Part 10 (1/2)
”'Your honour has. .h.i.t it,' he replied.
”I am sorry to say he was an Irishman.
”'But I'm ready to serve a countryman, and I think I can help you at a pinch.'
”'I shall be much obliged to you,' I answered; and from that time forward Pat Hoolan became my interpreter and right-hand man.
”He was a great ragam.u.f.fin, and I did not trust him more than I could help; but he was very useful to me, and I believe faithfully interpreted the orders I issued through him. I learned also from him some of the politics of the s.h.i.+p. The captain was a great rascal according to our notions. He cheated the crew of their pay and their rations, and his government of the stores and provisions, and indeed anything on which he could lay his hands; while he had been tampered with by some of Mehemet Ali's emissaries, and was only waiting an opportunity to carry his s.h.i.+p into Alexandria. Such was the state of affairs when we put to sea. He had just before found out that his treachery had been discovered, and that another Turkish s.h.i.+p had been sent in pursuit of him. He tried to get to Alexandria but could not, so we knocked about running from our own shadow till you hove in sight. He then did what he had long resolved to do, ran the s.h.i.+p on sh.o.r.e. He and most of the officers and some of the men escaped in the boats, leaving me with the remainder to be blown up as a reward for my services. No thanks to them I escaped, and that's the end of my story.”
Two days after this a brig of war hove in sight. She signalised ”Important news”, ”The war has begun.” The frigate made sail towards her. The two men-of-war, as they drew near each other, hove-to, and the commander of the brig came on board the frigate. It was soon known that the _Racer_ was to join the squadron of Sir Robert Stopford. All sail was immediately made on both s.h.i.+ps, and together they steered a course for the coast of Syria.
CHAPTER SEVEN.
TO SAVE THE FLAG.
”I say, Jack, can you tell me what all this row is about between us and these wide-breeched, red-capped n.i.g.g.e.rs, the Egyptians?” asked Adair, as he stood by the side of Jack Rogers on the quarter-deck of the _Racer_, while the latter, with his spygla.s.s under his arm, was doing duty as signal mids.h.i.+pman. The outlines of many a picturesque hill and white stone stronghold, famed in ancient and modern history, rose in the distance on the Syrian coast out of the blue glittering ocean.
”Why,” replied Jack, ”I'm not much of a politician, Paddy, but as far as I can make out, old Mehemet Ali wants to be Sultan of the Turks, and we won't let him; and so Charlie Napier told him that if he didn't draw in his horns within twenty days, we would blow his fortresses on this coast about the ears of his pachas. He, in return, told Charlie to go to Jericho, that he intended to keep what he'd got; and so now we're going to do what we promised. We shall have some fun, depend on it.”
”Now I understand all the ins and outs of the matter,” replied Paddy.
”There's nothing like knowing what you are fighting about.”
”There, up goes a signal from the flag-s.h.i.+p,” cried Jack, putting his gla.s.s to his eye, and pointing it towards the _Princess Charlotte_, Sir Robert Stopford's flag-s.h.i.+p, which, with the _Powerful, Thunderer, Benbow_, and several other line-of-battle s.h.i.+ps and frigates, sloops and steamers, joined by a Turkish squadron under Admiral Walker, and a few Austrian s.h.i.+ps, was cruising off Beyrout.
”The signal for the captains of each s.h.i.+p to a.s.semble on board the _Princess Charlotte_,” cried Jack. ”Hurrah! the fun's to begin.”
The captains having visited the flag-s.h.i.+p, the squadron stood in, the larger portion taking up a position opposite the town, which they forthwith commenced bombarding, while the rest were employed in landing troops at different points to co-operate with the Turks, and to distract the attention of the Egyptians. Suliman Pacha, Governor of Beyrout, in spite of the shot and sh.e.l.l showered into his fortress, held out bravely and fired away in return as hard as he could. It was the first time the three mids.h.i.+pmen of the _Racer_ had been under fire, but as she had not to take any very active part in the affair, they voted it very slow work.
”Is this what you call fighting?” said Jack. ”It seems to me as if all the fun was on one side.”
”Stay a bit, my boy,” observed Hemming; ”this is only just the beginning of the game. Before many days are over perhaps we shall be at something which will make you cry out the other way.”
”At all events, we have silenced them; see, up goes a flag of truce on the old castle,” exclaimed Jack.
Jack was right in his fact but wrong in his conclusions. A boat was instantly sent on sh.o.r.e to inquire the meaning of the white flag. She quickly returned to the flag-s.h.i.+p bringing the Indian mail, with a polite message from Suliman Pacha, a.s.suring the admiral that he was not at war with individuals, and that he should feel a satisfaction in forwarding all letters to and from India. Sir Robert Stopford, himself so generous and polite, was the very man to appreciate such an act of courtesy: he therefore sent back the boat immediately with a case of wine, warmly thanking the pacha, and begging that he would accept it as a slight acknowledgment of his kindness. This little episode over, the belligerents began firing away at each other as hard as ever. The pacha showed that he was as brave as he was courteous, for in spite of all the cannonading he would not give in. A short drama was, however, enacted, which showed the mids.h.i.+pmen a little more of the realities of war. An Egyptian deserter came on board one of the s.h.i.+ps, and gave notice that a train of gunpowder had been laid along a bridge leading to the eastern castle, in which was collected a large quant.i.ty of gunpowder, with the intention of blowing up into the sky any of the besiegers who might succeed in entering the place. The deserter offered to guide any party formed to cut off the train. Commander Worth, of the _Hastings_, undertook to accomplish the dangerous service; and numbers of officers and men volunteered to accompany him. Jack and Murray and Adair were among others eager to go. However, it was not likely that more than one mids.h.i.+pman from the frigate would be allowed to accompany the expedition. The morning of the day in which it was to take place, Murray had been sent with a message on board the _Hastings_. He came back with a flush on his cheek and a look of intense satisfaction on his countenance.
”Jack, Terence, my dear fellows, congratulate me. I'm to go. W--, who has known me for some time, has applied for me. He did so in most flattering terms. He said he wanted a mids.h.i.+pman who would be calm and collected whatever might occur, and yet one on whose courage and resolution he could perfectly rely, and he has selected me. It is that he has spoken of me in such flattering terms that has given me so much pleasure. I wish that you two fellows were going also.”
”I wish we were,” said Jack. ”But I congratulate you, Alick; you'll do justice to W--'s choice. That I know right well.”
”There will be more work to be done than when we attacked the pirate's stronghold the other day,” observed Adair. ”Well, I hope that my turn will come before long; I don't feel as if I had any right to wear starch in my s.h.i.+rt-collar till I've taken part in some real downright fighting.”
Jack and Terence warmly shook Murray's hand, as he stepped into the boat which was to convey him on board the _Hastings_.
”I say, old fellow, don't now forget to come back to us safe and sound in life and limb,” cried Terence, laughing; ”remember the fright I gave you and Jack. Don't give him and me the same, and we'll take care that Pigeon does not malign your character in your absence.”
Away went Murray. To say that he was in high glee would be to use a wrong term. There was a calm satisfaction and proud joy in his heart at the thought that the time had arrived when he might have an opportunity of distinguis.h.i.+ng himself in the n.o.ble profession he had chosen, and to which he was so devotedly attached. Neither Rogers nor Adair would have felt as he did; and yet, though neither of them could be considered less brave than he was, yet in reality he was the bravest of all three, because his mind was so const.i.tuted that he clearly saw all the dangers to be encountered and knew every risk he was running. The expedition rendezvoused round the _Hastings_. The s.h.i.+ps stood in as close as the depth of water would allow them, and then, opening their fire, the boats shoved off and pulled away for the bridge which led to the castle. As soon as they appeared a heavy fire of musketry was opened on them from the fortifications; but in the face of it the men clambered upon the bridge and, led by their gallant commander, rapidly pushed on across it.
Jack and Terence eagerly watched the progress of the boats through their telescopes. Their chief sympathy was concentrated on that which contained Murray and his fortunes. They looked upon him as a dear brother, and, in spite of their apparent light-heartedness, they both felt the deepest anxiety for his safety. In a very short time the whole party were hid from sight by the thick smoke which surrounded them.
Murray, with his brave companions, in spite of the leaden shower which came pattering around their heads, pushed on till they reached the spot where the train was laid. A few buckets of water, brought for the purpose, quickly cut off the train; then on they went to the gates of the castle. They were not long in blowing it open. In they rushed, putting the defenders to flight, who made their escape by an opposite gate, rejoicing in the belief that the infidel besiegers would soon be blown up sky high, and become the food of ghouls and vampires. They were sorely disappointed when they found that the castle did not blow up, and that the giaours had taken entire possession of it. The English leader saw that no time was to be lost. He and his men hunted about and soon came upon the casks of powder of which they were in search. ”Now, my lads, heave them over the walls into the sea,” he sang out, setting the example which the men were ready enough to follow. Cask after cask was stove and thrown into the sea till some sixty or seventy casks had been destroyed. Sentries had been placed to give notice of the approach of the enemy. Notice was given that they were returning in force.
”Now, my lads,” cried Captain W--, ”we'll carry off some of these casks to pepper the fellows with their own powder.” The idea just suited the taste of the seamen. Each man shouldered a cask, and, fearless of the consequences should a spark of fire get inside one of them, away they scampered through the gates and across the bridge with their booty. As soon as the enemy caught sight of them they again opened their fire.