Part 17 (1/2)

The mate told us that there were a great many of the English crew and Lascars left on board, and he thought, should they make the attempt, they would be able to retake the s.h.i.+p from the Frenchmen. No attempt was made, however, and at length, the weather moderating, a boat, of which I took the command, was lowered, the brig being sufficiently near at the time to fire into her, should the French prize crew offer any resistance.

What was taking place on board the Indiaman we could not see, but just as we got alongside several people appeared and hove ropes to us, and a.s.sisted me with four of my men to get on board. I observed, as I reached the deck, that a scuffle was taking place forward, and I then found that the pa.s.sengers and some of the crew had suddenly attacked the Frenchmen, who, it appeared, had intended manning their guns in the hopes of beating off the brig. Our appearance quickly gave an easy victory to our friends. The superior officers of the Indiaman had all been taken out of her. The carpenter, however, was on board, and told me he hoped, if the pumps could be cleared and properly worked, that the leak could be kept under. A richly-laden Indiaman was indeed a prize worth recovering. The pa.s.sengers had nearly all remained on board, and expressed their grat.i.tude for the timely succour which had been afforded them. The Frenchmen, finding that all hope of carrying off their prize was gone, yielded themselves prisoners; their commanding officer, who had, with his men, been driven forward, delivering up his sword to me.

I sent the boat with d.i.c.ky Esse back to tell Captain Schank that I thought, with some thirty of our hands in addition to the s.h.i.+p's crew whom we had on board, to be able to keep the pumps going, and to rig jury-masts by which the s.h.i.+p might be safely carried to England. Among the pa.s.sengers a gentleman was pointed out to me who had been very active in retaking the s.h.i.+p from the hands of the Frenchmen. I inquired his name. ”Mr Bramston,” was the answer.

”How strange,” I thought: ”and is Mrs Bramston on board?”

”Yes, sir, she is, but she is very ill, and has constantly kept her cabin.”

”Have they any children?” I asked.

”No, none, sir,” said a lady who overheard the question. ”Poor lady, she once had a daughter, a little girl, who was lost in a very sad way, and I do not think she has ever recovered that event.”

As may be supposed I could not then ask further questions, as my entire attention was required for the duty of the s.h.i.+p. I asked Kiddle, who accompanied me on board, what he thought of the weather.

”It's moderating, sir, and I hope we shall be able to keep the s.h.i.+p afloat if we get more a.s.sistance.”

The sea rapidly went down, and the men I asked for were sent on board.

The pumps were again speedily set going, and as the s.h.i.+p laboured less we began to gain upon the leak. Fortunately there was a good supply of spars on board, and I hoped, should the weather continue moderate, to be able to rig jury-masts the following day. We worked hard till nightfall, most of the Frenchmen giving their a.s.sistance at the pumps.

Indeed, had we not fallen in with them, the probabilities are that the s.h.i.+p would have gone down; so that they owed their lives to us, although they were not well-pleased at being made prisoners. I now for the first time was able to enter the cuddy. Coming off the dark deck, I was struck by the bright light of the cabin, the tables glittering with plate and gla.s.s set for supper, well secured, as may be supposed, by the fiddles, a number of pa.s.sengers, ladies and gentlemen, being collected round them. They greeted me warmly, and numerous questions were put to me as to the probability of the s.h.i.+p's reaching home in safety. I a.s.sured them that I hoped in the course of a week or so, if the wind was favourable, that we might find ourselves in the Chops of the Channel.

”Although,” I added, ”you know the chances of war, but I promise you that our brig will stick by you and fight to the last for your protection.”

I was not sorry to take my seat at table among them, as I had eaten nothing for some hours. The gentlemen all begged to take wine with me, and a.s.sured me they believed that, had we not fallen in with them, the s.h.i.+p would have gone down. When Mr Bramston addressed me, I replied that I knew his name, and asked if he came from Ceylon.

”Yes,” he answered, ”I have been there for many years.”

I then told him that my commander, Captain Schank, had some time before written to him on an important matter, and asked whether he had received the letter.

”Yes,” he answered, ”just before I left India, and I will speak to you by-and-by on that matter.”

After supper he took me aside, and begged to know further particulars of the death of Mr Herbert. ”Though,” he remarked, ”that was not the name by which you knew him.”

”Well,” he said, after I had told him, ”the less his poor daughter knows of these painful circ.u.mstances the better. I am now returning with her, and, I am thankful to say, her health has already benefited by the voyage. I trust the meeting with her mother will have a beneficial effect on her.”