CHAPTER XIX.
AT SEA.
It was about four in the morning; the dawn was beginning to mark thehorizon with wide white bands; on the extreme line of the water, abright red reflection, the harbinger of sunrise, announced that the sunwould soon appear. At this moment a light brig gradually emerged fromthe dense fog that hid it, and could be seen sailing close to the windalong the dangerous and rugged coast which forms the entrance ofGalveston Bay, at the mouth of the Rio Trinidad.
It was a neat vessel of three hundred tons at the most, with agracefully-built hull, and its tall masts coquettishly raking. Therigging was carefully painted and tarred, the yards symmetricallysquare, and more than all, the menacing muzzles of four eight-poundercarronades which peered out of the bulwarks on either side, and the longthirty-two pounder swivel in the bows, indicated that, although aman-of-war pennant might not be flying from the mainmast, it was not theless resolved, in case of necessity, to fight energetically against thecruisers that might attempt to check its progress.
At the moment when we first notice the brig, with the exception of theman at the wheel, and an individual walking up and down the poop smokinghis pipe, at the first glance the brig's deck seemed deserted; still, onexamining it carefully, fifteen men constituting the watch might havebeen seen sleeping in the bows, whom the slightest signal would besufficient to awaken.
"Halloh!" the walker said suddenly, as he halted near the binnacle, andaddressed the helmsman; "I fancy the wind is shifting."
"Yes, Master Lovel," the sailor answered, as he raised his hand to hiswoollen cap; "it has veered round two points."
As the individual who answered to the pleasant name of Lovel is destinedto play a certain part in the scenes we have undertaken to describe, weask our readers' permission to draw his portrait. Physically, he was aman of about fifty, nearly as broad as he was tall, and bearing astriking resemblance to a barrel mounted on feet, but for all thatgifted with far from common strength and activity; his violet nose, histhick lips, and highly-coloured face, with large red whiskers, gave hima jovial appearance, to which, however, two small grey and deep-seteyes, full of fire and resolution, imparted something skeptical andmocking.
Morally, he was an honest, worthy man, open-hearted and loyal, anexcellent sailor, and loving only two things, or rather beings, in theworld: his Captain, who had brought him up, and, as he often said, hadtaught him to make his first splice by administering tobacco to him, andhis ship, which he had seen built, which he had gone aboard when readyfor sea, and had never quitted since.
Master Lovel had never known either father or mother; hence he had madethe brig and his Captain his family. All his loving faculties, a longtime driven back and slumbering in his heart, were so fully concentratedon them, that what he felt for both went beyond the limits of areasonable affection, and had acquired the veritable proportions of agigantic fanaticism. However, the Captain, of whom we shall soon speak,amply requited the old sailor's friendship.
"By the way, Lieutenant, I ask your pardon," the helmsman continued,doubtless encouraged by the manner in which his officer had spoken tohim; "do you know that we have been making a precious queer navigationthe last few days?"
"Do you think so, lad?"
"Hang it, sir, these continued tacks, and that boat we sent ashoreyesterday, and has not yet returned--all that is rather singular."
"Hum!" the officer said, without any other expression of his opinion.
"Where may we be going, Lieutenant?" the sailor went on.
"Are you very anxious to know?" Lovel asked him, with a half-sweet,half-bitter tone.
"Well," the other said, as he turned his quid in his mouth, and sentforth a stream of blackish saliva, "I confess that I should not be sorryto know."
"Really now?--well, my boy," the old sailor said, with a crafty smile,"if you are asked, you will answer that you do not know; in that way youare certain of not compromising, and, before all, of not deceiving,yourself."
Then, after looking for an instant at the helmsman's downcast face onreceiving this strange answer, he added--"Strike eight bells, my dear;there is the sun rising over there behind the mountains: we will callthe watch."
And, after restoring his pipe to the corner of his mouth, he resumed hiswalk. The sailor seized the cord fastened to the clapper of the bell,and struck four double strokes. At this signal they knew so well, themen lying in the forecastle sprang up tumultuously, and rushed to thehatchway, shouting--
"Up with you, starboard watch; up, up, it is four o'clock. Starboardwatch, ahoy!"
So soon as the watch was changed, the master gave the necessary ordersto dress the vessel. Then, as the sun was beginning to rise above thehorizon in a flood of ruddy vapour, which gradually dispersed the densefog, that had enveloped the brig throughout the night, like awinding-sheet, he set a man to the foretop to look seaward, and examinethe coast they were sailing along. When all these various duties hadbeen discharged, the old sailor resumed his walk, taking a look everynow and then at the masts, and muttering between his teeth--"Where canwe be going? He would be very kind, if he would tell me: we are making aregular blind man's traverse, and we shall be very lucky if we get outof it safe and sound."
All at once his face brightened, and a glad smile spread over it. TheCaptain had just left his cabin and come upon deck. Captain Johnson wasat this period a man of hardly three-and-thirty years of age, above themiddle height; his gestures were simple, graceful, and full of naturalelegance; his features were masculine and marked, and his black eyes, inwhich intelligence sparkled, gave his countenance an expression ofgrandeur, strength, and loyalty.
"Good morning, father," he said to Master Lovel, as he cordially offeredhim his hand.
"Good morning, lad," the latter replied; "did you sleep well?"
"Very well, thank you, father. Is there anything new?"
At this question, apparently so simple, the lieutenant drew himself up,raised his hand to his hat, and answered deferentially--
"Captain, there is nothing new on board. I tacked at three o'clock, and,according to your orders, we have been sailing as close to the wind aswe could, at a rate of six three-quarter knots an hour, under foretopsails, and always keeping Galveston Point on the larboard quarter."
"That is well," the Captain answered, as he took a glance at the compassand the sails.
In all matters connected with duty, Master Lovel, in spite of thereiterated remarks of his Chief, constantly maintained toward the latterthe tone and manner of a subordinate to his superior. The Captain,seeing that the old sailor could not be turned from this, ended bypaying no attention to it, and left him free to speak as he thoughtproper.
"By the way, Captain," the Lieutenant continued, with some hesitation,"we are drawing near the gut; do you intend to pass through it?"
"I do."
"But we shall be sunk."
"Not such fools."
"Hum! I do not see how we shall escape it."
"You will see; besides, must we not go and pick up our boat, which hasnot yet returned?"
"That is true; I did not think of it."
"Well, you see; and our passengers?"
"I have not seen them yet this morning."
"They will soon come on deck."
"A ship in sight," the watch shouted.
"That is what I was waiting for," said the Captain.
"To tack?"
"On the contrary, to pass without a shot in front of the fort thatcommands the entrance of the bay."
"I do not understand."
"All right; you soon will."
And speaking to the look-out man, he said--
"In what direction is that ship?"
"To starboard, to windward of us; it is coming out of a creek, in whichit was hidden, and steering straight down on the brig."
"Very good," the Captain answered; then, turning to Lovel, he continued:"This ship is chasing us; we shall, by constant short tacks, pass thefort and the battery which crosses fire with it.
The Mexicans, who arewatching us, feeling convinced that we cannot escape their cruiser, willnot take the trouble to fire at us, but let us pass through withoutoffering any obstacle."
And, leaving his lieutenant astounded at this singular line of argument,which he did not at all comprehend, the Captain went on the quarterdeck,and leaning over the gangway, began carefully watching the movements ofthe ship signalled by the lookout. An hour passed thus, withoutproducing any change in the respective position of the two ships; butthe brig, which had no intention of getting too far away from thecruiser, did not carry half the sail it could.
The men had been quietly beaten to quarters, and thirty powerfulsailors, armed to the teeth, were holding the running rigging, ready toobey the slightest signal from their Captain. For more than an hour thebrig had been approaching the coast, and the Captain, being nowcompelled to skirt a submarine reef, whose situation was not positivelyknown to him, ordered sail to be reduced, and advanced, sounding lead inhand. The cruiser, on the contrary, was literally covered with canvas,and grew momentarily larger, while assuming the imposing proportions ofa first class corvette; its black hull could be clearly distinguished,along which ran a long white stripe, containing sixteen portholes,through which passed the muzzles of her Paixhan guns. On the shore, towhich the brig was now close, could be seen a great number of persons ofboth sexes, who, shouting, yelling, and clapping their hands, eagerlyfollowed the incidents of this strange chase. Suddenly a light cloud ofsmoke rose from the bow of the corvette, the sound of a gun was dullyheard, and a Mexican flag was hoisted at the peak.
"Ah, ah," Captain Johnson said, as he mechanically chumped the end of acigarette held between his teeth, "she has at length decided on throwingoff her incognito. Come, lieutenant, politeness deserves the same; showher our colours; hang it all, they are worth showing."
A minute later, a large star-spangled flag was majestically flutteringat the stern of the brig. At the appearance of the United Statescolours, so audaciously hoisted, a shout of fury was raised aboard theMexican corvette, which was taken up by the crowd assembled at thepoint, though it was impossible to tell, owing to the distance, whetherthey were shouts of joy or anger.
In the meanwhile the sun was beginning to rise, the morning was growingapace, and there must be an end to the affair, especially as thecorvette, confiding in her strength, and now almost within gunshot,would not fail to open fire on the American vessel. Strange to say, thegarrisons of the fort and the battery, as the Captain had foreseen, hadallowed the brig to double the point without trying to stop it, which itwould have been most easy for them to do, owing to the crossfire.
The Captain gave his lieutenant a sign to come to him, and bending downto his ear, whispered something in it.
"Eh, eh!" the lieutenant said with a hearty laugh, "That is an idea! ByJove! We may have some fun."
And, without saying another word, he proceeded forwards. On reachingthe swivel gun he had it unlashed and carefully loaded, adding a balland a grape shot to the ordinary charge. Bending over the sight heseized the screw placed under the breech, then making a sign to the menwho stood on either side with handspikes, he began laying the gun slowlyand with the utmost precaution, scrupulously calculating the distancethat separated the two ships, and the deviation caused by the rolling.At length, when he believed he had attained the desired result, heseized the lanyard, fell back, and made a signal to the Captain, who wasimpatiently awaiting the termination of his proceedings.
"Attention!" the latter shouted; "Stand by, all."
There was a moment of supreme expectation.
"Is all clear?"
"Yes," the lieutenant replied.
"Ready about," the Captain ordered; "down with the helm! Ease off thejib sheets! Sheet home top sails! Sheet home lower sails! Haul thebowlines taut!"
The sailors hurried to the running rigging, and the ship, obedient tothe impulse given it, majestically swung round. At the moment when itfell, and had its bows turned toward the broadside of the corvette,Master Lovel, who was watching for a favourable opportunity to carry outthe orders he had received, sharply pulled the lanyard and fired. TheMexicans, confounded by this sudden aggression, which they were far fromanticipating from an enemy apparently so weak, replied furiously, and ashower of iron and lead hurtled over the deck and through the rigging ofthe American ship. The fort and battery continued to preserve thestrictest neutrality, and Captain Johnson did not take the trouble toreply.
"Brace up closer to the wind!" he shouted. "Haul down the sheets! Wehave had fun enough, lads."
The brig continued its course, and when the smoke had dispersed theMexican corvette could be perceived in a pitiable condition. The shotfired by Master Lovel had carried away her bowsprit close by the head,which naturally entailed the fall of the foremast, and the poorcorvette, half rendered unserviceable, and unable longer to pursue itsaudacious enemy, bore up to repair hastily the worst of the damage.
On board the brig, owing to the hurry in which the Mexicans had returnedthe fire, only one man had been killed and three slightly wounded. Asfor the damage, it was trifling; only a few ropes were cut, that wasall.
"Now," the Captain said, as he came down from the quarterdeck, "in tenminutes, father, you will tack, and when we are abreast of the fort youwill lie to, let down a boat, and let me know."
"What!" the lieutenant could not refrain from saying, "You mean to goashore?"
"Hang it," said the Captain; "why, I only came here for that purpose."
"Are you going to the fort?"
"Yes. Still, as it is always as well to be on the right side, you willsend into the boat the ten most resolute men of the crew, with axes,cutlasses, muskets, and pistols. Let all be in order, and ready forfighting."
"I fancy those precautions will be unnecessary," said a man who had justcome on deck and walked up to the spectators.
"Ah! it is you, Master Tranquil," the Captain replied, as he shook handswith the old hunter; for it was he who had so unexpectedly interfered inthe conversation. "What do you say?"
"I say," the Canadian replied, in his calm voice, "that your precautionswill probably be unnecessary."
"Why so?"
"Hang it! I don't know, for I am not a sailor. But look for yourself. Doyou not think as I do--that something extraordinary is taking place onboard the corvette?"
The Captain quickly opened his telescope, and fixed it on the Mexicanship.
"It is true," he said, a moment later. "Oh, oh! Can our audaciousattempt have proved successful?"
"All leads to the supposition," said the hunter, with his old stoicism.
"By Heavens! I will ascertain."
"What will you do?"
"By Jupiter! Convince myself of what is taking place."
"As you please."
"Bear up!" the Captain ordered.
The manoeuvre was executed. The sheets were let go, and the brig,catching more wind in its sails, advanced rapidly toward the corvette,on board which a strange scene was taking place at this moment, whichmust interest Captain Johnson in the highest degree. But, in order tomake the reader thoroughly understand this scene, we must now return toEl Alferez and his comrades, whom we left at their departure from thepulqueria.
At the moment when the four men reached the jetty, although it was aboutseven in the morning, the beach was nearly deserted; only a few ships'boats were fastened up, and landing the men who were going to buyprovisions. It was, therefore, an easy matter for the conspirators to,embark without attracting attention to their movements. At a signalgiven by Ramirez, the boat which had been pulling back and forwardsduring the night, came nearer land, and when the four men were seated inthe stern sheets, and Ramirez had taken the tiller, the boat started fora small creek situated a little distance beyond the roadstead.
The breeze, which during the night had been rather weak, had graduallyrisen; the boat was easily got out to sea, sail was hoisted, and it soonentered the creek, where the _Libertad_ was riding gently on heranchors. St
ill, it was easy for a sailor to see that this ship,apparently so quiet, was ready to slip out at a moment's notice. Thesails, though furled, were cast off, and the anchor, apeak, only neededa turn of the capstan to be tripped. Posted craftily in this creek, likea bird of prey in the hollow of a rock, the corvette could easily expandits sails, and dart on any suspicious vessel signalled by the lookout.Without uttering a syllable our friends exchanged a significant glance;they understood one another's manoeuvring.
The boat had scarce come within hail ere a sentry, standing in thestarboard gangway, hailed it in Spanish. Ramirez replied, and, leaningon the tiller, made the boat describe a graceful curve, and brought herup to the starboard accommodation ladder. The officer of the watch wasstanding at the top to receive the visitors. On perceiving a lady, hehurried down the ladder to offer his hand, and do her the honours of theship she was about to enter.
To the right and left of the entrance, sailors, drawn up in file,saluted by raising their hands to their caps, while a boatswain gave theaccustomed whistle. As we have already mentioned, the _Libertad_ was afirst class corvette. Don Manuel Rodriguez, her commandant, was an oldsailor, brought up in the Spanish Navy, and had retained its healthytraditions: hence, his ship was kept with great care and coquettishness.Don Serapio and Don Cristoval, themselves naval officers, could notrefrain from expressing to the officer of the watch the satisfactionthey experienced at seeing a vessel in such splendid order.
Commandant Rodriguez, called by a midshipman, hastened on deck toreceive his guests; the boat was fastened astern of the corvette, whileits crew went forward with the sailors of the vessel.
Like the other Spanish American Republics, the Mexican Confederation hasbut few vessels; its navy is composed of but a dozen ships at themost--consisting of corvettes, brigs, and schooners. The gravity of theevents taking place in Texas had induced the Mexican Government to senda corvette there, in order to render themselves masters of the sea, andprevent the United States, whose sympathies with the Texan Revolutionwere notorious, from giving the insurgents help in arms, men, or money.
Commandant Rodriguez, an energetic man, and excellent sailor, had beenchosen to carry out this dangerous mission; for two months he had beencruising off the coast of Texas, where he had established a rigorousblockade, and owing to his intelligent arrangements, he had managed, upto the period we have arrived at, to stop or turn back all vessels sentfrom the United States to the help of the insurgents. The latter,reduced to their own resources, and understanding that the decisive hourwould soon strike for them, had resolved to get rid of this corvette,which did them enormous injury, and seize it at all risks.
The Chiefs of the insurgents had formed their plans to this effect.During Commandant Rodriguez's rare visits to Galveston, he was adroitlysurrounded by persons who ostensibly professed a deep hatred for therevolution, while in secret they were the active and devoted agents ofthe insurgent Chiefs. Almost involuntarily the Commandant had beeninduced to invite several persons to visit his corvette, and breakfaston board; but the old sailor was a true Mexican, that is to say,accustomed to all the tricks and treachery of a country whererevolutions have been counted by hundreds during the twenty years sinceit proclaimed its so-called independence, and his prudence did not failhim under the circumstances. Being not at all anxious to run the risk ofseeing his ship boarded, he left the roads, and anchored in a solitarycreek, in order to have his elbows at liberty; and then, instead ofinviting many persons at the same time, he merely requested Do?a Mencia,her father, and two of her cousins, officers in the United States'service, to pay him a visit. We know now who the persons really were whoaccepted the invitation.
The Captain frowned on seeing the number of the boat's crew; but,reflecting that he had two hundred and fifty men aboard, he did notthink for a moment that sixteen men, apparently unarmed, would try toseize his ship, and it was with the most smiling and affectionate airthat he received Do?a Mencia and the persons who accompanied her.
After showing them all over the corvette, he led his guests to the sterngallery, where a table had been laid, and a magnificent breakfastawaited them. Only five persons sat down, the supposed young lady, herpretended cousins, the commandant, and his first lieutenant, an oldsailor like himself, full of experience and bravery. The breakfast beganin the most cordial and frank manner; the Commandant regretted that Do?aMencia's father had been unable to accompany her, as he had promised,and a most gallant conversation went on. Presently, a warrant officeropened the door, and, at a sign from the Commandant, whispered a fewwords in his ear; the latter, after excusing himself to his guests, gavehim an order in a low voice, and the officer retired as discreetly as hehad come in.
"Se?ora," the Commandant said, leaning over to the young lady seated byhis side; "are you afraid of the sea?"
"I?" she replied with a smile, "Why do you ask, Commandant?"
"Because," he answered, "unless you immediately leave my vessel, which,I confess, would greatly annoy me, you will be compelled to take a tripto sea for some hours."
"I am the daughter and cousin of sailors, Commandant; that is as good assaying that a trip to sea would be most pleasing to me under anycircumstances; at this moment it would be a delightful interlude, andcomplete the graceful hospitality you have been kind to offer us."
"Very good," the Commandant said gaily; "you are a true heroine, Do?aMencia; you fear nothing."
"Or, at any rate, very little," she replied with an emphasis whichescaped the notice of the Commandant.
"Will you permit me to ask, Commandant," said Don Serapio, "whether youare starting simply to afford us the pleasure of a trip, or whether amore serious motive obliges you to leave your anchorage?"
"I have no secrets from you," he said simply, "and a few words willexplain the affair; for about a fortnight I have been playing a game ofchess with a brig, whose appearance is most suspicious. Its rig, andfine lines, lead us to believe that it is a North-American privateer,trying to land arms, and possibly men, for the insurgents."
"Do you imagine," Don Cristoval objected, "that a privateer brig,knowing you to be in these parts, would venture to force a passage?"
"Yes, I do. These demons of privateers are afraid of nothing; and,besides, during the war of independence, I myself carried out moredaring adventures than this."
"Then, we are about to witness a sea fight?" Do?a Mencia asked timidly.
"Oh, do not feel alarmed, Se?orita; it will not go so far as that, Ihope; this brig, which I had lost out of sight for two days, has justreappeared, but this time with the apparent object of getting closeenough to land to send a boat ashore. I will chase it vigorously, and donot doubt I shall compel it to put out to sea again, for it isimpossible that it should attempt seriously to oppose us."
"Really, that is delightful!" Do?a Mencia exclaimed with a laugh; "thef?te will be complete: a trip to sea, a chase, and, perhaps, the captureof a vessel. You are really too kind, Commandant."
While the conversation became more and more friendly and lively in thestate cabin, the corvette had started, and with all sail set, waspursuing Captain Johnson's brig.
"Halloh!" Don Cristoval suddenly asked, "What has become of our boat?"
"It was left fastened to a buoy," the Commandant said; "we will pick itup again when we return to our anchorage."
"Well," Don Serapio remarked laughingly, "if the privateer should feelinclined to fight, our sixteen men are quite at your disposal."
"I thank you, but do not think I shall requite their assistance."
"Who knows? No one can foresee events. Our sailors are brave, and, if itshould come to fighting, be assured they will do their share."
Only one of the guests had remained silent during the breakfast,contenting himself with eating and drinking; while attentively listeningto what was said around him. This guest was the lieutenant. So soon asthe ship had started, he left the table, bowed to the company, and wenton deck.
"Your lieutenant is no talker, Commandant," Do?a Mencia obser
ved; "heonly opened his lips to eat and drink."
"That is true, Se?orita; but pray excuse him, he is an old sailor, butlittle accustomed to society--he felt embarrassed and almost in hiswrong place with you; but few men know their profession so well as he,or are so firm and intrepid in danger."
At this moment a loud detonation made the vessel quiver. "Ah!" said Do?aMencia with a cry of terror, "What does that mean?"
"Less than nothing, Se?orita; we have merely hoisted our flag, and fireda blank shot, to oblige the brig to show her colours."
"Would there be any danger in going on deck?" Do?a Mencia asked withcuriosity.
"Not the least."
"In that case, with your permission, we will go up and see what ishappening."
"I am at your orders, Se?orita."
The breakfast was over; they left the table and went up on thequarterdeck. The ship offered to the sight of persons unacquainted withnaval affairs, a most singular and attractive appearance. The powerfulbreeze had bellied the sails; the corvette bounded over the waves like agazelle, but did not take in a drop of water over the catheads. On deck,the crew were standing silent and motionless by the standing rigging,the gunners at their pieces, and the topmen at their posts. On theforecastle Ramirez and his sixteen men were collected near the head,apparently indifferent, but actually watching the movements of theMexican. At about a gunshot and a half distant, the brig could be seen,from whose peak haughtily floated a large American flag.
"I suspected it," said the Commandant, "it is a privateer, and hashoisted American colours to deceive us, but we are on our guard."
"Do you think, then, that ship is not American?" Don Serapio asked.
"No more than you are; it is an Argentine, or Brazilian privateer."
"Still, it appears American built,"
"That proves nothing; our ships, bought in different countries, havenothing that causes them to be recognized, for we have no docks."
"That is true; but look, she is going to tack."
"Yes, the sails are beginning to shiver."
The Mexicans fancied themselves so secure from an attack, that most ofthe crew had left their quarters to follow the manoeuvres of the brig;the sailors, perched on the yards, or leaning out of the ports, werecuriously looking on, without dreaming of the danger such a breach ofdiscipline might entail. In the meanwhile the brig came round, as DonSerapio had said. Suddenly, at the moment when it completed themanoeuvre, a detonation was heard, a shrill whistle cut through the air,and the corvette's bowsprit, pierced by a ball, fell into the sea,dragging with it the foremast.
This produced an extraordinary pause and confusion on board thecorvette; the terrified sailors ran about in all directions, listeningto nothing. At length the Commandant succeeded in overcoming the tumult;the crew recognized his voice, and at the order to fire, fifteen gunsthundered at once, in reply to the unjustifiable aggression of theprivateer.