"What do you suppose to have been the loss?"
"I should say three boats, and about forty men, sir. I forgot, sir, to
tell you that we have a lieutenant and two officers prisoners, whom I
brought on board with me."
"Desire them to be brought on deck," said the captain. "Mr Keene, you
have done your work well--with great gallantry and great judgment."
I touched my hat, not a little pleased at such a compliment from.
Captain Delmar.
"What's the last soundings, Mr Smith?" inquired the captain.
"And a quarter four, sir," said the master.
"This chase won't last long," observed the captain. "Take in the lower
studding-sail."
The French lieutenant was then questioned; but with the exception of the
name of the ship and captain, there was little to be expected from him,
and he was dismissed and sent below.
This affair, however, was not without loss on our side (principally
arising from Tommy Dott's stout defence). We had two men killed, and we
had altogether fourteen men wounded--some of them very severely. My
friend Tommy Dott came on board a miserable object, his face and hair
matted with blood; but when it was washed away, he proved to be not so
much hurt as was supposed: the cut was severe, but the bones were not
injured. He was very soon out of his hammock again, and his chief
pleasure was to put his tongue in his cheek and make faces at the French
lieutenant, who at last became so annoyed, that he complained to Captain
Delmar, who ordered Mr Tommy to leave off these expressions of national
animosity, if he had any wish to obtain his promotion. But to return.
As the breeze freshened, and the French ship had the first of it; she
rapidly gained upon us, and in an hour and a half was about three miles
from us. We had now shoaled our water to three fathoms and a half,
which was quite near enough to the ground, as it left but four feet
between our keel and the bottom; the studding-sails were taken in, and
we ranged the cable. A few minutes afterwards the French line-of-battle
ship was seen to shorten sail, and haul to the wind; she had followed us
into as shoal water as far as she dared to venture in, and as she
rounded to, out of spite, I presume, she fired a gun. The evening was
now closing in, and as there was every appearance of fine weather, we
stood out till we were again in four fathoms, and then dropped our
anchor.
The next morning, when the day broke, the French line-of-battle ship was
in the offing about eight miles distant. It may easily be imagined that
the French were very much annoyed at what had taken place; their prizes
re-captured, three boats lost, and their ship's company weakened, and
all by an inferior force close to them, and without any prospect of
their having any revenge. But we, on the other hand, were not very
pleasantly situated. It is true that we were safe, but, at the same
time, we were in prison, and could not hope for escape, unless some
vessel came down to our assistance; and how long we might be compelled
to remain where we were, or what the chapter of accidents might bring
about, no one could foresee.
About eight o'clock the French ship again stood in, and when as close as
she dare come to us, she ran up and down, trying for deeper water on one
side or the other, but in vain. She was within gun-shot of us, it is
true, as we had run out into four fathoms; but we could always trip our
anchor when we pleased and stand further in. At last she tried a shot
at us, and it fell very close. Captain Delmar did not, however, get
under weigh and stand further in, although he ordered the capstern bars
to be shipped, and the messenger passed. A second and a third shot were
fired, and one went over us. At last the Frenchman anchored, and set to
work in good earnest. He found that he was within range, and as we did
not move, presumed that we were in as shallow water as we could run
into.
As the wind was still to seaward, we laid head on to him, and one of his
shot struck us in the forefoot; Captain Delmar then ordered the cable to
be hove in and the anchor tripped, by which means we drifted in shore
and increased our distance without his being aware of it, and his firing
still continued, but without injury to us. The reason for Captain
Delmar's doing this was evident; he wished the French ship to continue
firing, as the report of her guns might be heard and bring down some
vessel to our assistance. At all events, such was not our good fortune
on the first day, and I began to be tired of our situation; so did
Captain Delmar; for on the second day he sent a boat to the recaptured
vessels, which were at anchor inshore of us, directing them to heave up
as soon as it was dark, and make the best of their way to Barbadoes,
keeping well in shore till they got more to the northward; this they
did, and the following morning they were not in sight.
The French ship still remained at anchor, and it appeared that she had
been lightening so as to get further in; for on that morning she
weighed, and stood in to a mile and a half of us, and we were obliged to
do the same, and run inshore out of his reach. To effect this we
anchored in three and a quarter fathoms, so that we actually stirred up
the mud. Towards the evening the wind fortunately shifted to off shore,
and as soon as it was dark the captain ordered the anchor to be weighed,
and we made all sail to the northward, trusting to our heels; the
following morning we had run seventy miles, and as the French ship was
not to be seen, it was to be presumed that she was not aware of our
having so done.
Ten days afterwards we dropped our anchor in Carlisle Bay, Barbadoes.
We found two men-of-war, both captains junior officers to our own, and I
took this opportunity of passing my examination, which was a mere matter
of form. Having watered and taken in provisions, we then sailed for
Jamaica, to join the admiral, who, upon Captain Delmar's representation,
immediately confirmed the acting order of lieutenant given to me by him.
A few days afterwards a packet arrived from England, and letters were
received by Captain Delmar, informing him of the death of his elder
brother and his succeeding to the title of Lord de Versely; for his
elder brother, although married, had no male issue. Upon this
intelligence, Captain Delmar immediately resigned the command of the
Manilla, and another Captain was appointed to her. I did not much like
this, as I wished to remain with Captain Delmar, and gain his good-will.
I was, however, consoled by his sending for me, previous to his sailing
for England in a frigate ordered home, and saying, "Mr Keene, my duties
in the House of Lords, and family affairs, require my presence in
England, and I think it most probable that I now quit the service
altogether; but I shall not lose sight of you. You have conducted
yourself much to my satisfaction, and I will take care of your
advancement in the service, if you only continue as you have begun. I
shall be happy to hear from you, if you will write to me occasionally.
I wish you every success. Is there anything that I can do for you?"
"I am most grateful, my lord," replied I, "for all your kindness. I had
hoped to have been longer under your protection and guidance; but I am
aware that your high station must now prevent it. If I might be so bold
as to ask a favour, my lord?"
"Certainly, Keene," replied his lordship.
_Keene_! not _Mr_ Keene, thought I.
"It is, sir, that I--think I should have a better chance of doing
something if I were to obtain the command of the Firefly schooner; the
lieutenant commanding her is about to invalid."
"I agree with you. I will speak to the admiral this very day. Is that
all?"
"Yes, my lord; unless you think you could ask for Cross, your coxswain,
to be appointed to her. I should like to have a man on board whom I
knew, and could trust."
"I will see about it, and so good-bye."
His lordship held out his hand. I took it very respectfully; he had
never done so before, and the tears ran down my cheeks as I was quitting
him. His lordship observed it, and turned away. I left the cabin,
quite overcome with his kindness, and so happy, that I would not have
changed positions with the grand sultan himself.
Lord de Versely was faithful to his promise: the next day I received
from the admiral my appointment to the Firefly, and, what was more
unexpected, Bob Cross received a warrant as her boatswain. This was a
very kind act of Lord de Versely, and I was as much delighted as Bob
himself. I also received an invitation to dinner with the admiral on
that day. On my arrival at the house, a few minutes before dinner, the
admiral called me aside to the verandah, and said to me, "Mr Keene, I
have not forgotten your cruise in the pirate schooner, and Lord de
Versely has told me of your good behaviour in many instances since;
particularly of your conduct in the boats off Berbice. In his
despatches he has given you great praise, and I have added mine to back
it; so that if you only keep steady, you will command a sloop of war
very soon. You have now been seven months a lieutenant, for your
commission will be confirmed to your first appointment; a few months
more, and I hope to see you with a commander's commission in your
pocket."
I replied, that I was very grateful, and only hoped that he would send
me out in the schooner to where I might prove myself deserving of his
patronage.
"Never fear. I'll find something for you to do, Mr Keene. By-the-bye,
Lord de Versely told me last night, when we were alone, the history of
the duel at Martinique. You did well, Mr Keene; I thank you in the
name of our service--it won't do for the soldiers to crow over us,
though they are fine fellows, it must be admitted. However, that secret
had better be kept."
"Most certainly, sir," replied I.
"Now, then, there's that black fellow come up to tell us dinner is
ready; so come along, or you'll be where the little boat was--a long way
astern."