The Circassian Chief: A Romance of Russia

by their hated enemies.The crew, much to their credit, kept at their posts, ready to obey anyof the orders the Captain might find it necessary to give, in alteringtheir course, or in taking in or making sail.

  As much canvass had already been spread on the lower yards of the vesselas she could bear, the Reis being fearful of setting any more aloft, incase of thus exposing her to the sight of the enemy. The man from themast-head gave the welcome intelligence, that the Russian ship was nowhere to be seen; but scarcely a minute had elapsed, when anotherviolent and sudden squall struck the zebeque, almost splitting hersails, but, fortunately being before the wind, she scudded on stillquicker from the danger.

  The hopes of all on board, at this chance of escape, were raised high,only to be as quickly and grievously disappointed; for at the sameinstant, the blast which had struck them cleared away the fog, anddiscovered a large Russian corvette, at some distance fortunately, andheeling over on her beam ends to the violence of the squall, it havingcaught her it appeared unawares, her people being busily employed intaking in her more lofty sails.

  It was a moment of deep suspense to all on board the Turkish vessel; buta cry of despair arose from her crew, as they saw with their glasses thecrew of the corvette descending from her rigging, the sails yetunfurled, the yards being squared as her head came quickly round in thedirection they were sailing. Onward she proudly came, ploughing withher bow the now fast rising sea, all her sails swelling, as if theywould burst from the ropes which confined them. It seemed that no powercould stop her course, as throwing the foaming waters aside, she spurnedthe waves on which she rode.

  Many a cheek on board the Turk was blanched with anticipations of theworst, and many a heart trembled which had scarce before felt fear, asthe crew looked on their overwhelming pursuer, now rapidly shorteningher distance from them. Even on the sturdy Captain's brow large dropsof perspiration stood, as he grasped more firmly the helm, casting manyan anxious, but momentary, glance behind him, and then again at hissails and masts to see that they stood the gale; for he knew that hisvessel's best point of sailing was before the wind, drawing as she did,so little water, and scarcely seeming to touch the waves as she boundedalong before them. Dark and thick masses of clouds rose rapidly behindthe enemy, causing her sails to appear of snowy whiteness, and makingher seem still more alarmingly near than she really was. As yet,however, for fear of stopping her way, she had not fired her guns, beingperfectly certain of quickly catching her tiny chase.

  The turmoil of the foaming waves, now lashed into ungovernable fury,increased each moment, while the thick heavy clouds, clashing in theirhurried and disordered race, sent forth reiterated peels of thunder, andvivid and sharp flashes of forked lightning darted through the air. Therising sun had for a moment shed forth his beams on the scene of tumult,casting a bright glittering light on the madly leaping waves; but as ifangry at the wild uproar, again concealed his glory behind the clouds,leaving a deep gloom on the disturbed waters.

  The huge billows rolled along side of the little bark; and, following upastern, as if eager to grasp her beneath their vortex, threatened everymoment to overwhelm her. Still, however, keeping before them, sheseemed thrown from wave to wave; her head now dashed into the frothy,boiling cauldron, and now lifted high above the sea, while a dark abyssthreatened below, and a towering billow seemed about to break over, andinundate her. At intervals also, the clouds, to add to the disorder,sent forth deluges of rain so thick, as almost to conceal their vastpursuer from view; but when again it subsided, she was seen approachingstill nearer to them.

  At length, the Russian, angry and weary of the long chase, yawed alittle, and discharged his bow chasers in hopes of crippling the Turk,and bringing him to; but the balls either plunged into the leapingwaves, or flew high above his masts, as difficult it was to take anycertain aim, while so high a sea was running.

  When the missiles of destruction passed thus wide of their mark, a laughof defiance, which sounded much like desperation, escaped the Reis, ashe watched where they fell. The corvette continued firing, as fast asthe people could load the guns, but without doing any damage to thechase; and of course, the manoeuvre constantly repeated, made her fallfurther astern, till hopeless of hitting so small a mark at thatdistance, she desisted from firing; and continuing the pursuit,followed, according to the shiftings of the wind, the devious track ofthe zebeque.

  The gale as if wearied by its own violence, seemed to have expended itsfury, and to be passing over; first leaving the larger vessel astern,which was preparing to make more sail, when it shifted round suddenly tothe west with redoubled fury.

  Though the zebeque was thus placed to windward, it was certaindestruction to attempt bringing so crank and light a vessel as she was,broadside on to that raging sea, which would, in an instant, haveoverwhelmed her; on a wind being her worst point of sailing. The onlyalternative of unavoidable and quick destruction, was to run still onbefore it, and thus to bring the vessel under the very bows of hergigantic opponent.

  Few men, however brave, will rush with their eyes open on certain death,if it is to be avoided. Not a moment was to be lost in deliberation,and as the renewed fury of the gale struck her, the zebeque's head wasagain turned towards the east, rapidly approaching the enemy.

  The respective positions of the vessels may be thus described. Thecorvette was to the north, with her head south-east, while the Turk wasrunning due east; thus approaching each other on two sides of atriangle, of which the apex was towards the east.

  Now was the most trying moment for all on board the Turkish vessel, yetstill there was one remote chance of escape--a hazardous oneunquestionably; and yet, in preference to captivity, it was worth whileto risk destruction. They might, by running down to the Russian, andpretending to submit, pass under her stern, and escape before the wind.Yet it was an experiment, the very mention of which might be derided asthe proposition of madmen.

  The moment the Russian perceived the change of course the chase hadmade, the corvette hauled her wind without stopping to take in sail, andrecommenced firing her guns, to allow no chance to escape, should thewind again fail, of capturing her almost certain prey. The balls, asbefore, at first flew harmlessly through the air, or plunged into thedeep, as, towering in her pride; on she came, heeling over to thefurious blast, and casting the foaming waters high over her broadswelling lofty bow.

  Yet the power, the majesty of man's greatest achievement, seemed asnought amid the strife and tumult of nature. The roar of the artillerywas mocked to scorn by the far louder crash of heaven's thunder, and thewild tumult of the waves. The flashes of the guns were far outshone bythe brightness of the vivid lightning; but none in either vessel seemedto regard the violent fury of the elements, too intent were they ontheir own desperate game.

  During this awful and critical interval, Ivan stood firm and collected,though a sad fate seemed to await him. On one side, he sawimprisonment, degradation, and a hopeless exile: on the other, a certaindeath, should the Russians, as was but too probable, when there was noprospect of a prize of value, run down the vessel which had given themso much trouble; or if she refused to yield, sink her with their guns.Ivan earnestly prayed for the latter fate: for of what value would lifebe to him, with all its lofty aspirations overthrown, his hopes blasted?What but misery and hopeless slavery, chains and toil, could he expect,if he escaped with life? Javis had brought him his sword, which he heldfirmly in his grasp, yet somewhat mechanically, perhaps, as if it wouldbe a satisfaction to die with that in his hand: while Javis, castingglances of scowling defiance towards the foe, stood ready to defend hismaster if it were possible.

  And young Conrin, where was he during this time of tumult and danger?Calm and undismayed, he too stood by his master's side. His courageseemed to have risen with the imminence of the danger. It was notignorance of the peril of their situation which gave him that cool andintrepid air; for he marked it well, as with unflinching glance he gazedever and anon at the coming foe, and then fixed his large fl
ashing eyeintently on his master's face. His brow and cheek were paler thanusual, and his lips compressed: yet it seemed that, although an awfuldeath was about to overwhelm all on board, his features wore an air ofalmost satisfaction and happiness; but he spoke not, nor moved from hispost. It was strange that so young a boy should show such courage at sotrying a moment, when hardy seamen quailed and turned pale with terror.

  Well did the gallant old Hadji show that his heart was fearless, andthat he was a warrior-leader of a brave people, whom no danger coulddaunt, as rousing himself from his prayers, he stood defying hisenemies, and prepared for the worst. Of his followers and the crew,some took courage from his example, and bravely grasped their arms, inthe futile hope of, at least, having one blow for life; while others,pallid and trembling with dismay, tried to shelter themselves behind thebulwarks of the vessel.

  The Russians continued firing without intermission, the shots everyinstant falling closer to the mark, till