The beautiful frigate looked like a vast cloud of snowy whiteness, as,
with studding-sails alow and aloft, she swept proudly along over the
blue waters of the Mediterranean in chase of the stranger. The latter
had been standing to the eastward; but seeing herself pursued, she also
altered her course, and ran off before the wind towards the land. Night
was coming on, and it was very important to get up with her, near enough
to ascertain her character, to prevent her escaping, should such be her
design, in the dark. Every one was on deck or in the tops, looking out
at the stranger, and those considered themselves fortunate who could
command the use of a spyglass. One person--bully Pigeon--was below, and
he sat quaking on a chest in the orlop deck, where he had been told that
he would be least likely to have his head shot away.
"I am a non-combatant, you know. It would be very wrong in me to expose
my life," he observed with a trembling lip. "If I was one of you, of
course I would do my duty as bravely as anybody; but as I am a civilian,
and am come aboard for my health, I think it is my duty to take care of
myself."
"Oh! of course," was the reply; "so precious a person should run no risk
of losing his valuable life."
"Oh, I wish poor Adair were with us," exclaimed Jack. "He did so wish
to see a real fight; and to have to go out of the world without having
been in one was very trying." Jack spoke just as his feelings for the
moment prompted him, without much consideration, I suspect.
"Do you know, Rogers, that since we escaped in so wonderful a way from
drowning, I have more than once thought that perhaps some of the people
of the _Onyx_ may have been saved," observed Murray. "I do not say that
I have any great hopes on the subject, but still I cannot help thinking
that it is possible."
"I'm afraid not, though; we should have heard of them before now,"
replied Jack. "But if anybody escaped, I would rather it were Paddy
Adair than any one else."
Their conversation was cut short by that rolling sound of a drum which
makes the heart of every true man-of-war's man leap with joy. It
followed the captain's order to the first lieutenant, "Beat to
quarters." What magic was there in the sound of those words! In an
instant every one, from the first lieutenant to the smallest
powder-monkey, was in full activity. Bulkheads were knocked away,
firescreens were put up, the gallery fire was extinguished, the
magazines were opened, powder and shot were handed up, the small-arms
were served out, the men buckled on their cutlasses, and stuck their
pistols in their belts.
Although Captain Lascelles fully believed that he should gain the
victory, he was too good an officer and too wise a man not to take every
possible means to secure it. It was soon evident that the _Racer_ was
coming up hand-over-hand with the chase, and before long it was clearly
made out that she was, at least, a fifty-gun ship. She showed no
colours, and as to her nationality opinions were divided. Some thought
she was French; but then in opposition to this conjecture, it was
asserted that a French fifty-gun ship was not likely to run away from a
frigate, whereas a Turk or an Egyptian was very likely indeed to do so.
The officers on board them were generally very inefficient, while a
total want of discipline prevailed.
"That craft ahead must have a very bad conscience, or she would not be
in such a hurry to get out of our way," observed Jack; "she's a Turk, or
I am a Dutchman."
"So the captain thinks, which is fortunate, or you might have to turn
into a Dutchman, or else break your word," observed Murray.
"I wish that he were a Frenchman. I should so like to have a tussle
with him," said Jack. "Let people talk as they will about liberty,
equality, and fraternity, I agree with my father, that the French never
will like the English till they have taught us to eat frogs, and have
thrashed us on a second field of Waterloo, and I hope that time may
never come."
"I hope not either," said Murray. "But I have no wish to go to war with
France or Frenchmen. If they are bad friends, they are worse enemies,
and not to be despised, depend on that; no people could have fought
better than they did during the last war."
"That is the reason I should like to fight them again," exclaimed Jack.
"What is the use of fighting with people who can't fight?"
Murray laughed at Jack's style of reasoning. He had not arrived at the
conclusion which an older man might have reached, that fighting under
any circumstances is a dreadful business, and that the person who gives
the cause for the fight does a very wicked thing, utterly hateful in the
sight of God. Never let that truth be forgotten.
Darkness was now rapidly coming on. The stranger could just be seen
looming through it. Captain Lascelles felt pretty confident, however,
that he should come up with her before she could make her escape. Night
at last settled completely down over the ocean; still she could be seen,
though very indistinctly. On the two ships flew before the breeze. At
length the master, who had been examining the chart in his cabin, came
up to the captain.
"We are drawing in very near to the coast, sir," said he. "It will be
safer to keep the lead going."
"But where the ship ahead can float so can we," observed Captain
Lascelles.
"She may manage to run in between reefs on which we may strike. Never
let us trust to the leading of an enemy, sir," was the answer.
"You are right, master, you are right!" exclaimed Captain Lascelles, in
a tone of warm approval. "Send a hand with the lead into each of the
chains. We'll run no risk of casting the ship away."
Soon the voices of the leadsmen were heard through the still silence of
night, as the gallant frigate clove her way through the calm waters.
"By the deep nine," sang out one on the starboard side.
"By the mark seven," was soon afterwards heard from the man in the port
chains.
"Quarter less six," was the next shouted out.
"We are shoaling our water rapidly," observed Captain Lascelles to the
first lieutenant. "Stand by to go about."
All eyes had been fixed on the dark mass ahead. Onward it seemed to
glide through the darkness. Every one felt certain that their eyes did
not deceive them. There still appeared, they all believed, the sails of
the stranger, a huge towering pinnacle reaching to the sky. Yet so near
the ground were they that it was dangerous for the frigate, though of
course drawing much less water, to stand on.
"Was she a ship of mortal fabric?" some of the more superstitious among
the seamen began to ask.
As they looked, the tall pyramid seemed to rock, and then suddenly to
dissolve into the air. A sound, at the same time, came from the
southward, as if of breakers dashing on a rocky shore.
"Hands about ship," shouted the captain, with startling energy.
The cry was repeated by the first lieutenant, and quick almost as the
answer of an electric message, the boatswain's whistle uttered the
well-known call along the decks. Round came the ship, and when the eyes
of those on board were turned to the south, not an indication could be
discovered of the ship which had thus far led them in the chase.
"We'll keep her off and on during the night," said the captain to the
first lieutenant.
"At daylight we will stand in, and see what has become of her. There is
little doubt, however, that she has gone on shore. I trust, as there is
not much sea on, that the people will contrive to save themselves."
At this time the Sultan of Turkey was running a great risk of losing the
greater part if not the whole of his dominions. Mehemet Ali was one of
the most remarkable men who have appeared in the East during this
century. Although of the lowest origin and unable to read, having
become a soldier, he raised himself by his talents and intrigues to the
highest rank in the Turkish army. Being sent to Egypt, he deposed the
ruler of that province, and became pacha in his stead. He even showed
that he allowed no sentimental scruples to prevent him from
accomplishing any object on which he had set his heart. Believing that
the Mamelukes might be as troublesome to him as they had often proved to
the Sultan, he invited 500 of them to a feast, and then had all of them
murdered with the exception of one, who escaped by leaping his horse
over a high wall. The idea was simple and very oriental. He might have
made them his friends, but he thought that might be too difficult a
task, so he chose the other alternative. Now Mehemet Ali thought that
it would be much pleasanter to be an independent sovereign than a
tributary to the Porte, so he threw off the Turkish yoke. Then he
thought that he might as well rule over Syria also, and he accordingly
marched his army there and took possession of the country. His ambition
increased with his conquests, and at last he resolved, if he could, to
mount the throne of the caliphs. He was backed up in all his
proceedings by the French, who knew that if he succeeded they might
easily take possession of Egypt on some excuse or other; while the
Russians were well pleased to let him play his game, because they knew
that the Sultan might call them in to his assistance, and thus they
might get hold of Constantinople. The Egyptian army in Syria was
commanded by Ibrahim Pacha, the adopted son of Mehemet Ali. He advanced
his victorious standard to within a short distance of Constantinople;
but then, instead of pushing on and occupying the city, he delayed till
the Russians had reached the shores of the Bosphorus. He in consequence
thought it wiser to enter into a treaty by which he secured the Pachalic
of Syria and Adana as well as that of Egypt for himself and his father.
At first the tribes inhabiting Syria welcomed him as their deliverer,
but they soon found that they had not changed rulers for the better, and
that he fleeced them as much as had the pachas appointed by the Sultan.
They therefore entreated the Sultan to take them under his protection.
He accordingly sent an army to their relief. It was now that England
and Austria thought it time to interfere. Neither of them wished the
Egyptians to succeed, because the Russians would have had an excuse for
interfering. The Russians did not want anybody but themselves to
interfere, but when the English, Austrians, and Prussians came forward,
they were compelled to put a finger into the pie, to counteract the
efforts of the French. The French would gladly have aided the Egyptians
for the sake of gaining a footing in the country, but as they were not
ready for war they thought it wiser to refrain from all open acts of
hostility. The Turkish army advancing sustained a defeat from the
Egyptians, while their fleet, which had been sent to the Dardanelles,
sailed for Alexandria, and joined that of Mehemet Ali.
The four powers accordingly entered into an agreement to make him
withdraw his army from Syria, and offering him the ultimatum of the
hereditary sovereignty of Egypt and the possession during his life of
Saint Jean d'Acre. If he refused, he was to have only the government of
Egypt, and the four powers were to compel him by force to accept this
arrangement. The sturdy old pacha, however, backed by France, resolved
to hold out. A British squadron was therefore sent to blockade the
ports of Egypt and Syria, with a few Austrian and Turkish ships, Russia
undertaking not to take possession of Constantinople. The French had
not been consulted in the matter, and had they felt themselves
sufficiently strong, there is little doubt that they would have
supported Mehemet Ali, at the expense of a war with England. Thus much
was at the time known to Captain Lascelles. Much circumspection was
therefore required, for it was difficult to understand who were friends
and who foes. The French commanders might have received secret orders
to attack the English after a certain day; the Egyptians might at any
moment do so, if they felt themselves strong enough to be assured of
victory; while it was more than probable that any Turkish ships might
have gone over to the Egyptians, and have thus become enemies. Few of
the officers turned in that night; they were all anxious to ascertain
who the stranger was, and what could possibly have become of him.
Captain Lascelles took the frigate in as close as he could venture, and
though each time every eye on board was turned eagerly towards the
shore, not a sign of a ship could be discovered. At length daylight
dawned, and a white sandy shore was seen, with bare dark rocky heights
rising behind it. "There she is! there she is!" broke from many voices
as all the glasses on board were directed towards the shore. There lay
stranded the huge black hull of a ship, her masts gone by the board, and
her rigging hanging down in confused masses on either side, while the
white surf dashed up around her. What had become of the people it was
impossible at that distance to say. Captain Lascelles, who was on deck,
ordered the ship to be hove-to.
"I wonder what is next to be done," said Jack to Murray; "I hope if the
boats are ordered away you and I will have to go in them." Very soon
the order was given. "Barge and first and second cutters away!" Jack
and Alick belonged to the two latter. They hurried to get them ready.
The crews were armed, and a three-pounder was placed in the bow of each
boat. Mr Thorn had charge of the expedition. It was not expected that
there would be any fighting, but as a precautionary measure it was
necessary to be armed. No one now supposed that the stranger was
French. There could be little doubt she was either Turkish or Egyptian,
but why she had run on shore it was difficult to say. The idea was that
she had been purposely lost. In high glee at the thoughts of an
adventure, the party shoved off from the frigate. Mr Thorn was
directed to ascertain the character of the ship, and to render
assistance if it was required. A light breeze from the westward enabled
them to stand in under sail towards the shore. As they drew towards the
wreck, they looked anxiously to ascertain her condition. She was on
shore about a quarter of a mile from the beach. All the masts were
gone, some of the guns had been hove overboard, others had their muzzles
still appearing through the ports. Many of the crew were on board, but
a considerable number had made their escape to the shore, their red caps
and petticoat trousers showing that they were either Turks or Egyptians.
As the boats got close up to the ship, the people on board began to
gesticulate furiously, and it seemed with no very friendly intentions.
Of this they gave proof, for they got some smaller guns on the
quarter-deck slewed round, and began firing away at the boats.
Fortunately their gunnery was very bad, or they might have cut them to
pieces. On seeing this, Mr Thorn made a white pocket-handkerchief fast
to a boat-hook, and waved it towards them, but the barbarians seemed to
hold a flag of truce in very little respect, as they continued firing as
before. Just then, Rogers and Murray observed a young officer; he
seemed to rush up from below, and furiously attack the men with his
sword, driving them from the gun. He then leaped upon the taffrail and
waved his hand to them and shouted, but they were too far off to hear
his voice.
"Murray, Murray, who do you think that is?" shouted Jack.
"I know who it is like," answered Murray. "It is like--"
Just at that moment a terrific roar was heard. The entire vast mass of
the wreck seemed to be lifted up bodily into the air. Up, up it went.
Lurid flames and dense volumes of smoke burst forth, and then down came
the huge mass shattered into a thousand fragments; beams, and guns, and
planks, and human bodies, and the various contents of the ship all
mingled together. A cry of horror escaped from the boats' crews when
they saw what had occurred.
"Pull for your lives, my lads," shouted Mr Thorn. "Give way now."
The men, recovering from their amazement, required no second order, but
pulled away as hard as they could from the burning wreck. Happily they
were no nearer, for in an instant afterwards down came burning fragments
of the wreck, covering the sea far and wide, the terrific shower almost
swamping the boats. Although several pieces struck them, no one was
materially injured. The whole occurrence occupied not a minute of time.
The ship, however, continued burning furiously, and the guns in the
forepart of her, which appeared not to have been blown up, as the flames
reached them went rapidly off, one after other, sending their shot
whizzing away on either side.
"Some of the poor fellows may have escaped with their lives, and may be
struggling in the water. Can't we go back and try to pick them up?"
said Jack to Hemming, who commanded his boat.
"A right notion--that we ought, Rogers," answered Hemming, who was too
high-minded even to refuse to take a suggestion offered by a junior.
Hemming made the proposal to Mr Thorn, and back dashed the boats, not a
man in them recollecting even for a moment that the people they were now
so eager to save, had but a few minutes before been most unwarrantably
firing away at them. Jack too had a strange feeling that he knew the
appearance of the young officer who had interposed in their favour, but
still it was too vague to allow him to ground any strong hopes on it.
Murray had, however, conceived the same idea. With what eagerness they
pulled about looking out for their struggling fellow-creatures! First
they hauled on board a stout Turk, who did not appear to be much the
worse for his flight and ducking, except that he was, not unnaturally,
in a dreadful fright. If he had conceived the idea that he had already
entered Paradise, the big-whiskered jolly tars, instead of the houris he
might have expected to welcome him, must quickly have shown him his
mistake. He looked up with a stare of astonishment as he was placed at
the bottom of the boat. Another poor fellow had had his leg almost
blown off, but still he clung on to a piece of plank. Hemming quickly
formed a tourniquet with a handkerchief to stop the bleeding, while a
savage-looking fellow was being hauled in, who even then cast a scowl of
defiance and hatred at his preservers.
"You might as well have said thank you, instead of looking so glum, old
boy," observed one of the men as he placed him alongside his companions.
"There's a young Turk hanging on to a spar away there, and waving to
us," cried Jack, putting the boat's head in the direction he indicated.
"Give way, my lads."
Murray's boat was pulling in the same direction. Jack got up first to
the young Turk, as he called him, and almost tumbled headlong into the
water in helping him on board.
"It is, it is," he shouted; "it is himself! I thought so."
"Who? who?" asked Murray eagerly.
"Paddy Adair?" cried Jack, almost bursting into tears. "It's Paddy
himself."
"Paddy Adair, hurrah! hurrah!" was echoed from all the boats.
"Paddy, my dear boy, where have you come from?" asked Hemming, with
unwonted gentleness in his tone. Jack had got Terence's hand, and would
not let it go.
"The last place I came from was the poop of that Turkish ship which is
burning away there; then I went up into the air, I believe; and lastly,
you have hauled me out of the water; the remainder of my adventures
would take some time to tell, so you had better try and pick up any more
of my shipmates who may still be alive. There were a good lot of us
altogether turned into sky-rockets."
Paddy had not forgotten his habit of joking. The boats altogether
picked up some fifteen or twenty Turks, whom they landed on the beach,
with the exception of those who had been injured, whom in mercy they
conveyed on board the frigate. A considerable number had been drowned
from leaping off the forecastle when the ship was in flames, and being
unable to swim. Altogether a very large number of the crew must have
been lost.
"But, Paddy," said Jack, looking earnestly up in Adair's face, while he
still held his hand, "you haven't really turned into a Turk, have you?"
"Give me a boiled leg of pork, and some pease pudding, and prove me,"
answered Terence, laughing. "No, indeed; these wide nether garments and
this red cap are the chief Turkish things about me, and the latter I
thus gladly cast from me, and as soon as I can get a pair to supply
their place, I'll gladly throw the others after the cap." Paddy as he
spoke hove the fez into the sea with a look of intense satisfaction.
"If you knew what I have gone through, you would not be surprised at my
pleasure of getting rid of everything to remind me of it," he observed.
The boats made the best of their way out to the frigate, to report what
had occurred.
"What have you been about? what has happened?" were the questions
eagerly asked, as they got alongside and handed up the wounded Turks.
"Why, we have been and found Paddy Adair," shouted Jack, unable any
longer to restrain his feelings.
The eager faces of several midshipmen were seen at the gangway, looking
out to ascertain the fact by ocular demonstration.
"It's quite true, Paddy Adair is found, Paddy Adair is found," exclaimed
a dozen voices in joyful tones. The words were taken up, and echoed
along the deck, "Paddy Adair is found; hurrah for Paddy Adair!"
Especially vociferous were his own messmates, who were delighted to get
him back again, and happy at the same time to have an excuse for using
their lungs. The boats were hoisted up, and Paddy, having changed his
wet Turkish costume for a dry midshipman's uniform, was sent for into
the cabin to give an account of his adventures to Captain Lascelles.
He, however, reserved a still more detailed account to give to his
messmates in full conclave assembled in the midshipmen's berth. The
only person on board who had not heard of Adair's arrival was Pigeon.
He had laid down after breakfast on a sofa in the first lieutenant's
cabin, and gone fast asleep. About luncheon-time he awoke, and rubbing
his eyes sat up, and feeling hungry after all the excitement and fright
he had gone through, arose and went into the gun-room. Finding no one
there, he bethought him that he would go and honour the midshipmen with
a visit, and talk of what he would have done if the ship had gone into
action, and his services had actually been required. He was, somewhat
to his surprise, welcomed with a cordiality to which he was not much
accustomed. In a short time the conversation turned to the loss of the
_Onyx_, and to the character of Paddy Adair. One said one thing of him,
and one or two hazarded slightly disparaging observations. The bait
took.
"Oh, he was, I remember, always a foolish dunder-headed Irishman,"
observed Pigeon; "I could thrash a dozen such fellows as he was. No one
thought anything of him at school, I remember."
"Oh, bully Pigeon, oh, bully Pigeon, that you know right well wasn't the
case," exclaimed Paddy, popping his head in at the door of the berth.
Pigeon looked up at hearing the voice, and turning very pale, while his
countenance exhibited a look of intense horror, fell back in a fainting
fit, which afforded an excellent excuse to several of the youngsters for
throwing half a dozen tumblers of water over him. Some of the water was
cold, and some was rather hot, but the effect was the same. He got a
thorough ducking, and after spluttering not a little, and coughing as
the water dashed into his mouth, he quickly recovered his senses. It
was some little time, however, before he could be convinced that Paddy
Adair in _propria persona_ sat before him. Harmony was soon restored,
and Paddy assured him that he did not intend to frighten him so much,
and that he hoped he would forgive him. Never was a happier party
assembled in the berth at dinner than on that occasion. Paddy's health
was drunk, and he was warmly congratulated on his escape and return on
board, even by the seniors of the mess.
"And now, Adair, let us hear all about it," said Hemming, when the cloth
had been removed and the young gentlemen were discussing their walnuts
and wine.
"Why, it is not a very long story," observed Paddy, "for do you see most
of the events took place in a somewhat rapid way, my last skylark
especially. However, you shall hear. We had just got on board the
_Onyx_, and the commander had ordered the boats to be hoisted up, when,
as the men were engaged in the operation, the squall struck her, and
over she went in a moment--not a rope parted, nor a sail, I believe--
just like a nine-pin knocked over by a ball. I was still in the
captain's gig on the weather side. Feeling her going, or rather gone, I
believe it was more from fright or instinct than from any exercise of my
reasoning powers, I seized a couple of oars under my arms, slid
overboard down her bottom, and struck out with all my might away from
the sinking hull. I never struck out so hard in my life, for I felt
that I was swimming for my life. I believe that I gave myself a shove
off with the oars, which helped me rapidly to increase my distance from
the brig. Suddenly I felt myself drawn back, and I thought that I was
going to be sucked under water--so I was for a short time; but I held a
tight grasp of the oars, and once more quickly rose to the surface.
When I looked round there was not a sign of a brig. I shouted, no one
answered. I could see no one floating alive on the spot where the trim
craft had lately glided in all her pride and beauty. I was alone on the
dark troubled sea. The foam dashed in my face, and the waves tumbled me
about terribly, and I thought more than once that I should have to let
go and sink with the rest. I felt very miserable and very sorry that so
many fine fellows had lost their lives, for I was too certain that I
alone had escaped, and then I began to think how grateful I ought to be
that I had been so mercifully preserved. I can't talk about that; but I
wish you fellows to know that I do not think or feel lightly on the
subject, that is all. Night was rapidly coming on, my prospects were
far from pleasant, and somewhat limited too, as I could only just make
out the tumbling seas on either side of me. I felt pretty certain that
the frigate would come back to look after the brig; but scarcely hoped
that such a speck as I was would be seen. Still I determined to keep up
my spirits, and to hang on to the oars as long as I could. Sometimes I
put my legs up over them, and thus I both changed my position and
floated very comfortably. Perhaps an hour had passed after the brig had
gone down--it appeared as if several had elapsed--when I felt a sort of
drowsiness come over me. Suddenly there appeared right over me a big
dark object. I guessed that it was the bow of a vessel. I sang out
with all my might. She was very nearly running me down. As she did not
quite run over me, it was fortunate that she came so close. A rope was
hanging over her side; I found my hands grasping it. It must literally
have been towed over me; I clutched it with all my might, and found
myself hauled up on the deck of a low latine-rigged craft running under
her foresail before the squall. The crew had red caps on, and loose
trousers, and talked a language I could not understand, so I concluded
that they were Turks or Moors, or Egyptians; they were very good-natured
though. They took me below and gave me some arrack, which was very
nasty, and they took off my wet things, and rigged me out in one of
their own suits. When I explained that my ship had gone down, they
understood me perfectly. Next they made me eat some lumps of meat off a
skewer, with some rice and biscuit, and then signified that I might lie
down on a mat in the cabin and go to sleep. I did not awake till
morning. I wanted to put on my own uniform again, but they would not
give it to me, and I began to fear that they were going really to turn
me into a Turk.
"For several days we sailed on. Where we were going to I could not make
out, for they would never let me see their compass. At last we made the
land somewhere on the coast of Syria, I am pretty certain; and, running
in, we found a fifty-gun ship, brought up in a roadstead a couple of
miles off the shore. The _Mistico_ went alongside and stores of all
sorts and provisions were hoisted up out of her, and then without my
leave being asked I found myself transferred, like the rest of the bales
of goods, to her deck. I had not had a particularly pleasant time of it
among the very dirty crew of the _Mistico_, so I thought that I might
have changed for the better. I was much obliged to them, however, for
saving my life; so we parted very good friends, and when the little
craft shoved off, I waved them an affectionate farewell. I soon found
that I had not much improved my condition. The larger the ship, the
greater was the amount of dirt and disorder. No one knew their duty, at
all events no one did it. How they managed to exist a day without being
blown up or foundering, I do not know. They were constantly smoking
with the doors of the magazine open and ammunition scattered about, and
night and day with every prospect of a squall, the lower deck ports were
ever left open. I got hold of some of the officers, and tried to show
them the danger they were running; so they rubbed their caps about their
heads and opened their eyes and tried to look very wise, and followed my
suggestions. But the next day things were as bad as ever. However,
when they found out that I was up to a thing or two, they insisted on
making me an officer. What rank I held I never could tell. I only knew
that everybody obeyed me, and that none of the officers interfered with
my commands. This complaisant conduct did not arise so much from
respect for me, as that they might save themselves trouble. I never met
with men who seemed to hate it so much, from the captain to the youngest
powder-monkey. My great difficulty arose from no one understanding a
word I said, nor could I understand anybody. Still, we got on very well
under ordinary circumstances by signs. At last I happened to go forward
and to utter a few words of English. One of the men forthwith pricked
up his ears.
"`Beg pardon, sir, you'd find an interpreter convenient, I think,' he
said, touching his cap.
"`What, are you not a Turk?' said I.
"`I am not and I am,' he answered; `I have become a Turk.'
"`You are a renegade, in truth,' said I.
"`Your honour has hit it,' he replied.
"I am sorry to say he was an Irishman.
"`But I'm ready to serve a countryman, and I think I can help you at a
pinch.'
"`I shall be much obliged to you,' I answered; and from that time
forward Pat Hoolan became my interpreter and right-hand man.
"He was a great ragamuffin, and I did not trust him more than I could
help; but he was very useful to me, and I believe faithfully interpreted
the orders I issued through him. I learned also from him some of the
politics of the ship. The captain was a great rascal according to our
notions. He cheated the crew of their pay and their rations, and his
government of the stores and provisions, and indeed anything on which he
could lay his hands; while he had been tampered with by some of Mehemet
Ali's emissaries, and was only waiting an opportunity to carry his ship
into Alexandria. Such was the state of affairs when we put to sea. He
had just before found out that his treachery had been discovered, and
that another Turkish ship had been sent in pursuit of him. He tried to
get to Alexandria but could not, so we knocked about running from our
own shadow till you hove in sight. He then did what he had long
resolved to do, ran the ship on shore. He and most of the officers and
some of the men escaped in the boats, leaving me with the remainder to
be blown up as a reward for my services. No thanks to them I escaped,
and that's the end of my story."
Two days after this a brig of war hove in sight. She signalised
"Important news", "The war has begun." The frigate made sail towards
her. The two men-of-war, as they drew near each other, hove-to, and the
commander of the brig came on board the frigate. It was soon known that
the _Racer_ was to join the squadron of Sir Robert Stopford. All sail
was immediately made on both ships, and together they steered a course
for the coast of Syria.