THE ATTACK ON PORT-AU-PRINCE
On mounting to the deck Nat was at once taken to the admiral's cabin.
"So you have been disobeying orders, Lieutenant Glover," he said
gravely.
"I hope not, sir. I am not conscious of disobeying orders."
"I fancy you were directed not to engage more heavily-armed craft than
your own."
"I was, sir, but the circumstances were peculiar."
"I never knew a midshipman or a young lieutenant, Mr. Glover, who did
not find the circumstances peculiar when he wanted to disobey orders.
However," he added with a smile, "let me hear the peculiar
circumstances, then I shall be able to judge how far you were justified.
Give them in full. Have you a written report?"
"Yes, sir, I have brought it with me," Nat said, producing the document.
"Well, lay it down on the table. I don't suppose it is very full, and I
am somewhat curious to hear how you brought in a pirate brigantine and a
recaptured merchantman--so I understood your flags."
Nat related how he had heard the sound of guns on rounding a headland,
and had seen the brigantine lying by the side of the barque she had
evidently just captured; how he drew her off in pursuit of the
schooner, partially crippled her, returned and retook the _Thames_,
released her crew, placed Mr. Turnbull in command, and how, between
them, they had captured the brigantine.
"A very smart action," the admiral said cordially when he had brought
the narrative to a conclusion. "It does you very great credit, and fully
justifies my appointing you to an independent command. What metal does
the brigantine carry?"
"Five guns each side, all twelve-pounders like my own."
"And you have only four?"
"Yes, sir."
"Very good indeed, very good! By the way, do you know any of the
passengers on board the _Thames_ personally? I observed three ladies on
the deck as you came in. I should have thought that they would have had
very much better accommodation on the trader than on board your little
craft."
"Yes, sir; but they were on board the _Arrow_ before our fight with the
brigantine, and although the first mate of the _Thames_ offered them a
state cabin they preferred to stay on board, as it was such a short run
here."
"Who are they, then?"
"They are refugees, sir. I got them out of the hands of the
negroes--three ladies, the husband of the elder one, and seven other
white men."
"Is there any story attached to it, Mr. Glover? Let me see, what do you
say about it in your report?" and he opened it and read aloud:
_I have the honour, sir, to report that, learning there was a
white family in the hands of the negroes, I landed with a party
and brought them off. They consisted of Monsieur and Madame
Pickard and their two daughters, and seven of their white
employees. Casualties--eight seamen wounded, none of them
seriously._
"Then comes the account of the other affair. Now, please give me the
details of this rescue business as minutely as possible."
This Nat did.
"A very risky business, Mr. Glover, though I don't see how you could
have acted in any other way. No British officer, I hope, could have been
deaf to such an appeal; but if those boats had found the schooner when
you all were away, your position would have been well-nigh desperate."
"It would, sir, I quite felt that, but it seemed to me the only possible
thing to do. Of course, if I had known that the boats would have come
early in the evening, I should have remained on board and beat them off
before making a landing, although our chances of success would then have
been much smaller. The party who were to attack in the boats were to
have been composed of men from the plantation. Their comrades would
doubtless have come down to the shore to see us captured, and when they
saw their friends beaten off they would have been on the watch, and not
improbably, in their fury and disappointment, have massacred all the
captives in their hands at once. But I thought it likely that the boats
would not put off before they believed us to be asleep, and that I
should therefore have time to go up to the plantation and fetch the
captives down before they arrived. At any rate, by moving the schooner
close inshore I hoped that the boats might not find her. There was no
moon, and under the shadow of the rock it was next to impossible to see
her, unless a boat happened to pass within a few paces. Having struck
the topmasts, the forest behind on steep ground prevented the masts from
showing above the sky-line. It was, of course, the choice of two evils,
and I took the one that seemed to me to give the greater promise of
success."
"You did excellently, the oldest officer in the service could not have
done better. I shall be obliged if you will write as full and detailed
an account of both affairs as you have given me. I shall send it home
with your official report, and with my own remarks upon them. And now
about the merchantman; she looks a fine barque. What is her tonnage?"
"Six hundred tons, sir. She is a nearly new vessel, and sails fast for a
ship of that kind. Her first mate told me that she has a very valuable
cargo on board, principally, I think, tobacco, sugar, coffee, wax,
copper, mahogany, and cedar from Cuba. Her passengers are all Spanish."
"She seems to be a valuable prize, and as recaptured from the pirates
there will be a handsome sum to be divided, and it is fortunate for you
and your officers that the little craft was commissioned independently,
not as a tender to one of the frigates. As it is, except the flag's
share, it will all fall to yourselves and your crew. How many men have
you lost?"
"None at all, sir; though, as you will see by my report, in the two
affairs the greater part of them received more or less severe wounds.
Mr. Turnbull was somewhat severely wounded, Mr. Lippincott nearly lost
an ear, and I escaped altogether."
"Well, it was your turn, Lieutenant Glover. You have come back three
times more or less severely hurt already. You say that the brigantine is
fast?"
"Yes, sir. She is not so fast as the schooner in a light wind, nor so
weatherly, but in anything like strong winds I have no doubt that she
would overhaul us."
"Was there anything in her hold?"
"There are a good many bales and cases, sir. I have not opened them, but
by their marks they come from three different ships, which she had no
doubt captured and sunk before we fell in with her. I questioned one of
the prisoners, and he told me that it was only a month since she came
out, and he declared that they had not yet chosen any place as their
head-quarters. As others questioned separately told the same story, I
imagine that it was true."
"Where did she hail from?"
"She came from Bordeaux. They said that she had taken out letters of
marque to act as a privateer in case of war breaking out with us, but I
fancy that she was from the first intended for a pirate, for it seems
that she had only forty hands when she started, and picked up the others
at various French ports at which she touched before sailing west. I
should say, from the appearance of her crew, that they are composed of
the sweepings of the ports, for a more villainous set of rascals I never
saw."
"Well, it is fortunate that you should have stopped their career so
soon. She might have given us a great deal of trouble before we laid
hands on her. We have had comparatively quiet times since the _Orpheus_
destroyed that nest of them, and if she had confined her work to
homeward-bound ships it might have been months before we had complaints
from home, and found that there was another of these scourges among the
islands. I shall row around presently, Mr. Glover, and have a look at
your two prizes. When you see my gig coming I shall be obliged if you
will meet me on the deck of the brigantine."
At four o'clock in the afternoon the watch on deck reported that the
admiral's gig was being lowered, and Nat immediately got into his own
boat and was rowed to the brigantine, whose name was the _Agile_. When
the admiral approached, instead of making straight for the accommodation
ladder, he rowed slowly round the vessel, making a very careful
examination of the hull. When he came on deck, he said:
"Except for a few shot that hit her low down, and the general
destruction of her bulwarks, no damage has been done to her."
"No, sir, we aimed high, our great object being to knock away some of
her spars. I don't think that her square sails will be of any use in the
future, they are riddled with balls from our stern-chasers."
"A new gaff and bowsprit, a new suit of sails, new bulwarks, and a few
patches, and she would be as good as ever. What damage have you
suffered?"
"The schooner has half a dozen holes in her bow, sir, and a dozen or so
in her sails, nothing that the dockyard could not set right in a
fortnight."
He then went below. "Excellent accommodation," he said, after going
round, "that is for a fair crew, but she must have been crowded indeed
with eighty men. What should you consider to be a fair crew for her, Mr.
Glover?"
"Twenty men, sir, if she were a simple trader; I should say from
thirty-five to forty would be none too much if she were going to fight
her guns."
"Now we will have a look at your craft. You may as well take a seat in
my gig. Yes," he went on, as he rowed round her as he had done with the
brigantine, "now that the sails are furled she does not seem any the
worse for it, except in the bow and those two holes in the bulwarks."
Monsieur Pickard and the ladies were seated on the deck, and rose as the
admiral came on board.
"Please introduce me to your friends, Mr. Glover."
Nat did so, and the admiral shook hands with them all.
"I think I may congratulate you on your escape from a very terrible
position."
"Yes, indeed," Madame Pickard said. "No words can express the gratitude
we feel to Monsieur Glover, his two officers, and the crew. Our position
seemed hopeless, the most terrible of deaths and the worst of atrocities
stared us in the face."
"I have heard all about it, madame, and consider that Lieutenant Glover
managed the whole business with great discretion as well as bravery. He
has a bad habit of getting into scrapes, but an equally good one of
getting out of them with credit to himself. This is the third time he
has rendered signal services to ladies in distress, and I suppose I
should add that he has in addition saved the lives of the ladies on
board the barque lying astern. If there were a medal for that sort of
thing he would assuredly deserve it. He ought to have been born six or
seven hundred years ago, he would have made a delightful knight-errant.
"What are the ladies like in the other ship, Mr. Glover?"
"I have no idea, sir. I only saw them for a moment when I ran into the
cabin and cut their bonds. I have only seen the gentlemen for a minute
or two when they joined the boarders from the _Thames_ under Mr.
Turnbull, and I was much too busy to notice them."
"Have you not gone on board since?"
"No, sir, I had nothing to go on board for, and I don't speak any
Spanish."
"We tried to persuade him, Monsieur l'Amiral," Valerie said, "but
monsieur is modest, he has never let us thank him yet; and although he
pretended that he only kept ahead of the other two because his ship was
a faster sailer, it was really because he did not wish to be thanked."
"But other people are modest too," the admiral said with a smile. "I
have heard of two young ladies who came on board, and who would not stir
out of their cabins until they had made themselves new dresses."
The two girls both coloured up at the allusion, and Monsieur Pickard
laughed. "Now I will go below, Mr. Glover. She is very small by the side
of the brigantine," he said, as he completed his visit of inspection. "I
am not surprised that the pirates chased you after your impudence in
firing at them, and that they thought they could eat you at a mouthful.
Now, we will pay a visit to the barque."
To Nat's great relief, he found that the passengers had all gone ashore.
It was certain that they would be detained for some little time, as
there would be legal formalities to be gone through, and repairs to be
executed, and additional hands to be obtained; and, all feeling terribly
shaken by the events that had taken place on board, and the loss in some
cases of near relations, they had been glad to land until the ship was
again ready for sea. The mate in charge handed to the admiral the ship's
manifest and papers.
"You have no seriously wounded on board?" the latter asked him. "Because
if so, I should advise you to send them ashore to the hospital at once."
"No, sir. All who fell on the deck were thrown overboard by the pirates
as soon as they obtained possession of the ship. I believe that they
fastened shot to their feet to make them sink at once."
The admiral nodded. "That is likely enough. Dead bodies drifting ashore
might cause inquiries to be made; their intention no doubt was to take
all the most valuable part of the cargo out of the ship, and then to
scuttle her with all on board."
"Are we likely to be detained here long, sir?"
"Not as far as we are concerned. We shall require you to sign in the
presence of a magistrate here a formal document acknowledging that the
vessel was absolutely captured, and in possession of the pirates, and
that she was recaptured by his majesty's schooner the _Arrow_, and to
sign a bond on behalf of the owners to pay the legal proportion of the
value of the ship and cargo to the admiralty prize court in London. You
will, of course, take her home yourself, but I shall send a naval
officer with you, as the ship and its contents remain the property of
government until the charges upon her are acquitted. If we were at war
with France we should retain her here until she could sail under convoy
of a vessel of war homeward-bound, but there is no occasion for doing
that now. I do not suppose that you will find much difficulty in
obtaining mates and enough sailors to make up your complement here.
Scarcely a ship sails from the port without some of her men being left
behind, either as deserters or through having been too drunk to rejoin.
At any rate you had better be careful whom you pick, and if you should
find a difficulty in obtaining men whose discharge-books show that they
have hitherto borne a good character, I should advise you to ship eight
or ten stout negroes. They are good hands at managing their own craft,
and although they might not be of much use aloft, they are as a rule
thoroughly trustworthy fellows, and quite as good for work on deck as
our own men. I will give you an order on the dockyard for any repairs
that you cannot get executed elsewhere. They will of course be charged
for, but need not be paid for here, as they will go down in the account
against the ship."
Fortunately the dockyard was not busy, and the _Agile_ and the _Arrow_
were the next morning taken into dock, and a strong gang of men at once
set to work upon them. Three days later a signal was made for Nat to go
on board the flagship.
"I have received the report from the dockyard people, Mr. Glover," the
admiral said. "They confirm our opinion that the _Agile_ has not
suffered any serious damage; that she is a new and well-built vessel,
and well fitted for our service, and she will therefore be retained at
the valuation they set upon her. Here is your commission as her
commander. Having done so well in the little _Arrow_, I have no doubt as
to your ability and fitness for the post. She will carry forty hands. I
shall give you two petty officers, a boatswain's mate and a gunner's
mate. I had thought of giving you another midshipman, but I think it
would be better that you should take a surgeon. Three or four assistant
surgeons came out last week, and I can very well spare you one.
"I shall not give you one of the new arrivals, for it is better that
these for a time should serve on larger ships, get accustomed to naval
work, and learn the ordinary routine of duty on board. I shall,
therefore, send you one from either the _Theseus_ or the _Limerick_, and
fill up his place with a new-comer. Your duties will be precisely the
same as those assigned to you in the _Arrow_, except that I shall not
impress upon you the necessity for giving a wide berth to suspicious
vessels. You will cruise on the coast of Hayti, take off refugees,
communicate, if possible, with chiefs of the insurgents, and see if
there is any strong feeling among them in favour of annexation to
England. You will be authorized, in case it is absolutely necessary in
order to save the inhabitants of any coast town from slaughter from the
blacks, either to help the garrison with your guns or to land a portion
not exceeding half your crew to aid in the defence."
"I am indeed greatly obliged to you, admiral, and assure you that I will
do my best to merit your kindness and confidence."
"It is to yourself rather than to me that you are indebted for what is
virtually a step towards promotion. Just at present I do not think that
you are likely to have any opportunity of taking advantage of your
increased force, as we have heard no complaints of pirates of late. We
may hope that these scoundrels, finding that the islands are growing too
hot for them, have moved away to safer quarters. At any rate, if there
are any of them in these waters, they are likely to be among the
northern Cays, and are probably confining their depredations for a time
to ships trading between Europe and Florida, or to vessels from here
which have passed beyond the general limit of the seas we patrol."
On Nat's return to the dockyard, he delighted Lippincott with the news
of the exchange that they were to make. Turnbull was in hospital, but
the surgeons had reported that his wound was not so serious as it seemed
at first, and that a fortnight's rest and quiet would go far to render
him convalescent. The sailors, too, were glad to hear that they were
going to be transferred to a craft in which they would be able to meet
an enemy with confidence. They were also pleased to hear that there was
to be no change in their officers, for they had unbounded trust in their
young commander, and had from the first agreed that they had never
sailed in a more comfortable ship. After seeing Turnbull and acquainting
him with the news, Nat paid a visit to the Pickards. They had landed on
the evening of their arrival, and, after stopping a day in an hotel, had
established themselves in a pretty house outside the town, which
Monsieur Pickard had hired from a merchant who was on the point of
sailing for England, and would be absent several months.
Monsieur Pickard had, on arriving, gone to a merchant with whom he had
business connections, and to whom he had frequently consigned produce
for shipment to England or France when there happened to be no vessel in
Port-au-Prince sailing for Europe. He had obtained from him a loan on
the security of the season's produce, which had, fortunately, been sent
down to be warehoused at Port-au-Prince two or three weeks before the
insurrection broke out.
Nat's friends, too, heartily congratulated him on obtaining the command
of a larger vessel.
"After the troubles and anxiety we have of late gone through, Monsieur
Glover, we feel the comfort of being under the protection of the
British flag, and shall enjoy it all the more now that we know that you
are not going to sea again in that pretty little vessel, for if you fell
in with another large corsair you might not be so fortunate as you were
last time. As you have said, if an unlucky shot had struck one of your
spars, you would have been at her mercy, and we know what that mercy
would mean. I intend to stay here for a short time, till madame and the
girls get quite accustomed to their new home, before sailing for
Port-au-Prince; but whether I am at home or away you know how welcome
you will be here whenever you happen to be in port. How long do you
think it is likely to be before you are off?"
"I was speaking to the superintendent of the dockyard before I came out,
and he says that he will get the _Agile_ ready for sea in three weeks'
time. He cannot possibly manage it before; the hull could be ready in a
week, but the suit of sails will require three times as long, though he
has promised to take on some extra hands if he can get them. Orders
have, however, been given by the _Thames_ to the chief native sail-maker
of the place to patch some of the sails and to make several new ones,
and he has taken up some of the best hands in the town. Then, no doubt,
whoever gets the command of the _Arrow_ will be wanting her sails pushed
forward, though that is not certain, for it is not unlikely that, now
the _Agile_ has been bought into the service, the _Arrow_ will be sold.
Indeed, one of the principal merchants here would be glad to buy her as
a private yacht if he had the chance, as he often has business at the
other islands, and she is just the craft that would suit him. He said
that by putting up shorter topmasts twelve men would be enough to sail
her, and that he would exchange the guns for eight-pounders, as from
what he had heard she could outsail almost any craft she was likely to
meet with, and small guns would be quite sufficient to prevent any of
these little native piratical craft from meddling with her. However, I
think the superintendent will keep his word, and that in three weeks'
time I shall be off."
"I may possibly be at Port-au-Prince before you, then," Monsieur Pickard
said. "I am thinking of chartering a small brig and going in her to
Port-au-Prince, and bringing my goods back from there. Now that the
mulattoes are up in arms, the place cannot be considered as absolutely
safe; and as I calculate they are worth from eight to ten thousand
pounds, I think it will be well to get them over as soon as possible."
"I quite agree with you, Monsieur Pickard, and should certainly advise
you to lose no time. Unless I get instructions to the contrary, I shall,
in the first place, cruise round the shore of the bay of Hayti."
Ten days later, indeed, Monsieur Pickard sailed in the brig that he had
chartered. Nat had called to say good-bye the evening before, and, to
his embarrassment, was presented by him with a very handsome gold watch
and chain, the former bearing the inscription that it was a small token
of the deepest gratitude of Eugene Pickard, his wife and daughters, for
having saved them from the most terrible fate.
"It is only a little thing, Monsieur Glover," the planter said--"a
feeble token of our gratitude, but something which many years hence will
recall to your memory the inestimable service that you have rendered
us."
The superintendent of the dockyard kept his word, and in three weeks the
_Agile_ was afloat again, and the next morning twenty men drafted from
the war-ships in the port were transferred to her. Those of the _Arrow_,
with the exception of five still in the hospital, had shifted their
quarters to her a fortnight previously. Turnbull had rejoined the
evening before. His arm was still in a sling, but otherwise he was quite
convalescent. Lippincott had that morning given up the bandage round
his head, which had kept him almost a prisoner until now, for he had
refused to go into the town until after nightfall with his head bound
up, although Nat had many times assured him that an honourable wound
would not be regarded as any disadvantage by the young ladies at
Kingston. The assistant surgeon, James Doyle, a cheery young Irishman,
also joined that morning.
"It is glad I am to be out of all the ceremony and botheration on board
the frigate," he said as he shook hands with Nat, "and to be afloat on
my own account, as it were. Saunders, the surgeon, was enough to wear
one out with his preciseness and his regulations; faith, he was a man
who would rather take off a man's leg than listen to a joke, and it put
me on thorns to hear him speak to the men as if they were every one of
them shamming--as if anyone would pretend to be ill when he had to take
the bastely medicines Saunders used to make up for them."
"I don't think you will find much shamming here, doctor, especially if
the new hands are as good as the others; and I hope that your services
will not often be required except in the matter of wounds."
"No fighting means no wounds, and I am afraid that there is no hope of
fighting," the surgeon said, shaking his head mournfully; "you and the
_Orpheus_ have pretty well cleared out the pirates, and it was a case of
pure luck that you came across this craft the other day. But there is no
doubt that the _Orpheus'_ men have had all the luck, and the big ships'
turn won't come till we have war with France. However, it may be that
the luck will stick to you for a bit yet, for, by my faith, I shall
before long have forgotten how to take off a limb or to tie up an artery
for want of practice. We all envied you when you came in the other day
with the two prizes behind you, both big enough to have eaten you up,
and though we cheered, there was many a man who grumbled, 'Bad cess to
them, the _Orpheus_' men have got all the luck.'"
"But the _Orpheus_ had nothing to do with it," Nat laughed.
"No, I know that; but you had been one of their men, and had, as I have
heard, more than your share already of adventures."
Nat had received no further orders, and sailed that afternoon; two days
later he was off the entrance of the great bay. He coasted along the
shore as near as he could venture, always keeping a man on watch for
signals made by anyone anxious to be taken off. When it became dark the
anchor was dropped, so that no part of the shore could be passed without
the ship being observed. It was on the seventh day after sailing that he
arrived at Port-au-Prince. Half an hour after he had anchored, Monsieur
Pickard came off in a boat.
"It is lucky that I lost no time," he said after the first greetings
were over; "I got my last bale of goods on board the brig an hour ago,
and we are going to warp her out at once so as to be under shelter of
your guns."
"Why, what is the matter?"
"There is news that a large force of mulattoes and negroes are coming
down from the hills and will be here probably to-morrow morning. Luckily
a great part of the negroes were turned out of the town a fortnight ago.
There are only two hundred soldiers here, and about as many white
volunteers--little enough to defend the place if they attack us. No
doubt they chose the moment because there is not a French war-ship of
any kind in port. However, I think that all the white women and children
are on board the ships. They are all crowded. I have about twenty on
board the brig, and have rigged up a sail as an awning, and on such a
warm night as this they will sleep better there than they would in a
cabin. I can assure you that there was the greatest satisfaction when
you were seen coming in. Several of the captains had talked of towing
their vessels out three or four miles into the bay, but as soon as it
was certain that you were an armed ship, the idea was given up, as many
of them were only half-laden; and it was felt that, of whatever
nationality you were, you would prevent the negroes from coming off in
boats to murder the women and children. Of course I did not know that it
was you until I made out your figure from the shore, but as soon as I
did so, I told all I knew that they need not trouble about the safety of
those on board ship, for I could answer for it that you would not
hesitate to turn your guns on any boats that went out to attack them."
"Well, Monsieur Pickard, I cannot believe that the town will be taken,
but at any rate I congratulate you on having got all your produce an
board."
"Yes, it is a very important matter to us; we cannot calculate upon
finding a purchaser for our house at Cape Francois at anything
approaching its value at ordinary times. I have a couple of thousand
pounds lying at my banker's, and although six months ago I would not
have taken forty thousand for the estate and the slaves upon it, I
suppose I may consider myself fortunate if I get half that sum, or even
less, now. Anyhow, if I get my crop here safe to Jamaica, I need not
worry myself as to the future."
"If the place is attacked in the morning, monsieur, I have the admiral's
authority to land half my men to aid in the defence; and though twenty
men is but a small number, they may render some assistance. I intend to
hold them in reserve, and to take them to any spot at which the
insurgents may be pressing back the defenders. I shall be obliged if you
will inform the officer in command of the troops and the civil
authorities that they can count on my assistance to that extent. Will
you give them my advice to get all the available boats ranged along by
the quay opposite to us, so that in case of the worst all can retreat
there. I will cover their embarkation with my guns. Lastly, I should
advise the captains of all the ships in port to tow their vessels out
and range them behind us, so that there may be nothing to interfere with
our line of fire."
"I will inform the committee of defence directly I go ashore, and they
will doubtless send off at once to order the various ships to anchor at
the spot you indicate. It will be a relief, indeed, to them all to know
that you have undertaken their protection."
"I will go ashore with you," Nat said; "though I have landed here more
than once I do not know the place well enough to be able to act quickly.
I should like to see exactly where your batteries are placed, and where
it is most likely that the negroes will make their chief attack."
They went ashore and landed together, and walked to the house where the
principal men of the town were assembled.
"Will you come in with me?" Monsieur Pickard asked.
"No, I will leave you to explain what I propose to do and what I
recommend that they should do. There is sure to be a lot of talk and
discussion, and I do not wish to lose time. The sun will be setting in
another hour, so I will make my round at once."
Passing through the town, Nat visited the various batteries that had
been erected, and decided that if the blacks were well led they would
work round and attack the remains of the native town. The batteries had
principally been erected round the European quarter, as if any enemy
coming from the hills would be certain to make a direct attack, while
the native quarter was almost entirely undefended, although with this
once in the possession of the enemy the whole town would lie open to
them.
"It is clear that this is the real point of danger," he muttered.
"Fortunately, from where we are lying our guns can sweep the widest
street that runs down through this quarter. I shall mention my ideas to
Pickard. No doubt he is still talking away at the meeting."
He went back to the house. M. Pickard and half a dozen other gentlemen
were standing at the door. M. Pickard at once introduced them to him.
"My object in coming round here, gentlemen, is to tell you that in my
opinion your defences, which are quite strong enough to protect the town
against any body of negroes coming down on the easterly side, are wholly
insufficient to repel an attack if made on the native town. I trust,
therefore, that when the troops man the defences a considerable number
of them at least will be so placed as to be ready to meet an attack from
that side. There is practically nothing to prevent the negroes from
entering there, and, as many of the mulattoes with them must be
perfectly aware of the position of the batteries, they are scarcely
likely to propose to make an attack upon them, knowing that the negroes
would not be able to face an artillery fire, but would lead them round
to attack the almost defenceless native portion of the town."
"We have always reckoned upon their coming upon us by one of the main
roads from the hills," one of the gentlemen said.
"So I see, monsieur; but some of the mulattoes with them are men of
considerable intelligence, and would be hardly foolish enough to try to
break down the door that you have closed against them when they know
that there is an open entrance at the back. If there is a man with the
smallest spark of military genius about him he will commence the attack
by a feint in considerable force against the batteries, and then, under
cover of the smoke of your guns and his own--for I hear from Monsieur
Pickard that they are said to have fifteen or twenty guns which they
have taken at small places on the coast--will send round the main body
of his force to fall on the native town. That is my opinion, gentlemen.
I know very little of military matters, but it seems to me that is the
course that any man of moderate intelligence would pursue, and I
therefore should strongly advise that at least half your volunteer force
should take post to defend the native town, and so give time to the
remainder to come up and assist in the defence. I shall post my sailors
in a position where they can best aid in the defence in this direction,
and shall have the guns of my ship in readiness to open fire on the
native town if you are driven back."
"Thank you, sir. We shall have another meeting late this evening, and I
shall do my best to urge the committee to act as you suggest."
Nat returned on board the _Agile_. Already most of the ships in the port
had anchored a short distance outside the brigantine, and a few that had
kept on until the last moment taking their cargo on board were being
towed by their boats in the same direction. Turnbull and Lippincott were
anxiously awaiting Nat's return. Retiring into the cabin, he told them
the result of his investigation of the defences and the position on
shore.
"I think we shall have hot work to-morrow," he went on. "If the negroes
are not absolute fools they will not knock their heads against the
batteries. There are twenty cannon in position, for the most part ships'
guns, and as I hear that they have plenty of ammunition, and especially
grape, they would simply mow the niggers down if they attacked them.
There is only one battery with three guns covering the native town, and
the blacks ought to have no difficulty in carrying this with a rush. We
have learnt by experience that, whatever their faults, they can fight
furiously, and are ready enough to risk their lives. Thus, this battery
may be taken in a few minutes. If a hundred of the volunteers held the
huts behind it they might check them for a time, but as the negroes are
several thousands strong the resistance cannot be long. The best point
of defence will be that street facing us here. Our guns will come into
play, and it is there that I shall join the French as they fall back.
"I shall get you, Mr. Lippincott, to row round this evening to all these
craft near us, and to request the captains, in my name, to send all the
men provided with muskets they may have, on board us, as soon as firing
is heard. You will remain on board in charge, Turnbull; with your arm in
a sling, you are not fit for fighting on shore. With your twenty men you
ought to be able to work the guns pretty fast. Between their shots the
men with muskets would aid. Of course you would use grape. If their
attack lulls in the least send a few round-shot among the houses on
their side. Pomp and Sam had better go ashore with us and act as
boat-keepers. I will take the boat higher up than those of the
townspeople, for if a panic seizes them there would be a mad rush to get
on board. We will go a couple of hundred yards farther, and the boat
will lie a short distance out, and not come in close till they see us
running towards it. In that way we can make sure of being able to get on
board."
"I should certainly have liked to land," Turnbull said, "but I know that
I am not fit yet for hard fighting."
"I suppose you will be taking me along with you?" Doyle said.
"By all means come if you like, but I was not thinking of doing so."
"It is not often that we get a chance of taking a share in the fun. As a
rule, as soon as the guns are loaded and ready for action we have to go
below, and to stop there bandaging and dressing wounds, with not a
chance of seeing what is going on. This is just one chance in a hundred.
I should be no good here, for there is no one to look after. I will take
with me two or three tourniquets and some bandages, and perchance I may
be the means of saving some poor boy's life; and while not so engaged I
may have a slap at these murdering blacks. I am a pretty good shot, and
when a man can bring down ten snipe out of every dozen, as I have done
time after time in the ould country, he ought to be able to put a bullet
into a black man's carcass."
"If you are bent upon going, by all means do so. As you say, a
tourniquet clapped on directly a man is wounded may save his life, and
every additional musket will be a valuable addition to our strength."