Peter Simple; and, The Three Cutters Part 52

Mrs Trotter made her courtesy and walked down the main ladder to attend to _her duty_, and we separated. I was informed that she had a great deal of custom, as she understood how to manage the officers, and made herself generally useful to them. She had been a b.u.mboat woman for six years, and had made a great deal of money. Indeed, it was reported, that if a _first lieutenant _wanted forty or fifty pounds, Mrs Trotter would always lend it to him, without requiring his promissory note.

The captain came on board in the evening, having dined with the admiral, and left directions for having all ready for unmooring and heaving short at daylight. The signal was made from the frigate at sunrise, and before twelve o'clock we were all under weigh, and running past St Helen's with a favourable wind. Our force consisted of the _Acasta_ frigate, the _Isis_ ship, sloop, mounting twenty guns, the _Reindeer_, eighteen, and our own brig. The convoy amounted to nearly two hundred. Although the wind was fair, and the water smooth, we were more than a week before we made Anholt light, owing _to_ the bad sailing and inattention of many of the vessels belonging to the convoy. We were constantly employed repeating signals, firing guns, and often sent back to tow up the sternmost vessels. At last we pa.s.sed the Anholt light, with a light breeze; and the next morning the main land was to be distinguished on both bows.

Chapter LVIII

How we pa.s.sed the Sound, and what pa.s.sed in the Sound The Captain overhears again a conversation between Swinburne and me.

I was on the signal-chest abaft, counting the convoy, when Swinburne came up to me. "There's a little difference between this part of the world and the West Indies, Mr Simple," observed he. "Black rocks and fir woods don't remind us of the Blue Mountains of Jamaica, or the cocoa-nut waving to the sea-breeze."

"Indeed not, Swinburne," replied I.

"We shall have plenty of calms here, without panting with the heat, although we may find the gun-boats a little too warm for us; for, depend upon it, the very moment the wind goes down, they will come out from every nook and corner, and annoy us not a little."

"Have you been here before, with a convoy, Swinburne?"

"To be sure I have; and it's sharp work that I've seen here, Mr Simple-- work that I've an idea our captain won't have much stomach for."

"Swinburne, I beg you will keep your thoughts relative to the captain to yourself; recollect the last time. It is my duty not to listen to them."

"And I should rather think to report them also, Mr Simple," said Captain Hawkins, who had crept up to us, and overheard our conversation.

"In this instance there is no occasion for my reporting them, sir,"

replied I, "for you have heard what has pa.s.sed."

"I have, sir," replied he; "and I shall not forget the conversation."

I turned forward. Swinburne had made his retreat the moment that he heard the voice of the captain. "How many sails are there in sight, sir?" inquired the captain.

"One hundred and sixty-three, sir," replied I.

"Signal for convoy to close from the _Acasta_" reported the midshipman of the watch.

We repeated it, and the captain descended to his cabin. We were then running about four miles an hour, the water very smooth, and Anholt lighthouse hardly visible on deck, bearing N.N.W. about twenty miles. In fact, we were near the entrance of the Sound, which, the reader may be aware, is a narrow pa.s.sage leading into the Baltic Sea. We ran on, followed by the convoy, some of which were eight or ten miles astern of us, and we were well into the Sound, when the wind gradually died away, until it fell quite calm, and the heads of the vessels were laid round the compa.s.s.

My watch was nearly out, when the midshipman, who was looking round with his gla.s.s on the Copenhagen side, reported three gun-boats, sweeping out from behind a point. I examined them and went down to report them to the captain. When I came on deck, more were reported, until we counted ten, two of them large vessels, called praams. The captain now came on deck, and I reported them. We made the signal of enemy in sight, to the _Acasta_, which was answered. They divided--six of them pulling along sh.o.r.e towards the convoy in the rear, and four coming out right for the brig. The _Acasta_ now made the signal for "Boats manned and armed to be held in readiness." We hoisted out our pinnace, and lowered down our cutters--the other men-of-war doing the same. In about a quarter of an hour the gun-boats opened their fire with their long thirty-two pounders, and their first shot went right through the hull of the brig, just abaft the fore-bits; fortunately, no one was hurt. I turned round to look at the captain; he was as white as a sheet. He caught my eye, and turned aft, when he was met by Swinburne's eye, steadily fixed upon him. He then walked to the other side of the deck. Another shot ploughed up the water close to us, rose, and came through the hammock-netting, tearing out two of the hammocks, and throwing them on the quarter-deck, when the _Acasta_ hoisted out pennants, and made the signal to send our pinnace and cutter to the a.s.sistance of vessels astern. The signal was also made to the _Isis_ and _Reindeer_. I reported the signal, and inquired who was to take the command.

"You, Mr Simple, will take the pinnace, and order Mr Swinburne into the cutter."

"Mr Swinburne, sir!" replied I; "the brig will, in all probability, be in action soon, and his services as a gunner will be required."

"Well, then, Mr Hilton may go. Beat to quarters. Where is Mr Webster?"[1] The second lieutenant was close to us, and he was ordered to take the duty during my absence.

I jumped into the pinnace, and shoved off; ten other boats from the _Acasta_ and the other men-of-war were pulling in the same direction, and I joined them. The gun-boats had now opened fire upon the convoy astern, and were sweeping out to capture them, dividing themselves into two parts, and pulling towards different portions of the convoy. In half an hour we were within gunshot of the nearest, which directed its fire at us; but the lieutenant of the _Acasta_, who commanded the detachment, ordered us to lie on our oars for a minute, while he divided his force in three divisions, of four boats each, with instructions that we should each oppose a division of two gun-boats, by pulling to the outermost vessel of the convoy, and securing ourselves as much as possible from the fire, by remaining under her lee, and be in readiness to take them by boarding, if they approached to capture any of our vessels.

This was well arranged. I had the command of one division, for the first lieutenants had not been sent away from the _Isis_ and _Reindeer_, and having inquired which of the divisions of gun-boats I was to oppose, I pulled for them. In the meantime, we observed that the two praams, and two gun-boats, which had remained behind us, and had been firing at the _Racehorse_, had also divided--one praam attacking the _Acasta_, the two gun-boats playing upon the _Isis_, and the other praam engaging the _Rattlesnake _and _Reindeer_; the latter vessel being in a line with us, and about half a mile further out, so that she could not return any effectual fire, or, indeed, receive much damage. The _Rattlesnake_ had the worst of it, the fire of the praam being chiefly directed to her. At the distance chosen by the enemy, the frigate's guns reached, but the other men-of-war, having only two long guns, were not able to return the fire but with their two, the carronades being useless.

One of the praams mounted ten guns, and the other eight. The last was opposed to the _Rattlesnake_, and the fire was kept up very smartly, particularly by the _Acasta_ and the enemy. In about a quarter of an hour I arrived with my division close to the vessel which was nearest to the enemy. It was a large Sunderland-built ship. The gun-boats, which were within a quarter of a mile of her, sweeping to her as fast as they could, as soon as they perceived our approach, directed their fire upon us, but without success, except the last discharge, in which, we being near enough, they had loaded with grape. The shot fell a little short, but one piece of grape struck one of the bowmen of the pinnace, taking off three fingers of his right hand as he was pulling his oar. Before they could fire again, we were sheltered by the vessel, pulling close to her side, hid from the enemy. My boat was the only one in the division which carried a gun, and I now loaded, waiting for the discharge of the gun-boats, and then, pulling a little ahead of the ship, fired at them, and then returned under cover to load. This continued for some time, the enemy not advancing nearer, but now firing into the Sunderland ship, which protected us. At last the master of the ship looked over the side, and said to me, "I say, my joker, do you call this _giving me a.s.sistance?_ I think I was better off before you came. Then I had only my share of the enemy's fire, but now that you have come, I have it all.

I'm riddled like a sieve, and have lost four men already. Suppose you give me a spell now--pull behind the vessel ahead of us. I'll take my chance."

I thought this request very reasonable, and as I should be really nearer to the enemy if I pulled to the next vessel, and all ready to support him if attacked, I complied with his wish. I had positive orders not to board with so small a force (the four boats containing but forty men, and each gun-boat having at least seventy), unless they advanced to capture, and then I was to run all risks.

I pulled up to the other vessel, a large brig, and the captain, as soon as we came alongside, said, "I see what you're about, and I'll just leave you my vessel to take care of. No use losing my men, or being knocked on the head."

"All's right--you can't do better, and we can't do better either."

His boat was lowered down, and getting in with his men, he pulled to another vessel, and lay behind it, all ready to pull back if a breeze sprang up.

As was to be expected, the gun-boats shifted their fire to the deserted vessel, which our boat lay behind; and thus did the action in our quarter continue until it was dark, the gun-boats not choosing to advance, and we restricted from pulling out to attack them. There was no moon, and, as daylight disappeared, the effect was very beautiful. In the distance, the cannonading of the frigate, and other men-of-war, answered by the praams and gunboats, reinforced by six more, as we afterwards found out--the vivid flashing of the guns, reflected by the water, as smooth as gla.s.s--the dark outlines of the numerous convoy, with their sails hanging down the masts, one portion of the convoy appearing for a moment, as the guns were discharged in that direction, and then disappearing, while others were momentarily seen--the roar of the heavy guns opposed to us--the crashing of the timbers of the brig, which was struck at every discharge, and very often perforated--with the whizzing of the shot as it pa.s.sed by;--all this in a dark yet clear night, with every star in the heavens twinkling, and, as it were, looking down upon us, was interesting as well as awful. But I soon perceived that the gun-boats were nearing us every time that they fired, and I now discharged grape alone, waiting for the flash of the fire to ascertain their direction. At last I could perceive their long, low hulls, not two cables' length from us, and their sweeps lifting from the water. It was plain that they were advancing to board, and I resolved to antic.i.p.ate them if possible. I had fired ahead of the brig, and I now pulled with all my boats astern, giving my orders to the officers, and laying on our oars in readiness. The gun-boats were about half a cable's length from each other, pulling up abreast, and pa.s.sing us at about the same distance, when I directed the men to give way. I had determined to throw all my force upon the nearest boat, and in half a minute our bows were forced between their sweeps, which we caught hold of to force our way alongside.

The resistance of the Danes was very determined. Three times did I obtain a footing on the deck, and three times was I thrown back into the boats. At last we had fairly obtained our ground, and were driving them gradually forward, when, as I ran on the gunwale to obtain a position more in advance of my men, I received a blow with the b.u.t.t end of a musket--I believe on the shoulder--which knocked me overboard, and I fell between the sweeps, and sunk under the vessel's bottom. I rose under her stern; but I was so shook with the violence of the blow, that I was for some time confused; still I had strength to keep myself above water, and paddled, as it appeared, away from the vessel, until I hit against a sweep which had fallen overboard. This supported me, and I gradually recovered myself. The loud report of a gun close to me startled me, and I perceived that it was from the gun-boat which I had boarded, and that her head was turned in the direction of the other gun-boat. From this, with the noise of the sweeps pulling, I knew that my men had succeeded in capturing her. I hallooed, but they did not hear me, and I soon lost sight of her. Another gun was now fired; it was from the other gun-boat retreating, and I perceived her pulling in-sh.o.r.e, for she pa.s.sed me not twenty yards off. I now held the sweep with my hands, and struck out off the sh.o.r.e, in the direction of the convoy.

A light breeze rippled the water, and I knew that I had no time to lose.

In about five minutes I heard the sound of oars, and perceived a boat crossing me. I hailed as loud as I could--they heard me, laid on their oars--and I hailed again--they pulled to me, and took me in. It was the master of the brig, who, aware of the capture of one gun-boat, and the retreat of the other, was looking for his vessel; or, as he told me, for what was left of her. In a short time we found her, and, although very much cut up, she had received no shot under water. In an hour the breeze was strong, the cannonading had ceased in every direction, and we had repaired her damages, so as to be able to make sail, and continue our course through the Sound.

Here I may as well relate the events of the action. One of the other divisions of gun-boats had retreated when attacked by the boats. The other had beaten off the boats, and killed many of the men, but had suffered so much themselves, as to retreat without making any capture.

The _Acasta_ lost four men killed, and seven wounded; the _Isis_, three men wounded; the _Reindeer_ had n.o.body hurt; the _Rattlesnake_ had six men killed, and two wounded, including the captain; but of that I shall speak hereafter.

I found that I was by no means seriously hurt by the blow I had received: my shoulder was stiff for a week, and very much discoloured, but nothing more. When I fell overboard I had struck against a sweep, which had cut my ear half off. The captain of the brig gave me dry clothes, and in a few hours I was very comfortably asleep, hoping to join my ship the next day; but in this I was disappointed. The breeze was favourable and fresh, and we were clear of the Sound, but a long way astern of the convoy, and none of the headmost men-of-war to be seen. I dressed and went on deck, and immediately perceived that I had little chance of joining my ship until we arrived at Carlscrona, which proved to be the case. About ten o'clock, the wind died away, and we had from that time such baffling light winds, that it was six days before we dropped our anchor, every vessel of the convoy having arrived before us.

[Footnote 1: Webster, however, had left the ship at Yarmouth. See p.

202.--ED.]

Chapter LIX

The dead man attends at the auction of his own effects, and bids the sale to stop--One more than was wanted--Peter steps into his shoes again--Captain Hawkins takes a friendly interest in Peter's papers-- Riga Balsam sternly refused to be admitted for the relief of the ship's company.

As soon as the sails were furled, I thanked the master of the vessel for his kindness, and requested the boat. He ordered it to be manned, saying, "How glad your captain will be to see you!" I doubted that. We shook hands, and I pulled to the _Rattlesnake_, which lay about two cables' length astern of us. I had put on a jacket, when I left the brig on service, and coming in a merchantman's boat, no attention was paid to me; indeed, owing to circ.u.mstances, no one was on the look-out, and I ascended the side unperceived. The men and officers were on the quarter-deck, attending the sale of dead men's effects before the mast; and every eye was fixed upon six pair of nankeen trousers exposed by the purser's steward which I recognized as my own. "Nine shillings for six pair of nankeen trousers," cried the purser's steward.

"Come, my men, they're worth more than that," observed the captain, who appeared to be very facetious. "It's better to be in his trousers than in his shoes." This brutal remark created a silence for a moment. "Well, then, steward, let them go. One would think that pulling on his trousers would make you as afraid as he was," continued the captain, laughing.

"Shame!" was cried out by one or two of the officers, and I recognised Swinburne's voice as one.

"More likely if they put on yours," cried I, in a loud, indignant tone.

Everybody started, and turned round; Captain Hawkins staggered to a carronade: "I beg to report myself as having rejoined my ship, sir,"

continued I.

"Hurrah, my lads! three cheers for Mr Simple!" said Swinburne.

The men gave them with emphasis. The captain looked at me, and without saying a word, hastily retreated to his cabin. I perceived, as he went down, that he had his arm in a sling. I thanked the men for their kind feeling towards me, shook hands with Thompson and Webster, who warmly congratulated me, and then with old Swinburne, (who nearly wrung my arm off, and gave my shoulder such pain as to make me cry out,) and with the others who extended theirs. I desired the sale of my effects to be stopped; fortunately for me, it had but just begun, and the articles were all returned. Thompson had informed the captain that he knew my father's address, and would take charge of my clothes, and send them home, but the captain would not allow him.