CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
The master of the _Zodiac_, as he laboured without ceasing at theimportant work of getting his ship once more in sailing trim, every nowand then glanced at the pretended Austrian with feelings in which theundaunted courage of the British seaman were fearfully mingled in hisbosom with dark forebodings as to the result of an engagement with anenemy in every respect so much his superior. His eye would also, everand anon, range round the horizon in anticipation of those rising signsof the coming breeze, which he prayed Heaven might yet be long delayedtill the work was completed, and then that it might come from theeastward, as it would thus give him the weather gage, and enable him tomanoeuvre to better advantage in the coming fight; for he had alreadyseen most convincing proof of the superior sailing qualities of the _SeaHawk_; that he had no expectations of being able to avoid it, evenshould he be able to make sail before the arrival of the breeze. Withvoice and example, he cheered on his crew to the work; the topmast hadbeen got up, and the rigging fitted over its head; but the topsail-yardwas not yet across, and much remained to be done to make their previouslabours of any avail. Bowse himself had taken his meals on deck, as hadhis mates; and the men had snatched but a minute to satisfy theirhunger. He had just before sent them below to their dinners, when, ashe was taking a look at the enemy, to see what she was about, heobserved beyond her a dark blue line on the horizon.
"Ah," he muttered; "there's no doubt what is coming now, and long beforethe canvas is spread, we shall have the breeze blowing strong, and thebrig coming down on us. Well, we've done our best, and men can do nomore. I'll let the poor fellows have this meal in quiet; it will be thelast many of them will eat, I fear. Ah! Heaven only knows if any onboard here will ever taste another, if those cursed villains get hold ofus--and nothing but a miracle can save us, that I see--yet, we'll makethem pay dear for victory, at all events."
He took two or three turns on the deck, watching his antagonist, and thecoming wind; and from his cool and calm exterior, no one would havesupposed how fully he felt the dangerous position in which his ship wasplaced. Broader and broader grew the line, till, at last, the windfilled the loftier canvas of the corsair, which was spread to catch it.The time, he saw, was, come to prepare for the final struggle. Hesummoned the mate from below.
"Turn the hands up," he cried out, in a firm, sharp tone, to be heardthroughout the ship. "We shall have work before long to warm them up abit."
The men sprang on deck with alacrity, casting an eye at the stranger asthey went to the work in hand.
The topsail-yard was ready fitted, and all hands now joined in swayingaway on it. Meantime, the wind, though still light, had filled thepirate's sails, and she was stealing through the water towards them,before they even felt the wind. At last a few catspaws, the_avant-couriers_ of the stronger breeze, began to play round them. Theforesail and the fore-staysail were the only sails they could yet get topay the brig's head off before the wind. These were now set; but the sodoing delayed the work of bending the topsail, and the _Sea Hawk_ wasnow coming fast up with them. As soon as the _Zodiac_ was got deadbefore the wind, the main-topsail and topgallant-sails were hoisted; thestuddensail-booms were run out, and studdensails set, which much madeamends for the loss of the headsails, as long as they desired only tokeep before the wind. Notwithstanding, however, all the canvas the_Zodiac_ could set, the corsair still came up with her hand over hand.Bowse watched till he thought she had come within range of his guns, andhe then ordered one to be brought up, and pointed at her over thetaffrail.
As soon as Colonel Gauntlett, who was on deck, heard the order given, heexclaimed that he and Mitchell would assist in working the guns, whilethe crew continued bending the sails.
The gun was accordingly trained aft, but part of the taffrail had to becut away to work it.
"Try to knock away some of his spars, sir," cried Bowse, as the colonelprepared to fire. "Everything depends on that."
The colonel fired, but the shot fell short. The gun was instantly againloaded, but before they had time to fire, the pirate yawed and let fly abow chaser, the shot from which flew through the main-topsail, thoughwithout doing further damage. The colonel again fired, but again theshot fell short, to his no slight rage.
"I see how it is, sir," observed Bowse, "that fellow has a long nine inhis bows, while our gun is only a carronade. He will be doing usmischief, I am afraid."
"Let him get a little nearer though, and we will give him two to one,"returned the colonel.
Scarcely had he spoken, when another shot came, which cut away thetopmast starboard shrouds. Hands were immediately sent aloft to securethe rigging, but this again delayed the progress of the work on theforemast. Notwithstanding the occasional yaw the pirate was obliged tomake in order to fire, he still gained on the _Zodiac_. At last he gotwithin range of her carronades, to the great satisfaction of ColonelGauntlett, who forthwith commenced firing his gun as fast as Mitchellcould sponge and load it. The shot, however, told with little or noeffect; a few holes were made through his head-sails, but no ropes ofimportance were cut away on board the _Sea Hawk_. The countenances ofthe pirates could now clearly be seen. They had exchanged the Austrianuniforms for their proper Greek dresses, which added considerably to theferocity of their appearance.
Finding that the carronade frequently sent its shot on board, theyhauled up a point, so as to bring their vessel on the starboard quarterof the _Zodiac_, and at the same time to keep beyond the range of herguns, while they could still send the shot from their long bow chaser onboard her.
The brave master groaned when he saw the manoeuvre, for he felt howcompletely he was at the mercy of the enemy. The colonel,notwithstanding, still continued working his gun, till with rage he sawthat his shot again fell short of the enemy. The _Zodiac_, it must beunderstood, bearing chiefly after sail, could not venture to haul up somuch as to bring the enemy again astern, or he would have tried to doso. His gun was worked quickly, and with great precision; shot aftershot told with fearful effect on the spars and rigging. The men hadperseveringly laboured the whole time in spite of the shot flying aboutthem, but just as they had bent the fore-topsail, and were swaying awayon the yard, a shot struck the fore-yard, and cut it completely in two.The men saw that their efforts were all in vain, and letting go thehalyards, rushed of their own accord to the guns.
"It's no use running, sir," they exclaimed, with one voice. "Let'sfight it out while we can."
The pirate's shot continued their work of destruction. The main topmastnext received a wound, and in a minute afterwards, the breezefreshening, down it came on board, hampering up the deck.
"Clear away the wreck of the topmast, my lads," exclaimed the master."And then I hope those scoundrels will give us a a chance of punishingthem."
The order was obeyed, and the gun, which had been trained aft, wasreplaced, and the other two guns were got over to the starboard side.The brave crew then gave forth a cheer of defiance at the enemy,expecting that they were about to run them on board; the pirates werewaiting, though, till their guns had produced more effect; a shot atlast came, and carried away the peak halyards, and deprived her of allpower of manoeuvring. The _Zodiac_ was now at their mercy; and theybore down upon her; but instead of running her aboard on the starboardside, they luffed up when just under her stern, and poured in the wholeof their starboard guns; then, keeping away again, they hauled up on theother tack joining their larboard battery, and then once more, as ifcontent with their work, they kept away, and ran her on board on thestarboard side.
Three of the _Zodiac's_ crew had been disabled, and Bowse himself wasbadly wounded; but the remainder fought their guns to the last. Thepirates, as the sides of the two vessels ground together, threw theirgrapnels on board, and crowded the rigging to leap on the deck of the_Zodiac_.
The master, and Colonel Gauntlett, led on the English crew to oppose theenemy--never did men fight better, but numbers bore them down--thestruggle was in vain, the colonel wa
s first struck down, and the masterdirectly after, and though the two mates continued fighting some timeafterwards, one being killed and the other wounded, the survivors gaveway, and were either driven down below or overboard.
The tall figure of the pirate leader was the most conspicuous in thefight.
"The brig is ours!" he exclaimed, as he took up his post at the top ofthe companion steps. "But she is too slow a sailer to be of any use tous; we will therefore take the most valuable part of her cargo on board,and desert her. We have no time to lose; for all this firing may havebeen heard by some British cruiser, who will be down upon us beforelong--Now, Paolo, follow me."
The pirate crew instantly got the hatches off, and set to work to selectwhat they considered most valuable, and to transfer it to their ownvessel.
Ada Garden had often read of tempests at sea, of shipwrecks, andbattles; but it had never occurred to her that she might some daywitness their horrors, or suffer from their dreadful effects. Now thereality of the scenes she had before pictured to herself, as eventspassed by, and unlikely again to happen, was palpably displayed beforeher. She had scarcely recovered from the terrors of the the storm whenher uncle came below, and, with unusual tenderness in his manner urgedher not to be alarmed at the noise of the guns which were about to befired; at the same time speaking with confidence of their ultimatesuccess. Though she trembled with anxiety at what she heard, shepromised not to give way to fear, and entreated to be allowed to come ondeck. To this he of course would on no consideration consent, and aftermuch argument, and by showing her the useless danger she would run, hemade her promise that nothing should induce her to leave the cabin tillhe himself came down to summon her. She again had recourse to herBible, and, with Marianna sitting at her feet, she endeavoured to calmher mind, and to banish her terror as she had done during the gale.Except from the occasional discharge of the guns there was now, perhaps,much less to cause her alarm, if she could have helped thinking of thepossible result; but this, notwithstanding her uncle's assurances, shecould not do; for she understood too well the great superiority of thepirate vessel; and though she knew that her countrymen would struggle tothe last, yet she felt that they might be overcome; and she scarcelydared to contemplate what her fate might be. The alarm of her youngattendant was almost beyond control.
"Oh, Holy Mary!" she shrieked out, as the first shot was fired; "thedreadful battle has begun, and we shall be killed. Oh, why did we leaveour dear Valetta, to come on the stormy sea, when one moment we areabout to be drowned and the next murdered--ah me, ah me!" and the poorgirl burst into tears. Another shot was heard, and she started andtrembled afresh.
Ada tried to console her. "Listen now, Marianna," she said, "thoseshots are fired from this vessel, and, therefore, they cannot hurt us,though they may our enemies. It is only those which are sent from theother ship can injure us; as yet, none seem to have been discharged."
"May the saints prevent the wretches from sending any!" exclaimedMarianna through her tears. "Perhaps they will not fire on a Britishship."
"Heaven grant it may be so," said Ada, "but I fear not. That sounds asif our ship had been struck."
It was the sharp sound of a spar being wounded, which, like an electricshock, reverberated through the vessel. Another and another followed.
"Oh, the enemy must be close to us! My dear, dear mistress, what isgoing to happen?" shrieked the poor Maltese girl.
"Put your trust in Heaven, Marianna; and, though we are unable todiscern it, the means may at the last moment be found for ourpreservation," said Ada solemnly. "I would that I were allowed toventure on deck, to learn that my uncle has not suffered in thisdreadful fire."
"Oh, do not leave me, my mistress," exclaimed Marianna, clinging to herdress. "You will be killed, to a certainty, if you go up among all thefighting. No, you shall not go!"
Ada did not attempt to disengage herself, for she remembered her promiseto Colonel Gauntlett, and she felt how worse than useless she wouldthere be. Still louder and more frequent became the roar of the enemy'sguns, and the crashes, as the spars and rigging came falling down ondeck. Then came other frightful noises in quick succession, as thepirate poured in her two broadsides, and lastly the loud, grating sound,as she finally ran alongside, and the two vessels ground together asthey lay locked in their deadly embrace. At the same instant arose theshouts of defiance raised by the British seamen, mingled with theshrieks of their wounded, and answered by the fierce cries of thepirates, as they threw themselves on the _Zodiac's_ deck--next was heardabove their heads the loud trampling of the feet of those engaged inmortal struggle. Sometimes Ada fancied that her friends werevictorious, and that the pirates were driven back; then again, by themore frequent sound of the stamping of feet, and the cries andexclamations in a strange language, she felt too sure that the enemy hadpoured still greater numbers on board. For a few moments the noise offeet increased; there were next some heavy, dull sounds, as of personsfalling, and then arose the loud triumphant shout of victory; but thesounds were strange--it was that of the enemy; all, then, for a time wassilent--what had become of her uncle and the brave crew? With her heartpalpitating, and her mind in a chaos of confusion, she could not resolvewhat to do. She could just discern the footsteps of persons descendingthe companion-ladder--they entered the main cabin. The door of the onein which she with Marianna sat was violently opened, and she beheld thecountenance of the pirate Zappa. Too truly all then was lost. Theexcess of her horror and alarm overcame her and she fainted.