Chapter nine

 

 

Walker himself, with the assistance of the bo’sun, released the women captives, keeping them grouped in what was the guard’s common room. Among the released slaves were several European women, three of whom were English, recently captured from a merchantman carrying them from Livorno in Italy, fleeing homeward from the threat of an invading French Army.

The English were all of the same group, Lady Elizabeth Merrick, Countess of Newbury, her maid Flora, and her companion Mrs. Harper. The others were Spanish and Italian, captured from passing ships over the last few weeks. All had been detained ostensibly to be ransomed by the Bey. Howeverm Walker was of the opinion that they were more likely to end up in the Bey’s Harem

From their comments it seemed they had been captured after the departure of the Bey who had now been away for several weeks, visiting the desert areas of his domain, accompanied by the members of his personal guard. The 150 strong party had been reported to be returning in two days’ time. The separate detention of the English party was to preserve them from the unwanted attention of the other prisoners to ensure they are not spoiled in any way before the Bey has a chance to see them. In view of the blond beauty of the Countess, Robert doubted that the Lady would have progressed beyond the harem.

The Palace of the Bey was swiftly surrounded and the watchmen gathered up and lodged in the slave quarters with the other prisoners.

The third landing party under the command of Lieutenant Ogilvie, after a forced march from the town, established that the fort was indeed deserted and falling into ruin. It had been out of use for some time apparently, the guns standing in the embrasures were old and rusty, and the touch holes stopped with nails. He reported to Robert at the palace delivering seven more released slaves and nine new prisoners.

Walker came to report the finding of the treasury. “I’ve placed the place under lock and key and posted guards, sir,” he reported. “There is a large amount of specie, both gold and silver. I’ve brought this chest to you, sir. It seems to be the container for some other valuables. There is an inscription I cannot read.”

Two men lowered the chest to the floor in front of their captain.

At first glance it seemed quite ordinary, the inscription was Chinese and though Robert could identify the script he could not translate it. He guessed what its content would be and indicated to Walker to open it.

The gasp of disbelief from Walker brought a smile to his face. “The Admiral will be pleased with this!”

“As will the men,” Walker commented, looking at the mass of jewels of all shapes, sizes and colour. “Place them in the strongbox in my cabin, and load the gold and silver. I’ll have the ship rigged to look as if she has been captured. We will ambush the Bey and his men when they approach the palace.”

 

***

The returning column wound its way through the city gates, the men unsuspecting and looking forward to enjoying the delights of the city after eating dust for the past few weeks. As soon as the last file passed through the gate, the trap was sprung. Robert’s men rose all around the party, muskets up, locks cocked. Some few resisted and they were swiftly despatched. The majority surrendered, giving up their arms and allowing themselves to be taken and locked in the, now crowded slave quarters.

The Bey was conveyed to the palace where he was accommodated in the dungeon beneath the floor.

The box of monies carried back by the expedition to the desert stood unopened before the empty throne. When Robert received the Princess, sister of the Bey, he listened carefully to her application to assume the rule of the port of Bone.

He knew he had no chance of holding the port, so in this event, he granted her application and agreed to leave the Princess in charge.

The captured galleys were hauled up on the beach and burned. The extra men would be accommodated in the small fleet of xebec’s normally trading along the coast, but currently lying alongside the jetties in front of the city. Having warned the Princess that he would be returning soon, HMS Roister set sail once more for Gibraltar, to report.

 

***

Robert wiped the sweat from his brow and cursed quietly when a drop fell on the page before him. He was finishing his personal comments on the final draft of the report on the incidents of the last four week cruise, and the action at Bone. He sipped water from the glass in front of him and returned to his labours.

HMS Roister was moored out in the bay beneath the loom of Gibraltar, and the sun had just cleared the rock. The full rays were now concentrated on the stern of the ship and the relief of the Rock’s shadow was now denied him.

 

The report was delivered personally to the Admiral in the great cabin of the flagship. Robert stood before the desk studying his newly arrived commander. Rear-Admiral Lord Broughan-Midgham was a big man with a healthy farmer’s open face, and as he sat reading Robert’s report, the sweat ran freely down his plump cheeks.

“Damn it’s hot!” He ran his finger round his neck loosening his stock, then “Right young Graham, I’ve read the words. Now tell me what you really think is happening.” He fixed Robert with a steely stare, “Sit down man. Wallace, get some wine for the captain,” this aside, to his servant waiting by the open door.

Robert sat as ordered, “Well, sir, I believe that we can control Bone, at least by allowing the Bey to carry on ruling the port but under our eye. By placing garrisons in the forts the city, palace and harbour would be under our control. The local people look to the Bey as their ruler and in my opinion he would be quite happy to resume his position under British rule, provided we do not prevent the people following their Muslim beliefs.”

Robert sat back.

Broughan studied the young man seated across the desk, then “What of the Princess, the Bey’s sister?”

“I am sure she would be much happier with her brother back in charge, sir. In the Muslim world women carry little authority on their own. I did arrange matters on a purely temporary basis.”

“Very well, you will reinstate the Bey under our supervision as you have suggested, we probably have some sort of civilian who can act as the Bey’s conscience, a High Commissioner or some such. I will send a company of infantry and a company of artillery to hold the forts. I’ll have the orders sent over to you and arrange for a departure within the week.” He turned to the austere looking figure of his flag captain. “See to it, Merrick, will you?”

At that he turned once more to Robert. “Right, Captain. You may prepare for this task and for an onward voyage to Sicily, with despatches for Sir William Hamilton, Ambassador to the King of Naples who is currently visiting Palermo. Off you go.”

Thus dismissed Robert rose and returned to his ship and the privacy of his own cabin.

 

With his coat removed and his shirt open, Robert stood by the open windows watching the swooping sea birds diving on the scraps floating on the surface of the water. A light breeze gave some relief from the heat. He thought about Captain Merrick, husband of the lovely Elizabeth. At the thought of her, he flushed and recalled the sight of that beautiful body rising from the scented waters of the bath in the palace of the Bey, of the intensity of their lovemaking in the bedchamber cooled by the sea breeze through the open windows.

She made comment at his hesitation at the outset of their liaison; then explained her attitude to his suggestion that the outcome could be an embarrassing pregnancy. “Edward needs and requires an heir, he is an anxious and poor lover and it appears he cannot provide one, I must therefore make my own arrangements, however discreetly.”

She made it quite clear that she would not be tied in any way as she had no intention of leaving her husband, of whom she was quite fond. At the same time she did find him Robert, a pleasant companion and a pleasing bed mate, whom she would readily welcome if circumstances allowed.

As Robert uneasily conceded afterwards, it was after all a gentlemanly thing to do, having done and said all.

 

When the HMS Roister sailed in convoy with seven merchantmen en route to Sicily; there was an additional sloop of war HMS Jaipur swiftly becoming known affectionately as the Jampot, Commander John Keith, under Roberts command.

The transfer of the garrison and the installation of the Bey went as anticipated without hitch, and Mara, the Princess, sister of the Bey, was most grateful for the relief from the complexities involved in the rule of the North African Territory. To Roberts’s embarrassment she seemed to look to him for counsel, and it was with some relief he found that his First Lieutenant Billy Beaumont was only too pleased to take over the mantle of confident to the princess.

The remainder of the voyage to Sicily went without incident, though the ships found uncomfortable sailing with the onset of the Sirocco. The wind carried the sand from the desert and deposited it on every open area, and pushed dust throughout the interior of the passing ships.

 

Sir William Hamilton was a kind and interesting man; over dinner he discussed his archaeological findings in the historic area around Naples and here in Sicily. The society in Palermo was provincial but well suited to the nature of the area which was bucolic rather than cosmopolitan, and the easy manner of Sir William Hamilton was well in tune with the tenor of the place. Significantly his comments on the progress of the French incursion into Italy were prophetic.

By the time HMS Roister set out once more to return to Gibraltar both Robert and crew had happy memories of the warm and friendly welcome of the people of Palermo.

It was with some trepidation that Billy Beaumont approached his captain on a delicate subject.

The visit of HMS Roister to Bone on the return journey to Gibraltar had revealed that the relationship between the Princess and Billy Beaumont had resulted in an important development.

Despite their best efforts the Princess had become pregnant. This information had not as yet been conveyed to the Bey, were it to become known the Princess would by now have been put to death under the laws of Islam.

It was necessary to arrange passage for the Princess to a western port, beyond the reach of retribution; the matter was even further complicated by the willingness of Billy Beaumont to marry the Princess, by no means a simple matter in view of his position in society and the religious differences involved.

Having established that the Princess was quite happy to become Baroness Brimpton, Robert arranged passage on one of the merchantmen in the convoy, and their subsequent marriage in Gibraltar, where the legalities were arranged. At Robert’s insistence Billy wrote a letter to Barbara to break the news to the family, he included the letter with one of his own.

Elizabeth Merrick, now obviously pregnant with her husband’s child, was extremely helpful in arranging matters. Captain Merrick’s manner had become much more relaxed with the expectation of an heir, and was arranging for his wife to return to England to have her baby at the family home and this gave her the opportunity to take the new Baroness Brimpton with her as company. It was thus arranged.

 

The work of a frigate in the Royal Navy was varied and the Roister was no exception to this rule. She was, according to orders, despatched to Odessa in company of the flagship, the 80 gun ship of the line HMS Persephone. At fifteen years old, the flagship had seen better days. Though she was still seaworthy, she could not be considered fast, thus both Roister and Jaipur assigned to accompany the Persephone, spent much of their time tacking to keep company with the ponderous Line of Battle ship.

 

The first sign of trouble came with the appearance of the Turkish ships. Though there was no official conflict between the Ottoman Empire and Britain, the tensions between the two fleets had always existed just beneath the surface. On this occasion the Turkish admiral decided he was senior to the British admiral, the salutes therefore became confused and insult was taken and Turkish Admiral was forced to retire with damage to his rigging, though thankfully without casualties.

This was not a good beginning to the expedition since the passage of the Bosporus would need to be taken once more on the return journey.

The Diplomatic mission to Odessa had been the result of the actions of the French States General in starting the revolution in France. The Kingdoms of Europe were all nervous that the seeds of revolution would spread so it was purely a move to reassure the Russians that the British were standing firm.

The whole expedition was a wasted effort as the Grand Duke despatched to Odessa by the Tsar failed to appear as agreed. Officially it was because he had been held back by bandit activity; privately it was because he was enjoying a quiet sojourn with his new mistress in his palace in Kiev, his wife being safe in St Petersburg at the time.

For whatever reason, the promised meeting did not take place and it was an irritated Admiral who was faced once more with the uncooperative Turks at the Bosporus. The appearance of the customs launch in the path of the flagship causing it to heave-to did nothing to ease the situation.

The arrival of three ships flying the flag of Naples was fortuitous and possibly prevented an incident of more serious proportions.

In HMS Roister the atmosphere was generally good-natured, the crew was now at full strength with the addition of the volunteers from the captured galleys, and the officers and men known to each other, and more importantly having served under fire, willing to depend on each other. Robert encouraged initiative and he was pleased to see the way men stood out in the situations they encountered.

They were at the extreme end of their covering beat when sail was sighted. When several more hove into sight it became apparent that at least part of the French fleet was out.

Robert signalled to Commander Keith in HMS Jaipur that the enemy were in sight, at least three of the line and possibly three frigates. The flag, in company with the Naples ships, signalled for HMS Roister to shadow and report. Jaipur was detached to assist.

It was late morning when the sound of the guns was heard. Jaipur reported the guns from the direction of Persephone, Robert immediately ordered the Jaipur to investigate. The French were apparently heading for Egypt. Having paced the deck for a good few minutes he made up his mind and gave the order. “Mr. Beaufort, bring her about and crack on all she’ll carry, course for the flagship!”

“Aye Aye, Sir, Course for the flag. All hands to the braces, stand by to come about! Helm’s a lee, sir” the master cried.

The men hauled in the sheets as the ship’s head swung and the bow came round to retrace the course they had been following.

With the wind now on the quarter the ship flew, more sails appeared as the studding sails unfurled and the skysails bellied out to add their weight to the task, “Twelve knots by the log, sir,” the master called. Robert stood by the port rail, ignoring the spray that soaked the deck around him. The deck trembled with the pressure of the mass of sail aloft, as the ship flew as she had never before, almost planing over the blue water.

Ahead Jaipur was also flying with all sail set including the spanker bending under the strain.

Still the cannon crashed ahead of the two ships. Topsails came in sight, three sets all ships of the line, as they watched the lookout called “It’s the Percyphone and two Frenchmen.” Then, “One of the Frenchies has lost her topmast!” The men on deck cheered.

HMS Persephone was laying shrouded in the smoke of her guns, the broadside from her starboard battery roared out, followed by the crash of the impact of the cannonballs on the French seventy four lying on her beam.

The reply came but the French guns were not all fired together and they lacked something of the timbre of the British guns. Her topmast was hanging across the stays of the main which was swaying as Robert watched. “She is going to fall,” the voice of the master rang out as the mainmast of the French Man-o-war toppled slowly, carrying a raffle of sail and spars along with it. The portside guns of Persephone were still busy with the second French ship that was creeping closer, coming alongside the British ship. Obviously the French captain was attempting to board.

The guns of both Roister and Jaipur were already run out and as they neared the creeping French ship they roared out in reply to the French bow guns. The broadside from the Roister caused the bulwarks of the French ship to splinter, shattering into a lethal swathe of wood shards, slashing into the men crowding the fore deck of the ship. Reloading with canister, the next shots caused mayhem among the assembled boarders.

The two battleships came together and grappling irons flew from the Frenchman to the embattled British ship.

“Stand by to board!” Roberts cry caused the assembled men on the deck of Roister to rush to the deck lockers where the bo’sun issued cutlasses and pikes. The men were ready and as the French boarding party crowded onto the deck of Persephone; the grapples went over from Roister and led by their captain, they went into action. The Jaipur men joined the conflict from the stern of the French ship, her men clambering over the stern rails to tackle the quarterdeck party and taking over the wheel.

The action was bloody and Robert found himself hacking with his hanger at a small man with a big pike who was attempting to spear him. The slashing blade cut through the pike shaft causing the point to drop to the deck. His opponent stabbed at him with the broken end only to drop suddenly to the deck with blood pouring from a head wound delivered by the cutlass of Dawson.

Slipping and sliding on the blood-splattered deck, the combined force of Persephones and Roisters between them left the French boarders nowhere to go and the boarding stalled and then became a desperate rearguard action as they tried to get back on board their own ship. The fight ended in surrender by the survivors. Back on the French ship, the Jaipur party were just managing to hold the quarterdeck, but were hard pressed. The attack by Robert’s men returning to the Frenchman took the pressure off and the hand to hand struggle was swiftly concluded with the surrender of the surviving French.

The other French Man-o-war was a sorry sight, the guns of the flagship had silenced those of the Frenchman and her flag had been lowered in defeat. As the smoke cleared it was possible to see the damage caused by the disciplined broadsides of her British opponent, the shattered holes in her side, the masts lying still cluttering the deck and hampering her guns, and the red streams of blood running down from her scuppers.

In the aftermath of the skirmish, as the admiral who had regained his good humour insisted on calling it, it had taken three days to clear up and had resulted in the flagship and the two prizes La Provence 74 guns, and the Oberon 80 guns, in company with HMS Jaipur, returning to Gibraltar for repair whilst HMS Roister continued in her search for the other French ships. The Admiral had explained that the Naples ships had parted company off Limnos, and as they disappeared behind the island, the French ships had appeared from the direction of Ayios Eviratios, almost as if they had been waiting in ambush. One of the lookouts swore he had seen the Turkish customs launch returning to the Dardanelles as they cleared IMros Island, but they could not be certain.

 

The hammering by the carpenter could still be heard two days later as he worked to complete the repairs from the damage that occurred during the short action.

The breeze was fresh and windsails rigged, diverting the cooling air throughout the frigate. Robert studied the charts puzzling over the whereabouts of the missing French ships. On their last observed course they appeared to be making for Egypt.

They did not locate the missing French ships, eventually guessing they had turned around and returned westward back to Toulon or even slipped by night through the Strait of Gibraltar out into the Atlantic.