Still the rebels hung back. Perhaps they guessed that the garrison were
in want of provisions, and had wisely determined to starve them out.
Their proceedings were evidently conducted by chiefs who well understood
the art of savage warfare. Midnight arrived; the faint moon, though it
had lasted longer than on the previous night, had disappeared. Archie
proposed again leading out a party to obtain water, and he was on the
point of starting, when one of the sentries cried out, "The enemy are
coming!" The warning was repeated by others, and a black mass could be
seen stealing up the hill, the men bending low in the hope of escaping
discovery till they had got close up to the fortifications.
"Don't let them know that we see them," whispered the lieutenant, as he
went round to the men; "the effect will be the greater when they receive
our fire."
The little garrison stood to their arms.
Onward marched the insurgents, moving up the hill like a dark wave
rolling slowly forward. They could be clearly distinguished, all
bending low to the ground, as they crossed the more open places exposed
to the bright moonlight. On and on they came, but still not a sign was
shown by the garrison that they were perceived. They must have known,
however, that they could not get close up to the fortifications without
being discovered. Suddenly, at a signal from their leaders, up they
rose to a man, uttering the most terrific shrieks and howls, and,
rushing forward, fired their muskets. Thick as hail the bullets came
rattling against the palisades and the upper portions of the house, some
chipping off splinters from the tops of the timbers, others sticking in
the wood, others penetrating through the interstices. None of the
garrison, however, were killed, but several were slightly wounded,
though not in a way to compel them to leave their posts.
"Now, give it the rascals!" cried the lieutenant, as the blacks were
within a dozen yards of the palisades. Every man fired, and many of the
blacks were seen struggling back or falling to the ground. Their
companions, excited to fury by the rum they had obtained from some of
the plundered estates, sprang forward without noticing them, shouting
and shrieking and throwing themselves desperately against the
_chevaux-de-frise_, forgetting the hedge of prickly-pear which had been
entwined amidst it. With cries of dismay as the sharp points pierced
their legs and wounded their hands, they fell back in spite of the
efforts of their chiefs to urge them on, thus giving the garrison time
to reload.
"Now fire at them, my lads, and the day is ours," cried the lieutenant.
His men obeyed the order, and once more the negroes rushed away
helter-skelter, nor would listen to the entreaties of their leaders to
stop till they reached the bottom of the hill. "I think we have done
for them this time," exclaimed Lieutenant Belt, in a tone of exultation.
The same opinion was expressed by most of the garrison.
"There are some desperate fellows among them, or they would not have
come on in the way they have already done," observed the overseer.
Many of the slaves had lately been imported from Africa, and were likely
to pursue their native mode of fighting, which, it was too probable,
would enable them to obtain that success which they had hitherto failed
to gain. A short time passed away, during which the blacks maintained a
perfect silence. It was hoped by many within the house that they were
about to retreat, when lights were seen suddenly to burst forth along
the whole line, and gradually to approach. It appeared at first as if a
dark wall was rising out of the valley, but this shortly resolved itself
into huge faggots carried at the end of poles. Between every two or
three of the faggots was seen a torch, too evidently for the purpose of
kindling the wood.
"Good heavens! they are going to try and set our fortifications on fire,
and the house also, I fear, if they can," exclaimed Mr Twigg.
"And they will succeed too, I am afraid," said the overseer gloomily.
"I was sure they had some accursed trick in contemplation."
"What do you advise, Lieutenant Belt?" asked Mr Ferris, who remained
more collected than any one else.
"We must make a sortie and drive them back before they reach our lines,"
answered the lieutenant. "I will lead it myself, and I am sure I shall
not want followers."
Archie was the first volunteer, and nearly a dozen more white men
immediately sprang forward. Not a moment was to be lost.
"Come on, my lads," cried the lieutenant. "We must make our sortie by
the outlet leading to the well. We will then get round and attack them
on the flank; and, remember, the remainder of the garrison must keep up
a hot fire as they come on at the rest of the line, aiming at the black
fellows' bodies, not at their faggots, which they will hold before them
as shields."
Saying this, he led out his brave band of followers, Archie keeping
close to him. They had got within sixty yards or so from the blacks
before they were perceived, when, firing their muskets--the garrison,
meantime, not neglecting their duty, but blazing rapidly away--they drew
their cutlasses and threw themselves fiercely on the enemy. So little
did the negroes appear to expect the attack that they threw down their
bundles of wood, to which their torches, let drop at the same time, set
fire, and retreated in confusion. As they ran off, they encountered
another well-armed party of their friends, who were coming up the hill,
either to support them or to attempt carrying the fortification by
assault during the confusion they expected the blazing stockades would
produce. On seeing the white men before them, they fired a volley.
Instead of running away, however, they still advanced boldly up the
hill.
"Load, my lads, and meet them bravely," cried the lieutenant--"you have
time for it--but do not retreat, or we are lost." As he spoke, Archie,
who was near him, heard the thud of a bullet, and had just time to catch
the brave young officer in his arms before he fell.
"We must not let these savages get hold of him," exclaimed Archie to his
companions, taking the lieutenant up on his back. "You keep the enemy
in check, and I will carry him to the house."
He instantly did as he proposed, the blacks shouting and shrieking after
him as he ran, but not daring to advance farther, while the rest of the
party, loading and firing as they retreated--the garrison at the same
time redoubling their fire--kept the enemy in check, and Archie
succeeded in bringing in the wounded officer. The intention of the
blacks was thus frustrated; for, though most of the faggots were blazing
away, they were at a safe distance from the house.
The lieutenant was carried into a room and laid on a bed, where Mrs
Twigg and Martha immediately came and examined his wound. It was in the
shoulder, and though the sudden pain had made him drop, as far as they
could judge, it did not appear to be serious. He soon recovered after
taking a stimulant. He begged them to bind up his shoulder that he
might go forth and resume his command. The operation was soon
performed, and as he again appeared he was received with warm
congratulations. The other people who had been hurt had also gone in to
have their wounds dressed. Happily none had been killed,
notwithstanding the number of bullets fired at them.
Every one now believed that the blacks would abandon their enterprise,
but, though foiled so frequently, no signs could be perceived of their
retreating. They had managed to carry off those of their number who had
been killed, and were now bewailing their loss in African fashion, with
shrieks and cries which came up sounding mournfully from the valley
below.
"I think we have given the rebels a lesson, and need no longer fear an
attack," observed Mr Ferris.
"We must not make too sure yet," said the overseer. "Had we only
island-born blacks to deal with, the case would be different; but there
are a lot of Coromantees, the most savage of the African people, who are
at the bottom of all this, and they will fight like tiger-cats as long
as life remains in them. They won't be satisfied, if they can have
their will, till they burn us and the house in a heap. They will try it
again, or I am much mistaken."
The events which have just been described occupied but a few short
minutes. The blazing faggots went out without setting fire to the
plantations, of which there was imminent risk, and all was again quiet.
Even the blacks had ceased shrieking and howling. Though the garrison
had hitherto been successful, if they were to hold out for a protracted
siege more water and food must be procured, and again Archie Sandys
volunteered to obtain both. By taking due precautions he was able to
lead a party down to the well, and to get back without being discovered
by the rebels. In another direction, and rather further from the house,
was a plantation of yams. A few basketfuls would afford subsistence to
all the party for a day or more. Of course, rather than starve, they
must kill one of the horses which were tethered at the back of the house
within the lines. The companions of Archie's previous expedition
volunteered to accompany him, but he considered it more prudent to take
only the blacks, who might dig up the roots and carry them in, while he
stood sentinel to warn them to fly should they be discovered.
"You're a brave fellow," said Lieutenant Belt, "and I wish you success,
but I tell you I think your expedition a hazardous one."
"Nothing worth having is to be obtained without trouble," answered
Archie. "I have a good pair of legs, and can jump a fence with any one.
The food must be procured, and I will get it if I can; only, should I
be pursued, cover me with your fire, but take care none of our people
shoot me or any of my companions."
Saying this, Archie set out, followed by his six blacks, carrying
baskets and spades. He had his cutlass by his side, a brace of pistols
in his belt, and his musket in his hand. As there was ample shelter
down to the yam ground, the lieutenant hoped that his friend would not
be discovered. One thing was very certain, that, should the enemy come
upon them, the slaves would scamper away in all directions, and very
likely make their escape.
Before Archie set out, every man had been stationed at his post, to be
ready for the rebels should they approach. They stood anxiously waiting
his return. At length one of the slaves appeared, loaded with a basket
of yams; a second and a third followed, and they repelled that Massa
Sandys had made them fill one basket at a time, and had sent them off so
as at all events to secure some. They were looking out for a fourth
man, when two people were seen rushing up the hill without baskets on
their heads. A third followed, but scarcely was he visible, when a shot
was heard and he dropped to the ground.
"We must go and rescue Mr Sandys," cried the lieutenant; "he must have
fallen into the hands of the rebels."
"If so, the poor fellow is dead by this time," said the overseer.
The report of the two blacks who now came tended to confirm this latter
opinion. A party of negroes had suddenly sprung out from a neighbouring
cover as they had just got their baskets on their heads to come away,
when, throwing down their loads, they had made off, though the
hindermost had been nearly caught; and it was more than probable that
Mr Sandys, who was stopping to cover their retreat, had been unable to
escape. This was the saddest event which had hitherto occurred, and all
sincerely grieved for his loss.