Captain Mellon of Thunderer had entered harbor with the intention of watering his ship. While making the usual arrangements, he learned of the recent coup and offered his services to the new potentate. Captain Mellon was asked to assist in negotiations with HM Government. Thunderer’s captain required Freya to approach his ship and take on board dispatches to carry home.
Making her way across the vast harbor Freya was guided to the Thunderer by the cox’n of her launch. Upon boarding the liner, Dalrymple was called to the cabin, while Hakes was entertained by the first officer, who informed him that the third-rate had just entered Alexandria’s harbor when the coup took place. The new official visited the British warship soon after, inquiring what the view the Royal Navy might take of the matter. Negotiations were still in an early phase and Captain Mellon wished no complications. When Mellon finished with Mister Dalrymple, he called in Hakes. Captain Hakes received little more than a glass of marsala and a biscuit from Captain Mellon before he was asked to hasten his departure. Dalrymple remained behind, whether from ‘accidently’ missing the boat to a last-minute request by Mellon, Captain Hakes did not know.
He did know he was free of his exasperating passenger. Charged with taking the dispatches directly to Britain, Hakes met up with a portion of the Mediterranean Fleet off Sicily and was called aboard the admiral’s flagship. Upon learning of the dispatches Freya was carrying, Admiral Cunningham confiscated them and gave Hakes permission to go on a search for Vigilant.
The logical plan now would be to proceed to Gibraltar to learn what they were to do now. The difficulty was in the limited stores Vigilant had on board. Freya was better off, but she would not be able to supply the frigate with the necessary amount of food required. It was decided the better option would be to find a town on the African mainland where grain and cattle might be purchased.
As they sailed westward together, a quantity of Arab fishing boats was encountered, all of them scattering when they saw the foreign ships. Continuing westward, the terrain ashore began to seem more promising. From drab desert, the land now showed some greenery and occasional flocks were seen, tended by lone herdsmen. Then, a small mud-brick village appeared on the shore. Its distinguishing features were a stone breakwater, probably the relic of a Roman harbor and several large stone structures, ancient and in ruin, also probably Roman.
Sending the ships boats ahead to warn of any shallows, Vigilant and Freya slowly made their way into the harbor. There seemed to be just enough depth for the pair, and after dropping their anchors, both ships prepared for any trouble.
They remained unmolested during the night, then next morning, a native boat made its way out to them. The boat, in addition to its oarsmen and a few armed men carried a tattered fellow, apparently a slave. After trying out the various languages the quarterdeck officers had among them, the proper language was found to be French. Mister Broadhurst came to the quarterdeck and began discussing matters with the fellow. The slave had been a French businessman on passage to Sicily when his vessel had been taken by Arab rovers. Dressed in a prosperous manner, he had been taken captive to hold for ransom, but the man’s family decided they would rather keep the money for themselves and let the Arabs have their slave.
Monsieur Quillon had been the slave of the local chieftain of this village for the past six years. Beaten regularly, Quillon performed the usual menial tasks of a slave and occasionally, when events warranted, he served as interpreter. In addition to French, he also spoke Spanish and Italian.
Quillon boldly asked whether the British could take him with them when they left, assuring them the locals did not have any force to prevent their leaving, at the moment, that is. It was possible the sheik in charge of this village might send to the emir for troops and weapons to take the British ships. This would necessarily take time, however.
Mullins did not wish to enter into any plans with this slave, not knowing just how far he could trust the man. He had Broadhurst explain to him that he wished to purchase cattle and grain, and would pay a good price. Salt was also needed.
Disappointed, the slave went back into his boat and it went ashore. Several days went by, with little to show. With Mullin about convinced he should go to another village, cattle were seen to be converging on the town.
The boat with the slave came out to the ship again and Mullins was told a hundred cattle were now gathered on shore from which he could select. This boat would take him to select his animals. Mullins had not been born yesterday. He was not about to clamber alone down into an Arab boat unaccompanied by a force of Marines.
After vehement discussion between the slave and Mister Broadhurst, it was decided that the sheik ashore would select the animals and deliver a boatload at a time to the frigate, at which time the proper amount of silver would be passed down before the cattle would be hoisted up. Matters went well for the first few boatloads and the animals were becoming a nuisance on the deck, with wild bullocks making known their displeasure upon the crewmembers. Goatskin bags of salt were hoisted aboard along with the livestock.
Then, a large fishing boat swarming with armed men approached. Broadhurst warned them away but they continued toward the ship. There was a vocal confrontation between Broadhurst, a dangerous-appearing individual on the boat, who was waving angrily waving a curved sword and the slave-interpreter.
After the confrontation had calmed down a bit, Broadhurst informed his captain that this new individual was insisting the sheik had been cheated, and more silver was required before more cattle could be delivered.
Mullins decided that the cattle presently fouling his decks would be sufficient for their needs and ordered Broadhurst to inform the interpreter they needed no more cattle and no more silver would be forthcoming.
This provoked a fresh outburst from the spokesman on the boat. Several grapnels were thrown up over the frigate’s rails and turbaned fighters pulled weapons from their robes and began swarming up the lines.
The ship was prepared for them. Both watches were already on deck to handle the cattle and it took only an instant for them to fetch weapons from the open arms chests. Two of the ships’ carronades were fired over the open boat. Low as it was in the water, the charges passed harmlessly over the swarming men aboard, but the noise of the discharges must have been alarming to the attackers.
Marines fired a volley down into the boat and it pulled away. Far enough away for the guns to bear, some guns in the heat of the moment fired directly into the boat, leaving shattered wreckage in the water with some few survivors hanging on to what they could.
As the frigate and her consort inched their way out of the small harbor, someone brought Mullin’s attention to the interpreter standing on the deck with several confused Moors who had made their way up the grapnel lines to the deck without being slaughtered.
Mullins ordered Broadhurst to explain to the interpreter he was now free and would be turned over to the first French fishing boat they encountered. In the meantime, he was to explain to the stranded Moors they would now be serving in the Royal Navy and would carefully obey any orders they might receive. For now, they would assist the cook’s crew with slaughtering and butchering the cattle.
Vigilant and Freya made their way westward and stopped in Gibraltar to report on their efforts. The officer they had dealt with earlier had left and another post captain was handling naval duties. Gibraltar had already heard of the change in administration in Alexandria and there were no questions there. There was some question about Dalrymple’s absence. It had been expected he would return on Freya.
Since Freya had not been damaged thus far, it was determined she should be provisioned and sent out to the fleet. There was always need for scouting and dispatch vessels, for which this little brig would suit nicely. Vigilant was a different story. After the dockyard’s master carpenter had gone over her thoroughly, it was determined she must return to Portsmouth for a needed refit.
There was some question of what to do with Monsieur Quillon. Mullins
had promised the man he would set him aboard the first French fishing boat encountered, but none had been sighted before they reached Gibraltar.
Before leaving, Mullins had the former slave in his cabin where they discussed Quillon’s future. Mullins offered to keep him aboard the frigate and he thought it might be strange if they did not sight some French fishing boats in the Channel. Quillon thanked him, but wondered if he might have a day on shore to investigate other possibilities. Mullins agreed, but warned the man about engaging in anything the military or naval authorities here might consider espionage.
Quillon assured Mullins he had no interest in such matters, merely seeking a means of making a living. Mullins gave him a few coins to cover any small expenses he might incur and put him from his mind. It was two days later when Quillon returned. He related how he had found a position with a shipping company that did business with various countries around the Mediterranean. His language skills and former business experience had gained him a decently paying position with the company. He thanked Mullins for his help and wished him good fortune.
Captain Mullins had Captain Hakes over for a last meal before saying goodbye. Both drank rather more than they should have on a night before sailing and next morning, Mullins was glad to let Mister Drummond take the ship to sea, on her way back to Portsmouth.
After Mullins had recovered from the effects of saying goodbye to Hakes, he invited his first lieutenant to dinner. This was a much more sedate affair than the one with Captain Hakes and he restricted his intake of wine to a single bottle.
It was just as well. Drummond was concerned over his future in the Navy. He thought he would be blamed for setting the frigate on the rocks earlier in the voyage and believed that might cost him his commission. Mullins tried to set his mind at ease.
“Mister Drummond, only a fool would try to guess at the outcome from a Court of Inquiry, but I doubt you have anything to fear. If you recall, you found yourself in command of the ship when I was struck on the head by a falling fid. Shortly after, the ship was engulfed by a sandstorm of epic strength. You did what needed and the ship was saved. All of this I have entered into my own log and Mister Weatherby tells me he has done the same with his own. The court might very possibly determine that I was somehow at fault, but I cannot see how anyone could fault you or any other member of the crew.
The mail packet, arriving well before Vigilant, brought word of their return and both Mullins and Drummond were called aboard the flag. Sir George Montague, Port Admiral, had both appear in his office for a verbal report of their activities. Mullins made no attempt to gloss over the stranding of the frigate. After he made a detailed report of the event and the repairs that had been made, Mister Drummond interrupted. “Sir, I must interject, at the time of the stranding, Captain Mullins was unconscious, due to a blow on his head by a falling tool from a hand repairing old splices in the mizzen topmast rigging. I myself was in command at the time of the stranding and if any blame is assigned, it should fall on my shoulders.”
Admiral Montagu smiled. “Gentlemen, I have already read the copies of the various logs forwarded to me from Gibraltar. I do not see where it would be worthwhile to convene a Court of Inquiry over this matter. I must tell you that I consider you both fine officers for whom I expect I will soon find active employment. Vigilant will be going to the dockyard for a thorough survey and I expect other duties will be found for you both before she is ready.”
“In the meantime, you both will be released on half-pay as soon as proper inventories have been made of records and Crown property aboard the Vigilant. You both will, of course, leave your address with the clerk outside so that you may be notified when required.”
The same mail packet that alerted Admiral Montagu also carried letters to Doris and to Sarah Drummond. Minutes after the captain and his first officer boarded Vigilant after the visit to the flag, a shore boat delivered the two women to the starboard entry port. The astonished captain noted Miss Drummond looked fashionably slender in her new frock.
To Be Continued…
Additional works available
Other books by this author
War at Sea Series in Kindle e-book format
On The King’s Sea Service, print version also available
For the Honor of the Flag, print version available
Trafalgar and Beyond
Frigates of War
HMS Dreadnaught
HMS Resolve
His Majesty’s Brig Alert, print version available
Sails Across the Sea, print version available
Across to America, print version available
Ships of Oak, Men of Iron (print version available)
Thunder on the Sea (print version available)
Sea Command Series in Kindle and print
HMS Aphrodite
HMS Valkyrie
HMS Aurora
HMS Athens
On to Berlin Series in Kindle and print
A Road to St. Lo
Assault on the Rhine
HMS Vigilant: A Charles Mullins Novel (Sea Command Book 5) Page 16
