John Deane of Nottingham Part 24

Jack, however, very soon got tired of leading an idle life. Routs and card-parties were not at all to his taste, and although Nottingham was not dest.i.tute of damsels possessed of a fair amount of beauty, he did not find himself attracted by any of them. He had speedily taught himself to think no more of Alethea, but in her stead another young and pretty form often rose up before him. He met with no one indeed, in his opinion, to be compared with sweet little Elizabeth Pearson, or rather, as he believed she should be called, Elise de Mertens. He made up his mind, therefore, to leave home at a short notice and hasten down to Portsmouth, where he saw in the columns of the _Post-boy_ that a fleet was fitting out, under the brave Admiral Benbow, for the West Indies.

CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT.

SERVES UNDER BENBOW IN THE WEST INDIES.

It was early in March in the year 1702. As Jack Deane was approaching London, he heard a postman shouting, "Sad news! sad news!"

"What is it?" asked Jack.

"The king is dead!" was the answer. "Our good King William is no more!"

Jack, on making further inquiry, learned that the king had, on Sat.u.r.day, 21st, gone out to hunt, as was his custom, near Hampton Court, when his horse fell, and he fractured his collar-bone. The injury was not considered serious, and he was conveyed to his palace at Kensington.

Having been, however, in a very weak state, he did not rally, and it was evident to those around him that he was near his end. On the 8th of March one of the best and most sagacious of English monarchs breathed his last, holding the hand of the faithful Duke of Portland. His voice had gone ere that; but his reason and all his senses were entire to the last. He died with a clear and full presence of mind, and with a wonderful tranquillity.

On the accession of Queen Anne, the Jacobites remained quiet, under the belief that she would leave the crown to the son of James the Second, now known as the Chevalier Saint George. They were not aware of the sound Protestant principles of the great ma.s.s of Englishmen, and that any attempt to bring back a Romanist member of the hated House of Stuart, so often tried and found utterly unfit for ruling, would have produced another civil war. Those infatuated men, the Jacobites, did not conceal their joy at the death of the Protestant monarch. Banquets were held among them to celebrate the event, and some had the audacity and wickedness, it may be said, to toast the health of the horse which had thrown William. Another toast they drank was to the health of the little gentleman dressed in velvet, in other words, the mole that raised the hill over which Sorel (the king's favourite horse) stumbled.

Jack Deane on hearing these things felt as if, had he been present, he should have been very much inclined to challenge those who showed this disrespect to a sovereign whom he had learned to honour and love.

The fleet had taken its departure some time before John Deane reached Portsmouth, but he found a fast frigate on the point of sailing to carry despatches to the admiral, the "Venus." Admiral Benbow's object in going out to the West Indies had been to detain the Spanish galleons.

When war was declared on the accession of Queen Anne, a French admiral had also sailed from Brest for the same station, with fourteen sail of the line and sixteen frigates, to meet the galleons and convoy them to Cadiz. Although the brave Benbow's squadron was far smaller than that of the French, he kept a sharp look-out for the enemy. He had performed many services in the West Indies to the merchants by capturing privateers and protecting their settlements from the attacks of the enemy.

Admiral Benbow's s.h.i.+p was the "Breda," of seventy guns, and her youngest lieutenant having died of fever, Jack Deane, greatly to his satisfaction, found himself appointed to that s.h.i.+p. Early in July, the admiral sailed from Jamaica, with seven sail of men-of-war, in the hope of joining Admiral Whitstone, who had been sent from England with a reinforcement to endeavour to intercept the French squadron which had sailed under Monsieur Du Ca.s.se. The admiral on the 10th of August, being off Donna Maria Bay, received advice that Du Ca.s.se had sailed for Carthagena and Portobello. He instantly went in quest of him, and in the evening of the 19th, discovered off Santa Martha ten sail of s.h.i.+ps.

On his nearer approach he found the greatest number of them to be French men-of-war. Four s.h.i.+ps of from sixty to seventy guns, one great Dutch s.h.i.+p of about thirty or forty guns, and another full of soldiers, the rest being of a smaller size. They were steering along sh.o.r.e under their topsails. The admiral made a signal to form a line of battle ahead, and bore away under an easy sail, that those to leeward might the more readily get into their station. It was the admiral's intention not to make the signal of battle but only of defiance, when he had got abreast of the enemy's headmost s.h.i.+p. Before he reached his station, however, the "Falmouth," which was in the rear, began to fire, as did also the "Windsor" and "Advance," and soon after the Vice-Admiral was engaged; and now an act was performed which has rarely happened in the British Navy. After exchanging two or three broadsides, the "Windsor"

and "Advance" luffed to windward out of gunshot, and left the admiral exposed to the fire of the two sternmost s.h.i.+ps of the enemy, by whom he was very much galled. Neither did the s.h.i.+ps in the rear come up to his a.s.sistance with the alacrity he expected. In spite of this, the brave Benbow continued to engage the enemy from four o'clock until night, and although the latter then ceased firing, yet he kept sight of them, intending to renew the action in the morning. On the following day at daybreak he found himself close to the enemy, with the "Ruby" only near enough to support him. Unintimidated by the misconduct of those who had so shamefully deserted him, he pursued the enemy, who were using every effort to escape. The "Ruby" in a short time was so dreadfully knocked about that he was obliged to order her to return to Port Royal. Two more days pa.s.sed away, and still the brave old admiral kept up the pursuit. On the morning of the 24th, he got up with the sternmost s.h.i.+ps of the French, and although receiving but little a.s.sistance from the rest of the squadron he brought them to close action. Round-shot, and chain-shot, and langrage came flying on board the "Breda," the British seamen sending back much the same sort of missiles as those with which they were complimented. Volumes of smoke from the guns rolled out of the ports. Still undaunted, and excited by the example of their brave admiral, the British sailors fought on. At length a shot swept across the quarter-deck, on which the admiral was standing. He was seen to fall. His right leg was shattered by it. Immediately he was carried below. He urged the surgeons to dress the wound as rapidly as they could, and then being placed in his cradle, he directed himself to be brought once more on the deck. There, in spite of the agony he was suffering, he continued to give his orders. One of the last he issued was to direct the other captains to "keep the line and behave like men."

Great was his grief, vexation, and rage, when the recreant captains came on board and declared that enough had been done, and that it would be dangerous to follow the enemy. In vain the old admiral pleaded with them. They persisted that by so doing they would ensure the destruction of their s.h.i.+ps and crews. Wounded and sick at heart he had at length to yield to them, and he issued the order for the squadron to return to Jamaica. Here the brave old admiral was carried on sh.o.r.e, and shortly afterwards died of the wound he had received. The captains who had refused to support him were tried by a court-martial, and two of them were carried home and shot on the decks of their s.h.i.+ps, as soon as they arrived in an English port.

To return to John Deane. Soon after the "Breda" reached Port Royal, as she was likely to remain there for some time, and he was anxious for active employment, he got re-appointed to the "Venus," which was sent to cruise for the protection of British commerce.

As soon as the frigate was clear of the island, a bright look-out was kept for the French privateers or any other of the enemy's vessels. The frigate had been cruising for a week or more, and had already got some distance from Jamaica, having during the time captured several small vessels, some of which had been destroyed and others sent to Port Royal, when one forenoon a large s.h.i.+p was descried to leeward. All sail was crowded in chase, and as the frigate had the advantage of the wind, the stranger being almost becalmed, she soon came up with her.

As soon as the breeze reached the stranger, without hoisting her colours, she made all sail in an attempt to escape. Various opinions were offered as to her character. Some thought she was a Spanish galleon, though how she should have come thus far north was a question not easily answered. Others believed she was a large French merchantman, and some p.r.o.nounced her to be a privateer. She was a fast craft, at all events, for as soon as she felt the breeze she slipped through the water at a rate which made it doubtful whether the "Venus"

would come up with her. This made the English still more anxious for her capture, as, in the first place, if a merchantman, she was likely to have a rich cargo on board, and at all events she might be converted into a useful cruiser.

It was a general opinion in those days that the French vessels were faster sailers than the English, and certain it is that many of the best models of men-of-war were taken from the French. The Genoese, however, were reputed to be better s.h.i.+p-builders than either. A stern chase is a long chase always. The stranger persevered in her flight, in the hope that some accident might secure her escape. The English pursued in the hope that an accident to the chase might enable them to capture her.

The day wore on, and fears were entertained that the chase would escape during the darkness of the night. Every st.i.tch of canvas which the frigate could carry was set on her, while the sails which could be reached were kept constantly wet, that no wind might pa.s.s through them.

The crew cheered with glee when they found that their efforts were not without good effect, and that the frigate at last was overhauling the chase. At length she got near enough to fire a bow-chaser. The shot took effect, and cut away several of her braces. This allowed the sails to fly wildly in the air. In consequence, the frigate now came up more rapidly, and, as she did so, continued firing with good effect. The chase at length let fly all her sheets, and hauled down the French flag, which had just before been run up. As soon as the frigate hove to, Lieutenant Deane was ordered to board the prize with a boat's crew. She proved to be a rich merchant vessel outward-bound to the French colonies on the Main, with a large and valuable a.s.sorted cargo, and was evidently a prize worth taking.

The captain of the "Venus" was ordered to send in his prizes, as he should take them, to Port Royal, but as long as he had sufficient men to fight his s.h.i.+p not to return himself. It was important, however, that so rich a prize should be carefully navigated, and he accordingly ordered his junior lieutenant--John Deane--to take charge of her with a crew of fifteen men, to carry her into Port Royal. Ten of her former crew volunteered to a.s.sist in navigating her, and they were allowed to remain, while the rest, with the captain and officers, were carried on board the "Venus."

Jack now found himself for the first time in his life in command of a large s.h.i.+p. As may be supposed, he had not been asleep all the time he had been at sea, and he already possessed a very good knowledge of seamans.h.i.+p, as well as of navigation. He had no doubt, therefore, that he should be able safely to carry his prize to her destined port.

Two mids.h.i.+pmen were sent with him to act as lieutenants, and an old quarter-master to do the duty of boatswain. Jack was a great favourite among all with whom he had served, both with his superiors and with those beneath him. His two young mids.h.i.+pmen--d.i.c.k Lovatt and Ned Hawke--had become particularly-attached to him, while Will Burridge, the old quarter-master, would have gone through fire and water to serve him.

On one occasion, Burridge, whether he had had too much Jamaica rum on board or not it was difficult to say, managed to fall overboard into the harbour swarming with sharks. As the tide was running strong at the time, Burridge had already been swept some distance from the s.h.i.+p before he was perceived. Jack, regardless of the sharks, leaped overboard, and swimming towards the sinking seaman, kept him up, splas.h.i.+ng about so as to make the monsters of the deep keep at a respectful distance till a boat arrived to take them both on board. Jack declared it was not a thing to be talked about, any body might have done the same, and therefore it was not mentioned at the time of its occurrence. It however raised Deane's character among the crew, and made them all ready to volunteer in any expedition where he was to lead.

As soon as the damages which the prize had received were repaired, the frigate stood on her course, and Jack made sail for Port Royal. The prize was called the "Coquille," and carried twelve guns, so that Jack hoped, should he be attacked by one of the enemy's privateers, or any small man-of-war, he might make a good fight of it, and beat off his opponent if he could not take her.

The first day the weather was very fine; the wind then fell, and there was a dead calm. The sun struck down with intense heat on the deck of the vessel, making the very pitch in her seams bubble up. The crew began to feel the effects of the heat, and moved languidly about the decks, exhibiting a listlessness very different to their usual activity.

Jack with one of his officers was sitting below at dinner, when Hawke, the other, who had the watch on deck, entered the cabin.

"I thought it as well to tell you, sir," he said, "that I don't quite like the way the Frenchmen are carrying on. I have observed them for some time past whispering together, and I cannot help thinking that they expect to find us napping, and to set on us and try to retake the vessel."

"It's as well to be prepared," answered Jack. "Thank you for your forethought. But it will scarcely be right to put them in irons, unless we have evidence of their intention. I will tell Burridge, and hint to the men to be on the look-out, so that we shall be even with the Monsieurs if they make the attempt which you fancy they purpose."

Burridge soon made his appearance in the cabin, hat in hand, and receiving his directions hurried back to speak to the English crew.

Jack and his two young officers, having loaded their pistols and stuck them in their belts, and fastened on their swords, made their appearance also on deck. The Frenchmen seemed to be watching them; but if they had any sinister intentions, the preparations which Jack had made to oppose them compelled them for the moment to keep quiet.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

HURRICANE--CAPTURED BY PIRATES.

Jack had not had much experience with the West India climate; but he had heard enough of the signs preceding a hurricane to make him somewhat anxious about the state of the weather. Gradually a thick mist seemed to be overspreading the sky, while there was not a breath of wind sufficient to move a feather in the rigging.

"We shall have the wind down upon us presently," he observed to Hawke.

"We will clue up every thing, and strike the topgallant-masts. If the wind does not come it will be no great harm, as it will only give the Frenchmen something more to do; and if it does come, and we have all this gear aloft, it will be carried away to a certainty."

The order was immediately issued, and the hands flew aloft to carry it out. Before, however, the canvas was all secured, a white line of foam was seen rus.h.i.+ng towards the s.h.i.+p, extending on either side as far as the eye could reach. On it came, rising in height, while a loud roar burst on the ears of the crew.

"Down for your lives, men, down!" shouted Jack, as the s.h.i.+p, struck by the furious blast, heeled over.

Some obeyed the summons and slid down on deck in time; but others, who did not hear the order, remained aloft, many in their terror clinging to spars and shrouds, unable to move. Over heeled the stout s.h.i.+p. The masts like willow-wands bent, and then, snapping in two, were carried away to leeward. The lower yards dipped in the water, and most of those upon them were torn away from their grasp, while others were hurled to a distance from the s.h.i.+p. For a few minutes she lay helplessly on her beam-ends, then happily feeling the power of her helm, which was put up, the canvas at the same time being blown away, her head paid off, and righting herself she flew before the gale. In vain the poor wretches who had been hurled into the water shrieked for help. No human help could reach them! In a few minutes they were left far behind, while the s.h.i.+p, lately so trim and gallant, was hurried on, too likely to meet that destruction which overtook many other stout vessels at that time.

More than half the English crew had been lost, and only one of the Frenchmen, so that their numbers were now more equal.

On flew the s.h.i.+p. The sea torn and thrown up by the force of the hurricane, loud-roaring billows foamed and hissed on either side, while darkness soon came on to add to the horrors of the scene.

Undaunted, Jack and his crew exerted themselves to clear away the wreck of the masts and spars. The fearful working of the s.h.i.+p, however, made it too probable that if not very strongly-built, she would spring a leak and go down. Every instant the seas grew higher and higher, and it was with difficulty that she could be kept before the wind. Her boats were washed away by the seas which broke on board, and though often she was in danger of being p.o.o.ped by those which dashed against her stern, still she floated on.

When morning at length dawned, the hurricane began to abate. The wind ceased almost as rapidly as it had commenced; but the once stout s.h.i.+p, now almost a wreck, rolled heavily in the still tumbling seas. As yet little could be done to get her put to rights. She was still at a considerable distance from Jamaica, and with his diminished crew, Jack saw that it would take some time to rig jury-masts, and thus enable him to shape a proper course for Port Royal. As soon, however, as the sea went sufficiently down, and the s.h.i.+p became steadier, he ordered the crew to commence the work. His own men willingly obeyed; but the Frenchmen walked forward sullenly, declaring that there would be no use in exerting themselves, and positively refusing to work. While they were acting thus, Burridge brought him word that several had, by some means or other, got hold of fire-arms and hangers, and were evidently prepared for mischief.

"We must watch our opportunity, and try to disarm them," observed John Deane. "Work they must, by some means or other, or else they must be put in irons."

To do this, however, was no easy task, considering that there were as many Frenchmen as Englishmen, and the former were evidently desperate fellows. Hawke was fortunately able to speak French very well, and Jack directed him therefore to address the mutineers, and ask them again whether they would a.s.sist in putting the s.h.i.+p into order. A flat refusal was the answer, and thus the whole day was occupied. The following night was one of great anxiety, as it became necessary to keep a constant watch over the Frenchmen, lest they should suddenly attack the English and attempt to regain the s.h.i.+p. Jack did not allow himself a moment's rest, but continued, with arms by his side, pacing the deck, while a constant watch was kept on the movements of the mutineers.

Dawn at length broke; and soon after the sun rose above the horizon its bright rays struck on the sails of a large vessel which was seen standing towards the "Coquille," with a light breeze then blowing. Jack anxiously watched her through his gla.s.s, hoping, from the cut of her sails, that she might prove an English man-of-war. As she came on, he hoisted on the stump of the main-mast the English ensign reversed, the signal of distress. On the nearer approach of the stranger, however, Deane observed that the English flag was not hoisted in return, which would have been the case had she been a friend. If she had been at sea during the hurricane, she had escaped wonderfully well, for her masts and yards were as trim as if she had just come out of port. Her decks, too, seemed crowded with men. In a short time, running under the stern of the "Coquille," she "hove to," and a man with a speaking-trumpet hailed from her deck, demanding the name of the vessel, and where she was bound to.

"A prize to Her Majesty's s.h.i.+p 'Venus,' and bound for Port Royal,"

answered Jack.

"And very little chance you'll have of getting there," replied the man with the speaking-trumpet, "We will send a boat aboard you and see about the matter."

In another minute two well-armed boats were lowered from the stranger, and soon came alongside the "Coquille." Their crews jumped on board.

"You have been caught in the hurricane, I see," said the man who seemed to act as the officer. "What is your cargo?"