The first boat which came alongside was announced to be the barge of
Admiral Don Martin Alaba. She rowed twenty oars, and had on board a
rear-admiral and two other officers, one of whom was the Governor's
nephew, who came to pay his respects to their supposed friends. The
other, a felucca, contained the same number of officers and men, and
among them was an aide-de-camp of the Admiral's, who sent his
compliments and congratulations to the French, with the information that
they would be supplied with all they desired. He also announced, which
was less agreeable to us, that several launches with anchors and cables
were getting ready to assist the frigates into the harbour.
Unless, therefore, a good excuse could be framed for not going in, our
true characters would immediately be discovered. However, as Spaniards
are not very quick in their movements, it was hoped that some time would
pass before the arrival of the launches, and that an opportunity might
occur of taking a few more prizes without bloodshed. The new visitors
were ushered down, with every mark of respect, into the cabin, while the
crews were handed below as the others had been. The first glance the
Admiral caught of the Spanish captain's countenance gave him, probably,
some anxiety. This was still further increased when Captain Masterman,
with a polite bow, requested his pardon for the trick which had been
played off on him and his countrymen.
"What trick!" exclaimed the Admiral. "Surely you do not mean to say
that you are not the people we took you for?"
"We must confess that we are not," said Captain Masterman; "we beg to
assure you that neither you nor any of your countrymen will suffer the
least insult or hurt at our hands. We must, however, request you
contentedly to remain on board for a few hours, after which time I have
little doubt that we shall be able to set you at liberty."
These remarks reassured the Spaniards, who were further reconciled to
their lot when they saw the cloth spread, and a number of covers brought
aft by active hands. The table glittered with plate and glass, and
numerous well-filled bottles of ruby wine. While, however, the dinner
was getting ready, the Spanish officers were invited to take a turn on
deck. Their astonishment and vexation had been considerable before; it
was now increased when they saw a number of Englishmen come up, dressed
in the clothes of the Spaniards, and immediately jump into the Spanish
boat. Several of the frigates' boats were also seen at the same time to
shove off with their officers and men well armed, and to pull towards
the three Spanish gunboats which lay at their anchors just outside the
river leading to Manilla. The Admiral and his officers watched them
anxiously. What could they be about? On they went till they were
alongside the gunboats. Not a sound of a shot was heard, not a trigger
apparently had been pulled. In a short time the gunboats under sail
were seen slowly dropping down towards the frigates.
"Dinner is ready," observed our Captain to his guests. "We will inform
you of the particulars of what has taken place after you have enjoyed
it."
The Spaniards were wise men. They shrugged their shoulders, twirled
their moustaches, but said nothing, quickly following their hosts into
the cabin. Their eyes could not help brightening up when they saw the
good dinner spread before them, for such will, with few exceptions,
touch the hearts of mortals of all nations. Toasts were proposed,
healths drunk, and the Spaniards began to think that the accounts they
had read of British ferocity and British barbarism must have been
somewhat exaggerated. Meantime the three gunboats were brought
alongside with about one hundred and twenty officers and men as
prisoners. Several of their people had managed to escape on shore. The
officers acknowledged to their captors that there were a considerable
number more gunboats in the harbour, all new and coppered, very fast,
and well fitted for service. We, having plenty of provisions on board,
our Captain had ordered a good entertainment to be prepared for all the
prisoners, who showed no unwillingness to make themselves happy and at
home. We had already had a pretty good morning's work, but the
Spaniards seemed still willing to present us with another prize, for
soon after the gunboats had been brought alongside, a second
felucca-rigged boat, pulling eighteen oars, was seen coming off.
Several officers were also aboard her. As she came alongside, they were
received with the same politeness as the others had been. The principal
officer informed us that he was Captain of the port. He requested to
know for what reason the boats were detained, saying that if they were
not immediately restored the authorities would consider the two frigates
as enemies, and not only decline giving them any assistance, but direct
the squadron to come out of harbour and drive them off.
"Tell him what we know about the squadron," said Captain Cobb to our
pilot.
"Why, my friend," observed Mr Noalles, "you must be aware that you have
the larger portion of your squadron without their masts, and that even
the others will not be able to follow us for a fortnight at least. We
know perfectly well what we are about; in fact, it must be confessed
that we are Englishmen!"
The start given by the Captain of the port was even more violent than
that of his predecessors. What, had he actually run his head into the
lion's den, after so many of his companions had been already caught?
However, on being conducted into the cabin, he was received with shouts
of laughter from his countrymen, who by this time were feeling the
effects of the generous wine they had imbibed. The Spaniards were,
however, able to punish us slightly in return by the information they
gave, that of the two merchant vessels we had come to cut out, one was
aground, and the other had landed her cargo in consequence of the
appearance of a suspicious looking ship of war, which we afterwards
ascertained was one of our cruisers, whose melancholy fate I shall some
day have to relate.
By this time we had fully two hundred prisoners on board, and a happier
set of prisoners it would have been difficult to find, for not only had
the officers' hearts been made merry, but the seamen had as much grog on
board as they could well carry. There could be little doubt that by
this time the people on shore must have been fully certain of our real
characters. Their suspicions must have been confirmed when they saw a
breeze spring up, and that we did not proceed into the roads as they had
supposed we should do. Our Captains, who were as generous and liberal
as brave, now told the Spanish officers that they should be at liberty
to return on shore, offering to present them with the Admiral's barge,
the guard boat, and the two feluccas; nor would they even ask for their
parole nor impose a restriction of any sort upon them. The Spaniards'
astonishment on being captured had been very great, but it was greater
still when they received this information. I did not hear what the
Admiral said, but I know he made a very long speech, full of
grandiloquent words, that he pressed his hands to his heart very often,
and in other ways endeavoured to show his sense of British magnanimity.
Evening coming on, he and his countrymen took their departure in their
respective boats, some of which were rather overcrowded, as, of course,
they had to carry the crews of the gunboats which we had detained.
Our ship's company shook hands with all the men as they helped them into
their boats, and parted from them with three hearty cheers, as if they
had been their dearest friends. As soon as our guests had departed, we
once more stood out of the bay with our three prizes, keeping away to
the south in the hopes of visiting other places before the information
of our true character could reach them. The gunboats were manned, a
lieutenant from the "Zephyr" taking charge of one of them, and our
junior lieutenant and Mr Oliver having the command of the other two.
They were respectively named by the ship's company the "Bam," the "Boo,"
and the "Zel". The "Zephyr" took the "Bam" in tow, while we had the
"Boo" and the "Zel". It was young Mr Oliver's first command, and with
no small pleasure he descended the ship's side to go and take charge of
the craft, fully expecting to perform great deeds in her. Many another
young man has done the same, and found, after all, his expectations
sadly disappointed. I remember perfectly watching the little vessels as
they followed in our wake. They were handsome, graceful craft, very
well fitted for the work for which they were intended, cruising along
shore, and being able to run into harbour again on the appearance of bad
weather. Somehow or other Englishmen are apt to think if a vessel can
float she is fit to go anywhere, and that there is no considerable
difference between smooth water and a heavy cross sea,--a summer breeze
and a snorting gale.
Mr Oliver had with him a young midshipman, ten seamen, and a boy--a
very much smaller crew than the gunboat had under the Spanish flag. Of
course, however, fewer Englishmen are required to man a vessel than
Spaniards, not but that Spaniards are very good sailors, but then they
have not got the muscle and the activity of Englishmen. As a rule,
Spanish vessels are far better found than English craft, and are rather
over than under manned. We continued to run down the coast without
meeting with any adventure till we sighted the large island of Mindanao.
We were standing off that island one night, when about midnight the
ship was struck by a heavy squall. She lay over till her yardarms
almost dipped in the ocean. Topsail and topgallant sheets were let fly,
and she soon again righted without much apparent damage to herself, but
at that instant there was a cry from aft that one of the gunboats had
parted.
The night was dark, and those who looked out could nowhere distinguish
her. The frigate was, however, immediately brought to. A gun was
fired, but there was no report in return. A blue light was next ordered
to be lit. No answering signal was to be perceived. The missing boat
was the "Zel" under charge of young Harry Oliver. He was a great
favourite on board, and many anxious eyes were looking out for him.
Another and another gun was fired, and blue lights ever and anon sent
their bright glare over the foam-topped waves. While one of these blue
lights was burning, one of the men on the look-out whispered to another:
"What do you see there, Bill? As I am a living man there is a long low
ship under all sail gliding by right in the wind's eye."
"And I see her too! And I, and I!" exclaimed several men in suppressed
voices. "Hark? There are sounds. There is music."
"Why, they are singing on board. What can she be? I for one would
rather never have looked on her. Can you make out the words?"
"No, I should think not."
"Do you see her now?"
"No, she seemed to shoot right up into that thick cloud to windward."
Such and similar expressions were heard, and the men were still talking
about the matter when my father and Pat Brady, who had been below, came
on deck. At that moment Mr Schank's voice was heard shouting out
"Shorten sail!" and the ship was brought speedily under still closer
canvas, barely in time, however, to enable her to bear the effects of
the second violent squall which came roaring up from the quarter where
the supposed stranger had disappeared. Guns were again fired, and more
blue lights burned, and thus we continued waiting anxiously till morning
broke. The other gunboat was safe, but it was too certain that the
unfortunate "Zel" had foundered, and that her crew and the brave young
Harry Oliver and his still more youthful companion had perished. Many
hearts on board grieved for their loss. I will not say tears were shed,
because, however poets may write about the matter, it is my belief that
British seamen are not addicted to express their feelings in that way,
unless perhaps occasionally a few do so when they become sentimental
with a larger amount of grog on board than usual, but even that is not
very common. They are more inclined to become obstreperous and
combative on such occasions.
The latter part of our cruise was not likely to prove so successful as
the commencement.
Standing to the extreme south of the group, we came off a Spanish
settlement, guarded by a couple of forts, and which, as it was of
considerable size, our Captains determined to lay under contribution for
wood, water, and refreshments. We fortunately captured a felucca a
short distance from the coast, and her master was now directed to stand
in and make our request for the articles we required known to the
authorities of the place. They not understanding our amiable
disposition, or supposing that we were the bloodthirsty monsters we had
been described, declined acceding to our petitions. There was no help
therefore but to attempt to take by force what was denied to our modest
request. The wood and water we might have procured elsewhere, but
vegetables and fresh meat and other provisions we had no hopes of
finding. We accordingly stood in towards the town, hoping that our
appearance would overawe the enemy. The Spaniards, however, as soon as
we got within range of their guns, opened a hot fire upon us which
showed that they fully intended to keep to their resolution of not
rendering us assistance. Hungry Englishmen are not well-pleased to be
baulked of their provisions. The order was "Out boats and take the
fort." Four boats shoved off, under command of Captain Masterman, and
made for the shore, in spite of the hot fire with which they were
received. One, however, grounded on a sandbank, and several men were
hit while they were endeavouring to get her off. The intention was to
take the fort. They reached the beach, and on the men dashed, expecting
in a few minutes to be engaged in storming the fort. As, however, they
were rushing up the hill, a large body of armed men appeared on the top
of it, five or six times their number. A braver man than Captain
Masterman never stepped; but, unless the enemy were great cowards, they
could scarcely hope to drive them off, and to get into the fort at the
same time. The walls, too, as they approached them, were seen to be far
more difficult to climb than they had expected. Meantime the batteries
were keeping up a very heavy fire on the frigates, our guns making but
little impression in return. With a heavy heart Captain Masterman gave
the order to retreat and the British had to hurry down to their boats,
while the Spaniards were rapidly advancing. The latter, however, did
not venture to come to close quarters, being well content with their
success, but continued firing on the boats as long as they were within
reach of their muskets. By this time the frigates had lost several men.
The "Zephyr"--her master and three or four men killed, and a midshipman
and several men wounded. We lost five or six killed or wounded. Among
the latter was Pat Brady, who came on board vowing vengeance against the
Spaniards wherever he should meet them. The two frigates, besides, had
received considerable damage.
Our wheel was hit, the head of our mizzen-mast wounded, several of our
shrouds were cut away, and running rigging and sails much injured. At
length a shot cut away two strands of our cable. The gunboats which
joined in the fight had escaped with very little damage, although they
kept up a pretty hot fire on the fort. There seemed to be not the
slightest possibility of our success, and as our chief object was to get
wood and water, which certainly could be obtained elsewhere, cutting our
cables, we made sail out of the harbour. Altogether we had paid pretty
dearly for our morning's amusement.
I give the account, however humbling to our national pride it may be, to
show that it is possible for the bravest and most sagacious officers to
meet with reverses, and as a warning lesson to others not to think too
highly of themselves.
I leave the reader to count up what we did during the cruise, and to
judge whether we had much cause for congratulation, I had the account
from my father in after years, and, calculating profits and losses, I
rather think that the balance was terribly against us.