CHAPTER EIGHT.
ORPHEUS IN CAPE COD HARBOUR.--SENT ON SHORE WITH FLAG OF TRUCE.--POLITERECEPTION.--CAMP ATTACKED.--A MAGISTRATE OFFERS HIMSELF AS A HOSTAGE.--OUR CAPTAIN'S MAGNANIMITY.--MY DYING MESSMATE.--AT SEA.--THIRTY REBELVESSELS CAPTURED.--DOUBT WHETHER THIS WILL INDUCE THE COLONISTS TORETURN TO THEIR ALLEGIANCE.
Varied are the changes of a seaman's life--I found them so, at allevents. An episode in my history was about to occur, of which I littledreamed.
After the brush I have described with the enemy's batteries, thesquadron came to all anchor. On the evening, however, of the 15th ofJune, the Orpheus was ordered to get under weigh, and proceed to CapeCod harbour.
When the sun arose in the morning, the inhabitants of the town, to theirno small dismay, found us anchored within gun-shot of their houses. Iwas just dressed when Captain Hudson sent for me.
"Mr Hurry," said he, "you are to go on shore with a flag of truce.Inquire for the mayor or chief magistrate, or authorities of some sort.Tell them that we are in want of water and refreshments of varioussorts, that we are perfectly ready to pay for everything we have, andthen politely inform them that we are resolved, at all events, to havewhat we require; and that if they decline supplying us, or in any waymolest us, we will knock their town about their ears and take what wewant by force."
I signified that I clearly understood my orders, and, quaffing a cup ofa villainous compound called tea, and putting a piece of biscuit into mypocket, I tumbled hurriedly into my boat and shoved off. It took meabout twenty minutes to reach the landing-place before the town, whencethe boat had been observed approaching, and the very people I was insearch of were ready to receive me. The principal magistrate was a verydignified old gentleman, with silver buckles on his shoes, velvetsmall-clothes, a three-cornered hat on his head, and a silver-mountedsword by his side. I did not expect to encounter such a personage in soout-of-the-way and rough-and-ready sort of a place.
"May I ask, sir, to what cause we are indebted for the honour of a visitfrom the King of England's ships?" said he, bowing low.
I thought that there was more of mock humility than of respect in hismanner, though. I delivered the message the captain had given me.
"Certainly, sir, certainly," replied my friend, smiling: "the argumentsyou use are incontrovertible under our present circumstances. I doubtnot that they will make all the inhabitants of this place true andfaithful servants of King George."
I was rather amused than offended with his manner, and was pleased thatI had to deal with a gentleman instead of a lout.
"Do not let us weigh the force of the arguments, sir," I replied. "Ishall be perfectly satisfied if I have your word that you will not allowany attempt to be made to molest our watering party, and will collectfor us any provisions we require."
I gave him a list the purser had supplied me with.
"All your demands shall be complied with. You have my word for it,sir," said he, bowing as before.
This matter being settled, I pulled back to the ship. The wateringplace was some little way from the town. The signal was made for theboats to take the watering party on shore. It was considered necessaryat the same time, as a precautionary measure, to send a strong body ofmen on shore to protect the others, and, accordingly, a hundred marinesand two hundred seamen from the three ships were told off for thatpurpose. We certainly had rather a warlike than a peaceable aspect asthe squadron of boats made for the shore.
We were met, as we landed, by our friend the mayor with a flag of truce.He came to inquire why we approached in so warlike a guise. MrWillis, who commanded the party, replied that, while we did not wish toinjure others, we always liked to be in a position to take care ofourselves. Satisfied with this answer the mayor took his departure. Awood was before us. A succession of sandy hummocks were between it andthe shore. Among them we made our bivouac. The spring from which wewere to fill our casks was on the borders of the wood.
According to rule, as we were in an enemy's country, we placed the usuallines of sentries, while the seamen, as rapidly as they could, filledthe casks and rolled them down to the boats. At night we were compelledto knock off work, so we lighted our camp-fires and made ourselves ascomfortable as circumstances would allow. Delisle, Drew, Nicholas andsome midshipmen of the other ships were seated with me on the ground, inthe neighbourhood of a fire, more that we might have its light than itswarmth, and superintend the cooking of some steaks which we had resolvedto have for supper. Tom Rockets was acting under our orders, andboiling the kettle to brew some punch. We were a very jolly party.Several of us had not met since we used to assemble on board my prize atNew York in the winter, and we had had a good deal of knocking aboutsince then. Many a tale was told, and many a jovial song and not a fewsentimental ditties were sung, echoed by the seamen who sat groupedabout. Thus hour after hour passed by, and we felt no inclination tolie down. I dare say we looked very picturesque as the light of thefires fell on us: the seamen scattered about in every easy attitude; thepiled arms of the marines; the men themselves so different to thesailors; the bayonets of the sentries in the distance; the yellowsand-hills; the sea, calm and solemn, flashing every now and then withphosphorescent light; and then overhead the dark mysterious vault ofheaven, studded with stars innumerable, all speaking of the might, themajesty, the power unbounded of the Creator. One by one my messmatesdropped off to sleep. I lay on my back for some time contemplating themagnificent spectacle. I had often gazed on the stars before. I hadtaken the altitudes of many; I had measured the distance of one from theother; I had steered my course by them over the ocean; but then I hadlooked on them only as useful appendages to our globe. Now, as I gazed,they seemed to float--beauteous globes in the pure ether, altogetherindependent of the puny world we call our own. How far more pure andbrilliant did they appear than in the misty clime of old England! Ibegan to envy the Americans the advantage they possess over us.
My meditations were rudely and suddenly interrupted by the sharp rattleof musketry, and a quick succession of reports in return. Every man inan instant was on his feet. All flew to their arms and hurried to thefront. The rattle of musketry increased, and the bullets came flyingabout our ears, while our advanced sentries retreated rapidly in on themain body--I might have said they ran as fast as their heels could carrythem--shouting out that the enemy in strong force were pressing hardupon us. Mr Willis formed the marines in the centre, with theblue-jackets as flanking parties in readiness to receive the enemy. Wehad not long to wait before their dark forms in dense masses could beseen climbing over the sand-hills, threatening not only our front, butboth our flanks.
"We are outmatched: I suspect we have been outwitted by the rascals,"said Delisle, who stood near me; "I'll never trust these rebels again."
"I cannot make it out," I answered; "I thought we could have placedperfect confidence in the word of that old gentleman I met in themorning."
We had, however, no time to discuss the matter; for every moment thefire grew heavier, and we saw that we were far outnumbered by the enemy.Now, under other circumstances, this might have been a matter of littlemoment, for, had we advanced, we might have gained an easy victory; butwe at present had nothing to gain by fighting, and should we have foundourselves caught in a trap, and been compelled to lay down our arms, weknew that our loss would be very seriously felt by the remainder of ourships' companies. We therefore, by as heavy fire as we could maintain,kept the enemy at bay, and retreated in good order to our boats, vowingvengeance against them for the treachery of which we supposed they hadbeen guilty. Strange as it may seem, very few of our men were hurt, andnone were killed. The rebels, as is generally the case with unpractisedtroops, had fired high, so that most of their shot had gone over ourheads. We embarked with all our casks, and quickly got on board ourships, expecting next morning to have the satisfaction of battering awayat the town till not a brick should stand to afford shelter to thetreacherous inhabitants.
My first inquiry
on getting on board was for Harry Sumner. He had beengoing on well, but had frequently asked to see me. Thinking he might beawake, I went to the side of his cot. He, however, was sleeping. Helooked very pale and thin. A few hours of suffering had altered himmuch. I was going away when I heard him whisper my own name. "See,mother dear, be kind to him; and you, Julia, will love him, for he waskind to brother Harry. You'll not turn him away when I am gone--gone ona long, long voyage, you know. You'll love him for my sake, both ofyou. He'll talk to you sometimes about Harry. There, there, motherdear, don't weep; we'll meet again, you know;--yes, yes, after my longvoyage. Don't cry, Julia dear, don't now--don't?"
Thus he went on. I felt ready to cry myself, I know. I had not heardhim speak of his little sister--I could easily guess the reason--hewould run the risk of having her name profaned by careless lips. Atlength he was silent. I slipped away. Poor little fellow! in spite ofwhat the doctor said, I guessed that he at all events thought himselfdying. I trusted that he might be mistaken. With a heavy heart,though, I left him and turned into my hammock, where in a very fewminutes I was sound asleep.
The word had already been passed along the decks to prepare for action,and we fully expected that in a few minutes the fun would begin, when aboat was seen coming off from the shore with a flag of truce. It seemeda matter of doubt whether it should be received after the way we hadbeen treated by the rebels; but Captain Hudson resolved that he wouldhear what they had to say for themselves before he proceeded toextremities. The old gentleman with whom I had spoken the day before,and several substantial-looking personages were in the boat. Theyevidently felt themselves in no trifling difficulty, and saw that itwould require the management of the most important people in the placeto save the town. Captain Hudson at first, wishing to give them afright, refused to listen to any of their explanations.
"A truce had been agreed on, and while we were acting with perfect goodfaith and peaceableness, your people most unjustifiably attempted todestroy us. I give you half an hour to remove the women and children,and then expect the consequences of your treachery," said he, drawinghis sword-belt tighter round his waist, and turning on his heel with alook of scorn.
"Hear me, sir," said the old gentleman, stepping forward. "We had, onmy honour, nothing whatever to do with the outrage of which youcomplain. The people who attacked you were those whose vessels you haveso wantonly destroyed. They came to revenge themselves. When theyfound that we had pledged ourselves to preserve the peace they returnedquietly homewards. If you wish to complete the watering of your shipswe will in no way molest you, and we will supply you with all theprovisions you require."
"So you said before," replied Captain Hudson. "How can I depend on thefulfilment of your agreement?"
"I for one, and I dare say others will be ready to remain in your handsas hostages till our agreement is fulfilled," answered the oldgentleman.
Captain Hudson, who was generous as he was brave, would not listen tothis proposal; but, stretching out his hand, he answered frankly, "No,no, sir; I will not put you or your friends to this incnvenience. I fully trust to your word. Go on shore, and keep yourcombatively-inclined countrymen from attacking us, unless they want tohave your town burnt, and by the evening we shall probably have relievedyou of our company."
I never saw people's faces brighten up more rapidly than did those ofour rebel visitors when they heard these words. It was like theclearing away of a thunder-cloud from the sky in summer. They wereready to promise all sorts of things, and to supply us with all wedesired; and, to do them justice, they amply fulfilled their word. Wecompleted our water, got an abundant supply of fresh provisions, andsailed again that evening on our cruise.
On the 21st of July we took a schooner from Bilboa to Boston withcordage and canvas, and on the 22nd re-took a brig from Quebec to Londonin ballast; on which day the Amazon parted company and sailed with theprizes for New York.
On the 24th we took a schooner from Boston to the West Indies with fishand lumber; on the 25th a brig from Martinique with rum and molasses; onthe 26th a schooner from Boston to the West Indies with lumber, and onthe same day chased a large ship close into Boston light-house; but sheeffected her escape into the harbour.
On the 31st the Amazon rejoined us, and informed us that she had on herpassage recaptured a large ship from Jamaica to London with rum andsugar, which had been made prize of by the rebels, and that she had senther into Halifax.
On the 1st of August, at sunrise, a schooner was reported in sight. Weaccordingly made sail in chase; but she seemed in no ways inclined to becaptured, and, setting every stitch of canvas she could carry, she beganto walk through the water at a great rate. We soon saw that we shouldhave to put our best leg foremost to come up with her. This to theutmost of our power we did.
I have already described many chases, so I will not enter intoparticulars. Hour after hour passed, and we seemed to be no nearer toher; still we had not lost ground, and, from her pertinacity inendeavouring to get away from us, we of course fancied that she was themore worth having. The longest day must have an end, and so had this.At its termination, when night was coming on, we were very little nearerthe chase than at daybreak. Still we hoped that a shift of wind mightenable us to get up with her, or that a calm might come on and allow usto reach her with our boats. But neither one thing nor the otheroccurred. Night came down upon us, and not the sharpest pair of eyes onboard could pierce through the dark mantle which shrouded her. Somethought they saw her stealing off in one direction; others declared theysaw her steering an opposite course. The result was that when morningbroke, our expected prize had escaped us, and we were compelled to standback and rejoin our consorts, like a dog with his tail between his legs.We had hopes, however, of being able in some degree to indemnifyourselves for our loss, when, on the 2nd of August, about two hoursbefore daylight, the shadowy outline of a ship was seen dead to leewardbetween us and the land, the wind being somewhere from the south-west.Now she was there, ghostlike and indistinct, a spirit gliding over theface of the waters; now as I looked she had disappeared and I couldscarcely believe that I had seen her.
"Can you make her out?" said I to Grampus, who was a quarter-master inmy watch. The old man hollowed his hands round his eyes and took a longsteady gaze into the darkness ahead.
"I did see her just a few minutes afor' you spoke to me, sir, but smashmy timbers if I sees her now!" he exclaimed, suiting the action to theword. "Where is she gone to?"
"She has altered her course or a bank of mist is floating by betweenus," I suggested.
"That's it, sir," said he; "I wouldn't be surprised but what she'd heavein sight again afor' long, except she's one of those craft one hearstalk of, aboard of whom there's no living man with flesh and blood towork them. If so be she is, I'd rather not fall in with her."
I laughed. "No fear of that," said I; "she has been reported to thecaptain, and we shall be making all sail in chase presently. We shallthen soon find out what she's made of."
"Much as we did the schooner two days ago," muttered Grampus, as I lefthim. "I don't know what's come over the ship that she don't walk alongfaster."
The stranger had been reported to the captain, who very soon came ondeck, when all sail was packed on the ship in chase. The stranger, forsome time, did not appear to be aware of our vicinity; indeed, we couldfrequently scarcely make her out through the darkness. At length,however, she discovered that an ugly customer was near her, and lost notime in setting every stitch of canvas she could carry, and runningdirectly off before the wind. By this time we had got near enough tosee that she was a ship, and of considerable size.
"That craft carries a good many hands, I suspect, by the smart way inwhich she made sail," I heard Mr Willis observe to the captain. "Ishould not be surprised if she proves a privateer, or so-called ship ofwar belonging to the rebel government. To my mind, we shall do well totreat all the rascals we find on board such craft as pirates, and tricethem up t
o their own yard-arms."
"You forget, Mr Willis, that two can play at that game," answered thecaptain. "The rebels have pretty well shown that they are in earnest,and have established a right to respect at all events. I don't thinkhanging them will bring them to reason. Let us treat them as open andgallant enemies, and if we cannot make them fellow-subjects, at allevents we may induce them to become some day our friends again. Iconfess to you I am sick of this sort of warfare. We must do our duty,and take, sink, and destroy all the craft belonging to the misguidedpeople we find afloat, but there is neither honour nor glory to beobtained by the work, and as for the profit, I would rather be withoutit. Bah! I'm sick of such fratricidal work."
"I can't say that I see things quite in the light that you do, sir,"said the first lieutenant. "The British Government make laws, and it isthe duty of British people to obey them; and if they don't, it's ourbusiness just now to force them to it."
"Your logic is unanswerable, Willis," replied Captain Hudson, turningaway with a sigh. "There can be no doubt what our duty is, howeverpainful it may prove."
I believe that many officers thought and felt like my gallant andkind-hearted captain, and yet not a more loyal man, or a more faithfulsubject of his sovereign, ever stepped the deck of a ship of war.
As the first gleam of day appeared from beneath a dark canopy of clouds,and shone across the leaden water, its light fell on the royals andtopgallant sails of a large ship, with studden sails alow and aloft,running before the wind directly for the American coast. Smoothly asshe glided on, and rapidly as she ran through the water, in all thepride of symmetrical beauty, she was in a very critical position. As Ilooked at her I bethought me she presented no inapt simile to a carelessyouth rushing over the sea of life regardless of all the dangers whichsurround him, and with the pit of destruction yawning before him. Haulher wind and fight us she dared not, for we should have blown herspeedily out of the water; no friendly port that she could possibly makewas under her lee. The only hope, therefore, her crew could have had ofescaping was to run the ship on shore and to abandon her. This it wasour object to prevent them doing. The usual devices for increasing ourspeed were resorted to. Every spar that could carry a sail was rigged,while the canvas almost swept the water on either side of us, but all tolittle purpose, it seemed. If we increased our speed, so did the chase,and not an inch was gained. As the day grew on, the breeze freshened,and at noon some on board asserted that we had begun to overhaul her.We were all of us on deck as often as we could, for she afforded farmore subject of interest than the ordinary lumber-laden merchant craftit was our usual lot to chase. The clouds which had obscured the sky atsunrise rolled gradually away; the sun shone down on the blue ocean withundimmed splendour, glittering on the long lines of foam which the twoships formed as they clove their way through it.
I was, among others, watching the chase when McCallum came up to me.
"Sumner wants to see you, Hurry," said he; "I think a little talk withyou will do him good. He is very low, left so many hours by himself,and he does not sleep much."
Our young messmate had been progressing favourably, according to thedoctor's report, since he was wounded, but he was nervous and fanciful,poor little fellow! and wanted more tender nursing than the rough,albeit kind-hearted, treatment he could obtain on board. Captain Hudsonwould gladly have landed him, could he have found any friends on shorewilling to take charge of him; but as this was impossible, allcircumstances would allow was done to make him comfortable. I satmyself down on a stool by the side of his cot, and told him all that wasgoing forward on deck.
"I wish that I could be about and doing my duty again," said he; "I'mweary of being boxed up here below."
"I should be glad if you could get sent home, and have your mother andsister to nurse you till you are strong and well."
"Who told you that I had a sister?" he asked quickly.
"You did, surely, Harry," I answered; "how else should I have known it?"
"Oh, I never spoke about her, I'm sure!" said he earnestly. "She issuch a little angel, Hurry, that I could not bear to have her nameuttered by any of our fellows in the way they speak of each other'ssisters and female friends."
"Trust me, indeed, I will never mention her," I answered, appreciatinghis delicacy, though I felt a strong desire to see the little girl hepraised so highly. I did not reflect that her portrait was painted by aloving brother. I got him to talk more about her, and when his heartwas opened he seemed never tired of the theme. He told me how she wastwo or three years older than himself; how she had watched over him andinstructed him in all that was good, and how bitterly she grieved at hisgoing away to sea, and much did he blame himself for having oftenappeared ungrateful for her love and affection. Often in a night-watchdid my thoughts recur to Julia Sumner. It was a midshipman's fancy, andperhaps a folly, but it was very excusable, I cannot help thinking evenat the present time.
Our conversation was interrupted by the report of one of ourbow-chasers: I sprang on deck. We had got the chase within range of ourguns, and we were not likely to let them remain inactive. Still shestood on; not a trace nor a sheet did she slack; and as our gunnery wasnot first-rate it must be owned, we could not as yet hope to do her muchdamage.
"We have gained on her considerably since you went below," said Delisle,whose glass was fixed on the chase, watching the effect of our shot."In another hour, if the wind holds, we shall get her well under ourguns, and then she'll have very little more to say for herself."
"Land ahead!" shouted the look-out from aloft. I with others went tothe mast-head to ascertain its distance. We judged it to be the landabout Cape Cod, some fifteen miles or so away. It would take us acouple of hours to get up with it. Evening, however, was now coming on,and it would be dark before we could hope to reach it. We watched thechase more anxiously than ever; the prospect of bringing her to beforeshe should reach the shore was every instant growing less. Those whomanned her were no cowards. As we were watching her, her stern-portsopened, and a couple of shots came hissing by us. It was a desperatechance. Her object was to cripple us, and if she could do so, perhapsshe hoped to haul her wind, and, favoured by the darkness, to creep awayfrom between us and the shore. We fired our bow-chasers as often as wecould in return, and more than one shot told with damaging effect.Still every injury was repaired as soon as received. The land, seenunder the glow of the setting sun, was growing more and more distinct,and by the time the shades of evening came over us we were near enoughto distinguish it and the chase, now in dangerous proximity to itssands.
The chase had now lasted fifteen hours--another hour would decide thepoint. It soon passed. It was a moment of intense interest. Every manwas at his station. Hands were in the chains with the lead. We werenearer the coast than under other circumstances we would willingly havebeen. The chase stood on with everything set. One felt it a grievouspity that so beautiful a fabric should be doomed to destruction. Herstriking would give us time to haul off. On she glided, her symmetryunimpaired. In another moment her tall masts rocked to and fro; a loudcrashing and tearing, even at that distance, reached our ears.
"Down with the helm!" shouted Captain Hudson. "Haul aft the starboardsheets! Flatten in the starboard braces! Give her the starboardbroadside!"
These and other orders to bring the ship on a wind followed in quicksuccession amid the roar of our guns, which sent the shot crashing intothe unfortunate chase. As soon as the ship was put about she stood backon the other tack, pouring in a second and still more destructivebroadside. Again the ship was put about; once more the starboardbroadside was loaded, and as we came abreast of the stranded chase,fired into her with deadly effect.
"Boats away!" was now the order. The men, with cutlasses by their sidesand pistols in their belts, sprang into them. Mr Willis led theexpedition: not a moment was to be lost. The stranger must be boardedbefore the crew could recover from the effects of our broadsides, orpeople would come off from
the shore to defend her. She had fallenalmost broadside on to the beach, and on the other side the sea waswashing over her. We pulled round, and boarded under her counter,cutlass in hand. A slight resistance only was made by her captain andofficers and some of the crew. A few were cut down, and the restretreated forward, and escaped on shore by a warp, which had previouslybeen carried there, no one attempting to stop them. As with lanterns inour hands, we wandered over the ship, everywhere signs were visible ofthe cruel effect of our broadsides. In the cabin lay an officer and twomen. We thought they were wounded. We threw the light on theircountenances; they had been dragged there by their shipmates to be outof the way, probably, and had died as they lay. Poor fellows! they hadfought their last fight--they were dead. Not a thing was found onboard. A glance showed Mr Willis that it would be impossible to getthe ship off, so he ordered us to set fire to her in every direction.Having done so, and left the dead bodies to be consumed in a not ignoblefuneral pile, we hurried to the boats. We had been taught by a formercatastrophe not to delay too long. As we pulled away, the flames,climbing up the masts and spars; to which the canvas still hung, formeda magnificent pyramid of fire, which grew and grew in height till itseemed to reach the very skies. It was a fine spectacle, but a finerwas to come. She was still burning when we got back to our ship, andthe boats were hoisted in. I watched the conflagration from the deck.The fire threw a ruddy glare over the sand-hills and the dark woodsbeyond, and by its light we could see people watching, undoubtedly withbitter hearts, the destruction of their property. Without a moment'swarning, while the conflagration was at its height, the whole mass offlame seemed to be lifted together like a huge fire-work--then it spreadfar and wide, forming a fiery canopy of mushroom shape, and breakinginto a thousand fragments, came hissing down into the surrounding ocean,while a few burning embers alone remained to mark the spot where thetall ship had lately been--a pretty night's work for the officers andcrew of his Majesty's ship Orpheus. I don't know that the thought ofwhat we had been about disturbed the rest of any of those who enjoyedthe luxury of turning into their hammocks. The next morning a boat witha flag of truce was sent on shore to learn particulars of the vessel wehad destroyed. A number of persons were collected in the neighbourhoodof the wreck, and, as may be supposed, they did not look veryaffectionately at us; but flags of truce were always respected, in spiteof the animosity which was daily increasing between the belligerents,and an officer stepped forward to know what we wanted.
We told him our errand. "Tell your captain," said he, "that he has donegood service to his government, and saved the capture of many a richmerchantman, if I mistake not. The ship you have destroyed was the`Wilks' privateer, mounting twenty guns--six-pounders--commanded by asbrave a man as ever stepped, Captain John Williams, and bound into theEnglish channel on a six-months' cruise. If it is any satisfaction toyou, you may say that she was only off the stocks five weeks. There'sthe captain; he'll never break biscuit more, nor will several of ourpeople who were drowned coming on shore. There's all that remains ofpoor Captain Williams."
He spoke with bitterness, and, lifting a flag, exposed the form of a manin an officer's uniform. He had been wounded, it appeared, by one ofour broadsides, and carried on shore by his crew. I was not sorry,having received the information we were ordered to obtain, to get awayfrom the scene of the catastrophe. This was our finishing stroke in theBay of Fundy. During our cruise there it appeared by the log-book thatwe had seen ninety rebel vessels of various descriptions, of which wehad either taken or destroyed thirty-three sail--a highly satisfactoryamount of mischief to have committed in so short a time--but it had noeffect in making the Americans loyal, or increasing their love for theirBritish brethren.