Her Majesty's frigate _Dugong_ was fitting with all despatch for sea at
Portsmouth; so was her Majesty's brig-of-war _Blenny_, just commissioned
by Commander Hemming, well-known, as the papers stated, for his
gallantry on the coast of Africa, and on every occasion when he had an
opportunity of displaying it. The papers spoke truly, and well had our
old friend won his present rank. Both the frigate and the brig were
destined, it was supposed, for the China seas; but this was not known to
a certainty. The _Dugong_ had been commissioned by Captain Grant, Alick
Murray's old commander in the _Archer_, who had some short time before
received his post rank. Captain Lascelles, with whom the three
midshipmen first went to sea, commanded at this time a line-of-battle
ship on the Indian station.
Who has not heard of the _Blue Posts_ at Portsmouth, to be found not far
from the landing-place known as the Point, now sadly encroached on by
new batteries and a broad wooden pier?
One afternoon, at the time of which I am speaking, a cab stopped at the
door of that well-known inn, with a portmanteau outside, and a
cocked-hat case, a sword, a gun-case, and several other articles,
including a young naval officer inside. He nodded smilingly to the
waiter and boots, who came to get out his things, as to old
acquaintances, and then, having paid the cabman, entered the inn. No
sooner had he put his head into the coffee-room, than another young
officer, in the uniform of a mate or passed midshipman, jumped up, and,
seizing him by the hand, exclaimed--
"I am delighted to see you, my dear Jack. You've come to join the
_Dugong_, I hope."
"If you belong to her, Adair, I wish I was," answered Jack Rogers, for
he was the new-comer. "But I am not. The fact is, Hemming has got
command of the _Blenny_, and I applied and got appointed to her. It
can't be helped now. Any news of Murray? He wrote me word, some little
time ago, that he expected to get appointed to a ship. I wish that I
could have had him with me; but we three have been on the same station,
and mostly together all our lives, and we can scarcely expect the same
good fortune to continue."
"We tried to keep together, and we succeeded," answered Adair. "There's
nothing like trying, in my opinion."
"You are right there, old fellow; there isn't a doubt of it," exclaimed
Jack Rogers, who had been a little out of spirits, and inclined to take
a somewhat gloomy view of affairs in general.
No wonder, for he had just left as happy a home as any to be found in
Old England. It was a cold March day too, and he was chilled with his
journey. He took off his great coat, which, with his other things,
Boots carried to his room, and then the two old messmates sat down
before the fire. They had been talking on for some time while their
dinner was getting ready, when Adair observed a young man sitting at a
table a little way off, narrowly observing them. Terence looked at him
in return.
"Do you know, Jack, I do verily believe that there sits no other than
Bully Pigeon," he whispered. "What can he be doing down here?"
The stranger, seeing them looking at him, got up, and approaching them
with his hand extended, said--
"What, do I see some old friends? Rogers! Adair! Very glad to see
you. How de do? How de do? You remember me, surely. I'm Pigeon."
Thus addressed, it would not have been in the nature of either of the
two midshipmen to have refused to shake hands with their old
schoolfellow, bully though he had been. They invited him to join them;
and when they had dined they all three sat over their wine together,
talking merrily of former days.
"I'm going out to China in the diplomatic line," observed Pigeon, in his
old tone. "I have a notion that I shall be able to manage the
Celestials. There are few people who can deceive me."
These, and a few other similar remarks, showed that Pigeon in one
respect was little changed from what he had been in his early days.
When or how he was going out to China he did not say.
They had been chatting away for some time when another cab rattled up to
the inn, and presently at the door of the coffee-room who should appear,
to the delight of Rogers and Adair, but Murray himself. They dragged
him into the room, each eager to know what ship he was come to join.
Paddy gave a shout of delight when he heard that he was appointed to the
_Dugong_. He told them besides that she was certainly under orders for
China, to sail as soon as ready for sea, and that the _Blenny_ was also
to be sent there.
The old schoolfellows, as may be supposed, passed a very pleasant
evening, their pleasure being heightened with the anticipation of being
together in whatever work they might be engaged. Even Bully Pigeon was
sufferable (as Paddy observed), if he was not altogether agreeable. He
had a number of strange adventures to narrate, of which he was the hero.
Although his accounts were not implicitly believed, it was agreed that,
at all events, they were possible, which was somewhat in his favour.
Two weeks after this, her Majesty's ships _Dugong_ and _Blenny_ were
gliding under all sail across the Bay of Biscay.
"The frigate looks something like a dowager with her small daughter
following in her wake, sir," observed Jack, glancing his eye from the
brig to her big consort, as he walked the deck with his captain.
"We must try and make the little daughter win a name for herself out
among the Celestials," said Captain Hemming in return.
"That we will, sir, if we get the chance," answered Jack.
"Ay, Rogers, but we must make the chance," remarked his captain with
emphasis.
"So we will, sir," said Jack warmly. "There is not a man on board
who'll not be glad of it."
Captain Hemming had a sincere regard and respect for Jack, as Jack had
for him. They had both seen each other well tried and never found
wanting, and they could thus converse frankly and without reserve.
Neither Hemming nor Jack were people to talk without fully intending to
perform. Indeed, those who knew them felt sure that when dash or cool
courage, or perseverance and intelligence, were especially required,
they would show that they possessed them all. Jack liked his ship and
most of his brother officers, as well as his captain, and was a general
favourite with them. He had brought two companions, Adair's old African
follower, Queerface, which he had given to Jack; and a fine Newfoundland
dog, Sancho by name. Jack had intended leaving Queerface at home, as
Paddy remarked, to remind his brothers and sisters of him. The
compliment was somewhat doubtful. But the monkey had played so many
curious tricks, and had committed so much mischief, that no one would
undertake the charge of him; and therefore, like a bad boy, he was sent
off to sea again in disgrace. As was natural, Sancho and Queerface
became very intimate, though not at the same time perfectly friendly.
Each, it appeared, was striving for the mastery. Queerface, monkey
though he was, gained the day; and one of his great amusements was to
mount Sancho's back, and to make him run round and round the deck with
him, whipping him on and chattering away all the time most vociferously,
to the great amusement of the seamen, if not always to that of the first
lieutenant.
Jack had another charge to look after, a young midshipman, Harry Bevan
by name, who had been especially committed to his charge. The little
fellow had been a petted somewhat spoilt child, an only son, yet go to
sea he would; and his parents never had refused him anything, so they
let him have his will, though it almost broke their hearts. Jack
promised to take the best care of him he could. Harry was not exactly a
pickle, but he had very little notion of taking care of himself; so Jack
had quite enough to do to look after him, in addition to Queerface and
Sancho. Harry and Sancho were very great friends, but Queerface
evidently looked upon him as a rival in his master's affections, and
bore him no good-will. This feeling of the monkey was increased by the
tricks which the young midshipman played him whenever he had the
opportunity. At last he was never able to approach Queerface without a
rope in his hand, which he held behind his back, or doubled up in his
pocket. The monkey, in the most sagacious way, would skip about till he
had ascertained whether the weapon was there or not. If it was there,
as soon as he caught sight of it, he would spring up into the rigging
and sit on a ratline, as quiet and demure as a judge, without attempting
to retaliate.
On board the frigate there was little to interrupt the usual routine.
Murray had carried one of his parrots with him, and the sagacious bird
afforded almost as much amusement as did Bully Pigeon, who soon showed
that he was very little altered from what he had been in his youth. He
could not bully, but he could give abundant evidence of being still an
arrant donkey. Pigeon now called himself a philosopher, and used to be
very fond of broaching his philosophical principles, as he denominated
his nonsense. One day, when dining in the gun-room, he began as usual.
As he drank his wine he grew bolder and bolder in his assertions. At
last he declared that he did not believe that there was a place of
punishment after death. He had taken it into his head that the surgeon
would side with him.
"I'm sure, doctor, a sensible man like you will not assert that such is
a fact?" he continued. "What use would there be in it?"
"I'll tell you what, ma laddie, there's one vary good use it will be put
to, and that will be to stow away all such vicious, ignorant donkeys as
you are," answered the doctor with great emphasis and deliberation.
Pigeon was no way disconcerted at this somewhat powerful rebuke, but
continued as before. Indeed, nothing is so difficult as to make a
conceited fool cease from talking folly. At last the first lieutenant
struck his fist on the table with a force which made all the glasses
ring, as he exclaimed--
"I'll tell you what, Mr Pigeon. This ship belongs to a Christian
Queen, and while I'm the senior officer present I'll not allow you to
sneer against religion, or a word to be spoken which her gracious
Majesty would not approve of. Now, sir, hold your tongue, or I'll
report your conduct, and have you put under arrest."
The diplomatist, though looking very silly, began again, but another
loud rap on the table silenced him. It did not, however, silence
Murray's parrot, who had found its way, as it often did, into the cabin,
and the moment the voices ceased Polly set up such a roar of laughter,
that Pigeon fancied that she was laughing at him. The silly fellow's
rage knew no bounds. There was, however, nothing else on which he dared
to vent it, except on the loquacious bird. A bottle of port wine stood
near. He seized it by the neck to throw it at Polly, who, unconscious
of the coming storm, only chattered the louder. The stopper was out.
As he lifted it above his head, a copious shower of the ruddy juice
descended over his white shirt and waistcoat, and head and face, so
blinding him that he missed his aim, but broke the bottle, while Polly
gave way to louder laughter than ever, in which everybody most
vociferously joined. The wretched Pigeon had to make his escape to his
cabin to change his dress, nor did he venture out again for the rest of
the day, some of the time being passed in listening to the not very
complimentary remarks made upon him and his so-called philosophy. If
anything would have cured him of his folly, that might have done so. He
had some glimmering suspicion that he was wrong, but he had no hearty
desire to be right, and when that is the case a man is certainly in a
bad way.
Day after day the two ships sailed on in sight of each other. The brig
was very fast, and, though so much smaller, could outsail the frigate,
which was not remarkable for speed. Frequently, when they were
together, Polly used to take a flight, to pay her old friend Queerface a
visit, and he always seemed delighted to see her. He exhibited his
pleasure by all sorts of antics, though he could not express what he
felt so fluently with his tongue as she did. At length the Cape of Good
Hope was doubled without the _Flying Dutchman_ having been seen, though
the philosopher Pigeon kept a bright lookout for him. One night he
declared that he saw the phantom bark sailing right up in the wind's
eye, but it was found to be only the _Blenny_ following the frigate
under easy sail with a fair wind astern. Pont de Galle, in the island
of Ceylon, celebrated for the rich spices it exported, and supposed to
be one of the most ancient emporiums of commerce, was visited, and at
last the most modern and yet the largest emporium in the Indian seas,
Singapore, was reached. This wonderful city, which was founded as late
as 1824 by Sir Stamford Raffles, on a spot where, though formerly the
site of a Malay capital, at that time but a few huts stood, is now the
most wealthy and flourishing on the shores of those eastern seas. Here
vessels bring produce and manufactures from all parts of the world,
again to be distributed among all the neighbouring countries. There are
no duties levied of any sort or description, so that people of all
nations are encouraged to come there with their goods. The Chinese
especially flock to the port, and great numbers are settled in the city
and throughout the island, largely contributing by their persevering
industry to its prosperity. Who does not know the look of a Chinese,
with his piggish eyes, thatched-like hat, yellow-brown skin, black tail,
and wide short trousers? The streets swarmed with them, ever busy, ever
toiling to collect dollars, the most industrious people under the sun--
yet the least lovable or attractive. Their houses may be known by the
red lintels of the door-posts covered with curious characters and
designs; while at night the persevering people may be seen still working
away by the light of huge paper lanterns covered with the strangest of
devices. The whole island is not larger than the Isle of Wight, but
already there are a hundred thousand people living on it, collected from
all quarters of the globe. There are numerous very handsome houses in
the town, mostly roofed with red-brick tiles, while the higher spots in
the neighbourhood are chiefly occupied by the villas of the European
merchants and other principal residents. Such was the place before
which her Majesty's ships _Dugong_ and _Blenny_ brought up, outside a
fleet of strange-looking junks, with flags of all colours, devices, and
shapes flying at their mast-heads, while in different part of the
extensive roads were ships belonging to nearly all the countries in the
world, English, American, and Dutch, however, predominating.
Although just then the British and Chinese empires were linked in the
bonds of peace, the ships of war of the former had plenty to do in
keeping in order the numerous hordes of pirates which infested those
seas, and considerably impeded her commerce, plundering her merchantmen,
and cutting the throats of the crews whenever opportunity offered.
The frigate and brig had been at Singapore but a few days when an open
boat under sail was seen entering the harbour. She stood for the
_Blenny_, which was the outer vessel. Jack Rogers, who was doing duty
as officer of the watch, hailed her to know what she wanted. A glance
at the condition of her crew told him more than any words could have
done. Their faces were wan and bloodless, their dresses torn, and
several had their heads and limbs bound up. One man sat at the helm,
and another forward to manage the sail; the rest lay along the thwarts
or at the bottom of the boat, apparently more dead than alive. The boat
came alongside, but no one in her had strength left to climb on board.
Even the man at the helm sank back exhausted as she was made fast. Jack
ordered some slings to be got ready to hoist them up, and then, taking
some brandy and water in a bottle, he leaped down into the boat to
administer it to the poor people. His restorative was only just in
time, for many of them were already almost dead. The surgeon and most
of the officers of the brig were on shore. Jack, therefore, signalled
to the frigate to send a doctor forthwith. Doctor McCan, who had been
appointed to the frigate, accompanied by Murray, soon came on board, and
every possible assistance was given to the famished strangers. After
some time the man who had steered the boat recovered. He said that he
was mate of a ship bound from China to the Australian colonies, and that
when she was about three hundred miles distant from Singapore, she had
been attacked by a fleet of piratical Illanoon prahus, and her captain
and crew had resisted to the utmost, but she was reduced almost to a
wreck, and at night by some accident caught fire. The first mate was
the only surviving officer; the captain and the rest, with many of the
crew, had been killed by the pirates. During the darkness the survivors
made their escape unpursued, though they could see the prahus
approaching the burning wreck soon after they had left her.
As soon as this information was conveyed on shore, the frigate and brig
were ordered to proceed to sea in search of the pirate fleet. No one
was sorry to have work to do, though small amount of glory was to be
obtained in pirate hunting.
"It's our duty, at all events, and that is one comfort," observed Jack
to Adair, who had been lent to the brig in consequence of the illness of
her second lieutenant. Thus two of the old schoolfellows were together.
The squadron, sailing to the northward, cruised in every direction where
they were likely to fall in with the piratical fleets; but though many
traces of them were discovered in ruined villages and stranded vessels,
the crews of which had been murdered or carried off into slavery, the
pirates themselves were nowhere to be seen. At last it occurred to
Captain Grant that in all probability the pirates were receiving
constant information of their movements, and had thus managed to elude
them. He therefore determined to fit out three boats, which would, by
being able to steal along shore, and pull head to wind, be more likely
to come on the pirates unawares.
No sooner was the thought conceived than it was put into execution.
Each boat was fitted with a long gun on the bows, besides swivels at the
sides for closer quarters, and manned with twelve hands armed to the
teeth, besides officers; and in the larger boats two or three extra men.
Rogers and Adair got charge of two of the boats. Murray would gladly
have gone in the third with Mr Cherry, the second lieutenant of the
frigate, who had command of the expedition, but two midshipmen had
already been directed to get ready to go in her, and he did not like to
deprive either of them of the pleasure they anticipated. The boats did
not leave the ships till some two or three hours after dark, that none
of the friends of the pirates might discover what had occurred.
No one expected anything but amusement from the expedition. Nat Cherry,
their leader, was one of the most good-natured, jolly fellows in the
navy, and seldom failed to make everybody under him happy. They could
not bring themselves to believe that a whole fleet of pirate prahus
would ever wait their attack for a moment, they felt almost sure that
directly they appeared the enemy would attempt to escape. Just as Jack
was shoving off from the brig, Queerface, who had been watching his
opportunity, made a spring into the boat, and there was instantly a loud
cry from all on board her, that he might be allowed to remain.
"Oh, he's such a divertin' rogue, he'll keep every mother's son of us as
merry as crickets," sang out an Irish topman, whose own humour generally
proved a source of amusement to all with him.
The request was granted, and Queerface seemed to enjoy the prospect of
the trip as much as his companions. Away pulled the squadron of boats.
When daylight dawned they were coasting along the shore of an island
fringed with cocoa-nut trees, and hills rising in the centre. There
were numerous deep indentations, bays, and gulfs, with bluff cliffs here
here there, and high rocks scattered about, capital spots in which whole
fleets of prahus might lie hid without much chance of being discovered.
The weather was very hot, as it is apt to be within a few miles of the
equator; and when there was no wind, and the sea shone like a burnished
mirror, the sun came down with very considerable force on the top of the
heads of the party in the boats. Still their spirits did not flag.
Jack and Adair, indeed, had been pretty well seasoned to the heat of the
coast of Africa, where, if not greater, it was often far less
supportable.
Mr Cherry led: Jack and Terence followed side by side. A constant fire
of jokes was kept up between the two boats. Queerface evidently thought
that there was something in the wind, and kept jumping about with
unusual activity, keeping apparently as bright a lookout as anybody on
board. Not an inlet was passed unexplored, still not a sign of the
pirates could they discover. On going up one small but deepish river,
they came, close to the banks, on a native village. The inhabitants
must have taken to flight on their approach, for not a human being was
to be seen.
"That looks suspicious," exclaimed Adair. "We ought to burn this
village to teach them better manners."
Mr Cherry fortunately had no such intention. He had an idea that
burning people's houses was not the best way of making friends of them.
"Indeed, it would be a pity to have to destroy so picturesque a place,"
observed Jack Rogers.
The houses were mostly separate, built on piles four or five feet above
the ground. They were of one storey, with a deep verandah or gallery
running round them, a ladder leading up to it. The roofs, which were
high and pointed with deep eaves, were covered with a thick coating of
palm-leaves, and so were the walls, while the floors were made of bamboo
cut in strips and placed nearly an inch apart, being covered with a
thick, beautifully woven mat. They appeared strong, but very springy,
so much so, that when Adair began to dance a polka on one of them, he
very nearly bounded up to the roof. The village was surrounded and
interspersed with cocoa-nut and other palm-trees, and with bananas,
whose dark-green foliage gave effect to lighter tints of the forest.
The thick jungle pressed hard on every side, leaving space only here and
there for some small fields and gardens. Mr Cherry would not allow the
slightest injury to be done to the houses; for though it was suspected
that they belonged to the pirates, no traces of booty were to be
discovered.
After spending some time in examining the locality, they were about to
embark, when a dark visage was seen peering out at them from among the
trees. Instead of making chase to catch him, Mr Cherry stood still and
beckoned to him. This gave the native courage, who, seeing also that no
injury had been done to the village, after a little hesitation advanced.
One of Jack's crew was a Malay, who could speak not only his own
language, but that of many of the surrounding tribes. He had no
difficulty in entering into conversation with the native, who asserted
that his people had taken the British for pirates, and had run away in
consequence. To prove his sincerity, he offered to pilot the boats to
the chief haunts of the pirates. As there was no reason to doubt him,
his offer was accepted. He merely requested time to equip himself for
the expedition. He entered one of the houses, and soon returned with a
couple of creeses stuck in his sash, and a sword by his side, and the
whole party, embarking once more, proceeded on their voyage. Their
volunteer pilot was a merry, talkative fellow. What his real name was
it was difficult to make out exactly, so Jack gave him that of
Hoddidoddi, which it sounded very like, and he at once readily answered
to it.
All that day they sailed on without seeing anything of the pirates.
They began to last to fancy that Hoddidoddi was deceiving them; but he
entreated them not to despair, and promised, by noon the next day at
farthest, to bring them in sight of the marauders. They brought up at
night in a sheltered bay, where the water was as smooth as a mill-pond.
Jack and Adair grew very sentimental as they leaned back in the
stern-sheets of Mr Cherry's boat, where all the officers had collected
to smoke their cigars, and looked up into the dark sky, sprinkled with
stars innumerable. What they said need not be repeated.
"Come, lads, dismount from your Pegasus, and turn in and get a little
sleep," cried their commanding officer; "we've a hard day's work before
us to-morrow, I suspect."
This warning brought their thoughts back to the business in which they
were engaged, and, returning to their respective boats, those not on
watch were very quickly wrapped in what, as Paddy said, "might have been
`soft repose,' if it wasn't that the planks were so mighty hard." They
were awoke before dawn by a summons from Hoddidoddi, who declared that
there was sufficient light for him to pilot them, if they wished to
proceed. The anchors were at once got up, and they pulled away along
shore.
By daylight they came to a broad channel some miles wide. Their pilot
averred that they should find the pirate fleet across it. Away they
dashed. A thin silvery mist hung over the ocean; sufficient, however,
to conceal them from any one on the lookout on the opposite shore. Only
here and there, as they approached, a few palm-trees, rearing their
heads above the mist, showed where the shore itself was.
"If the pirates only happen to be there, we shall catch them to a
certainty," shouted Paddy to Jack, as they pulled rapidly on.
Soon all were ordered to keep silence, and Hoddidoddi was seen to be
indulging in a variety of curious and somewhat violent gesticulations.
Just then appeared the masts and yards of a whole fleet of Illanoon
prahus. There could be no doubt that they were the pirates. Mr Cherry
had no necessity to order his followers to give way. The seamen laid
their backs to the oars, and made the boats fly hissing through the
water. They thought that they should take the enemy by surprise; but
the sound of tom-toms beating, pistols being fired, and loud shouts
showed them that the pirates were not asleep, and that they themselves
had been heard, if not seen. Just then a puff of wind blew aside the
mist, and exhibited some twenty prahus or more drawn up in order of
battle, and ready to receive them. A larger body than they were might
have hesitated about attacking; still it did not enter the head of their
gallant leader that it would be possible to retreat. He ordered Jack to
attack on one wing and Adair on the other, while he pulled for the
centre of the fleet, firing his long gun as he did so. The pirates were
evidently astonished at this bold proceeding, and at the way the shots
pitched into them. Probably they thought that the boats they saw were
only the advanced guard, and that a much stronger force was following.
First one and then another cut their cables, and, getting out their long
sweeps, pulled away on either hand. Some four or five stood to the
southward, and Jack in hot haste followed them. Adair pursued nearly
the same number round the north end of the island, while the main body,
with whom Mr Cherry was engaged, showed a disposition to run up a
narrow inlet or channel, which appeared astern of them. Jack cheered on
his men, and they, nothing loth, gave way with a will. Still the
pirates showed that they possessed very fast heels, besides which they
could kick, as the British found to their cost, and several shots from
their stern guns struck the boat as she got nearer to them. A groan
burst from the lips of one of the seamen. He pulled on; but Jack saw
his hands suddenly let go his oar, and down he sank. Directly
afterwards another poor fellow was hit. This loss considerably lessened
the speed of the boat; some little time also was occupied in placing the
wounded men in the stern-sheets, and in looking to their wounds.