The Doris under all sail, with our hard-won prize in tow, kept standing
to the northward, the gallant Hercules bringing up the rear, while the
French fleet, like a pack of yelping hounds, followed full chase at our
heels.
A stern chase is a long chase, and so we hoped this might prove, without
an end to it.
Our glasses, as may be supposed, were constantly turned towards the
enemy. They had not gained much on us when the sun went down, and
darkness stole over the surface of the ocean. Clouds were gathering in
the sky--there was no moon, and the stars were completely obscured. It
was in a short time as dark a night as we could desire. The Hercules,
looking like some huge monster stalking over the deep, now ranged up
past us, and a voice from her ordered us to tack to the westward, and
keep close to her. This we did, though we had no little difficulty in
keeping together without lights, which we did not show, lest we might
have been seen by the enemy.
The next morning, when we looked round, not one of the French squadron
was in sight, greatly to the vexation of our prisoners, who had hoped by
this time to have seen the scales turned on us. We were out of the
frying-pan, but before long we had reason to fear that we had tumbled
into the fire.
Two days after this, when morning broke, we found ourselves enveloped by
a thick fog. There was but little wind, and the sea was perfectly
smooth. Suddenly the distant roar of a gun burst on our ears. It was
answered by another much nearer; a third boomed over the waters on the
other side of us. Others followed; then fog-bells began to ring--louder
and more distinct they sounded; and more guns were fired.
"What's all that about?" I asked of the boatswain, who was looking out
on the forecastle. "Why, that we are in the middle of a big fleet of
men-of-war, and if, as I suspect, they are French, and they catch sight
of us, they'll make mince-meat of our carcases in pretty quick time," he
answered, squirting a whole river of tobacco juice overboard, a proof to
me that he was not pleased with the state of affairs.
"Why, I thought it was a French fleet we escaped from only two days
ago," I remarked.
"So it was, and this is another," he answered. "In my opinion we shall
never get things to rights till we send to the bottom every French ship
there is afloat, and we shall do that before long if we can but get a
good stand-up fight--that's my opinion."
Mr Johnson was right, as subsequent events proved. The fog was so
dense that we could not see a single sail, close as we were to them, and
we expected every instant to run into one, or to be hailed and probably
discovered. The men were sent without noise to their quarters, for of
course it was resolved that we should fight our way out from the midst
of our enemies.
On we glided. The dim form of a ship was seen on our starboard bow.
Our course was slightly altered, but it was only to get nearer another.
A Frenchman hailed. Captain Collyer answered; what he said I do not
know. It seemed to satisfy the stranger. No shot was fired, and we
stood on. Still there was something peculiarly solemn and awful in the
feeling that any moment we might be engaged in an encounter against the
most overwhelming odds.
Again the upper sails of another ship appeared. From their height she
was evidently a ship which might have sunk us with a broadside. By
seeing this second ship, Captain Collyer was able to ascertain in what
direction the enemy's fleet was standing. As soon as he had done this,
our helm was put up, and away we noiselessly glided to the westward.
The bells were soon no longer heard--the boom of the guns became fainter
and fainter every minute, and at length we had the satisfaction of
feeling that we were well clear of them.
"Depend on it, you have never been nearer inside a French prison or a
watery grave than you have been this morning," observed Mr Johnson to
me.
"I don't know that. When I was aboard the lugger, and floating about in
the channel, I was rather nearer both one and the other," I answered.
"You thought you were, but, as the event proved, you were not," said the
boatswain. "Depend on it, I am right, Mr Merry. If the captain had
not been a good French scholar our fate would have been sealed long
before this. We never know on what apparently trivial circumstances our
safety depends."
Mr Johnson, it may have been remarked, was never at a loss for an
argument or a remark of some sort. His pertinacity in that respect puts
me in mind of a certain kind-hearted Royal Duke with whom I once had the
honour of dining--a number of naval and military officers being present.
"Captain R---," said he, addressing one of them, "how is your father?"
"Your Royal Highness, he is dead," was the answer.
"Oh! is he? poor fellow! Then, how is your mother?"
"Your Royal Highness, she is dead also."
"Oh, is she? Then which died first?" asked the Duke in a tone which
made it very difficult even for the best bred of the company to refrain
from laughing.
Without further adventure the Doris and her prize arrived safely in
Plymouth Sound.
We waited anxiously for the report of the dockyard authorities, who at
length gave it as their opinion that the frigate had got so knocked
about that she must go into dock to be repaired. Everybody was in a
great hurry to get leave. In consequence of our having been wounded,
Grey and Spellman and I obtained it at once, and I invited them to pay
my family a visit in Leicestershire on their way to their own homes. I
got leave also for Toby Bluff to accompany us.
"I'll spare him to you. Mr Merry," said Mr Johnson. "Take care you
bring him back, for he will one day do credit to the service in his
humble path, just as I flatter myself I do credit to it in mine, and I
hope that you, Mr Merry, will one day in yours. You've made a very
good beginning, and you may tell your friends that the boatswain of the
ship says so. Let them understand that the boatswain is a very
important personage, and they will be satisfied that you are a rising
young officer." We got a sufficient amount of prize-money advanced to
enable us to perform our journey, which we did partly in post-chaises.
The latter mode of travelling we agreed was by far the pleasantest.
After we left the coach we went along very steadily for a stage or so.
"This is slow work," observed Spellman. "I vote we make more sail."
Looking out of the window he sang out, "Heave ahead, my hearty. There's
a crown for you if you make the craft walk along."
Although the post-boy did not understand my messmate's language he did
our gestures and the mention of the crown, and on we went at a great
rate, turning up the dust as the gallant Doris was wont to do the brine,
and making the stones fly in every direction.
At last one of the postillions, who entered into our humour, proposed
getting a horn for us. We eagerly accepted the offer, and he said he
would purchase one from the guard of a coach, who lived near the road a
little way on. It was rather battered, and we paid a high price, but
when we found that Toby could blow it effectually, we would have had it
at any price.
Proud of his acquisition, Toby mounted the box, and, he blowing away
with might and main, highly delighted, on we dashed.
I ought to have said that, before we left the ship, Grey and I had
presented to us the two small flags we had nailed to the cross-jack yard
in the action with the Aigle.
At the last stage we agreed that we would do something to astonish the
natives, so we ordered an open barouche, which we saw in the yard, with
four horses. We got out our flags, and improvised another for Spellman;
these we secured to sticks, which we cut from the roadside. Toby
trumpeting like a young elephant, we waving our flags and shouting at
the top of our voices, up we dashed in gallant style to the hall door,
and I believe did astonish them most completely.
Never, indeed, had the family of Merrys been in a greater commotion than
we had the satisfaction of throwing them into by our arrival. It was
the holidays, and all my brothers and sisters were at home. Out rushed
my father and mother, and Bertha and Edith and Winifred, while my
brothers Cedric and Athelstane, and Egbert and Edwin, hurried up from
various quarters, and every servant in the house was speedily collected,
and everybody laughed and cried by turns, and the post-boys grinned, and
I was kissed and hugged by all in succession--Grey and Spellman coming
in for their share; till I bethought me that I would create a still
greater sensation; so, when good Mrs Potjam, the housekeeper, was
beginning to hug me, as was her wont in days gone by, I shrieked out--
"Oh, dear! oh, my wound! my wound!"
My shipmates, seeing the effect produced, imitated my example.
"What, wounded, my dear child? What, have you been wounded?" exclaimed
my mother and sisters in chorus.
"Of course I have; and do you think those deep dimples on Spellman's
cheeks--I forgot to introduce him, by the bye. Mr Spellman, midshipman
of his Britannic Majesty's frigate Doris--Mr, Mrs, and the Miss and
Master Merrys and their faithful domestics--do you think that those deep
dimples are natural? No indeed; a shot went through his cheeks--right
through--and those are the scars. See how Grey limps--I forgot, I ought
to have introduced him. Mr George Grey, also midshipman of his
Britannic Majesty's frigate Doris, and my esteemed friend and messmate;
and for myself, I can scarcely yet use my arm. So you see we are heroes
who have fought and bled for our country."
In those days, as there were not so many newspapers as at present,
people were compelled to be their own trumpeters more than would now be
considered correct. Some also trumpeted over much, knowing that there
was not the probability that there is at present of their being found
out.
This statement of mine increased, as I thought it would, the respect all
were inclined to pay us. Dinner was just going on the table, and when
we had satisfied our hunger, all our tongues were busily employed in our
peculiar styles in recounting our adventures. The butler and footmen
often stopped to listen, and not a little forgot their proper duties.
One placed an empty dish before my mother, into which the cook had
forgot to put the poultry; the butler filled my father's glass with fish
soy, and two of the men bolted tilt against each other and capsized the
remains of a sirloin of beef over the carpet with which one of them was
hurrying off after waiting to listen to the fag end of one of my
narratives.
Toby Bluff was as busily employed in the servants' hall, and from the
broad grins on the countenances of the footmen as they returned to the
dining-room, I have no doubt that his narratives were of a facetious
character.
I never have spent so jolly a time as I did during that visit home. Our
wounds did not incommode us; we had everything our own way, and all my
family and friends made a vast deal of us.
At length a newspaper arrived, giving an account of the capture of the
Aigle, and confirming all I had said, and when, two nights after, we
appeared at a country ball, and as we entered the room the band struck
up "See the conquering hero comes," we were higher in feather than ever.
Grey and Spellman had, however, to go and see their own friends, and
they enjoyed the rather doubtful advantage of again undergoing the same
treatment they had received at our house. When they were gone, and the
nine days of wonder were over, I found myself sinking into a rather more
ordinary personage. In those good old days, however, midshipmen who had
been in an engagement and got wounded were somebodies--at all events, if
their fathers had fine country seats and saw a number of guests.
Time sped on. I do not think my family were tired of me, but when the
Doris was reported ready for sea, they calmly acquiesced in the
necessity of my rejoining her without delay, and so Toby and I found
ourselves packed off in a yellow chaise, and directed to find our way
back to Plymouth as fast as we could.
We made the journey without any adventure, and on our arrival on board
found that Mr Lukyn had been promoted, and that Mr Bryan was the
first-lieutenant. As soon as we had reported ourselves, we dived below
to the berth to hear the news. Two new lieutenants had joined--the
second was a Mr Patrick Fitzgerald. I need not say that he was an
Irishman. He was pronounced to be a most extraordinary fish, and he
positively seemed to take a pleasure in being so considered. He had a
big head covered with reddish hair, which stuck out straight as if he
was always in a fright, his complexion was richly freckled, his eyes
small but twinkling, and his nose, though not prominent, was of ample
dimensions as to width. This beautiful headpiece was placed on the
broadest of shoulders. His body was somewhat short, but his legs were
proportioned to bear the frame of an elephant. He was, as he used to
boast, entirely Irish from truck to keelson, but certainly not of a high
class type. The third lieutenant was an Englishman. This was
fortunate. Mr Haisleden was a steady trustworthy man, and had a good
deal of the cut of a first-lieutenant about him. It is said that, as a
rule, Irishmen make better soldiers than sailors, and perhaps this is
the case. If inclined to be wild they are apt to out-Herod Herod. The
strict rules of naval discipline do not suit their natural temperament.
Paddy Fitzgerald was a case in point, but a more amusing fellow and
better messmate never lived. The ship was again almost ready for sea.
Perigal, who had got leave, came on board, looking very sad at having
had again to part from his wife. Spellman and Grey joined the next day.
There had been no changes in our berth. Perigal ought certainly to
have been promoted, but he was not. "When the ship is paid off, I
suppose that I shall be," he observed with a sigh. It was soon reported
that we were ordered to the West Indies. Grey and I took an opportunity
of asking Mr Johnson what sort of a country we should find out there.
"One thing I will tell you, young gentlemen, you'll find it hot enough
to boil your blood up a bit," he answered; "as to cooking a beefsteak on
the capstan-head, that's nothing, but what do you say to finding all the
fowls in the hen-coops roasted and fit for table? and all you have to
do, is to hold a burning glass over a bucket of water with fish swimming
about in it, and in five minutes you'll have them all thoroughly
boiled."
Grey and I laughed.
"Well, Mr Johnson, it must be hot indeed," said I, and, though I did
not exactly put faith in his account, I began to wish we had been bound
elsewhere. The boatswain saw Spellman listening with mouth agape.
"Hot, I believe you," he continued; "did you ever sit on a red-hot
gridiron with your feet under the grate, your head in the fire, and your
fists in boiling water? If you ever did, you'll have some notion of
what you'll have to go through in the dog-days out in those parts."
"Oh dear, oh dear," exclaimed Spellman: "why we shall all be downright
roasted."
"I've a notion there's some one being roasted now," observed Mr
Johnson, with a wink and a curl of his nose. "Roasted! Oh dear no: all
we've to do, is to sit up to our necks in casks of water, and bob our
heads under every now and then. To be sure, there is a fear that we may
all turn into blackamoors, but that is nothing when a man gets
accustomed to it. I don't see why a dark skin should not be as good as
a white one. Though they don't all talk the same lingo, they've as much
sense in their woolly heads as white men, that's my opinion; and so,
young gentlemen, when you get among them out there, just treat them as
if they were of the same nature as yourselves, and you'll find that they
will behave well to you, and will be faithful and true."
Mr Johnson's remarks were interrupted by the appearance of Toby Bluff,
who came to summon him on deck. Blue Peter was flying from aloft. In
ten minutes afterwards the capstan-bars were manned, the merry pipe was
heard, and, a sturdy gang of our crew tramping round, the anchor was
hove up, the topsails were let fall, and away the Doris once more glided
over the wide sea towards the far west. We had a rapid passage without
meeting an enemy; indeed, scarcely a sail hove in sight. We made Saint
Thomas's, and stood across the Caribbean Sea towards Jamaica. Hot it
was, but not so hot as Mr Johnson had led us to expect.
"Wait a bit," he remarked. "It's now winter; just let us see what the
summer will be like."
We were not destined to enter Port Royal. We had been making good
progress towards it, when three sail were seen from the mast-head. As
enemies of all nations just then swarmed in every direction, it was more
likely that we should have to fight, than that we should meet with
friends. The strangers approached. There were three ships not smaller
than frigates certainly, perhaps larger. Still we knew that Captain
Collyer would not dream of running away while there was a possibility of
coming off victorious. If he did run, it would only be to induce the
enemy to follow. The decks were cleared for action. Slowly we closed,
when at length the strangers began to signalise, and we discovered that
they formed the squadron of Captain Brisbane, who directed Captain
Collyer to join him; except that, in case of parting company, we were
ordered to rendezvous at Aruba, a small island about twenty leagues to
the westward of Curacoa, we remained in ignorance of what was about to
be done, though that there was something in the wind we had little
doubt. Various opinions were expressed; some thought that as the Dutch
had chosen to follow Napoleon's advice, and go to war with us, we should
attack the island of Curacoa itself, to show them that they had better
have remained at peace; but the general idea was, that, as it was
strongly fortified, we should not make such an attempt without large
reinforcements. We did not know then what sort of stuff the commodore
was made of.
On the evening of the 22nd of December, we anchored at the west end of
Aruba, and we soon learned that Captain Brisbane had not only resolved
to attack Curacoa, but that he had a first-rate plan, all cut and dry,
just suited to the tastes of British seamen. He had learned that the
Dutch had a custom of finishing the old year by getting very tipsy; high
and low, old and young, men and women, all imbibed as large an amount of
schiedam as they could manage to stow away. Even ladies, young and
fair, went about the streets offering glasses of the attractive liquor
to their acquaintance and friends, and it would have been a positive
insult to have refused it from their hands. The consequence was that
the inhabitants, military and civil, had no inclination to get up in the
morning, and even guards and look-out men were apt to go to sleep at
their posts. Captain Brisbane formed his plans accordingly, and fixed
daybreak on January the 1st as the moment for attack. We sailed again
on the 24th, and had a long beat up against the trades towards the east
end of Curacoa. Our time, however, was busily employed in making
scaling ladders, sharpening cutlasses, and manufacturing every bit of
red cloth or stuff we could find into soldiers' coats, as also in
arranging other badges, by which each ship's company could be easily
distinguished. Each crew was thus divided into storming parties, under
the lieutenants and senior mates, the captain acting as leader. The
boatswains were ordered to place themselves at the heads of parties with
ladders to scale the walls, and crowbars to break open the gates.
Mr Johnson was in high glee. "We shall see what we shall see, and I am
very much mistaken if we don't teach the Mynheers a lesson they will not
easily forget," he exclaimed, as he reviewed the articles under his
directions.
We made the high land of Saint Barbary, at the east end of Curacoa,
before the year was an hour old, and we then had a fair wind, the
regular south-east trade, to run for the harbour of Saint Ann's,
situated on the south-east of the island. Every one was in high
spirits. We knew full well that the enterprise was a difficult and
dangerous one, but we saw that it was planned with consummate prudence
and forethought, and we felt perfect confidence that it would succeed.
It was no child's play we were about to perform, as, the gallant
Arethusa leading, we stood for the harbour, with our boats in tow, ready
at a moment's notice to disembark the storming parties. We felt very
proud, for we were going to show what bluejackets could do when left to
themselves. I was stationed on the forecastle, and so was Grey, with
our glasses constantly at our eyes. Before us appeared the narrow
entrance of the harbour, only fifteen fathoms wide; indeed it nowhere
exceeds a quarter of a mile in width. On our right appeared Fort
Amsterdam, mounting no less than sixty guns in two tiers, capable, it
seemed, of blowing us all out of the water, while there was a chain of
forts on the opposite side, and at the bottom of the harbour the
fortress, said to be impregnable, of Forte Republique enfilading the
whole, and almost within grape-shot distance. Athwart the harbour was
moored a Dutch thirty-six gun frigate and a twenty-gun corvette. The
commodore had been ordered to diplomatise, and so he did in the most
effectual way, for we all sailed in with a flag of truce flying, but
with the guns run out and the men at their quarters. The Mynheers,
however, were not inclined to listen to reason, but, waking up and
seeing some strangers in their harbour, they hurried to their guns, and
began firing away at us. Their aim was not very good, and few shots hit
us. On we steadily sailed. Suddenly there was a cry of disappointment;
the wind had shifted, and, coming down the harbour, very nearly drove us
on shore. There seemed every prospect of our being compelled to abandon
the enterprise. The men in their enthusiasm wished to tow the frigates
up. Again it shifted. Our sails filled; the men cheered heartily.
Once more up along the harbour, we lay till we brought our broadsides to
bear on the forts and the two Dutch ships, the Arethusa's jib-boom being
right over the town. It was just dawn; a boat was despatched by the
commodore for the shore; she bore a summons to the Dutch governor to
surrender, promising to treat him and everybody with the utmost civility
if he would; but Mynheer von Tronk was in no humour to listen to any of
the more refined arguments Captain Brisbane had to offer; so the flag of
truce was hauled down, and we had recourse to the _argumentum ad
hominem_, or, in other words, we began blazing away from all the guns we
could bring to bear. This fully roused up the sleepy Dutchmen, and we
could see them, (Mr Johnson declared that many of them had their
breeches in their hands), rushing into the boats to get on board their
ships, or hurrying to the batteries, which had hitherto maintained a
very ineffectual fire. We had given them just three broadsides, when
the commodore at the head of a part of his crew put off from the
Arethusa and pulled for the Dutch frigate. Up her sides we saw him and
his gallant fellows climbing. We longed to be with them. The Dutch
fought bravely, as they always do, but liquor had unnerved their arms.
The conflict though short was sharp. Down came the Dutch flag, and up
went that of England, but not till the Dutch captain and several of his
crew had been killed and numbers wounded. The brave Captain Lydiard of
the Anson captured the corvette in the same style. Still close to us
frowned the forts, capable it seemed of sinking every one of our ships
in a few minutes.
"We must take them, Bryan, without loss of time," I heard our captain
observe, as I was sent up with a message to him. Scarcely had he
uttered the words when the signal to land was made. In a wonderfully
few moments the boats were manned and crowded with small-arms men, and
with ladders and crowbar bearers. I accompanied Mr Johnson with the
ladder-bearers' party. While the crowbar-men proceeded to the gates, we
made the best of our way to the walls. Our chief hope was to succeed by
a dash. The Dutchmen numbered ten to one of us, and they were no
cowards, only slow. As yet they had not half-opened their eyes, or they
might have counted our numbers, and discovered that our idlers, dressed
in red coats, were not really soldiers. Mr Johnson was in his glory;
the exploit was one exactly to suit his taste.
"That commodore of ours is a first-rate fellow, Mr Merry," he
exclaimed, as we pulled on shore. "If he was first lord, and I was
admiral of the fleet, we should soon drive every enemy's ship off the
seas."
On shore we sprang, and under a pretty hot fire we rushed towards the
walls. The ladders were placed in spite of the efforts of the
half-drunken Dutchmen to prevent this, many of them toppling over into
the ditch in their attempts to shove them off. Up our men swarmed,
their cutlasses between their teeth. Mr Bryan led one party, Mr
Fitzgerald another; the latter with a loud shriek, which he called his
family war cry,--it sounded like "Wallop a hoo a boo, Erin go bragh,"--
sprang on to the walls. A big Dutchman stood ready with a long sword to
meet him, and would certainly have swept off his head, had he not nimbly
dodged on one side with so extraordinary a grimace, that he not only
escaped free, but, swinging round his own cutlass, he cut off the head
of the unfortunate Dutchman who was watching him with astonishment.
Then he went cutting right and left, and putting the wide breeched enemy
to flight on every side. I followed Mr Johnson; I knew that I was in
good company when I was near him, and that though we should most
certainly be in the thick of the fight, as long as he kept on his legs
he would have an eye on me. We did not gain the top of the walls
without being opposed, but the Dutchmen literally could not see how to
strike. A fat bombardier, however, made a butt at me, and would have
sent me over again, had not the boatswain seized me by the collar, when
the bombardier went over himself and lay sprawling under the feet of our
men at the bottom. Then on we went, firing our pistols and slashing
right and left. A loud huzza from the sea gate announced to us that
that had been forced open, and the Dutchmen finding that the day was
ours, and persuaded that discretion was the best part of valour, threw
down their arms, and shouted out lustily for quarter. It was gladly
given them; indeed, there was no real animosity between us, and officers
and men were soon seen shaking hands together in the most friendly way
possible. We had taken just ten minutes to do the work. However, we
had some more places to capture, so locking up our prisoners with a
guard over them, out we went again, and climbed up the walls of several
other minor forts in succession, the same scenes taking place at each.
There was a great deal of shouting and running, but very little
bloodshed. Mr Fitzgerald shrieked and shouted "Wallop a hoo a boo," as
before, and made terrific grimaces. Mr Johnson watched him with great
admiration.
"Some men make their fortune by their good looks, Mr Merry," he
observed. "But to my mind, that second lieutenant of ours is more
likely to make his by his ugliness. It's a proof that the gifts
bestowed on man are very equally divided. He would be nothing without
that curious mug of his."
The Dutch flag still flew defiantly from Fort Republique at the head of
the harbour. Garrisons were left in each of the forts, and with a large
body of prisoners as hostages we once more returned on board our ships.
We now opened a hot fire on the fort. I observed to Mr Johnson that I
heard some of the Dutch officers whom we had as prisoners declare that
it was impregnable.
"Very likely," he answered, coolly. "But you see, Mr Merry, British
seamen have a knack of getting into impregnable places, as we shall very
soon show them."
Just then the order was received from the commodore to disembark the
marines and a body of seamen from each ship. I was delighted again to
be allowed to go. We landed under the protection of the guns of the
captured frigate, and made the best of our way round towards the rear of
the fort, while the ships kept hurling their shot at it in front. I
rather think that the Dutchmen in the fort did not see us as we pushed
on among sugar canes, and coffee and cotton plantations. We got into
the rear of the fort after nearly an hour's very hot march, and then
making a dash towards the walls, we were half-way up them before the
Dutchmen found out what we were about. Many of the officers indeed were
quietly smoking their meerschaums, looking down the harbour, while they
directed the artillerymen at the guns.
When they discovered us, dashing down their pipes, they hurried to
oppose our progress, but it was too late. Our footing was obtained in
their impregnable fortress, and, exulting in our success, we dashed on.
Still the Dutchmen fought very bravely. As I kept by Mr Johnson's side
I observed the flutter of some white dresses just before us. They were
those of ladies, I guessed, who had been sent to the fort for security,
and who now, taken by surprise, were endeavouring to make their escape
from us. Not knowing where they were going, they ran right in among a
party of our men, who, not intending to hurt them, at all events began
to treat them in a way which naturally caused them very considerable
annoyance and alarm. The truth is, when soldiers and sailors take a
place by storm, they become more like wild beasts than human beings, and
I have witnessed scenes in my career which it makes me even now shudder
to think of.
The men into whose hands the ladies had fallen did not belong to our
ship. There was no officer with them; so, calling to Mr Johnson, I ran
on. Three of the ladies were elderly, but there were five others,
mostly young--one especially was, at least so I thought, a very pretty
fair girl. She looked pale and terribly frightened.
"Let those women alone," shouted Mr Johnson; but the men only looked
defiantly at him, and seemed in no way inclined to obey, which put him
in a great rage.
A boatswain has but little authority except over the men of his own
ship.
"Mind your own business," cried some of the marines. "What have you got
to say to us?"
Just then the ladies got more frightened than ever. The youngest lady
screamed, and, I thought, looked towards me. I sprang forward--I felt
more like a man than I had ever before done.
"Let go your hold," I exclaimed in a tone of authority, to the fellow
who had his hand on the fair girl's arm. "If one of you dares to
interfere with these ladies, I will have him up before the commodore,
and he'll make short work with the matter." The fellow still looked
defiant. "Let go," I again shouted, rushing at him with my dirk.
What I might have done I do not know, but at that moment a bullet struck
him in the head and knocked him over.
It was supposed I had shot the man, and a good many, even of his party,
siding with me and Mr Johnson, the ladies were released.
I made signs to the ladies, and endeavoured to assure them in French
that they were safe.
"I speak English," said the young lady. "Thank you--thank you very
much."
The Dutch soldiers had in the meantime thrown down their arms and taken
to flight. The shot which had wounded the man was nearly the last
fired. The Dutch flag was hauled down, and the shouts of our men
proclaimed that in about four hours we had captured, with the loss of
three killed and fourteen wounded, one of the strongest fortresses in
the West Indies.
I was determined not to lose sight of the ladies till I had placed them
in safety. I found that the youngest was the niece of the governor, and
that she had a sister and her mother with her. The governor's daughter,
a buxom-looking damsel, was also of the party. I conducted them all to
Captain Lydiard, who commanded the expedition, and their carriages and
horses being found in the fort, he ordered that they should be conveyed
back into the town under an escort. I was highly delighted when I found
that I might accompany it. Perigal had command. The British flag was
flying from every fort and ship in the harbour, and many of the worthy
burghers, when their schiedam-steeped senses returned and they opened
their eyes, as they looked out of their windows, could not make out what
had occurred. We were treated with the greatest respect by everybody we
met, and the ladies endeavoured to show their gratitude by every means
in their power. As soon as we had seen them to their own homes we were
to return on board. I found that the young lady's name was Essa von
Fraulich.
"You will come and see us very often, Mr Merry," she exclaimed in a
very foreign accent, though her phraseology was pretty correct. "We
want to show how much we love you, and we make nice cake for you, and
many other good things."
The elder ladies were more demonstrative, and wanted to kiss me, which I
thought very derogatory to my dignity.
I shook hands warmly with them all round, and as I began with Miss Essa,
I thought it incumbent on me to finish off with her:
The townspeople were very civil as we made our way down to the boats.
Indeed, they did not seem to mind at all what had happened. It was all
the same to them which flag flew over the forts. The English had gained
a character for justice and honesty, and they were inclined to look upon
us as likely to prove good customers, and were, in fact, very glad to
see us. They, indeed, probably thought that it was a pity any
opposition whatever should have been offered to our entrance. Our work
was not entirely accomplished. There was still a fort of some strength,
a few miles from the town. A party of marines and bluejackets was
marched out to take it, which they very speedily did, as the commandant
offered no resistance, but, hearing that his chief had capitulated,
yielded on being summoned. Thus, by noon, the whole of a rich and
fertile island, containing forty-five thousand inhabitants, and well
fortified, was in our possession, while the whole force we could muster
among the four frigates was twelve hundred men. With these we had to
man our prizes, to garrison the forts, to protect the country, and to
keep the town in order.
Captain Brisbane was, I must say, a host in himself. He was a fine tall
man, with very popular manners; and though he showed that he would not
allow tricks to be played, he ingratiated himself wonderfully with all
classes. He took great pains to conceal from the Dutch the paucity of
our numbers, and hinted that as long as the inhabitants behaved
themselves he would keep his troops on board instead of quartering them
on the town. These troops were represented by the idlers of the
different ships and occasionally seamen, dressed up in red coats and
made to parade the deck. He formed also a bodyguard of all the marines
who could ride, and with them at his heels he made a point of galloping
about the country and visiting the outposts. He never appeared abroad
without being accompanied by them. They were known as Captain
Brisbane's horse-marines. Though horse-marines are often spoken of, it
was the only time I ever saw such a body either on shore or afloat. We
had a very active time of it, every one doing double work, and
endeavouring to make it appear as if we had double our real numbers.
The lieutenants used to put on the marine officers' undress uniforms and
all would go on shore together. Fitzgerald unconsciously very nearly
betrayed the trick, for his remarkable features were not easily
forgotten, and on the first day he appeared in his military character,
we saw the Dutchmen, as well as some ladies, eyeing him narrowly. They
could not conceive it possible two such ugly fellows should be found in
the same squadron.
Fortunately Mr Bryan was with us, and having plenty of presence of
mind, he began to talk about Fitzgerald's naval brother who remained on
board.
Captain Collyer, however, thought it prudent to prohibit him from again
appearing in a military character on shore. Mr Fitzgerald could not
understand this, as he was not at all aware of the peculiarity of his
own physiognomy, and declared that he was very hardly treated.
I was very anxious to get on shore, that I might pay my promised visit
to Essa von Fraulich and her relatives. As bigger men were wanted on
shore, and as the midshipmen were found capable of performing various
duties in the ship, Grey and I and others were, much to our
disappointment, compelled to stay on board. Mr Johnson also remained
on board.
"I take it as an especial compliment," he observed. "The fact is, you
see, Mr Merry, that I am worth five or six men at least in the ship,
and, in appearance at least, little more than one out of it, and so I am
doomed to remain, while others are enjoying themselves on terra firma."