CHAPTER V
A PIRATE HOLD
The _Furious_ was at once placed in the hands of the dockyard people, whoset to work immediately to repair damages, while large quantities ofprovisions were brought off from the stores on shore.
"They are not generally as sharp as this," Forster said; "I should saythere must be something in the wind."
Such was the general opinion on board the ship, for double gangs ofworkers were put on, and in three days she was reported to be again readyfor sea. The captain came on board half an hour later and spoke to thefirst lieutenant, and orders were at once issued to get up the anchors andset sail. Her head was pointed west as she left the harbour, and thegeneral opinion was that she was bound for Gibraltar. It leaked out,however, in the afternoon that she was sailing under sealed orders, and asthat would hardly be the case if she were bound for Gibraltar, there wereinnumerable discussions among the sailors as to her destination. Could shebe meant to cruise along the west coast of France, or to return to Englandand join a fleet being got ready there for some important operation?
"What do you say, Bill?" one of the men asked an old sailor, who had satquietly, taking no part in the discussion.
"Well, if you asks me," he said, "I should say we are bound for the WestIndies."
"The West Indies, Bill! What makes you think that?"
"Well, I thinks that, because it seems to me as that is where we are mostwanted. The French have got a stronger fleet than we have out there."
"Well, they have got as strong a fleet at Toulon, and quite as strong aone at Brest."
"Yes, that may be so, but I think we are pretty safe to lick them ateither of these places if they will come out and fight us fair, whereas inthe West Indies they are a good bit stronger. There are so many ports andislands that, as we are, so to speak, a good deal scattered, they might atany moment come upon us in double our strength."
"Have you ever been there before, Bill?"
"Ay, two or three times. In some respects it could not be better; you canbuy fruit, and 'bacca and rum for next to nothing, when your officers giveyou a chance. Lor', the games them niggers are up to to circumvent themwould make you laugh! When you land, an old black woman will come up witha basket full of cocoa-nuts. Your officer steps up to her and examinesthem, and they look as right as can be. Perhaps he breaks one and it isfull of milk; very good. So you go up to buy, and the officer looks on.The woman hands you two or three, and when she gives you the last one shewinks her eye. She don't say anything, but you drop a sixpence into herhand among the coppers you have to pay for the others, and when she hasquite sold out the officer orders you into the boat to lie off till hecomes back. And when he returns he is quite astonished to find that mostof the crew are three sheets in the wind.
"Then they will bring you sugar-canes half as thick as your wrist, lookingas innocent as may be; both ends are sealed up with bits of the pith, andwhen you open one end you find that all the joints have been boredthrough, and the cane is full of rum. But mind, lads, you are fools if youtouch it; it is new and strong and rank, and a bottle of it would knockyou silly. And that is not the worst of it, for fever catches hold of you,and fever out there ain't no joke. You eats a good dinner at twelveo'clock, and you are buried in the palisades at six; that's called yellowjack. It is a country where you can enjoy yourselves reasonable withfruit, and perhaps a small sup of rum, but where you must beware ofdrinking; if you do that you are all right. The islands are beautiful,downright beautiful; there ain't many places which I troubles myself tolook at, but the West Indies are like gardens with feathery sorts oftrees, and mountains, and everything that you can want in nature."
"It is very hot, isn't it, Bill?"
"It ain't, so to speak, cool in summer-time. In winter it is just right,but in summer you would like to lie naked all day and have cold waterpoured over you. Still, one gets accustomed to it in time. Then, you see,there is always excitement of some kind. There are pirates and Frenchmen,and there are Spaniards, whom I regard as a cross between the other two.They hide about among the islands and pop out when you least expect them.You always have to keep your eyes in your head and your cutlass handy whenyou go ashore. The worst of them are what they call mulattoes; they are awhity-brown sort of chaps, neither one thing nor the other, and a nicecut-throat lot they are. A sailor who drinks too much and loses his boatis as like as not to be murdered by some of them before morning. I hatethem chaps like poison. There are scores of small craft manned by themwhich prey upon the negroes, who are an honest, merry lot, and not badsailors either in their way. Sometimes four or five of these pirate craftwill go together, and many of them are a good size and carry a lot ofguns. They make some island their head-quarters. Any niggers there may beon it they turn into slaves. There are thousands of these islands, so atleast I should say, scattered about, some of them mere sand-spots, othersa goodish size.
"Well, I hope it is the West Indies. There is plenty of amusement andplenty of fighting to be done there, and I should like to know what asailor can want more."
There was a hum of approval; the picture was certainly tempting.
After a six days' run with a favourable wind they passed through theStraits without touching at Gibraltar, and held west for twenty-fourhours. Then the sealed orders were opened, and it was soon knownthroughout the ship that it was indeed the West Indies for which they werebound. The ship's course was at once changed. Teneriffe was passed, andthey stopped for a day to take in fresh water and vegetables at St.Vincent. Then her head was turned more westward, and three weeks later the_Furious_ anchored at Port Royal. The captain went on shore at once tovisit the admiral, and returned with the news that the _Furious_ was tocruise off the coast of Cuba. The exact position of the French fleet wasunknown, but when last heard of was in the neighbourhood of that island.
"I must keep a sharp look-out for them," the captain said, "and bring backnews of their whereabouts if I do catch sight of them; that is, of course,if we don't catch a tartar, for not only do the French ships carry heavierguns than we do, but they sail faster. We are as speedy, however, as anyof our class, and will, I hope, be able to show them a clean pair ofheels. In addition to this, I am told that three piratical craft, whichhave their rendezvous on some island off the south coast of Cuba, havebeen committing great depredations. A number of merchantmen have beenmissed; so I am to keep a sharp look-out for them and to clip their wingsif I can."
"What size are they?" asked the first lieutenant.
"One is said to be a cutter carrying eight guns and a long-tom, the othertwo are schooners, each carrying six guns on a broadside; it is not knownwhether they have a long-tom, but the probability is that they have."
"They would be rather formidable opponents then if we caught themtogether, as they carry as many guns as we do, and those long-toms arevastly more powerful than anything we have. I think it is a pity that theydon't furnish all ships on this station with a long twenty-four; it wouldbe worth nearly all our broadsides."
"That is so, Mr. Farrance, but somehow the people at home cannot get outof their regular groove, and fill up the ships with eight andten-pounders, while, as you say, one long twenty-four would be worth adozen of them. If we do catch one of these pirates I shall confiscatetheir long guns to our own use."
"It would be a capital plan, sir. Well, I am glad we shall have somethingto look for besides the French fleet, which may be a hundred miles away."
"Ay, or a thousand," the captain added.
Will had been standing not far from the captain, and heard thisconversation. His heart beat high at the thought of the possibility of afight with these murderous pirates.
For three weeks they cruised off the coast of Cuba. They saw no signwhatever of the French fleet, but from time to time they heard from nativecraft of the pirates. The natives differed somewhat widely as to thehead-quarters of these pests, but all agreed that it was on an islandlying in the middle of dangero
us shoals.
One day they saw smoke rising some fifteen miles away and at once shapedtheir course for it. When they approached it they found that it rose froma vessel enveloped in flames.
"She is a European ship," the captain said as they neared her. "Send anofficer in a boat to row round her and gather any particulars as to herfate. I see no boats near her, and I am afraid that it is the work ofthose pirates."
All watched the boat with intent interest as she rowed round the ship.
"I have no doubt whatever that it is the work of pirates," the officersaid on his return. "Her bulwarks are burnt away, and I could make outseveral piles on deck which looked like dead men."
"Send a man up to the mast-head, Farrance, and tell him to scan thehorizon carefully for a sail. I should say this ship can't have beenburning above three hours at most."
No sooner had the man reached the top of the mast than he called down"Sail ho!"
"Where away?" Mr. Farrance shouted.
"On the port bow, sir."
"What do you make her out to be?"
"I should say she was a schooner by her topsails."
The ship's course was at once changed, and every rag of sail put upon her.The first lieutenant climbed to the upper crosstrees, and after a longlook through his telescope returned to deck.
"I should say she is certainly one of the schooners that we are in searchof, sir, but I doubt whether with this light wind we have much chance ofoverhauling her."
"We will try anyhow," the captain said. "She is probably steering for therendezvous, so by following her we may at least get some importantinformation."
All day the chase continued, but there was no apparent change in theposition of the two vessels. The _Furious_ was kept on the same coursethrough the night, and to the satisfaction of all on board they found,when morning broke, that they had certainly gained on the schooner, as hermainsails were now visible. At twelve o'clock a low bank of sand wassighted ahead, and the schooner had entered a channel in this two hourslater. The _Furious_ had to be hove-to outside the shoal. The sandextended a long distance, but there were several breaks in it, and fromthe masthead a net-work of channels could be made out. It was a greatdisappointment to the crew of the _Furious_ to have to give up the chaseand see the schooner only some four miles off on her way under easy sail.
"This is an awkward place, Mr. Farrance," the captain said, "and will needa deal of examination before we go any farther. The first thing to do willbe to sail round and note and sound the various channels. I wish you wouldgo aloft with your glass and see whether there is any ground higher thanthe rest. Such a place would naturally be the point of rendezvous."
Lieutenant Farrance went aloft and presently returned.
"There is a clump of green trees," he said, "some ten miles off. Theschooner is nearing them, and I think, though of this I am not certain,that I can make out the masts of another craft lying there."
"Well, it is something to have located her," the captain said. "Now wemust find how we can best get there; that will be a work of time. We mayas well begin by examining some of these channels."
Four boats were at once lowered and rowed to the mouths of those nearest.The sounding operations quickly showed that in three of them there was buttwo feet of water; the other was somewhat deeper, but there was still twofeet less water than the _Furious_ drew. The deep part was very narrow andwinding.
"It may be this one that the schooner has gone up," the captain said. "Ihave no doubt she draws three or four feet less than we do, and, knowingthe passage perfectly, she could get up it easily. I hope, however, weshall find something deeper presently."
The next three days were spent in circumnavigating the sand-banks and insounding the various channels, but at last the captain was obliged toadmit that none of them were deep enough for the _Furious_, although therewere fully half a dozen by which vessels of lighter draught might enter.
"I am ready to run any fair risk, Mr. Farrance," he said, "but I daren'tsend a boat expedition against such a force as that, especially as theyhave no doubt thrown up batteries to strengthen their position. They musthave any number of cannon which they have taken from ships they havecaptured."
"It would certainly be a desperate enterprise," the first lieutenantagreed, "and, as you say, too dangerous to be attempted now."
"Gilmore," Forster said, as the midshipmen met at dinner, "you are alwaysfull of ideas; can't you suggest any way by which we might get at them?"
"I am afraid not," Will laughed. "The only possible way that I can seewould be to sail away, get together a number of native craft, and thenmake a dash at the place."
"What would be the advantage of native craft over our boats," one of theothers said scoffingly.
"The great advantage would be that, if we had a dozen native craft, themen would be scattered about their decks instead of being crowded inboats, and would therefore be able to land with comparatively littleloss."
"Upon my word," one of the seniors said, "I think there is something inGilmore's idea. Of course they would have to be very shallow, and onewould have to choose a night when there was just enough breeze to takethem quietly along. At any rate I will run the risk of being snubbed, andwill mention it to one of the lieutenants. 'Pon my word, the more I thinkof it the more feasible does it seem."
After dinner was over the midshipman went up to Mr. Peters, who was nowthird lieutenant, and saluted.
"What is it?" the lieutenant asked.
"Well, sir, it is an idea of Gilmore's. It may not be worth anything atall, but it certainly seemed to me that there was something in it."
"His ideas are generally worth something. What is it?"
The midshipman explained Will's plan.
"There is certainly something in it," Peters said. "What a beggar that boyis for ideas! At any rate, I will mention it to Mr. Farrance."
Mr. Farrance at first pooh-poohed the idea, but, on thinking it over, heconcluded that it would be as well at any rate to lay it before thecaptain.
"'Pon my word it does seem feasible," the captain said. "They could towthe boats in after them, so that, when they came under the pirates' fire,the men could get into the boats and so be in shelter. Only one hand wouldbe required to steer each vessel, and the rest would remain out of sightof the enemy until near enough to make a dash either for the shore or thepirates' craft, as the case might be. It is a good idea, a reallybrilliant idea, and well worth putting into effect. Besides, each of thevessels could carry one or two small guns, and so keep down the enemy'sfire to some extent. Send for Gilmore."
In a few minutes Will entered the captain's cabin cap in hand.
"Mr. Farrance tells me, Mr. Gilmore, that you have an idea that bycollecting a number of native craft of shallow draught we might attack thepirates with some hope of success."
"It was only an idea, sir, that occurred to me on the spur of the moment."
"Well, I am inclined to regard it as a feasible one," the captain said. "Adozen boats of that kind would carry the greater part of the ship's crew,and if each had a couple of light cannon on board they would be able toanswer the enemy's fire. If I do attack in this manner I propose to sendthe boats in towing behind the native craft, so that when the enemy's firebecomes really heavy the men can take their places in these, and so be inshelter until close enough to make a dash. Is there any other suggestionyou can offer I?"
"No, sir. The plan of taking the boats certainly seems to me to be a goodone."
The captain smiled a little. He was not accustomed to have his plansapproved of by midshipmen. However, he only said: "I think it will work.Should any other suggestion occur to you, you will mention it to Mr.Farrance. I am really obliged to you for the idea, which does great creditto your sharpness."
"Thank you, sir!" said Will, and retired.
An hour later the frigate was sailing away from the sand-banks.
"What did the old man say?" the midshipmen asked Will as he rejoined them.
"He think
s that there was something in the idea, but of course he hasgreatly improved it. He means to send the boats towing behind the nativecraft, so that if the fire gets very heavy the men can take to them and betowed in perfect shelter until near enough to make a rush. He intends toput a gun or two in each of the native boats, to keep down the enemy'sfire a bit as they approach."
"That is an improvement," Forster said, "and it certainly seems, Gilmore,as if you had found a way out of our dilemma."
Those who had been most disposed to laugh at Will's suggestion were eagerto congratulate him now that the captain had expressed his approval of itand had adopted it.
The _Furious_ sailed direct for Port Royal. There was no fear that thepirates would abandon their island, for they would naturally take theretirement of the _Furious_ as an admission of defeat. They were, ofcourse, open to a boat attack, but they would consider themselves strongenough to beat off any such attempt without difficulty.
Arriving at Port Royal, Lieutenant Farrance went ashore in search ofsuitable craft. He had no difficulty in buying a dozen old native boats.He then procured a large quantity of cane, and lashed these in the bottomof the boats, using a sufficient quantity to keep them afloat even if theywere riddled with balls. Then the carpenters set to work to make platformsin the bows of each to carry a seven-pounder gun. In three days the workwas completed and the _Furious_ started again, putting two men in each ofthe boats and taking them in tow.
Five days later they arrived off the sand-spits, and preparations were atonce made for the attack. Lying low in the water, and keeping in a linebehind the _Furious_, the native craft would be altogether invisible fromthe central islands, so that the pirates would not be aware of the methodof attack. The greater portion of the men were told off to them, onlyforty remaining on board the _Furious_. All was ready an hour afternightfall, and the men took their places in the native craft, fasteningtheir boats to the stern in each case. The sails were at once got up, and,following each other in single file, they entered the channel which hadbeen found to be the deepest. The leading boat kept on sounding--an easymatter, as, the wind being light, the rate of progress did not exceed amile an hour.
Will had been posted by the first lieutenant in his own boat, which wasthe leader, and Dimchurch and Tom Stevens were among the crew. Dimchurchhad exchanged places with another seaman; Tom had been allowed a place bythe special solicitation of Will.
"He fought stoutly in that fight on the Moorish prize, and he is very muchattached to me. I should be obliged, sir, if you would take him."
"All right!" said the first lieutenant; "let him stow himself away in thebow till the fighting begins." Accordingly Tom curled himself up by thegun.
It was between two and three in the morning when the trees of the centralisland were made out; they were not more than five hundred yards away.Presently from a projecting point, where a heavy mass could be made out, acannon was fired. The shot flew overhead, but the effect wasinstantaneous. Shouts were heard on shore and the sound of oars inrowlocks.
"Take to the boats!" the lieutenant shouted. The two lines of lights inthe port-holes showed the positions of two vessels, and the men on thenative craft left to work the guns at once opened fire at them. For aminute or two there was no return, and it was evident that the greaterportion of the crew had been ashore. The battery that had first fired nowkept up a steady discharge, but as the boats were almost invisible, theshot flew wildly overhead or splashed harmlessly in the water. The gunnerson board disregarded it, and maintained a steady fire at the ports of theenemy's vessels. From these now came answering flashes, but the shot didlittle damage.
When the attacking party had got within a hundred yards of the pirateships, the lieutenant gave the signal, and the boats, with a cheer, dashedforward at full speed. They had received instructions how to act in casetwo vessels were found, and, dividing, they made for their respectivequarters.
The race was short and sharp, each officer urging his men to the fullestexertions. The instant they were alongside the oars were cast aside, andthe men, drawing their cutlasses, leapt to their feet and endeavoured toclimb up. They were thrust back with boarding-pikes, axes, and weapons ofall kinds, but at last managed to get a foothold aft.
Will in vain endeavoured to get on deck; the sides were too high for him.Finding himself left with half the crew, he made his way in the boatforward along the side of the pirate vessel and clambered up by thebowsprit shrouds. Some of the men in the other boats, seeing what he wasdoing, followed his example. They were unnoticed. A fierce fight wasraging on the quarter-deck, and the shouting was prodigious. When somethirty men were gathered Will led the way aft. Their arrival wasopportune, for the attacking party, under the lieutenant, had been vastlyoutnumbered by the pirates, and although fighting stoutly, had been pennedagainst the bulwark, where with difficulty they defended themselves.
WILL LEADS A PARTY TO TAKE THE ENEMY IN THE REAR]
With a cheer Will's party rushed aft, taking the pirates in the rear. Manyof these were cut down, and the rest fell back confused by this unexpectedattack.
"Now is your time, lads!" the lieutenant shouted. "Throw yourselves uponthem and drive them back!"
Although the pirates still fought desperately, knowing that no mercy wouldbe extended them, the steady valour of the sailors was too much for them.At last the pirate captain was cut down by Dimchurch, and with his fallhis men entirely lost heart. Some threw down their arms, and many of themjumped overboard and swam ashore. A loud cheer burst from the sailors asthe resistance came to an end.
The fight was still raging on board the other ship, and the lieutenantordered the men of his own and another boat to row to it. Unseen by thepirates they reached the bow and climbed on deck. Then as soon as all hadgained a footing they rushed aft. Here, too, the rear attack decided thestruggle; in five minutes all was over.
Daylight was now breaking, and they were able to see that there was a lineof storehouses on the islands together with a large number of huts. Thegreater portion of the men were ordered to land, and the fugitives fromthe ships were hunted down. Most of these had taken refuge in the batteryat the mouth of the harbour, but as this was open on the land side it wassoon stormed and the defenders all cut down. Then the huts were searchedand burnt and the storehouses opened.
These were found to contain an enormous quantity of goods, the spoilevidently of many ships, and the men were at once set to work to transferit to the prizes, and when these were full, to the native craft. A boathad been sent off, directly the fighting was over, with news to thecaptain of the success they had gained, and in the morning another messagewas sent saying that it would take four or five days to transfer thestores to the ships, and the _Furious_ had in consequence hoisted anchorand gone for a short cruise away from the dangerous proximity of thesands.
On the afternoon of the third day a large cutter was seen approaching.Lieutenant Farrance ordered the native craft to be towed behind a smallislet, where they were hidden from sight of a vessel entering the harbour,and the crews to take their places on the captured vessels. When this wasdone the guns were loaded and the men stood to their quarters. Thenew-comer approached without apparently entertaining any suspicion thatanything unusual had happened, the huts that had been destroyed beinghidden by the groves of trees.
As she came abreast of them the guns were run out and the lieutenantshouted: "I call upon you to surrender! These vessels are prizes of HisMajesty's frigate _Furious_, and if you don't surrender we will sink youat once!"
There was a hoarse shout of fury and astonishment, and then the captaincalled back: "We will never surrender!"
Both the schooners at once poured in their broadsides, doing immensedamage, and killing large numbers of the pirates. A few cannon were firedin answer, but in such haste that they had no effect. When two morebroadsides had been fired into her, the cutter blew up with a tremendousexplosion which shook both vessels to the keel and threw many of the mendown. When the smoke cleared away the cutter
had disappeared. Whether ashot had reached her magazine, or whether she was blown up by herdesperate commander, was never known, as not a single survivor of the crewwas picked up.
When the work of loading was completed, and the storehouses had beendestroyed by fire, the two schooners sailed out, followed by the nativecraft with the boats towing behind.
The victory had been won at very little cost. Only three men had beenkilled and some seventeen wounded, while with the exception of some thirtyprisoners, for the most part wounded, the whole pirate force had beenannihilated.
The captain had already visited the scene, having rowed in as soon as hehad received news of the success of the expedition. In LieutenantFarrance's despatch several officers were noted for distinguished conduct.Among these was Will Gilmore, to whom the lieutenant gave great credit forthe manner in which he had boarded the pirate, and by his sudden attackupon the rear of the enemy converted what was a distinctly periloussituation into a success.
"I tell you what it is, Gilmore," one of the midshipmen jestingly said,"if you go on like this we shall send you to Coventry. It is unbearablethat you should always get to the front."
Great was the rejoicing among the merchants of Port Royal when the_Furious_ returned with her two prizes and it became known that the thirdhad been destroyed and the nest of pirates completely broken up.
On the following day Will was sent for by the admiral.
"My lad," he said, "I wish to tell you that although it is not usual for acaptain to acknowledge in official despatches that he acted on the ideasof a young midshipman, Captain Marker has done full justice to you in hisverbal report to me. Your idea showed great ingenuity, and although thesurprise was so complete that even had the attack been made by ships'boats only it would probably have been successful, this detracts in no wayfrom the merit of the suggestion. Of course you have some years to serveyet before you can pass, but I can promise you that as soon as you do soyou shall, if you are still here, have your appointment at once as mate,with employment in which you can distinguish yourself."
"Thank you very much, sir!" Will said, and, saluting, retired.
In three days the ship's prizes and native craft were unloaded, and theircontents were found to be of very great value, for by the marks upon thegoods it was evident that at least twenty-three merchantmen must have beencaptured and pillaged, and as none of these were ever heard of after theyhad sailed it was reasonably concluded that all must have been burnt, andthose on board murdered. The case was so atrocious that the prisoners wereall tried, condemned to death, and executed in batches. There was littledoubt that the pirates must have had agents in the various ports who hadkept them informed of the sailing of ships, but there was no means ofascertaining who these parties were.
The _Furious_ sailed four days after her return, and this time cruised onthe northern coast of Cuba. One day, when sailing along by a stretch ofhigh cliffs, a ship of war suddenly appeared from a narrow inlet; she wasfollowed by two others. The _Furious_ was headed round at once, and withthe three French frigates in pursuit started on her way back. The wind waslight, and though every stitch of canvas was set, it was evident, after anhour's sailing, that one, at least, of her pursuers gained steadily onher. The French ship would, indeed, have gained more than she had done hadshe not yawed occasionally and fired with her bow-chasers. The _Furious_had shifted two of her broadside guns to her stern to reply, but, althoughthe aim was good, only one or two hits were made, the distance being stilltoo great for accurate shooting.
"I wish the other two Frenchmen were a little slower," the captain said tothe first lieutenant. "They are only a little farther behind her than whenwe started, and are, I think, only about half a mile astern of her. If shecontinues to travel at her present rate she will be close up to us bysunset. She is just about our own size, and I make no doubt that we shouldgive a good account of her, but we could not hope to do so before her twoconsorts came up, and we could not expect to beat all three. If we couldbut fall in with one of our cruisers I would fight them willingly."
"Yes, the odds are too much against us at present, sir. I don't say thatwe could not fight them separately, but we could hardly hope to beat threeof them at once. We can't make her go through the water faster than she isdoing as far as I can see."
"No, every sail seems to be doing its best. There is nothing for it but topray either for another frigate or for more wind. I am not sure that windwould help us, still it might."
"I think, sir," the lieutenant said, two hours later, "that one of yourwishes is going to be fulfilled. There is a cloud rising very rapidly onthe larboard bow, and from its colour and appearance it seems to me thatwe are going to have a tornado."
"It will be welcome indeed," the captain said. "We have been hit ten timesin the last half-hour, and the nearest ship is not more thanthree-quarters of a mile away."
Five minutes later the captain said: "It is certainly a tornado. All handsreduce sail. Don't waste a moment, lads; it will be on us in threeminutes."
In a moment the vessel was a scene of bustle; the men swarmed up therigging, urged to the greatest exertions not only by the voices of theirofficers but by the appearance of the heavens. The frigate behind held onthree or four minutes longer, then her sheets were let fly, andimmediately she was a scene of wild confusion.
"It will be on her before she is ready," the captain said grimly, "and ifit is, she will turn turtle. It is as much as we shall do to be ready."
Just as a line of white foam was seen approaching with the speed of arace-horse, the last man reached the deck.
"I would give a great deal," the captain said, "to have time to get downall our light spars. Get ready your small fore try-sail, and a smallstay-sail to run up on the mizzen."
A minute later the storm was upon them. A blinding sheet of spray, drivenwith almost the force of grape-shot, swept over the ship, followed by adeafening roar and a force of wind that seemed about to lift the shipbodily out of the water. Over and over she heeled, and all thought thatshe was about to founder, when, even above the noise of the storm, threeloud crashes were heard, and the three masts, with all their lofty hamper,went over the side.
"Thank God," the lieutenant exclaimed, "that has saved her!"
All hands with axes and knives began cutting away the wreckage. At thesame time the two try-sails were hoisted, but they at once blew out of thebolt-ropes.
"Don't you think, sir," the first lieutenant shouted, "that if we lash ahawser to all this hamper, and hang to it, it will act as a floatinganchor, and bring her head up to the wind?"
"Very well thought of, Mr. Farrance," the captain shouted back; "by allmeans do so."
The order was given and immediately carried out. The tangle of ropes andspars, with the ship's strongest hawser attached, soon drifted past her,and as the cable tightened the vessel's head began to come slowly up intothe wind.
"That will delay her fate for a bit," the captain said, "but we can't hopethat it will more than delay it, unless we can get up some sail and crawloff the coast. Get ready the strongest try-sails we have in case they maybe wanted."
In a few minutes the sails were got ready, but for the present there wasnothing for it but to hang on to the wreckage. The shore was some milesaway, but in spite of the floating anchor the drift was great. The crew ofthe _Furious_ had now time to breathe, but it was pitch dark and nothingcould be seen save the white heads of the waves which now every momentthreatened to overwhelm them. Not a trace of the frigate which had sohotly pursued them could be seen.
"God rest their souls!" the captain said earnestly. "I am afraid she isgone. In fair fight one strives to do as much damage as possible, but sucha catastrophe as this is awful. I trust the other two took warning intime."
"I hope so too. They were under the lee of that island we passed shortlybefore it began, so would be partially sheltered. There is no hope for thefirst, and their fate is terrible indeed, sir; all the more awful,perhaps, because we know that it may become ours be
fore long."
"There is no doubt about that," the captain said. "Unless the wind dropsor chops round our fate is sealed, and a few hours will see the shipgrinding her bones on that rocky shore. It is too dark to see it, but weknow that we are most surely approaching it."
As day broke the shore was made out a little more than half a mile away.The captain then called the crew together.
"My lads," he shouted, but in spite of his efforts his voice was heard buta few yards away, "everything has been done for the ship that could bedone, but as you see for yourselves our efforts have been in vain. I trustthat you will all get ashore, but as far as we can see at present therocks are almost precipitous, and, high as they are, the spray flies rightover them. I thank you all for your good conduct while the ship has beenin commission, and am sure that you will know how to die, and willpreserve your calm and courage till the end. Go to your stations andremain there until she is about to strike; then each man must make thebest fight for life that he can."
The men went quietly off. Mr. Farrance stood watching the shore with histelescope. Presently he exclaimed: "See, sir, there is a break in thecliff! I do not know how far it goes in, but it looks to me as if it mightbe the opening to an inlet. We are nearly opposite to it, so if we shiftthe hawser from the bow to the stern she will swing round, and willprobably drift right into the creek if that is what it is."
"By all means let us make the attempt," the captain said. "Thank God,there is a hope of escape for us all!"
The men sprang to their feet with alacrity when they heard the news.Another hawser was brought up and firmly spliced to the one in use justbeyond the bulwark forward. Then it was led along outside the shrouds andfastened to the bitts astern and then to the mizzen-mast. This done, thefirst hawser was cut at the bulwark forward, and the ship swung roundalmost instantly. As soon as she headed dead for shore the raffle that hadso long served for their floating anchor was cut adrift and the try-sailwas hoisted on the stump of the foremast, and with six good men at thewheel the vessel surged shorewards under the force of the gale, every manon board holding his breath. The opening was but a ship's-length across,but driven by the wind and steered with the greatest care the _Furious_shot into it as quickly and as surely as if she were propelled with oars.A great shout of relief burst from the whole crew when, after proceedingfor a hundred yards along a narrow channel, the passage suddenly widenedout into a pool a quarter of a mile across.
"Let go the anchor!" the captain cried, and he had scarce spoken when thegreat anchor went thundering down. "Pay out the chain gradually," was thenext order, "and check her when she gets half-way across." The order wasobeyed and the vessel's head swung round, and in less than a minute shewas riding quietly over great waves that came rolling in through theentrance and broke in foam against the shore of the inlet. The quiet afterthe roar and din was almost startling. Above, the clouds could be seenflying past in rugged masses, but the breast of the pool, sheltered as itwas from the wind by its lofty sides, was scarcely rippled, and the wavesrolled in as if they were made of glass. Not a word was heard until thecaptain spoke.
"It is the least we can do, men, to thank God for this miraculous escape.I trust that there is not a man on board this ship who will not offer hisfervent thanks to Him who has so wonderfully brought us out of the jaws ofdeath."
Every head was bared, and for two or three minutes no sound was heard onboard the ship. Then the captain replaced his hat, and the men wentquietly off to their duties.