CHAPTER THREE.
HALIFAX HARBOUR.--LIFE IN THE BACKWOODS.--DANGEROUS EXPEDITION THROUGHTHE ICE.--LORD SHOULDHAM'S FLEET WITH LORD HOWE'S ARMY ARRIVES.--SAILFOR NANTUCKET ROADS.--BOSTON CANNONADED.--WATERING-PARTY ON SHORE.--CAPTURE WHALING SLOOP RANGER.--CRUISE IN HER WITH GRAMPUS AND TOMROCKETS.--HER SKIPPER'S TRICK DEFEATED.--REACH HALIFAX.--ORDERED ONBOARD CHATHAM.--SAIL FOR NEW YORK.--GENERAL WASHINGTON HOLDS POSSESSIONOF THE CITY.
The harbour of Halifax is a very fine one. A thousand ships may anchorthere in safety. It is our chief naval station in North America. Thetown, which is a handsome one, stands on a peninsula, and risesgradually from the water's edge, where there are numerous wharves,alongside which ships can lie to discharge their cargoes. We found inthe harbour the Cerberus frigate, Captain Symonds, (see Note 1), hovedown alongside the wharf, as also the Savage sloop of war, wearingCommodore Arbuthnot's broad pennant.
The inhabitants cordially welcomed our arrival, as they were in hourlyexpectation of an attack from a body of rebels who were said to bemarching on the town, while the organised force existing for its defencewas very small. At length an express arrived from the interior, statingthat the enemy were at the distance of about twenty miles, at a smallvillage of which they had taken possession. We were instantly orderedunder arms to protect the dockyard, and fully expected to have warmwork. The people who formed the rebel bands had been instigated torevolt by the revolutionists of the southern colonies, who had formed aplan at this time to invade Canada, which happily proved abortive. Theythemselves, as far as I could learn, had no real cause of complaint.
After we had waited for some time in expectation of an attack, noticewas brought us that the rebels had plundered and burned the villagewhere they had quartered themselves, and then retired. We weretherefore able to employ all hands in refitting the ship, a work to usof the greatest importance. The cold, however, was so great that wesuffered no little inconvenience from exposure to it. All the meat, Iremember, which came on board, was frozen so hard that we wereinvariably obliged to cut it up into pieces with a cross-saw, to serveit out to the messes. Quantities of fish also of a peculiarly fineflavour were to be picked up daily, frozen to death, on the surface ofthe ice, thrown up by the united action of the tide and sea. As therewere no masts and spars in the dockyard, we found that we should beobliged to send a party into the woods, fully ten miles from the town,to cut down trees suitable for the purpose. I was ordered to accompanythe party appointed for this object. My friend Delisle was with me, andTom Rockets went as my servant.
Having provided ourselves with blankets, provisions, cooking utensils,and other means of making ourselves comfortable, away we trudged overthe snow, following our guide, John Nobs by name, who was to show uswhere we might find the sort of timber we required. It was the firsttime I had ever been in an American forest. The deep silence whichreigned around, and the perfect solitude were very impressive. The tallleafless trees, springing up out of the sheet of snow which covered thewhole face of nature, were the only objects to be seen.
We were merry enough as we tramped away in the keen, pure air over thecrisp snow. As some thirty pair of feet, stepping out together, wentcrunch--crunch--crunch--the noise was so loud, that we were obliged toraise our voices to make ourselves heard. Delisle and I marcheddirectly after our leader old Nobs, our men following, laughing,talking, and singing, as the mood seized them.
At length, having gone some way through the forest, Nobs began to lookabout him attentively. He was not a man of many words.
"That's 'um," said he, pointing with his chin to some tall, straightfir-trees, up to which he had led us. We saw also that a considerablenumber of the same description grew in the neighbourhood.
"I suppose, then, we may call a halt?" said I.
Nobs nodded. We had been told that he would show us how to build somehuts for sheltering our party.
"Some on you with axes come along," said he, turning to the men, andaway he trudged till we reached a clump of graceful, white-stemmedbirch-trees. Scoring down the stems, he quickly ripped off huge sheetsof bark, some five and six feet long, and two and three broad. The menfollowed his example, and we soon had as much as the whole party couldcarry.
"Stay, that won't do alone," observed Nobs; and he commenced cuttingsome thin poles, seven or eight feet long, from saplings growing in theneighbourhood. With these we returned to the spot we had fixed on foran encampment. Scarcely uttering a word, having got some men to assisthim, he erected a framework of a cone-shape, with about eight of thepoles, fastening the upper ends together with a piece of rope. He thencovered the framework with sheets of bark, leaving a doorway and a smallspace open at the top.
"There you have an Indian wigwam," said he.
From the pattern he had thus formed, the men very soon erected wigwamsenough to shelter the whole party. He then collected some dried wood,of which there was an abundance about, and lighted a fire in the middleof his hut. The hole left at the top of it allowed the smoke to escape.The snow, which had first been cleared away in the interior, waspiled-up round the hut outside, and the ground was then beaten hard. Heshowed us how to make our couches of dried leaves; and at night, wrappedin our blankets lying round the fire, we found that we could sleep mostluxuriously.
Having thus speedily made all these necessary arrangements, we set towork to select the trees fit for our purpose. As soon as we had fixedon them, Nobs threw off all his outer clothing, and with his gleamingaxe began chopping away like a true backwoodsman at one of the largestof the trees. The carpenter's crew followed his example. The air wasso calm that while the men were actively employed they felt not theslightest sensation of cold. The moment they ceased, however we madethem put on their clothing.
Nobs was thoroughly versed in all the customs of backwoodsmen, so he wasable to show us how to make ourselves comfortable, and I learned manylessons from him which I, on many subsequent occasions, found veryuseful. Among other things he showed us how to roast our meat byspitting bits of it on a long thin stick, which rested on two forkedsticks stuck in the ground. Indeed, we enjoyed ourselves far more thanwe expected.
Tom Rockets and another lad slept in our wigwam, to assist in keeping upthe fire. I lay awake for a short time, when my ears were saluted withthe sound of a long, low howl. I presently heard Tom stir himself.
"Oh, Jim, sure them be the ghostesses we heard tell of," said he. "Ihope they won't be coming this way now."
"I hopes not," replied his companion. "Them be dreadful things I dothink, by the noise they makes."
Just then there was a louder howl than before.
"Oh, they be coming!" cried Tom. "I'll rouse up Mr Hurry. Maybe he'llknow how to tackle 'em."
Highly diverted with the opinion my followers had formed of my prowessagainst not only mortal but spiritual enemies, I lay still, wishing tohear what he would next say. The hideous howl approached still nearer.
"I can't stand it!" he exclaimed. "Muster Hurry! Muster Hurry! therebe ghostesses, or devils, or some such things abroad, a-playing of theirpranks, and they be coming to eat us up, Muster Hurry, I be sure!"
I burst into a fit of laughter, so loud that it woke Delisle. It wasresponded to, it seemed, by so unearthly a cry from the depths of theforest, that even he for a moment was startled. Then there was thereport of firearms, and looking out of our wigwam, I saw old Nobsstanding in front of his, with a musket in his hand.
"I've druve the varmints away," he said, in his usual laconic style."You may turn in, mister."
I took his advice, for it was very cold outside.
"The wolves will not probably disturb us again," said I, as I lay down.
"Wolves! be them wolves?" I heard Tom remark; but as I soon fellasleep, I do not know what more he said.
Towards the morning I was again awoke by loud shouts, and growls, andcries, and the sound of a tremendous tussle.
"I've caught ye, my bo!" I heard Tom exclaim. "If ye be a ghost or adevi
l, ye shall just show yourself to Muster Hurry, before I let ye go."
Starting up, I found the two lads struggling with some beast or other atthe entrance to the wigwam. I soon discovered that they had got hold ofa black bear, who had doubtless been attracted to our wigwam by a pot ofsugar which had been left at the entrance, into which he was putting hispaw when Rockets discovered him. The noise brought a number of theother men from the huts. They thought we were attacked by Indians orthe rebels, I believe. The poor beast made a good fight of it; butbefore I could come to his rescue, he had been somewhat severelyhandled. We, however, easily secured him, and kept him prisoner till wesettled what should be done with him. He was, we learned from old Nobs,of a species not at all ferocious, and very easily tamed. We thereforedetermined, instead of killing him in order to turn him into ham, tocarry him on board as a pet. He very soon became reconciled to his lot,and at once ate willingly from our hands any mess we offered,particularly if sweetened with sugar. Rockets considered him as his ownprize, and took him under his especial care. The men gave him the nameof Sugar-lips, and as Tom stood his sponsor he was known on board asTommy Sugar-lips.
However, I must not spend more time on my shore adventures, as I havematter of so much greater interest to describe. In about five days wehad cut down and trimmed a sufficient number of trees for our purpose.The greatest labour was to drag them over the snow to the harbour; butat length that was accomplished, and we returned once more on board.
Shortly after this the frost set in harder than ever, but in consequenceof the rapidity of the tides the ice, though fully four feet thick, didnot form a consistent body in the harbour. In some places it was hard,but the chief quantity round the ship was like a mass of wet snow, toosoft and too rotten to walk on, and yet too thick to allow a boat of anysize to be impelled through it. Thus all communication with the townwas suddenly cut off. At this time we had a gang of men on the oppositeshore, fitting the rigging at a spot where they could procure noprovisions. They were getting very hard up for food, when CaptainHudson sent for me.
"Mr Hurry," said he, "I wish to send some provisions to the people onshore. It will be a service of difficulty, and perhaps danger, but Ican entrust it confidently to you; you must take a couple of hands and alight boat, and you may be able to force her either over or through theice."
"Ay, ay, sir," I answered; "I'll do it if it is to be done." And away Iwent to make my preparations without loss of time. I always felt aninclination to volunteer for any work to be done, and never thought ofthrowing difficulties in the way of the performance of any thing thatwas proposed. I chose Nol Grampus, the old quarter-master, and TomRockets as my companions in the enterprise. The dinghy, a small boat wecarried astern, was the best suited to my purpose. Having laden herwith provisions, we shoved off from the ship among the floating ice.Our progress was very slow, sometimes we worked our way among the sheetice, then we came to a hard slab on to which we jumped and hauled theboat over it. "Take care, sir," said Grampus, as we were crossing aslab, "this is treacherous stuff we are on." Just as he spoke I felt myfeet sinking into the slush, and had I not had firm hold of the gunwale,I might have gone through altogether. As I sprang into the boat I couldnot help shuddering at the thought of sinking into the cold deadly masswhich surrounded us without the possibility of making an effort forlife; too dense to enable one to swim, and yet too liquid to bear theweight of a person, it was as sure to destroy one as the treacherousquicksand or the furious maelstrom. Near us was another boat with anold man and a boy, likewise endeavouring to cross the harbour. We sawthat they were exerting all their energies, but were not making betterprogress than we were. After some time the tide made down stronger, andon taking our bearings I found that the ice was setting us fast down theharbour and out to sea. My men needed no encouragement to exertthemselves to the utmost, for the peril we were in was very apparent.Captain Hudson observed it also, and made the signal for us to return tothe ship, but it was even more difficult to go back than to go forward.In attempting to obey the order I found that we were carried more intothe strength of the current. I therefore kept on towards the wharf,where some hundreds of people were collected, rather anxious spectatorsof our adventure. Captain Symonds, of the Cerberus, and themaster-attendant of the dockyard were looking on, and they also hailedto me to return to the ship. Sometimes we appeared to be making noprogress whatever, and I felt the probability of our being carried outto sea--then again we advanced, though slowly, towards the shore. Theold man and his boy were less able to contend with the difficultieswhich surrounded them. The old man had hurt himself, I fancy, and bydegrees relaxed in his efforts--the poor little fellow was still puttingforth all his strength to urge their boat forward, but it was tooevidently likely to prove unavailing.
At last they slowly drifted past us, and though at so short a distancethat I could clearly see the expression of their countenances we couldrender them no possible assistance. I shall not quickly forget the poorold man's look of despair and grief--more perhaps for the coming fate ofhis boy than for himself. The poor lad had not yet given up all hopesof escape. Now he would sit down and wring his hands, and then he wouldstart up, and, seizing an oar, try once more to shove the boat ahead.We had little time, however, for contemplating their fate, for there wasstill a great probability that we might have to share it. We were yetdrifting seaward, and for hours together our utmost exertions onlyenabled us to hold our own. I can easily fancy the interest we excitedon shore, yet nothing could be thought of to help us. We could hear thecry of horror and commiseration which rose from the crowd as the boatwith our companions in misfortune drifted past the spot whence there wasany hope of escape, and the old man and lad sat down and gave themselvesup to despair. The intense cold would, I guessed, soon deprive them ofall sensation and further power of exertion. Night was coming on, andwe lost sight of them in the gloom. We had now been six hours in ourperilous position, without time even to take a particle of nourishment.We were making for the Cerberus as the nearest point where we couldreceive assistance.
"We shall reach her, sir!" exclaimed Grampus at length, with a cheerfultone. "See, they are ready to heave us a line if we could but get a fewfathoms nearer." Encouraged by this, we exerted ourselves still morethan ever, and at length a man from the jibboom end of the Cerberus hovea lead which happily reached our boat. We seized it eagerly, and makingthe line fast, we were hauled alongside the wharf. As soon as we landedand had received the congratulations of the spectators of our adventure,we were carried off, half-starved and frozen, by the master-attendant,Mr Prowse, to his house; where we were most hospitably entertained. Ifound in him an old shipmate, as he had been master of the Torbay when Ibelonged to her. I spent upwards of two days at his house, and receivedthe greatest of kindness from him. While on shore I met another oldfriend, Captain Lee, of the Harriet Packet, with whom I almost livedduring his stay at Halifax. As may be supposed, I found his comfortablecabin a far more agreeable place of abode than a midshipman's berth withthe rough and scanty fare with which we were provided. I was anxious toascertain the fate of the old man and his son whom we had seen carriedout to sea by the ice. Sad to relate, they had been picked up two daysafterwards at the mouth of the harbour, frozen to death. They must havedied, I suspect, soon after we lost sight of them, for the cold was sointense that it could not long have been resisted. We had, indeed,cause to be thankful to providence that their fate was not ours. It isbut one of the many instances in which I have been mercifully preserved,while those by my side have been cut off. For what end has this beendone? I wish that I could say that I have properly employed the longerterm of life thus vouchsafed to me. There had been at Halifax all thewinter a very limited supply of provisions. At length a fleet appearedoff the harbour's mouth, which proved to be that under the command ofAdmiral Lord Shouldham, with the army of General Howe on board, (seeNote 2), who had been compelled by the American revolutionists, underGeneral Washington, to evacuate Bo
ston, after having been besieged in itfor fully ten months. It will be remembered that we parted from theChatham, Admiral Shouldham's flag-ship, in a gale in the early part ofour voyage. She went through as much bad weather, and experiencedalmost as many disasters as we had suffered, though at length shereached Boston, where Lord Shouldham succeeded Admiral Graves asCommander-in-Chief. Our disasters throughout the whole of that sadcontest with the American States arose from the foolish contempt withwhich the British generals and their officers treated the provincialtroops. While General Howe was waiting for reinforcements from England,General Washington was collecting an army and disciplining his troops.Before, therefore, the expected reinforcements could arrive, GeneralHowe, to his great surprise, found himself outnumbered, and the citycommanded from some hills which overlook it, called Dorchester Heights.He found that he must either dislodge the enemy from these heights orevacuate Boston. A heavy gale of wind prevented the adoption of theformer alternative till the rebels were too strongly entrenched to allowthe attempt to be made with any prospect of success. A hurried retreatwas therefore resolved on, and not only the troops, but those of theinhabitants who had sided with the British, were compelled to embark onboard the men-of-war and transports, vast quantities of military storesand property of all sorts being either destroyed or left behind, to fallinto the hands of the enemy. This fleet had arrived ill provided withprovisions to feed so many mouths, and from there being, as I have said,but a scanty supply of food in Halifax already, it was considerednecessary to put the army and navy on half allowance--an arrangement towhich, though very disagreeable, we were compelled to submit with thebest grace we could muster. From the time of our arrival till the 4thof May we were busily occupied in fitting the ship for sea, and not anhour was lost after that was accomplished, in getting under weigh, whenwe stood to the southward. We were not sorry to have the chance ofseeing some active service. On the 8th we spoke HMS Merlin, with twotransports bound for Halifax, on the 12th the Milford and Lively, on acruise. On the same day we anchored in Nantucket Roads, Boston, wherewe found lying the Renown, wearing the broad pennant of Commodore Banks,which we saluted with thirteen guns. A constant cannonade was kept upon the squadron by the rebels who now held Boston and the surroundingheights, but without doing us much mischief. We returned the fireoccasionally with probably about the same result. After their latesuccesses the American patriots had become very bold, and no longer heldthe British in any respect. Some parts of the coast of the harbour wereleft unprotected by the enemy. One night I was sent on shore in commandof a watering-party, with strict orders to keep a watchful guard againstsurprise. To do this I considered it necessary to take possession of ahouse near the spot where we were filling the casks. As the house wasdeserted I carried off a table and six chairs which I found in it, withwhich to furnish the midshipman's berth--ours having been knocked topieces on the voyage to Halifax.
By the rules of war I had a right to take the property, I believe, butit seems hard that the owners, who were probably not belligerents,should be deprived of it. On the following day, the 15th, we sailed ona cruise in search of any of the enemy's merchantmen or privateers, ofwhich they had begun to fit out a good many. The crews ran a great riskof being treated as pirates, but as the rebels had already threatened toretaliate, should the usual customs of regular warfare be departed from,it was judged prudent to behave towards those who fell into our hands asif they were regular prisoners of war.
We had begun to grumble much at our ill-luck in not falling in withprize. "Ye'll na take anything which will put siller into any of ourpockets this cruise, ma laddies," said Andrew Macallan, the Scotchsurgeon's mate, who was much addicted to the prophesying of ill-luck.
We Orlopians were collected in the midshipman's berth towards thetermination of a not over-luxurious dinner. "I should think not,"responded Kennedy. "What can we expect to get out of these beggarlyprovincials? It's not likely they'll have any craft afloat which willbe worth capture."
"How do you know that?" exclaimed Frank Mercer, one of our mates, with adeep crimson flush on his brow. "Now, from what I have heard, I believethe patriots have a number of fine merchantmen sailing out of theirports, and have already fitted out several privateers."
"From which of your friends on shore did you hear that?" asked Kennedy,with a look of contempt.
"From common report," replied Mercer. He was known to have severalrelations and friends in America who had sided with the rebels, andthough this made him look on them with a favourable eye, he had tooloyal a spirit to allow him to contemplate for a moment the desertion ofhis colours. Still his heart often yearned towards those engaged inwhat then appeared so unequal a struggle on shore, and he could scarcelyhelp expressing satisfaction at any success they met with. Poor Mercerhad to endure a great deal of irony and abuse on the subject, but whilehe defended the rebels, and asserted their right to take up arms in thedefence of their liberties, he acknowledged that his own duty was toremain loyal to his sovereign. The dispute was waxing warm, when littleHarry Sumner, who had been on deck, came below, and announced that therewas a suspicious sail away to the north-east, and that we were in chaseof her. I was on deck in a minute, and found everything being set alowand aloft in chase of the stranger. After watching her for some timefrom aloft, where I had gone with my spy-glass, I saw that we weregaining on her rapidly, though she had also made all sail. Thisconvinced us that she was a craft belonging to the enemy. She wassloop-rigged, but seemed to be a vessel of some size. After a chase offour hours we got her within range of our guns, when a shot from one ofour bow-chasers, falling close alongside, convinced her that she had nochance of escape, and that her wisest policy was to heave-to withoutmore ado. This she at once did, and I was sent on board to takepossession. She proved to be the Ranger, from Nantucket harbour, boundon a whaling voyage, her crew consisting of a master, mate, boy, and tenmen. Her master, Mr Jotham Scuttle, was very indignant at beingcaptured, and good reason he had to be so, for half the vessel was hisown, and thus in a moment he was deprived of all his worldly wealth. Hewas as unlike a seaman in appearance as could well be imagined; with hisbroad-brimmed hat, knee-breeches, buckles to his high shoes, and longwaistcoat, but he was not the less active for all that. LeavingGrampus, who had accompanied me, with two hands in charge of the sloop,I returned with the prisoners to the frigate. The mate and men wereinstantly pressed, without the question being asked whether they wouldwish to join, and Captain Hudson ordered me to go back to the sloop,giving me leave to carry Tom Rockets, in addition to the men already onboard, and to make the best of my way to Halifax. "Stay," said he,"take the master and boy with you, Mr Hurry; we shall not know what todo with them on board--and see that he plays you no trick." I laughedat the idea of having anything to dread from the demure Mr Scuttle,and, putting up a few necessaries, I tumbled into the boat which was totake me on board my new command. I thought I caught a twinkle in friendJotham's eyes when he found that he was to be sent back to his ownvessel--but this was probably fancy. He sat looking very sad anddowncast as we pulled on board the sloop. The crew of the boat whichhad brought me gave me three cheers, and Delisle, who had come in her,wished me a prosperous voyage to Halifax, from which I was about twohundred leagues distant. The frigate then hauled her wind, and I madesail to the northward. Of course I felt very grand in my new command,like Sancho Panza in his island, though it was not to last very long atthe utmost; and it was not impossible that I might be summarilydispossessed of it at any moment; however, I did not trouble myselfabout such thoughts just then. Having taken possession of the master'scabin, and allowed him to occupy his mate's, I called my ship's companytogether, and, having divided them into two watches, told them Iexpected they would do their duty and behave themselves. Nol Grampushad charge of one watch with one of the seamen and Mr Scuttle underhim, and I took the other with the other seaman, Tom Rockets and theboy. Tom had not got over his innocent country look, though he wassharp enough in reality, and
did his duty as a seaman very fairly. OldGrampus, who had taken a fancy to him, was always teaching him somethingor other likely to prove useful. "Now, Tom, you may be no wiser nor ayoung gull as has never learned to fly," I heard the old man say; "butlisten, my boy, if you follows my advice you'll soon be able to spreadyour wings and skim over the water just for all the world like one onthem big albatrosses one meets with off the Cape of Good Hope, you'veheard speak of." Tom had not heard of such a place, so Grampus told himall about it, and a great deal more besides. In that way my youngfollower picked up his sea lore. The contrast between the two wasperfect. Tom's young, smooth, innocent face, and round boyish figure,and the thorough old sea-dog look of Grampus, with his grizzly bushyhair and whiskers, his long cue, his deeply-furrowed, or I may sayrather bumped and knobbed and bronzed countenance, and his spare, sinewyform, having not a particle of flesh with which he could dispense.
As Mr Jotham Scuttle's eye fell on Tom he took him at once for a simplelad, who could readily believe anything he had to say, and he formed hisplans accordingly. I got on very well with my scanty crew, for as therewere winches and tackles of all sorts on board, I managed to work thevessel easily enough. We had an abundance of provisions, so that,contrasted especially with the fare to which I had for many months pastbeen accustomed, we lived luxuriously.
The second day I invited Mr Scuttle to dine with me. The commencementof the entertainment was not very lively, for though he did not play abad knife and fork, he uttered no sound except an occasional deep sighfrom beneath the very lowest button of his waistcoat. At last, afterleaning his head on his hand for some time, he looked up.
"It is very hard to be borne, mister," he exclaimed with vehemence."Here was I, with a fine craft I could almost call my own, and withevery chance of providing for my family, and now I'm worse than abeggar--a prisoner, and forced to go I don't know where."
"You shouldn't have broken the blockade, and your friends shouldn't haverebelled and broken the laws," said I.
"Laws!" he exclaimed with disdain, "they were bad laws, and it wentagainst the grain of every honest man to observe them."
"I don't know anything about that," I replied; "in my profession all wehave to do is to obey without asking questions, and I just fancy thatyour people will very soon have to do the same, whether they like it ornot."
"Will they, forsooth?" he exclaimed, striking his fist on the table."The time has passed for that. I'll tell you what, sir, they'll fightit out till every drop of honest blood is spilt in the country. It wasthe supercilious, boasting airs of your lords and aristocrats who cameout among the military looking down upon all the first gentlemen in theland as provincials and colonists, as they called them in contempt,which was the real cause of the revolt. They made enemies wherever theywent, with their follies and pride and haughty words. They and theirgovernment at home seemed to forget that we were Britons likethemselves, with British hearts, ay, and with truer loyalty than theyhad for the king and the old country. What would you say, sir, if youwere insulted as we have been?"
"I certainly do not like being bullied by anyone," said I.
"No more do we colonists, sir," answered the poor skipper. "My father,sir, came over from the old country; misfortunes compelled him to quitit, but he loved it as much as ever, and brought up me, his son, to loveit also; and so I should to this day, had I, and those who had madeAmerica their own, been fairly treated--not looked upon as children tobe played with, or slaves to be bullied and despised. Now, sir," hecontinued, standing up and placing one hand on the table, while heextended the other, "I tell you that there are not bitterer enemies tothe old country than your government have made me and many like me."
"I am very sorry for you," I said, seeing the justice of his remarks,"but you see I cannot help it, so just sit down and mix yourself anothertumbler of grog; we can but make the best of circumstances."
"I don't want your pity, or that of any of the enemies of America," heanswered proudly. Then he seemed to soften, and he continued in a moresubdued tone, "But you, young gentleman, seem inclined to treat me as aman should a man, and not as some of your officers have treated usprovincials, so I am thankful, and if the day should come when I canreturn your kindness I shall be glad to do so."
"I only hope that I may not be in your place as a prisoner," said I.
"To be honest with you," he replied, "if I only had the chance of takingthe sloop from you, I should be right not to let it pass by, though Ihave no great hope that it will be offered me."
"No, I should think not," I answered, laughing. I have often sincethought of the foolish, domineering way in which England and Englishmentreat their brethren who turn colonists, and shall not be surprised ifshe loses one colony after another as she was now doing her Americansettlements. The skipper was soon pacified, and we became very goodfriends. We were still talking away over our glass of grog, when NolGrampus put his head in at the cabin-door.
"I don't quite like the look of the weather, Mr Hurry," said he. "Ithink it's going to breeze up a bit, and the sooner we shorten sail thebetter."
I jumped up and went on deck, when I saw that he was right. Weaccordingly at once made all snug. Thick clouds were banking up fromthe westward and southward, which soon rushing on like a vast armysweeping over a devoted country, deluged us with rain, bringing a heavybreeze, which kicked up no small amount of sea. The wind keeping to thesouthward of west we could lay our course, so on we went pitching andtumbling before it in no very pleasant manner for several days.
Fortunately the Ranger was well found in every respect, and, proving avery good sea-boat, showed that the men of Nantucket knew what was thebest economy in the end. She was newly painted, and had sixteen ports,so that at a distance she had a somewhat formidable appearance; but asthey had no guns to them, though she could grin, she could not evenbark, much less bite. If, therefore, we fell in with an enemy I sawthat, should we not be able to escape by flight, we should in allprobability be captured. I had observed that my friend the skipper hadbeen in better spirits than at first. He spoke frankly to me, as he didto the crew, and seemed to be on good terms with everybody. He wasevidently a clever man--full of resources of all sorts--above hisstation I should say. He had been brought up as a farmer, and had neverbeen afloat till within the last six or seven years. He was now nocontemptible sailor. His next move would probably be to some totallydifferent sphere, where he would take a step higher in the social scale.Such is the career of many a New Englander.
I had turned into my berth, after keeping the morning watch some daysafter this, when, as I awoke, I saw Tom Rockets moving about in thecabin.
"What do you want, Tom?" I asked.
"Hist, sir," he whispered, "I've just a word to speak to you."
"Out with it then, my man," I said.
"It's just about that strange skipper, sir."
"Well, go on."
"He's been talking to me, and asking if I wouldn't like to go and settlein a land of liberty, and make my fortune, and no longer be subject tobe starved and flogged and ill-treated on board of a man-of-war?"
"And what did you say, Tom?" I asked.
"I told him just simply like that I belonged to you, that I would followwheresoever you went, and that if you thought fit to go and settle inhis country, I'd have no objection to go too."
"That was right, Tom. If he speaks to you again, give him the same sortof answer. Don't let him suppose you are offended. Has he spoken witheither of the other men?"
"With all except Grampus; but I don't think he has made much way withthem. The old man, I fancy, sir, guesses what he's after, and has hiseye on him," answered Tom.
"All right, then, my lad. Keep your eyes about you, and let me know anything you observe, but don't allow the skipper to find out that wesuspect him."
Tom promised to follow my directions, and I sent him on deck while Iturned out and dressed. I treated Mr Scuttle just as if he were notplotting against me, for forewarned,
I felt myself fore-armed, and hadno fear that he could do me any harm.
That day the wind fell considerably and we again had fair weather. Thenext morning, while I was at breakfast, old Nol hailed down thesky-light--
"Would you just come on deck for a moment, sir?" said he.
"What is it?" I asked.
"There's a sail away to the south-west, and I don't quite like the looksof her," answered the old man.
I jumped on deck in a moment. I was not long in making out a brig underall sail holding the same course we were on. As I took the glass frommy eye I found Scuttle standing by my side.
"What do you think of her?" I asked.
"Maybe she's a whaler, or maybe a sealer, or a merchantman from one ofthe provincial ports, or maybe a transport with British red-coatsaboard; but, Mr Hurry, it requires a man with a longer sight than I'vegot to tell just now what she is," said the skipper, in the longdrawling tone of a New Englander.
I thought that there was something ironical in his tone as he spoke, andthat he more than probably knew perfectly well all about the stranger.
"Whatever she may be," I answered, "I'll show her my heels. Make allsail, Grampus."
"Ay, ay, sir," he replied; and in a short time, the skipper pulling andhauling with as good a will as the rest, we had every stitch of canvaspacked on the sloop which she could carry. I fancied, however, that theskipper gave a knowing look at me as he went forward, as much as to say,"You may make all the sail you like, but it won't do." At all events, Isoon found that the Ranger, though a very good sea boat, was a tub inregard to sailing, under-rigged especially, as she was, for greaterconvenience in handling.
The stranger was walking up to us fast. As the morning sun fell on hersails they appeared to me very white, and to have a wide spread, and Ibegan to hope that she might prove an English man-of-war brig. Anothertwo hours, however, banished any such hopes, and I was convinced, onlooking at Jotham Scuttle's countenance, that she was likely to provehis friend, but my enemy.
"What do you think of her now, Mr Scuttle?" I asked.
"She's a brig," he answered innocently.
"Anyone can see that with half an eye," said I; "but what is she? Wheredoes she hail from?"
"Well, then, maybe she hails from a provincial port," he answeredslowly. "I should not be very much surprised, too, if she carriesguns."
"A rebel privateer or pirate, in fact," said I.
"An American privateer, if you please, sir, I have no doubt she is," hereplied; "in two or three hours, I guess, you will find it safer to callher so, at all events."
"Well, well, we will see about that," I remarked, laughing at hiscoolness, though I began to entertain no slight apprehension that I wasabout to lose my prize and to become a prisoner into the bargain.
"They've got their new-fangled flag a-flying from their peak, sir," saidGrampus, stepping up.
On looking through my glass I made out the star-and-stripe coveredensign, just then begun to be carried by provincial vessels, flying outproudly from her gaff end; while several ports at her side left me nolonger in doubt that she was an enemy most devoutly to be wished away.Do everything I could, however, to increase the speed of the Ranger, sherapidly came up with us. Still it was not in my nature to give in whilea chance remained of escape. Some man-of-war might heave in sight, orsome other craft the privateer might think more worthy of chasing; or wemight keep ahead till darkness came to my help. The chances were,however, very small in my favour, and Mr Scuttle could not help showinghis satisfaction at the prospect of the probable change in our fortunes.I went aloft and swept the horizon with my glass in every direction,but not a sail appeared in sight. The breeze held steady, and indeedseemed rather inclined to increase than fall. My heart sank lower thanit had ever done before. In another hour my people and I would beprisoners, and Mr Jotham Scuttle would be offering me hiscommiseration. He was speaking to my two men; doubtless telling themthey had nothing to fear. I felt a very strong inclination at themoment to pitch him overboard; I wanted some one on whom to vent myvexation. Poor man! however, there was in reality much to admire inhim. In another half hour the game would be up. Suddenly a bright ideaoccurred to me. I had often seen a poor silly creature followed by atroop of urchins hallooing at his heels and mocking him with theirthoughtless jests, when he would turn round with clenched fists andgrinning lips, and they would take to an ignominious flight. I wouldtry the effect of a similar trick. Descending on deck, I orderedGrampus to get lines fastened to all the ports, so that they might belifted at once. As soon as the arrangement was made I put the sloopabout, and at the same moment, suddenly lifting all our ports--of which,as I have said, we had eight on a side--under all sail, I stood boldlydown towards the enemy. Still she stood on, and my heart began to quakefor the success of my manoeuvre.
"It can't be helped, sir, I fear," said Grampus. "We are in for it."
"No, no," I exclaimed, with a shout of joy. "It's all right. Hurrah,my lads!" The brig had taken in her studden-sails and was standing awayfrom us, close-hauled on a wind. I was so eagerly watching her that Idid not see what had become of friend Scuttle. I was aroused by a cryfrom Tom Rockets.
"Just you come down, master!" he exclaimed.
I looked up and caught sight of the skipper and his boy going aloft withknives in their hands. Their intention was obvious. It was to cut thehalliards, and by letting the sails come down by the run, call theattention of the brig to our true condition, and thus bring her back toour capture. Tom had got hold of the boy's leg, and I thought wouldhave jerked him overboard. Grampus in a moment was after the master,and before he had reached the cross-trees had hold of him, and,wrenching the knife from his hand, had hove it overboard. Whatever werethe thoughts and intentions of my two other men, they did not show anyinclination to side with the skipper. He began to show fight and tokick and struggle not a little, but Grampus had held on with his teethin too many a gale while close-reefing top-sails, not to be able to gainthe mastery. With threats and very significant signs that he wouldheave him overboard, he at length forced him down on deck.
"Now," said I, "Mr Scuttle, I should be justified in pistolling you onthe spot for the pretty trick you purposed playing me. But I will notinjure you. You gave me warning, I remember, what you would do, so, asI believe you to be a man of honour, pass me your word that you willattempt no further treachery and I will not injure you. Otherwise, formy own safety, I must clap you in limbo, and shoot you the moment I findyou again at any such game."
"It's very, very hard," he answered, folding his arms on his bosom andlooking wistfully at the brig, which still held her course away from us,"to have thought that I should get back my vessel and see my familyagain in a few days perhaps, and now to have all my hopes rudely sweptaway from me! It's hard--very, very hard!"
I really pitied the poor man and would on no account have injured him,could I have avoided it.
"Well, Mr Hurry, luck's against me," he said at length. "In all thingsregarding the navigation of the vessel, I'll obey you faithfully till wereach Halifax. Then you have nothing more to fear from me."
I was sure that I could trust him. "Then," said I, "go about your duty,and I will take no notice of what has passed."
Grampus, Tom, and I cheered lustily as we saw the brig continuing tostand away from us, and the men joined us, though I suspect the fellowsdid not care much about the matter. It was getting towards evening. Ilonged for darkness, for I never felt so anxious in my life. I wasafraid every moment that the people of the brig might gain courage andturn round upon us. If so, we should be worse off than ever, as weshould not have a chance of escaping. Friend Scuttle eyed the brig asanxiously as I did, though with very different wishes. Still we heldon, looking, I doubt not, very fierce, and the privateer's men must havebeen no less anxious to get away from us than we were from them. Atlength evening approached, and never did I see the sun set with so muchsatisfaction. Gradually the shades of night crept o
ver the ocean, and Idrew a long breath as the brig was lost to our sight in the thickeninggloom. As soon as I was certain that we could not possibly be seen, Iordered the sloop to be kept away, and once more made all sail to thenorthward, altering my course a few points from that I had been steeringwhen first seen by the brig, lest she should by any chance be lookingafter us in the morning. Probably the privateer's men werecongratulating themselves at thus easily escaping from us. As I gavevent to my feelings in a hearty cheer the poor skipper exhibited his ina deep groan, and then, having assisted in making sail, turned in to tryand forget his sorrows in sleep. The weather continued fine till the7th of the month, when I made the land about five leagues to thewestward of Halifax harbour. Soon after this the wind fell and we had astark calm. By Mr Scuttle's advice I fitted a couple of fishing-lines,and in the course of an hour, with those two lines alone, caught onehundred and twenty-four very fine cod. They proved a welcome additionto our usual salt-meat fare. Those we could not eat fresh we split openand dried in the sun, and they thus served us for food for several days.
"What do you think of the weather now, Grampus?" said I, after we hadbeen fishing for some time.
"I don't like its looks at all, sir," he replied. "This is a ticklishcoast at all times, and one never knows what's coming."
"If you had asked me, I could have told you that we are going to havewind, and fully enough of it," observed Mr Scuttle.
He had got into a mighty free-and-easy style of talking of late. He wasperfectly right, though in addition to the wind, which sprung upimmediately afterwards, we got a thick fog, which totally obscured theland. I steered a course, however, which I hoped would carry us to theharbour's mouth. We ran on for some time and then hove-to, that wemight sound. We had still plenty of water, so I stood on again. Atlast the fog lifted a little, when to my very great disgust I found thatwe had run three leagues past the mouth of the harbour. We endeavouredto tack back, but before morning a heavy gale of wind sprung up directlyoff shore. It was impossible to beat up against it, so I stood to theeastward all that day and night, under a try-sail and storm-jib. Duringthis time the gale showed no signs of abating. It was a good trial toour tempers, at all events. Grampus vowed that there was some old witchin Halifax who must have taken a spite to us and was resolved to keep usout of the harbour as long as she could. He was devising all sorts ofplans for exorcising her, but none seemed likely to prove satisfactory.In the morning, the weather moderating a little, I stood to the westwardunder close-reefed mainsail and double-reefed foresail, and by theevening reached at length the mouth of the harbour. "There's many aslip between the cup and the lip." We were congratulating ourselves ongetting all snug at night, when once more the wind breezed up with athickish fog, and as we were then in only forty fathoms of water I wasobliged again to run to sea. The bad weather kept me, as well as allthe people, on deck, for not knowing what might occur no one couldventure to go below. Some time before daylight I once more hauled mywind and beat up towards the land. By the evening of the 10th we wereagain in with Jabucta Head. We then got soundings on a reef of rocks ineight fathoms water, but so worn out was I and everybody on board that Iordered the anchor to be let go, that we might turn in and get somerest. I fully expected to lose my anchor and cable, but when I came toweigh at daylight the next morning I was fortunate enough to save themboth. I now fully expected to get safe into harbour, but as I wasstanding up Major's Reach I saw a Falmouth packet coming down. Thetemptation of speaking her and sending a message home was too great tobe resisted, so I stood over towards her. As the sloop was going aboutshe missed stays near a dangerous reef, and to prevent her driving onthe rocks it was necessary to be quick in wearing. In doing this theboom came over with the whole main-sheet eased off, and carried it awayin six different places. This accident compelled me to run from thenarrow channel and lost me the opportunity of speaking the packet. Oncemore making sail, and the wind favouring me, I got as high as George'sIsland, when a sudden squall split my mainsail. This compelled me tobring up. Manning a boat, I pulled up to Halifax to look out for theprize agent, into whose hands I was to deliver the sloop.
I parted on the best of terms with Mr Jotham Scuttle. He hoped to findsome friends in Halifax who would advance him money to enable him to buyback the Ranger.
"If ever you come to Nantucket," said he, "ask for me, and if I'm onshore there's no one will give you a more hearty welcome."
I promised that I would not forget his kind invitation, and, after ahearty shaking of hands, I saw no more of him.
I found the whole town in a state of great commotion, as the immensefleet there collected, of men-of-war and transports, with a large armyon board, were on the point of sailing, it was said, on an expeditionwhich would effectually crush the rebels and bring the Americanprovinces once more into complete subjection. That I might not be leftbehind I immediately reported myself to my Lord Shouldham. His lordshipordered me at once to come on board the Chatham, with my people. I veryspeedily returned to the Ranger and again got back to the Chatham. Iwas, however, rather ashamed of my outfit, as it was not veryappropriate to the atmosphere of a flag-ship, consisting, as it did, ofone old uniform suit, four shirts, and a very few etceteras.
The fleet, I found, was bound for the projected attack on New York. Itconsisted of his Majesty's ships Chatham, Rear-Admiral Shouldham, of theWhite--she had on board General Lord Percy, General Pigot, and otherofficers of rank--the Centurion, the Greyhound, which had on boardGeneral Sir William Howe, the Commander-in-Chief, and brother to AdmiralLord Howe, the Rose, Senegal, and Merlin, sloops of war, and nearly twohundred sail of transports.
Two hours after I got on board the whole fleet of men-of-war andtransports made sail for their destination. It was understood that wewere to be joined at New York by Admiral Lord Howe, who was on his wayout from England. He was to take command of the fleet, while hisbrother, the general, had command of the army. The two together were toact as commissioners to treat with the rebels, and, by showing them theoverpowering force marshalled against them, to endeavour to bring themto terms. Although the rebels had been for so long able successfully toset the king's forces at defiance, there were a considerable number ofpeople throughout the country who still remained loyal to theirsovereign, known generally under the designation of Tories, and it wassupposed that they would materially aid both in putting down therebellion and in winning back the inhabitants to their allegiance. Therebel army, under the immediate command of General Washington, held NewYork and Long Island opposite to it, as well as the adjacent country. Ibelieve I knew the particulars I speak of at the time: if not I learntthem soon afterwards.
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Note 1. Father of the late Admiral Sir William Symonds, and of the lateAdmiral Thomas Symonds.
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Note 2. General Howe was the brother of Admiral Lord Howe.