Part 48 (2/2)
Although the skin only was razed, he thought proper to consider himself badly wounded; and giving up the command to Mr Webster, the second lieutenant, had retreated below, where he remained until the action was over. When Mr Webster reported the return of the boats, with the capture of the gun-boat, and my supposed death, he was delighted, that he quite forgot his wound, and ran on deck, rubbing his hands as he walked up and down. At last he recollected himself, went down into his cabin, and came up again with his arm in a sling.
During the short time that we remained in port, I took care that _Riga balsam_ should not be allowed to come alongside, and the men were all sober. We received orders from the captain of the _Acasta_ to join the admiral, who was off the Texel, in pursuance of directions he had received from the Admiralty to despatch one of the squadron, and we were selected from the dislike which he had taken to Captain Hawkins.
CHAPTER SIXTY.
AN OLD FRIEND IN A NEW CASE--HEART OF OAK IN SWEDISH FIR--A MAN'S A MAN, ALL THE WORLD OVER, AND SOMETHING MORE IN MANY PARTS OF IT--PETER GETS REPRIMANDED FOR BEING DILATORY, BUT PROVES A t.i.tLE TO A DEFENCE-ALLOWED.
When we were about forty miles off the harbour, a frigate hove in sight.
We made the private signal: she hoisted Swedish colours, and kept away a couple of points to close with us.
We were within two miles of her when she up courses and took in her topgallant sails. As we closed to within two cable's lengths, she hove-to. We did the same; and the captain desired me to lower down the boat, and board her, ask her name, by whom she was commanded, and offer any a.s.sistance if the captain required it. This was the usual custom of the service, and I went on board in obedience to my orders. When I arrived on the quarter-deck, I asked in French, whether there were any one who spoke it. The first lieutenant came forward, and took off his hat: I stated, that I was requested to ask the name of the vessel and the commanding officer, to insert it in our log, and to offer any services that we could command. He replied, that the captain was on deck, and turned round, but the captain had gone down below. ”I will inform him of your message--I had no idea that he had quitted the deck;”
and the first lieutenant left me. I exchanged a few compliments, and a little news with the officers on deck, who appeared to be very gentlemanlike fellows, when the first lieutenant requested my presence in the cabin. I descended--the door was opened--I was announced by the first lieutenant, and he quitted the cabin. I looked at the captain, who was sitting at the table: he was a fine, stout man, with two or three ribands at his b.u.t.ton-hole, and a large pair of mustachios. I thought that I had seen him before, but I could not recollect when: his face was certainly familiar to me, but, as I had been informed by the officers on deck, that the captain was a Count Shucksen, a person I had never heard of, I thought that I must be mistaken. I therefore addressed him in French, paying him a long compliment, with all the necessary _et ceteras_.
The captain turned round to me, took his hand away from his forehead, which it had shaded, and looking me full in the face, replied, ”Mr Simple, I don't understand but very little French. Spin your yarn in plain English.”
I started--”I thought that I knew your face,” replied I; ”am I mistaken?--no, it must be Mr Chucks!”
”You are right, my dear Mr Simple; it is your old friend, Chucks, the boatswain, whom you now see.”
We shook hands heartily, and then he requested me to sit down. ”But,”
said I, ”they told me on deck that the frigate was commanded by a Count Shucksen.”
”That is my present rank, my dear Peter,” said he; ”but as you have no time to lose, I will explain all. I know I can trust to your honour.
You remember that you left me, as you and I supposed, dying in the privateer, with the captain's jacket and epaulets on my shoulders. When the boats came out, and you left the vessel, they boarded and found me.
I was still breathing; and judging of my rank by my coat, they put me into the boat, and pushed on sh.o.r.e. The privateer sank very shortly after. I was not expected to live, but in a few days a change took place, and I was better. They asked me my name, and I gave my own, which they lengthened into Shucksen, somehow or another I recovered by a miracle, and am now as well as ever I was in my life. They were not a little proud of having captured a captain of the British service, as they supposed, for they never questioned me as to my real rank. After some weeks, I was sent home to Denmark in a running vessel; but it so happened that we met with a gale, and were wrecked on the Swedish coast, close to Carlscrona. The Danes were at that time at war, having joined the Russians; and they were made prisoners, while I was of course liberated, and treated with great distinction; but as I could not speak either French or their own language, I could not get on very well.
However, I had a handsome allowance, and permission to go to England as soon as I pleased. The Swedes were then at war with the Russians, and were fitting out their fleet; but, Lord bless them! they didn't know much about it. At last, they all came to me, and if they did not understand me entirely, I showed them how to do it with my own hands, and the fleet began to make a show with their rigging. The admiral who commanded was very much obliged, and I seemed to come as regularly to my work as if I were paid for it. At last, the admiral came with an English interpreter, and asked me whether I was anxious to go back to England, or would I like to join their service? I saw what they wanted, and I replied that I would prefer an English frigate to a Swedish one, and that I would not consent unless they offered something more; and then, with the express stipulation that I should not take arms against my own country. They then waited for a week, when they offered to make me a _Count_ and give me the command of the frigate. This suited me, as you may suppose, Peter; it was the darling wish of my heart--I was to be made a gentleman. I consented, and was made Count Shucksen, and had a fine large frigate under my command. I then set to work with a will, superintended the fitting out of the whole fleet, and showed them what an Englishman could do. We sailed, and you of course know the brush we had with the Russians, which I must say did us no discredit. I was fortunate to distinguish myself, for I exchanged several broadsides with a Russian two-decked s.h.i.+p, and came off with honour. When we went into port I got this riband. I was out afterwards, and fell in with a Russian frigate, and captured her, for which I received this other riband. Since that I have been in high favour, and now that I speak the languages, I like the people very much. I am often at court when I am in harbour; and, Peter, I am _married_.”
”I wish you joy, count, with all my heart.”
”Yes, and well married, too--to a Swedish countess of very high family and I expect that I have a little boy or girl by this time. So you observe, Peter, that I am at last a gentleman, and, what is more, my children will be n.o.ble by two descents. Who would have thought that this would have been occasioned by my throwing the captain's jacket into the boat instead of my own? And now, my dear Mr Simple, that I have made you my confidant, I need not say, do not say a word about it to anybody.”
”My dear count,” replied I, ”your secret is safe with me, and my pleasure is very great.”
I then, in a few words, stated where O'Brien was; and then we parted, I went with him on deck, Count Shucksen taking my arm, and introducing me as an old s.h.i.+pmate to his officers, ”I hope we may meet again,” said I, ”but I'm afraid there is little chance.”
”Who knows?” replied he; ”see what chance has done for me. My dear Peter, G.o.d bless you! You are one of the very few whom I always loved.
G.o.d bless you, my boy! and never forget that all I have is at your command if you come my way.”
I thanked him, and, saluting the officers, went down the side. As I expected, when I came on board, the captain demanded, in an angry tone, why I had stayed so long. I replied that I was shown down into Count Shucksen's cabin, and he conversed so long, that I could not get away sooner, as it would not have been polite to have left him before he had finished his questions. I then gave a very civil message, and the captain said no more: the very name of a great man always silenced him.
CHAPTER SIXTY ONE.
BAD NEWS FROM HOME, AND WORSE ON BOARD--NOTWITHSTANDING HIS PREVIOUS TRIALS, PETER FORCED TO PREPARE FOR ANOTHER--MRS. TROTTER AGAIN; IMPROVES AS SHE GROWS OLD--CAPTAIN HAWKINS AND HIS TWELVE CHARGES.
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