Part 14 (1/2)
Lancelot stood on the after-castle, watching every movement of the enemy. At last his voice shouted, ”Boarders! be prepared to repel boarders!” and as he spoke the big s.h.i.+p was seen bearing down, evidently intending to run alongside. Our men had hangers and pistols in their belts. Those not required to work the guns seized the boarding pikes and stood ready to spring to that part of the s.h.i.+p's side where the enemy might board us.
The corsair glided up, and her bow striking ours, she hooked on to our fore-chains. The next instant a countless number of swarthy figures with turbaned heads, bright scymitars flas.h.i.+ng in their hands, swarmed in the rigging of the corsair and came leaping down on our deck. Led by Lancelot, d.i.c.k and I fighting by his side, we met them with hanger, pike, and pistol, driving them back over the bulwarks, or cleaving them from head to chine as they got within reach of our swords.
Those who were about to follow, seeing the rate of the first, held back, and the next moment the s.h.i.+ps separated. Ere they did so their sides were brought close to each other, and I saw a man make a tremendous spring from that of the enemy and grip hold of our bulwarks, to which he clung desperately, crying out--
”I am an Englishman; save me, save me!” Several shots were fired at him by the corsairs; but he escaped, and some of our men rus.h.i.+ng to his rescue hauled him on board.
”To the guns, to the guns!” shouted Lancelot, and we again began to work our artillery with the same rapidity as before.
CHAPTER NINE.
THE CORSAIR BEATEN OFF.
After the failure of her attempt to board us, the corsair hauled aft her sheets and shot ahead of the _Good Hope_. We believing that she intended to rake us, quickly got headsail on the s.h.i.+p, and by squaring away the afteryards, and brailing up the mizen, put her before the wind, all the time blazing away as fast as we could with our guns. Instead, however, of pa.s.sing either astern or ahead of us, which having all her canvas set, she might easily have done, the corsair kept on a wind, and presently, when beyond the range of our guns, going about she stood away to the south-west. We had beaten off our big a.s.sailant, and we might possibly in a longer contest have compelled her to strike or sent her to the bottom, but we were in no condition to follow her. All hands being required to repair damages, some time pa.s.sed before we could question the stranger who had taken refuge on board us. As he looked sick and careworn, Lancelot had directed that he should be conducted to the cabin, where, the s.h.i.+p having at length been put somewhat to rights, I was able to join him. Finding that having been properly looked after and supplied with food he had much recovered, I inquired who he was and from whence he came.
”My name is Joseph Aylett; I am an Englishman and a sea officer,” he answered. ”I was captured many a long month ago, on board a vessel by a s.h.i.+p from Tunis, not far from where we now are. The night was dark, the sea smooth, a light breeze only filling our sails. Not a thought of danger entered our heads. A bad look-out must have been kept, for, without warning, suddenly a large s.h.i.+p ran us alongside before we could fly to our arms or fire a gun, and a whole host of Moors came swarming down on our decks. Resistance was useless, though had we been prepared we might have fought the enemy as you did and beaten her off. We were prisoners to the corsairs, and doomed, as we supposed, to a life-long slavery. If the lot of us men was hard, that of our female pa.s.sengers was harder still. We had two poor young ladies with a waiting woman and their father, who had been taken on board against their will and compelled to accompany us out to these distant seas. Every respect had been shown to them by the captain and officers, of whom I was one, and we had promised to send them home by the first s.h.i.+p we should fall in with returning to England.
”As no blood had been shed we were better treated by the Moors than we had expected, the pa.s.sengers even were allowed to remain in their cabins without molestation, and I was thankful to find that the young ladies did not make their appearance. Still I trembled to think to what indignities they might be exposed when carried on sh.o.r.e, and perhaps separated from each other and their father. Most of our crew were quickly removed to the corsair, their places being supplied by the Moors, but I and a few others were left on board to a.s.sist in working the s.h.i.+p. A calm coming on prevented us from reaching Tunis for a couple of days. During the time, I turned in my mind the possibility of a.s.sisting the young ladies, and at length a plan occurred to me, by adopting which their position might be rendered less perilous than would otherwise be the case.
”We had had two young boys in the s.h.i.+p, son and nephew of the captain.
The one had died from sickness, the other had fallen overboard and been drowned. Their clothes had been left in a chest, and when no one was looking, I possessed myself of the articles and carried them to their cabin. My object was quickly explained, and they at once expressed their willingness to follow my advice.
”Their father saw its wisdom, and leaving them to don the garments I had brought, I hastened away that I might not be perceived. Then telling the other officer left with me what I had done, we at once agreed as to the way we should behave to the seeming lads. We were, should we have an opportunity, to inform our captain, who was on board the corsair, of what we had done, and to treat them as if they were his son and nephew.”
The feelings with which I listened to the officer's narrative can better be supposed than expressed. ”Tell me, Mr Aylett, who were those young ladies of whom you speak?” I asked, in an agitated voice.
”Their father was, I understand, a Roundhead, Kerridge by name, but otherwise a well-disposed, amiable gentleman whom I was glad to serve.”
”Kerridge!” I exclaimed, not regarding his remark. ”Tell me, sir, the name of the vessel on board which you were.”
”The _Hector_,” he replied.
All doubt vanished from my mind as to whom those unfortunate persons were.
”Go on, sir, I pray you,” I said. ”Tell me what happened next.”
”The following morning, while we were some way off Tunis, the old gentleman accompanied by the two young ladies appeared on deck, but it would have required a keen eye to have discovered that they were not what they seemed. I forthwith went up to one of them and sang out, 'Lay hold of this rope and do as I do; now haul away.' The other joined us, and by the way the Moors looked at them, I felt satisfied that their disguise was not discovered.
”I then spoke to the old woman who attended on them, advising her to conceal their female attire.
”'I have taken good care of that, sir,' she answered. 'I've thrown some through a port and packed the rest in my chest; it won't be my fault if they are found out.'
”Our captors treated us with more civility than I had expected. I and the men left were doing our best to navigate the s.h.i.+p, and the Moors knew that we could not escape. No sooner, however, had we dropped anchor and furled sails in the harbour of Tunis, off the strong castle of Porto Ferino, than several boats came alongside, and we, as well as the poor pa.s.sengers being mustered on deck, had our arms lashed behind us, by which treatment we knew that we were looked upon as slaves. We were then carried on sh.o.r.e to the slave market, where we found the rest of the crew of the _Hector_. I thought little of my own sufferings while reflecting on the sad fate to which Mr Kerridge and his young companions were doomed. In a short time purchasers appeared, and the sale of the captives commenced. From the prices offered it was evident that the common men were looked upon as of greater value than the officers, from its being supposed that they were capable of performing more work.
”Most of the men had been disposed of, when an old Moor in magnificent costume, and several attendants, entered the bazaar. The prices of the men who remained, consisting of the boatswain and his mate, the gunner and three of his crew, all standing six feet high, with broad shoulders, had been considerably raised, but no bidders were forthcoming.
”I thought that the Moorish chief would have bought them, but on hearing the price named he turned away and pointed to Mr Kerridge and the two boys. Satisfied with the sum asked, he at once paid it down, and they were transferred to the care of his black attendants. On seeing this the old woman rushed up to him, and by signs entreated that he would purchase her, amid much laughter, and finding that a very trifling amount was placed on her, he paid it over. I was thankful to find that the whole four were thus purchased by one master, and was wondering what would become of me, when the old Moor, looking into his purse, seemed to discover that he had sufficient for the purchase of another slave.
After examining each of the officers, to my great satisfaction he fixed on me, for I had a fancy that he was likely to prove more kind-hearted than most of his countrymen, and that I might be of use to the young ladies and their father.
”Apparently well pleased with his purchases, the old Moor left the bazaar followed by his attendants, who led us along. Outside we found several camels, on which the whole party being mounted, we set off, following a road towards the interior. Although our chance of escape would be greatly lessened by being at a distance from the coast, I was thankful to get out of the town. At last we arrived at what looked like a large farm. It was the chief's residence, a number of smaller buildings surrounding it, and at the back large gardens, shaded by fine trees, with ponds and fountains and flower beds. The whole was under the care of a big black fellow, to whose charge Mr Kerridge and I were committed. We found that it was intended we should labour in the garden, while the two seeming boys were destined to attend on the old chief, and Margaret on his wives and children. Our lot was thus happier than we could have expected, still there was the fear that the s.e.x of the young ladies might be discovered, though, with Margaret's help, we hoped that this might be avoided. Of course, from the first Mr Kerridge and I discussed the possibility of escaping, but, removed as we were from the coast, that we should succeed appeared almost impossible.