Ben Burton: Born and Bred at Sea

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

  Captain Oliver had directed me to meet him at the "George," and I foundhim standing on the steps of that aristocratic hotel to which very fewmidshipmen of those days ever thought of going. My mother, being wellacquainted with the internal economy of a man-of-war, had provided mewith a chest of very moderate dimensions, at which no First-Lieutenant,however strict, could cavil. It and I were deposited at the hotel, andthe waiter, seeing the kind way in which the Captain treated me, musthave taken me for a young lord at least, and ordered the porter to carryit forthwith inside.

  "That will do," said the Captain, as he eyed it. "And now you must comeand get measured for your uniforms, and procure other necessaries, as Ihope we may be off in two or three days at furthest."

  I found that Captain Oliver had paid off the "Grecian," and commissioneda new frigate, the "Orion," to which most of his officers and men hadbeen turned over, and that she was about to proceed to the Indianstation. "There was no use telling your poor mother this," he observed."The thoughts that you would be so long separated from her would onlyhave added to her grief at parting from you, and as far as you areconcerned, my boy, the time will soon pass by, and you will come backnearly ready for a swab on your shoulder."

  The tailor, under the Captain's inspection, having examined the contentsof my chest, made a note of the things I required besides. My outfitwas soon complete.

  "And now, my lad, my coxswain will take charge of you and your chest,"said the Captain, "and see you safely on board."

  Greatly to my delight, Toby Kiddle soon afterwards made his appearance."Why, Mr Burton," he said, and I thought his eyes twinkled as headdressed me with that title. "Why, you see, the Captain's lastcoxswain slipped his cable a few months ago, and as I was one of theCaptain's oldest shipmates, and he knew he could trust me, he hasappointed me, and I never wish to serve under a better captain." Havingpurchased a few other articles with Farmer Cocks' five-pound note, whichToby Kiddle suggested I should find useful, we chartered a wherry to goto the frigate.

  Among other things I got two or three pounds of tobacco. "You see, MrBurton, if you deal it out now and then to the men, it will show themthat you have not forgotten them; and though you are on thequarter-deck, that you are not proud, as some youngsters showthemselves, but still have a kindly feeling towards them." I gladlyfollowed his advice. As we approached the "Orion," and I observed herhandsome hull, her well-squared yards, and her trim and gallantappearance, I felt proud of belonging to so fine a frigate. Theboatswain's whistle was piping shrilly as we went up the side, and as myeye fell on the person who was sounding it, I had an idea that Irecollected him. I asked Toby who he was. "Your old friend, BillKing," he said. "I wanted to see whether you would remember him; I amglad you do. It is a good sign when old friends are not forgotten."

  While Kiddle got my chest up, and paid the boatman, I went and reportedmyself to Mr Schank as come on board; and very proud I felt as Istepped on the quarter-deck in my bran-new midshipman's uniform. TheFirst-Lieutenant, who was stumping on his wooden leg here and there withactive movements, watching the proceedings of the various gangs of menat work in different ways, stopped when he saw me and smiled kindly. Hehad grown thinner, if not taller, since I last saw him, and lookedsomewhat like the scathed trunk of a once lofty poplar, battered andtorn by a hundred tempests.

  "You know the ways of a ship, Ben, pretty well, but as you are stillsomewhat small, I have asked Mr Oldershaw--one of the mates--to standyour friend, and he will give you a help also in navigation. And, Ben,mind, do not you be ashamed of asking him anything you want to know.You may live a long time on board ship, and still learn nothing aboutseamanship, if you do not keep your eyes open, and try to get others toexplain what you do not understand." As Mr Schank spoke, he beckonedto a grey-headed old mate who just then came on deck. "This is theyoungster I spoke to you about, Mr Oldershaw," he said. "You will havean eye on him, and I hope you will be able to give a good report of hisbehaviour." I naturally looked up at my protector's countenance, andwas well-satisfied with the expression I saw on it. He soon afterwardstook me down below, and on my way told me that I was to be in his watch,and that if I did not become a good seaman before the cruise was up, itshould not be his fault.

  "You see, Ben, I feel an interest in you on many accounts. I enteredbefore the mast, and was placed on the quarter-deck, much as you may besaid to have been, and was also left an orphan at an early age. I havenot been very fortunate as to promotion; indeed, though my family werevery respectable in life, I had no interest. I suppose some day I shallbe made a lieutenant, and then I do not expect to rise much higher; buta lieutenant is a gentleman by rank, and though the half-pay is notoverwhelming, yet, as I have saved a little prize-money, I shall haveenough to keep me till I am placed under the green sward. When I visitsome quiet churchyard, I often think how sweet a resting-place it wouldbe after having been knocked about all one's life on the stormy ocean,and after having met with so many disappointments and sorrows."

  I do not know what induced Oldershaw to speak to me in that way, for intruth he was one of the happiest and most contented people on board, soit seemed to me. While others grumbled and growled he never uttered aword of complaint in public, but took everything as it came, in the mostgood-humoured manner. He was a true friend to me from that timeforward, and gave me many a lesson in wisdom as well as in othermatters, which was of value to me through life. Tom Twigg who was theonly midshipman I knew, received me cordially. There was another younggentleman, who, though he might have been older, was considerablysmaller than I was. There was a roguish, mischievous look about thecountenance of Dicky Esse, which showed me at once that I must beprepared for tricks of all sorts from him. Another mate was seated inthe berth, to whom Oldershaw introduced me. His name, I found, wasPember. He was a broad-shouldered, rough-looking man, with asuspiciously red countenance and nose, his features marked and scoredwith small-pox and his eyelids so swelled, that only a portion of theinflamed balls could be seen. He uttered a low growl as I entered.

  "We have kids enough on board already," he observed. "They will besending the nurses with them next."

  "Never fear, Pember, he will soon grow out of his kidhood," observedOldershaw. "We want young blood to supply the place of us oldsters whenwe slip off the stage."

  "You mean to be placed over our heads, and to trample us down," saidPember. "Why there is our skipper. I was a passed midshipman when hecame to sea, and now he is a post-captain, and I am where I was, andshall be probably to the end of the chapter."

  As soon as I could leave the berth I hurried to the boatswain's cabin,to which Bill King had just then descended. "You do not remember me,Mr King," said I, shaking him by the hand, "but I recollect you, andthat you were one of my father's oldest shipmates, and my mother'skindest friend."

  "Bless my heart, Ben, is it you?" he exclaimed, for he really had not atfirst known me. "Well, I did not think it. I am glad, that I am, boy,to see you, whom I have dandled in my hands many a time, come to sea onthe quarter-deck. You must be an admiral, Ben, some day, that you must.Those who have sent you to sea must give you a shove upwards while youhave still youth and strength and health in your favour. To many,promotion comes too late to do them any real good. When hope is knockedout of a man he is fit for very little in this world, or rather, Ishould say, nothing!"

  "And Mrs King?" I asked; "how is she?"

  "I could not bring her on board again, Ben, but she is very well, and asstrong and active as ever. She has set up a coffee-shop in Gosport,which gives her something to do, and will help her to keep the potboiling till I get back."

  We had a fine run down Channel, and a fair wind carried us along, tillwe were in the latitude of the Azores. Our orders were, not to go outof our way, but to do as much damage and harm to the enemy as weconveniently could on our voyage to the South. We consequently kept abright look-out, in the hopes of falling in with a ship worth capturing.Several
times we had chased vessels, but they either managed to escapeus during the night, or proved to be neutrals. At length, however, whenabout twenty leagues to the north of Teneriffe, we saw a sail standingapparently towards that island. That she was a Spaniard seemedprobable, and there were great hopes that she might prove a merchantvessel. We made all sail, hoping to overhaul her before the sun wentdown, but she was a fast craft, and kept well ahead of us. Hour afterhour passed by. All the glasses on board were constantly turned towardsher. Great doubts at length began to be entertained of our capturingher after all. In our berth, especially, some of the young gentlemenwere ready to sell their expected share of the prize-money, while othersof more sanguine temperament were not unwilling to buy. Dicky Esse,especially, wanted to purchase my share.

  "What will you give, Esse?" I asked, not, however, making up my mindthat the transaction was a very wise one.

  "Ten shillings would be handsome, but I have no objections to give youthirty. She is very likely to be in ballast, and we are more likelystill not to catch her, so that you at all events will be the gainer ofthirty shillings."

  "I should not object to the thirty shillings, but if we take her I maypossibly get thirty pounds, and more than that if she is a richly-ladencraft."

  "Don't have anything to do with the business, Ben," exclaimed Oldershaw."I do not bet, and do not intend to begin, but I say there are fivechances to one that we shall take her, so keep your prospects in yourpocket, my boy, and I hope they will prove good ones." Although thehammocks were piped down at the usual hour, very few officers or menturned in. It was well-known that Captain Oliver would not let thechase escape as long as there was a prospect of getting hold of her.There was a bright moon, and by the master's calculation we should sightTeneriffe before dawn. A sailor's eye alone could have made out theshadowy form of the chase ahead of us, but not for a moment was she lostsight of. The wind fell as the night drew on, and the sea became calm,rippled over only by little wavelets, upon which the moonbeams playedbrightly. It was a lovely night. Bright as was the moon, many of thestars were to be seen also, vying with her in splendour. Yet here werewe, with thousands of stars looking down upon us, about to commit an actof rapine and slaughter, for such, lawful as it might be thought, wasthe deed we were about to do. It was Oldershaw's watch, and I waswalking the deck with him. I made some remark of that sort. Heresponded to it.

  "Yes, Ben," he said, "I wonder what the bright seraphic beings upthere--for surely there must be such in that pure heaven above us--arethinking of the proceedings of us mortals down here below. We have tofight, and it is right to defend our country, but I tell you, Ben, Ihave seen a good deal of it, and, putting what people call glory aside,it is very fearful, disgusting, dirty work. It makes a man feel like adevil for a time, and it is devilish, there is no doubt about that. Iam in for it, and I expect to have plenty more of the same sort of workto do, but I am very sure that for men to kill each other is hateful tothe God who made us. There is only one thing worse, and that is whenthey lie, and cheat, and deceive each other, and it seems often to methat more than one-half of the world is employed in doing one or theother."

  "Have we gained much on the chase, Mr Schank?" asked the Captain, whojust then appeared on deck.

  "The best part of a mile, sir, I should think, in the course of the lasthour. If the wind does not fall still more, we shall come up with hersoon after daylight. She is heavily laden, and requires a breeze tosend her along."

  Oldershaw at length persuaded me to go below and turn in, promising tohave me called should anything occur. When I came on deck in themorning, as the hammocks were piped up, the chase was still somedistance off, running in for the land, which appeared on ourstarboard-bow. We followed her pertinaciously, however, though, as thewind frequently shifted, we did not gain upon her as at first. Atlength, however, we saw her run in for a bay with a fort on one side ofit. "We have her safe now," observed Captain Oliver to Mr Schank."Before this time to-morrow I hope she will be ours."

  Having reconnoitred the bay, and found that the fort was rather toostrong to attack in the day, Captain Oliver stood off the land oncemore. It soon became known that a cutting-out expedition was incontemplation, and the men were busily employed in sharpening theircutlasses, and looking to the locks of their pistols. From theappearance of the chase, there was no doubt that she was a merchantvessel, and it was hoped would offer no great resistance. Everyprecaution which prudence could dictate was taken. Four boats wereordered to be got ready, and towards evening we again stood in for theland. A bright look-out had been kept all day, so that there was norisk of the expected prize having made her escape. I greatly longed tobe in one of the boats, but Oldershaw told me there was no use asking,as he was sure the Captain would not let me go. He, too, wasdisappointed, finding that he was not to be one of the party. TheSecond and Third Lieutenants, with Pember and the master, commanded thetwo boats, and, all things being ready, away they pulled. They had gotto some distance when it was discovered that they had gone withoutsignal-rockets or port-fires. Oldershaw, on this, volunteered to carrythem in the dinghy, and I begged that I might accompany him.

  "Well, look after the boy, and take care he gets into no mischief, MrOldershaw," said the Captain, "and he may then go."

  I was delighted. Toby Kiddle and Pat Brady offered to pull the boat,for, of course, she had no regular crew. Two other men alsovolunteered, and away we went. The other boats, however, had got a longway ahead. We could only just distinguish the dim outline of the bay.We pulled rapidly on, when, just as we were at the entrance of theharbour, suddenly, from the deck of the ship, there burst forth loudshouts and cries, the flashing of pistols and musketry, and the clashingof steel, the sounds coming over to us across the calm water. Our menwere hotly engaged, of that there was no doubt, but, from the frequentflashes of pistols, and the shouts of Spaniards as well as Englishmen,it was doubtful which was gaining the day. The contest was evidently afierce one. Oldershaw's blood, in spite of his principles, was quicklyup, and he evidently thought very little about me or anything else,except getting on deck as fast as he could, and joining in the fray.Our crew strained every nerve to get alongside. As we pulled by, theshouts and cries increased. The whole deck seemed one blaze of firefrom the rapid discharge of pistols and muskets, while every now andthen fearful shrieks burst from the bosoms of those who had been cutdown. The ship was a high one, and there was some difficulty inclimbing up out of our small boat.

  "Here's a lower port open!" exclaimed Pat Brady, springing up andhauling himself into it. We all followed, and found ourselves the solepossessors of the lower-deck. Whether our people had the fore or afterpart of the deck we could not ascertain. We were about, however, tomake our way up, when we caught sight of several figures descending.They were Spaniards, going apparently to the magazine for moreammunition. Before they were aware of our presence, our men had sprungupon them and cut them down. Scarcely had they ceased to breathe whenthree other persons came down, apparently for the same object. Led byOldershaw, Kiddle and Brady with the others were upon them, and they toowere cut down. It being supposed, probably, that they were skulking, astill larger number of people came down to look them up in the sameincautious manner, and before they had time to cry out they also wereslaughtered. An officer and several more men, swearing fearfully at thecowardice of their companions, now jumped below, and were in like mannercut down. I scarcely like to say how many people were killed in thisfearful way. Our men now made a dash aft with such fury that theSpaniards on deck thought only of defending their lives. Two deadbodies came tumbling down the hatchway, as well as another poor fellow,only half killed, with a desperate wound on his shoulder. I should sayfrom the way he groaned, and an exclamation he uttered, I felt sure hewas an Englishman. I ran up to him, "Who are you?" I asked. It wasone of our men.

  "Is that you, Mr Burton?" he answered, in a faint voice. "It is goinghard with us, for the ship was full of people and th
ey are fightingwell." Oldershaw, who just then came up, heard the words. "We willturn the tide then!" he exclaimed. "Come on, lads!"

  We on this made our way forward, and reached the fore hatchway. PatBrady sprang up first, shouting, "The ship is ours! The ship is ours!"

  Oldershaw then taking the lead, we rushed aft, where our men werefighting with a number of Spanish soldiers and seamen. With loud shoutswe dashed at our enemies, who, not seeing our numbers and supposing thata fresh set of boarders had gained the deck, began to give way.

  We pressed on them, those who refused to yield or escape over thetaffrail being speedily cut down. The ship was ours, but we had still agood deal to do. We had lost several people, killed and wounded, and wehad a large number of prisoners to keep in order. As yet the garrisonin the fort, not knowing who had gained the day, had not commencedfiring at us. We had time, therefore, to secure our prisoners. Sailwas then made on the ship, and her cable being cut, the boats towed herhead round. The topsails were sheeted home, and with a lightland-breeze we stood out of the bay. Having to pass pretty near thefort, Mr Tilhard, the Second-Lieutenant, ordered the greater number ofthe people to go below, he and Kiddle taking the helm; while the few whoremained on deck were directed to keep close under the bulwarks. It wasfortunate that these arrangements were made, for, as we drew near, theSpaniards began to pepper us pretty sharply with round-shot andmusketry, the bullets flying thickly about us, while several shotsstruck the hull. Had they been better gunners they might have done moredamage. Happily no one was hurt, though the sails were riddled and thewhite planks laid bare in several places.

  As soon as the fight was over I thought of the poor fellow who had beentumbled below. I went to look for him with a lantern. For some time Icould not discover where he was, for several Spaniards who had beenkilled had fallen down at the same spot. Pat, who accompanied me, atlength discovered him. "He will not want any more human aid," heobserved, holding the lantern to his face. "The Spaniards have alreadydone for him." Whether, if instant aid had been afforded him, the manmight have escaped, I do not know, but his wound was a desperate one,and he had apparently bled to death. We were received with loud cheersfrom the frigate's decks, as in the grey dawn of morning we passed closeunder her stern.