Directly the crew of the prow discovered the frigate they lowered the
sails, and getting out the oars, began to pull her head round in the
direction of the wind's eye. At that moment, however, the chase had got
close to the frigate.
"She is telling her what sort of gentry we are, and depend upon it she
will be after us directly," said Kiddle.
He was right, apparently, for immediately the frigate's head sails were
seen shivering in the breeze, and slowly coming about, she stood towards
us on the other tack. The other prows discovered her at the same moment
that we did, and were now pulling away as fast as their crews could urge
them through the water. The frigate, as she approached, began firing
from her foremost guns. Had one of her shots struck us between wind and
water, it would have sent us to the bottom. As to the prows escaping,
it seemed scarcely possible. Still the Malays held on, tugging
desperately at their oars. While some of the crew were rowing, the rest
were employed in examining the priming of their muskets and feeling the
edge of their swords, while a low conversation was carried on among
them.
"I do not quite like what they are saying, sir," said Smith to me. "As
far as I can make out, they are vowing to Allah, that if the frigate
comes up with them they will knock us all on the head and blow
themselves up. They are in earnest, I am afraid, for I know their
people have done the same sort of thing before now."
"Tell them," I said, "that as they have treated us so well, that if they
will haul down their colours we will use our influence with the captain
of the ship to have them set at liberty. Tell them we think she is the
ship we belong to, and that if they are wise men they will follow our
advice."
Smith, knowing pretty well that our lives depended upon the way he might
put the matter to the old chief, began to address him slowly. Gradually
he grew more energetic and warm. While he was speaking a shot came
flying close by us, carrying away the greater number of the oars on one
side. Escape now seemed impossible. Again we urged our advice. The
chief seemed unwilling to follow it.
"Ask him if he hasn't got a wife or two and a few young children at home
who would like to see him again," said Brady to Smith. "Tell him at all
events we have, and if he's a wise man that he will live himself and let
us live. Faith, it's a little exaggeration as far as some of us are
concerned, but if it excites the old gentleman's commiseration, sure
Father O'Rouke would absolve me for that as well as a few other lies I
have had to tell in my life."
Smith interpreted these remarks. The Rajah spoke to his crew. Directly
afterwards the uninjured oars were thrown in.
"We have got your promise, then, young officer, that my people and I
shall be uninjured, and shall be allowed to go free?" said the chief.
"Yes," I answered, "I fully believe if that frigate is the one to which
we belong, that the captain will carry out my promises."
On this the chief briefly addressed his crew.
The frigate, understanding apparently that we had given in, ceased
firing, and directly afterwards hove to. There was just time to lower a
boat, when again she stood on in chase of the other prows. The moon was
now shining brightly, and by her light we saw a boat approaching us. In
a few minutes she was alongside, and her crew, led by an officer, sprang
on board. I thought I recognised Oldershaw's figure. "They have given
in," I shouted out, "and we have promised that you would spare their
lives and let them go free."
"Hillo! Who is that? Bless my heart, who are you?" exclaimed
Oldershaw. "What! Ben Burton! Is it possible!"
We were all of us, it must be remembered, in Eastern dresses, finding
them far more comfortable than those we had laid aside.
"Yes, and I am here too!" sung out Dicky Esse.
"I am heartily glad of it," exclaimed Oldershaw. "We thought you had
all been knocked on the head by the savages long ago. And have any more
of you escaped?"
"Yes, sir," said Toby Kiddle. "Here am I, and here's Pat Brady, and
these two men of the `Resolution,' and fortunate men they are, for they
are the only ones alive out of the whole ship's company."
Oldershaw now learned from us, for the first time, of the sad loss of
the frigate. We told him also how well we had been treated by the
Rajah. On this Oldershaw went up and shook him by the hand, and told
Smith to assure him that no harm would be done him or his people, and
that the captain of the frigate would be very much obliged to him for
the way he had treated us. The old chief seemed highly pleased, and
ordered pipes and coffee to be brought aft, and in ten minutes we were
all seated in the after part of the prow, smoking the fragrant weed and
sipping the warm beverage, while the Malays were doing the honours to
our men. I need not say, however, that Oldershaw told us all to keep a
bright look-out, so that, in case of treachery being intended, we might
not be taken by surprise. The frigate stood on, and from the rapid
firing we heard, it was pretty evident that she was roughly handling the
other prows. The chief shrugged his shoulders. "It was the will of
Allah," he said: "if his people were killed, it was not his fault, nor
was it ours, so he hoped it would not interfere with our present
friendly relations." Such, at least, was something like the
interpretation which Smith gave us of his remarks. At length the
frigate was seen running back. As she approached, we fired a gun to
draw her attention, and in a short time she was up to us, shortening
sail as she approached. Another boat now came off from her, when Esse
and I went on board and reported ourselves to Captain Oliver. He was
walking the quarter-deck when we appeared at the gangway. "What!" he
exclaimed, "you my midshipmen! I thought when I saw you that you were a
couple of young Malays. Come into the cabin, and let me hear your
account. I am, indeed, heartily glad to hear that you have escaped."
Mr Schank expressed equal satisfaction at again seeing us, as, indeed,
did all our shipmates. When he heard how well we had been treated by
the old Rajah, he sent to request his presence on board, that he might
thank him personally for his kindness to us. After some little delay,
notice was given that the Rajah was coming on board in one of our boats.
The sides were manned to do him honour, and in a short time he appeared
at the gangway, no longer habited in the dingy costume in which we had
seen him, but superbly dressed with a turban glittering with gems, and
richly jewelled sword by his side, attended by four other persons also
finely habited. Without the slightest embarrassment, he followed the
captain, after a due amount of salaams had passed between them, into the
cabin. He there took his seat with perfect composure, and Smith was
summoned to act as interpreter. Captain Oliver again thanked him for
his kindness to us, and then took occasion to express his regret that he
should ever be engaged in deeds of which the English could not approve,
such as robbing vessels and knocking their crews on the head, or sending
them overboard. The old chief did not for a moment deny that such were
his usual occupations, but observed quietly that his fathers had done
the same before him, and, as it was necessary to live, he should be glad
to hear if the English chief could point out any better occupation.
"Surely," he remarked, "you do just the same. What are all these guns
for? For what are the arms you and your people carry, but to rob and
kill your enemies?" and the old gentleman chuckled, fully believing that
he had checkmated the infidel chief.
"Well, well," answered Captain Oliver, "we will talk of that another
time; but have you any favour to ask which it is in my power to grant,
as I shall be glad to do anything to please you, to show my gratitude."
The Rajah thought a moment. "No," he said. "You have refrained from
sending my vessel to the bottom when you had the power to do so, and I
have no more to ask since you allow me to go free. But there is one
favour. I should like again to see your dancing-man go through his
wonderful performance."
Until we explained the remark, Captain Oliver was puzzled to know what
his guest meant. "What do you say, Schank. We have a few men on board
who can dance, besides the Irishman, have we not?"
"Yes, sir, there are several," observed Mr Schank.
"Very well, just go and make such arrangements as you can best manage on
deck, and we will have our guest up when all is ready." In a short time
Tom King entered the cabin.
"Please, sir," he reported, "the ball-room is prepared, and the dancers
are ready."
"Very well," said the Captain, and he made a sign to our Malay friends
to accompany him on deck.
A number of the crew with lanterns in their hands had been arranged
round the quarter-deck. On the after part, carpets and cushions had
been spread, on which our guests were requested to take their seats,
while between every two men with lanterns stood others, each with a blue
light case in his hand. We had on board a couple of fiddlers, besides
the marines' fifes and drums. All our musical powers had been mustered
for the occasion.
"Strike up!" cried Mr Schank, and the fiddlers began to play, joined in
by the other instruments as they did so. The circle of lantern men
opened, and Pat Brady, followed by nearly a dozen other men, sprang into
the centre. Pat first performed a jig for which he was celebrated. It
was followed by a regular sailor's hornpipe. When this was finished,
the band struck up a Scotch reel. At the same time the blue lights were
ignited, and four men in kilts and plaids sprang into the circle and
commenced a Highland fling, shrieking and leaping, and clapping their
hands in a way that made the old Rajah almost jump off his cushions with
astonishment, the glare of the blue lights increasing the wild and
savage appearance of the dancers.
"Bismillah! These English are wonderful people!" exclaimed the old
Rajah. "If they would but follow the prophet, and take to piracy like
us, they might possess themselves of the wealth of all the world, for
who could stand against them!" So delighted was the old gentleman with
his entertainment, that he declined receiving any further present with
the exception of a few bottles of rum, which he could not bring himself
to refuse. He promised also that should any English people fall into
his power, that, for the sake of us and our dancing friends, he would
always treat them with kindness, and assist them in reaching any port
they might desire.
We now put him on board his prow, and sent him rejoicing on his way.
Possibly he might not have been so well-pleased when he came to discover
that three of his fleet had been sunk by our guns, and yet he was
evidently too great a philosopher to allow such a matter to weigh
heavily upon his spirits. I was very thankful to be once more on board
the frigate. Captain Oliver treated me and Esse with the greatest
kindness, for, though we had kept up our spirits, we were rather the
worse for the hardships we had gone through, and the strain on our
nerves; for midshipmen have nerves, whatever may be thought to the
contrary, though they are fortunately very tough and not easily put out
of order. We were accordingly put into the sick list and relieved from
duty for a couple of weeks. I repeated to Mr Schank the account which
Mr Noalles had given me of himself. He was greatly astonished at what
I told him.
"I little thought the man I knew so well when I was last in these seas
was the one who had behaved so cruelly to my poor sister," he said.
"However, he has gone, and peace be to his memory. I will do my utmost
to discover his daughter, and I should think, as Mr Bramston must be
well-known in Bombay, there can be little difficulty in doing that. I
will write the first opportunity to a friend I have in Calcutta, and get
him to make all the inquiries in his power." After cruising for some
months among the East India Islands, we returned to Canton. We were
there directed to convoy a fleet of merchantmen round to Calcutta. What
with risks from pirates, from rocks and shoals, from hurricanes, from
enemies' cruisers, and from the unseaworthiness of some, it is a wonder
that we managed to bring the greater portion of the vessels under our
charge safe to their destination. Mr Schank's friend told him that he
had inquired for Mr Bramston, and found that he had for some years been
residing as a district judge in Ceylon, where, indeed, he had passed the
greater portion of his time. He understood that he was alive and
married, but how long he had been married he could not tell, or whether
he had married a second time. This much was satisfactory.
We had now been upwards of four years on the station, and were every day
expecting to be ordered home. The Admiral, however, told our Captain,
that not having more frigates on the station than he required, he must
keep us till we were relieved. We were just weighing anchor to proceed
back to Canton, when a frigate was seen standing towards us.
She soon made her number. "The Thetis." The signal book was in instant
requisition, and the answer to our question was: "Direct from England to
relieve the `Orion'." The signal midshipman threw up his hat as he read
it. A shout ran along the decks. Before she had come to an anchor, our
boat was alongside, and returned with a bag of letters and newspapers.
We delayed our departure that we might receive her letters home in
return. For a long time I had not heard from my mother. She was well,
and she gave me a very good account of Mrs and the Misses Schank, and
the dear Little Lady. But she said that she herself was sorely annoyed
by letters from Mr Gillooly, who still persevered in his suit. "They
are warm enough and devoted enough in all conscience," she observed, "so
much so, indeed, that I feel sure they are written under the influence
of potent tumblers of whisky. Though I never could endure a milk-sop,
yet I have a still greater objection to the opposite extreme. Besides,
Ben," she added, "my dear boy, however my friends may urge me, I wish to
die as I have lived, faithful to the memory of your brave father."
I could not but applaud the resolution of my mother, at the same time
that I felt anxious that she should do whatever would most conduce to
her happiness. The officers and parties of the ships' companies having
exchanged visits with each other, we bade our relief farewell, and with
joyous hearts made sail for Old England.