A Lad of Grit: A Story of Adventure on Land and Sea in Restoration Times

ere made to overhaul the ship thoroughly ere she joined her consorts in a cruise amongst the Antilles for the pur

the fact that, like the Mediterranean, these waters are practically tideless, so tha

ration of cleaning her hull below the waterline is performed by "careening", or a

nual work being performed by gangs of negro slaves, who toil

ccustomed as I was to scenes of cruelty

, and they'll take care to work still less. And, mark my words, lad, if ever it comes to pass that these blackamoors are freed, as Maste

ng on the chase parted, and the huge mass of metal fell into a barge alongside, crushing two negroes and tearing through the bottom of the shore-craft. Instantly all was confusion; the master gunner was cursing at the loss of his piece of

d a fierce dispute, but this had not lasted long wh

ggling in a smother of foam-lashed water under our quarter, while the triang

t in the sudden and brief incident, yet the only remark the overseer deig

above her usual loadline, the ship was towed into the mouth of a muddy creek, and there careened till the whole of the bottom on the larboard s

the officers were allowed to take up quarters ashore, and right glad was I to hav

tance. They had been condemned to die; but, owing to a slight difference between the admiral and the governor of Jamaica, their fate was yet undecided, the former wishing to send them to England to grace Execution Dock, the latter desiring to gra

he plaza, or open square, fronting the quay. The sun had set, and

inated by distant yet bright flashes of light, while a subdued rumbling smote our ears. Other passers-by were also attrac

was soon evident that an engagement was taking pla

an to hide their valuables. Others, arming themselves with a medley of weapons, hurried to the for

rom their quarters to the fort, followed ten minutes later by a large body of pikemen, their arms glitte

ernately running and walking we hurried out of the town, crossed the cau

ard, directing his officers, while gun after gun was dragged over greased

darkness the Gannet was almost her former self, for, being the only warship on the station (the rest being, as I have menti

Another would arrive breathless, saying that all the buccaneers of the Indies were off the port, and that our fleet had been worsted. Yet another came with the information that only o

rk too; yet with such a spirit did the men take to the task, without need of threats of rope-ends, su

cognized as belonging to one Lewis, a renegade king's officer, who, attracted by the glamour of easily acquired wealth, had seduced his crew from their allegiance and turned buccaneer. Joined by several others of like nature, Lewis had

ers that night; but after a long running fight the latter ship had managed to m

dock, though it was evident from his puckered brows that he had doubts as to

ry piece of ordnance had to be brought off to the ship in barges or lighters after s

l the guns were run over to the larboard side, so that the Gannet's lower-deck ports were within a few inches of the surface of the water, her draught being th

and came in foot by foot; the negroes, the sweat glistening on their ebony arms an

om, her keel ploughing through the liquid mud and causin

ond the entrance to the creek, then, as if gripped by

soundings, and, this being done, it was found that the Ga

e," said the captain, as he saw the panting for

er. Pipe the men aft," he shouted, and in obedience to the shrill cry of the bosn's mate's whistle the who

bos'n to the capstan men, and, as the strain on the cables increased, the rest of the crew, in obedience to an order, d

forward and entered the deep waters of the harbour, the two ropes on her quarter trailing astern, an

ble, sail was hastily made, and away we w

early hull down; but with every stitch of canvas set, and withal

yal was evident in that they made no attempt to sheer off; inste

away to the north-west, two to the south-east, while the fifth, thoug

nd her audacity puzzled us mightily; but knowing the diabolical cunning

filled and she was off, following the direction o

veral men rushed to the stern and opened fire on the object, which, so many of our crew declared, was a man swimming. This it turned out to be. Amid a

bos'n, as the swimmer bobbed up and down amid the splash of

or their gunnery is far worse than yesterday, when they hulle

s as they cleft their way towards the swimmer; but, frightened by the splash of the shots

ly lost, all our crew watching the efforts of the swimmer, as wit

her shots no longer disturbed the water. Far from destroying the man, the discharge of her ordnance had proved his salvation; so our captain resolved

trongly, yet easily, and without any sign of either physical or mental discomfort. By this time he was so c

r catheads for the man to be hauled on board, when, within fifty yards from us, he suddenly disapp

with blood. An involuntary cry of horror broke from us; then, to our surprise, we saw the man reappear, brandishing a sheath-knif

e bowline, and with the knife between hi

n hair. Unconcernedly he drank a dram which was given him; then, with the moisture draining f

pair of heels, so that nothing short of an accident to the crowd o

Captain Poynings gathered

no rogue. Me see Senhor Capitan alone, de

"You are a pirate or an accomplice of that rascally crew. Now, giv

red ominously, then, instantly relapsing into his

speak truth!" And holding a small wooden crucifix that hun

. Tell him ebberything. Senhor C

tting his brows in that manner pec

itan an' three odder. Pedro's tale

nife, and searched for any concealed weapons he might have had, was taken below

ticed that Captain Poynings and his officers looked highly

" said the captain. "'Tis but

waist, while from the poop thei

rope and one-seventh of the spoil. By my commission His Majesty gives me power to engage in such enterprise, whereof one-tenth reverteth to our sovereign lord, the king. Be it understood that I will deal fairly with all men, dividing the residu

iscuss this matter amongst themselves. We, however, learn

reduced their number, till only one man remained. He was rescued by a galliot the owner of which was Pedro's grandfather. In gratitude, the Spaniard showed his rescuer a plan of where the specie lay, the men agreeing to share the spoil. Both men were lost in an attempt to reach the island in a small craft in which they had sailed alone, so as to keep their secret, and thus all

ll his companions were murdered. Pedro alone was kept a prisoner,

ccaneers, but, taking a favourable opportunity, he had le

d into his soul, and he was ready to hazard everything for the sake of that which

iddicombe," he exclaimed, "and let

gitude carefully pricked off, whereat Captain Po

on the table with tremendous force. "The position he would have us believe to be an

umbfounded Visions of untold

, and give him five dozen!" cried the captain, a

our longitude, whereas this rough chart is of Spanish draughtsmans

, 'twas but your duty. Prick out, then, a fresh p

d position, and to the unbounded satisfaction of us all it was found that it marked a small island al

quadron should set us free to pursue our adventure. For nearly two weeks we remained in suspense, Captain Poynings refusing leave for fear that a man