too much Jamaica rum on
board or not it was difficult to say, managed to fall overboard into the
harbour swarming with sharks. As the tide was running strong at the
time, Burridge had already been swept some distance from the ship before
he was perceived. Jack, regardless of the sharks, leaped overboard, and
swimming towards the sinking seaman, kept him up, splashing about so as
to make the monsters of the deep keep at a respectful distance till a
boat arrived to take them both on board. Jack declared it was not a
thing to be talked about, any body might have done the same, and
therefore it was not mentioned at the time of its occurrence. It
however raised Deane's character among the crew, and made them all ready
to volunteer in any expedition where he was to lead.
As soon as the damages which the prize had received were repaired, the
frigate stood on her course, and Jack made sail for Port Royal. The
prize was called the "Coquille," and carried twelve guns, so that Jack
hoped, should he be attacked by one of the enemy's privateers, or any
small man-of-war, he might make a good fight of it, and beat off his
opponent if he could not take her.
The first day the weather was very fine; the wind then fell, and there
was a dead calm. The sun struck down with intense heat on the deck of
the vessel, making the very pitch in her seams bubble up. The crew
began to feel the effects of the heat, and moved languidly about the
decks, exhibiting a listlessness very different to their usual activity.
Jack with one of his officers was sitting below at dinner, when Hawke,
the other, who had the watch on deck, entered the cabin.
"I thought it as well to tell you, sir," he said, "that I don't quite
like the way the Frenchmen are carrying on. I have observed them for
some time past whispering together, and I cannot help thinking that they
expect to find us napping, and to set on us and try to retake the
vessel."
"It's as well to be prepared," answered Jack. "Thank you for your
forethought. But it will scarcely be right to put them in irons, unless
we have evidence of their intention. I will tell Burridge, and hint to
the men to be on the look-out, so that we shall be even with the
Monsieurs if they make the attempt which you fancy they purpose."
Burridge soon made his appearance in the cabin, hat in hand, and
receiving his directions hurried back to speak to the English crew.
Jack and his two young officers, having loaded their pistols and stuck
them in their belts, and fastened on their swords, made their appearance
also on deck. The Frenchmen seemed to be watching them; but if they had
any sinister intentions, the preparations which Jack had made to oppose
them compelled them for the moment to keep quiet.