CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR.
THE POLACCA-BRIG AGAIN--THE "ZEBRA" IN CHASE--REFLECTIONS ON AFRICA ANDTHE SLAVE-TRADE.
It was now time for the officers of the "Zebra" to return on board theirship. Another night and day passed away much in the same manner as itspredecessors. All this time we were edging over to the African coast.Miss Mizen was rapidly recovering her strength, indeed she could nolonger be declared an invalid, and it was very evident that a sea-lifeperfectly agreed with her.
Though I missed Bubble's fun and anecdotes, and his merry laugh andgood-natured visage, I must confess that I much enjoyed the society ofthe two ladies. Mrs Mizen was a kind-hearted, right-minded,good-natured, sensible, motherly woman, without a particle ofaffectation or nonsense of any sort. She had seen a good deal of theworld, and of the people in it, and could talk well of what she hadseen. Under present circumstances, indeed, I preferred her, as acompanion, to her daughter. Barring the difference of age, they werevery like each other. Miss Mizen also treated me with the utmostfrankness and kindness as the friend of her intended husband, and Ioften enjoyed a pleasant conversation with her, though, of course, itmore frequently fell to my share to entertain her mother.
While the fine weather lasted, the life we led was excessively pleasant;but as winter was now rapidly approaching, we knew that we must look outfor squalls and heavy seas. We had, as I before remarked, been makingour way to the westward along the African coast, now making the land,and then standing off again at night-time.
One morning when daylight broke, we found ourselves rather in-shore ofthe brig. As I came on deck to relieve Porpoise, I saw her signalising.We got the signal-book.
"What is Rullock talking about?" asked my brother-officer, as I waslooking over the leaves of Harriot's well-known work.
"A suspicious sail to the north-west. Stay where you are. I shallchase, but be back by nightfall," said I; on which Porpoise ordered theanswering signal to be hoisted.
The brig now crowded all sail, but as she kept away I saw that thebunting was again at work.
"If we do not appear by noon to-morrow, return to Malta," said I,interpreting the flags. "And so our pleasant cruise will be up: but allthings pleasant must come to an end. I wish it could have lastedlonger."
"Well, Porpoise, what do you make of the stranger he is after?"
"By--that she is no other than our friend the Greek polacca-brig," heexclaimed, almost letting his glass fall from aloft, where he had goneto get a look of the vessel the brig was chasing. "I have a great mindto rouse Hearty up, and get him to disobey orders, and go in chase ofher also. I don't like the thoughts of the pirate being capturedwithout our being present."
"Remember that we have ladies on board, and I don't think Hearty will beinclined to run the risk of carrying away our spars or mast for any suchgratification," I remarked. "He'll be for obedience in this case,depend on it."
"That's the worst of having ladies on board," answered Porpoise with asigh. "But, I say, they have been rather more alive on board the brigthan I should have given them credit for. How could they have suspectedthat the polacca out there was our friend?"
"You forget that Will Bubble is on board, and probably he was on deck,and aloft, indeed, at sunrise, and made out the Greek," I answered, notthat I considered that there was any want of strict discipline orsufficient alertness kept on board the brig, though the crew were anything but first-rate specimens of men-of-war's men.
By the by, that reminds me that I should like to say a few words aboutmanning the navy. But I won't, though, simply because the subject isjust here somewhat out of place. We are off the northern coast ofAfrica in a yacht with some ladies on board, and they might be bored,and we have to watch the proceedings of the brig-of-war and the vesselof which she is in chase. Only I would strongly urge any members ofparliament, or other law-makers, or persons of influence, whose eyes mayglance over these pages to think, and talk, and _do_ very seriouslyabout the matter. It will not bear letting alone or sleeping over.Something must be done, and at once. I've known ships-of-war go to seawith not a quarter of the men seamen--because seamen were not to be got.How would it fare with us had we to engage in a downright earnest navalwar? Our men, it will be answered, will fight like Britons; so theywill, I doubt not, but is it just to oppose landsmen to the well-trainedseamen of other nations? Is it just to the able seamen to make them dothe work which should be shared by others? But now we will again lookafter the brig-of-war and the chase.
The polacca, as soon as she saw that the British man-of-war was inpursuit of her, made all sail to the northward and westward. OldRullock was evidently determined that she should not escape from anyneglect on his part of carrying enough sail. Royals and studding-sailswere quickly set, and under a wide spread of snow-white canvas awaystood the "Zebra," leaving us jogging slowly on, with the purpose ofreturning to the spot whence we started. Hearty's surprise, as may besupposed, was very considerable, and so was that of his lady guests,when they found that the brig had run away from us.
"However, Mrs Mizen, I suppose we must obey orders, must we not?" saidhe, with a shrug of his shoulders. "If you do not blame Captain Rullockfor his treachery, I am sure that I do not, since he has left with mehostages of so much value for his safe return."
Mrs Mizen and her daughter seemed to think the affair a very good joke,only they could not understand why the cutter should not go in chase ofthe polacca as well as the brig-of-war.
"Perhaps the captain wishes to have all the honour of capturing thepirate by himself without our assistance," observed Porpoise; "I supposethe fellow will show fight should he come up with him."
"No fear of that," I remarked. "The truth is, I suspect, that CaptainRullock feared, that had he allowed the yacht to proceed in chase of thepirate, we might have come up with her before he could, and had to bearthe brunt of the action. He probably would not have cared very muchabout that, had there been only four yachting gentlemen on board to beshot at, but the case was very different when his sister and niece mightbe placed in danger."
"He did very right. There can be no dispute about it," said Hearty."We must bear our disappointment like men, and during breakfast we willconsider what amusement we can afford our guests, to recompense them forthe absence of the brig in the landscape--or rather seascape we ought tocall it--for little enough of the land have we had this cruise."
We had a great deal of amusing conversation during breakfast. It is apleasant meal everywhere, if people are well and in spirits, and nowhereis it more pleasant than at sea under the same provisions.
"What do you say to a look at the African coast, Mrs Mizen?" exclaimedHearty. "We could get there very soon--could we not, Porpoise?"
"We should be well in with the land, so as to have a good view of itbefore the evening, and if the wind holds, we might be back here beforethe brig-of-war returns to look for us," was the answer.
"Capital; then let us stand in there at once," said Hearty. "It is afine, mountainous, bold coast, very picturesque. You will have yoursketching things ready, I hope," he added, looking at Miss Mizen. Hehad not learnt to call her Laura when any one else was present.
Miss Mizen said she would get her drawing-board and colour-box ready,and Porpoise went on deck to put the cutter's head to the southward. Asteady breeze from the south-west enabled us to stand in for the landclose-hauled. As we rapidly approached it, the mountains, with theirlofty peaks and wooded sides, seemed to rise out of the water like thescene at a theatre, till the lower lands at their base--rocky,undulating heights, and even the seashore--became clearly visible.
"How very different is this scenery from the common notion of Africa!"said Miss Mizen, as, with Hearty's help, she was arranging hersketching-board, to make a view of the coast. "I have hitherto alwayspictured it to myself as a country of arid sands and dense jungle."
"You'd find jungle enough and sand enough in many parts, Miss Mizen,where I have been," observed Porpoise. "But both in
the north and souththere are districts which will vie in fertility with most in the world.Just think of Egypt; what an abundance of corn does that produce! Allalong this north coast are many fertile districts: so there are on thewest coast, only it is rather too hot there to be pleasant; and then atthe Cape and Natal are to be found spots rich in various productions."
"You draw a glowing picture of the country, Mr Porpoise," observed MrsMizen.
"I do, ma'am, because the country deserves it," he answered. "The worldowes a great deal to Africa, and I should like to see every possibleattempt made to repay it by continued and strenuous efforts for thecivilisation of her people. The work is a very great one, there is nodoubt about that, and a few feeble and isolated efforts will notaccomplish it. The merchant princes of England must take the matter up,and send out several expeditions at the same time. The officers shouldbe experienced, energetic men, the vessels well supplied withmerchandise, and well-armed to protect it. But what can we hope forwhile the abominable slave-trade still flourishes? England is doing herbest to put it down, but she is but ill supported by other nations.America, with all her boasting about freedom, protects and encouragesthose engaged in it; while France, professing to be the most civilisedand liberal of countries, does the same. Spain and Portugal onlyoccasionally pretend to interfere with a very bad grace, and secretlyaid and abet the wretches carrying it on under their flag. I say, atany cost and at every cost, England must put it down. No matter if shegoes to war with all the world to do so. It will be a glorious war forthe most holy cause, and honest men will be able to pray with sincerityand faith, that heaven will protect her in it."
"I am very glad to hear you speak so, Mr Porpoise," said Mrs Mizen; "Iwill answer for it, that no war would be so popular among the women ofEngland as a war against slavery and the slave-trade. No one worthy ofthe name of an Englishwoman would refuse to sell her jewels and everything of value to support it."
"That's the spirit that will put it down, ma'am," exclaimed Porpoise,enthusiastically. "When we sailors know that we have the prayers andgood wishes of the ladies of England with us, we should very soon sweepall our enemies from the seas."
The rest of the party responded in most respects to these sentiments.Hearty suggested that much might be hoped for from a wise and firmdiplomacy, and by calmly waiting the course of events.
"No, no," answered Porpoise. "That's what the people in parliament say,when they want to shelve a question. Do nothing, and let affairs taketheir own course. It's a very easy way of doing nothing, but that isnot like you, Mr Hearty. You would manage the matter in a verydifferent way, I'm sure, if it was left to you."
"I should be very much puzzled if the question were left for me todecide it," said Hearty. "What do you think I should do?"
"Oh, I will soon tell you what you would do," replied Porpoise. "Why,you would look out for all the energetic, dashing officers you couldfind, and send them to the coast in command of as many fast steamers,and other small craft, with orders to overhaul every suspicious sailthey could find on the coast. Then you would have a whacking big fleetin the Channel, and several others in different parts of the world. Youwould not forget to keep your coast defences in good order, and to havea compact well-disciplined army on shore, and a numerous trainedmilitia, ready to call out at a moment's notice. That's what you andevery other sensible man would do, Mr Hearty, and then I think we needhave no fear that any one would causelessly attempt to molest us, orthat we should be unable to make other nations keep their treaties withus."
"Bravo, Porpoise, bravo!" cried Hearty. "I wish that you were PrimeMinister, or First Lord of the Admiralty, or Dictator, or something ofthat sort for a short time. I doubt not but that you would get thingsin prime order in a very short time."
While this conversation was going on, we were rapidly drawing in withthe coast. Miss Mizen made two or three very masterly sketches, thoughthe blue sea and water filled up the larger portion of the paper. Theless there is in a subject the more does it exhibit a master's talent ifthe picture is interesting.
A fresh breeze had been blowing all day, but towards evening the windfell, and the cutter lay floating idly on the water. We were assembledafter dinner as usual on deck, laughing, talking, yarn-spinning, andoccasionally reading aloud, enjoying the moments to the full, and littledreaming of what a few short hours were to bring forth.
Evening was about to throw its dusky veil over the African shore. Theidle flap of the mainsail showed us that there was a stark calm. A fishwould occasionally leap out of the water, or the fin of some monster ofthe deep might be seen as it swam by in pursuit of prey, or a sea-birdwould come swooping past to ascertain what strange craft had venturedinto its haunts, ere it winged its way back to its roosting-place forthe night, amid the crags of the neighbouring headland.
I was taking a turn on deck, when, as I looked over the side andmeasured our distance from the land, it appeared to me that, althoughthe calm was so complete, we had considerably decreased our distancefrom it. Walking forward, I asked Snow if he had remarked any thingparticular.
"Why, yes, sir; I was just going to speak to you or Mr Porpoise, aboutthe matter," he answered. "I've been watching the land for an hour ormore past, and it strikes me that there is a strong current, which setsin-shore to the westward hereabouts; it's just the sort of thing, which,if we hadn't found out in time, might have carried us much too close inon a dark night to be pleasant; as it is, if a breeze doesn't spring up,and we continue to drift in, we must just get the boats out and tow herhead off shore, so there'll be no great harm come of that."
"You are right," said I; "there's little doubt about it; I'll mentionthe matter to Mr Porpoise, and he'll approve of what you propose. ButI do not think there's any use in letting the ladies know, or they'll befancying all sorts of dreadful things--that they are going to be cast onshore, or eaten up by lions, or murdered by savages. I should not liketo give them any uneasiness which can be helped."
I watched the old man's countenance while I was speaking, to ascertainwhat he really thought about the matter. The truth was that I was notquite satisfied myself with our position. I had been along that coastsome years before, looking into several of the ports; and I rememberedthat the Moors inhabiting the villages just above there, bore anythingbut a good character. I began to blame myself, when too late, for nothaving thought of this before. When the brig-of-war was with us, itmattered little; for no pirates would have ventured to come out toattack her: they would have known that she would have proved a dearbargain, even if they could ultimately have taken her, and very littlevalue to them if taken, but with a yacht the case was different. Wecould not fail to appear a tempting prize, and easily won. Had we,however, been without ladies on board, we should, I expect, all haveenjoyed the fun of showing the rascals that they had caught a Tartar,and am fully certain that we should have been able to render a goodaccount of them.
I remember that these ideas crossed my mind as I walked the deck,waiting for an opportunity of speaking to Porpoise, who was stillengaged in conversation with Mrs Mizen; then I burst into a fit oflaughter at the thought of the ideal enemy I had so busily conjured upto fight with. Porpoise, who just then joined me, inquired the cause ofmy merriment.
"It suddenly occurred to me that we were off a somewhat ill-famed partof the coast, and I could not help fancying I saw half-a-dozen or morepiratical row-boats come stealing out from under the cliffs there, withthe intention of cutting our throats and rifling the vessel," Ianswered; "but of course it is a mere fancy. I never heard of anEnglish yacht being attacked by pirates hereabouts, and it would befolly to make ourselves anxious about such a bugbear."
Now even while I was saying this I was not altogether satisfied in myown mind about the matter. If, as I before said, we had had only men onboard, we might have fought to the last, and could only then have beenkilled; but should we be overpowered, the fate of the women committed toour charge would be too horrible to contemplate.
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br /> "I'm glad that you think there is no cause for apprehension," said I toPorpoise. "Still it might be as well to keep a sharp look-out duringthe night, and should a breeze spring up, to give the coast a morerespectful offing."
"I'll do that same," he answered. "I feel no inclination to turn inmyself, so that should any of the natives of whom you are suspicious beinclined to visit us, they may not find us altogether unprepared."
The ladies soon after this retired to their cabin; we only then had anopportunity of mentioning the subject to Hearty. He rather laughed atthe notion, but begged that he might be called when the fighting began.After taking a few turns on deck, he also turned in, and Porpoise wasleft in charge of the deck. I, after a little time, went to my cabin;it seemed too ridiculous to lose my night's rest for the sake of anidea. I had slept about a couple of hours, when I awoke by hearing thesound of Porpoise's voice. He was standing directly over my skylight,which, on account of the heat of the weather, was kept off.
"Can you make any thing out, Snow?" he asked.
"I think I can now, sir. It seems to me that there are four or fivedark spots on the water, just clear of the shadow of that headland inthere," was the answer. "I can't just make out what they are forcertain."
I was on deck in a few seconds, with my night-glass at my eye pointed inthe direction indicated.
"What think you of their being row-boats?" said I. "They lookwonderfully like them."
"I can't say that they are not," answered the old man. "They may berocks just showing their heads above water. But what, if they areboats, can they be doing out there at this time of night?"
"Coming to pay us a visit, perhaps," I remarked. "We really should beprepared in case of accidents, Porpoise. By timely preparations weaverted danger once before, when otherwise, in all probability, weshould have had our throats cut. Do not let us be less wise on thisoccasion."
"Certainly not," said Porpoise; "and as discretion is the better part ofvalour, we will try and tow the cutter offshore. It will prolong thetime till our visitors can overtake us, and will give us a better chanceof having a breeze spring up. If we get that, we shall be able to laughat any number of such fellows. They are only formidable when they canfind a vessel becalmed. After all, I don't say that those are pirates,and if it were not for the ladies on board, we would very quickly learnthe truth of the case."
The thorough John Bull spoke out in these remarks. Porpoise did not atall like the idea of flying from an enemy under any circumstances, andas he had to do it, he wished to find every possible reason for sodoing.
"Turn the hands up and get the boats out, Snow; we'll see what towingwill do," he continued. "You see that this current is setting us fartoo much in-shore, and, at all events, it is necessary to get a betteroffing before daybreak, lest no breeze should spring up in the morningto carry us back to the spot where Rullock was to find us."
Three boats were got into the water and manned forthwith; Porpoise,Hearty, Snow, and I, being the only people remaining on board. Thecrews gave way with a will, and the cutter soon began to slip throughthe water. She went along, probably, faster than the current wascarrying her in an opposite direction. These arrangements being made, Itook another scrutiny of the suspicious objects under the land. I hadno longer any doubt in my mind that they were boats, and that they werepulling out to sea towards us. It was now time to call up Hearty. Wehad seen no necessity before this of making him unnecessarily anxious,and the noise of lowering the boats had not roused him; indeed, he wouldhave slept through a hurricane, or while a dozen broadsides were beingfired, I verily believe, if not called. He was brisk enough, however,when once roused up. As I expected, he was very anxious at the state ofaffairs.
"We were thoughtless and unwise to stand in so close to this shore," heremarked. "Brine, my friend, we must sink the cutter or blow her uprather than yield to those villains!"
He spoke with much emotion, and I could sincerely enter into hisfeelings. He did not utter a word of complaint against Porpoise or me,though I think he might have had some reason in blaming us for allowingthe cutter to get into her present condition. He paced the deck withhurried steps, looking every now and then anxiously through the glasstowards the objects we had observed, and then he would hail the boats.
"Give way, my lads--give way!" he shouted; "if any one knocks up, I'lltake his place."
Again he looked through his glass.
"Can they be rocks?" he exclaimed. "I seen no alteration in theirappearance."
"I do, though, I am sorry to say," I answered. "They have gotconsiderably more out of the shade of the land since I first saw them."
This became very evident after some time; nor could Hearty any longerdoubt the fact. I counted five of them, largish boats (I suspected),each pulling some twenty oars or more, probably double-banked. Verylikely each boat carried not much fewer than sixty men--fearful odds forthe "Frolic" to contend with. The "Zebra" would not have found themaltogether contemptible antagonists, if, as I said, my suspicions werecorrect as to their size. Still, I hoped that I might be mistaken; wecould not be certain as to their object. They might be merefishing-boats magnified by the obscurity, or coasters which had pulledout in the expectation of getting a breeze in the morning to carry themalongshore, or to get into some current which might set in the directionin which they wished to go. All these ideas I suggested to Hearty;still my original notion outweighed all others in my mind. Indeed Ihave always found it wisest to take the point of view which requires themost caution; precautions can, at the worst, only give a little trouble;the neglect of them may bring ruin and misery. On this principle I wasmost anxious to get as far as possible from the shore. No one was idle.Happily the ladies slept on, so that we had not the additional pain atfeeling that they were left in a state of anxiety. Porpoise took thehelm; Snow went forward to direct the boats how to pull; while Heartyand I busied ourselves in getting out the arms, arranging theammunition, loading the guns, and muskets, and pistols; indeed, inmaking every preparation for a desperate struggle. The boats came onvery warily. I suspected that we had been seen in the afternoon fromthe shore, and that as we appeared a tempting prize, the expedition hadbeen planned to capture us.
"A very short time longer will settle the question," said I to Hearty."We must endeavour to keep them at a respectful distance as long as wecan; should they once get alongside they would overpower us with theirnumbers. Happily these sort of gentry are as great cowards as they arescoundrels, and a firm front is certain to make them consider whetherthe profit is likely to be worth the risk of a battle."
I have gone through a good many anxious moments in the course of mylife, but never did I feel more apprehension for the result of anadventure than I did for that in which we were at present engaged. Awaning moon had now risen, and showed us very clearly the number andcharacter of the strangers--whether friends or foes was hereafter to bedecided. Another look at them through my night-glass showed me thatthey were large boats, as I had suspected, and full of men.
"There is little use in making any farther efforts to escape," said I toHearty; "I would hoist in the boats and serve out some grog to the men.They want something after their exertions, though they do not requireDutch courage to defend the ship."
Porpoise agreed to my suggestions; they were immediately put intoexecution. The men threw off their grog as coolly as if they had beenabout to sail a match at a regatta, instead being about to engage indeadly fight.
"Here's to your health, Mr Hearty, and gentlemen all, and may we justgive those scoundrels out there a thorough good drubbing if they attemptto attack us," quoth Snow, in the name of his shipmates.
"Thank you--thank you, my men," answered Hearty; "you'll act liketrue-hearted Englishmen, and what men can do you'll do, I know, toprotect the helpless women we have on board. I won't make you a longspeech, you don't want that to rouse your courage, but I do ask you notto yield while one man of us remains alive on deck."
"That's just what we are resolved to do, Mr Hearty; no fear, sir,"answered all hands, and they would have cheered lustily, had I notrestrained them for two reasons: I was unwilling to awaken the ladiessooner than was necessary, and also should the pirates have expected tosurprise us, it would be a great advantage if we, on the contrary,should be able to surprise them. I mentioned this latter idea to mycompanions, and they immediately entered into it. The Moors had beentoo far off to allow them to perceive us hoisting in the boats, so theycould not tell but that we were all fast asleep on board. Accordingly,the guns were loaded up to the muzzle with langrage and musket-balls;pistols and cutlasses were served out to the men, and it was encouragingto see their pleased manner as they stuck the one into their belts, andbuckled the other round their waists. Some had, in addition, muskets,and a reserve of small-arms was placed amidships to be resorted to incase of necessity. The men then went and lay down so as to beeffectually concealed under the bulwarks: Porpoise and I only walked thedeck, as if we were the ordinary watch, and we agreed to pretend to belooking seaward when the boats drew near, as if unconscious of theirapproach. Meantime Hearty went below to perform the painful task ofinforming the ladies of our dangerous position. He did it with hisusual tact.
"Mrs Mizen," I heard him say, "I must beg you and Miss Mizen to dress,but not to come on deck. We have got too close in-shore, and someMoorish boats appear to be coming off to us; they may not mean to do usany mischief, but it is as well to be prepared, and we do not intend toallow them to come too near to us."
There was a short pause. I heard no exclamations of surprise orterror--no cries, or lamentations, or forebodings of evil, but MrsMizen simply answered in a firm voice:--
"We trust, then, Mr Hearty, to you and your companions to defend us,and may a merciful God give you strength to fight and beat off ourassailants!"
"That's a speech worthy of a true heroine," exclaimed Porpoise, who hadlikewise overheard it. "Just the thing to strengthen our nerves, and toput true courage into us. I trust, Mrs Mizen, we shall not be long inbeating off the pirates," he added, looking down the skylight; "do you,in the mean time, keep snug below, and don't mind the uproar."
"Now, my lads, be ready; we mustn't let the blackguards get on board tofrighten the ladies, mind that. When I give the word, be up and atthem."
Porpoise having thus delivered himself, in accordance with our plan,pretended to be intently looking over the taffrail. The row-boats wereall the time drawing disagreeably near, and I had no longer in my mindany doubt as to their character and intention. We, also, were anxiouslylooking out for a breeze which might enable us to meet them at greateradvantage. I took a glance at the compass; as I did so I felt a lightbreeze fan my cheek; it came from the westward. The cutter's head wasat that time tending in-shore, for as soon as the boats had been hoistedin she had again lost all steerage-way, and had gradually gone round.Again the puff of air came stronger, and she gathered sufficientsteerage-way to enable us to wear round just before the boats reachedus. The pirates must have thought that we were very blind not toperceive them. Silently they pulled towards us in two columns: we letthem approach within a quarter of a cable's length. Just as a tigersprings on his prey, they pulled on rapidly towards us, evidentlyexpecting to catch us unprepared.
"Now, my lads, up and at them?" sung out Porpoise, in imitation of thespeech of a somewhat better-known hero.
Our jolly yachtsmen did not require a second summons. Up they sprang totheir allotted duties.
"Steady!" added Porpoise, "take aim before you fire. Those forward aimat the headmost boats; let the after guns give account of those comingup next astern. Now give it them."
The orders were comprehended, and executed promptly and well. Cries andgroans and shouts from the row-boats followed the simultaneous dischargefrom our great-guns and small-arms. The pirates ceased rowing, and asecond intervened before they fired in return, but their shot generallyflew wide of us, our unexpected commencement of the action havingevidently thrown them into not a little confusion. For an instant itoccurred to me that we might have been too precipitate, and that perhapsafter all they might not have been pirates, but for some reason or otherhad come off to us at that unseasonable hour. It was therefore, in onerespect, a positive relief to me when they began to fire, and Idiscovered their real character. Still undaunted, on they came.Before, however, they could get alongside, our people had time to loadagain and fire; this time not a shot but took effect. The Moors did notrelish the dose; some attempted to spring on board, but were driven backby pike and cutlass into the sea, Hearty setting the example of activityand courage by rushing here and there, cutting and thrusting andslashing away, so that he did the work of half a dozen men. Indeed Imay say the same without vanity of all on board, or we could not havecontended for a minute against the fearful odds opposed to us. The lowdeck of a yacht, it must be remembered, does not present thedifficulties to assailants which even a brig-of-war or an ordinaryhigh-sided merchantman is capable of doing. Ours was literally ahand-to-hand fight without the slightest protection, our slight bulwarksalone separating us from our enemies when they once got alongside.Happily the breeze increased, and giving us way through the water, theMoorish boats having failed to hook on to us, we once more slippedthrough them. Some of the men in the bows continued firing at us, but alittle delay occurred before the rest could get out their oars to followthe cutter. The chiefs of each boat appeared to be holding aconsultation, and I only hoped that they would come to the decision thatthe grapes were sour, or rather that the game was not worth the candleto play it by, as the Frenchmen say, and give up the pursuit. But theywere not so reasonable; they probably thought that if we fought sodesperately we had something on board worth fighting for; notconsidering that our lives and liberties were of very much consequence,and so they showed a resolution once more to attempt to overhaul us.This hesitation was much to our advantage, as it enabled us once more toload our guns up to the muzzle, and to take a steady aim as they cameup. In all my fighting experience I have come to the conclusion thatthere is no system equal to that of waiting for a good opportunity,mustering all resources, and then, once having begun the attack, tocontinue at the work without relaxing a moment till the day is won. TheMoorish pirates did not follow this course. At last came the tug ofwar. Their fury and thirst for vengeance was now added to their greedfor plunder, and the boats ranged up on either side of the little"Frolic" with seemingly a full determination on the part of their crewsto overpower us at once.
"Steady, my good lads, steady!" shouted Porpoise. "Remember, fire asbefore, and then load again as fast as you can."
Off went our guns with good effect; while Hearty and I, and three orfour others, armed with muskets, blazed away with them, taking up oneafter the other as fast as the steward could load them. The report ofthe guns must have been heard on shore, and far out to sea over thatcalm water, while the bright flashes lighted up the midnight air.Musket-balls and round-shot don't often fly about without doing somedamage; and while ours were telling pretty well among the thicklycrowded boats of the Moors, we were not altogether free from harm. Twoof our people had been wounded. One of them fell to the deck, and, fromthe way the poor fellow groaned, I was much afraid that he was mortallyhurt. I drew him close to the companion-hatch, that he might, in aslight degree, be protected from further injury; but we were too hardpressed to spare any one for a moment from the deck to take him below.Hearty was passing close to me, when, by the flash of the guns, I sawhim a give a sudden, convulsive movement with his left arm. I felt surehe was hit. I asked him.
"Oh, nothing, nothing," he answered. "Don't say a word about it. I canfight away just as well as ever, and that is all I care about just now."
One of our chief efforts was to prevent the Moorish boats from hookingon to us. This they frequently attempted to do, and each time thelashings they tried to secure were cut adrift. I was indeed surprisedto find them so pertinacious in their attack, for a resolute r
esistanceat the commencement will generally compel those sort of gentry to giveup an enterprise, unless they are certain a great deal is to be gainedby it.
The breeze was now increasing, and old Snow stood at the helm, with hisleft hand on the tiller, and his right hand wielding a cutlass, withwhich, aided by another man, he kept at bay any of the Moors whoattempted to climb on board over the stern. Still, so overmatched werewe by numbers, that I felt even then, in spite of our determinedresistance, that the result was very doubtful. I almost sickened at thethought; but I was very certain that, before such a sad consummationshould occur, not a man of us would be left alive on the deck.
"And then, should the day be evidently going against us, should no helpremain--not a shadow of hope--would it be right to blow up the vessel,and preserve those innocent ones below from an ignominious slavery--froma worse than death?"
"Impious man," responded a voice within me, "think not to rule theprovidences of thy Creator. Do not evil that good may come of it. Whocan tell what means he has in store, even at the very last moment, topreserve those whom, in his infinite wisdom, he has resolved topreserve?"
I felt the frailty of human thoughts and human intentions, and banishedthe terrible idea from my mind. Still I could not feel but that ourcase, to outward appearance, was very desperate. Porpoise himself waswounded, I found, though the pain he suffered did not allow him for amoment to relax in his defence of the vessel. His voice was heardeverywhere as loud and cheering as before, encouraging our crew topersevere.
Once more the pirates drew off.
"Huzza, huzza!" shouted all hands; "they have had enough of it."
But no.
"Load your guns, load your guns?" shouted Porpoise. "Don't trust tothem."
It was fortunate this was done. With terrific cries and yells they fora third time gave way towards us, completely hemming us in, so that someboats going ahead almost stopped the vessel's way through the water.Keeping up their hideous yells, firing their pistols, and flourishingtheir scymitars, they flung themselves headlong on board. Many weredriven back, but their places were speedily filled by others. Thephysical power of the cutter's crew, exerted so long to the utmoststretch, was almost failing, when, far in the offing, to the northward,the bright flash of a gun was seen, followed shortly afterwards byanother and another. I pointed them out to Hearty.
"There's help coming, my lads!" he shouted. "Never fear; but let's haveall the glory of the fight to ourselves, and drive these scoundrels offbefore it arrives. Huzza, huzza! Back with them! No quarter! Cutthem down! Drive them into the sea?"
All this time he was most completely suiting the action to his words.At last some of the pirates saw the flashes.
The morning light was just breaking in the east, for the action hadendured far longer than it has taken to describe it. They must havesuspected that they foreboded no good to them, and that the sooner theywere off the better. Orders were shouted out by the chiefs. Those whocould obeyed them, and, leaping back, the boats in a body shoved offfrom us; but some unfortunate wretches were still clinging to ourbulwarks. They fought as they clung with all the fanaticism ofMohammedans; but our seamen made quick work of them, and in less thantwo minutes not one was left alive. The grey light of dawn showed usthe dark boats pulling in-shore, and as the sun arose its early beamslighted up the canvas of a man-of-war brig, close-hauled, laying uptowards us. Our people shouted lustily when they saw her; and Hearty,forgetting his wound and his begrimed and war-stained appearance,hurried below to assure his charges of their safety. We quicklyrecognised the "Zebra," and were not long in getting within hail of her,when Rullock, accompanied by Bubble, came on board of us, to inquireinto the particulars of our adventure.
Old Rullock at first was somewhat inclined to be angry with us forgetting so close in-shore, and Will almost pulled his hair off in hisvexation that he had not been with us to share in the honours of thefight and defence.
Our loss had been serious; the poor fellow who had been the firstwounded had died just before sunrise, and the surgeon of the brigpronounced the other cases to be somewhat bad. Porpoise's was aflesh-wound--the advantage, as he observed, of being a fat man; but heforgot that if he had not been fat he might not have been wounded atall. Hearty, though he made light of his hurt, was very much injured;and the surgeon, with a somewhat significant look, advised him to get onshore as fast as he could, and to get carefully nursed for a time.
"You'll have no great difficulty to get some one to nurse you," heremarked.
I really believe that he did not think so badly of the case as hepretended. Be that as it may, we made the best of our way to MaltaHarbour, where we all took up our abode on shore, while the cutter wasundergoing some necessary repairs. The brig also requiring repairs,Rullock took lodgings, and in the most considerate way had Heartyconveyed to them, and invited his sister and niece to stay with him--avery indelicate proceeding, I dare say; but the jolly old sailorobserved, "Who was so fit to look after a wounded man as the girl he wasgoing to marry, and in whose defence he was wounded? A fig for all suchrigmarole prudisms, say I." As the parties concerned did not disagreewith him, so the matter was arranged to the satisfaction of everybody.