By Conduct and Courage

ew hours the sun shone out and the wind subsided. The destruction of the timbe

in what was practically a hostile country, for although Spain had not declared war against us, she gave every assistance to

impossible to get through. Then again we have heard that there are always bands of fugitive slaves in the mountains, who would be sure to attack us. As to the sea, we might possibly make shift to build a boat. There is certainly no lack of timber lying round, and w

at our disposal it might be built even sooner than that. We have plenty of

build it rather as a

of paint. Let her be of shallow draft with plenty of beam. She should, of course, be decked over, as she might meet with another

at once told off t

as you wish," the captain said to the he

sure to find plenty about. Then we will find a suitable spot for a ship-yard, and at once start on the work. I will set a gang of men with axes to square the trunks and

you think y

a week. Of course the ribs will [pg 121]take some time to prepare, but when I have them

be decked

over,

through, and if she is well decked we may feel assured that she will rea

h could, perhaps, best be gained by giving her a deep keel. Of course she must be a good deal higher out of the water than a laun

e first thing to be do

ucted. A rope was at once taken ashore and made fast to a tree, so that the raf

tants scattered, examining all fallen trees and cutting the branches off those that seemed most suitable. These were s

hey had indeed done a good day's work. A pile of planks lay ready to be used as required. The carpenters had made some progress with a keel, which they were laboriously chopping out from the straight trunk of a large tree. By evening of

of nails and other necessary articles on board, the sheathing was finished in two days. The rest of the work was comparatively easy. While the deck was being laid the hull was caulked and painted, and the two masts, sails, and rigging prepared. The boa

delighted when s

lties. Everything, however, has now been done to make her seaworthy, so those of us who remain here may feel sure that she will reach Port Royal safely. In case of a gale the sails must be lowered and la

could not possibly capsize. In case of a tornado the masts might very wel

u intend to sen

nd a midshipman to take his place in case he should be d

reak, the ship's crew all watching her till the t

learn of it from the Spaniards. Those two ships astern of us probably got themselves snug before the tornado struck them, and weathered it all right, though I doubt very much if they did so, unless they knew [pg 124]of some inlets they could run for. If they did escape, it is likely that they will be taking some trouble to find out what became of us. They may have seen their companion's fate, but they would hardly have made us out in the darkness. Still, they would certainly want to report our loss, and

, sir. I will see to it at once-but we a

. It will carry three. I should be glad if you would take a couple of hands and row down to the mouth of the entrance and see if there i

erstan

p. "It is about eight feet from the water's edge and some twelve above it, sir," he said, "and is not noticeable until one is almost directly o

rd, Mr. Farrance; I will mys

ain took his place in the little dug-out. When they

n the stern would be directed into the inlet. Will you order Mr. Forster and one of the other midshipmen to go with as many men as the raft will carry, and build such a parapet. They had better take one of the rope-ladders

e first lieutenant called Forster

f the rocks that had fallen out behind had lodged on the ledge. The height is not very important, for if a boat were coming along, t

sir, I will

hat it could carry twelve men. Dimchurch and nine others were chosen, a

to make anything like a natu

tones, but that would not look in the least natural. If we could get up three or four big chunks they m

ached it they found that it was very rough and uneven, and conseque

d one foot deep, in which the men could lie hidden. The question is whether the capt

le to see whether there are any habitations in the neighbourhood. A couple of men in the dug-o

de his report t

ke anywhere. The operation of blasting can be done with comparatively small charges, and [pg 127]occurring as it does at the foot of a gorge like that, th

re some blasting-tools in the store. Take the gun

series of shots were fired, and the party returned with the news that the ground had been broken up to the depth of two feet and of ample size to

nd ten men was then placed in the fort. They remained there all day and returned to the ship as darkness fell, as it was thought pretty certain that no one would try

h difficulty made his way up the hill to a point near the mouth of the opening, which commanded a view over the sea. From that point he [pg 128]could easily see the hulls of the ships with his telescope, and had no d

st with boats," he reported

, and the magazines were opened and the guns loaded. All the guns from the larboard main deck had been brought up to the upper deck and port-holes made for them, and a boom of trees had been built from the bow and stern of the ship to the shore, so as to prevent any craft fr

t not try to work their gun after the first shot, as if they did so they would simply be swept away by the enemy's fire. That one shot was to be aimed at the enemy's rudder; then they were to lie down, and if they had not disabled the ship they were to keep up a heavy [pg

iously, for a slight bend in the narrow passage prevented them from seeing the battery. Presently the boom of a cannon was heard, followed by a cheer, which told that the little garrison had been successful; then for two or three minutes there was a rattle of musketry. When this stopped, the dug-out at once wen

up with you, Mr. Farrance, to the place whence you saw them; we may be sure that there

ack. The more fortunate of the two boats which had attempted to explore the passage had just returned to them with [pg

well enough that a ship must be in here, the gun shows them that, but they cannot tel

back to the Furious, and gave orders to prepare for the attack. The men at once stood to their posts. Presently the gun of the fort boomed out again, and by the cheering that followed the sound it was evident that the shot had taken effect and smashed the rudder of

?uvre in the light wind so as to bring her broadside to bear on the Furious, and another crashing broadside from the latter vessel completed her discomfiture. The other vessel now [pg 131]came up by her side, but she had been disabled by the fort, and her helm would not act. Her captain at once lowered her boats and tried to get her head round, but these were sma

een struck twice by balls from the bow-chaser of the second ship; but this was the extent of her damage, while the loss of life on board the French frigates had be

the captures to receive the

r boats had got in and seen the situation you would have understood that the position was an impossible one. There was no room in here for man?uvring, and even had one of you not be

, who were much mortified by

that you would be so wonderfully placed for defence. I agree with you that our case was hopele

be placed in partial confinement, but a third of them can always be on deck. My surgeon

smantle her. The masts, spars, and rigging were transferred to the Furious and erected in place of her own shattered stumps,

, towing behind her the dismantled hull in which the whole of the priso

efore long it was evident that they were English. They approached rapidly, and when they rounded-to near the Furious the crews manned the yards and greeted her with tremen

s that you were dismasted and lying helpless in some little inlet, and here you are with what I can see is a

ver when the first shot was fired," he said. "The two French ships lost upwards of seventy killed and over a hundred wounded, while we had onl

hind you, was most excellent. Well, it is a splendid victory, the more so as it has been won with so little loss. The French certainly showed but little discretion in thus running into the trap you had prepared for them. O

tation. Both prizes were bought into the service and handed over to the dockyard for a thorough refit. Their names were changed, the Eclaire being rechristened the Sylph, the Actif becoming the Hawke. Lieutenant Farrance was promoted to the rank of captain, and given the command of the latter vesse

ated for their hospitality, and the

already left their plantations and come down here. I don't say that you should not accept any invitation if you like, but if an outbreak takes place suddenly I fancy very few of the planters will get down safely. I mean, of course, if there is a general [pg 135]rising, which I hope will not be the case. Negroes are a good deal like other people. Where they are well treated they are quite content to go on as they are. Where they are badly treated they are apt to try and better themselves. Still, that is not always the case. There is no doubt that altogether the French planters of San Domin

I will not accept invi

er; for if a rebellion breaks out it will not at first be general, but will begin at some of the mo

masters and slaves. The planters were almost aggrieved when he insisted on leaving them in the evening, but he had the excuse that he was a sort of aide-de-[pg 136]camp to Captain Farrance, and was bound to be there the first thing in the morning to receive

fresh hands from England, brought out to make good the losses of the various ships on the station. Within three weeks, therefore, of her leaving the dockyard the Hawke sailed to join the expedition under Sir John Laforey and General Cuyler, to capture the island of Tobago, where, on 14th April, 1793, some troops were landed

g