A LIVELY SCRIMMAGE.
It surely seemed as if the possibility of capturing the chase might
have kept the men’s thoughts, for a time at least, from those
mysterious happenings which had sown the seeds of mutiny among us; but
yet such was not the case.
For my part, the gale which was buffeting the ship, because she dare
show such a press of canvas that at times it appeared as if the fabric
lay upon her beam ends, was enough to banish all thought of that which
occurred and could not readily be explained.
Had the _America_ been snugged down in proper condition to meet the
furious blasts, the tempest might have howled yet louder without
causing a single sensation of uneasiness or fear, because we knew full
well that the good ship was fit to meet any ordinary tumult of nature.
But when, in the midst of what might almost be called a tempest, her
captain had ordered that she be given as much canvas as could be
carried, without literally burying her, then was the situation such as
seemed to demand the attention of every one.
Had these mutinously inclined sailors cried out against Captain
Ropes’s thus forcing the ship to her utmost point of endurance, then
would there have been method in their madness.
Instead of this, however, they allowed their minds to dwell upon the
past, shrinking before the imaginary evils, and apparently giving no
heed to the imminent danger which threatened.
As these thoughts came into my mind, I stood clasping with both hands
the stanchion, lest I be hurled like a shuttle-cock around the deck,
lost in amazement because the men could be so keen in following their
own superstitions, and so dull to present surroundings.
Simon, who had been following close at my heels, and was now swaying to
and fro at my side as he clutched the same support, said, after we had
surveyed the groups of mutinous sailormen:
“Let us try to go on deck. It may be that we shall succeed in having
speech with my father, and it appears to me necessary he should know
what we have learned.”
Anything was preferable to remaining there, so I said to myself,
although doubting if it would be possible for us to gain the spar-deck.
Waiting until the ship was comparatively steady for an instant, we
forsook the stanchion to make a rush for the next nearest stationary
object to which we could cling, and thus, by short stages, after no
little expenditure of time, succeeded in gaining the hatch, which had
been left open only sufficiently wide to admit of the passage of a
man’s body.
Here we stood on the ladder, with our heads just showing above the
combing, witnessing such a terrifying spectacle as I had never before
seen.
To describe the ship as she literally wallowed through the foaming
waters, is beyond my power.
There were times when it appeared to me as if the gun-deck was two feet
beneath the surface, and, in a twinkling, both of us lads were drenched
to the skin, although, as I have said, only our heads and shoulders
were exposed.
The labouring craft, carrying such a press of canvas as prevented her
from rising to the waves, literally ploughed her way through them.
The spars groaned as they buckled to the wind, until it appeared each
instant as if they must go by the board. Now and then, when we were so
far beneath the yawning chasms of water that the force of the gale was
shut off from us momentarily, the slatting of chains and bolt-ropes
made a din so great that it could not have been equalled by an army of
blacksmiths hammering at their anvils.
A wilder or more awe-inspiring scene cannot be imagined, and to Simon
and me, inexperienced as we were in a seafaring life, the peril
appeared exceeding great.
Now and then, far in the distance, directly over the bow, could be seen
the topsails of the chase, who must have been making as heavy weather
of it as we were, and I said to myself that it was no longer a question
of measuring strength between Britisher and Yankee, but simply a
contest which would be decided in favour of the ship that had been most
carefully and strongly constructed.
To pursue an enemy under such conditions seemed little less than
madness; yet I afterward came to believe that Captain Ropes’s
recklessness, at such a time, was far more potent toward subduing the
mutiny of the crew than any other course he might have pursued.
There was no need for us to discuss the question of trying to gain
speech with the captain.
It would have been literally impossible for either of us to have made
our way aft to the quarter-deck, even though no one stood ready to
oppose us, and this Simon understood as well as I.
Clutching me by the arm to attract attention, for in such a place one
might have bawled himself hoarse, without making his words heard twelve
inches away, Simon motioned for me to descend, and with no little
difficulty we made our way once more to the gun-deck.
Here, in a corner which was sheltered by one of the gun-carriages,
we contrived to carry on a fragmentary conversation, during which it
was agreed that the crew should not be told of what we had discovered
regarding the prisoners until we could gain speech with the captain.
While the ship was labouring so violently, there was little danger that
those in the brig would attempt any mischief, however favourable an
opportunity presented itself, and we would be warranted in holding our
peace, so long as both of us remained on the alert.
As a matter of course, under ordinary circumstances, we would not have
hesitated to inform the men that one of the Britishers had escaped,
and this would have been clearly our duty; but now, while they were in
a state of mutiny, so to speak, it seemed advisable that we keep secret
what had been learned.
It was impossible to pay a visit to the cook’s quarters for the purpose
of getting food, and we knew beyond a peradventure that all hands must
content themselves with bread and water until the gale had so far
abated as to render work in the kitchen possible.
Although such a task was in the highest degree distasteful, we lads
descended into the hold after having held this brief consultation, and
there remained, much to the surprise of those sailors who were on guard.
Here the tumult, save as shown by the plunging and rolling of the ship,
was comparatively slight, and we might have indulged in conversation
without great exertion; but neither of us felt inclined for words at
such a time.
I fancied Simon Ropes was much in the same frame of mind as myself. It
seemed as if death was close upon us, and that the next instant might
seal our doom.
The Britishers were naturally eager to learn what was being done, and,
thinking they would be more disposed to defer any plans of escape which
might have been made, if the truth were known, I readily explained to
them the situation as it had been presented to me.
After this was done, Simon and I, each holding a loaded musket, and on
the alert for any noise which might proclaim the whereabouts of that
man who had succeeded in getting out of the brig, sat with our backs
against the bulkhead, having in such position a full view of those who
should be closely guarded.
Even now, as memory goes back, I am surprised that we lads were not
wholly overcome by terror.
The ship staggering under canvas enough to bury her; the tempest raging
and howling, eager to destroy the handiwork of man; the mutinous crew
on the gun-deck plotting, perhaps, against their officers, and in the
hold nineteen men ready to risk their lives in an effort to escape.
It was a series of perils which one would say must finally overwhelm
us, and I saw but little hope in the future.
There is no reason why I should dwell at length upon all these terrors,
for they menaced us until we lads were numb with despair.
During all that night the _America_ staggered on, like some living
thing pursued by the furies, and, meanwhile, Simon Ropes and I shared
the duties of the guard, not daring to tell them that we knew of more
danger in the work than they imagined.
At some time in the evening ship’s biscuit and cold boiled pork had
been served, for the cooks were unable to prepare even a pannikin of
tea, and when morning came the situation remained unchanged.
One of the sailors who had stood guard with us attempted to make his
way on deck, and came back reporting much the same state of affairs as
when we had tried to gain speech with Captain Ropes.
The hours passed slowly; breakfast was the same as the supper of the
night previous, and we munched the dry bread, washing it down with
water from the scuttle-butt which had been lashed in the hold to supply
the prisoners, while our bodies were bruised and sore from being flung
about, despite all our efforts to remain in one position, when the
motions of the ship were most violent.
As the forenoon wore on, I fancied that the ship laboured less heavily,
and those of the sailors who remained in the hold with us predicted
that the gale would have come to an end before sunset; but none
believed we might be able to come up with the chase.
Then it was that all of us were astounded by a call to quarters, and
the bo’sun’s mate who brought us the order announced that the hatch on
the gun-deck leading to the hold was to be fixed in place with bars,
in order that the prisoners’ guard might be at liberty to take their
proper stations with the remainder of the crew.
It seemed absolutely impossible that Captain Ropes could have it in
mind to open an engagement under such conditions of the weather, and
yet the order brought to us told plainly that we were come within range
of the chase, and also that she was disposed to show fight rather than
surrender peaceably.
The sailormen who were with us looked grave and disturbed as they
prepared to obey the command, and we two lads were literally bewildered
by mingled fear and astonishment.
However, the hatch was secured in place so firmly that, even though all
the Britishers succeeded in getting out of the brig, they could not
leave the hold.
When we stood on the gun-deck once more, quivering with fear at the
thought of taking part in a battle, I, despite all my timorousness, did
not fail to see all the details.
The ports had been opened, and through one or the other, from time to
time, came great jets of water as the waves dashed against the ship,
flooding the deck until our gunners stood knee-deep in the briny surge.
The hatchway leading to the magazine was guarded by two men, who held
it in place as the seas came aboard, and stood ready to open it for the
gunners’ assistants whenever they were forced to descend for ammunition.
I question now, since having come to know more regarding such affairs,
if sailormen ever took part in a queerer engagement than we were making
ready for.
Fancy loading heavy guns when the powder must be held in the arms of
the men lest it be rendered worthless by moisture! Think of two or
three sailors holding their coats or strips of tarpaulin around the
cartridge while it was being placed in the muzzle of the piece, to
guard against a sudden inrush of the water! Picture to yourself the
ship plunging, rising, rolling, and tossing about while the men made
ready to shed the blood of their fellow creatures!
Now and then, as the fabric rose heavily upon the mountains of water,
we could see to leeward, half a gunshot distant, a ship which looked to
be the very counterpart of our own, save that the cross of St. George
was floating where we displayed the stars and stripes.
All show of mutiny had disappeared from the faces of the crew, so far
as I could make out.
The strangeness of the situation had driven away all discontent, and
once more was the _America_ manned by big-hearted, whole-souled Yankee
sailors.
During the drills which had been carried on regularly from the
beginning of the cruise, Simon and I came to know that our stations
in time of an engagement were at Master Joshua’s gun, and although it
was not possible lads like us could be of any assistance in carrying
ammunition while the ship was plunging so violently, we went to our
posts as if counting on rendering all necessary service.
“Yonder is a prize well worth the taking, lads,” Master Josh shouted as
we approached, and it was easy for us to understand that he had in mind
something different from omens and signs of danger. “She’s every inch
as good a sailer as the _America_, and but for the carrying away of her
topmast, we never should have overhauled her.”
“She must be an armed vessel, else we would not have been called to
quarters,” I ventured to say, speaking like a simple, for such a
statement under the circumstances was needless.
“Ay, lad, but carrying less metal than do we.”
“In such case I should think it would be wiser for her to surrender
than fight,” Simon added.
I knew by my own heart that he was wishing such might be the case, for
an engagement at any time was by no means to our liking, and while the
gale raged so furiously it seemed doubly terrible.
“She’s reckonin’ on cripplin’ us by some lucky shot, and thereby makin’
her escape. Marksmanship won’t count for a great deal in this weather,
and it’ll be more by accident than good wit if a single ball hits its
target.”
“Are Simon and I to bring up ammunition?” I asked, yet knowing full
well we could not accomplish the task.
“We’ll leave that for some of the other sailormen this time, lad. You
wouldn’t get one charge in a dozen up here without wetting it. It’ll
be a case of firing whenever there’s a chance, which won’t be often,
accordin’ to my way of thinkin’, an’ we can afford to take our time
about it.”
Men were stationed from the ladder of the after-hatchway to the
quarter-deck, not more than two feet apart, that the captain’s commands
might pass from one to the other, and those on deck were clinging to
life-lines, so I was told, lest they be washed overboard by the angry
waters.
“Fire as often as you can reload, and strive to cripple her spars
rather than the hull!” came the word, whereupon the engagement was
opened by Master Josh himself.
It was only with difficulty we could hear the report of the gun above
the roar of the tempest; but while the ship was rising on a towering
wave we were able to watch the flight of the missile.
It overshot its mark, and the old gunner gave vent to an exclamation of
anger.
Then I saw a cloud of smoke emerge from one of the Britisher’s ports,
and almost immediately it was dispersed by the rising wind.
She also had opened fire, and, like us, her first shot was a vain one.
This engagement was not like unto any I ever dreamed of, and when half
an hour had passed neither ship was the worse for it, so far as could
be seen.
Both craft held their course, neither sailing faster nor slower than
the other, but moving onward at the same relative distance, as if we
were engaged in a friendly race.
The fact that none of the Britisher’s shots had come aboard gave me
courage, and I almost brought myself to believe that they would not be
able to hit us.
Not being forced to perform any duties, Simon and I acted as spectators
of this odd battle, and were speculating upon the chances that our
gunners might succeed in shooting away one of the enemy’s spars, when
suddenly there was a hideous crashing of the timbers, cries of pain at
the gun nearest to us but one, and for the first time I saw the white
deck crimsoned with the blood of my countrymen.
Fortune had favoured the Britisher so far, at least, and now fear took
possession of me.
The lifeless bodies of two men, and one of them he with whom I had been
speaking five minutes before, were rolled to and fro on the deck as the
ship leaped and plunged, while another was being helped to the cockpit
by comrades, that his wounds might be dressed.
From that moment I failed to realise all that took place. After the
first flush of cowardice, a fever took possession of me.
I prayed fervently that our next shot might work more injury than
theirs had done; the thirst for blood was full upon me, and I saw
everywhere before my eyes that ominous crimson hue.
For how long a time this singular battle was waged I knew not; but
afterward came to learn that no less than two hours elapsed, from the
time Carleton and Hawley had been killed, before the Britisher hauled
down the cross of St. George.
Three times had the _America’s_ hull been struck, and our gunners
declared that we had sent home no less than ten shot, one of which
wounded the enemy’s mizzenmast, within six feet of the deck, so badly
that it fell ten minutes later, while another carried away all the
spars above the mainmasthead.
During this time the wind had lulled until it was no more than a full
sailing breeze, but the sea was yet running mountains high.
No blood had been spilled aboard our craft after the first successful
shot, and even while the engagement was on had the sailors cared for
the bodies of their two dead messmates.
Well, the prize was ours, providing we could board her, and I came out
of the fever of excitement nervous and trembling, as if having lived
four and twenty hours under the very shadow of the death angel’s wings.
The _America_ was hove to, for it would be useless to think of boarding
the stranger while the sea was so high, and until the next morning we
lay close by the prize.
Meanwhile, Simon and I, aided by two of the sailors, kept watch over
the prisoners.
During all this time we had had no opportunity to speak with the
captain, and, in fact, made no especial effort to do so.
The chance would come later without our seeming to court it, and
meanwhile four armed men should be able to prevent that single
Britisher, who lurked somewhere in the hold, from doing us a mischief.
The prisoners remained in the brig, apparently unable to escape from
such close quarters, and, despite all our efforts, neither my comrade
nor I could discover in what way one of them had gotten free.
The capture of the ship was a godsend to us at that time, for, with
such a prize before them, the men who had been on the verge of
mutiny could not well insist that the omens had been for evil, and
it was, during this night at least, as if they had forgotten all the
disagreeable and mysterious events.
At daybreak next morning, Simon and I, having taken turns at sleeping
during the night, went on deck. Before us, not more than two miles
away, lay the captured ship.
The sea was yet boisterous, but not to such an extent as would prevent
our taking possession of the stranger, and already were the boats
afloat.
We came soon to learn that our prize was the _Ralph Nickerson_, of and
for London from Quebec, laden with lumber, and carrying eight guns with
a strong crew.
Her burthen was full twenty tons more than ours, and a finer craft
could not be found outside the United States.
“If it so be that we succeed in carryin’ her to port, there’s fifty or
sixty thousand dollars’ worth of prize-money, my boys!” one of the men
said to his companions, as a group of old shellbacks stood amidships
watching our boats pulling toward the Britisher. “Sixty thousand
dollars added to what we’ve already taken won’t be small pickin’s for
any of us.”
“We’ll hope to have more of the same kind of omens,” Mr. Fernald, who
chanced to pass in time to hear the remark, cried, cheerily. “You who
have been persuading yourselves that we were bound straight for Davy
Jones’s locker must feel rather small this morning. The cruise isn’t
ended yet, and we’ll put that ship into Salem, or I’m a Dutchman!”
“That’s all very well, sir,” one of the older men replied; “but what
about the ghost that can talk?”
“It strikes me that he’s a liar,” Mr. Fernald said, laughingly.
“Or else he’s out of his latitude when he attempts to predict for
sailormen. Suppose we had heeded whatever it was that tried to frighten
us, and put about for home? It would have been the same as throwin’
away fifty thousand good dollars.”
The majority of the sailors on deck began to look foolish, realising
how groundless had been their fears, and it was left for Joshua Seabury
to revive the superstitions which had been temporarily driven away by
the smell of burning powder.
“We are not out of the woods yet,” he cried. “No one can say with
certainty that we’ll carry yonder ship into port, and who knows how
soon we’ll be layin’ under the lee of a British frigate, waiting for
them to board us?”
“You should hide your head in shame, Joshua Seabury!” Mr. Fernald said,
angrily. “A man like you, counted as being the best gunner on the
Massachusetts coast, one who fought with credit at Tripoli, to give way
like a baby because some one of your messmates played a foolish trick!”
Having said this, the officer turned on his heel, as if regretting that
he had stopped to bandy words with the men, and went aft, Simon and I
following with the hope that we might find an opportunity of speaking
to Captain Ropes.
He was standing near the wheel, glass in hand, watching the movements
of the boats, and no one checked us as we went toward him.