MORE CRUISING.
Requested to act as first lieutenant, but refuses—Description of
officers—A fruitless search for a Spanish treasure ship—Run on a
coral reef, but float off again—A tropical thunderstorm—A futile
attempt to cut out three schooners off Matanzas—Author becomes
first lieutenant—Return to Port Royal—The incriminating papers of
an American sloop found in a shark—Seize a French ship in ballast
off St. Domingo.
On introducing myself to my new captain, who was a short, corpulent,
open-countenanced man, he informed me he had conversed with my former
captain respecting me. “We lost both the lieutenants by the yellow fever
the latter part of last cruise,” said he, “and if you like to be first
lieutenant, I will request the Admiralty to give me an acting officer.” I
thanked him for his good opinion, but begged leave to decline being first.
About a fortnight afterwards, during which time no other lieutenant had
joined, the captain again asked me if I had altered my mind. “And,” added
he, “the time you have been on board has given you some insight respecting
a first lieutenant’s duty. Your early rising I much approve, and your
regularity with the duty pleases me. Let me write for an acting
lieutenant.” I made him due acknowledgments but still declined, pleading
the want of experience. “Well,” said he, “if you will not, I must ask for
a senior officer,” and soon afterwards he was appointed. Another fortnight
expired, when we sailed for the Gulf of Mexico. I will now rest on my oars
a little, and as I have the watch below, I will amuse myself by sketching
the outline of the gun-room inmates.
The first lieutenant knew his duty, but was too fond of the contents of
his case-bottles of rum, which made him at times very irritable and hasty;
in other respects he was a sociable messmate. The second was a kind of
nondescript; he was certainly sober, and I hope honest, fond of adventure,
and always volunteered when the boats were sent on any expedition. He was
sociable, and frequently rational, although too often sanguine where hope
was almost hopeless. Three-and-twenty summers had passed over his head,
but still there was much to correct. He was generous and open-hearted, and
never could keep a secret, which often got him into a scrape with ladies
of all colours. The value of money never entered his head, and when he
received a cool hundred, he spent it coolly, but not without heartfelt
enjoyment. The master comes next. He was a little, natty man; we presumed
he had been rolled down Deal beach in his infancy, where pebbles without
number must have come in rude contact with his face, for it was cruelly
marred. He had made some trips in the East India Service, which had given
him an air of consequence. He was not more than twenty-four years of age,
and certainly clever in his profession. I will now bring forward the
doctor, who appeared to doctor everybody but himself. He was every inch a
son of Erin, could be agreeable or the reverse as the fit seized him, fond
of argument, fond of rum, and sometimes fond of fighting. To see him put
his hand to his mouth was painful; it was so tremulous that half the
contents of what he eat or drank fell from it, yet he was never tipsy,
although the contents of three bottles of port wine found their way very
glibly down his throat at a sitting.
Now I will have a dead-set at the purser, who was generally purseless. He
was the gayest of the gay, very tall, very expensive, and always in love.
The first fiddle of the mess and caterer, fond of going on a boat
expedition, very fond of prize-money, and as fond of getting rid of it. He
used to say, “It was a terrible mistake making me a purser. I shall never
be able to clear my accounts,” and this was literally the case. Some years
afterwards he was appointed to a large frigate, but by the irregularity of
his conduct, although his captain was his friend, he was by a
court-martial dismissed the Service. When I heard this I was much
concerned, as there were some good points about him. I have now handed up
all the gun-room officers. Other characters in the ship I shall not
describe; some were good, some bad, and some indifferent, but I am happy
to remark the first-named preponderated. We made the Grand Cayman, and
sent a cutter to the shore to purchase turtle and fruit. In about an hour
and a half she came off with three turtle, some yams, plantains,
cocoa-nuts, and a few half-starved fowls. I had cautioned the purser not
to buy any grunters, as those poor animals blown out with water we had
purchased from these honest islanders in days of yore, were still fresh in
my memory.
The same evening we made Cape Antonio, and cruised between that cape and
the Loggerhead Keys for some days without seeing anything but two American
vessels from New Orleans. One of them gave us notice of a Mexican armed
zebec ready to sail with treasure from Mexico for the Havannah. This news
elated us. We were all lynx-eyed and on the alert. The youngsters were
constantly at the masthead with glasses, in the sanguine hope of being the
first to announce such good fortune. Alas! we cruised from the mouth of
the Mississippi to the Bay of Campechy for five long weeks, at the period
of which we saw a vessel we made certain was that which was to make our
fortunes, and our heads were filled with keeping our kittereens and having
famous champagne dinners at Spanish Town. After a chase of seven hours, we
came up with her, but judge of our chagrin! She was the same rig as the
American captain described. I was sent on board her, and expected to have
returned with the boat laden with ingots, bars of gold and silver cobs.
Oh, mortification! not easily to be effaced! On examining her, she proved,
with the exception of four barrels of quicksilver, to have no cargo of any
value. I really was so disappointed that I was ashamed to return on board,
and when I did, and made my report, there was a complete metamorphosis of
faces. Those that were naturally short became a fathom in length, and
those that were long frightful to behold. The order was given to burn her
and take out the seven Spaniards who composed her crew. On interrogating
the patroon, or master, of her, he informed us that the vessel with the
precious metal had sailed from Mexico two months before, and had arrived
at the Havannah. The Yankee captain who had given us this false
information, and made us for five weeks _poissons d’Avril_, was remembered
in our prayers; whether they ascended or descended is a problem unsolved.
We remained in the Gulf of Mexico jogging backwards and forwards, like an
armadillo in an enclosure, for ten days longer, and then shaped our course
for the coast of Cuba, looked into the Havannah, saw nothing which
appeared ready for sailing, and made all sail for the Florida shore. The
following morning it was very foggy, when about noon we had the felicity
of finding that the ship had, without notice, placed herself very
comfortably on a coral reef, where she rested as composedly as grandmamma
in her large armchair. We lost no time in getting the boats and an anchor
out in the direction from whence we came. Fortunately it was nearly calm,
otherwise the ship must have been wrecked. The process of getting her off
was much longer than that of getting her on. The mids, I understood,
declared she was tired of the cruise and wished to rest. In the afternoon
it became clear, when we saw an armed schooner close to us, which hoisted
English colours and sent a boat to us. The captain of her came on board
and informed us that his vessel was a Nassau privateer, and he tendered
all the assistance in his power to get us afloat. As the ship appeared
disinclined to detach herself from her resting-place, we sent most of the
shot and some of the stores on board this vessel, when we began to lift,
and in a short time she was again afloat, and as she did not make water we
presumed her bottom was not injured. On examining the chart, we found it
was the Carisford reef that had so abruptly checked the progress of His
Majesty’s ship. Nothing dismayed, we cruised for a week between Capes
Sable and Florida, until we were one night overtaken by a most tremendous
thunderstorm, which split the fore and maintop-sails, carried away the
jib-boom and maintop-sail yard, struck two of the men blind, and shook the
ship fore and aft. It continued with unabated rage until daylight. We soon
replaced the torn sails and got another yard across and jib-boom out.
The following day we were joined by a frigate, and proceeded off the Bay
of Matanzas. Towards evening we perceived three dark-looking schooners
enter the bay. As it was nearly calm, we manned and armed four boats, two
from the frigate, under the direction of her first lieutenant and my
senior officer, and two from our ship, under my orders. We muffled our
oars and pulled quietly in. The night was very dark and the navigation
difficult, owing to the numerous coral reefs and small mangrove islands.
At length we discovered them anchored in a triangle to support each other.
We gave way for the largest, and when within about half pistol-shot they
opened their fire on us. Two of the boats were struck and my commanding
officer knocked overboard, but he was soon afterwards picked up, and,
except a slight wound in the knee, unhurt. We persevered and got alongside
the one we had singled out. She received us as warmly as if she had known
us for years. I took the liberty of shooting a man in her main rigging who
was inclined to do me the same kind office, had I not saved him the
trouble. We attempted cutting away her boarding netting, and in so doing
three men were severely wounded. Her decks appeared well filled with men:
some of their voices were, I am certain, English. After a struggle of some
minutes, in which one of the boats had not joined, my senior officer, who
had five of his men wounded, ordered the boats to pull off. Shall I say I
was disappointed? I most assuredly was, and my boat’s crew murmured. I
desired them to be silent. The boat which had lost her way now came up,
and received a broadside from the vessel we were retreating from, which
almost sank her, and killed and wounded four of her crew. The order was
again given to pull off as fast as possible. As the senior officer neared
me in his boat, I asked him, as we had found the large schooner so strong,
if it were not desirable to attempt the others. His answer was yes, were
they not so well armed and so close to each other. “But,” said he, “it is
my orders that the boats repair on board their own ships, as my wounded
men are dying, and I am suffering the devil’s own torments.” “So much for
a broken-down expedition,” thinks I to myself. “If the bull had not been
taken by the horns, something might have been effected.”
On joining my ship I reported the wounded men, who were sent to their
hammocks, after having been dressed by the doctor, who declared their
wounds, though severe, not to be serious. “Well,” said the captain, “what
have you done?” “Worse than nothing,” replied I. “I never was on so sorry
or so badly planned an expedition. The enemy’s armed vessels were on the
alert, whilst we were half asleep, and they were anchored so close under
the land that we were nearly on the broadside of the largest before we
perceived her, and she gave it us most handsomely, and I give her credit
for her spirited conduct.” “You are a generous enemy,” said my skipper.
“Not at all,” returned I; “it is my opinion that the man who commands that
vessel, who has given us such a good trimming, deserves well of his
country.” I then made him acquainted with all the particulars. “My opinion
of the officer who had the management of this boat affair has been
hitherto favourable,” said the captain. “He is certainly a young man, but
his captain is perfectly satisfied with his method of carrying on the duty
in the ship.” “Yes,” said I; “but ship duty and boat duty are different.”
Here the conversation, which was irksome to my feelings, terminated. A few
days floated away, when the first lieutenant had a dispute with the
captain, and he was suspended from his duty. I was sent for into the
cabin, when the captain told me he was happy in the opportunity of again
offering me the situation of first lieutenant. “For,” added he, “Mr. G.
and I shall never accord after what has happened, and if he does not
effect an exchange with a junior officer to yourself, I will try him by a
court-martial.”
Two weeks more finished our unsuccessful cruise. We bore up for the
Florida Stream, ran through the Turks’ Island passage, made St. Domingo
and Cuba, passed over the Pismire shoal of the N.E. end of Jamaica, and
anchored at Port Royal. The morning following we received letters from
England. I must here relate an incident which was most feelingly trying to
one of the youngsters. He had, among others, received a letter from his
mother, and to be more retired had gone abaft the mizzen-mast to read it.
The sea-breeze was blowing fresh, when, just as he had opened it and read
the first words, it blew from his hands overboard. Poor little fellow! The
agonised look he gave as it fell into the water is far beyond description.
He was inclined to spring after it. Had he known how to swim he would not
have hesitated a moment. Unfortunately all the boats were on duty, or it
might have been recovered. Mr. G., the first lieutenant, effected his
exchange, and a fine young man joined as second. I was now positively
fixed as first. I was invited to dignity balls without number, and had
partners as blooming as Munster potatoes.
My servant was of a shining jet colour, and a fiddler. I took lodgings on
shore, and after the duty of the day was performed, about half after six
o’clock in the evening, I went to my _château_, taking with me Black
George and his fiddle, where my shipmates and a few friends of all colours
amused themselves with an innocent hop and sangaree, for I had now grown
too fine to admit the introduction of vulgar grog. Even the smell of it
would have occasioned the ladies to blush like a blue tulip. After amusing
ourselves on shore and performing our duty on board, we were ready for sea
the fifth week after our arrival, and on the sixth we sailed for the south
side of St. Domingo. We had been cruising a few days off the port of
Jacmel, when the _Nimrod_ cutter and the _Abergavenny’s_ tender joined us.
The lieutenants of both vessels came on board, and related the following
fact in my hearing:—The former vessel had detained an honest trading
Yankee brig on suspicion, and had sent her to Jamaica to be examined. The
latter vessel caught a large shark the morning after, and found in its maw
the false papers of this said American brig, which she had thrown
overboard when the _Nimrod_ chased her.
“Will you oblige me by a relation of the circumstance?” said our skipper
to Whiley, who commanded the cutter. “It happened in the following manner:
I had information of this Charlestown vessel before I left Port Royal, and
I was determined to look keenly after her. I had been off the Mosquito
shore, where I understood she was bound with gunpowder and small arms. At
length I fell in with her, but could not find any other papers than those
which were regular, nor any powder or firearms; but as I had good
information respecting her, I was determined to detain her, even if I
burnt my fingers by so doing. The morning after I sent her for Jamaica I
fell in with Lieutenant Fitton, who hailed me, and begged me to go on
board him. When I got on the quarter-deck of the tender I saw several
large sheets of paper spread out on the companion.
“‘Hulloa!’ said I; ‘Fitton, what have you here?’ ‘Why,’ said he, ‘I have a
very curious story to relate; for that reason I wished you to come on
board me. This morning we caught a shark, and, singular to tell you, on
cutting him up we found those papers (which you see drying) in his maw. He
must have been preciously hard set, poor fellow. I have examined them, and
find they belong to the _Nancy_, of Charlestown.’ ‘The _Nancy_, of
Charlestown,’ said I. ‘That is the very brig I have sent to Jamaica.’
‘Well, then,’ said Fitton, ‘they are yours, and I congratulate you on the
discovery and your good fortune.’” “This is singularly remarkable,” said
our captain; “I hope you have taken care of the jaw of the shark. It must
be sent to the Vice-Court of Admiralty at Jamaica as a memento of the
fact, and a remembrancer to all Yankee captains who are inclined to be
dishonest.” “A good hint,” said Fitton; “it shall be done, sir.” And it
was done, as I well recollect its being suspended over where the American
masters of detained vessels stood when they desired to make oath.
In the evening these gentlemen, after having dined on board us, repaired
to their respective vessels, and we soon after parted company. The
following day we anchored off the Isle de Vâche, near Port au Paix, St.
Domingo, and sent the two cutters in shore on a cruise of speculation,
under my orders. On quitting the ship we all blacked our faces with burnt
cork and tied coloured handkerchiefs round our heads, in order to deceive
the fishing canoes. On nearing the shore we discovered a schooner sailing
along close to the beach. In a short time afterwards we boarded her, and
found she was a French vessel in ballast from Port au Paix, bound to
Jacmel. She was quite new, and not more than fifty tons burden. We took
possession of her, but unfortunately, when we were in the act of securing
the prisoners, the enemy fired at us from the shore. We had three men
severely wounded and the schooner’s crew one. We lost no time in getting
the boats ahead to tow her off, and although the enemy’s fire was
frequent, it did no further mischief. On nearing the Isle de Vâche we
found the ship gone, and, notwithstanding we were without a compass, I was
determined to bear up before the sea-breeze for Jamaica. Fortunately we
fell in with the _A._ frigate, who took out the wounded men, and wished me
to burn the prize. This proposal I rejected. The following evening we
reached Port Royal, and I sold her for £140. In a fortnight afterwards the
ship arrived. On joining her the captain informed me that three hours
after we had quitted her two vessels hove in sight, and as they looked
suspicious he got under weigh and chased, with the intention of again
returning to his anchorage after having made them out. This he was not
able to effect, as in point of sailing they were far superior to the
_Volage_, and after a useless chase of a night and a day, they got into
the port of St. Domingo. The ship regained the anchorage the day
afterwards, and fired guns, hoping we were on the island; but after an
interval of some hours, without seeing the boats, the captain despatched
an officer with a flag of truce to Port au Paix, thinking it likely we had
been in want of provisions, or overpowered by gunboats. The officer
returned with the information of our having been on the coast, but that we
had not been seen for two days. The ship again put to sea, and after a
short cruise came to Port Royal, where happily they found us.