Lieutenant Hakes was on the quarterdeck with Mister Howard when Mullins finished with Flowers. “You wished to speak with me, Captain Mullins?”
‘I did indeed, Captain Hakes. First though, I must congratulate you on gaining command of your own ship. She is a beauty.”
“I never expected the offer, Captain. My father is friendly with Mister Dalrymple’s father. I saw him ashore at the outfitters’ and he immediately asked if I were available to command his new brig. I told him I was under your orders in Vigilant and thought that was the end of it. Later that day, I received orders from the flag to report aboard Freya. I still have not removed my sea chest from Vigilant, yet.”
Mullins answered, “You had better see Mister Flowers. He has assumed your old position. Ask him to get you some men to get your chest and lower it into your boat. In the meantime, we are under orders to sail at the next convenient wind and tide. Is your ship lacking anything of importance?”
Hakes answered. “Mister Dalrymple is still onshore. As soon as he reports aboard, I will signal you.”
Mullins smiled. “We must not leave without our diplomat. Tell me, has Mister Flowers said anything to you about an escapade he had ashore a few weeks ago?”
“No sir, of course I knew you were distressed with him but I did not know the reason.”
Mullins nodded and walked with him to the entry port. “We had better talk more of our tactics should we meet the enemy. For now, it might be best if our ships should remain close during any action for mutual support when meeting any strong enemy force. Your carronades will help defeat any large enemy ship that closes, while Vigilant’s long guns should send off anyone that attempts to pummel you from afar. Good luck, Captain Hakes.”
Chapter Twenty
Captain Mullins was becoming anxious. The flag had repeatedly signaled, asking when they were to depart. The diplomat had gone ashore with his staff the previous evening and nothing had been heard from him since. Now the wind, which had been favorable all morning was beginning to veer, and they were about to lose their tide. Of course, the government official could not be blamed for the delay, so the onus must fall on himself.
When the flag repeated the signal this time, it was punctuated by a gun. The bark of the gun sent all the harbor’s seabirds aloft in alarm. Unwilling to offer up any more excuses, Mullins gave the order to slip the moorings and set sail. It should be obvious to the staff on the flag that the reason for the delay was the absence of Mister Dalrymple, there were enough men on her quarterdeck with glasses trained on the two ships.
With both watches on deck, Vigilant’s headsails were set in a flash, and she slowly gathered way. When Freya remained obstinately at anchor, Mullins impatiently ordered Mister Flowers to signal her to set sail. He reasoned the flag knew very well the reason for the delay. The two vessel’s drifted out of the harbor in the light airs.
As they passed the outer battery, a series of signals climbed the battery’s signal mast. “Signal from the flag, sir”, reported the new officer. “Passengers will rendezvous off Land’s End. Wait not more than two days.”
The diplomat and his staff boarded from a private yacht in heavy weather off the headland. There was some doubt whether they could be taken aboard the brig in the heavy seas, but eventually all were safe, although very wet. Mullins waited for some explanation of the delay but none was offered. Deciding if Dalrymple had satisfied the admiral’s curiosity, it was no concern of his, he let the matter rest.
The ships put into Gibraltar to take on any needed stores and to collect any mail. Vigilant’s captain had intended to attempt to locate another officer should Flowers prove unsuitable. In the event, this was not necessary. Mister Flowers had behaved professionally thus far during the voyage. It was obvious he still had much to learn, but the lad was careful to seek advice from others when it was necessary.
Mister Drummond reported he himself had forgotten much after his long hiatus from the sea, and he certainly had no complaints over Flower’s capabilities. Both Flowers and Drummond found letters in the mail bag when it came aboard. Drummond was non-committal concerning his mail, but Flowers approached his captain while both were on the quarterdeck upon leaving the harbor.
“Sir, the problem with Sarah has disappeared. Apparently, it was a false alarm. There is to be no baby. Do you think I should apologize to Mister Drummond?”
Mullins answered, “Has he said anything to you yet?”
“No sir.”
“Well, ‘less said, soonest mended’. We have a long voyage ahead of us. Anything said now could fester aboard ship for weeks. On my orders, you will keep your silence with Mister Drummond concerning this subject, unless he chooses to broach the subject first.”
As Vigilant continued into the Med, winds from the south began to increase in intensity. Dust, at first almost un-noticeable, began to increase until it became difficult to breathe. Mister Weatherby insisted they were in for a spell of heavy weather when this Sirocco became fully developed. He had experienced such weather before, where the winds could be nearly as strong as some of the hurricanes found in Caribbean waters.
The topmen were sent aloft to make any necessary repairs in the rigging. Rob Darby, high in the mizzen tops, was using his seaman’s fid to renew some questionable splices, when the tool slipped from his hand. He opened his mouth to shout ‘Ware Below!’ when he saw his captain on deck immediately below.
Frozen, he was unable to shout the warning, and the heavy tool struck Captain Mullins atop his bare head. Mullins fell to the deck like a sack of biscuit. After the initial shock and confusion, the captain was taken below to the surgeon and Mister Drummond took command of the ship. It was necessary to signal Captain Hakes in Freya, since he was now senior officer present.
As the ships sailed eastward, the sirocco winds increased in intensity. Visibility decreased and now the ships were out of sight of each other. Mister Drummond, while he had received his commission years earlier, had not had recent experience in command of a ship, especially under these circumstances. Of course, he had the advice and assistance of the sailing master, but Drummond felt as acting captain, it was his task to see the ship through this difficulty and declined to listen to Mister Weatherby.
By the next day, Drummond had not the slightest idea of the ship’s actual position. Unable to take sights, they had to rely on dead reckoning, which under the present circumstances was a very fragile reed to rely on. Had he listened to the sailing master, he would have made for the deep water farther out and hoped to avoid any of the more dangerous waters while this storm was still dangerous.
Unfortunately, he felt doing so would cause his people to doubt his courage or seamanship, so pressed on to the east.
The storm died that night and the sea was relatively quiet when the ship sailed onto the reef. Later, Mullins thought it was the un-natural stillness of the ship that awakened him. Although there was a great deal of activity on the ship itself, Vigilant lay motionless in its rocky berth.
Confused, he at first thought he must be home in London, asleep in his own bed. Emerging from his daze though, he could hear the sounds one might expect to hear on a ship, he just could not distinguish any indication of the ship moving. A noise beside his bed might be a person moving. There was no light at all, but when he called out, he recognized the voice of Andrew Drake answering. Drake was an elderly seaman, ruptured and no longer able to do the work he had been famous for in his youth.
Drake now earned his pay as a ‘loblolly boy’, assisting the surgeon with his patients. Drake asked if he wanted to see the surgeon.
Mullins said, “I don’t think I need to see the surgeon but I would like to know what I am doing here and what is going on with the ship.”
Drake confided, “You’ve had a knock on your head sir, and the ship is aground. Should I call Mister Howard sir? He’s got the ship now.”
Mullins was able to determine that he was in his own bed in his cabin. He heard his marine sentry moving about out
side the door.
Both Mister Howard and Drummond appeared by his bed moments later. The surgeon appeared soon after. Drummond was abjectly apologetic for stranding the ship, while the surgeon was matter-of-fact concerning his injury. Although Mullins had a violent headache, he knew it was imperative that he get this damage to the ship sorted out. Despite the protests from the surgeon, he slid from his bed. It was necessary to hold on for a moment as he felt a bout of dizziness, but was then able to move.
He remembered when his visitors came through the door, there had been normal shipboard gloom outside. In his cabin, it was pitch black.
“Why is it so infernal dark in here”, he asked petulantly.
The surgeon replied, “I thought it wise to keep your cabin dark until we knew more about the damage the blow on your head caused.”
“Well, if I don’t get some light in here, I’m liable to break my head again!”
Without any instructions from the surgeon, Drake took it upon himself to pull down the covering from the skylight over the bed.
Pulling on his clothing, Mullins snapped to Howard that he was going out on deck and would make a close inspection of the ship.
It was early in the morning, and the sea was quiet. To port and starboard were low rocks just protruding from the sea. Ahead and to starboard, an island was visible, a cable’s length distant.
Ignoring Howard, he went to Mister Weatherby, standing beside the bosun on the quarterdeck. “Gentlemen, what is our situation?”
Weatherby answered, “Sir, the ship ran into this shoal during a dust storm coming off the African coast. As you see, we have rocks to port and starboard, but I think we have managed to avoid damaging the ship too much. The main topmast was strained when we struck the reef. Fortunately, the winds at the time were very light, and that was the only damage that occurred aloft. We have sent up the spare, so all is well in that regard. I believe there may be sand between these rocks and the bow, which has perhaps protected the ship for the time being. I think it will be necessary to get her free as soon as possible. If the sea gets up, I fear the bow timbers will work against the rocks holding us, creating more damage.”
As the men talked, a plan was worked out. The best bower anchor would be lowered into the launch and carried aft, to be dropped down in good holding ground. Its cable would be passed through a stern port and nipped to the messenger cable. Much of the ship’s water would be pumped overboard, and some of the provisions might be landed on the nearby island. With the ship lightened as much as possible, the hands would try to pull the ship off her rocky berth.
The Marine officer would take his people ashore and make a reconnaissance of the island, to find if there were any dangers present that must be addressed.
Chapter Twenty-One
With the plans in mind, the bosun and his mates went through the hold, knocking in the bungs of the large water tuns. The water ran into the bilges, where the combined labor of many men then had to pump it out.
Hatches were opened and casks of salt meat were pulled out of the hold and swung over the side to be lowered into the cutter.
At the end of the day, the frigate was tons lighter, but there was no sign that she was a half inch higher in the water than before the work began. Having worked hard all day, both watches were given the night to rest, save for a few who would stand deck watch that night.
Next morning every hand that could find a place at the capstan bars took up his position and began to push. After the slack in the anchor cable was taken up, there was no movement. The ship seemed to be frozen in place.
Mullins was not discouraged. It would have been all too easy had the ship slid back off the rocks without making at least a brief protest. The Marines had not yet returned to the ship. Lieutenant Baker had told him he might well spend the night onshore.
Just before dawn the next morning, the deck watch reported a glimmer from the dark lantern the Marines had carried ashore with them.
The Marine officer reported he had made a thorough search of the island. There were many ruins, both ancient and modern, of human habitation, but all living humans were gone. The last inhabitants had apparently left decades before.
Calling his officers to the quarterdeck, he explained he intended to land some of the guns. These would be emplaced in a battery on shore to defend the ships against unfriendly visitors. Baker announced there was stonework ashore, the remnants of some ancient building, that might very well be suitable for that battery.
While the guns were being hoisted out into the boats, more of the ship’s contents were being brought out on deck and were readied to be taken ashore. For three days, the men labored, with little sign of any shift in the ship’s lodgment in the bottom.
Mullins well knew it was only good fortune that had prevented one of several potential enemy ships from discovering their plight. They must soon free the ship, make any needed repairs and sail her away. If this would not be possible, she must be set afire and the crew take to their boats to reach safe harbor.
The wind increased that evening and the night was especially dark with solid cloud cover. The sea was rough and waves were crashing against the nearby shore. If they were to escape, today must be the day. Should the storm intensify, the ship would be beaten to pieces among these rocks.
Several times, as an especially large wave strike the ship, he could feel her quiver under him. Again, the hands were put to the capstan and both launch and cutter were manned. In the event the ship did come off, the boats would restrain the unwieldy, lightened ship and keep it under some kind of control.
After taking up the strain on the anchor cable, for long minutes, the frigate remained motionless, seemingly welded to her berth in these rocks. Then an especially large wave came along, and all could feel the ship slip back an inch or so. This heartened the crew. Mullins had noticed the waves were not all of the same size. A series of smaller ones would strike the ship, then a larger one would come along.
Explaining this to his men, he had them rest until he expected to see a large wave approaching. Warning when he spied a good one, the men pushed on their capstan bars with all of their might. The ship quivered a bit, but did not seem to move. Another came and again the men pushed. This time the hands could feel a long grating sound as the ship moved farther to the rear.
Mullins looked around and saw the ship’s purser standing nearby, watching the men labor. Mister Pearson was not a favorite among the crew. He was not actually a navy man, but really, a sort of independent contractor. He sold various items to the hands for his profit, and was responsible for the acquisition and issuance of food and drink. Many pursers, including Pearson, paid very close attention to their own profits and sometime sold underweight supplies to hands at inflated prices.
The purser supplied the wine, beer and rum the men drank. Out here in the Med, wine was easier and cheaper to obtain so that is what the hands usually drank. Rum however, was their favorite tipple and Mullins knew the purser had several casks. Whether it was still in the ship or ashore, the captain did not know.
Calling Pearson over, Mullins asked if the rum was still aboard the ship. Pearson assured it was. He had not dared to send it ashore, where he could not keep his eyes on it. Who knew how much of it those watchmen might swill?
Carefully explaining to Pearson that he was going to supply every hand of a ration of rum, over and above the wine he would normally receive, the captain further assured Pearson he himself would pay for the rum. Pearson was disapproving at such prolific expenditure, but was willing enough. The captain’s signature was as good as money in his bank.
The rum was soon brought up on deck and men were taken off the capstan in turn to receive their ration. While this was going on, little more movement of the ship had taken place. Mullins had noticed the men, some of whom had had little sleep during the night, were flagging. He called all of his officers and the petty officers who did not generally exert themselves all that much, to the capstan bars. Before taking a place
on a bar himself, he called over to Pearson join him at his capstan bar. The purser was fat and ill-conditioned, surely of little use at such activity. The men laughed when Mullins told them he and Pearson were together going to show the others how it was done.
Mullins waited for a big wave, and when he saw one coming he shouted at his men to ‘Heave!’.
This time the ship slid back a good fathom, to the sound of some alarming cracks and the next pull had the ship bobbing in the swell, afloat once more. Their labors were not over. One of the carpenter’s mates came rushing up the forward hatch and hurried aft. Reporting to Mister Flowers, he blurted out that water was pouring into the forepeak. In any event, the ship was helpless where she was. It would be necessary to find a sand beach where she could be set down and repairs made. The Marines had found already such a beach on the other side of the island. This beach was protected by two jutting headlands which protected the beach from most winds. The midshipmen had taken the jolly boat over when the ship was still stranded and measured the depths there.
From their reports, it seemed likely the ship would be safe enough from most weather. A few guns mounted on the headlands would deter most enemies that might come across them. The problem now was to get this badly injured ship to that beach and set down in the sand without further harming her.
While Howard and Flowers were getting sail on her, Mullins went below to inspect the damage. Although the pumps were manned, water was climbing at an alarming rate. One of the foremost frames on the starboard side had been fractured, apparently when coming off the rocks. Prior to this, although there had been some minor leaks, there had been no evidence of massive flooding like this.
Mister Harris, one of the young midshipman who had found the beach where it was planned to put the ship, was brought to the quarterdeck to con the ship into her new berth. He had a page torn from his journal with a crudely drawn chart of the beach penned on it. Depths of the water in the inlet were plainly marked as were those offshore of the two headlands protecting the little harbor.
HMS Vigilant: A Charles Mullins Novel (Sea Command Book 5) Page 14
