CHAPTER TWENTY SIX.
A GOOD MORNING'S WORK.
Our prizes of course had not arrived, so, having seen little Fishercomfortably bestowed, landed our silver at the dockyard, and handed overour prisoners to the proper authorities, we weighed again that sameevening, and proceeded northward upon our cruise.
When off Martinique, which had fallen into our hands in the early partof the preceding year, we spoke the British frigate "Blanche," steeringtowards Barbadoes. Her skipper came on board the "Astarte," and, inreply to Captain Annesley's inquiries, reported that they had donenothing since the capture of the French frigate "Pique" in January, onwhich occasion Captain Faulkner, the former skipper of the "Blanche" anda most promising officer, was killed. Her present captain, (Watkins,acting) expressed great disgust at the state of affairs, and, rathercynically, ventured to hope we should have better luck than he had metwith.
Nothing worthy of mention occurred until we arrived off Guadaloupe. Wehad made a thorough inspection of all the neighbouring islands,beginning with Mariegalante, and had looked into Point-a-Pitre Harbouron the Grand Terre without making any discovery, when, one evening,while beating up under the south side of Desirade, we espied a schoonerat anchor near the shore and directly under the guns of a fort.Preparations were immediately made for cutting her out; the frigatetacking meanwhile, and reaching off the shore again in order to lull anysuspicions the Frenchmen may have had as to our intentions.
We worked up round the north-east end of the island, and it being bythat time as dark as it would be, the frigate hove-to, and the boats,properly manned and armed, were despatched under sail. I took no partin this expedition, as I had shared in the other, and the skipper wasanxious to give all his "young gentlemen" as far as possible equalopportunities of distinguishing themselves. The boats sent away on thisoccasion were the first cutter, under Mr Woods, the second lieutenant,the second cutter, under Gimbals, the quarter-master, with littleSmellie to lend a hand, and the jollyboat, under the command of no lessa personage than Mr Robert Summers.
We allowed them an hour and a quarter to get down to the schooner, atthe expiration of which time we filled and stood after them.
As we rounded the end of the island I slipped up as far as the fore-topmast crosstrees, to see if I could make out anything of what wasgoing on. All was perfectly dark and quiet to leeward, however, for thefirst ten minutes of my stay, and then I saw a bright flash--another--athird--then two more in quick succession, and presently the distant_boom_ of heavy guns came rumbling up to windward.
"Ah!" thought I. "That is the battery playing upon our people, Iexpect."
The fire was kept up pretty briskly for about ten minutes, and then itceased. Shortly afterwards a red light appeared inshore of us (thepreconcerted signal of success), and almost immediately after itsappearance I could make out the schooner, on board which it wasdisplayed, coming out from under the land. A quarter of an hourafterwards she was hove-to on our lee quarter.
Mr Woods' report was to the effect that he had got on board withoutmuch resistance and without any casualties, but that the schooner hadbeen anchored so close in under the battery that its garrison had heardthe sounds of the scuffle, and had, upon the schooner's weighing, openedfire upon her with effect, hulling her several times, inflicting rathersevere injuries from splinters upon four of our people, breaking MasterBob Summers' right leg below the knee, and cutting poor old Gimbals intwo.
The schooner was a French privateer mounting eight long-sixes, and along-nine upon her forecastle, with a crew of forty men.
Arrangements were being made for the transfer of the prisoners to thefrigate when the French skipper sent a message begging that, beforeanything else were done, he might be favoured with an interview withCaptain Annesley. The request was granted; he was brought on board the"Astarte" in the gig, and conducted below into the skipper's cabin.
He was there for about half an hour, and when he at length returned tohis own ship, orders were sent to Mr Woods to secure the schooner'screw below and make sail in company with the frigate. We bothaccordingly bore up, and running round the south-west end of the island,hauled up for North-East Bay in the Grand Terre, which we reached bydaylight next morning.
Here a fine frigate was found snugly anchored in the south-east cornerof the bay, in a sheltered bight, and under the protection of a batterymounting ten heavy guns.
It now came out that this frigate, a French craft of forty guns named"L'Artemise," had arrived at the islands on the previous day, and,hearing of our being in the neighbourhood, had immediately made her wayto the spot where we had found her; whether to be in wait for us, or tohide from us, could not yet be said. The skipper of the schooner hadpicked up this piece of news, and had bargained with our captain topilot him to the place where the French ship lay on condition that he,with his ship and crew, should be allowed to go free. The bargain wasstruck; our skipper insisting, however, upon the total disarming of theschooner.
The "Astarte" and her prize now hove-to; and, being still in deep water,orders were sent on board the schooner, to flood her magazine, and tothrow her guns and all the small-arms into the sea, leaving weapons onlyin the hands of the master and his two subordinates, for the maintenanceof proper discipline. This done, and all our people being taken out ofthe schooner, Captain Annesley wrote out a challenge to the captain ofthe French frigate and sent it in by the schooner. We then hoisted ourcolours and fired a gun. The French frigate and the battery on shorehoisted the tricolour soon afterwards; but though we watched theschooner into the anchorage, and saw a boat go from her to the frigatepresumably with our challenge, no farther notice was taken of ourpresence; the frigate remaining all day obstinately at anchor in hersecure position.
Of course everybody on board the "Astarte" was on the _qui vive_ duringthe whole of that day. Our three tops were permanently occupied byrelays of officers; and every telescope, good, bad, or indifferent, waskept constantly levelled at the noble craft inshore.
As for Captain Annesley, he never left the deck a moment as long asdaylight lasted, except to snatch a hasty mouthful at meal times; and hethat day exhibited the nearest approach to ill-temper that I ever saw inhim.
At length night fell; and still no sign had been made by the Frenchmen.Dinner had been postponed for an hour in the cabin, in hopes that thefrigate would yet come out; and when at last all hope had been given up,the whole of the officers were invited to dine with the skipper.
At sunset we wore round and stood away to the southward.
The conversation round the captain's mahogany that night was naturallyupon one topic only, namely, how to get hold of the frigate.
Captain Annesley listened with exemplary patience to all that was said;and, at last, when every possible suggestion, practicable andimpracticable, had been made, he said,--
"Thank you, gentlemen, one and all, for your very valuable suggestions,none of which, however--if I may be excused for saying so--strike me asbeing so simple as the one I have myself thought upon. It is this. Ipropose returning during the night to a spot near where the Frenchfrigate lies--I marked it particularly to-day, while we were lying offand on--and sending a boat's crew ashore about an hour before daybreakto-morrow morning, to see what can be done with that battery. Theywill, of course, be kept upon the tiptoe of expectation all night to-night, anticipating an attempt to cut the frigate out, or something ofthat sort. Toward morning, however, hearing nothing of us, and beingfatigued moreover by their night's watch, they will relax theirvigilance; and then I think perhaps something may be achieved in thenature of a surprise. I say a _surprise_, because, whatever is done, Ishould like done without giving the frigate the alarm. The battery oncein our possession, be it only for five minutes, those heavy guns, ofwhich I so much dislike the look, may be spiked; and _then_ we shallhave nothing to do but run into the bay, lay the frigate alongside, andhelp ourselves. Now, what do you think of my plan?"
"Capital! Excellent! The very thing!"
was the verdict, and everybodyapplauded to the echo, as of course in duty bound to do. But, apartfrom that, it really was an excellent proposal, and far better than anyof the previous suggestions.
"Very well, then," resumed the skipper. "Now as to details. Thesurprise and silencing of that battery is, as you must all see, a matterof the last importance, and will need a cool and steady hand as leaderof the expedition. I cannot spare many men, as we are short of ourcomplement already; and I have an idea that the French craft, ill-disposed as she seems to come out to us, will make a gallant defencewhen we go in to her. For the same reason, I can ill spare any of myofficers. Under such circumstances, who, in your opinion, should besent to deal with the battery?"
There was a dead silence for a minute. Then up spake Paddy Flinn.
"Bedad thin," said he, his eyes sparkling with animation, "it's myselfwould like to take the job in hand if it wos _shtorrrming_ the batterythat was wanted, captain, darlint; but since it's a surprise, for yourown sake and that of iverybody else, don't send me; for I _know_ I'd beputtin' me fut in it and raising no end of a distorbance before I'd donewid it."
There was a hearty laugh at this frank speech, in which the skipperjoined until the tears rolled down his cheeks.
"No, no, Flinn," said he. "You are the last man I should think ofsending upon such a business. Besides, I shall want you to lead one ofthe boarding-parties, where I know you will be in your element. MrWoods, I shall also want _you_; and I really don't see how I can well dowithout you, Mr Martin. So that we now come down to the midshipmen;and to tell the candid truth, young gentlemen, I have great qualms aboutentrusting so important a business to any of _you_. What do you say,Ralph, do you think you could manage so delicate a business withoutmaking a hash of it?"
"Yes, sir," said I, "I believe I could. At all events, I'll _undertake_to _silence_ the battery; and if care and patience will enable me to doso without alarming the frigate, it shall be done."
"Very well, then," said the skipper; "you shall conduct the enterprise;and remember that a surprise is eminently desirable, but that thespiking of the guns is _an imperative necessity_."
We sat a little while longer, and then, rising and making our bows,retired in a body.
We stood on until within an hour and a half of midnight, when we woreship and began to retrace our steps.
By three o'clock next morning we were off the spot which CaptainAnnesley had selected for the landing (a small strip of sandy beach,distant about a mile to the southward of the southernmost end of North-East Bay); and the frigate was once more hove-to.
The first cutter, which was the boat selected for the service, waslowered, and at four a.m. left the ship, having on board twenty pickedmen, in addition to the coxswain and myself, all fully armed.
On approaching the shore, we found ourselves to all appearance with arock-bound coast under our lee, upon which the sea was breaking withconsiderable violence. As we drew closer in, however, I made out thepoint behind which the landing-place was situate, and in five minutesafterwards we slid round the projection and found ourselves in smoothwater, with the beach close aboard. Giving the boat good way, we ranher well up on the sand, and all hands jumped out except two, who wereto remain in her as boatkeepers. She was then shoved off again; the twomen in charge being instructed to keep a bright lookout, and to beprepared to back in and receive us at a moment's notice, in the event ofanything going wrong.
I then paraded my small command, and, first repeating to them theirinstructions, led the way up the steep slope of the cliff. It was verydark, the moon--what there was of her--having set nearly an hour before;but, by dint of great caution and taking our time about it, we safelyreached the top of the cliff in about ten minutes. Here all hands laydown upon the grass, while I went forward on hands and knees over thebrow of the hill to reconnoitre. It was some little time before I coulddistinguish anything but the black shapeless bulk of the land before me;but at length I made out something which I thought was the battery, at adistance of about a quarter of a mile away, and at a somewhat lowerlevel than the spot upon which I found myself. Returning to thesurprise-party, we all moved cautiously forward toward the object whichI had seen; and when within a hundred yards of it, I once more left themen, and crawled forward, as before, to reconnoitre. As we had drawnnearer to this object, I had seen that I was mistaken as to this beingthe battery; and I now made out that it was a block of two small stonebuildings, evidently intended for use as a temporary barracks for theartillerymen belonging to the battery, and their officers.
I crept right up to the walls of these buildings, and finding everythingperfectly dark and silent, pushed my investigations somewhat farther.Pulling off my boots, I passed right round both buildings; and thenfound that I had in the first instance come upon their rear. Rounding acorner of the block (which was built in the form of the letter L withthe points facing inwards) I at once became aware of the presence of twodoors, one in each wing, both of which were open, and from which as wellas from the windows, a feeble stream of light was issuing. From theposition which I occupied, I was able to see in through the door of thesmaller building; and there, in a couple of hammocks, lay two figurespartially undressed; that is to say, they had thrown off their jackets,waistcoats, and boots. The jackets and waistcoats lay upon two chairs;and from the quantity of gold lace upon these I rightly conjectured thatthey were the officers. I then ventured to take a look in through thewindow of the larger room, observing the precaution to stand far enoughaway in the first instance to prevent the light falling upon my face andso betraying my presence to any perchance wakeful artilleryman. All,however, was perfectly still and silent; the long row of pallets on eachside of the room might have been tenanted by so many corpses for all themovement that they made. A loud nasal chorus, however, prevented anyapprehension I might otherwise have felt upon this subject. So far, sogood. I now withdrew until I considered myself quite beyond theinfluence of the lamps burning in the two apartments--and which, by-the-bye, I judged from the clearness with which they burned, must have beenvery recently trimmed--in order to ascertain the position of thebattery. There it was, sure enough, within twenty yards of me; and theonly reason why I had not seen it before was because the barrack-buildings were interposed between it and me. I sank hastily down uponthe grass to examine the structure, and made out that it was a sort ofredan, the two faces of which, forming a very obtuse angle, werecomposed of stone-work masked with sods. Five thirty-six-poundersgrinned from the embrasures in each face, and alongside each gun wasstacked up a goodly pile of shot. The merlons between the embrasuresappeared to have been constructed in such a way as to form expensemagazines, for I thought I could make out the doors leading thereto.The magazine proper I could not make out in the darkness, nor did Itrouble to look for it. The battery, I ought to mention, was notenclosed at all in the rear, being evidently intended strictly as a sea-defence. I had been so busy noting all this that I had almost forgottento look for the sentries which were sure to be posted somewhere. When Idid at last make them out, I found, to my very great satisfaction, thatthere were only two of them, one at each wing of the battery; and these,instead of pacing backward and forward as they ought to have done, werestanding with their backs turned toward me, gazing out to seaward--ifindeed they were not more than half-asleep. I saw at once that themoment was eminently propitious; so hurrying back to my men, who musthave wondered what had become of me, I led them up to within ten yardsof the barrack-buildings, when I made each man take off his shoes. Wethen crept up to the barrack-walls, and telling off nine men, eachprovided with a hammer carefully faced with leather to deaden the sound,and a few nails (being similarly provided myself), I placed theremainder of my party, five at each wing of the building, well withinthe shadow, with instructions to seize--without noise it possible--anddetain any one who might emerge from the building. In the event of analarm being given and the garrison aroused, two of the men were to rushin and overpower the officers, while the
remainder were to rally roundthe door of the larger room and prevent a sally until a signal-whistleshould inform them that the work of spiking was completed, when thewhole were to give leg-bail and make for the beach. But I warned themto prevent a general alarm, if possible, at all hazards.
Having posted this division of my party, I rejoined the other. Each manwas to spike a gun; but the two on each wing were, in addition, to creepup to and surprise the sentry on that wing; and no one was to attemptanything until the word should be passed from each wing.
These arrangements made, we at once moved forward, noiseless as shadows,towards our respective points. I took the northern wing, while BobHawkins, a fine steady main-topman, took the other.
As soon as we began to move, I devoted my whole attention to the sentryon my own wing, knowing I could not attend to him and look after othermatters also. There the man still stood, motionless as a statue; butfrom a slight movement or two which he made, I soon saw that he was notasleep, but, on the contrary, wide awake. On we crept, and presently wewere within six feet of him. At this moment one of our people sneezedviolently, and the man instantly turned. My right-hand man and I sprangupon him on the instant, and while I wrenched his firelock out of hishand, my assistant grasped the unhappy man so tenaciously by the throatthat he was utterly unable to utter a sound, and by sheer strength atthe same time forced him down upon his knees. I laid the firelockcarefully down upon the ground, and whipping out of my pocket a handfulof oakum and some marline, stuffed it and a thowl-pin into the fellow'smouth, effectually gagging him, and, I fear, half-choking him at thesame time. We next lashed him, neck and heels together, in such a waythat he could not possibly move, and then set about spiking the guns,passing the word along at the same time.
A distinct clinking, notwithstanding the leather facing to the hammers,on the right wing told me that all was going favourably in that quarter,and in another minute the work was effectually done. I was extremelyanxious during that minute, for the sound of the hammers smote upon myexcited ear like the sharp strokes of a bell. It soon ceased, however,and as everything remained quiet at the barrack-buildings, it seemedthat the clinking had not been loud enough to reach the ears of thesleepers therein. Giving the sentry on the right wing an overhaul tosee that he, like his comrade was all safe, I immediately withdrew thespikers, and picking up the other party in our retreat we silently madethe best of our way to the beach, which we safely reached in about aquarter of an hour, and, jumping into our boat, pulled cheerily out toseaward.
It had by this time grown just sufficiently light to enable us to seethe frigate looming like a seventy-four about a mile to windward. Theywere evidently on the lookout for us on board her, for we had scarcelyshoved the boat's nose clear of the point before we saw the beautifulcraft sweep gracefully round and run down toward us. She came as closein as the skipper dared bring her, and then hove-to. In ten minutesafterwards we were on board and the boat hoisted up.
"Well, Ralph," said Captain Annesley, as I went up the side and touchedmy hat, "what news?"
"We've carried out your orders to the letter, sir," I replied. "We havesurprised the battery, and, without giving the slightest alarm to theFrench frigate, have spiked the ten thirty-six pounders which itmounts."
"Thirty-sixes, eh!" said he. "I thought they had the look of heavymetal when I saw them through the telescope yesterday. Why, at theirelevation, and at so short a range, they would have sunk us before wecould get out again, had we attempted to go in there without firstsilencing them. Thank you, Mr Chester; you have performed a difficultand most important service with equal skill and courage, and I shallhave great pleasure in representing as much to the admiral."
Here was a feather in my cap. However, I had no time just then forself-gratulation, for as soon as our success had been made known, thefrigate wore round--every preparation had been made long before--and weheaded at once for North-east Bay; our skipper having taken the utmostcare to keep the French frigate shut in all night by the projectingpoint of land which forms the southern extremity of the bay, in orderthat the "Astarte" herself might be equally hidden from the Frenchfrigate.
Ten minutes afterwards we shaved close in round the point, and there laythe "Artemise," within half-a-dozen cables' lengths of us, withboarding-nettings triced up, guns run out, and everything apparently inreadiness to receive us.
For a moment or two our presence appeared to be unnoticed; then _crack_!went the sentries' pieces, one after another, on board her, the quick,short roll of drums was heard beating to quarters, and the hithertosilent craft became in a moment all astir with bustle and animation.
In the meantime the "Astarte," conned by the skipper in person, with oldMartin, the master, at the wheel, was put dead away before the winduntil she had run in to within some five hundred yards of the beach andhad barely eight feet of water between her keel and the bottom. Thehelm was then put gently over to port, and she swept round in a longgraceful curve, during which the whole of her canvas was very smartlyhauled down and clewed up, finally coming up head to wind, and graduallylosing way, she ranged alongside her antagonist--the distance havingbeen most accurately measured by the skipper--and the grapplings wereinstantly thrown and secured.
The "Artemise" reserved her fire until we were fairly alongside, whenshe delivered her entire broadside, the tremendous concussion of whichcaused the two frigates to sway heavily away from each other until thestrength of the grapplings and lashings was taxed to its fullest extent.The marines on her poop, at the same moment, opened upon us a heavy andgalling musketry-fire; but by neither did we suffer much loss, for ourmain-deck ports were closed, the guns being run in, and the entire crewupon the upper-deck crouching behind the lofty bulwarks. The momentthat the first volley of musketry had rung out, away went both partiesof boarders, fore and aft, making a way for themselves somehow, in spiteof the nettings, and driving the Frenchmen from both ends of the shipinto her waist, where they were so huddled and crowded together thatvery few of them were able to use their weapons to any advantage. Theyfought well for the first two or three minutes; but when they found thatthe shore battery remained silent, they became confused anddisheartened, as I easily gathered from their ejaculations andexclamations, and at length, after a really stubborn resistance of someten minutes' duration, they threw down their arms and surrendered.
The prisoners were at once sent below and the hatches clapped on overthem, after which immediate steps were taken to remove the two shipsfrom their somewhat perilous position, which was that of embayment upona lee shore.
A strong prize crew was placed on board the "Artemise," leaving onlyjust sufficient hands on board the "Astarte" to work her sails, and thenthe latter set her canvas, cast off her fasts and grapplings, and cantedto the southward. So close to the shore had the French frigate beenmoored, and so completely within the shelter of the bight, that therewas very little room for manoeuvring, and the "Astarte," short-handed asshe was, narrowly escaped leaving bones to bleach on the rocky point.She managed, however, to scrape clear by the skin of her teeth, and oncefairly outside and clear of danger she went about and hove-to on thestarboard tack, to wait for her prize.
The "Artemise" had been placed in charge of Mr Flinn, who had selectedme for his first and Smellie for his second lieutenant; Mr Woods actingas first on board the "Astarte." Mr Vining, the third lieutenant, andCarter, were, it will be remembered, both absent in the prizes we hadtaken at the Roccas.
As soon as we saw that our own noble frigate was safe, Paddy--who neverliked to lose anything--gave the order to pass the messenger and get theanchor, instead of cutting the cable. The ship was riding by her bestbower, and I was rather doubtful whether we should manage the job. Themen, however, walked her manfully up to her anchor, until the cable wasstraight up and down, when they left the capstan-bars and flew aloft toloose the canvas, being as fully aware as their officers of the criticalposition of the ship, and of her liability to drive ashore unless thework were smartly ex
ecuted, they achieved their task in an incrediblyshort time, and by almost superhuman exertions on their part the sailswere set almost as quickly as though we had been fully manned.
"Well done, lads!" shouted Paddy encouragingly. "Now man the capstan-bars once more, break the anchor out at once, and run it straight up tothe bows! If you cannot get it smartly all your labour will be lost bythe ship driving ashore. Play up, piper, and walk away cheerily, men!"
The piper struck up some lively air--I forget what,--the seamen threwtheir whole weight upon the long capstan-bars, the cable strained andsurged, the capstan jerked slowly round, pawl by pawl, and at length, asa heavier swell than usual rolled into the bay, there was a sudden andviolent jerk, the capstan yielded somewhat unexpectedly to the violentexertions of the men, rolling two or three of them over on their noses,away went the rest at a run, laughing heartily at their comrades'discomfiture, and the great anchor drew reluctantly out of the ground.
I was on the topgallant forecastle all the time, superintending theoperations there, and as soon as I saw the cable swinging with the heaveof the ship, "Anchor's aweigh, sir!" I sang out.
"Thank you, Mr Chester. Now put your helm hard-a-port, my man; overwith it smartly. She has stern-way upon her and is driving in towardthe shore. Now she pays off. Trim aft your lee headsheets, forwardthere. Man the lee forebraces. Now swing your fore-yard, board thefore and main-tacks, and haul aft the sheets. Any news of the anchoryet, Mr Chester?"
"The stock has just hove in sight, sir!"
"That's well, let us have it up, and get it catted at once, if youplease."
The frigate was now under weigh on the starboard tack and looking uphandsomely to windward of the northern extremity of the bay, having beenextricated from an exceedingly awkward position mainly by theextraordinary exertions of the crew. The new skipper therefore deemedit an appropriate occasion upon which to raise the cry of "Grog ho!" andthe men soon had an opportunity of comparing the quality of theFrenchmen's brandy with that of our own more unpretentious rum.
The French cook, meanwhile, had been summoned to the galley, and wassoon busy preparing breakfast for the men, and concocting a ditto forthe cabin, which was intended to show his own officers--who, by the way,had given their parole--that the love of his art rose triumphant above_la fortune de la guerre_, and to impress us with the conviction that itis a Frenchman only who can cook.
Captain Annesley, on seeing us fairly under weigh, filled and stood onupon the same tack as ourselves. At length we were far enough towindward to fetch clear of everything upon the other tack with ease, andwe accordingly went about, the "Astarte" tacking at the same time. Sheedged down to within speaking distance of us shortly afterwards, andCaptain Annesley hailed to say that--as we had fully expected--heintended to shape a course back to Barbadoes, and wished us to makeevery effort to keep together. After breakfast we had a little friendlytrial of speed, when it was found that the "Astarte" could just spare usher fore and mizzen topgallant sails.
At two p.m. on the following day we both anchored in Carlisle Bay, andwere very pleased to see that Vining and Carter were also safely there.
Our skipper got very great credit for this exploit of ours, as indeed weall did; and I may as well here state that the participators in iteventually received the naval medal.
The "Artemise" was purchased into the British navy, under the same name,and the command of her given to Mr Flinn. Mr Woods was raised to therank of first lieutenant, and Mr Vining also moved a step up theratlines, leaving a vacancy for a third lieutenant, which our skippermost kindly filled up by giving me an acting order.
As the "Astarte" had received a considerable amount of damage to herhull from the double-shotted broadside of the "Artemise," fired at suchexceedingly close range, she was placed alongside the dockyard jetty forrepairs, and it was not until next day that I had an opportunity to takea run ashore and make inquiries respecting little Fisher. The skipperand I went together, and, to our very great gratification, found thatthe poor boy, thanks to the assiduous nursing he had received, was doingmarvellously well. His wounds were healing in the most satisfactorymanner, and he had so far recovered his strength that at the time of ourvisit he was daily expecting to receive the doctor's permission to situp in bed for an hour or so. It was exceedingly doubtful, however,whether the poor lad would ever again have much use of his right arm,and in that case his prospects, as far as the navy was concerned atleast, were at an end for ever.