CHAPTER X
A DARING EXPLOIT
Soon after nine o'clock Will Martyn took his post on the shore at thenorthern end of the position. A dropping fire was kept up all roundthe semicircle, as if the defenders feared that the assailants mightbe trying to crawl up towards them. Martyn continued to listenintently for half an hour, then he thought he heard a sound on thewater. In another minute or two he could make out the sound of voices.
"Miller has got his head screwed on the right way," he said tohimself. "He is showing no lights." Another five minutes and he coulddimly make out the outline of the schooner.
"_Misericordia_ ahoy!" he shouted.
"Ay, ay," came across the water.
"I am going to put out the fire so that the light won't show on yoursails, and in a minute or two I am going to open fire heavily to coverthe rattle of the chains. Directly you hear us begin let go theanchor; don't answer."
Horace was standing by the fire, and he at once scattered the brandsand threw sand over them. Martyn ran up to the front of the positionand shouted, "Open fire!" and the rattle of musketry broke out allround the screen. The Turks, surprised at the sudden din, and fearingthat a sortie was going to be made, replied briskly, and for four orfive minutes the fire was maintained. Horace down on the shore heardthe rattle of the anchor chain and the creaking of the blocks,followed shortly by the sound of the tackle as the boats were lowered.
"Please muffle the oars, Mr. Miller!" he shouted, and the answeringhail came across the water. Twelve of the sailors came down from theirposts to assist with the boats, and in three or four minutes there wasa slight splash of oars, and the four boats of the schooner ran gentlyashore.
"All well, I hope?" Tom Burdett asked as he jumped out.
"All well, Tom, with the exception of about half a dozen slightlywounded."
"Thank God!" the boatswain said. "I tell you we felt mighty sore athaving to run away and leave you just at daybreak this morning, andyou can't tell how glad we were when we caught sight of the fire firstand then made out the popping of the guns. Have you got the Greeksout, Mr. Horace?"
"Yes, there are over five hundred of them here."
"My eye!" the sailor said, "that is something like a cargo."
"I have got twelve men here, Tom. That will give you four and ahelmsman to each boat with what you have got. Has Marco come ashorewith you?"
"Yes, Mr. Horace. I thought I might be useful if you had got theChristians with you."
"Yes, that is what I wanted you for, Marco. Now, then," he said to thewomen who were clustered behind him, "take your places in the boats.Help them in, lads; there are lots of children among them. You neednot be afraid of packing them closely so long as you leave yourselvesroom to row, for there is not a ripple on the water. Father, would youmind going off with the first lot?" he said as Mr. Beveridge came up."Marco has come ashore to help here, and Mr. Miller does not talktheir language. If you take Zaimes with you he can help settle themdown as they come on board. Mind, lads, you are to make as littlenoise as you can. There are six hundred of those Turks lying round us,and if they got a notion of what was going on they would be coming onus like a pack of wolves, and in the dark they would be among usbefore we knew that they were coming, and your first boatload would beyour last. Impress upon the Greeks, father, when they get on board,that not a word must be spoken."
"Mr. Miller will see to that, sir, no doubt," the boatswain said. "Hehas got the whole lot of them down between decks, and he and BillScoons have got the deck to themselves."
The women and children were crowded into the boats, which were firstbacked stern on shore to allow them to enter. The sailors lifted thechildren, and wading into the water put them in. The smaller boatspushed off as soon as they were filled, and they were back again justafter the two larger ones started. The schooner was but a hundredyards away, and so quickly did the work go on that in little more thana quarter of an hour the last batch of women and children left theshore. Horace directed Marco to see that the wounded were carefullylifted into the next boat, and to go on board with them; he then ranup to Martyn. The continuous fire had ceased now, but dropping shotswere kept up all round the position.
"The last batch has gone on board, Captain Martyn," he reported.
"Thank God for that, Horace! That is a load off one's mind. It is asmart piece of work to have got them on board so soon. I did notexpect you for some time yet. I have been listening sharply. Of courseI heard sounds, but even here they were faint, while the Turks, beingtwice as far away, can hardly have heard them, and if they did wouldnot have made them out, knowing nothing of what is going on. Now doyou and Tarleton go off, one each way, and send every third man downto the boats; but if the third man is a sailor send the next Greek tohim. When you get down to the shore go along to the boats and see themen off. As soon as they are in the boats start back again, sendingthe rest of the Greeks down to the shore. Then when you join me here Ishall know that there are only our own men to draw off. Tell them allto keep up a pretty sharp fire when the Greeks have left."
In a very few minutes they were beside him again. "The boats took thefirst batch off in one trip, sir," Tarleton reported, "and they willbe back again by the time the last fellows we have sent down get tothe shore."
"We will give them five minutes and then be off."
"Mr. Miller sent word by the boatswain, sir, that he had got the gunsloaded with grape, and blue lights ready, so that if they should atthe last moment press you he will sweep the hillside as soon as youbring the men down to the shore."
"I hope we shall not want it," Martyn said; "but it is well to be onthe safe side. I am sure we don't want to kill any more of these poorbeggars than we can help. Of course they wanted to massacre theChristians, but as they know their own people have been massacred intens of thousands by the Greeks, it is only human nature they shouldtake revenge. Anyhow I am glad there has not been much bloodshed. Theonly time we got fairly at them was when they first gathered for acharge at that olive grove, and again when they came down the path tothat place where we stopped them. Of course a few fell while we werefalling back, but I should say that from forty to fifty would be quitethe outside; and likely enough it may not have been half that. It hasbeen a much easier business than I expected. I must say, when we firstgot into the village and I saw what a crowd of women and childrenthere were there I thought we were going to have a very tough jobbefore we got on board the schooner again. Now I think we can fallback. Go down to the shore again, please, and start the men from thatend, so that we can keep on firing from here up to the last moment."
In a very few minutes the last of the defenders stepped into the boatsand rowed off to the ship.
"All safe, Captain Martyn?" Miller's voice asked as the boats camealongside.
"All safe, Mr. Miller."
"Then we will give a hearty cheer, sir. They will know in a fewminutes that you have gone, and it will make no difference. Now, lads,all together."
And three hearty cheers broke from the English sailors, swelled byshouts and yells from the Greeks clustered on deck. As they stepped onto the deck Miller shook hands heartily with Martyn, Tarleton, andHorace.
"Thank Heaven you are all back safe again!" he said, "and, as I hear,without the loss of a single life. We have had an anxious time of it,as you may guess, since you have been away. I suppose we may as wellget the boats up, sir?"
"Certainly. We sha'n't want to go ashore again, Miller." Theboatswain's whistle rang out, the falls were hooked on, and the boatsrun up to the davits.
"Don't swing them in at present," Martyn said. "We want all our roomon deck. What have you done about the Greeks, Miller?"
"The cook had a big copper of soup ready, and they each had a basin asthey came on board. We have given up the whole of the lower deck tothe women and children. Our fellows and the men sleep on deck."
"I thought that was how you would manage, Miller; indeed I don't seeany other way that it could be done."
"I ha
ve got all the scuttles open down below," Miller said, "and thehatchways off, so I think they will manage. It will be pretty close,no doubt, but none of these people are particularly fond of freshair."
"You have got supper ready for the men, I hope, Miller. They hadsomething to eat in the village at daybreak, and they have had thebiscuits they took with them; but I expect they are all ready for aregular meal. Of course they will have a ration of grog all round."
"I have seen to all that, sir, and Marco came up just before you camealongside, to say that supper would be ready for us in five minutes.How he managed it I don't know, for he, Mr. Beveridge, and Zaimes havebeen busy settling the women below ever since they came on board. Howdid the chief get through it?"
"As well as anyone, except in the climbing. There is a lot more in himthan we thought, Miller. I watched him when he was loading and firing,and he was just as cool and quiet as if he was sitting here on thequarter-deck, and what was better, he always fell in with what Isuggested without any talk or argument, and if I were asked I shouldsay that he really enjoyed the whole business. I have never seen himlook so bright and animated. Well, I am quite ready for supper; atleast I shall be when I have had a wash."
In a short time the party in the cabin was seated at supper. All werein the highest spirits. Their enterprise had been a complete successin every respect, and they were the more pleased that it had beenaccomplished without the loss of a single life on the part of thecrew. The supper was not quite so varied as usual, and Marcoapologized for its shortcomings.
"There is no occasion to say a word, Marco. It is excellent," Martynsaid. "I don't know how on earth you have managed it."
"I had most of it ready before we dropped anchor, Captain Martyn," hesaid, "but I went ashore with the boats and have been helping with thewomen until a few minutes ago, so I have not had time to finish thethings properly; but I thought you would rather have them so thanwait."
"Much rather, Marco. Now, Miller, let us hear your report. I have nothad time to ask you a single question since I came on board. We madeyou out from the top of the hill twenty-five miles away, with twoTurkish frigates after you."
"Yes," Miller said, "we were as near as possible caught in a trap. Itwas lucky I had had the anchor buoyed and the chain ready to slip. Ofcourse we kept a sharp watch all night; I was on deck half an hourbefore day began to break, for I knew that that was the dangeroustime. It was very dark then."
"Yes, we know that," Martyn put in. "We pretty nearly broke our necksscrambling along the face of a hill nearly as steep as a wall."
"Just as the first gleam of daylight came," Miller went on, "I madeout two large craft coming along about a mile and a half from shore.They were not quite abreast of us, perhaps half a mile south. You mayguess we lost no time in slipping the chain and getting up our headsails. Fortunately there was enough breeze even in here to fill oursails. I knew they could not make us out as yet, lying in here underthe shadow of the land, and, indeed, I was half inclined for a momentto lower the sails and trust to their not making us out at all, but asit would soon be light, and no doubt they would be keeping a sharplook-out for us, I saw it wouldn't do. It was not long before I sawthat, though, of course, they had a good deal more wind than we had,we were holding our own with them.
"Ten minutes after we got under weigh they made us out and changedtheir course, steering so as to cut us off before we were clear of thenorthern point, while I stood a little more out so as to get fartherfrom the shelter of the land and catch a little more breeze. Theyclosed a bit with us, and one of them began to try the distance withhis bow-guns, but though we were not quite out of range, the shot wentaltogether wide of us. I never saw such lubberly shooting. We werebetter than a mile ahead when we came out beyond the point and got thetrue wind. As soon as I felt her beginning to walk along I got acouple of sails overboard to deaden her way and stood for thenorth-west. The Turks got out stun-sails and did their best to come upto us, and as the wind was pretty fresh they walked along faster thanI should have given them credit for, and I had to get one of the sailson board again to keep my distance. They fired occasionally, but as Ikept them in line they could only bring a couple of bow-chasers tobear.
"I don't think we altered our distance by a ship's length for sixhours, by which time we were a good thirty miles away from the island,and nearly dead to leeward; so I thought it was about time to begin tohave some amusement. Directly we had started I had got the cook tomake a tremendous fire in the galley, and had put six eighteen-poundershot in it. I kept coal heaped on, and stuck a couple of extra lengthson to the chimney to make it draw, and by this time the balls werered-hot. We did not begin with them at first, but having got thesecond sail out of water we luffed a little so as to get the pivot tobear, and Tom Burdett sent the first shot smack into the frigate'sfore-foot. She yawed a bit, and let us have four or five of herforward guns on the starboard side, and this time a couple of shotwent through our sails. As I did not want to run any risks I held ontill I put another half-mile between us; then I began again with thepivot.
"The boatswain is a capital shot and hulled the leading frigate everytime. Evidently she did not like it. I expect she had no idea that acraft of this size carried such heavy metal, and she came up into thewind and gave us a broadside. I put the helm down at the same momentas she did and returned the compliment. We trained the guns high, andas good luck would have it one of the shots struck the maintop-mastand down it came bringing the fore and mizzen-topgallant masts downwith it. We gave a cheer, and the Greeks yelled like fiends. I hadsent the women and children down into the hold, but the men were ondeck, and they danced about like lunatics when they saw the top hamperof the Turk go over her side. We wore round and gave her the otherbroadside, then I set the Greeks to work to load the broadside guns,while our fellows went to the pivot again.
"Now was the time to try the red-hot shot while she was lyingbroadside on to us, and we plumped the whole six into her, one afterthe other; then we stood off again, for the other frigate had come upand was joining in the game. If we had had a spar knocked out of us itwould have been all up, for they each carried something like fortyguns. As soon as they got pretty well out of range I hauled my windand stood south. The first frigate was still in complete confusion.With my glass I could make out the men trying to cut away the wreck,but it was not long before I saw a thin wreath of smoke rising fromher forward hatchway, and presently I saw her ensign half hauled downas a signal of distress to her consort, which at once gave up thechase, which she must have already seen was useless, and bore down toher. Thinking I had done enough, and being in such a stew about youall, I left them to settle matters as best they could and began tobeat back to the island. When we were five miles away a pillar ofsmoke was rising from the frigate, and with the glass I could make outboats passing backwards and forwards between her and her consort,which was lying-to near her; and the last we could make out of her wasthat she was in flames from keel to truck."
"Capital, Miller, that was splendidly done!" Martyn exclaimed. "Fancya schooner with ten men on board destroying a forty-gun frigate. Thatwas a capital idea of yours of heating the shot."
"The cook is in a great way," Miller laughed, "for we pretty wellmelted the galley, and we shall have to get a fresh one next time weput into port. And now tell me about your share of the day's work."
"Well, we have done very well," Martyn said; "but you have quite takendown any conceit we may have felt. I quite envy you."
"You need not do that, Martyn," Mr. Beveridge said; "one may be asproud of saving five hundred lives as of destroying a frigate,admirable as the action was. I will tell you about our doings. I haveno doubt Martyn will be too modest to do justice to himself. Ah! whatis that?" He broke off as he heard the report of a gun, followed byseveral others.
"The Turks venting their dissatisfaction," Martyn said. "I expectedit before this. Of course they heard our cheer, but at the distancethey were they may not have made out it came from the water, and Iexpect t
hey were some time before they crawled forward and found outthat our lines were deserted. We will fire a round of grape over theirheads as a hint to them that they had better clear off, and as thereis no hope of either plunder or blood they will not care about riskingtheir lives for nothing. Will you go up, Mr. Tarleton, and just touchoff one of the port guns. Don't fire in the direction they areshooting from. We only want to frighten and not to hurt them."
In a couple of minutes the vessel quivered as an eighteen-pounder sentits contents rattling among the rocks. Tarleton soon rejoined theparty, and Mr. Beveridge proceeded to relate to Miller the events ofthe day.
"The next time I land, Mr. Miller," he concluded, "I shall take goodcare to ascertain the nature of the ground we have to cross. I havenever been accustomed to active exercise, even as a boy I never caredfor it; but I could not have believed that human lungs could havefailed in their action so completely, or human heart bump as mine didin going up that hill. As for the scramble along it in the dark, itwas a sort of nightmare. Martyn and Zaimes hauled me along like ahelpless bundle. I was only conscious of my feet continually slippingfrom under me, of grasping at the grass, of having my knees bruisedagainst rocks, and of thinking every moment that my coat collar mustgive way and that I must roll to the bottom of the hill. Zaimes hadhold of that, and Martyn of my arm, and I should say that my fleshwill be black and blue for weeks. I mentally registered a vow thatthough I was ready to fight for the Greeks I was not ready, and neverwould again undertake to climb among mountains for them. There is alimit to the endurance of human nature, and the limit was verydistinctly passed upon that occasion. Moreover, my dignity as a mansuffered. I was humiliated at my own helplessness, and was deeplyimpressed with the thought that my whole life had been a mistake whenit resulted in my being hauled along by Zaimes, who is a year or twoolder than I am, I believe. I made a resolution to practise athleticexercises, but I am afraid that, like many other good resolutions, itwill be dropped with the memory of that terrible hour."
"Where are you thinking of landing all these people, Mr. Beveridge?"
"I have not the least idea, Martyn. Where do you think?"
"So that we get rid of them as quickly as possible, sir, it doesn'tmatter in the slightest. There is one thing certain, it will be weeksbefore we shall get the decks white again, and I should say that athorough fumigation of her from stem to stern will be advisable. Idon't suppose the British authorities would be grateful to us if wewere to dump them all down in Zante or Corfu, because it is certainthey would have to feed the greater portion of them for a considerabletime. On the other hand, if you land them at any Greek port there is avery strong risk of their all dying of starvation; the new governmenthave other things to think about."
"It is very awkward, Captain Martyn, very awkward," Mr. Beveridge saidseriously. "However, it is evident that now we have rescued them theycan't be allowed to starve."
"There is one thing, father," Horace put in. "I think that money wouldbe much better laid out in feeding them than in enabling thepoliticians and the Klephts to spend it in gaudy dresses and inkeeping bands of armed ruffians round them."
"Certainly it would, Horace. As to where they had better be landed, Ishould say that we might give them their choice of say four or fiveplaces. It would be much better that they should be divided, as theywould in that way be more likely to get employment than if they wereall turned out at one place. Some might be landed at some of the Greekislands, some in the Morea, others at Athens, and some, perhaps, inthe Ionian Islands, where they would be under the British flag."
"I think they would be a deal better off there, father, than in Greeceor the Greek islands, where at present everyone is thinking of war,and the fields are going out of cultivation. They certainly would do agreat deal better in Corfu, Cephalonia, and the other islands thanthey would elsewhere; and if they were landed in small batches theymight find work. I expect most of them have got a little money, and asliving is very cheap, if you were to give them a couple of pounds ahead it would enable them to live a long time while they are lookingfor work. Besides, there are committees on those islands for helpingrefugees; so I do think it would be better to land all those who haveno friends in Greece, or any particular wish to go there, in ourislands. I should say Zaimes and Marco might go round among them inthe morning and ask if any of them have friends in the Greek islandsor the mainland, and to put it to the others, that though they can belanded in Greece if they like, they will probably be better off andcertainly much more free from anxiety and danger, in the IonianIsles."
"I think that that would be a very good plan," Mr. Beveridge said."When are you going to get under sail again, Captain Martyn?"
"As soon as I have finished this cup of coffee, Mr. Beveridge, we willget a boat lowered and find the buoy and pick up the anchor Millerslipped this morning. I don't want to lose that, and the chain. Assoon as we have got it on board we will be off. There is not muchbreeze here after dark, but we may as well get what benefit we canfrom it. I have no fear of the other Turkish frigate looking in hereon her way back; and if she did, now that we have got all our crew onboard, I have no doubt we could give a good account of her. But I wantto be under weigh. There will be no comfort on board till we have gotrid of our passengers. Whereabout do you think the buoy is lying,Miller?"
"I fancy we were anchored a couple of hundred yards or so farther out,and a quarter of a mile astern. You know where you landed last night.You had to march along the beach some little distance before you cameto the path on the hills."
"That is so, Miller. I am afraid we shall have some little trouble infinding it. However, we will have a try. It is just eight bells now,and it won't be light for another six hours. I don't want to wastethat time if I can help it."
"Well, I will take one of the gigs, and Tarleton can take the other.We will take some blue lights with us, and I expect we shall soon findit."
"Very well. Directly you do, hang on to the buoy-rope and get the endof the chain into your gig. Hail me, and send Tarleton back. We willget up her anchor at once, and the gig and the long-boat shall tow theschooner up to you. Then you can pass the end of the chain on board,and we will get it round the capstan and have the anchor up in notime. Now, Mr. Beveridge, if you will take my advice you will turn inat once. You only got a couple of hours' sleep last night in thatorchard, and have had twenty-four hours' really hard work."
"I will take your advice, Martyn;" and Mr. Beveridge touched thehand-bell beside him. "Marco, you must help me to my cabin, for I amso stiff I don't think I could get out of my chair by myself."
"We will help you in, sir," Martyn said; and he and Miller raised Mr.Beveridge from his chair and almost carried him into his cabin. Thenthey lit their pipes and went on deck.
The buoy was found after a few minutes' search, and in another tenminutes the schooner was under-weigh and stealing out from the land.
"I will take the watch," Miller said. "You had better all turn in. Iwill put a couple of the hands who remained with me at the wheel, andlet all the rest lie down. As they will be on deck one can rouse themup in a minute if they are wanted."
The next day the two Greeks went among the fugitives and questionedthe heads of each family as to the number of their party, the meansthey possessed, and whether they had any friends in Greece. Most ofthem possessed a little money, the proceeds of their last harvest andvintage, and some eight or ten had sums varying from a hundred to fourhundred pounds, besides the jewels of their females, which, in theircases, were of considerable value. Some of the poorer ones hadliterally nothing beyond the clothes in which they stood and a fewalmost worthless trinkets. There were not half a dozen of the wholenumber who had friends or connections in Greece. Some thirty of theunmarried men expressed their desire to join the Greek army and fightagainst the Turks; the rest thankfully embraced the offer of beinglanded on islands under the protection of the British flag. It took awhole day to ascertain all these particulars, and on the following daythe exiles were asked to d
ivide themselves into parties according tothe villages from which they came, in order that acquaintances andrelations should be landed together.
When this had been done, Zaimes distributed, in the name of Mr.Beveridge, to the head of each family a sum amounting to two poundsfor each of its members, except to those whose resources weresufficient to maintain them for a considerable time.
The wind was very light, and it was six days after they weighed anchorbefore they entered the port of Zante. Another week was spent inlanding the fugitives among the Ionian Islands, each party being inproportion to the size of the island and the facilities of obtainingemployment there. The gratitude of the poor people to Mr. Beveridge,and indeed to all on board the schooner, was very great, but they wereall much depressed on landing. At first their delight at havingescaped with their lives was unbounded. But as the days went on, andthe feeling that they had lost all else, were separated for ever fromtheir birthplace and home, and were in future to live among strangers,overwhelmed them.
Mr. Beveridge went a great deal among them, and endeavoured to cheerthem with the assurance that the war could not last very long, andthat at its termination, whenever that might be, there would certainlybe a general amnesty, and that all fugitives would then be permittedto return to their homes. He therefore advised them to keep thisalways in mind, and to lay by every penny they could spare of theirearnings, so that they would eventually be able to return to Cyprusand resume their former life. When the _Misericordia_ left Cyprusthere remained on board only some half a dozen families who hadfriends in Greece, and the young men who intended to join the Greekarmy. Never did a vessel undergo a more thorough washing and cleaningup than the schooner on her voyage round to Athens. The deck wasscrubbed and holy-stoned twice a day; the lower deck was equallycleaned, and, in addition, the woodwork received two coats of freshpaint, after having been thoroughly fumigated.
"The Greeks may have their virtues," Martyn remarked to Miller, "butcleanliness on board ship is marked by its absence."
"There is no doubt about that," Miller agreed. "I have always heardthat a cargo of Mohammedan pilgrims to Mecca was about the mostpainful experience a sailor could have; but I back the Greeks againstthem. I don't think the schooner herself liked it. She seemed to havelost all her liveliness and to be depressed at being turned into ahuman pig-stye. I don't believe it was worse between decks when shehad a cargo of slaves on board."
"Mr. Beveridge has just told me," Martyn said, "that I am to tell thecrew that at the next pay he shall give three pounds a head to eachman as a reward for their work at Cyprus and the inconveniences theyhave been since put to."
"They will appreciate that," Miller said. "They certainly have beenput about a good deal, and they will be pleased at the recognition ofit as much as with the money. Besides, the same thing may happenagain, and it is a good thing to keep them all in a good humour,especially as at present there hasn't been any chance whatever ofprize-money."
"What are the next orders, sir?" Martyn asked Mr. Beveridge when theyhad finished supper.
"There will be nothing particular going on for some time, I shouldimagine, Captain Martyn. The Turkish army does not seem to be ready toadvance, and the Greeks are not troubling themselves to get up an armyat all. After the last affair every man made off with the booty he hadgathered to his own village; and there, I am afraid, they are alllikely to stay till a Turkish army invades them. Athens and Naupliamay hold out for some time longer--for weeks, perhaps, possibly formonths. Therefore, for the present I leave it entirely with you tocruise where you think best."
"Then, sir, we will go south. Since we have come out we have not takena prize worth having; and I think that as prize-money was certainlyone of the inducements held out to the sailors when they joined, wemight as well try to pick up a few Turkish merchantmen. There is nodoubt that the ships from Smyrna and all the Syrian ports, as well asfrom the islands, keep near land, and that even those bound forAlexandria and the African ports coast round there also. Some of theseno doubt carry rich cargoes, and many will be taking Greek slaves toAlexandria and Tunis; so we shall be carrying out your object byreleasing them, as well as picking up some prize-money. I think themen well deserve a little indulgence in this way. Their work has notbeen altogether pleasant for some time. They have been turned out oftheir quarters, and have had to sleep under the awning forward. I haveheard no grumbling among them, for I am sure they were glad to do allthey could to help the poor creatures we have had on board. Still,they will be glad of a chance of what they would consider legitimatebusiness."
"Very well, Captain Martyn, let it be so. I quite agree with you as tothe excellent conduct of the men. They have certainly had a good dealof hardship to put up with, for everything has been very uncomfortablesince our visit to Cyprus."
In a few minutes the boatswain's whistle was heard, followed by thetramp of the men round the capstan and the stir of getting up sail.Then the watch was set, and the schooner sped along under a gentlebreeze towards the south.
For the next two months the _Misericordia_ cruised on the coast ofSyria. Scarce a day passed without some vessel being overhauled. Manyof these were small coasters laden only with grain or other cargoes ofsmall value. These were permitted to proceed on their way withoutinterference. Of the larger vessels some contained mixed cargoes. Inthe cases where no Greek captives were on board, the valuable portionof the cargo was transferred to the schooner, and the ship was thenpermitted to proceed on her voyage. Where Greek slaves were found onboard, the captain was given the choice of having the vessel burned,or giving a bond for an amount equal to half her estimated value andthat of the cargo, signed by himself, the representative of theowners, if there was one on board, and the principal passengers.
These bonds could not, perhaps, have been enforced in any court; butMr. Beveridge had confidence in the honesty of the Turks, and in everycase the amounts were duly forwarded to the agents he named. Sevenships contained valuable cargoes of silks, tobacco, and wine. Thesewere all bound for Alexandria and Tunis, and carried a considerablenumber of Greek women and children, the survivors of massacres intowns in Asia Minor. In these cases the Turks were all placed in theirboats within two or three miles of land, and the vessels with prizecrews on board were consigned to Greeks at Corinth and Athens, who hadundertaken to act as Mr. Beveridge's agents, and who were to disposeof them and their cargoes to Greek merchants.