Chapter XLIII
Description of the Coast of Martinique--Popped at for peeping--Noheroism in making oneself a target--Board a miniature Noah's Ark, underYankee colours--Capture a French slaver--Parrot soup in lieu of mockturtle.
We found orders at Barbadoes to cruise off Martinique, to preventsupplies being furnished to the garrison of the island, and we proceededthere immediately. I do not know anything more picturesque than runningdown the east side of this beautiful island--the ridges of hillspreading down to the water's edge, covered with the freshest verdure,divided at the base by small bays, with the beach of dazzling whitesand, and where the little coasting vessels employed to bring the sugarfrom the neighbouring estates were riding at anchor. Each hill, at itsadjutment towards the sea, crowned with a fort, on which waved thetri-colour--certainly, in appearance, one of the most war-like flags inthe world.
On the third morning we had rounded the Diamond Rock, and were scuddingalong the lee-side of the island just opening Fort Royal bay, whenhauling rather too close round its eastern entrance, formed by apromontory called Solomon's Point, which was covered with brush-wood, wefound ourselves nearer than agreeable to a newly constructed battery. Acolumn of smoke was poured along the blue water, and it was followed bythe whizzing of a shot, which passed through our boom main sail, firstcutting away the dog-vane, which was close to old Swinburne's head, ashe stood on the carronade, conning the brig. I was at dinner in thecabin with O'Brien and the first lieutenant.
"Where the devil have they got the brig now?" said O'Brien, rising fromhis chair, and going on deck.
We both followed; but before we were on deck, three or four more shotpassed between the masts. "If you please, sir," said the master's matein charge of the deck, whose name was O'Farrell, "the battery has openedupon us."
"Thank you very much for your information, Mr O'Farrell," repliedO'Brien; "but the French have reported it before you. May I ask ifyou've any particular fancy to be made a target of, or if you think thatHis Majesty's brig _Rattlesnake_ was sent here to be riddled for nothingat all? Starboard the helm, quartermaster."
The helm was put up, and the brig was soon run out of the fire; not,however, until a few more shot were pitched close to us, and one carriedaway the foretopmast backstay.
"Now, Mr O'Farrell," replied O'Brien, "I only wish to point out to youthat I trust neither I nor any one in this ship cares a fig about thewhizzing of a shot or two about our ears when there is anything to begained for it, either for ourselves or for our country; but I do care agreat deal about losing even the leg or the arm, much more the life ofany of my men, when there's no occasion for it; so, in future, recollectit's no disgrace to keep out of the way of a battery when all theadvantage is on their side. I've always observed that chance shots pickout the best men. Lower down the mainsail, and send the sailmakers aftto repair it."
When O'Brien returned to the cabin I remained on deck, for it was myafternoon watch; and although O'Farrell had permission to look out forme, I did not choose to go down again. The bay of Fort Royal was nowopened, and the view was extremely beautiful. Swinburne was still on thecarronade; and as I knew he had been there before, I applied to him forinformation as to the _locale_. He told me the names of the batteriesabove the town, pointed out Fort Edward and Negro Point, andparticularly Pigeon Island, the battery at the top of which wore theappearance of a mural crown.
"It's well I remember that place, Mr Simple," said he. "It was in '94when I was last here. The sodgers had 'sieged it for a whole month, andwere about to give it up, 'cause they couldn't get a gun up on that 'erehill you see there. So poor Captain Faulkner says, 'There's many a clearhead under a tarpaulin hat, and I'll give any chap five doubloons thatwill hitch up a twenty-four pounder to the top of that hill.' Not quiteso easy a matter, as you may perceive from here, Mr Simple."
"It certainly appears to me to have been almost impossible, Swinburne,"replied I.
"And so it did to most of us, Mr Simple; but there was one Dick Smith,mate of a transport, who had come on shore, and he steps out, saying,'I've been looking at your men handling that gun, and my opinion is,that if you gets a butt, crams in a carronade, well woulded up, and fillit with old junk and rope yarns, you might parbuckle it up to the verytop.' So Captain Faulkner pulls out five doubloons, and gives them tohim, saying, 'You deserve the money for the hint, even if it don'tsucceed.' But it did succeed, Mr Simple; and the next day, to theirsurprise, we opened fire on the French beggars, and soon brought theirboasting down. One of the French officers, after he was taken prisoner,axed me how we had managed to get the gun up there; but I wasn't goingto blow the gaff, so I told him, as a great secret, that we got it upwith a kite, upon which he opened all his eyes, and crying '_sacrebleu!_' walked away, believing all I said was true; but a'n't that asail we have opened with the point, Mr Simple?"
It was so, and I reported it to O'Brien, who came up and gave chase. Inhalf an hour we were alongside of her, when she hoisted Americancolours, and proved to be a brigantine laden up to her gunwale, whichwas not above a foot out of the water. Her cargo consisted of what theAmericans called _notions_; that is, in English, an assorted cargo.Half-way up her masts down to the deck were hung up baskets containingapples, potatoes, onions, and nuts of various kinds. Her deck wascrowded with cattle, sheep, pigs, and donkeys. Below was full ofshingle, lumber, and a variety of different articles too numerous tomention. I boarded her, and asked the master whither he was bound?
"Why," replied he, "I am bound for a market--nowise particular; and Iguess you won't stop me."
"Not if all's right," replied I; "but I must look at your log."
"Well, I've a notion there's no great objection to that," replied he;and he brought it up on deck.
I had no great time to examine it, but I could not help being amused atthe little I did read, such as--"Horse latitudes--water very short--killed white-faced bullock--caught a dolphin, and ate him for dinner--broached molasses cask No. I, letter A. Fine night--saw little roundthings floating on the water--took up a bucket full--guessed they werepearls--judge I guessed wrong, only little Portuguese men-of-war--threwthem overboard again--heard a scream, guessed it was a mermaid--lookedout, saw nothing. Witnessed a very strange rippling ahead--calculated itmight be the sea-serpent--stood on to see him plain, and nearly ran onBarbuda. Hauled off again--met a Britisher--treated _politely_."
Having overhauled his log, I then begged to overhaul his men toascertain if there were any Englishmen among his crew. This was notpleasing, and he grumbled very much; but they were ordered aft. One manI was satisfied was an Englishman, and told him so; but the man as wellas the master persisted to the contrary. Nevertheless, I resolved totake him on board for O'Brien to decide, and ordered him into the boat.
"Well, if you will use force, I can't help it. My decks an't clear asyou see, or else--I tell you what, Mr Lieutenant, your vessel there willbe another _Hermione_, I've a notion, if you presses true-bloodedYankees; and, what's more, the States will take it up, as sure asthere's snakes in Virginny."
Notwithstanding this remonstrance, I took them on board to O'Brien, whohad a long conversation with the American in the cabin. When theyreturned on deck he was allowed to depart with his man, and we againmade sail. I had the first watch that night, and as we ran along thecoast I perceived a vessel under the high land in what the sailorscalled the _doldrums_; that is, almost becalmed, or her sails flappingabout in every direction with the eddying winds. We steered for her, andwere very soon in the same situation, not more than a quarter of a milefrom her. The quarter-boat was lowered down, and I proceeded to boardher; but as she was large and rakish, O'Brien desired me to be careful,and if there was the least show of resistance to return. As I pulled upto her bows they hailed me in French, and desired me to keep off, orthey would fire. This was quite sufficient; and, in obedience to myorders, I returned to the brig and reported to O'Brien. We lowered downall the quarter-boats, and towed round the brig's broadside to her, andthen gave her half a
dozen carronades of round and grape. Hearing greatnoise and confusion on board after we had ceased firing, O'Brien againsent me to know if they had surrendered. They replied in theaffirmative, and I boarded her. She proved to be the _Commerce deBordeaux_, with three hundred and thirty slaves on board, out of fivehundred embarked from the coast, bound to Martinique. The crew were verysickly, and were most of them in their hammocks. Latterly, they had beenkilling parrots to make soup for them; a few that were left, of the greyspecies, spoke remarkably well. When they left the coast they had nearlyone thousand parrots on board.
O'Brien perceiving that I had taken possession, sent another boat toknow what the vessel was. I desired the surgeon to be sent on board, assome of the men and many of the poor slaves were wounded by our shot. Ofall the miserable objects, I know of none to be compared to the poordevils of slaves on board of a slave vessel: the state of suffocationbetween decks--the dreadful stench arising from their filth, which ishardly ever cleared away--the sick lying without help, and looked uponby those who are stronger with the utmost indifference--men, women, andchildren, all huddled and crowded together in a state of nudity, worn toskin and bone from stench, starvation, and living in an atmosphere thatnone but a negro could exist in. If all that occurs in a slave-ship werereally known, I think it would be acknowledged that to make theslave-trade piracy would be nothing more than a just retribution; andthis is certain, that unless it be made piracy, it never will bediscontinued.
By daylight the vessel was ready, and O'Brien determined to take her toDominica, so that the poor devils might be immediately sent on shore. Weanchored with her, in a few days, in Prince Rupert's Bay, where we onlyhad twenty-four hours to obtain some refreshments and arrange about ourprize, which I hardly need say was of some value.
During the short time that I was on shore, purchasing some fowls andvegetables for O'Brien and our own mess, I was amused at witnessing ablack serjeant drilling some of his regiment of free negroes andmulattoes. He appeared resolved to make the best appearance that hecould, for he began by saying, "You hab shoe and 'tocking, stand infront--you hab shoe no 'tocking, stand in centre--you hab no shoe no'tocking, stand in um rear. Face to mountain--back to sea-beach. Why youno 'tep out, sar?--you hangman!"
I was curious to count the numbers qualified for the front rank: therewere only two mulattoes. In the second rank there were also only two. Noshoe and no 'tocking appeared to be the fashion. As usual, we weresurrounded by the negroes; and although we had been there but a fewhours, they had a song composed for us, which they constantlyrepeated:--
"Don't you see the _Rattlesnake_ Coming under sail? Don't you see the _Rattlesnake_ With prizes at um tail?--'_Rattlesnake_ hab all the money--ding, ding--She shall have all that's funny, ding, ding!"