Hurricane Hurry Part 23

"I hope we may do better when we get clear of the land," he remarked.

"This climate tries the poor fellows sadly."

It did indeed. On the 28th the master, purser and surgeon were taken ill, and a few days afterwards I was myself struck down, as were the gunner, surgeon's mate, and fully sixty more men. Thus, we had not enough men to work the s.h.i.+p; and for some time Captain Bligh and one of the only officers capable of doing duty had to take charge of the s.h.i.+p watch and watch. The weather also was constantly squally, with thunder, lightning, and heavy rain, and this kept us in the gulf till the 20th of July.

On the 28th, in lat.i.tude 32 degrees 30 minutes North and 74 degrees 19 minutes West, we parted company with the fleet, which was bound for England, while we made sail back to Jamaica.

I pa.s.s over this period of my adventurous existence more rapidly than I have described the former part of my sea-life, because it is full of painful recollections. I had often and often seen men struck down in battle, without allowing my feelings in any way to be agitated; but it went to my heart to see my brave s.h.i.+pmates carried off one after the other with fever, without being in any way able to relieve their sufferings, or to devise means to save them from death. That fever, "yellow jack" as we used to call it, is truly one of the most dreadful scourges of the West Indies. There is no avoiding him. All ranks are equally sufferers, for he picks off rich and poor alike, the strong and weak, the brave man and the coward. Still, I believe that the best way to prevent his attacks from proving fatal is to live moderately but well--not to be afraid, and to avoid exposure to rain and fogs. It is wiser to soak the clothes in salt water than to allow them to be wet with fresh and to dry on the back. However, it is very certain that, if a man does not play tricks with his const.i.tution when he is young, as do so many young fellows in every variety of way when he is exposed to similar baneful influences, he will better be able to withstand them.

On the 17th of August we made the Island of Hispaniola. Two days after that, as I was walking the deck as officer of the watch, the look-out at the mast-head hailed to say that a sail was in sight. We were then off Cape Francois.

"Where away?" I asked.

"Right ahead to the westward!" was the answer.

"What does she look like?" inquired the captain, just then coming on deck.

"An English frigate, sir!" replied the look-out.

She might be, or she might be an enemy's cruiser, for I was aware that they had already some large s.h.i.+ps fitted out. We were, as far as I knew to the contrary, still at peace with France and Spain. Weak as I was from the fever, (though I had got over it far more rapidly than I could have expected), I was so anxious to ascertain, as soon as possible, the character of the s.h.i.+p in sight, that I went aloft myself to watch her with my gla.s.s. As we drew near each other, Captain Bligh ordered the drum to beat to quarters, and the s.h.i.+p to be got ready for action. The nearer we got, the more convinced was I that the look-out was right, and that the stranger was an English frigate. In a short time she hoisted English colours, and soon afterwards made the private signal, by which we knew that she was his Majesty's frigate Minerva. On getting within hail we hove-to and exchanged civilities, which, as they cost nothing, are very current coin. We found that she had been out on a cruise for some time, but, like us, had not made any captures. Her captain was deploring his ill-luck.

"Better than being taken oneself," remarked Captain Bligh.

"No fear of that," was the answer; "I shall take very good care that no one--Frenchman, Spaniard or rebel--captures me. As for the two first, I don't suppose they will ever go to war again with us."

"Don't be too sure of that," said Captain Bligh. "A pleasant cruise to you, however, and a more fortunate one than we have had. We are bound back to Jamaica. I hope we shall make a quick pa.s.sage there."

Such, as far as I can recollect them, were the parting words of the two captains. Scarcely had we lost sight of the Minerva than we fell in with a fleet of merchantmen from Saint Domingo. We agreed that, if there was but a war, what rich prizes they would prove, and we should, without difficulty, have been able to take the greater number of them.

They sailed on their way, and we continued on our course for Jamaica.

We reached Port Royal without any further adventure on the 28th of August. Scarcely had we dropped anchor than a boat from his Majesty's s.h.i.+p Niger boarded us.

"Grand news--glorious news!" cried a mids.h.i.+pman who came in her. We all asked him what he meant. "Why, there's war with France, and a rattling war it will be, too, from all accounts. All the s.h.i.+ps here are getting ready for sea, and we shall pick up no end of prizes."

Captain Bligh stamped with his foot and turned round when he heard this.

And well he might, when he recollected the rich prizes we had let slip through our fingers. A vessel came in directly after us, which brought the unwelcome intelligence that the Minerva had been taken by the French frigate Concord only nine hours after we had spoken her. Had we, therefore, only come up a little later, the tables might have been reversed, and we might have brought in the Concord as our prize. The Minerva was, as may be supposed, taken by surprise, her captain not believing that a war had broken out with France, or I am very sure that she would not have so easily become the prize of the enemy.

The circ.u.mstances I have mentioned were of course vexatious, but such is the fortune of war, and I believe the knowledge that we had now a foreign nation to contend with, instead of those whom we could not but look upon as countrymen, afforded unmitigated satisfaction throughout every s.h.i.+p in the British Navy.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

IN COMMAND OF DOLPHIN.--SENT TO WARN s.h.i.+PS.--CHASED.--CAPTURED BY CHERMENTE.--CARRIED TO SAINT DOMINGO.--FIND OLD FRIENDS IN MISFORTUNE.-- ON OUR PAROLE.--TOM REMAINS WITH ME.

Pretty well worn out with fatigue, which the duties of the s.h.i.+p entailed, as soon as we had made all snug I turned into my berth, hoping to get some sleep. Scarcely, however, had I closed my eyes and forgotten for the moment all sublunary matters, than I felt some one tugging at my shoulder, and on looking up I saw a mids.h.i.+pman standing at my bedside.

"Sir," said he, "the admiral wishes to see you up at the Penn immediately."

"I wish he didn't, though," I thought to myself. "Couldn't he let a poor careworn wretch have a few hours' quiet sleep after knocking about for so many weeks at sea, and having been in the clutches of Yellow Jack?" I didn't say this, though.

"Very well," I answered, jumping up and putting on my coat with a yawn which nearly gave me the lock-jaw. "I'll be up there forthwith."

The Penn, it must be understood, is the name given to the residence usually occupied by the head commander-in-chief on the station. It is beautifully situated on an elevated spot above the city of Kingston, overlooking the n.o.ble harbour of Port Royal.

Ordering a boat to be manned, I pulled on sh.o.r.e, and climbed up to the Penn.

"I'm glad to see you back, Hurry," said Sir Peter kindly. "I know your zeal for the service, and I have more work for you. You know of the war with France. I must send you off at once to sea in quest of the cruising s.h.i.+ps to give them notice of the event, and to direct them forthwith to return into port. In the first place you will look out for the 'Druid' at the east end of the island, and give her notice of the war, and then you will proceed to the Saint Domingo coast, where you will find, probably, the greater number of merchantmen. How soon can you be ready?"

Of course I replied, "At once," wondering what craft I was to go in.

"Very well," said Sir Peter; "I expected as much of you. You will take command of the 'Dolphin' schooner. She is now in the harbour. I am not quite certain in what condition you will find her. However, there is no other disposable craft. Fit her for sea as fast as possible. Take three or four hands with you; I cannot spare you more. Let your two followers you spoke to me about, be of the number. Here is an order by which you can obtain all the aid you require from the dockyard people and others. Good-bye; I hope to see you back shortly."

With these words I parted from the admiral. It was now three o'clock in the morning. Hurrying on board the flag-s.h.i.+p, I got hold of Grampus and Rockets with their bags, and accompanied by them and a couple of more hands and a boy, I called for my own traps and bedding on board the Camel, and then went alongside the Dolphin tender. She looked certainly in a very hopeless condition. She had her lower-masts standing, but was entirely unrigged, without stores or sails, or even ballast on board, while her bottom was covered with gra.s.s a foot at least in length.

Still I knew that not a moment was to be lost; the service I was required to perform was of the greatest importance, and I was not to be deterred by difficulties. I unmoored her immediately, got her alongside the dockyard wharf, and began taking some ballast which I found there on board before anyone was up. Then I sent Grampus to rouse up the authorities, whose aid I required. Fortunately the sudden outbreak of war kept people on the alert, so that I had less difficulty in getting a.s.sistance than would have otherwise been the case.

Soon after daybreak the deck of the Dolphin presented a scene of ant-like industry. Gangs of negroes were hurrying backwards and forwards with coils of rope and spars and sails; others were rolling down kegs of water, and others casks of beef and pork and biscuit, and packages of other comestibles, while the riggers were at work getting the rigging over the mast-heads, setting it up, bending on sails, and my own people were below, stowing away the various articles as they came on board. I made a list of essentials, and took good care to see that they came on board and were stowed where they were to be found, or very likely I should have gone to sea without them. I saw to everything myself, or sent Grampus to ascertain that people were losing no time in executing my orders. I left nothing to chance. I met with no little grumbling from some of the slow-going officials.

"What a hurry you are in, sir!" said one or two of them, who dared not, however, openly disobey my authority.

"Yes, my friend," I answered, laughing, "that's natural to me; and just now I am in as great a hurry as I ever was in my life; so be smart, if you please, and keep your people moving."

That is the way I managed. I did not swear or abuse them, but if I found anyone slow I pulled out the admiral's order and said that the work must be done faster.

"Impossible, sir!" answered another official to one of my demands; "it cannot be done. In two or three days we may get the matter settled for you."

"Impossible! In two or three days do you say?" I exclaimed, looking fixedly at him. "In two or three hours you mean. Impossible,--I don't understand that word, nor does Sir Peter, depend on that. If the things are not on board in three hours I shall report you. I don't want to be severe, my friend, but I am in earnest."

The gentleman understood me, and within the time specified the stores were on board.

In spite of all I could do, however, I could only get a mainsail, foresail, fore-staysail, and jib. I had no topsails and no square sail.

Thus, should I be chased by an enemy, I should be, I felt, like a bird with clipped wings, I should have very little chance of escaping. I got some of the weeds sc.r.a.ped off the vessel's bottom, but still there were more than enough remaining. Such good speed did I make, that before three o'clock in the afternoon of that very day I was ready for sea, or, rather, I was in such a condition that I could put to sea, though the urgent necessity of the case alone warranted me in so doing.

"Well, sir," observed Grampus, with the familiarity of an old s.h.i.+pmate, "if we comes to meet with Harry Cane in our cruise, it's like enough that we shall be nowhere."

Just before we got under weigh, Captain Lambert, of his Majesty's s.h.i.+p Niger, came on board. He shrugged his shoulders when he saw the condition I was in.

"The admiral ordered me to get to sea as fast as I could," I remarked; "I'm doing my best to obey him."

"That you are, Mr Hurry," he answered. "You've done very well--very well indeed, I say. I wish you to keep a look-out for me off Saint Domingo, and bring me any information you may have picked up. I am under orders to sail to-morrow morning to cruise off that island with my own s.h.i.+p, and with the 'Bristol' and 'Lowestoffe,' and I shall have my tender with me. You will know the squadron by one of the three s.h.i.+ps having a p.o.o.p, and from our being accompanied by a schooner. Now good luck to you. I will not detain you."

"Thank you, sir," said I; "depend on it I will not disappoint you."

With a light breeze we stood out of the magnificent harbour of Port Royal, leaving a fleet of merchantmen, which the news of the war with France prevented from putting to sea. I certainly was not given to be much influenced by outward circ.u.mstances, but I did not feel at all in my usual spirits, and could not help fancying that some calamity was going to occur to me. These sensations and ideas probably arose both from my being overworked and from the unsatisfactory way in which my vessel was fitted out; added to this, I knew that the seas would be swarming with the enemy's privateers, both Americans and French, and that I could neither fight nor run away. I considered over the latter circ.u.mstance, and bethought me that, if I fell in with any enemy, I would, at all events, endeavour to escape by stratagem. My men would, I knew, support me. Nol Grampus and Rockets I was sure I could trust, and the others I had chosen because they were sharp clever fellows, and up to anything.

It was not till the 3rd of September that I weathered the east end of the island of Jamaica. I cruised off Morant Point for some time, keeping a very bright look-out for the Druid. She was nowhere to be seen. Sir Peter had directed me not to lose much time in looking for her. She might have chased an enemy for leagues away and not be back to her cruising ground for days. Perhaps she might have taken some prizes and returned to Port Royal. As I began to lose all hope of seeing her before nightfall, the wind came fair for me to proceed through the windward pa.s.sage. I accordingly put up my helm, made all the sail I could, and stood for the island of Heneago.

On the evening of the 6th I made Cape Tiberoon, on the west end of the island of Saint Domingo, without having fallen in with any vessels, and about eight o'clock the same evening I pa.s.sed the Navasa, and carried a fine breeze till the following morning, when I brought Donna Maria to bear east at the distance of two or three leagues. I had not liked the look of the weather for some hours.

"What do you think of it?" said I to Grampus, as I saw the clouds gathering thickly around us from all directions, while the sea a.s.sumed a peculiarly dark, leaden, ominous colour.