Part 44 (1/2)
Desmond remained by him and prepared to get whatever might be required.
He and s.n.a.t.c.hblock kept a lookout, one on either side, to watch for the boats. The sound of the oars was now distinctly heard, and in a short time they clearly made out six large boats, evidently pulling towards the brigantine. As they approached they closed with each other, and came up on the port side; they were still at a short distance from the vessel, when Adair hailed, in the best Portuguese he could command, and told them to keep off.
”We allow no boats from the sh.o.r.e to visit the vessel at night, and if you come nearer we shall fire into you,” he shouted.
Some loud chattering ensued, and in spite of the warning they had received, the Brazilians dashed up alongside. There must have been five and twenty men in each boat; a considerable force to be opposed by Adair's small crew.
The Brazilians came on with threatening shouts and cries, evidently intended to intimidate the British seamen.
”Keep off,” again cried Adair, but his warning was unheeded. He sent Desmond to call all the men over the port side.
”Take the consequences, then,” he answered; ”fire, lads.”
The bullets which came flying into their midst for a moment seemed to damp the courage of the Brazilians, but recovering themselves they let fly a volley in return. Adair wisely bobbed, and several bullets flew over his head. All attempt of concealment was now useless. The Brazilians dashed up alongside and attempted to get on board, but were met by the boarding pikes of the English crew; some using those weapons, others spare muskets, with which they blazed away, though there was no time to reload them. It was sharp work to attempt driving back one hundred and fifty men, at least, who were endeavouring to climb up the side, armed with cutla.s.ses and pistols. The strongest party of the pirates were making a vigorous attempt to get on board on the quarter.
Adair calling to s.n.a.t.c.hblock, ran out one of the guns, and Desmond being ready with a match, fired right into their midst. The piercing groans and cries which followed showed the terrible effect produced. The boat drifted away, not having been hooked on, and the crew having deserted their oars. Another boat immediately took her place, and a big fellow, with cutla.s.s in hand, springing to the side, and shouting to his companions to follow, attempted to climb on deck. Before Adair could defend himself, he had received an ugly cut on the head from the fellow, who was about to follow up the blow, when Desmond, seizing a pike, rushed at him with such good will, that the point entering the Brazilian's breast, he fell backwards into the boat.
Adair, though hurt, was able to make good play with his cutla.s.s.
s.n.a.t.c.hblock was keeping a dozen fellows at bay, while the rest of the crew were employed in a similar manner; bullets were flying and blows were rapidly given and taken. Though several of the Englishmen were wounded, and some very severely, not a man had been killed.
They could see that the Brazilians had suffered much more severely.
Some had been knocked overboard into the water; others lay dead or dying at the bottom of the boats. Again, and again, however, the pirates came on, as if determined, at all costs, to take the prize with her five hundred blacks on board. Again Terence was wounded, and another big Brazilian, apparently the leader of the pirates, was levelling a pistol scarcely two feet from his breast, when s.n.a.t.c.hblock, seeing the danger of his young commander, brought his cutla.s.s with such force down on the fellow's head, that he clove it in two, and sent him tumbling back into the boat out of which he had sprung.
The pirates, though they had met with a much warmer reception than they expected, were unwilling to abandon their object, and encouraged by their leaders, some twenty or more made a dash together at the fore-rigging. Several gained a footing on the chains, others caught hold of the shrouds and back-stays. Adair saw that a desperate effort must be made, or the enemy would after all gain the deck.
”Keep them off the after-part of the vessel, s.n.a.t.c.hblock, whatever you do,” he shouted, and calling Desmond they together dragged over the other still loaded gun and ran it through the foremost port, with its muzzle pointed towards the ma.s.s of their a.s.sailants, who were prepared to follow those already climbing up the side. Desmond fired, springing out of the way of the gun as it ran back. The deadly missiles with which it was loaded, scattering among their a.s.sailants, knocked over several howling with pain, two at least dropping dead, when the British seamen with their cutla.s.ses quickly cleared the rigging and sides of the remainder.
The tones in which the shouts and loud jabbering of the pirates were uttered showed that they were beginning to think that they had had enough of it. Adair and s.n.a.t.c.hblock, with several of the men, set to work and reloaded the muskets, and just as the most daring of their a.s.sailants were about to make a fresh attack they let fly a volley. The pirates did not stop to receive another, but getting out their oars began to pull off, each boat seeming to be the most eager to get away from the daring little band who had so obstinately refused to have their throats cut, and the blacks in their charge taken from them.
The seamen, though bleeding and sore from many a cut and thrust, gave vent to their satisfaction in a triumphant cheer.
”I think we are clear of them for the present, sir,” said s.n.a.t.c.hblock, ”and I doubt whether they will be in a hurry to come back again.”
”We will be prepared at all events,” said Adair. ”Get the guns and small arms reloaded and placed ready for action, and then see who is most hurt. It won't do to let our blood flow till we grow weak.”
”Ay! ay! sir,” answered Ben. ”I believe most of us have got a scratch or two, but I hope you are not hurt, sir.”
”As to that, I believe that I have not escaped scot free,” said Adair; ”but I want to overhaul those who have suffered most, and bind up their wounds. You may release Pedro, and get his a.s.sistance, though it won't do to cast the others loose just yet.”
Adair as he spoke felt very faint, and had not s.n.a.t.c.hblock caught him he would have fallen on the deck. Desmond ran to his a.s.sistance, and while he sat on the stool outside the cabin brought a gla.s.s of strong grog, which quickly revived him; the men were in the meantime binding up each other's hurts as well as they could, with their handkerchiefs, after having reloaded their arms.
s.n.a.t.c.hblock released Pedro, who seemed pleased at the successful termination of the contest. His s.h.i.+pmates, he said, suspected him--the pirates would have undoubtedly cut his throat had they got on board. He helped Desmond very scientifically in dressing Adair's wounds.
”Beg pardon, sir,” said s.n.a.t.c.hblock, ”if you will just lie down and get some rest, Mr Desmond and I will keep a look out, and call you if we get sight of our friends coming back to us. I am not much the worse for my scratches, and so five or six of those most hurt among us can turn in and try and get back their strength, in case we have more work to do to-night.”
Adair agreed to Ben's proposal, and having ordered grog to be served out to the men, he himself lay down to obtain the rest he so greatly needed.
Except here and there where white marks in the bulwarks showed the spots the bullets had struck, and the cutla.s.ses had hewn out notches, scarcely a sign of the late desperate struggle was visible. All was silent on deck. Desmond alone paced up and down turning his watchful eye on either side, while s.n.a.t.c.hblock took a seat on the booms.
Notwithstanding his a.s.sertion, that he had only received a few scratches, he felt, however, considerably the worse for them. For the rest of the watch he lay down, trying, however, to keep awake, and be ready to start up at a moment's notice.
Pedro suspecting that food would benefit all hands, lighted the galley-fire, and began to prepare some broth. He had before this gone below, and quieted the blacks, who had naturally been alarmed at the noise of the firing, not knowing what was happening. He now sat down in a corner of the caboose with his arms folded, and fell asleep while watching the soup boiling.