We had sighted the island of Antigua on our starboard bow, and were standing in towards Nevis, when three sail appeared to the westward.
One of the lieutenants went aloft to examine them. On returning on deck, he reported that one was a line-of-battle ship, and the other two frigates. As there could be no doubt, from their position, that they were enemies, the captain ordered our course to be altered, intending to pa.s.s to the northward of Antigua. We had been seen by the enemy, who were making all sail in chase. I saw Dubois and La Touche watching them eagerly.
"You expect this time to gain your liberty, my friend?" I said to La Touche. "Don"t be too sure that your countrymen will come up with us, or if they do, that they will make the _Liffy_ strike her flag."
"I would rather be set at liberty in any other way," he answered, in his usual cordial tone; "but they appear to me to be gaining on us."
"Perhaps they are, and if so we must fight them, and drive them off," I observed.
"It would be madness to do that," he remarked. "You cannot cope with a line-of-battle ship alone, independent of two frigates, each of which is a match for the _Liffy_."
It was soon seen that our captain had no intention of striking his flag without striking very hard first at the enemy. The strangers appeared to have a stronger breeze than filled our sails, and were coming up hand over hand with us. Still we might get the wind, and run into an English harbour. It was the first time the _Liffy_ ever had to run, and we didn"t like it. I asked Nettleship what he thought about the matter.
"We shall have a tough fight, at all events; but if we can save our spars, I don"t think, notwithstanding, the enemy will take us."
This was the general feeling of all on board.
We had sighted Nevis, when two other ships were made out to the south-east. Presently several more appeared in that direction. It was a question, however, whether they were friends or foes. Had we been certain that they were friends, we should have stood towards them, but our captain was unwilling to run the risk of finding that he had made a mistake. A look-out was kept on them from aloft; and before long they were p.r.o.nounced to be enemies. I saw by the looks of our captain that he didn"t like it, though he tried to appear as confident as usual. The rest of the officers kept up their spirits.
It was very evident that we were now in a difficult position. The line-of-battle ship was the closest; the two frigates, one to the north of us, the other some way to the south of her; while the new enemies we had discovered prevented us escaping in the opposite direction. Our only hope was to knock away some of the spars of the line-of-battle ship, and then fight our way past the two frigates. The line-of-battle ship was rapidly approaching. A single broadside, should we be exposed to it, would almost sink us.
Every preparation had been made for fighting; and not a man flinched from his gun. The officers were at their stations; the powder-monkeys seated on their tubs; the surgeons below, preparing for the wounded; and we, the younger midshipmen, ready for any duty we might be called on to perform.
At length a puff of smoke was seen issuing from the line-of-battle ship.
The shot fell close to our counter.
"That was fired from her forecastle," observed Nettleship, "from a long gun, too. It will play Old Harry with us if well served, before we can return the compliment."
A second shot quickly followed, and struck the hammock-nettings on the starboard side, knocking several overboard.
We at length luffed up; and the captain ordered the whole of our starboard broadside to be fired. Our guns were well aimed, and immediately we had fired we again kept away. Our shot did considerable damage to our pursuer, but she still kept on, while we expected every moment to have her broadside crashing into us.
Fortunately for us the wind fell, and our light frigate moved rapidly through the water. The other frigates were, however, coming up.
"What does the captain intend to do?" I asked of Nettleship.
He pointed ahead where the island of Nevis rose green and smiling out of the blue water.
"Depend on it he won"t let the enemy have our tight little frigate if he can help it," he answered. "My idea is that he"ll try and get close in, and stand round the island, to give a chance to our big enemy to run on sh.o.r.e."
Shortly after this I heard Nettleship involuntarily exclaim, "See! see!
here it comes!" and as I looked aft I saw the line-of-battle ship luffing up, and as she did so her whole broadside was discharged at us.
With a fearful uproar the shot came crashing on board. Cries and shrieks arose from all sides. Well-nigh a dozen of our men were struck down, and many more were wounded. The most severely hurt of the latter were carried below. Comparatively little damage, however, had been done to our spars and rigging, though the rents in our sails showed where the shot had pa.s.sed through; while blocks came rattling down on deck, and several ropes hung in festoons from the yards. Still our stout-hearted captain held on.
To return the enemy"s fire would have been useless, and only the sooner insure our destruction. We got nearer and nearer the island. The men were ordered into the chains to heave the lead. The captain and master examined the chart, which had been brought from the cabin. We had no doubt of what their intentions were, but we couldn"t hear a word they said. We were gaining on our pursuer, but at the same time the two frigates were not far astern, while the other ships, which had last been seen, were coming up rapidly. The men in the chains were heaving the lead. We were shoaling our water.
"By the mark, nine," was called, and immediately followed by "By the mark, eight." Before the men in the chains could again cry out, a loud crash was heard,--every timber in the ship trembled,--the tall masts quivered.
"We"re on sh.o.r.e," I cried out.
"No doubt about that," said Nettleship, "and likely to remain there too."
The captain at once ordered the men aloft to furl sails.
Our pursuer, not wishing to meet with the same fate, hauled her wind, and stood to a distance, which left us beyond the reach of her guns.
"Roll them up anyhow. Be smart about it," cried Mr Saunders.
It was done. Then the order came,--"Out boats!"
Every boat was got into the water, and brought over to the starboard side, with a few hands in each.
"We shall have to cut away the masts," said Nettleship, whom I again pa.s.sed.
The ship was still forging over the ledge on which she had struck, closer and closer towards the sh.o.r.e. The order which he expected quickly came.
"Stand from under," shouted Mr Saunders. Some of the men sprang below, others forward. We, the officers, rushed aft. The carpenter, with his mates, and the boatswain, stood ready, with their gleaming axes in their hands.
"Cut!" cried the captain.
The shrouds were severed at one side, then the axes descended. A few strokes, and the masts in rapid succession fell overboard. We had all been so engaged in this operation that we had not watched our enemies.
We now saw the line-of-battle ship signalling the frigates. Shortly after they were seen to stand in, apparently for the object of attacking us.
"It must be done," cried Captain Macnamara. "Lads, I"m sorry to say we must leave our stout ship. We must not allow her, however, to fall into the hands of the enemy. Get your clothes, and anything you value most, as I have resolved to destroy her."
Every one now hurried below to get their clothes, and such other things as they desired to preserve. The purser appeared with the ship"s papers, the master with the ship"s log, and the captain with a few instruments. Muskets and ammunition, pistols and cutla.s.ses, were then served out, so that we might have the means of resisting the enemy should they attempt to land. All were now ready for embarking. He would allow none of us to take larger sized packages than the men were permitted to carry away. The crew were now all told off to take their places in the boats. The midshipmen and boys, as in the case of fire or shipwreck, were sent first. Larry was in my boat.
"It"s a sad day this, Mr Terence, which I never thought to see," he said; "but arrah! I"ve not forgotten my fiddle, and it will be mighty convenient to cheer the hearts of our poor fellows when we get ash.o.r.e."
Most of the men took the matter very philosophically. Those who suffered most were the unfortunate wounded, who had previously been lowered into the boats, with the surgeons to look after them. Our two prisoners, Dubois and La Touche, had, I fancied, formed some plan for remaining on board, but a hint from Rough-and-Ready made them very quickly follow me into the boat, accompanied by a marine.
"Take care, Finnahan, those two foreigners don"t give you the slip,"
shouted the first lieutenant. "Let them understand that they must remain under charge of the sentry, and that if they give leg-bail he has orders to shoot them. Now shove off."
I told my friends what Mr Saunders had said.
"Ah, that lieutenant of yours is very suspicious," remarked Dubois. "We wish to get away! What folly to think of it."
I said nothing more, but there was a twinkle in Dubois" eye, which made me fancy he did think of it.
The sh.o.r.e was soon reached; providentially there was no surf, and the men quickly landed. On this the boats at once put off to bring away the remainder of the crew. The men bent to their oars. There was no time to be lost, for the French frigates were approaching, and would soon be blazing away at our ship. On they came under all sail.
"We"ll have them right enough if they run ash.o.r.e," cried one of the men; "there"ll then be fair play maybe."
"I wish that our captain would only just let us go back and fight them,"
exclaimed another; "we"d soon show them that the saucy _Liffy_ hasn"t done barking yet."
But the Frenchmen seemed to have no intention of running ash.o.r.e if they could help it. As we got alongside they had come almost within range of our guns. The remainder of the crew and officers stood ready to embark.
Just at that moment I recollected that I had come away without my grandfather"s sword, which was hung up in the berth. I sprang on deck and rushed down below to obtain it. Having got it in my hand, I was hurrying out of the berth, when I saw the captain, accompanied by Mr Saunders with the gunner and his crew, just coming aft. At the same time I observed a dense smoke issuing from the fore-hold. They had matches in their hands, with which they had lighted some trains which had been laid leading to the after-part of the ship. I sprang back into the boat, into which the gunner and his crew followed me, the captain"s gig still waiting alongside. Mr Saunders came down and took his seat.