PRUSSIA COVE. THE SMUGGLERS' BATTLE
"Seventy years since, a native of Breage called 'Carter,'
but better known, from a most remarkable personal resemblance
to Frederick the Great, as the 'King of Prussia,' monopolised
most of the smuggling trade of the west. He chose as the seat
of his business a rocky cove two miles east of Marazion, which
continues to bear the name of Prussia Cove."--_Robert Hunt,
F. R. S._
Where was the captain of the Helston hurlers?
The last time he was seen was on the cliff when the prize hurling ball
disappeared. He had disengaged himself from the tumbling contestants
when the ball escaped from the hand of the prostrate player, and saw it
roll swiftly into a neighbouring ravine that led downward, like a
funnel, to the sands below. Like a meteor he was after it and was out of
view before any of his fellows noticed his absence. Down the narrow
pathway he plunged with reckless steps, intent only on possessing the
ball and had just grasped it, when crash! a part of the footpath gave
way and down, down, down, he slipped, faster and faster. He saw the
ground and pebbles fly past him upward as if endued with the power of
aerial flight. He grasped futilely at the flying shrubs and boulders and
then came the sickening sense of flying out into space over the cliff
edge.
Then there was a shock, a sharp pain and,--all was a blank.
When he returned to consciousness, he was on a cot with a rough, kindly
face bending over him.
"Drink, m'lad, it'll do 'ee good. Clunk un all down."
He felt something at his lips and mechanically swallowed it. The liquor,
or whatever it was, revived him in a short time and he sat up.
"Where am I? Am I hurt?"
He slowly placed his hand to his head and felt a bandage around it.
"Ah, I remember now. I fell in the hurling game, but I still have the
ball." Ande gazed around and found himself in what appeared an ordinary
fisherman's cabin, rough and uncouth, but still comfortable. Fishing
tackle hung here and there and there was an odd, fishy smell. A few
cheap prints hung on the wall and there was a window through which a
glimpse of the sea was visible.
"Why, bless 'ee, young sir, I thought 'ee would never come round, so Ah
did; Ah was holding my breath to see whether 'ee was mazed by the fall
or 'ad come round, and I'm glad 'tez the latter. But, bless 'ee, what a
fall! Damme, it was worse than a blow of a cutlass."
It was the voice of the attendant who had been bending over him; he was
to all appearances a simple fisherman, clad in rough fisherman's
clothes, and with a shaggy crop of hair that needed much the barber's
art.
"And what place is this?"
"This es Prussia Cove."
A revelation dawned upon the mind of the captain of the Helston hurlers.
He had often heard of Prussia Cove and its famous smuggling hero,
Captain Carter, who, on account of his great resemblance to Frederick
the Great, was named the "King of Prussia." Many a keg of brandy and
bale of silk and lace found its way into the neighbourhood of Helston
through him. Many a landlord and poor peasant profited by this illicit
trade. But smuggling was not esteemed a crime by the people. The
government, by imposing duties on imports, was viewed partly in the
light of a tyrant and justly to be opposed and hoodwinked. The people
loved the smuggler better than the king. Even rectors of the church
considered smuggling an honourable occupation and the smuggler a brave
citizen seeking a livelihood. The government itself was not bitterly
opposed to it, at least such was its position until after the Napoleonic
wars, for by smuggling a hardy race of seamen was bred that laid,
primarily, England's prestige on the sea.
The lad, like many others, felt a kindly interest in them and looked for
their welfare.
"And you are the King of Prussia?"
"Not 'zackly," said the man with a smile; "I'm just 'is prime minister
on land."
"The watchman?"
"Aye, and I saw 'ee a-tumbling down the cliff just now and brought 'ee
in. I thought 'ee was done for, sure."
"And the King?"
"Is out on the King's highway taking a walk."
"By which you mean that he is out on the sea, and is expected home
to-night?"
"'Zackly so."
"I'm much obliged for your kind care; and now I feel able to stand I'll
have to be travelling after the boys, for it's getting dusk."
"I think 'ee had better stay, at least until the King comes, for 'ow do
I know but what 'ee favours the coastguard."
There was an anxious and cunning look in the watchman's eye.
"Well, just as you say; I'll stay."
The adventure of coming in contact with the watchman and the idea of
meeting the celebrated King of Prussia harmonised with the lad's daring
spirit and he was not loathe to remain.
"That's right, better so, and 'ee'll see a fine sight," nodded the
watchman, relieved of much of his fears. "And now I suppose 'ee'rt
hungry, leastways I be, and we'll 'ave a bit of scrowled pilchards and
say biscuit."
The watchman set about the little cabin preparing the evening meal for
himself and guest and became quite communicative. Exploits of the King
of Prussia, his smuggling trips, his hairbreadth escapes, his great
courage, all formed the burden of his tales. Ande listened and felt more
and more the desire to meet this hero of the smuggling trade. The supper
was ready and together watchman and hurling captain fell to with a
will, the latter eating with the gusto that the hard day's game
naturally brought.
In the meantime the night settled in dark and stormy. For some time
there had been dark, leaden clouds pendant upon the western horizon and
a low, weird murmuring, increasing to a sullen, muffled growl as of many
beasts, mad with hunger in a jungle fastness. With the increasing wind
the leaden mass burdening the horizon rolled steadily inward, a roof of
tumbling blackness, now still, then rolling on, and fretted here and
there with jagged gleams of lightning. There was a crashing roll of
thunder like the peal of many guns.
"Hark!" said the watchman, raising his fork in midair; "just as I
thought, a storm a-coming; so much the better for the King. A storm
brings a clear coast, and yet I wish the captain was ashore, for there's
going to be uncommon 'igh wind."
More thunder and more violent wind, and the waves along the shore, that
generally rollicked and played with boulders and companion cliffs, began
to rear their foam crowned heads and bellow back in harmony with the
thunder tones above, beating the defiant rocks with a scourge of green
watery thongs. The sea-gulls were silenced by the increasing roar and
sought safety in the crannies of the cliffs. And now the full force of
the storm was on, and even in the retired cove was its power felt, for
the small window panes began to rattle and vibrate as if moved by a
spirit of unrest.
"'Ark!" said the watchman, as he pushed back his chair and arose
hurriedly. There was a sound of a solitary gun at sea, heard in the lull
of the wind, and then through the window was seen the shooting course of
a rocket, comet-like, athwart the stormy sky.
"Ah! The King is coming in, and 'ard pressed too. Damme, the government
dogs are after 'im. Now there was a time when a man could earn a decent
living without 'aving 'is lugger sent to Davy Jones' locker, but
now--damme--there's another gun! Les out and give 'im a light! Bear a
hand there with that lantern."
The watchman jerked an oilskin on his back and a sou'wester on his head,
and casting a hasty glance at the cabin, turned and bolted through the
door, closely followed by his companion.
Without the storm was not much felt in the sequestered cove, although
there were occasional blasts of wind that penetrated the harbour
entrance, terrific in force, and seemed to fairly take their breath on
their exit. Above, streaks of twilight were still visible, and flying,
scudding fragments of clouds driven on the blast. Then came sleet and
hail that stung the face like needles. The lad staggered a moment almost
blinded by the withering, hail-burdened wind.
"Avast a bit, lad," roared the watchman, and running back and securing
an oilskin and sou'wester, "'ere, stow tha cargo in that," handing the
oilskin, "and clap that on your main-top," handing the great sou'wester.
Lights were stationed on both points of the narrow entrance and they
returned to the beach where they awaited. There was a fascination in the
great waves and breakers, hurling themselves from the gloom like vast
mountains of green darkness toward the cove's entrance, where they would
shiver themselves to pieces with a deep roar, augmented by its
reverberating throughout the hollow length of the harbour.
Then as they watched, a higher wave than usual seemed to approach the
entrance--nearer and nearer, larger and larger, until it seemed to fill
the narrow cove's mouth from cliff to cliff, and threatened engulfment
of cove and all in one watery grave. The wind ceased for a moment. The
feeling Ande had was inexpressible.
"See!" he roared to the smuggler watchman, "see, it'll sweep the whole
cove!" He was turning to bound up the cliff, when the watchman seized
him.
"Avast, lad, 'tez only the lugger."
True, it was the lugger, that with shortened, bellying sails, rushed in
like a thing of life, and so great was her momentum that there was
danger of her beaching. The skipper was a skilful hand, and not new at
his business, which he demonstrated by the quickness of his orders. A
cry of command, and in a twinkling all sails were neatly folded and
closely reefed. Another command, and gently the smuggler vessel drew in
to the landing.
A scene of apparent confused activity instantly ensued. Kegs of brandy,
bales of silk, and rich fabrics were hurled recklessly out on the sands,
and numbers of hardy frames, springing from the very earth, bore them
away in the darkness. There was a hollow boom beyond the entrance, and a
solid shot sped in through the cove-mouth, swept across the sand, and
buried itself in the cliff beyond. There were oaths, loud and deep, from
the husky, straining figures at work in the lugger and on shore, but
they paused not. Ande's attention was concentrated upon one who seemed
the chief, standing on the landing, giving orders, and, as he turned, he
was startled by the intense resemblance of the countenance to a picture
he had seen once of Frederick of Prussia. He was of ordinary height, a
little inclined to stoutness, and had fair hair, and blue eyes that
flashed under the light of the flaming torches; his regular, delicate
features had great power of expression. With an oath, he saw Ande, and
grasped him by the shoulder with a grip of steel.
"Who art thou, lad?"
The explanation of his supper companion, the watchman, was forthcoming,
and with a word of apology the captain turned to other and more pressing
affairs.
Again came the booming sound at sea,--this time closer--and another shot
sped through the entrance. The revenue cutter was nearing the
cove-mouth, but the smugglers were prepared for a grim resistance. Pikes
and cutlasses were gleaming on all sides.
"Zounds!" muttered Captain Carter, "they'll be upon us in another
moment, and that before we 'ave time to store the cargo. Up aloft,
there, Jack, on the headland, and see if you can't beat off the dogs.
Open on them with solid ball," he roared, after the watchman, who was
already climbing the ascent. Ande, totally forgetting his injuries in
the excitement, sped up after him.
Up, up, up, following the flickering light of the watchman's lantern, he
went. And now the wind became more violent, the higher the ascent, until
near the top he was scarcely able to stand.
"Larboard, port your helm, there!" shouted the voice of Jack, and he was
seized by that worthy and dragged into a less exposed place. "No man
could stand in a gale like this any further up," shouted Jack in his
ear. Another step or two, and a sequestered place was reached, where
were stationed two pieces of ancient ordnance, and Jack and Ande were
speedily loading, and none too soon, for down below, the cutter's lights
were seen a short distance from the entrance.
There was a flash and then a roar, and the ball was on its mission.
"Too high. Better luck next time. But I swear that I thought that 'ould
'a' gone amidships. I do think old Nick must a-turned un aside, I do."
"It's had some effect, for they are beating off," answered Ande.
"That's to get a shot at we. They're luffing. But we'll tap them first,
I say. 'Ere, let's give 'em another."
Again was the flash and roar from the cliff, and Jack fairly chuckled,
as one of the lanterns was snuffed out.
"Took a part of 'er taffrail that time."
But now the cutter was ready for action, and boom went one of her guns,
and the next moment a ball struck the cliff below them, splintering the
rock into fragments. Then again the cliff guns spoke, answered once more
by the cutter's, and soon the action became general. The roar of the
cliff guns and the revenue cutter's mingled with the howling blast, and
made the night hideous with noise. Though so far above the sea, yet the
spray of crashing breakers frequently swept over them as they worked the
cliff guns, and it and the occasional flying sleet, at times, so
dampened the powder that the guns had to be recharged.
Ande was in his element. Here was a real battle, and he paused not to
think that he was firing upon a government boat. The wild soldier blood
of his ancestors was coursing through his veins like molten fire. He had
cast aside the sou'wester hat, as obstructing his vision, and truly he
looked a martial figure with his bandaged head and flowing locks swept
by the blast.
In the midst of the detonating roar, a figure bounded from the gloom
behind them. Jack, with a sulphurous oath, swung his cutlass on high,
thinking that some revenue men had landed and were charging, but Ande
grasped the blade before it could descend. Although he cut his own hand
badly in the act, yet he saved the stranger's life.
"Dick!"
"Ande!"
It was Dick, who, searching in the locality for his friend, was
attracted by the noise of battle. He asked no questions, but stolidly
set to work to assist in charging and firing the guns. At length the
cutter's guns were fairly silenced; she had been beaten off and her
lights were seen fainter and fainter in her hasty retreat out to sea.
"Now, stand by, men; one more shot to let them remember Captain Carter
and Prussia Cove."
It was the gunner, Jack, who spoke, as he finished aiming the last
piece. There was another flash, and away bounded the iron messenger. A
moment and one of the lights of the distant cutter was quenched, as if
the bay had engulfed it.
"As I'm a sinner, ef that didn't go straight through their cabin
winders. And now, les down below and see 'ow fares the captain and the
cargo."
They descended and found the King of Prussia in excellent humour. The
whole cargo had been safely landed and concealed in numerous secret
places, and even the lugger had mysteriously disappeared.
"And let's shake hands with our new comrades of the night," said the
captain, as he grasped the hands of Ande and Dick. "You 'ave shown us
your good will to-night, and ye had better now turn in and get a bit of
rest afore morning, when, if ye are so minded, you can take the way back
to Helston. But, mind 'ee, my lads, no word of to-night's affair."
Both accepted the generous invitation of Captain Carter, and weary with
the double exertion of a hurling game and the smugglers' battle, they
soon lost themselves in the land of dreams.
On the morrow they were awakened by voices in angry altercation without.
The cutter had returned, but slightly damaged, and had landed a force in
the cove capable of sweeping all opposition. But there was no
opposition, nothing incriminating being found. Even the very guns on
the cliff had disappeared, and the marks of numerous feet on the shore
were partly obliterated by the tide. The lads, cautiously peering out
from the small window, saw the King of Prussia angrily expostulating
with the captain of the cutter. Prussia was clad in an ordinary
fisherman's garb, and seemed what he professed to be by those garments.
"Damme," he was saying, "'tez a downright shame that my family and I,
peaceful folks, have to 'ave our slumbers disturbed by the banging of
your practice guns all night. Why doan't 'ee practice out at sea?"
The captain of the cutter was nonplussed, apologised slightly, and
reembarked with his crew. Carter came into the cabin with a merry
twinkle in his eye. The lads were convulsed with laughter.
"And now," said the captain, "I suppose it is time for 'ee to be going,"
and he pressed into their hands a small package, which later
investigation proved to be a jar of currant wine. On the highway, Ande
told Dick of his accident and his possession of the first hurling ball.
When they arrived at the Grammar School, they were notified to appear
before the head. Mr. Trewan was seated at his desk, and looked at the
two culprits very gravely, for to be absent all night was a serious
offence. Then the grave look gave place to one of anxious concern, as
Ande's bandaged head and hand caught his vision. Explanations were made,
the fall over the cliff, the period of unconsciousness, and Dick's
search the greater part of the night for his friend. The battle of the
smugglers was not touched, as they deemed that treachery to their
smuggler friends.
Mr. Trewan seemed touched by the accident, and the devotion of Dick, and
let them both off without even a reprimand.
That night there was another festive scene, but in the fifth form
dormitory instead of in the dining hall, and in it the currant wine
formed a prominent part.