The Admirable Lady Biddy Fane

  CHAPTER XVI.

  THE BATTLE ENDED TO OUR COMPLETE DISCOMFITURE.

  Now must I speak of what happened on board the _Faithful Friend_ aftermy discomfiture; not from my own knowledge--for knowledge had I none,being felled, as I say, like an ox--but from what I afterwards learntfrom others.

  Headed by Rodrigues, the pirates cleaved our little company in two, andso surrounded them with great numbers that their case was hopeless, andin short time they were beaten down every man, and left for dead, theseheartless pirates giving no quarter to any. And while these few werebeing despatched, Rodrigues, with a following of shouting fiends,returned to attack those who were making their way out of theroundhouse, and by the fury of that onslaught did they cut down allthose who had got out, and forced them within once more to set up theirbarricadoes.

  Then, seeing no further danger on board the _Faithful Friend_ but suchas a round dozen of his rogues might cope with, he called off the restto return on board his ship to defend it against the _Sea Lion_. ForCaptain Wilkins, having set out two long sweeps or galley oars from thelower stern gallery to serve as a rudder, had returned to the attack,and coming cheek by jowl with the black ship, he grappled her in histurn, so that now all three ships were bound together, and thus, withtheir cannons mouth to mouth did they discharge their shot one into theother with incredible bitterness.

  But here the black ship being but poorly manned--most of her companybeing on the _Faithful Friend_--played but the weaker part; seeingwhich, Master Wilkins resolved to board her with his men, and so makehis way over her decks to the deliverance of his consort. He called hismen to clamber the sides of the black ship and escalade her bulwarks.But against such an attack was the black ship well provided, for notonly were her bulwarks at arm's length above those of the _Sea Lion_,but furnished with a devilish device of broken sword-blades, spikes, andsharp nails set in long spars and lashed to the side, so that nowherecould a man make headway, or surmount without cruel gashes. While thepoor brave men were beating down this defense, Rodrigues and hiswretches came pouring back to the defense of the black ship, and whilesome mowed down the attackers from their high bulwarks with axe andsword, other some were sent below to recruit their fellows at the bigguns. Rodrigues himself did direct these pieces, so bending down theirmouths that the shot should go through the decks to beat out the sidebelow water. And so well did he thrive in this wickedness thatpresently, after these great guns had been fired, the _Sea Lion_ beganto fill, and the men on board, seeing they must perish by drowning ifthey stayed in her, forsook their pieces, and, rushing all on deck, castaside their arms, fell on their knees, and begged mercy of Rodrigues.And let it not be thought they were cowards for this, but put yourselfin their place, and consider if the fear of death would not have movedyou to the same distress.

  Rodrigues, not wishing to lose all the _Sea Lion_ contained, removed hisdefense of sword blades, etc., and bade the men come up, which they did,all save Captain Wilkins, who, with his sword in his hand, stood aloneon the deck. Rodrigues, taking a musket in his hand, bade this brave manlay down his sword or die; but he took no notice of this command,whereupon did Rodrigues level his piece and shot him dead where hestood.

  Then Rodrigues sent down a parcel of his men to stanch the leak in theside of the _Sea Lion_, and this they did by lowering a leaded sail uponthe outer side to cover the holes; after which the water was pumped out,and the carpenters repaired the breach more securely, so that there wasno further peril of her going down.

  And now being masters of both ships, the pirates make great rejoicing,for though there were yet those in the roundhouse of the _FaithfulFriend_ who were unfettered, yet were they close prisoners and powerlessto recover their ship, or do mischief, except in foolhardy desperation,to their captors.

  To every pirate was dealt out double allowance of meat and drink, butthe latter not of a strong kind, for Rodrigues knew full well that adrunken bout might prove their undoing. As for the prisoners they gotnaught to eat, but only jeers and derision.

  While his men were yet carousing, Rodrigues goes on the poop deck of the_Faithful Friend_, and stamping his heel to call attention to thosebelow, he cried out to know if Sir Bartlemy Pengilly was yet alive; towhich Sir Bartlemy himself replied:

  "Ay," says he, "and I hope to live yet to see you hanged, villain!"

  "Well," replies the other, "you'll not get that chance unless you acceptmy conditions."

  "I will make no conditions with such as you," cried my uncle.

  "You had better, my friend," says Rodrigues, jeeringly; "'twill save youa deal of trouble in the long run."

  To this my uncle made no reply but one of his sea oaths.

  "I shall leave you to the better guidance of your company," saysRodrigues "who, I have no doubt, will bring you to reason when theybegin to feel the pinch of starvation. But, mark this, if you hurt onlyby accident a single hair of my men with the arms you hold so precious,I will cannonade you where you are, and spare not one single life."

  Then calling to his boatswain he bade him whistle his company to theirposts, and pointing to the deck, all hampered with dead and dying men,he cried:

  "Look to your comrades; let not one of your fellows who has a spark oflife escape your care. For the other carrion, fling it overboard, nomatter whether it be dead or living."

  These words I heard, for at that moment I was waking from my trance.