"If we
Cannot defend our own door from the dog,
Let us be worried; and our nation lose
The name of hardiness, and policy."
_Henry V._
The combat between the Crisis and _la Dame de Nantes_ took place
in 42.37'.12" north latitude, and 34.16'.43" west longitude, from
Greenwich. This was very near the centre of the northern Atlantic, and
gave us ample time to get our ship in good condition before we drew in
with the land. Shortly after the affair, the wind came out light at
northeast, forcing us down nearer to the Bay of Biscay than was at all
convenient, when bound to London. The weather grew foggy, too, which
is not usual on the coast of Europe, with the wind at east, and the
nights dark. Just a fortnight after the action, I was awakened early
one morning by a rough shake of the shoulder from Marble, who had the
watch, but who was calling me at least an hour before the time. "Bear
a hand and turn out," he said; "I want you on deck, Mr. Wallingford."
I obeyed, of course, and soon stood in the presence of the chief-mate,
rubbing my eyes diligently, as if they had to be opened by friction.
It was just six bells, or seven o'clock, and one of the watch was on
the point of making the bell proclaim as much, when Mr. Marble ordered
him not to strike the hour. The weather was thick, or rather foggy,
and the wind light, with very little sea going. All this I had time to
notice, to listen to the unusual order about the bell, and to gape
twice, before the male turned to me. He seized my arm, carried me on
the lee side of the quarter-deck, shook his finger at a vacant spot in
the fog, and said--
"Miles, my boy, down yonder, within half a mile of this very spot, is
our friend the Frenchman!"
"How is it possible you can know that, Mr. Marble?" I demanded in
surprise.
"Because I have seen him, with these two good-looking eyes of
mine. This fog opens and shuts like a playhouse-curtain, and I got a
peep at the chap, about ten minutes since. It was a short look, but it
was a sure one; I would swear to the fellow in any admiralty court in
Christendom."
"And what do you intend to do, Mr. Marble? We found him a hard subject
in clear weather; what can we do with him in thick?"
"That depends on the old man; his very natur' is overlaid by what has
happened already, and I rather think he will be for a fresh
skrimmage"--Marble was an uneducated Kennebunk man, and by no means
particular about his English. "There'll be good picking in that French
gentleman, Master Miles, for those who come in at the beginning of the
plunder!"
The chief-mate then told me to go below and turn up all hands, making
as little rumpus about it as possible. This I did; and when I returned
to the deck, I found the fingers of Marble going again, with Captain
Williams for his auditor, just as they had gone to me, a few minutes
earlier. Being an officer, I made no scruples about joining the
party. Marble was giving his account of the manner in which he had
momentarily seen the enemy, the canvass he was under, the course he
was steering, and the air of security that prevailed about him. So
much, he insisted he had noted, though he saw the ship for about
twenty seconds only. All this, however, might be true, for a seaman's
eye is quick, and he has modes of his own for seeing a great deal in a
brief space of time. Marble now proposed that we should go to
quarters, run alongside of the Frenchman, pour in a broadside, and
board him in the smoke. Our success would be certain, could we close
with him without being seen; and it would be almost as certain, could
we engage him with our guns by surprise. The chief-mate was of opinion
we had dosed him in the other affair, in a way to sicken him; this
time we should bring him to with a round turn!
The "old man" was pleased with the notion, I saw at a glance; and I
confess it took my fancy also. We all felt very sore at the result of
the other attempt, and here it seemed as if fortune gave us a good
occasion for repairing the evil.
"There can be no harm in getting ready, Mr. Marble," the captain
observed; "and when we are ready ourselves we shall know better what
to think of the matter."
This was no sooner said, than away we went to clear ship. Our task
was soon done; the tompions were got out, the guns cast loose,
ammunition was brought up, and a stand of grape was put in over the
shot in every piece in both batteries. As the men were told the
motive, they worked like dray-horses; and I do not think we were ten
minutes before the ship was ready to go into action, at a moment's
notice.
All this time, Captain Williams refused to keep the ship away. I
believe he wanted to get a look at our neighbour himself, for he could
not but foresee what might be the consequences, should he run down in
the fog, and engage a heavier vessel than his own, without the
ceremony of a hail. The sea was covered with Englishmen, and one of
their cruisers might not very easily pardon such a mistake, however
honestly made. But preparation seems to infer a necessity for
performance. When everything was ready, all eyes were turned aft in a
way that human nature could hardly endure, and the captain was obliged
to yield. As Marble, of all on board, had alone seen the other vessel,
he was directed to conn the Crisis in the delicate operation she was
about to undertake.
As before, my station was on the forecastle. I had been directed to
keep a bright look-out, as the enemy would doubtless be first seen
from forward. The order was unnecessary, however, for never did human
beings gaze into a fog more anxiously, than did all on board our ship
on this occasion. Calculating by the distance, and the courses
steered, we supposed ten or fifteen minutes would bring us square
alongside of Mr. Marble's ship; though some among us doubted his
having seen any vessel at all. There was about a five-knot breeze, and
we had all our square sails set, knowing it was necessary to go a
little faster than our adversary, to catch up with him. The intense
expectation, not to say anxiety, of such a scene, is not easily
described. The surrounding fog, at times, seemed filled with ships;
but all vanished into _thick_ air, one after another, leaving
nothing but vapour. Severe orders had been given for no one to call
out, but, the moment the ship was seen, for the discoverer to go aft
and report. At least a dozen men left their quarters on this errand,
all returning in the next instant, satisfied they had been
deceived. Each moment, too, increased the expectation; for each moment
must we be getting nearer and nearer to her, if any vessel were really
there. Quite twenty minutes, however, passed in this manner, and no
ship was seen. Marble continued cool and confident, but the captain
and second-mate smiled, while the people began to shake their heads,
and roll the tobacco into their cheeks. As we advanced, our own ship
luffed by degrees, until we had got fairly on our old course again, or
were sailing close upon the wind. This change was made easily, the
braces not having been touched; a precaution that was taken expressly
to give us this advantage. When we found ourselves once more close
upon the wind, we gave the matter up forward, supposing the mate had
been deceived. I saw by the expression of the captain's face that he
was about to give the order to secure the guns, when, casting my eyes
forward, there was a ship, sure enough, within a hundred yards of us!
I held up both arms, as I looked aft, and luckily caught the captain's
eye. In an instant, he was on the forecastle.
It was easy enough to see the stranger now. There he was in the fog,
looking mystical and hazy; but there he was, under his main-top-
gallant-sail, close-hauled, and moving ahead in all the confidence of
the solitude of the ocean. We could not see his hull, or so faintly
as only to distinguish its mass; but from his tops up, there was no
mistaking the objects. We had shot away the Frenchman's mizen-royal-mast.
It was a pole, and there the stump stood, just as it was when we had
last seen him on the evening of the day of the combat. This left no
doubt of the character of our neighbour, and it at once determined our
course. As it was, we were greatly outsailing him, but an order was
immediately given to set the light staysails. As Captain Williams
passed aft, he gave his orders to the men in the batteries. In the
mean time, the second-mate, who spoke very good New York French, came
upon the forecastle, in readiness to answer the expected hail. As the
Crisis was kept a little free, in order to close, and as she sailed so
fast, it was apparent we were coming up with the chase, hand over
hand.
The two ships were not more than a hundred feet asunder when the
Frenchmen first saw us. This blindness was owing to several
circumstances. In the first place, ten men look forward in a ship,
where one looks aft. Those who looked aloft, too, were generally on
the quarter-deck, and this prevented them from looking astern. Then
the Frenchman's crew had just gone to their breakfasts, most of them
eating below. She was so strong-handed, moreover, as to give a
forenoon's watch below, and this still left many of the sluggards in
their hammocks. In that day, even a French ship-of-the-line was no
model of discipline or order, and a letter-of-marque was consequently
worse. As it afterwards appeared, we were first seen by the mate of
the watch, who ran to the taffrail, and, instead of giving an order to
call all hands, he hailed us. Mr. Forbank, our second-mate, answered;
mumbling his words so, that, if they were bad French, they did not
sound like good English. He got out the name "Le Hasard, de Bordeaux,"
pretty plainly, however; and this served to mystify the mate for a few
seconds. By the end of that time, our bows were doubling on the
Frenchman's quarter, and we were sheering into him so fast as quite to
distract the Nantes man. The hail had been heard below, however, and
the Frenchmen came tumbling up by the dozen, forward and aft.
Captain Williams was a prime seaman, and one of the coolest men that
ever lived. Everything that day was done at precisely the proper
moment. The Frenchman attempted to keep off, but our wheel was so
touched as to keep us lapping in nearly a parallel line with them, the
whole time; and our forward sails soon becalmed even their mainsail.
Of course we went two feet to their one. Marble came on the
forecastle, just as our cat-head was abreast of "The Lady's"
forward-rigging. Less than a minute was required to take us so far
forward, and that minute was one of great confusion among the
French. As soon as Marble got on the forecastle, he made a signal, the
ensign was run up, and the order was given to fire. We let fly all
five of our nine-pounders, loaded with two round and a stand of grape,
at the same moment. At the next instant, the crash of the ships coming
foul of each other was heard. Marble shouted "Come on, boys!" and away
he, and I, and Neb, and all hands of us, went on board of the
Frenchman like a hurricane. I anticipated a furious hand to hand
conflict; but we found the deck deserted, and had no difficulty
whatever in getting possession. The surprise, the rush, and the effect
of the broadside, gave us an easy victory. The French captain had been
nearly cut in two by a nine-pound shot, moreover, and both of the
mates were severely wounded. These accidents contributed largely to
our success, causing the enemy to abandon the defence as hopeless. We
had not a soul hurt.
The prize proved to be the ship I have mentioned, a letter-of-marque,
from Guadaloupe, bound to Nantes. She was a trifle larger than the
Crisis, mounted twelve French nines, and had eighty-three souls on
board when she sailed. Of these, however, no less than twenty-three
had been killed and wounded in our previous affair with her, and
several were absent in a prize. Of the wounded, nearly all were still
in their hammocks. Among the remainder, some sixteen or eighteen
suffered by our close and destructive broadside on the present
occasion, reducing the efficient part of her crew to about our own
numbers. The vessel was new and valuable, and her cargo was invoiced
at something like sixty thousand dollars, having some cochineal among
it.
As soon as assured of our victory, the Crisis's main-top-sail was
braced aback, as well as it could be, and her helm put down. At the
same time, the Dame was kept away, and the two ships went clear of
each other. Little injury had been done by the collision, or the
grinding; and, in consequence of our guns having been so much shotted,
no damage whatever was done the lower masts of the prize. The shot
had just force enough to pass through the bulwarks, make splinters,
and to lodge. This left both vessels in good condition for going into
port.
At first it was determined to leave me in _la Dame de Nantes,_ as
prize-master, with directions to follow the Crisis into Falmouth,
whither she was bound for orders. But, on further examination, it was
discovered that the crew of an American brig was on board the prize as
prisoners; _la Dame de Nantes_ having captured the vessel only
two days before we met the former the first time, taken out her
people, manned her, and ordered her for Nantes. These Americans,
including the master and two mates, amounted to thirteen souls in all,
and they enabled us to make a different disposition of the prize. The
result of an hour or two's deliberations was as follows:
Our old second-mate, whose hurt was likely to require better care than
could be had on the North-west Coast, was put on board the French ship
as prize-master, with orders to make the best of his way to New
York. The master and chief-mate of the American brig agreed to act
under him, and to assist in carrying _la Dame_ across the
ocean. Three or four of our invalids were sent home also, and the
liberated Americans took service for the passage. All the French
wounded were left in the ship, under the charge of their own surgeon,
who was a man of some little merit, though a good deal of a butcher,
as was too much the fashion of that day.
It was dark before all the arrangements were made, when _la Dame de
Nantes_ turned short round on her heel, and made sail for
America. Of course our captain sent in his official report by her, and
I seized a moment to write a short letter to Grace, which was so
worded as to be addressed to the whole family. I knew how much
happiness a line from me would bestow, and I had the pleasure to
inform them, also, that I was promoted to be second-mate--the
second-mate of the American brig having shipped as my successor in the
rank of third-officer.
The parting on the wide ocean, that night, was solemn, and, in some
respects, sad. We knew that several who were in _la Dame de
Nantes_ would probably be left behind, as she travelled her long,
solitary path, in the depths of the ocean; and there were the chances
that she, herself, might never arrive. As respects the last, however,
the odds were in her favour, the American coast being effectually
cleared of French privateers by that time; and I subsequently received
eleven hundred and seventy-three dollars for my share in that
exploit. How I was affected by the circumstance, and what I did with
the money, will appear in the sequel.
The Crisis made sail on a bowline, at the same moment her prize filled
away for America; Miles Wallingford a much more important personage
than he had been a few hours before. We put the prisoners below,
keeping a good watch over them, and hauled off to the northward and
westward, in order to avoid any French cruisers that might be hovering
on their own coast. Captain Williams seemed satisfied with the share
of glory he had obtained, and manifested no further disposition to
seek renown in arms. As for Marble, I never knew a man more exalted in
his own esteem, than he was by the results of that day's work. It
certainly did him great credit; but, from that hour, woe to the man
who pretended to dispute with him concerning the character of any sail
that happened to cross our path.
The day after we parted company with our prize, we made a sail to the
westward, and hauled up to take a look at her, the wind having
shifted. She was soon pronounced to be an American; but, though we
showed our colours, the stranger, a brig, manifested no disposition to
speak us. This induced Captain Williams to make sail in chase, more
especially as the brig endeavoured to elude us by passing ahead, and
the run was pretty nearly on our course. At 4, P. M. we got near
enough to throw a nine-pound shot between the fellow's masts, when the
chase hove-to, and permitted us to come up. The brig proved to be the
prize of _la Dame de Nantes_, and we took possession of her
forthwith. As this vessel was loaded with flour, pot and pearl ashes,
&c., and was bound to London, I was put in charge of her, with a young
man of my own age, of the name of Roger Talcott, for my assistant,
having six men for my crew. Of course the Frenchmen, all but one who
acted as cook and steward excepted, were received on board the
Crisis. Neb went with me, through his own and my earnest entreaties,
though spared by Marble with great reluctance.
This was my first command; and proud enough did I feel on the
occasion, though almost dying with the apprehension of doing something
wrong. My orders were, to make the Lizard light, and to crawl along
up-channel, keeping close in with the English coast; Captain Williams
anticipating instructions to go to the same port to which the Amanda
(the brig) was bound, and expecting to overtake us, after he had
called at Falmouth for his orders. As the Crisis could go four feet to
the Amanda's three, before sunset our old ship was hull down ahead of
us.
When I took charge of the deck the next morning, I found myself on the
wide ocean, with nothing in sight, at the age of eighteen, and in the
enemy's seas, with a valuable vessel to care for, my way to find into
narrow waters that I had never entered, and a crew on board, of whom
just one-half were now on their first voyage. Our green hands had
manifested the aptitude of Americans, and had done wonders in the way
of improvement; but a great deal still remained to be learned. The
Crisis's complement had been too large to employ everybody at all
sorts of work, as is usually done in a merchant-vessel with her
ordinary number of hands and the landsmen had to take their chances
for instruction. Notwithstanding, the men I got were stout, healthy,
willing and able to pull and haul with the oldest salts.
By the arrangement that had been made, I was now thrown upon my own
resources. Seamanship, navigation, address, prudence, all depended on
me. I confess I was, at first, nearly as much depressed by the novelty
and responsibility of my command, as Neb was delighted. But it is
surprising how soon we get accustomed to changes of this sort. The
first five or six hours set me quite at my ease, though it is true
nothing occurred in the least out of the usual way; and, by the time
the sun set, I should have been happy, could I have got over the
uneasiness produced by the darkness. The wind had got round to
south-west, and blew fresh. I set a lower and a top-mast
studding-sail, and by the time the light had entirely vanished, the
brig began to drag after her canvass in a way to keep me wide awake.
I was at a loss whether to shorten sail or not. On the one hand, there
was the apprehension of carrying away something; and, on the other,
the fear of seeming timid in the eyes of the two or three seamen I had
with me. I watched the countenances of these men, in order to glean
their private sentiments; but, usually, Jack relies so much on his
officers, that he seldom anticipates evils. As for Neb, the harder it
blew, the greater was his rapture. He appeared to think the wind was
Master Miles's, as well as the ocean, the brig, and himself. The more
there was of each, the richer I became. As for Talcott, he was
scarcely as good a seaman as myself, though he was well-educated, had
good manners, was well-connected, and had been my original competitor
for the office of third-mate. I had been preferred only through the
earnest recommendations of Marble. Talcott, however, was as expert a
navigator as we had in the ship, and had been placed with me on that
account; Captain Williams fancying two heads might prove better than
one. I took this young man into the cabin with me, not only as a
companion, but to give him consideration with the people forward. On
shore, though less fortunate in the way of state, he would have been
considered as fully my equal in position.
Talcott and myself remained on deck together nearly the whole of the
first night and the little sleep I did get was caught in a top-mast
studding-sail that lay on the quarterdeck, and which I had determined
not to set, after rowsing it up for that purpose. When daylight
returned, however, with a clear horizon, no increase of wind, and
nothing in sight, I was so much relieved as to take a good nap until
eight. All that day we started neither tack nor sheet, nor touched a
brace. Towards evening I went aloft myself to look for land, but
without success, though I knew, from our observation at noon, it could
not be far off. Fifty years ago the longitude was the great difficulty
with navigators. Both Talcott and myself did very well with the
lunars, it is true; but there was no chance to observe, and even
lunars soon get out of their reckoning among currents and tides. Glad
enough, then, was I to hear Neb sing but "Light ahead!" from the
fore-top-sail-yard. This was about ten o'clock. I knew this light
must be the Lizard, as we were too far to the eastward for Scilly. The
course was changed so as to bring the light a little on the
weather-bow; and I watched for its appearance to us on deck with an
anxiety I have experienced, since, only in the most trying
circumstances. Half an hour sufficed for this, and then I felt
comparatively happy. A new beginner even is not badly off with the
wind fresh at south-west, and the Lizard light in plain view on his
weather-bow, if he happen to be bound up-channel. That night,
consequently, proved to be more comfortable than the previous.
Next morning there was no change, except in the brig's position. We
were well in the channel, had the land as close aboard as was prudent,
and could plainly see, by objects ashore, that we were travelling
ahead at a famous rate. We went within a mile of the Eddystone, so
determined was I to keep as far as possible from the French
privateers. Next morning we were up abreast of the Isle of Wight; but
the wind had got round to the southward and eastward, becoming much
lighter, and so scant as to bring us on a taut bowline. This made
England a lee-shore, and I began to be as glad to get off it, as I had
lately been to hug it.
All this time, it will easily be understood that we kept a sharp
look-out, on board the brig, for enemies. We saw a great many sail,
particularly as we approached the Straits of Dover, and kept as much
aloof from all as circumstances would allow. Several were evidently
English vessels-of-war, and I felt no small concern on the subject of
having some of my men impressed; for at that period, and for many
years afterwards, ships of all nations that traded with the English
lost many of their people by this practice, and the American craft
more than any other. I ascribed to our sticking so close to the coast,
which we did as long as it was at all safe, the manner in which we
were permitted to pass unnoticed, or, at least, undetained. But, as we
drew nearer to the narrow waters, I had little hope of escaping
without being boarded. In the mean while, we made short stretches off
the land, and back again, all one day and night, working slowly to the
eastward. We still met with no interruption. I was fast getting
confidence in myself; handling the Amanda, in my own judgment, quite
as welt as Marble could have done it, and getting my green hands into
so much method and practice, that I should not have hesitated about
turning round and shaping our course for New York, so far as the mere
business of navigating the vessel was concerned.
The lights on the English coast were safe guides for our movements,
and they let me understand how much we made or lost on a
tack. Dungeness was drawing nearer slowly, to appearances, and I was
beginning to look out for a pilot; when Talcott, who had the watch,
about three in the morning, came with breathless haste into the cabin,
to tell me there was a sail closing with us fast, and, so far as he
could make her out in the darkness, she was lugger-rigged. This was
startling news indeed, for it was almost tantamount to saying the
stranger was a Frenchman. I did not undress at all, and was on deck in
a moment. The vessel in chase was about half a mile distant on our
lee-quarter, but could be plainly enough distinguished, and I saw at a
glance she was a lugger. There were certainly English luggers; but all
the traditions of the profession had taught me to regard a vessel of
that particular rig as a Frenchman. I had heard of privateers from
Dunkirk, Boulogne, and various other ports in France, running over to
the English coast in the night, and making prizes, just as this fellow
seemed disposed to serve us. Luckily, our head was toward the land,
and we were looking about a point and a half to windward of the light
on Dungeness, being also favoured with a flood-tide, so far as we
could judge by the rapid drift of the vessel to windward.
My decision was made in a minute. I knew nothing of batteries, or
where to seek protection; but there was the land, and I determined to
make for it as fast as I could. By keeping the brig a good full, and
making all the sail she could carry, I thought we might run ashore
before the lugger could get alongside us. As for her firing, I did not
believe she would dare to attempt that, as it might bring some English
cruiser on her heels, and France was some hours' sail distant. The
fore and mizen top-gallant-sails were set as fast as possible, the
weather-braces pulled upon a little, the bowlines eased, and the brig
kept a rap-full. The Amanda was no flyer, certainly; but she seemed
frightened as much as we were ourselves, that night. I never knew her
to get along so fast, considering the wind; and really there was a
short time when I began to think she held her own, the lugger being
jammed up as close as she could be. But this was all delusion, that
craft coming after us more like a sea-serpent than a machine carried
ahead by canvass. I was soon certain that escape from such a racer by
sailing, was altogether out of the question.
The land and light were now close aboard us, and I expected every
moment to hear the brig's keel grinding on the bottom. At this instant
I caught a faint glimpse of a vessel at anchor to the eastward of the
point, and apparently distant about a quarter of a mile. The thought
struck me that she might be an English cruiser, for they frequently
anchored in such places; and I called out, as it might be
instinctively, "luff!" Neb was at the helm, and I knew by his cheerful
answer that the fellow was delighted. It was lucky we luffed as we
did, for, in coming to the wind, the vessel gave a scrape that was a
fearful admonisher of what would have happened in another minute. The
Amanda minded her helm beautifully, however, and we went past the
nearest land without any further hints, heading up just high enough to
fetch a little to windward of the vessel at anchor. At the next
moment, the lugger, then about a cable's length from as, was shut in
by the land. I was now in great hopes the Frenchman would be obliged
to tack; but he had measured his distance well, and felt certain, it
would seem, that he could lay past. He reasoned, probably, as Nelson
is _said_ to have reasoned at the Nile, and as some of his
captains unquestionably _did_ reason; that is, if there was water
enough for us, there was water enough for him. In another minute I saw
him, jammed nearly into the wind's eye, luffing past the point, and
falling as easily into our wake as if drawn by attraction.
All this time, the night was unbroken by any sound. Not a hail, nor a
call, our own orders excepted, and they had been given in low tones,
had been audible on board the Amanda. As regards the vessel at anchor,
she appeared to give herself no concern. There she lay, a fine ship,
and, as I thought, a vessel-of-war, like a marine bird asleep on its
proper element. We were directly between her and the lugger, and it is
possible her anchor-watch did not see the latter. The three vessels
were not more than half a cable's length asunder; that is, we were
about that distance from the ship, and the lugger was a very little
farther from us. Five minutes must determine the matter. I was on the
brig's forecastle, anxiously examining all I could make out on board
the ship, as her size, and shape, and rig, became slowly more and more
distinct; and I hailed--
"Ship ahoy!"
"Hilloa! What brig's that?"
"An American, with a French privateer-lugger close on board me,
directly in my wake. You had better be stirring!"
I heard the quick exclamation of "The devil there is!" "Bloody
Yankees!" came next. Then followed the call of "All hands." It was
plain enough my notice had set everything in motion in that
quarter. Talcott now came running forward to say he thought, from some
movements on board the lugger, that her people were now first apprised
of the vicinity of the ship. I had been sadly disappointed at the call
for all hands on board the ship, for it was in the manner of a
merchantman, instead of that of a vessel-of-war. But we were getting
too near to remain much longer in doubt. The Amanda was already
sweeping up on the Englishman's bows, not more than forty yards
distant.
"She is an English West-Indiaman, Mr. Wallingford," said one of my
oldest seamen; "and a running ship; some vessel that has deserted or
lost her convoy."
"Do you _know_ anything of the lugger?" demanded an officer from
on board the ship, in a voice that was not very amicable.
"No more than you see; she has chased me, close aboard, for the last
twenty minutes."
There was no reply to this for a moment, and then I was asked--"To
tack, and give us a little chance, by drawing him away for a few
minutes. We are armed, and will come out to your assistance."
Had I been ten years older, experience in the faith of men, and
especially of men engaged in the pursuit of gain, would have prevented
me from complying with this request; but, at eighteen, one views these
things differently. It did appear to me ungenerous to lead an enemy in
upon a man in his sleep, and not endeavour to do something to aid the
surprised party. I answered "ay, ay!" therefore, and tacked directly
alongside of the ship. But the manoeuvre was too late, the lugger
coming in between the ship and the brig, just as we began to draw
ahead again, leaving him room, and getting a good look at us both. The
Englishman appeared the most inviting, I suppose, for she up helm and
went on board of him on his quarter. Neither party used their guns. We
were so near, however, as plainly to understand the whole, to
distinguish the orders, and even to hear the blows that were struck by
hand. It was an awful minute to us in the brig. The cries of the hurt
reached us in the stillness of that gloomy morning, and oaths mingled
with the clamour. Though taken by surprise, John Bull fought well;
though we could perceive that he was overpowered, however, just as the
distance, and the haze that was beginning to gather thick around the
land, shut in the two vessels from our view.
The disappearance of the two combatants furnished me with a hint how
to proceed. I stood out three or four minutes longer, or a sufficient
distance to make certain we should not be seen, and tacked again. In
order to draw as fast as possible out of the line of sight, we kept
the brig off a little, and then ran in towards the English coast,
which was sufficiently distant to enable us to stand on in that
direction some little time longer. This expedient succeeded perfectly;
for, when we found it necessary to tack again, day began to
dawn. Shortly after, we could just discern the West-Indiaman and the
lugger standing off the land, making the best of their way towards the
French coast. In 1799, it is possible that this bold Frenchman got his
prize into some of his own ports, though three or four years later it
would have been a nearly hopeless experiment. As for the Amanda, she
was safe; and Nelson did not feel happier, after his great achievement
at the Nile, than I felt at the success of my own expedient. Talcott
congratulated me and applauded me; and I believe all of us were a
little too much disposed to ascribe to our own steadiness and address,
much that ought fairly to have been imputed to chance.
Off Dover we got a pilot, and learned that the ship captured was the
Dorothea, a valuable West-Indiaman that had stolen away from her
convoy, and come in alone, the previous evening. She anchored under
Dungeness at the first of the ebb, and, it seems, had preferred taking
a good night's rest to venturing out in the dark, when the flood
made. Her berth was a perfectly snug one, and the lugger would
probably never have found her, had we not led her directly in upon her
prey.
I was now relieved from all charge of the brig; and a relief I found
it, between shoals, enemies, and the tides, of which I knew
nothing. That day we got into the Downs, and came-to. Here I saw a
fleet at anchor; and a pretty stir it made among the man-of-war's-men,
when our story was repeated among them. I do think twenty of their
boats were alongside of us, to get the facts from the original
source. Among others who thus appeared, to question me, was one old
gentleman, whom I suspected of being an admiral. He was in
shore-dress, and came in a plain way; the men in his boat declining to
answer any questions; but they paid him unusual respect. This
gentleman asked me a great many particulars, and I told him the whole
story frankly, concealing or colouring nothing. He was evidently much
interested. When he went away, he shook me cordially by the hand, and
said--"Young gentleman, you have acted prudently and well. Never mind
the grumbling of some of our lads; they think only of themselves. It
was your right and your duty to save your own vessel, if you could,
without doing anything dishonourable; and I see nothing wrong in your
conduct. But it's a sad disgrace to us, to let these French rascals be
picking up their crumbs in this fashion, right under our hawse-holes."