Frank Mildmay Part 26

"I think we have done them at last," said the captain; "what do you think, leftenant?" giving me a hearty but very friendly slap on the back. "Come, what say; shall we take a cool bottle of London particular after the fatigues of the day?"

"Wait a little," said I, "wait a little."

"What are you looking at there to windward?" said the captain, who perceived that my eye was fixed on a particular point.

Before I had time to answer, Thompson came up to me and said, "There is the ship, sir," pointing to the very spot on which I was gazing. The captain heard this; and, as fear is ever quicksighted, he instantly caught the object.

"Running is of no use now," said he; "we have tried her off the wind, our best going; she beats us at that: and on a wind, I don't think so much of her; but still, with this smooth water and fine breeze, she ought to move better. Solomon, there is something wrong, give a look all round."

Solomon went forward on the starboard side, but saw nothing. As he looked over the gangway and bow, coming round on the lee side of the forecastle, he saw some canvas hanging on one of the night-heads. "What have we here?" said he. No one answered. He looked over the fore-chains, and found the whole lower studding-sail towing in the water.

"No wonder she don't move," said the mate; "here is enough to stop the _Const.i.tution_ herself. Who took in this here lower studding-sail?-- But, never mind, we'll settle that to-morrow. Come over here, you forecastle men."

Some of the Americans came over to him, but not with very great alacrity. The sail could not be pulled in, as the vessel had too much way; and while they were ineffectually employed about it, the flash of a gun was seen to windward; and as the report reached our ears, the shot whistled over our heads, and, darted like lightning through the boom mainsail.

"Hurrah for old England!" said Thompson; "the fellow that fired that shot shall drink my allowance of grog to-morrow."

"Hold your tongue, you d.a.m.ned English rascal," said the second mate, "or I'll stop your grog for ever."

"I don't think you will," said the North Briton, "and if you take a friend's advice, you won't try." Thompson was standing on the little round-house or p.o.o.p; the indignant mate jumped up and collared him.

Thompson disengaged him in the twinkling of an eye, and with one blow of his right hand in the pit of the man's stomach, sent him reeling over to leeward. He fell--caught at the boom-sheet--missed it, and tumbled into the sea, from whence he rose no more.

All was now confusion. "A man overboard!"--another shot from the frigate--another and another in quick succession. The fate of the man was forgotten in the general panic. One shot cut the aftermost main-shroud; another went through the boat on the booms. The frigate was evidently very near us. The men all rushed down to seize their bags and chests; the captain took me by the hand, and said, "Sir, I surrender myself to you, and give you leave now to act as you think proper."

"Thompson," said I, "let go the main-sheet and the main-brace." Running forward myself, I let go the main-tack, and bowlines; the main yard came square of itself. Thompson got a lantern, which he held up on the starboard quarter.

The frigate pa.s.sed close under the stern, showing a beautiful pale side, with a fine tier of guns; and, hailing us, desired to know what vessel it was.

I replied that it was the _True-blooded Yankee_, of Boston--that she had hove-to and surrendered.

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.

"It is not," says Blake, "the business of a seaman to mind state affairs, but to hinder foreigners from fooling us."

Dr Johnson's "LIFE OF BLAKE."

The frigate came to the wind close under our lee, and a boat from her was alongside in a very few minutes. The officer who came to take possession leaped up the side, and was on the deck in a moment. I received him, told him in few words what the vessel was, introducing the captain and Green, both of whom I recommended to his particular notice and attention for the kindness they had shown to me. I then requested he would walk down into the cabin, leaving a midshipman whom he brought with him in charge of the deck, and who, in the mean while, he directed to haul the mainsail up, and make the vessel snug. The prisoners were desired to pack up their things, and be ready to quit in one hour.

When lights were brought into the cabin, the lieutenant and myself instantly recognised each other.

"Bless my soul, Frank," said he, "what brought you here?"

"That," said I, "is rather a longer story than could be conveniently told before to-morrow; but may I ask what ship has taken the Yankee? I conclude it is the _R---_; and what rank does friend Talbot hold in her?"

"The frigate," said he, "_is_ the _R---_, as you conjectured. We are on the Cape station. I am first of her, and sent out here on promotion for the affair of Basque roads."

"Hard, indeed," said I, "that you should have waited so long for what you so n.o.bly earned; but come, we have much to do. Let us look to the prisoners, and if you will return on board, taking with you the captain, mate, and few of the hands, whom I will select as the most troublesome and the most careless, I will do all I can to have the prize, ready for making sail by daylight, when, if Captain T--- will give me leave, I will wait on him."

This was agreed to. The people whom I pointed out were put into the boat, four of whose crew came aboard the brig to a.s.sist me. We soon arranged everything, so as to be ready for whatever might be required.

A boat returned with a fresh supply of hands, taking back about twenty more prisoners; and the midshipman who brought them delivered also a civil message from the captain, to say he was glad to have the prize in such good hands, and would expect me to breakfast with him at eight o'clock; in the mean time, he desired that as soon as I was ready to make sail, I should signify the same by showing two lights at the same height in the main rigging, and that we should then keep on a wind to the northward under a plain sail.

This was completed by four a.m., when we made the signal, and kept on the weather quarter of the frigate. I took a couple of hours' sleep, was called at six, dressed myself, and prepared to go on board at half-past seven. I heard her drum and fife beat to quarters, the sweetest music, next to the heavenly voice of Emily, I had ever heard.

The tears rolled down my cheeks with grat.i.tude to G.o.d, for once more placing me under the protection of my beloved flag. The frigate hove-to; soon after the gig was lowered down and came to fetch me; a clean white cloak was spread in the stern-sheets; the men were dressed in white frocks and trousers, as clean as hands could make them, with neat straw hats and canvas shoes. I was seated in the boat without delay, and my heart beat with rapture when the boatswain's mate at the gangway piped the side for me.

I was received by the captain and officers with all the kindness and affection which we lavish on each other on such occasions. The captain asked me a thousand questions, and the lieutenants and midshipmen all crowded round me to hear my answers. The ship's company were also curious to know our history, and I requested the captain would send the gig back for Thompson, who would a.s.sist me in gratifying the general curiosity. This was done, and the brave, honest fellow came on board.

The first question he asked was, "Who fired the first shot at the prize?"

"It was Mr Spears, the first lieutenant of marines," said one of the men.

"Then Mr Spears must have my allowance of grog for the day," said Thompson; "for I said it last night, and I never go from my word."

"That I am ready to swear to," said Captain Peters, of the privateer: "I have known men of good resolutions, and you are one of them; and I have known men of bad resolutions, and he was one of them whom you sent last night to his long account and it was fortunate for you that you did; for as sure as you now stand here, that moan would have compa.s.sed your death, either by dagger, by water, or by poison. I never knew or heard of the man who had struck or injured Peleg Oswald with impunity. He was a Kentucky man, of the Ohio, where he had 'squatted', as we say; but he shot two men with his rifle, because they had declined exchanging some land with him. He had gouged the eye out of the third, for some trifling difference of opinion. These acts obliged him to quit the country; for not only were the officers of justice in pursuit of him, but the man who had lost one eye kept a sharp look-out with the other, and Peleg would certainly have had a rifle-ball in his ear if he had not fled eastward, and taken again to the sea, to which he was originally brought up. I did not know all his history till long after he and I became shipmates. He would have been tried for his life; but having made some prize-money, he contrived to buy off his prosecutors. I should have unshipped him next cruise, if it had pleased G.o.d I had got safe back."

Peters was giving this little history of his departed mate, the captain's breakfast was announced, and the two American captains were invited to partake of it. As we went down the ladder under the half-deck, Peters and Green could not help casting an eye of admiration at the clean and clear deck, the style of the guns, and perfect union of the useful and ornamental, so inimitably blended as they are sometimes found in our ships of war. There was nothing in the captain's repast beyond cleanliness, plenty, hearty welcome, and cheerfulness.

The conversation turned on the nature, quality and number of men in the privateer. "They are all seamen," said Peters, "except the ten black fellows."

"Some of them, I suspect, are English," said I.

"It is not for me to peach," said the wary American. "It is difficult always to know whether a man who has been much in both countries is a native of Boston in Lincolnshire, or Boston in Ma.s.sachusetts; and perhaps they don't always know themselves. We never ask questions when a seaman ships for us."

"You have an abundance of our seamen both in your marine and merchant service," said our captain.

"Yes," said Green; "and we are never likely to want them, while you impress for us."

"_We_ impress for you?" said Captain T---; "how do you prove that?"

"Your impressment," said the American, "fills our ships. Your seamen will not stand it; and for every two men you take by force, rely on it, we get one of them as a volunteer."

Peters dissented violently from this proposition, and appeared angry with Green for making the a.s.sertion.

"I see no reason to doubt it," said Green; "I know how our fighting ships, as well as our traders, are manned. I will take my oath that more than two-thirds have run from the British navy, because they were impressed. You yourself have said so in my hearing, Peters--look at your crew."

Peters could stand conviction no longer; he burst into the most violent rage with Green; said that what ought never to have been owned to a British officer, he had let out; that it was true that America looked upon our system of impressment as the sheet-anchor of her navy; but he was sorry the important secret should ever have escaped from an American.

"For my part," resumed Green, "I feel so deeply indebted to this gallant young Englishman for his kindness to me, that I am for ever the friend of himself and his country, and have sworn never to carry arms against Great Britain, unless to repel an invasion of my own country."

Breakfast ended, we all went on deck; the ship and her prize were lying to; the hands were turned up; all the boats hoisted out, the prisoners and their luggage taken out of the prize, and, as the crew of the privateer came on board, they were all drawn up on the quarter-deck, and many of them known and proved to be Englishmen. When taxed and reproached for their infamous conduct, they said it was owing to them that the privateer had been taken, for that they had left the lower studding-sail purposely hanging over the night-head, and towing in the water, by which the way of the vessel had been impeded.

Captain Peters, who heard this confession, was astonished; and the captain of the frigate observed to him, that such conduct was exactly that which might be expected from any traitor to his country. Then, turning to the prisoners, he said, "The infamy of your first crime could scarcely have been increased; but your treachery to the new government, under which you had placed yourselves, renders you unworthy of the name of men; nor have you even the miserable merit you claim of having contributed to the capture, since we never lost sight of the chase from the first moment we saw her, and from the instant she hauled her wind, we knew she was ours."

The men hung down their heads, and when dismissed to go below, none of the crew of the frigate would receive them into their messes; but the real Americans were kindly treated.

We shaped our course for Simon's Bay, where we arrived in one week after the capture.

The admiral on the station refused to try the prisoners by a court-martial; he said it was rather a state question, and should send them all to England, where the lords of the Admiralty might dispose of them as they thought proper.