CHAPTER SIX.
AFLOAT IN THE SQUADRON.
I must pass over some months, during which the _Triumph_, havingreturned into port, we three friends paid a visit to Lyme, the admiralpromising to send for us when he should next go to sea. We had not longto wait. It being reported that Prince Rupert and his brother had fledto the Tagus, Admiral Blake was appointed to the command of a smallsquadron, of which the _Tiger_ was his flag-ship, with orders to pursuethe pirates, and to seize, make prizes, fight with, and destroy alltheir ships he could overtake, while he was to protect all lawfultraders in the exercise of their calling. The other ships were the_John, Tenth, Whelp, Signet_, and _Constant Warwick_, carryingaltogether one hundred and fourteen guns.
We were glad to find that young Robert Blake was one of the lieutenantsof the _Tiger_, and equally rejoiced were we to see Martin Shobbrokwalking the deck with a chain and silver whistle round his neck doingduty as boatswain. Although it was midwinter, no time was lost, andwith a fair breeze we stood down channel. The winds, and the necessityof chasing every suspicious sail, prevented us from reaching ourdestination--the month of the Tagus--until the approach of spring. Toour infinite satisfaction, we found that the Prince's squadron was atanchor in the river, and forthwith the admiral despatched his nephew,whom I had the honour of accompanying, with a message to King John ofPortugal, requesting permission to attack the ships of Prince Rupert,belonging to the Commonwealth of England, and carried off by treachery.I had never before been in a king's palace; I have not the power,however, to describe the finely dressed ladies and gentlemen we saw, orthe forms and ceremonies we went through. The king, or rather one ofhis ministers--who spoke for him--declared that he could permit no suchproceeding, that the princes were his guests, and that we must take ourdeparture without injuring them.
"The king sends us back, as he thinks, with a flea in our ears, but itis a flea which will tickle his majesty before long," observedLieutenant Blake, who had something of his uncle's humour.
We returned on board the _Tiger_, and reported the result of ourmission, when the admiral immediately ordered a squadron of boats toenter the river. I went in one of them. As we approached a white stonecastle shining brightly in the sun, near the mouth, a puff of smokeissued from one of the embrasures. Another and another followed, theshot splashing into the water close to us.
On this the commander of the expedition, according to the ordersreceived, returned to the squadron.
The admiral, curling his whiskers, sent to the castle to inquire why hisboats had been stopped. The officer replied that his orders were toprevent any foreign ships sailing up the river. The admiral on thisdespatched another embassy to King John, demanding the reason for hisconduct, but received as unsatisfactory a reply as before. ThePortuguese king was not aware with whom he had to deal, and fancied thatBlake would sail away without taking further notice of the affair.
In spite of the threats of the governor of Belim Castle, the _Tiger_leading the way, the squadron sailed into the river, not a shot beingfired at us, and we brought up in Viera Bay.
Here some weeks passed, the crews fuming at the delay, and hoping everyday that we might be able to get at the corsairs and punish them as theydeserved. Our men were frequently on shore, when they constantly metthe sailors of the Prince's squadron, on friendly terms.
Occasionally, however, there were quarrels, when our men jeered at theothers, calling them pirates and robbers, and expressing a wonder thatthey should be willing to serve under such leaders as Rupert and hisbrother. Others of our people acted more wisely, and succeeded ininducing a considerable number of the Prince's men to desert and come onboard our ships. This greatly enraged the Prince, who strung up severalpoor fellows found making their way to us. Still, others came off, andone of them told us that the _Swallow_, a ship of thirty-six guns, hadactually got under weigh and was on the point of escaping, when theintention of her officers and crew being discovered, she was broughtback. Some time after this, three boats under command of LieutenantBlake were sent on shore to fill our casks at the fountain where weusually obtained water; Lancelot and I accompanied him. As there was nofear of our men deserting, we allowed some of those not required for thework in hand to stroll a short distance inland, Lieutenant Blake goingwith them, while I remained to superintend the watering party.
I was thus engaged when I heard some shots fired, and saw Lancelot, whohad gone a little way off, running towards me.
"What's the matter?" I inquired.
"Our shipmates have been attacked by a party of Cavaliers and Portuguesehidalgoes, who have, I fear, got hold of Lieutenant Blake. If we bringup the men quickly, we may rescue him before he is carried off," heanswered.
Calling our people together, some of whom were rolling the casks down tothe boats, Lancelot and I led them in the direction we had heard theshots. We had not gone far when we caught sight of our party warmlyengaged with a number of persons in hunting dresses, some being English,others Portuguese, among whom we distinguished our lieutenant, held bytwo Portuguese, while others were pointing their swords at his breast.Almost before they discovered us, uttering a loud shout we were uponthem. The lieutenant on seeing us, shaking off the grasp of the two menwho held him, knocked up the blade of another, and seizing the sword ofa fourth, sprang towards us. At that moment, however, a strongreinforcement arriving we had to retreat, with our faces to the foe.Several of our men fell dead, and others were wounded. An attack alsowas made on six of our people who had been separated from us, when, withthe exception of one who cut his way out from among those surroundingthe party, the rest were made prisoners. We showed so bold a frontthat, notwithstanding our heavy losses, the Cavaliers and their alliesdid not venture to follow us, though they fired a volley which killedone more of our men and wounded another. We at length reached theboats, and taking the casks on board, pulled away to communicate thecircumstance to the admiral. Lieutenant Blake told him that he hadrecognised Prince Maurice as well as two or three of his officers, andthat the other leaders of our assailants were Portuguese grandees.
The admiral was highly indignant, but how to punish our dastardly foesas they deserved was a difficult matter to determine. The King ofPortugal would certainly refuse to deliver up the offenders, and we werenot as yet in a position to compel him.
We had therefore to bide our time.
That evening, as I was walking the deck with Lancelot, we saw a smallboat coming off from the shore. She had but one man in her. He hailedas he got alongside, and asked if he might be permitted to come onboard, as he had a communication to make to the admiral.
Permission was at once given, and after remaining a short time in thecabin, the stranger took his departure, when the admiral came on deckand ordered the ports to be closed.
Soon after this another boat was seen coming off, containing a persondressed as a Portuguese tradesman, and rowed by two negroes. The boatalso carried a large cask. After coming up under the stern, she pulledround on the starboard side. The seeming Portuguese then handed up aletter, which one of the officers took. It purported to come from amerchant on shore, stating that he had sent off a cask of oil for theuse of the crew. The white man was still seated in the boat, when theboatswain and two other men came aft and informed the admiral that theywere very sure he was no Portuguese, but one of the persons belonging toPrince Rupert's ship whom they frequently met on shore.
"Let the cask remain in the boat, and order the man up the side," saidthe admiral.
The Portuguese, on receiving the order, showed a great disinclination toobey, and said something to the negroes, who were getting out their oarsto shove off when three of our men jumped into the boat, and havingsecured her, the white man and two blacks were brought on deck. Theadmiral now turning to the boatswain ordered him to reeve a rope to theyard-arm.
"So my friend," he said, turning to the white prisoner, "you intended toblow up this ship and all on board. If that cask is full of oil myinformation is
incorrect, but if not, be prepared for the consequences."
On this the man fell on his knees, and pleading for mercy, offered toreveal the plot he had been engaged to carry out.
"You deserve death, but your life shall be spared if you speak thetruth," said the admiral.
The man then confessed that he had been employed by the Cavaliers todestroy the admiral and his flag-ship; that the cask was double-headed,and that the interior was filled with gunpowder and missiles of allsorts; that between the two heads there was a lock so contrived that onbeing opened it would fire a quick match and cause the whole to explode.
"As you understand its mechanism, you shall be employed in extractingits contents," said the admiral.
The man on hearing this looked greatly disconcerted, but was forced toobey. The carpenter having provided him with tools, he descended intothe boat, when she was towed some distance from the ship, where she wasanchored, and the oars being removed, he was left to operate alone onthe cask.
He was watched with great interest as he cut a hole through the bottom.This done, he took out the contents and hove them overboard, when hehailed to say that the cask was empty.
The admiral then ordered him and the two blacks to depart with a messagefor the Prince, informing him of the miscarriage of his enterprise.
The Prince afterwards, we heard, spread a report that he and hisbrother, while out hunting, had been attacked by a party of men fromAdmiral Blake's fleet, and that he had in consequence allowed theattempt to be made to blow up the flag-ship. I should here say that onboard the Prince's fleet were many Republicans, who sent the admiralinformation of all his intentions. We now heard that, fearing lest theKing of Portugal should no longer be willing to afford him protection,Prince Rupert proposed putting to sea, and seeking his fortune inanother direction.
On this, a calm coming on, our ships were towed down to the mouth of theriver, where we lay ready to intercept him, and so the Prince's plan wasdefeated.
Some weeks went by, when Admiral Popham arrived with a strongreinforcement, and by one of the ships came letters to Lancelot and me,of which I will speak anon. The King of Portugal, just before this,throwing off all disguise, arrested several English merchants residingin Lisbon, and declared his intention of supporting the corsair princes.
No sooner was this news received on board our ships than the admiralsent word to the Portuguese government that he proposed to makereprisals. While the messenger was on the way, a number of ships wereseen with all sails set coming out of the river. They proved to berichly-laden merchantmen bound for the Brazils. As they approached, oursquadron got under weigh, and before the Brazilian ships had time toretreat we surrounded them and captured the whole. As they werewell-armed, the officers and crews being removed, we sent all the men wecould spare on board, and thus nine fine vessels were added to thestrength of our fleet. Winter was approaching, and with it came heavygales, greatly trying our ships. Information had been received thatanother richly-laden fleet from the Brazils was expected in the river.We accordingly, our ships having been carefully fitted to encounter thefiercest storms, got under weigh and stood out to sea in order to watchfor it. We had not long to wait, when one of the look-out frigatesbrought intelligence which made us all on the alert.
The commander stated that he had counted no less than twenty-three sailapproaching under all the canvas they could carry.
On they came. The admiral ordered the signal to be thrown out toprepare for action. The Portuguese fleet approached, supposing ourships to be those of their own nation; and as far as we could judge,were in no way ready for battle. They advanced in gallant array, theiradmiral leading, but as they drew nearer their suspicions must have beenaroused. They were soon convinced that we had hostile intentions, whenthe _Tiger_, standing across the bows of the flag-ship, ordered her tostrike and heave to. A shot which struck us was the answer, whentacking so as to bring our other broadside to bear, we commenced firingaway as fast as our guns could be run in and loaded.
The other ships imitated our example, each engaging one, and some two orthree of the enemy. Again our commander ordered the Portuguese admiralto strike, but he refused, notwithstanding the fearful punishment wewere inflicting on him. Our shots, fired at short range, were goingthrough and through the sides between wind and water. Presently one ofthe enemy's ships astern of us was seen to be on fire. The flamesspread rapidly, bursting out from her ports and climbing the tall masts.Another and another was speedily in the same predicament. The fate ofthese ships brought terror into the hearts of the enemy. Now the flagof a large ship attacked by the _Resolution_ was hauled down. Nowanother struck, and quickly the antagonist of the _Constant Warwick_lowered her flag, allowing that gallant barque to pay her attentions toa second foe.
Cheer after cheer burst from the throats of our crew as they saw theserich prizes captured, while they redoubled the efforts they were makingagainst the Portuguese flag-ship. Still the action continued raging inall directions over the blue ocean, canopied by a dark pall of smoke,which was increased each moment by the curling wreaths arising from thethundering guns. Every effort was now made by the Portuguese to escape,for their ships contained rich treasures which they were unwilling tolose, but their efforts were in vain. Like eager hounds heated by thechase, our ships, setting all sail, soon came up with the fugitives,whose masts and spars being knocked away, they hauled down their flag.Their admiral had been fighting long and bravely, when Martin Shobbrok,who was standing near me, exclaimed, pointing at her, "The Lord havemercy on their souls! Mark you not, Master Ben, how deep by the head isthat stout Portugale ship? See, see! she is sinking lower and lower."Still the guns from her upper deck continued to belch forth flames andsmoke. It seemed as if her crew were not aware of the fate awaitingthem. Before another minute had elapsed shrieks and cries arose. Menwere seen rushing up from below, and clambering on the bulwarks. Otherswere engaged in lowering the boats and throwing overboard planks andhen-coops, and pieces of furniture, and whatever they could lay theirhands on.
"Cease firing!" cried our admiral, and not another shot was dischargedat our helpless foe. Lower and lower sank the stout ship, her sternlifted high out of the water, then downwards she glided, her canvas set,her flag still flying, her commander and his officers still standing onthe lofty after-castle, until that too disappeared beneath the wildwaves which dashed over them, and soon even the main truck vanishedbeneath the surface, leaving a few struggling forms and pieces of wreck,and articles thrown overboard, floating on the spot she had latelyoccupied.
Stern necessity compelled us to sail in chase of her flying consorts,one of which proved to be the ship of the vice-admiral, who, taught alesson by the fate of his chief, as we approached lowered his flag.
Seven of the smaller vessels which had sought safety at the commencementof the engagement in flight, being already close in with the mouth ofthe river, escaped, but we captured eleven large ships, not counting theadmiral's which sank, and three others consumed by fire.
As soon as the prizes were secured, the boats were lowered to try andpick up any of the helpless people who alight have escaped from theships destroyed; but few only were rescued, though I am well assuredthat, had the admiral acted according to the dictates of his heart, hewould rather have allowed the vice-admiral to escape than have delayedthe attempt to save the perishing seamen.
As we could not enter the river, and another gale might come on, we lostno time in repairing damages and refitting the prizes, so that theymight undertake the voyage to England.
Admiral Blake was well aware that the Portuguese would endeavour torevenge themselves for the loss they had suffered, but still undaunted,he prepared to resist their squadron, united to that of the Prince,should they venture to attack us.
Day after day we sailed backwards and forwards off the mouth of theriver, or when a tempest threatened, shortening sail, we beat out to seato avoid shipwreck, again to return the instant the wind moderated.This sort of wo
rk greatly added to the experience my companion and I hadgained on the coast of Ireland, so that we could boast of beingefficient seamen.
"You'll soon be made a lieutenant, Mr Ben, and ere long a captain; and,when you get command of a ship, I hope that you'll apply to have me sentwith you," said Martin to me one day as we were walking the decktogether. "Although she may be only half the size of the _Tiger_, Iwould rather be with you than even with our good admiral, much as I lovehim. He is the man to win all hearts, not only because he is the bestcommander we ever had, but because he attends to the wants and looksafter the interests of the men below him."
I promised Martin, if I lived to get the command of a ship, that I wouldobtain him as boatswain, should he not in the meantime be advanced to ahigher grade such as his merits deserved.
"Martin Shobbrok is too old for a lieutenant, and besides, is nonavigator, so that he would feel like a fish out of water," he answered."He has been boatswain for the best part of his life, and boatswain heis willing to remain, unless he is made chief gunner, and no greatlearning is required for that."
Again we sighted the rock of Lisbon, when a thick mist came on, whichshrouded it and the whole coast from sight. Notwithstanding the fog, afresh breeze was blowing. We were steering on our usual course undereasy sail, when, as I was on deck, with Martin pacing a short distancefrom me, he exclaimed--
"There's a tall ship close to us," and looking in the direction hepointed, I could dimly see through the fog a dark mass of canvas. Thesound of the rattling and creaking of blocks, too, reached our ears.
"She's an enemy; to your guns, lads!" he shouted. "Go and tell thecaptain, Master Ben."
I ran aft to tell the commander, who, followed by the admiral, appearedon deck.
"Silence!" he cried; "go to your quarters without beat of drum."
The guns were cast loose, and powder and shot brought from below, andour men stood ready for the next order. The phantom ship, for such sheappeared, loomed larger and larger. The admiral divined her object--torun us on board.
"She's either the Portugale flag-ship or maybe that of Prince Rupert'shimself," whispered Martin to me.
One thing was certain, that she was not one of our squadron. Silentlyshe glided up under our lee.
"Now give it her, my lads," cried the admiral, and every gun from thestarboard broadside was fired into the stranger.
Down came her fore-topmast by the run. Silence being no longernecessary, our crew gave a hearty cheer, hoping that we were about totackle the stranger, but being under a press of sail, she shot pastahead, and so dense was the fog, that in a few seconds she haddisappeared. We eagerly sought for her, but we searched in vain.
Next day, the fog having cleared away, the united fleets werediscovered, but our admiral's object was to avoid a regular engagement,as no good could thereby be attained, and he contented himself withcutting off first one and then another of the enemy's ships.
"I know who tried to surprise us yesterday evening," exclaimed Martin."The tall ship with the Prince's flag flying, and her fore-topmast gone,but she would have been surprised herself had she not slipped out of theway."
At length the admiral gained information that another large Brazilianfleet was at sea, which, being of far more value than the empty hulls ofthe Prince's squadron, we sailed in search of. After cruising about forseveral weeks, we heard that some of the Brazilian ships had takenrefuge in Spanish ports, and that others were at the Azores. Weaccordingly sailed back to the Tagus. Scarcely had we arrived than afrigate with a flag of truce came to meet us, bringing intelligence thatthe corsair princes had left the river, and that the king of Portugalhad sent an ambassador to England to sue for peace.
The admiral's work in the Tagus being accomplished, we prepared forreturning home. I mentioned that Lancelot and Dick had received lettersfrom Lyme. Lancelot's was from his father's head factor, the other fromMr Harvey. They both gave us the same alarming intelligence whichaffected Lancelot as well as me. They told us that Mr Kerridge and hisdaughter, accompanied by Audrey and Mistress Margaret, her waiting-maid,had sailed in a hoy bound for Plymouth, at which place, to their dismay,they found she had not arrived. Some hours after leaving Lyme, a heavygale had arisen, but it was calculated that the hoy might by that timehave got into Plymouth, or run back for Lyme, or found shelter in someother harbour. Whether she had foundered, or run on the Eddystone or onsome other rock, or had been captured by an enemy, no one could surmise,but that some sad disaster had happened to her there could be no doubt.
The news of course caused Lancelot and me great grief, in which ourfriend Dick heartily sympathised, as did Lieutenant Blake, who had whenat Lyme been well acquainted with Mr Kerridge and Cicely and my sweetsister Audrey.
"Should the hoy have foundered, we must submit to God's decrees; butshould she, as is possible, have been captured, we will, as soon as weare at liberty, search the world over to discover the missing ones," hesaid, as he wrung our hands, and told us how sincerely he entered intoour feelings.