Part 52 (1/2)
”That is all I know of the matter, and I hope I have made it as clear to your mind as Murray did to mine.”
Jack duly received his orders, and the next morning by daybreak the corvette and brig, in company with a few other vessels, sailed out of the harbour. They had a quick run to Monte Video, where they fell in with the English and French squadron, consisting of several steamers and sailing-vessels.
Soon after their arrival, the s.h.i.+ps were ordered to proceed up at once to Gua.s.su, one of the mouths of the Parana; a heavy gale, however, coming on, drove the s.h.i.+ps back. The mids.h.i.+pmen were, of course, as eager as any one for the fun, as they called it, which they expected to meet with, and were much disappointed at the delay which occurred. The steamers could have gone ahead without them, but as there were only four in the whole squadron, two English and two French, such a force would not have been sufficient for the object.
Day after day they had to beat backwards and forwards, a strong westerly wind blowing in their teeth, giving General Rosas time to complete his defences.
”Well, there is one satisfaction,” exclaimed Desmond. ”If we had gone up at first we might have caught the enemy unprepared, and lost all the honour and glory we shall now reap in thras.h.i.+ng him.”
”As to that, considering that he and his followers are half savages, as the commodore says, I don't see that there is much honour and glory to be obtained,” observed Tom.
”Faith, now it seems to me that it does not much matter what kind of people the enemy are, provided they have got arms in their hands, and don't run away,” answered Desmond. ”These fellows fight fiercely enough among themselves, and they are not likely to change when they have got foreign foes to deal with.”
Paddy was not far wrong after all. At length the weather moderated, the steamers got up their steam and the sailing-vessels hauled their wind and stood for the westward.
They had proceeded some distance, when down came another pampeiro upon them, and they were once more disappointed. Still the work was to be done, and the English and French commodores were not men to be beaten by a difficulty. Days and nights together the s.h.i.+ps kept at it, doing their uttermost to reach the rendezvous off the mouth of the river.
At length they all met, and the flag of England flying from the peaks of some, and that of France from others, in friendly proximity, with a fair breeze they commenced their ascent of the mighty stream.
As they watched the distant sh.o.r.e on either hand it was difficult to persuade themselves that they were at a considerable distance above the mouth of the river. Still, on and on they sailed. With their gla.s.ses they could occasionally see hors.e.m.e.n galloping along apparently watching them, although no opposition was offered, indeed they were generally too far out of the range of field-pieces, even should the enemy have possessed any.
As the current was strong and the wind light, it was slow work, and often they did not make ten miles a day. They had got about a hundred miles up when the commodore gave the signal for the squadron to anchor, and they found that they were within three miles of a place called Punta Obligado, on the right bank of the river, where General Rosas had thrown up some strong defences to oppose their further progress.
All hands were in high spirits at the thoughts of the fight, which they expected would take place the next morning. Murray and the more reflective officers, could not help thinking that fighting was a serious matter, and that if a report that they had heard was correct, before another day was over, many enjoying high health and spirits might be laid low.
Jack, who brought up close to the _Tudor_, came on board with Tom to pay their friends a visit. Their chief regret was that Higson was not there to take part in the expected achievements of the following day.
”We never know what may happen to us when we go into battle,” said Murray, as Jack sat with him in his cabin. ”In case I should fall, I must get you to take this packet to Stella. She is ever in my thoughts, and I am anxious to make arrangements for her future comfort and support, for I doubt that she is as well provided for as she supposes.
Her father spent most of his fortune in the wild schemes in which he took part, and careless as I heard he was about his own pecuniary affairs, he probably neglected to make due provision for his daughter.
Had she married me, she would, at all events, have enjoyed a pension as my widow, and as those who would otherwise obtain it can do very well without any addition to their incomes, I have left all the property I possess to be enjoyed by her for her life; and you, Jack, must undertake to see that my intentions are carried out.”
”Of course I will, my dear Murray,” answered Jack. ”But you must not suppose that you are to be knocked on the head. I hold to the belief that no man knows beforehand what is to happen to him, though, of course, when he goes into battle, he may be killed, but his thinking that he will or will not will make no difference.”
”It may be true,” answered Murray, with a sigh, ”but there is something within me which says that I ought to be prepared.”
”Of course, and I hope you are, my dear Alick,” said Jack gravely. ”A truly religious man like you always is prepared, and I suspect that the weather, together with the fatigue you have gone through, and your state of health, have something to do with your forebodings. If you won't think me frivolous, let me ask you what you had for dinner yesterday?”
Murray at first did not answer, at last, faintly smiling, he answered--
”Well, perhaps you are right, and I dare say tomorrow morning I shall see things in a different light. However, in case I should fall, you will see my wishes carried out.”
Jack again promised that he would do anything and everything that Murray wished. Terence joined them shortly afterwards, and the old s.h.i.+pmates spent a pleasant evening, as did Tom with his friends in the mids.h.i.+pmen's berth. They did not trouble themselves with forebodings of evil, and all talked eagerly of the fun they hoped to see before long.
A sharp lookout was kept during the night. The steamers had their fires banked up, as it was thought probable that the enemy might have prepared fires.h.i.+ps to send down among them. As soon, therefore, as it was dark, the boats were sent ahead to row guard, and to tow them out of the way, so that they might drop down clear of the squadron. The night, however, pa.s.sed away without any occurrence of the sort, and at daybreak the two commodores proceeded up the river in their gigs to reconnoitre the position of the enemy. A dense fog which hung over the water enabled them to approach un.o.bserved. Their return was anxiously waited for.
They quickly acquainted themselves with all they desired to know, and, immediately they got back, the commanders of all the vessels were directed to repair on board the flags.h.i.+p to receive instructions. They then learned that Rosas had thrown up strong fortifications about three miles from where they then lay. They consisted of four batteries, two on heights sixty feet above the surface of the river, and two in an intervening valley. The batteries mounted altogether twenty-two guns, some long thirty-two pounders, and others of smaller calibre. Opposite the point was an island, which occupied a considerable portion of the breadth of the river, so that vessels going up must of necessity pa.s.s close to the batteries. Yet, further to strengthen the position, three heavy chains, supported by twenty-four vessels, extended across the river from the main land to the island, one end being defended by a man-of-war schooner, mounting six guns, while close to the chains, ready to be let loose at any moment, lay ten fires.h.i.+ps. A force of nearly four thousand men, artillery, cavalry, and infantry, was collected, so the commodores learnt from their spies, to man the forts, and to oppose any force that might be sent on sh.o.r.e to attack them.
The sailing-vessels were now formed in two divisions, while the steamers formed a third, to take up a position as soon as they had disposed of the fires.h.i.+ps. All on board the s.h.i.+ps waited eagerly for the signal to weigh.
The hands had been piped to breakfast. The meal was over, still the fog prevailed. Suddenly a light breeze sprang up from the southward, when the fog cleared, and at a quarter to nine the signal was given for the leading division to weigh. With eager alacrity the men sprang aloft to loose sails, and in a few minutes the two divisions of sailing-vessels were gliding up the stream; the one to attack the northern, and the other the southern batteries, with directions to anchor about seven hundred yards from them. With all sail set to stem the current, they approached the batteries, which immediately opened fire on the headmost vessels. They returned the compliment with interest, as soon as they could bring their guns to bear, the thunder of the artillery breaking the silence which had hitherto reigned over the scene, the loud roaring increasing as s.h.i.+p after s.h.i.+p got into action.