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THE  BRAVEST  OF  THE  BRAVE. 


MR.    HBNTY'S  HISTORICAL  TALES. 

Crown  Svo,  Cloth  elegant,  Olivine  edges.     Each  Boole  is 
beautifully  Illustrated. 


The  Cat  of  Bubastes:  A  Story  of  Ancient  Egypt.    5s. 

The  Young  Carthaginian:  A  Story  of  the  Times  of  Hannibal.  6s. 

Fou  the  Temple  :  A  Tale  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem.    6s. 

Tin:  Lion  of  St.  Mark:  A  Story  of  Venice  in  the  14th  Century.  6s. 

The  Lion  of  the  North:  A  Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  and 

the  Wars  of  Religion.    6s. 

In  the  Reign  of  Terror:  The  Adventures  of  a  Westminster 

Boy  duiiug  the  French  Revolution.    5s. 

The  Dragon  and  the  Raven  :  Or,  The  Days  of  King  Alfred.  5s. 
In  Freedom's  Cause  :  A  Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce.    6s. 
St.  George  for  England:  A  Tale  of  Cressy  and  Poitiers.    5s. 
Bv  I'ike  and  Dyke  :  A  Tale  of  the  Rise  of  the  Dutch  Republic.  6s. 
Under  Drake's  Flag  :  A  Tale  of  the  Spanish  Main.    6s. 
Orange  and  Green  :  A  Tale  of  the  Boyne  and  Limerick.     5s. 
Bonnie  Prince  Charlie  :  A  Tale  of  Fontenoy  and  Culloden.    6s. 
The  Bravest  of  the  Brave:  Or,  With  Peterborough  in  Spain.  5s. 
With  WOLFE  in  Canada  :  Or,  The  Winning  of  a  Continent.    6s. 
With  Ci.ive  in  In  ma:  Or,  The  Beginnings  of  an  Empire.     6s. 

True  to  the  Old  Flag:  A  Tale  of  the  American  War  of  Inde- 
pendence.   6s. 
One  of  the  23th  :  A  Story  of  Waterloo.    5s. 
Through  the  Fray:  A  Story  of  the  Luddite  Riots.    6s. 
I'.v  sheer  Pluck:  A  Tale  of  the  Ashanti  War.    5s. 
FOB  Name  and  Fame:  Or,  Through  Afghan  Passes.    5s. 
With  Lee  in  Virginia  :  A  Story  of  the  American  Civil  War.   6s. 


London:  BLACK  IE  &  SON,  Limited;  Glasgow  and  Edinburgh. 


338 


CAPTAIN   lowthf.r's   RFXRUITS. 


THE 


BRAVEST  OF  THE  BRAVE: 


OR 


WITH   PETERBOROUGH   IN    SPAIN. 


BY 


G.   A.    HENTY, 


Author  of  "  With  Clive  in  India ;"  "  The  Lion  of  the  North;"  "  In  Freedom's  Cause; 
"The  Dragon  and  the  Raven;"  "  By  Sheer  Pluck;"  "Facing  Death;"&c. 


WITH  EIGHT  FULL-PAGE  ILLUSTRATIONS 
BV  H.  M.  PAGET. 


Kfeili 


Luce m  Lion j'[ 


L-^e^ 


LONDON: 

BLACKIE   &   SON,  Limited,  49  OLD   BAILEY,  E.G. 

GLASGOW,   EDINBURGH,    AND   DUBLIN. 


C 


1%U 


PREFACE. 


H  sra7 


My  dear  Lads, 

There  are  few  great  leaders  whose  lives  and  actions 
have  so  completely  fallen  into  oblivion  as  those  of  the 
Earl  of  Peterborough.  His  career  as  a  general  was  a 
brief  one,  extending  only  over  little  more  than  a  year, 
and  yet,  in  that  time,  he  showed  a  genius  for  warfare 
which  has  never  been  surpassed,  and  performed  feats 
of  daring  worthy  of  taking  their  place  among  those  of 
the  leaders  of  chivalry. 

The  fact  that  they  have  made  so  slight  a  mark  upon 
history  is  due  to  several  reasons.  In  the  first  place, 
they  were  overshadowed  by  the  glory  and  successes  of 
Marlborough;  they  were  performed  in  a  cause  which 
could  scarcely  be  said  to  be  that  of  England,  and  in 
which  the  public  had  a  comparatively  feeble  interest; 
the  object,  too,  for  which  he  fought  was  frustrated, 
and  the  war  was  an  unsuccessful  one,  although  from 
no  fault  on  his  part. 

But  most  of  all,  Lord  Peterborough  failed  to  attain 
that  place  in  the  list  of  British  worthies  to  which  his 
genius  and  his  bravery  should  have  raised  him,  be- 
cause that  genius  was  directed  by  no  steady  aim  or 
purpose.  Lord  Peterborough  is,  indeed,  one  of  the 
most  striking  instances  in  history  of  genius  and  talent 
wasted,  and  a  life  thrown  away  by  want  of  fixed  prin- 
ciple and  by  an  inability  or  unwillingness  to  work 
with  other  men.     He  quarrelled  in  turn  with  every 

466 


VI  PREFACE. 

party  and  with  almost  every  individual  with  whom  he 
came  in  contact;  and  while  he  himself  was  constantly 
changing  his  opinions,  he  was  intolerant  of  all  opinions 
differing  from  those  which  he  at  the  moment  held,  and 
was  always  ready  to  express  in  the  most  open  and 
offensive  manner  his  contempt  and  dislike  for  those 
who  differed  from  him.  His  eccentricities  were  great; 
he  was  haughty  and  arrogant,  hasty  and  passionate,  he 
denied  his  God,  quarrelled  with  his  king,  and  rendered 
himself  utterly  obnoxious  to  every  party  in  the  state. 

And  yet  there  was  a  vast  amount  of  good  in  this 
strange  man.  He  was  generous  and  warm-hearted  to 
a  fault,  kind  to  those  in  station  beneath  him,  thought- 
ful and  considerate  for  his  troops,  who  adored  him, 
cool  in  danger,  sagacious  in  difficulties,  and  capable  at 
need  of  evincing  a  patience  and  calmness  wholly  at 
variance  with  his  ordinary  impetuous  character.  Al- 
though he  did  not  scruple  to  carry  deception,  in  order 
to  mislead  an  enemy,  to  a  point  vastly  beyond  what  is 
generally  considered  admissible  in  war,  he  was  true  to 
his  word  and  punctiliously  honourable  in  the  ordinary 
affairs  of  life. 

For  the  historical  events  I  have  described,  and  for 
the  details  of  Peterborough's  conduct  and  character, 
I  have  relied  chiefly  upon  the  memoir  of  the  earl 
written  by  Mr.  C.  Warburton,  and  published  some 
thirty  years  ago. 

Yours  sincerely, 

G.  A.  HENTY. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAP.  FaSe 

I.  The  War  of  Succession,     .    .         , 9 

II.  Impressed, 32 

III.  A  Domestic  Sturm, °'2 

IV.  The  Sergeant's  Yarn, 72 

V.  The  Pirate  Hold, 93 

VI.  A  Commission, H5 

VII.  Barcelona, I36 

VIII.  A  Tumult  in  the  City, 156 

IX.  The  Advance  into  Valencia, 177 

X.  An  Adventure  in  the  Mountains, 193 

XL  Valencia, 212 

XII.  Irregular  Warfare, 235 

XIII.  The  French  Convoy, 254 

XIV.  A  Prisoner, 278 

XV.  The  Relief  of  Barcelona, 294 

XVI.  Ingratitude, 313 

XVII.  Home,     ..........    -    .    0    ....    •  336 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page 
Captain  Lowther's  Recruits, Frontispiece.  49 

The  Search  for  the  Pirates'  Cove, 94 

Sergeant  Edwards  again  joins  Jack, 132 

Las  Torres  deceived  by  Peterborough's  Letters,  .     .     .179 

Jack  and  his  Troopers  caught  in  an  Ambuscade,  .     .     .  201 

The  Pretended  Deserters  deceive  the  Duke  of  Arcos,    222 

Father  Ignacio  interrupted  in  his  Fight  with  the  Enemy,  256 

Jack  rescues  his  Friend  the  Sergeant, 322 


THE  BEAVEST  OF  THE  BRAVE. 


CHAPTER  I. 


THE   WAR   OF   SUCCESSION. 


E  is  an  idle  vagabond!"  the  mayor  of  the 
good  town  of  Southampton  said  in  high 
wrath — "a  ne'er-do-well,  and  an  insolent 
puppy;  and  as  to  you,  Mistress  Alice,  if  I 
catch  you  exchanging  words  with  him  again,  ay,  or 
nodding  to  him,  or  looking  as  if  in  any  way  you  were 
conscious  of  his  presence,  I  will  put  you  on  bread  and 
water,  and  will  send  you  away  for  six  months  to  the 
care  of  my  sister  Deborah,  who  will,  I  warrant  me, 
bring  you  to  your  senses." 

The  mayor  of  Southampton  must  have  been  very 
angry  indeed  when  he  spoke  in  this  way  to  his  daugh- 
ter Alice,  who  in  most  matters  had  her  own  way. 
Especially  did  it  show  that  he  was  angry,  since  he  so 
spoke  in  the  presence  of  Mistress  Anthony  his  wife, 
who  was  accustomed  to  have  a  by  no  means  unimpor- 


10  THE  MAYOR  OF   SOUTHAMPTON. 

tant  share  in  any  decision  arrived  at  respecting  family 
matters. 

She  was  too  wise  a  woman,  however,  to  attempt  to 
arrest  the  torrent  in  full  flood,  especially  as  it  was  a 
matter  on  which  her  husband  had  already  shown  a 
very  unusual  determination  to  have  his  own  way.  She 
therefore  continued  to  work  in  silence,  and  paid  no  at- 
tention to  the  appealing  glance  which  her  daughter,  a 
girl  of  fourteen,  cast  towards  her.  But  although  she 
said  nothing*-,  her  husband  understood  in  her  silence  an 
unuttered  protest. 

"  It  is  no  use  your  taking  that  scamp's  part,  Mary, 
in  this  matter.  I  am  determined  to  have  my  own  way, 
and  the  townspeople  know  well  that  when  Richard 
Anthony  makes  up  his  mind,  nothing  will  move  him." 

"I  have  had  no  opportunity  to  take  his  part, 
Richard,"  his  wife  said  quietly;  "  you  have  been  storm- 
ing without  interruption  since  you  came  in  five  minutes 
ago,  and  I  have  not  uttered  a  single  word." 

"But  you  agree  with  me,  Mary — you  cannot  but 
agree  with  me — that  it  is  nothing;  short  of  a  scandal 
for  the  daughter  of  the  mayor  of  Southampton  to  be 
talking  to  a  penniless  young  rogue  like  that  at  the 
garden-gate." 

"  Alice  should  not  have  met  him  there,"  Mistress 
Anthony  said;  "but  seeing  that  she  is  only  fourteen 
years  old,  and  the  boy  only  sixteen,  and  he  her  second 
cousin,  I  do  not  see  that  the  matter  is  so  very  shocking." 

"  In  four  more  years,  Mistress  Anthony,"  the  mayor 


HUSBAND   AND   WIFE.  11 

said  profoundly,  "he  will  be  twenty,  and  she  will  be 
eighteen." 

"So,  I  suppose,  Richard;  I  am  no  great  head  at 
figures,  but  even  I  can  reckon  that.  But  as  at  present 
they  are  only  fourteen  and  sixteen,  I  repeat  that  I  do 
not  see  that  it  matters — at  least  not  so  very  much. 
Alice,  do  you  go  to  your  room,  and  remain  there  till  I 
send  for  you." 

The  girl  without  a  word  rose  and  retired.  In  the 
reign  of  King  William  the  Third  implicit  obedience 
was  expected  of  children. 

"I  think,  Richard,"  Mrs.  Anthony  went  on  when  the 
door  closed  behind  her  daughter,  "you  are  not  acting 
quite  with  your  usual  wisdom  in  treating  this  matter 
in  so  serious  a  light,  and  in  putting  ideas  into  the 
girl's  head  which  would  probably  never  have  entered 
there  otherwise.  Of  course  Alice  is  fond  of  Jack.  It  is 
only  natural  that  she  should  be,  seeing  that  he  is  her 
second  cousin,  and  that  for  two  years  they  have  lived 
together  under  this  roof." 

"I  was  a  fool,  Mistress  Anthony,"  the  mayor  said 
ano-rily,  "ever  to  yield  to  your  persuasions  in  that 
matter.  It  was  unfortunate,  of  course,  that  the  boy's 
father,  the  husband  of  your  cousin  Margaret,  should 
have  been  turned  out  of  his  living  by  the  Sec- 
tarians, as  befell  thousands  of  other  clergymen  besides 
him.  It  was  still  more  unfortunate  that  when  King 
Charles  returned  he  did  not  get  reinstated;  but,  after 
all,  that  was  Margaret's  business  and  not  mine;  and  if 


12  AN   IDLE  APPRENTICE. 

she  was  fool  enough  to  marry  a  pauper,  and  he  well- 
nigh  old  enough  to  be  her  father — well,  as  I  say,  it  was 
no  business  of  mine." 

"He  was  not  a  pauper,  Richard,  and  you  know  it; 
and  he  made  enough  by  teaching  to  keep  him  and 
Margaret  comfortably  till  he  broke  down  and  died  three 
years  ago,  and  poor  Margaret  followed  him  to  the  grave 
a  year  later.  He  was  a  good  man — in  every  way  a  good 
man." 

"Tut,  tut!  I  am  not  saying  he  wasn't  a  good  man. 
I  am  only  saying  that,  good  or  bad,  it  was  no  business 
of  mine ;  and  then  nothing  will  do  but  I  must  send  for 
the  boy  and  put  him  in  my  business.  And  a  nice  mess 
he  made  of  it — an  idler,  more  careless  apprentice,  no 
cloth  merchant,  especially  one  who  stood  well  with  his 
fellow  -  citizens,  and  who  was  on  the  highway  to  be- 
coming mayor  of  his  native  city,  was  ever  crossed 
with." 

"  I  think  he  was  hardly  as  bad  as  that,  Richard.  I 
don't  think  you  were  ever  quite  fair  to  the  boy." 

"Not  fair,  Mary!  I  am  surprised  at  you.  In  what 
way  was  I  not  quite  fair?" 

"  I  don't  think  you  meant  to  be  unfair,  Richard;  but 
you  see  you  were  a  little — just  a  little — prejudiced 
against  him  from  the  first;  because,  instead  of  jumping 
at  your  offer  to  apprentice  him  to  your  trade,  he  said 
he  should  like  to  be  a  sailor." 

"Quite  enough  to  prejudice  me,  too,  madam.  Why, 
there  are  scores  of  sons  of  respectable  burgesses  of  this 


THE  GREAT   OFFENCE.  13 

town  who  would  jump  at  such  an  offer;  and  here  this 
penniless  boy  turns  up  his  nose  at  it." 

"It  was  foolish,  no  doubt,  Richard;  but  you  see  the 
boy  had  been  reading  the  lives  of  admirals  and  navi- 
gators— he  was  full  of  life  and  spirit — and  I  believe 
his  father  had  consented  to  his  going  to  sea." 

"Full  of  life  and  spirit,  madam!"  the  mayor  repeated 
more  angrily  than  before ;  "  let  me  tell  you  it  is  these 
fellows  who  are  full  of  life  and  adventure  who  come  to 
the  gallows.  Naturally  I  was  offended;  but  as  I  had 
given  you  my  word  I  kept  to  it.  Every  man  in  South- 
ampton knows  that  the  word  of  Richard  Anthony  is 
as  good  as  his  bond.  I  bound  him  apprentice,  and 
what  comes  of  it?  My  foreman,  Andrew  Carson,  is 
knocked  flat  on  his  back  in  the  middle  of  the  shop." 

Mrs.  Anthony  bit  her  lips  to  prevent  herself  from 
smiling. 

"  We  will  not  speak  any  more  about  that,  Richard," 
she  said;  "because,  if  we  did,  we  should  begin  to  argue. 
You  know  it  is  my  opinion,  and  always  has  been,  that 
Carson  deliberately  set  you  against  the  boy;  that  he 
was  always  telling  you  tales  to  his  disadvantage;  and 
although  I  admit  that  the  lad  was  very  wrong  to  knock 
him  down  when  he  struck  him,  I  think,  my  dear,  I 
should  have  done  the  same  had  I  been  in  his  place." 

"  Then,  madam,"  Mr.  Anthony  said  solemnly,  "  you 
would  have  deserved  what  happened  to  him — that  you 
should  be  turned  neck  and  crop  into  the  street." 

Mrs.  Anthony  gave  a  determined  nod  of  her  head — 


14  JACK   STILWELL 

a  nod  which  signified  that  she  should  have  a  voice  on 
that  point.  However,  seeing  that  in  her  husband's 
present  mood  it  was  better  to  say  no  more,  she  resumed 
her  work. 

While  this  conversation  had  been  proceeding,  Jack 
Stilwell,  who  had  fled  hastily  when  surprised  by  the 
mayor  as  he  was  talking  to  his  daughter  at  the  back  gate 
of  the  garden,  had  made  his  way  down  to  the  wharves, 
and  there,  seating  himself  upon  a  pile  of  wood,  had 
stared  moodily  at  the  tract  of  mud  extending  from  his 
feet  to  the  strip  of  water  far  away.  His  position  was 
indeed  an  unenviable  one.  As  Mrs.  Anthony  had  said, 
his  father  was  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England,  the 
vicar  of  a  snug  living  in  Lincolnshire,  but  he  had  been 
cast  out  when  the  Parliamentarians  gained  the  upper 
hand,  and  his  living  was  handed  over  to  a  Sectarian 
preacher.  When,  after  years  of  poverty,  King  Charles 
came  to  the  throne,  the  dispossessed  minister  thought 
that  as  a  matter  of  course  he  should  be  restored  to  his 
living;  but  it  was  not  so.  As  in  hundreds  of  other  cases 
the  new  occupant  conformed  at  once  to  the  new  laws, 
and  the  Rev.  Thomas  Stilwell,  having  no  friends  or 
interest,  was  like  many  another  clergyman  left  out  in 
the  cold. 

But  by  this  time  he  had  settled  at  Oxford — at  which 
university  he  had  been  educated — and  was  gaining  a 
not  uncomfortable  livelihood  by  teaching  the  sons  of 
citizens.  Late  in  life  he  married  Margaret  Ullathorpe, 
who,  still   a   young  woman,   had,   during   a  visit   to 


APPRENTICED.  15 

some  friends  at  Oxford,  made  his  acquaintance.  In 
spite  of  the  disparity  of  years  the  union  was  a  happy 
one.  One  son  was  born  to  them,  and  all  had  gone  well 
until  a  sudden  chill  had  been  the  cause  of  Mr.  Stilwell's 
death,  his  wife  surviving  him  only  one  year.  Her 
death  took  place  at  Southampton,  where  she  had  moved 
after  the  loss  of  her  husband,  having  no  further  tie  at 
Oxford,  and  a  week  later  Jack  Stilwell  found  himself 
domiciled  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Anthony. 

It  was  in  vain  that  he  represented  to  the  cloth  mer- 
chant that  his  wishes  lay  towards  a  seafaring  life,  and 
that,  although  his  father  had  wished  him  to  go  into 
the  ministry,  he  had  given  way  to  his  entreaties.  Mr. 
Anthony  sharply  pooh-poohed  the  idea,  and  insisted 
that  it  was  nothing  short  of  madness  to  dream  of  such 
a  thing  when  so  excellent  an  opportunity  of  learning  a 
respectable  business  was  open  to  him. 

At  any  other  time  Jack  would  have  resisted  stoutly, 
and  would  have  run  away  and  taken  his  chance  rather 
than  agree  to  the  proposition;  but  he  was  broken  down 
by  grief  at  his  mother's  death.  Incapable  of  making 
a  struggle  against  the  obstinacy  of  Mr.  Anthom^  and 
scarce  caring  what  became  of  himself,  he  signed  the 
deed  of  apprenticeship  which  made  him  for  five  years 
the  slave  of  the  cloth  merchant.  Not  that  the  latter 
intended  to  be  anything  but  kind,  and  he  sincerely 
believed  that  he  was  acting  for  the  good  of  the  boy  in 
taking  him  as  his  apprentice;  but  as  Jack  recovered 
his  spirits  and  energy,  he  absolutely  loathed  the  trade 


16  A   LIFE  HE  HATED. 

to  which  he  was  bound.  Had  it  not  been  for  Mistress 
Anthony  and  Alice  he  would  have  braved  the  heavy- 
pains  and  penalties  which  in  those  days  befell  disobe- 
dient apprentices,  and  would  have  run  away  to  sea ; 
but  their  constant  kindness,  and  the  fact  that  his 
mother  with  her  dying  breath  had  charged  him  to 
regard  her  cousin  as  standing  in  her  place,  prevented 
him  from  carrying  the  idea  which  he  often  formed 
into  effect. 

In  the  shop  his  life  was  wretched.  He  was  not  stupid 
as  his  master  asserted;  for  indeed  in  other  matters  he 
was  bright  and  clever,  and  his  father  had  been  well 
pleased  with  the  progress  he  made  with  his  studies; 
but,  in  the  first  place,  he  hated  his  work,  and  in  the 
second,  every  shortcoming  and  mistake  was  magnified 
and  made  the  most  of  by  the  foreman,  Andrew  Carson. 
This  man  had  long  looked  to  be  taken  into  partnership, 
and  finally  to  succeed  his  master,  seeing  that  the  latter 
had  no  sons,  and  he  conceived  a  violent  jealousy  of 
Jack  Stilwell,  in  whose  presence,  as  a  prime  favourite 
of  Mistress  Anthony,  and  of  her  daughter,  he  thought 
he  foresaw  an  overthrow  of  his  plans. 

He  was  not  long  in  effecting  a  breach  between  the 
boy  and  his  master — for  Jack's  carelessness  and  inat- 
tention gave  him  plenty  of  opportunities — and  Mr. 
Anthony  ere  long  viewed  the  boy's  errors  as  acts  of 
wilful  disobedience.  This  state  of  things  lasted  for 
two  years  until  the  climax  came,  when,  as  Mr.  Anthony 
had  said  to  his  wife,  Jack,  upon  the  foreman  attempt- 

(338) 


DISMISSED.  1 7 

ing  to  strike  him,  had  knocked  the  latter  down  in  the 
shop. 

Mr.  Anthony's  first  impulse  was  to  take  his  appren- 
tice before  the  justices  and  to  demand  condign  punish- 
ment for  such  an  act  of  flagrant  rebellion;  but  a 
moment's  reflection  told  him  that  Jack,  at  the  end  of 
his  punishment,  would  return  to  his  house,  where  his 
wife  would  take  his  part  as  usual,  and  the  quarrels 
which  had  frequently  arisen  on  his  account  would  be 
more  bitter  than  before. 

It  was  far  better  to  get  rid  of  him  at  once,  and  he 
accordingly  ordered  him  from  the  shop,  tore  up  his 
indenture  before  his  eyes,  and  bade  him  never  let 
him  see  his  face  ao-ain.  For  the  first  few  hours  Jack 
was  delighted  at  his  freedom.  He  spent  the  day 
down  on  the  wharves  talking  to  the  fishermen  and 
sailors.  There  were  no  foreign-bound  ships  in  the  port, 
and  he  had  no  wish  to  ship  on  board  a  coaster;  he 
therefore  resolved  to  wait  until  a  vessel  sailing  for 
foreign  ports  should  leave. 

He  had  no  money;  but  a  few  hours  after  he  left  the 
shop  Mrs.  Anthony's  maid  found  him  on  the  wharf, 
and  gave  him  a  letter  from  her  mistress.  In  this  was 
inclosed  a  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  last  him  for  some 
time,  and  an  assurance  that  she  did  not  share  her  hus- 
band's ano-er  against  him. 

"  I  have  no  doubt,  my  dear  Jack,"  she  said,  "  that  in 
time  I  could  heal  the  breach  and  could  arrange  for 
you  to  come  back  again,  but  I   think  perhaps  it  is 

(338)  b 

6 


18  JACK  FINDS   A   SHIP. 

better  as  it  is.  You  would  never  make  a  clothier,  and 
I  don't  think  you  would  ever  become  mayor  of  South- 
ampton. I  know  what  your  wishes  are,  and  I  think 
that  you  had  better  follow  them  out.  Alice  is  heart- 
broken over  the  affair,  but  I  assure  her  that  it  will  all 
turn  out  for  the  best.  I  cannot  ask  you  to  come  up 
to  the  house;  but  whenever  you  have  settled  on  any- 
thing leave  a  note  with  Dorothy  for  me,  and  I  will  come 
down  with  Alice  to  see  you  and  say  good-bye  to  you. 
I  will  see  that  you  do  not  go  without  a  proper  outfit." 

It  was  to  deliver  this  letter  that  Jack  had  gone  up 
to  the  back  gate ;  and  seeing  Alice  in  the  garden  they 
had  naturally  fallen  into  conversation  at  the  gate,  when 
the  mayor,  looking  out  from  the  window  of  his  ware- 
house, happened  to  see  them,  and  went  out  in  the 
greatest  wrath  to  put  a  stop  to  the  conversation. 

Jack  had  indeed  found  a  ship;  she  had  come  in 
from  Holland  with  cloth  and  other  merchandise,  and 
was  after  she  was  discharged  to  sail  for  the  colonies 
with  English  goods.  She  would  not  leave  the  port  for 
some  weeks;  but  he  had  seen  the  captain,  who  had 
agreed  to  take  him  as  ship's-boy.  Had  the  mayor 
been  aware  that  his  late  apprentice  was  on  the  point 
of  leaving  he  would  not  have  interfered  with  his  in- 
tention; but  as  he  had  peremptorily  ordered  that  his 
name  was  not  to  be  mentioned  before  him,  and  as 
Mrs.  Anthony  had  no  motive  in  approaching  the  for- 
bidden subject,  the  mayor  remained  in  ignorance  that 
Jack  was  about  to  depart  on  a  distant  voyage. 


A   CRUEL   LAW.  19 

One  day,  on  going  down  to  the  town  -  hall,  he 
found  an  official  letter  waiting  him;  it  was  an  order 
from  government  empowering  justices  of  the  peace  to 
impress  such  men  as  they  thought  fit,  with  the  only 
restriction  that  men  entitled  to  vote  for  members  of 
parliament  were  exempted.  This  tremendous  power 
had  just  been  legalized  by  an  act  of  parliament.  A 
more  iniquitous  act  never  disgraced  our  statutes,  for 
it  enabled  justices  of  the  peace  to  spite  any  of  their 
poorer  neighbours  against  whom  they  had  a  grudge, 
and  to  ship  them  off  to  share  in  the  hardships  of  Marl- 
borough's campaign  in  Germany  and  the  Low  Coun- 
tries, or  in  the  expedition  now  preparing  for  Spain. 

At  that  time  the  army  was  held  in  the  greatest  dis- 
like by  the  English  people.  The  nation  had  always 
been  opposed  to  a  standing  force,  and  it  was  only  now 
that  the  necessities  of  the  country  induced  them  to 
tolerate  it.  It  was,  however,  recruited  almost  entirely 
from  reckless  and  desperate  men.  Criminals  were 
allowed  to  commute  sentences  of  imprisonment  for 
service  in  the  army,  and  the  gates  of  the  prisons  were 
also  opened  to  insolvent  debtors  consenting  to  enlist. 
But  all  the  efforts  of  the  recruiting  sergeants,  aided  by 
such  measures  as  these,  proved  insufficient  to  attract  a 
sufficient  number  of  men  to  keep  up  the  armies  at  the 
required  strength. 

Pressing  had  always  existed  to  a  certain  extent;  but 
it  had  been  carried  on  secretly,  and  was  regarded  as 
illegal.    Therefore,  as  men  must  be  had,  the  law  giving 


20  THE  THRONE  OF  SPAIN. 

justices  the  authority  and  power  to  impress  any  men 
they  might  select,  with  the  exception  of  those  who 
possessed  a  vote  for  members  of  parliament,  was  passed 
with  the  approval  of  parties  on  both  sides  of  the 
House  of  Commons. 

There  was  indeed  great  need  for  men.  England  had 
allied  herself  with  Austria  and  Holland  in  opposition 
to  France,  the  subject  of  dispute  being  the  succession 
to  the  crown  of  Spain,  England's  feelings  in  the  matter 
being  further  embittered  by  the  recognition  by  Louis 
XIV.  of  the  Pretender  as  King  of  England.  There- 
fore, although  her  interests  were  not  so  deeply  engaged 
in  the  question  as  to  the  succession  to  the  throne  of 
Spain  as  were  those  of  the  continental  powers,  she 
threw  herself  into  the  struggle  with  ardour. 

The  two  claimants  to  the  throne  of  Spain  were  the 
Archduke  Charles,  second  son  of  Leopold  Emperor  of 
Austria,  and  Philip  Duke  of  Anjou,  a  younger  grandson 
of  Louis.  On  the  marriage  of  the  French  king  with 
Maria  Theresa,  the  sister  of  Charles  II.  of  Spain,  she 
had  formally  renounced  all  claims  to  the  succession, 
but  the  French  king  had  nevertheless  continued  from 
time  to  time  to  bring  them  forward.  Had  these  rights 
not  been  renounced  Philip  would  have  had  the  best 
claim  to  the  Spanish  throne,  the  next  of  kin  after  him 
beinof  Charles  of  Austria. 

During  the  later  days  of  the  King  of  Spain  all 
Europe  had  looked  on  with  the  most  intense  interest 
at  the  efforts  which  the  respective  parties  made  for  their 


THE  TREATY   OF   PARTITION.  21 

candidates.  Whichever  might  succeed  to  the  throne 
the  balance  of  power  would  be  destroyed;  for  either 
Austria  and  Spain  united,  or  France  and  Spain  united, 
would  be  sufficient  to  overawe  the  rest  of  the  Conti- 
nent. Louis  XIV.  lulled  the  fears  of  the  Austrian 
party  by  suggesting  a  treaty  of  partition  to  the  Dutch 
states  and  William  the  Third  of  England. 

By  this  treaty  it  was  agreed  that  the  Archduke 
Charles  was  to  be  acknowledged  successor  to  the  crowns 
of  Spain,  the  Indies,  and  the  Netherlands;  while  the 
dauphin,  as  the  eldest  son  of  Maria  Theresa,  should  re- 
ceive the  kingdom  of  Naples  and  Sicily,  with  the  Span- 
ish province  of  Guipuscoa  and  the  duchy  of  Milan, 
in  compensation  of  his  abandonment  of  other  claims. 
When  the  conditions  of  this  treaty  became  known 
they  inspired  natural  indignation  in  the  minds  of  the 
people  of  the  country  which  had  thus  been  arbitrarily 
allotted,  and  the  dying  Charles  of  Spain  was  infuriated 
by  this  conspiracy  to  break  up  and  divide  his  dominion. 
His  jealousy  of  France  would  have  led  him  to  select 
the  Austrian  claimant;  but  the  emperor's  undisguised 
greed  for  a  portion  of  the  Spanish  empire,  and  the 
overbearing  and  unpleasant  manner  of  the  Austrian 
ambassador  in  the  Spanish  court,  drove  him  to  listen 
to  the  overtures  of  Louis,  who  had  a  powerful  ally  in 
Cardinal  Portocarrero,  Archbishop  of  Toledo,  whose 
influence  was  all-powerful  with  the  king.  The  cardinal 
argued  that  the  grandson  of  Maria  Theresa  could  not 
be  bound  by  her  renunciation,  and  also  that  it  had 


22  THE  king's  will. 

only  been  made  with  a  view  to  keep  separate  the 
French  and  Spanish  monarchies,  and  that  if  a  descen- 
dant of  hers,  other  than  the  heir  to  the  throne  of 
France,  were  chosen,  this  condition  would  be  carried  out. 
Finally,  he  persuaded  Charles,  a  month  before  his 
death,  to  sign  a  will  declaring  Philip  Duke  of  Anjou, 
grandson  of  his  brother-in-law  Louis  XIV.,  sole  heir 
of  the  Spanish  empire.  The  will  was  kept  secret  till 
the  death  of  the  king,  and  was  then  publicly  pro- 
claimed. Louis  accepted  the  bequest  in  favour  of  his 
grandson,  and  Philip  was  declared  king  in  Spain  and 
her  dependencies. 

The  greatest  indignation  was  caused  in  England, 
Holland,  and  the  empire,  at  this  breach  by  the  King 
of  France  of  the  treaty  of  partition,  of  which  he  him- 
self had  been  the  author.     England  and  Holland  were 
unprepared  for  war,  and  therefore  bided  their  time, 
but  Austria  at  once  commenced  hostilities  by  directing 
large  bodies  of  troops,  under  Prince  Eugene,  into  the 
duchy  of  Milan,  and  by  inciting  the  Neapolitans  to 
revolt.    The  young  king  was  at  first  popular  in  Spain' 
but   Cardinal   Portocarrero,   who   exercised   the   real 
power  of  the  state,  by  his  overbearing  temper,  his 
avarice,  and  his  shameless  corruption,  speedily  alienated 
the  people  from  their  monarch.    Above  all,  the  cardinal 
was  supposed  to  be  the  tool  of  the  French  king,  and 
to  represent  the  policy  which  had  for  its  object  the 
dismemberment   of   the   Spanish   monarchy  and   the 
aggrandizement  of  France. 


THE   YOUNG   QUEEN.  23 

That  Louis  had  such  designs  was  undoubted,  and,  if 
properly  managed  and  bribed,  Portocarrero  would  have 
been  a  pliant  instrument  in  his  hands;  but  the  cardinal 
was  soon  estranged  by  the  constant  interference  by  the 
French  agents  in  his  own  measures  of  government,  and 
therefore  turned  against  France  that  power  of  intrigue 
which  he  had  recently  used  in  her  favour.  He  pre- 
tended to  be  devoted  to  France,  and  referred  even  the 
most  minute  details  of  government  to  Paris  for  appro- 
bation, with  the  double  view  of  disgusting  Louis  with 
the  government  of  Spain  and  of  enraging  the  Spanish 
people  at  the  constant  interference  of  Louis. 

Philip,  however,  found  a  new  and  powerful  ally  in 
the  hearts  of  the  people  by  his  marriage  with  Maria 
Louisa,  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy — a  beautiful 
girl  of  fourteen  years  old,  who  rapidly  developed  into 
a  graceful  and  gifted  woman,  and  became  the  darling 
of  the  Spanish  people,  and  whose  intellect,  firmness,  and 
courage  guided  and  strengthened  her  weak  but  amiable 
husband.  For  a  time  the  power  of  Spain  and  France 
united  overshadowed  Europe,  the  trading  interests  of 
England  and  Holland  were  assailed,  and  a  French 
army  assembled  close  to  the  Flemish  frontier. 

The  indignation  of  the  Dutch  overcame  their  fears, 
and  they  yielded  to  the  quiet  efforts  which  King  Wil- 
liam was  making,  and  combined  with  England  and 
Austria  in  a  grand  alliance  against  France,  the  object 
of  the  combination  being  to  exclude  Louis  from  the 
Netherlands  and  West  Indies,  and  to  prevent  the  union 


24  THE  ARCHDUKE  CHARLES. 

of  the  crowns  of  France  and  Spain  upon  the  same 
head.  King  William  might  not  have  obtained  from  the 
English  parliament  a  ratification  of  the  alliance,  had 
not  Louis  just  at  this  moment  acknowledged  the  son 
of  the  ex-King  James  as  King  of  England.  This  insult 
roused  the  spirit  of  the  English  people,  the  House  of 
Commons  approved  the  triple  alliance,  and  voted  large 
supplies. 

King  William  died  just  after  seeing  his  favourite  pro- 
ject successful,  and  was  succeeded  by  Queen  Anne,  who 
continued  his  policy.  The  Austrian  Archduke  Charles 
was  recognized  by  the  allies  as  King  of  Spain,  and  pre- 
paration made  for  war. 

An  English  army  was  landed  near  Cadiz;  but  the 
Spaniards  showed  no  sign  of  rising  in  favour  of  Charles, 
and,  after  bringing  great  discredit  on  themselves  and 
exciting  the  animosity  of  the  Spaniards  by  gross  mis- 
conduct, the  English  army  embarked  again.  Some 
treasure  ships  were  captured,  and  others  sunk  in  the 
harbour  of  Vigo,  but  the  fleet  was  no  more  effective 
than  the  army.  Admiral  Sir  John  Munden  was  cash- 
iered for  treachery  or  cowardice  on  the  coast  of  Spain, 
and  four  captains  of  vessels  in  the  gallant  Benbow's 
West  Indian  fleet  were  either  dismissed  or  shot  for 
refusing  to  meet  the  enemy  and  for  abandoning  their 
chief. 

In  1703  little  was  done  in  the  way  of  righting,  but 
the  allies  received  an  important  addition  of  strength 
by  the  accession  of  Portugal  to  their  ranks.     In  1704 


THE   FIRST   CAMPAIGNS.  25 

the  allies  made  an  attempt  upon  the  important  city  of 
Barcelona.  It  was  believed  that  the  Catalans  would 
have  declared  for  Charles;  but  the  plot  by  which  the 
town  was  to  be  given  up  to  him  was  discovered  on  the 
eve  of  execution,  and  the  English  force  re-embarked 
on  their  ships.  Their  success  was  still  less  on  the  side 
of  Portugal,  where  the  Duke  of  Berwick,  who  was  in 
command  of  the  forces  of  King  Philip,  defeated  the 
English  and  Dutch  under  the  Duke  of  Schomberg  and 
captured  many  towns. 

The  Portuguese  rendered  the  allies  but  slight  assist- 
ance. These  reverses  were,  however,  balanced  by  the 
capture  of  Gibraltar  on  the  21st  of  June  by  the  fleet 
under  Sir  George  Kooke,  and  a  small  land  force  under 
Prince  George  of  Hesse.  Schomberg  was  recalled  and 
Lord  Galway  took  the  command;  but  he  succeeded  no 
better  than  his  predecessor,  and  affairs  looked  but 
badly  for  the  allies,  when  the  Duke  of  Marlborough, 
with  the  English  and  allied  troops  in  Germany,  inflicted 
the  first  great  check  upon  the  power  and  ambition  of 
Louis  XIV.  by  the  splendid  victory  of  Blenheim. 

This  defeat  of  the  French  had  a  disastrous  effect 
upon  the  fortunes  of  Philip.  He  could  no  longer  hope 
for  help  from  his  grandfather,  for  Louis  was  now  called 
upon  to  muster  his  whole  strength  on  his  eastern 
frontier  for  the  defence  of  his  own  dominion,  and 
Philip  was  forced  to  depend  upon  his  partisans  in  Spain 
only.  The  partisans  of  Charles  at  once  took  heart. 
The  Catalans  had  never  been  warm  in  the  cause  of 


26  THE   EARL  OF  PETERBOROUGH. 

Philip;  the  crowns  of  Castille,  Arragon,  and  Catalonia 
had  only  recently  been  united,  and  a  dangerous  jealousy 
existed  between  these  provinces.  The  Castillians  were 
devoted  adherents  of  Philip,  and  this  in  itself  was  suffi- 
cient to  set  Catalonia  and  Arrasfon  against  him. 

The  English  government  had  been  informed  of  this 
growing  discontent  in  the  north  of  Spain,  and  sent  out 
an  emissary  to  inquire  into  the  truth  of  the  statement. 
As  his  report  confirmed  all  that  they  had  heard,  it 
was  decided  in  the  spring  of  1705  to  send  out  an  ex- 
pedition which  was  to  effect  a  landing  in  Catalonia, 
and  would,  it  was  hoped,  be  joined  by  all  the  people  of 
that  province  and  Arragon.  By  the  efforts  and  patron- 
age of  the  Duchess  of  Marlborough,  who  was  all-power- 
ful with  Queen  Anne,  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  was 
named  to  the  command  of  the  expedition. 

The  choice  certainly  appeared  a  singular  one,  for 
hitherto  the  earl  had  done  nothing  which  would  entitle 
him  to  so  distinguished  a  position.  Charles  Mordaunt 
was  the  eldest  son  of  John  Lord  Mordaunt,  Vis- 
count Avalon,  a  brave  and  daring  cavalier,  who  had 
fought  heart  and  soul  for  Charles,  and  had  been  tried 
by  Cromwell  for  treason,  and  narrowly  escaped  execu- 
tion. On  the  Restoration,  as  a  reward  for  his  risk  of 
life  and  fortune,  and  for  his  loyalty  and  ability,  he  was 
raised  to  the  peerage. 

His  son  Charles  inherited  none  of  his  father's  stead- 
fastness. Brought  up  in  the  profligate  court  of  Charles 
the  Second  he  became  an  atheist,  a  scoffer  at  morality, 


AN   ADVENTUROUS   SPIRIT.  27 

and  a  republican.  At  the  same  time  he  had  many  re- 
deeming points.  He  was  brilliant,  witty,  energetic,  and 
brave.  He  was  generous  and  strictly  honourable  to 
his  word.  He  was  filled  with  a  burning  desire  for  ad- 
venture,  and,  at  the  close  of  1674,  when  in  his  seven- 
teenth year,  he  embarked  in  Admiral  Torrington's  ship, 
and  proceeded  to  join  as  a  volunteer  Sir  John  Narbo- 
rough's  fleet  in  the  Mediterranean,  in  order  to  take  part 
in  the  expedition  to  restrain  and  revenge  the  piratical 
depredations  of  the  barbarous  states  of  Tripoli  and 
Algiers. 

He  distinguished  himself  on  the  14th  of  January, 
1675,  in  an  attack  by  the  boats  of  the  fleet  upon  four 
corsair  men-o'-war  moored  under  the  very  guns  of  the 
castle  and  fort  of  Tripoli.  The  exploit  was  a  successful 
one,  the  ships  were  all  burned,  and  most  of  their  crews 
slain.  Another  encounter  with  the  fleet  of  Tripoli  took 
place  in  February,  when  the  pirates  were  again  de- 
feated, and  the  dey  forced  to  grant  all  the  English 
demands. 

In  1677  the  fleet  returned  to  England,  and  with  it 
Mordaunt,  who  had  during  his  absence  succeeded  to 
his  father's  title  and  estates,  John  Lord  Mordaunt 
having  died  on  the  5th  of  June,  1675.  Shortly  after 
his  return  to  England  Lord  Mordaunt,  though  still 
but  twenty  years  old,  married  a  daughter  of  Sir  Alex- 
ander Fraser.  But  his  spirit  was  altogether  unsuited 
to  the  quiet  enjoyment  of  domestic  life,  and  at  the  end 
of  September,  1678,  he  went  out  as  a  volunteer  in  his 


28  PLOTS   AND   POLITICS. 

majesty's  ship  Bristol,  which  was  on  the  point  of  sail- 
ing for  the  Mediterranean  to  take  part  in  an  expedition 
fitting  out  for  the  relief  of  Tangier,  then  besieged  by 
the  Moors.  Nothing,  however,  came  of  the  expedition, 
and  Mordaunt  returned  to  England  in  the  autumn  of 
1679. 

In  June,  1680,  he  again  sailed  for  Tangier  with  a 
small  expedition  commanded  by  the  Earl  of  Plymouth. 
The  expedition  succeeded  in  throwing  themselves  into 
the  besieged  town,  and  continued  the  defence  with  vigour, 
and  Mordaunt  again  distinguished  himself;  but  he  soon 
wearied  of  the  monotony  of  a  long  siege,  and  before 
the  end  of  the  year  found  opportunity  to  return  to 
England,  where  he  plunged  into  politics  and  became 
one  of  the  leaders  of  the  party  formed  to  exclude  the 
Duke  of  York  from  the  throne. 

Although  a  close  friend  of  Lord  Russell  and  Algernon 
Sidney  he  had  fortunately  for  himself  not  been  admitted 
to  the  fatal  privilege  of  their  private  councils,  and 
therefore  escaped  the  fate  which  befell  them.  He 
continued  his  friendship  with  them  to  the  last,  and 
accompanied  Algernon  Sidney  to  the  scaffold.  But 
even  while  throwing  himself  heart  and  soul  into  politics 
he  was  continually  indulging  in  wild  freaks  which 
rendered  him  the  talk  of  the  town. 

On  the  accession  of  King  James  he  made  his  first 
speech  in  the  House  of  Peers  against  a  standing  army, 
and  distinguished  himself  alike  by  the  eloquence  and 
violence  of  his  language.   He  was  now  under  the  displea- 


THE   REVOLUTION.  29 

sure  of  the  court,  and  his  profuse  generosityhad  brought 
him  into  pecuniary  trouble.  In  1686,  therefore,  he 
quitted  England  with  the  professed  intention  of  accept- 
ing a  command  in  the  Dutch  fleet  then  about  to  sail 
for  the  West  Indies.  When  he  arrived  in  Holland, 
however,  he  presented  himself  immediately  to  the 
Prince  of  Orange,  and  first  among  the  British  nobility 
boldly  proposed  to  William  an  immediate  invasion  of 
England.  He  pushed  his  arguments  with  fiery  zeal, 
urged  the  disaffection  of  all  classes,  the  hatred  of  the 
Commons,  the  defection  of  the  Lords,  the  alarm  of  the 
Church,  and  the  wavering  loyalty  of  the  army. 

William,  however,  was  already  informed  of  these 
facts,  and  was  not  to  be  hurried.  Mor  daunt  remained 
with  him  till,  on  the  20th  of  October,  1688,  he  sailed 
for  England.  The  first  commission  that  Kino:  William 
signed  in  England  was  the  appointment  of  Lord  Mor- 
daunt  as  lieutenant -colonel  of  horse,  and  raising  a 
regiment  he  rendered  good  service  at  Exeter.  As  soon 
as  the  Revolution  was  completed,  and  William  and 
Mary  ascended  the  throne,  Mordaunt  was  made  a  privy- 
councillor  and  one  of  the  lords  of  the  bed-chamber,  and 
in  April,  1689,  he  was  made  first  commissioner  of  the 
treasury,  and  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  Earl  of  Mon- 
mouth. In  addition  to  the  other  offices  to  which  he 
was  appointed  he  was  given  the  colonelcy  of  the  regi- 
ment of  horse  guards. 

His  conduct  in  office  showed  in  brilliant  contrast  to 
that  of  the  men  with  whom  he  was  placed.     He  alone 


30  A   TROUBLED   CAREER. 

was  free  from  the  slightest  suspicion  of  corruption  and 
venality,  and  he  speedily  made  enemies  among  his  col- 
leagues by  the  open  contempt  which  he  manifested  for 
their  gross  corruption. 

Although  he  had  taken  so  prominent  a  part  in  bring- 
ing Kino-  William  to  England,  Monmouth  soon  became 
mixed  up  in  all  sorts  of  intrigues  and  plots.  He  was 
already  tired  of  the  reign  of  the  Dutch  king,  and 
longed  for  a  commonwealth.  He  was  constantly  quar- 
relling with  his  colleagues,  and  whenever  there  was  a 
debate  in  the  House  of  Lords  Monmouth  took  a  pro- 
minent part  on  the  side  of  the  minority.  In  1602  he 
went  out  with  his  regiment  of  horse  guards  to  Holland, 
and  fought  bravely  at  the  battle  of  Steenkirk.  The 
campaign  was  a  failure,  and  in  October  he  returned  to 
England  with  the  king. 

For  two  years  after  this  he  lived  quietly,  devoting 
his  principal  attention  to  his  garden  and  the  society  of 
wits  and  men  of  letters.  Then  he  again  appeared  in 
parliament,  and  took  a  leading  part  in  the  movement 
in  opposition  to  the  crown,  and  inveighed  in  bitter 
terms  against  the  bribery  of  persons  in  power  by  the 
East  India  Company,  and  the  venality  of  many  mem- 
bers of  parliament,  and  even  the  ministry.  His  relations 
with  the  king  were  now  of  the  coldest  kind,  and  he 
became  mixed  up  in  a  Jacobite  plot.  How  far  he 
was  guilty  in  the  matter  was  never  proved.  Public 
opinion  certainly  condemned  him,  and  by  a  vote  of  the 
Peers  he  was  deprived  of  all  his  employments  and  sent 


Peterborough's  appointment.  31 

to  the  Tower.  The  king,  however,  stood  his  friend,  and 
released  him  at  the  end  of  the  session. 

In  1697,  by  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Charles  became 
Earl  of  Peterborough,  and  passed  the  next  four  years 
in  private  life,  emerging  only  occasionally  to  go  down 
to  the  House  of  Peers  and  make  fiery  onslaughts  upon 
abuses  and  corruption.  In  the  course  of  these  years, 
both  in  parliament  and  at  court,  he  had  been  sometimes 
the  friend,  sometimes  the  opponent  of  Marlborough; 
but  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  a  favourite  of  the 
duchess,  and  when  the  time  came  that  a  leader  was  re- 
quired for  the  proposed  expedition  to  Spain,  she  exerted 
herself  so  effectually  that  she  procured  his  nomination. 

Hitherto  his  life  had  been  a  strange  one.  Indolent 
and  energetic  by  turns,  restless  and  intriguing,  quar- 
relling with  all  with  whom  he  came  in  contact, 
burning  with  righteous  indignation  against  corruption 
and  misdoing,  generous  to  a  point  which  crippled  his 
finances  seriously,  he  was  a  puzzle  to  all  who  knew  him, 
and  had  he  died  at  this  time  he  would  only  have  left 
behind  him  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most 
brilliant,  gifted,  and  honest,  but  at  the  same  time  one 
of  the  most  unstable,  eccentric,  and  ill-regulated  spirits 
of  his  time. 


CHAPTER  IL 


IMPRESSED. 


HEN  the  mayor  of  Southampton  opened  the 
official  document  empowering  and  request- 
ing him  to  obtain  recruits  for  the  queen's 
service  he  was  not  greatly  pleased.  This 
sort  of  thing  would  give  a  good  deal  of  trouble,  and 
would  assuredly  not  add  to  his  popularity.  He  saw 
at  once  that  he  would  be  able  to  oblige  many  of  his 
friends  by  getting  rid  of  people  troublesome  to  them, 
but  with  this  exception  where  was  he  to  find  the  re- 
cruits the  queen  required  ?  There  were,  of  course,  a  few 
never-do- wells  in  the  town  who  could  be  packed  off,  to 
the  general  satisfaction  of  the  inhabitants,  but  beyond 
this  everyone  taken  would  have  friends  and  relations 
who  would  cry  out  and  protest. 

It  was  likely  to  be  a  troublesome  business,  and  the 
mayor  threw  down  the  paper  on  the  table  before  him. 
Then  suddenly  his  expression  changed.  He  had  been 
thinking  of  obliging  his  friends  by  sending  off  persons 
troublesome  to  them,  but  he  had  not  thought  of  his  own 
case.    Here  was  the  very  thing;  he  would  send  off  this 


A   GOOD   RIDDANCE.  33 

troublesome  lad  to  fight  for  the  queen;  and,  whether  he 
went  to  the  Low  Countries  under  Marlborough,  or  to 
Spain  with  this  new  expedition  which  was  being  pre- 
pared, it  was  very  unlikely  that  he  would  ever  return 
to  trouble  him. 

He  was  only  sixteen,  indeed,  but  he  was  strong  and 
well  grown,  and  much  fitter  for  service  than  many  of 
those  who  would  be  sent.  If  the  young  fellow  stopped 
here  he  would  always  be  a  trouble,  and  a  bone  of  con- 
tention between  himself  and  his  wife.  Besides,  for 
Alice's  sake,  it  was  clearly  his  duty  to  get  the  fellow 
out  of  the  way.  Girls,  Mr.  Anthony  considered,  were 
always  falling  in  love  with  the  very  last  people  in  the 
world  with  whom  they  should  do  so,  and  out  of  sheer 
contrariety  it  was  more  than  possible  that  Alice  might 
take  a  fancy  for  this  penniless  vagabond,  and  if  she 
did,  Mrs.  Anthony  was  fool  enough  to  support  her  in 
her  folly. 

Of  course  there  would  be  trouble  with  his  wife  when 
she  found  what  had  happened  to  the  lad — for  the  mayor 
did  not  deceive  himself  for  a  moment  by  the  thought 
that  he  would  be  able  to  conceal  from  his  wife  the 
cause  of  Jack's  absence;  he  was  too  well  aware  of 
Mrs.  Anthony's  power  of  investigation.  Still,  after  it 
was  done  it  could  not  be  undone,  and  it  was  better  to 
have  one  domestic  storm  than  a  continuation  of  foul 
weather. 

Calling  in  his  clerk  the  mayor  read  over  to  him  the 
order  he  had  received,  and  bade  him  turn  to  the  court 

(338)  c 


34  THE  BLACK   LIST. 

book  and  make  out  a  list  of  the  names  of  forty  young 
men  who  had  been  charged  before  him  with  offences 
of  drunkenness,  assault,  battery,  and  rioting. 

"  When  you  have  made  up  the  list,  Johnson,  you  will 
go  round  to  the  aldermen  and  inform  them  of  the  order 
that  I  have  received  from  the  government,  and  you  can 
tell  them  that  if  there  are  any  persons  they  know,  of 
whom  they  consider  that  Southampton  would  be  well 
rid,  if  they  will  send  the  names  to  me  I  will  add  them  to 
the  list.  Bid  them  not  to  choose  married  men,  if  it  can 
be  avoided,  for  the  town  would  be  burdened  with  the 
support  of  their  wives  and  families.  Another  ten 
names  will  do.  The  letter  which  accompanies  the  order 
says  that  from  my  well-known  zeal  and  loyalty  it  is 
doubted  not  that  Southampton  will  furnish  a  hundred 
men,  but  if  I  begin  with  fifty  that  will  be  well  enough, 
and  we  can  pick  out  the  others  at  our  leisure." 

By  the  afternoon  the  list  was  filled  up.  One  of  the 
aldermen  had  inserted  the  name  of  a  troublesome 
nephew,  another  that  of  a  foreman  with  whom  he  had 
had  a  dispute  about  wages,  and  who  had  threatened  to 
proceed  against  him  in  the  court.  Some  of  the  names 
were  inserted  from  mere  petty  spite;  but  with  scarce 
an  exception  the  aldermen  responded  to  the  invitation 
of  the  mayor,  and  placed  on  the  list  the  name  of  some- 
one whom  they,  or  Southampton,  would  be  the  better 
without. 

When  the  list  was  completed  the  mayor  struck  out 
one  of  the  first  names  inserted  by  his  clerk  and  inserted 


THE   RECRUITING   OFFICER.  35 

that  of  John  Stihvell  in  its  place.  His  instructions  were 
that  he  was  to  notify  to  an  oiiicer,  who  would  arrive 
with  a  company  of  soldiers  on  the  following  day,  the 
names  of  those  whom  he  deemed  suitable  for  the 
queen's  service.  The  officer  after  taking  them  was 
to  embark  them  on  board  one  of  the  queen's  cutters, 
which  would  come  round  from  Portsmouth  for  the 
purpose,  and  would  convey  them  to  Dover,  where  a 
camp  was  being  formed  and  the  troops  assembling. 

Upon  the  following  day  the  company  marched  into 
the  town,  and  the  officer  in  command,  having  seen  his 
men  billeted  among  the  citizens,  called  upon  the  mayor. 

"  Well,  Mr.  Mayor,"  he  said,  "  I  hope  you  have  a  good 
list  of  recruits  for  me.  I  don't  want  to  be  waiting;  here, 
for  I  have  to  go  on  a  similar  errand  to  other  towns. 
It  is  not  a  job  I  like,  I  can  tell  you,  but  it  is  not  for 
me  to  question  orders." 

"  I  have  a  list  of  fifty  men,  all  active  and  hearty 
fellows,  who  will  make  good  soldiers,"  the  mayor  said. 

"  And  of  whom,  no  doubt,  Southampton  will  be  well 
rid,"  the  officer  said  with  a  laugh.  "  Truly,  I  pity  the 
Earl  of  Peterborough,  for  he  will  have  as  rough  a  body 
of  soldiers  as  ever  marched  to  war.  However,  it  is 
usually  the  case  that  the  sort  of  men  who  give  trouble 
at  home  are  just  those  who,  when  the  time  comes, 
make  the  best  fighters.  I  would  rather  have  half-a- 
dozen  of  your  reckless  blades,  when  the  pinch  comes, 
than  a  score  of  honest  plough-boys.  How  do  you 
propose  that  I  shall  take  them?" 


36  THE   PLAN   OF   PROCEEDINGS. 

"  That  I  will  leave  entirely  to  you,"  the  mayor  said ; 
"  here  is  a  list  of  the  houses  where  they  lodge.  I  will 
place  the  town  watch  at  your  disposal  to  show  you 
the  way  and  to  point  out  the  men  to  you." 

"That  will  be  all  I  shall  require,"  the  officer  said; 
"  but  you  can  give  me  a  list  of  those  who  are  most  likely 
to  give  trouble.  These  I  will  pounce  upon  and  get  on 
board  ship  first  of  all.  When  they  are  secured  I  will 
tell  my  men  off  in  parties,  each  with  one  of  your  con- 
stables to  point  out  the  men,  and  we  will  pick  them  up 
so  many  every  evening.  It  is  better  not  to  break  into 
houses  and  seize  them;  for,  although  we  are  acting 
legally  and  under  the  authority  of  act  of  parliament,  it 
is  always  as  well  to  avoid  giving  cause  of  complaint, 
which  might  tend  to  excite  a  feeling  against  the  war 
and  make  the  government  unpopular,  and  which,  more- 
over, might  do  you  harm  with  the  good  citizens,  and 
do  me  harm  with  those  above  me.  I  am  sure  you 
agree  with  me." 

"Quite  so,  quite  so,"  the  mayor  said  hastily;  "you 
speak  very  prudently  and  well,  sir.  I  hope  you  will 
honour  me  by  taking  up  your  abode  in  my  house 
during  your  stay  here;  but  may  I  ask  you  not  to  allow 
my  wife,  who  is  inquisitive  by  nature,  to  see  the  list 
with  which  I  furnish  you.  Women  are  ever  meddling 
in  matters  which  concern  them  not." 

"  I  understand,"  the  officer  said  with  a  wink,  "  there 
are  names  on  the  list  of  which  your  wife  would  not 
approve.    I  have  known  the  same  thing  happen  before. 


PRESSED.  37 

But  never  fear,  the  list  shall  be  kept  safe;  and,  indeed, 
it  were  better  that  nothing  were  said  of  my  business 
in  the  town,  for  if  this  get  abroad,  some  of  those  whose 
conscience  may  tell  them  that  they  will  be  likely  to 
be  chosen  for  service,  might  very  well  slip  off  and  be 
out  of  the  way  until  they  hear  that  I  and  my  men 
have  left." 

Two  days  later,  when,  as  the  evening  was  falling, 
Jack  Stilwell  was  walking  up  from  the  wharf,  where 
he  had  been  watching  the  unlading  of  the  vessel  in 
which  he  was  to  sail,  he  came  upon  a  group  of  four  or 
five  soldiers  standing  at  a  corner.  Then  a  voice,  which 
he  recognized  as  that  of  the  foreman,  Richard  Carson, 
said : 

"  That  is  your  man,  officer;"  and  the  soldiers  made  a 
sudden  rush  upon  him. 

Taken  by  surprise  he  nevertheless  struggled  desper- 
ately, but  a  heavy  blow  with  a  staff  fell  on  the  back 
of  his  head,  and  for  a  time  he  knew  nothing  more. 
When  he  recovered  his  consciousness  he  was  lying 
almost  in  complete  darkness,  but  by  the  faint  gleam 
of  the  lantern  he  discovered  that  he  was  in  the  hold 
of  a  ship.  Several  other  men  were  sitting  or  lying 
near  him.  Some  of  them  were  cursing  and  swearing, 
others  were  stanching  the  blood  which  flowed  from 
various  cuts  and  gashes. 

"  What  does  all  this  mean?"  he  asked  as  he  somewhat 
recovered  himself. 

"  It  means,"  said  one,  "  that  we  are  pressed  to  serve 


38  COMPANIONS    IN    MISFORTUNE. 

as  soldiers.  I  made  a  fight  for  it,  and  just  as  they  had 
got  the  handcuffs  on  some  citizens  came  up  and  asked 
what  was  doing,  and  the  sergeant  said,  '  It  is  quite 
legal.  We  hold  the  mayor's  warrant  to  impress  this 
man  for  service  in  the  army;  there  is  a  constable  here 
who  will  tell  you  we  are  acting  on  authority,  and  if 
any  interfere  it  will  be  worse  for  them.'" 

Jack  heard  the  news  in  silence.  So,  he  had  been 
pressed  by  a  warrant  of  the  mayor,  he  was  the  victim 
of  the  spite  of  his  late  employer.  But  his  thoughts 
soon  turned  from  this  by  the  consciousness  that  his 
shirt  and  clothes  were  soaked  with  blood,  and  putting 
his  hand  to  the  back  of  his  head  he  found  a  great  lump 
from  which  the  blood  was  still  slowly  flowing.  Taking 
off  his  neck  handkerchief  he  bound  it  round  his  head 
and  then  lay  down  again.  He  tried  to  think,  but  his 
brain  was  weak  and  confused,  and  he  presently  fell 
into  a  sound  sleep,  from  which  he  was  not  aroused  by 
the  arrival  of  another  batch  of  prisoners. 

It  was  morning  when  he  awoke,  and  he  found  that 
he  had  now  nearly  twenty  companions  in  captivity. 
Some  were  walking  up  and  down  like  caged  animals, 
others  were  loudly  bewailing  their  fate,  some  sat  moody 
and  silent,  while  some  bawled  out  threats  of  vengeance 
against  those  they  considered  responsible  for  their 
captivity.  A  sentry  with  a  shouldered  musket  was 
standing  at  the  foot  of  the  steps,  and  from  time  to  time 
some  sailors  passed  up  and  down.  Jack  went  up  to 
one  of  these. 


TAKING  THINGS  COOLLY.  39 

"Mate,"  he  said,  "could  you  let  us  have  a  few 
buckets  of  water  down  here?  In  the  first  place  we  are 
parched  with  thirst,  and  in  the  second  we  may  as  well 
try  to  get  off  some  of  the  blood  which,  from  a  good 
many  of  us,  has  been  let  out  pretty  freely." 

"  Well,  you  seem  a  reasonable  sort  of  chap,"  the 
sailor  said,  "  and  to  take  things  coolly.  That's  the  way, 
my  lad;  when  the  king,  or  the  queen  now — it's  all  the 
same  thing — has  once  got  his  hand  on  you  it's  of  no  use 
kicking  against  it.  I  have  been  pressed  twice  myself, 
so  I  know  how  you  feel.  Here,  mates,"  he  said  to  two 
of  the  other  sailors,  "  lend  a  hand  and  get  a  bucket  of 
fresh  water  and  a  pannikin,  and  half  a  dozen  buckets 
of  salt  water,  and  let  these  lads  have  a  drink  and  a 
wash." 

It  was  soon  done.  The  prisoners  were  all  glad  of  the 
drink,  but  few  cared  to  trouble  about  washing.  Jack, 
however,  took  possession  of  a  bucket,  stripped  to  the 
waist,  and  had  a  good  wash.  The  salt  water  made  his 
wound  smart,  but  he  continued  for  half  an  hour 
bathing  it,  and  at  the  end  of  that  time  felt  vastly 
fresher  and  better.  Then  he  soaked  his  shirt  in  the 
water,  and  as  far  as  possible  removed  the  broad  stains 
of  blood  which  stiffened  it.  Then  he  wrung  it  out  and 
hung  it  up  to  dry,  and,  putting  on  his  coat,  sat  down 
and  thought  matters  over. 

He  had  never  had  the  idea  of  entering  the  army,  for 
the  measures  taken  to  fill  the  ranks  rendered  the  mili- 
tary service  distasteful  in  the  extreme  to  the  English 


40  THE  PROS   AND   CONS. 

people.  Since  the  days  of  Agincourt  the  English  army 
had  never  gained  any  brilliant  successes  abroad,  and 
there  was  consequently  none  of  that  national  pride, 
which  now  exists,  in  its  bravery  and  glorious  his- 
tory. 

Still,  Jack  reflected,  it  did  not  make  much  difference 
to  him  whether  he  became  a  soldier  or  a  sailor.  He 
had  lono-ed  to  see  the  world,  to  share  in  deeds  of 
adventure,  and,  above  all,  to  escape  from  the  dreary 
drudgery  of  the  clothier's  shop.  These  objects  would 
be  attained  as  well  in  the  army  as  in  the  navy;  and, 
indeed,  now  that  he  thought  of  it,  he  preferred  the 
active  service  which  he  would  see  under  Marlborough 
or  Peterborough  to  the  monotony  of  a  long  sea 
voyage.  At  anyrate,  it  was  clear  that  remonstrance 
or  resistance  were  vain.  He  as  well  as  others  were 
aware  of  the  law  which  had  just  been  passed,  giving 
magistrates  the  power  of  impressing  soldiers  for  the 
service, and  he  felt,  therefore,  that,  although  his  impress- 
ment had  no  doubt  been  dictated  by  the  private  desire 
of  the  mayor  to  get  him  out  of  the  way,  it  was  yet 
strictly  legal,  and  that  it  would  be  useless  his  making 
any  protest  against  it.  He  resolved,  therefore,  to  make 
the  best  of  things,  and  to  endeavour  to  win  the  good- 
will of  his  officers  by  prompt  and  cheerful  acquiescence 
in  the  inevitable. 

Presently  some  sailors  brought  down  a  tray  with 
a  number  of  hunks  of  black  bread,  a  large  pot  filled 
with  a  sort  of  broth,  and  a  score  of  earthenware  mugs. 


THE   NUMBER   MADE   UP.  41 

Jack  at  once  dipped  one  of  the  mugs  into  the  pot,  and, 
taking  a  hunch  of  bread,  sat  down  to  his  breakfast. 
A  few  others  followed  his  example,  but  most  of  them 
were  too  angry  or  too  dispirited  to  care  about  eating; 
and,  indeed,  it  seemed  to  them  that  their  refusal  to 
partake  of  the  meal  was  a  sort  of  protest  against  their 
captivity. 

Half  an  hour  afterwards  the  sailors  removed  the 
food;  and  many  of  those  who  had  refused  to  touch  it 
soon  regretted  bitterly  that  they  had  not  done  so,  for 
as  the  time  went  on,  hunger  began  to  make  itself  felt. 
It  was  evening  before  the  next  meal,  consisting  of  black 
bread  and  a  great  piece  of  salt  beef,  was  brought  down. 
This  time  there  were  no  abstentions.  As  the  evening 
wore  on  fresh  batches  of  prisoners  were  brought  in, 
until,  by  midnight,  the  number  was  raised  to  fifty. 
Many  of  them  had  been  seriously  knocked  about  in 
their  capture,  and  Jack,  who  had  persuaded  his  friend 
the  sailor  to  bring  down  three  or  four  more  buckets  of 
salt  water,  did  his  best,  by  bathing  and  bandaging 
their  wounds,  to  put  them  at  their  ease. 

In  the  morning  he  could  see  who  were  his  companions 
in  misfortune.  Many  of  them  he  knew  by  sight  as 
loafers  on  the  wharves  and  as  troublesome  or  riotous 
characters.  Three  or  four  were  men  of  different  type. 
There  were  two  or  three  respectable  mechanics — men 
who  had  had,  at  various  times,  drawn  upon  them  the 
dislikes  of  the  great  men  of  the  town  by  insisting  on 
their  rights;  and  there  were  two  idle  young  fellows  of 


42  "I   AM   READY   TO    SERVE,    SIR." 

a  higher  class,  who  had  vexed  their  friends  beyond 
endurance. 

Presently  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  recruiting  party, 
who  had  now  come  on  board,  came  down  into  the  hold. 
He  was  at  once  assailed  with  a  storm  of  curses  and 
angry  remonstrances. 

"  Look  here,  my  lads,"  he  said,  raising  his  hand  for 
silence,  "  it  is  of  no  use  your  going  on  like  this,  and 
I  warn  you  that  the  sooner  you  make  up  your  minds 
that  you  have  got  to  serve  her  majesty  the  better  for 
you,  because  that  you  have  got  to  do  it  is  certain.  You 
have  all  been  impressed  according  to  act  of  parliament, 
and  there  is  no  getting  out  of  it.  It's  your  own  fault 
that  you  got  those  hard  knocks  that  I  see  the  marks  of, 
and  you  will  get  more  if  you  give  any  more  trouble. 
Now,  those  who  choose  to  agree  at  once  to  serve  her 
majesty  can  come  on  deck." 

Jack  at  once  stepped  forward. 

"  I  am  ready  to  serve,  sir,"  he  said. 

"That's  right,"  the  officer  replied  heartily;  "you  are 
a  lad  of  spirit,  I  can  see,  and  will  make  a  good  soldier. 
You  look  young  yet,  but  that's  all  in  your  favour;  you 
will  be  a  sergeant  at  an  age  when  others  are  learning 
their  recruit  drill.     Now,  who's  the  next?" 

Some  half  dozen  of  the  others  followed  Jack's 
example,  but  the  rest  were  still  too  sore  and  angry  to 
be  willing  to  do  anything  voluntarily. 

Jack  leapt  lightly  up  on  deck  and  looked  round; 
the  cutter  was  already  under  weigh,  and  with  a  gentle 


BOYS   AND   MEN.  43 

breeze  was  running  along  the  smooth  surface  of  South- 
ampton Waters,  the  ivy-covered  ruins  of  Netley  Abbey 
were  abreast  of  them,  and  behind  was  the  shipping  of 
the  port. 

"  Well,  young  un,"  an  old  sergeant  said,  "  so  I  sup- 
pose you  have  agreed  to  serve  the  queen?" 

"As  her  majesty  was  so  pressing,"  Jack  replied  with 
a  smile,  "  you  see  I  had  no  choice  in  the  matter." 

"That's  right,"  the  sergeant  said  kindly;  "always 
keep  up  your  spirits,  lad.  Care  killed  a  cat,  you  know. 
You  are  one  of  the  right  sort,  I  can  see,  but  you  are 
young  to  be  pressed.     How  old  are  you?" 

"  Sixteen,"  Jack  replied. 

"  Then  they  had  no  right  to  take  you,"  the  sergeant 
said;  "seventeen's  the  earliest  age,  and  as  a  rule  soldiers 
ain't  much  good  till  they  are  past  twenty.  You  would 
have  a  right  to  get  off  if  you  could  prove  your  age; 
but  of  course  you  could  not  do  that  without  witnesses 
or  papers,  and  it's  an  old  game  for  recruits  who  look 
young  to  try  to  pass  as  under  age." 

"  I  shan't  try,"  Jack  answered;  "I  have  made  up  my 
mind  to  it  now,  and  there's  an  end  to  it.  But  why  ain't 
soldiers  any  good  till  they  are  past  twenty,  sergeant? 
As  far  as  I  can  see,  boys  are  just  as  brave  as  men." 

"  Just  as  brave,  my  lad,  and  when  it  comes  to  fight- 
ing the  younger  soldier  is  very  often  every  bit  as  good 
as  the  old  one;  but  they  can't  stand  fatigue  and  hard- 
ship like  old  soldiers.  A  boy  will  start  out  on  as  long 
a  walk  as  a  man  can  take,  but  he  can't  keep  it  ud  day 


44  A  job's  comforter. 

after  day.  When  it  comes  to  long  marches,  to  sleeping 
on  the  ground  in  the  wet,  bad  food,  and  fever  from  the 
marshes,  the  young  soldier  breaks  down,  the  hospital 
gets  full  of  boys,  and  they  just  die  off  like  flies,  while 
the  older  men  pull  through." 

"  You  are  a  Job's  comforter,  I  must  say,"  Jack  said 
with  a  laugh;  "but  I  must  hope  that  I  sha'n't  have 
long  marches,  and  bad  food,  and  damp  weather,  and 
marsh  fever  till  I  get  a  bit  older." 

"  I  don't  want  to  discourage  you,"  the  sergeant  re- 
marked, "  and  you  know  there  are  young  soldiers  and 
young  soldiers.  There  are  the  weedy,  narrow-chested 
chaps  as  seems  to  be  made  special  for  filling  a  grave; 
and  there  is  the  sturdy,  hardy  young  chap,  whose  good 
health  and  good  spirits  carries  him  through.  That's 
your  sort,  I  reckon.  Good  spirits  is  the  best  medicine 
in  the  world,  it's  worth  all  the  doctors  and  apothecaries 
in  the  army.  But  how  did  you  come  to  be  pressed? 
it's  generally  the  ne'er-do-well  and  idle  who  get  picked 
out  as  food  for  powder.  That  doesn't  look  your  sort, 
or  I'm  mistaken." 

"  I  hope  not,"  Jack  said.  "  I  am  here  because  I  am 
a  sort  of  cousin  of  the  mayor  of  Southampton.  He 
wanted  me  to  serve  in  his  shop.  I  stood  it  for  a  time, 
but  I  hated  it,  and  at  last  I  had  a  row  with  his  fore- 
man and  knocked  him  down,  so  I  was  kicked  out  into 
the  streets;  and  I  suppose  he  didn't  like  seeing  me 
about,  and  so  took  this  means  of  getting  rid  of  me.  He 
needn't   have  been  in  such  a   hurry,   for  if   he  had 


"it's  not  a  bad  life."  45 

waited  a  few  days  I  should  have  gone,  for  I  had 
shipped  as  a  boy  on  board  of  a  ship  about  to  sail  for 
the  colonies." 

"  In  that  case,  my  lad,  you  have  no  reason  for  ill- 
will  against  this  precious  relation  of  yours,  for  he  has 
done  you  a  good  turn  while  meaning  to  do  you  a  bad 
un.  The  life  of  a  boy  on  board  a  ship  isn't  one  to  be 
envied,  I  can  tell  you;  he  is  at  everyone's  beck  and  call, 
and  gets  more  kicks  than  halfpence.  Besides,  what 
comes  of  it?  You  get  to  be  a  sailor,  and,  as  far  as  I  can 
see,  the  life  of  a  sailor  is  the  life  of  a  dog.  Look  at  the 
place  where  he  sleeps — why,  it  ain't  as  good  as  a  decent 
kennel.  Look  at  his  food — salt  meat  as  hard  as  a  stone, 
and  rotten  biscuit  that  a  decent  dog  would  turn  up  his 
nose  at;  his  time  is  never  his  own — wet  or  dry,  storm 
or  calm,  he's  P-ot  to  work  when  he's  told.  And  what's 
he  got  to  look  forward  to  ?  A  spree  on  shore  when  his 
voyage  is  done,  and  then  to  work  again.  Why,  my  lad, 
a  soldier's  life  is  a  gentleman's  life  in  comparison. 
Once  you  have  learned  your  drill  and  know  your  duty 
you  have  an  easy  time  of  it.  Most  of  your  time's  your 
own.  When  you  are  on  a  campaign  you  eat,  drink, 
and  are  jolly  at  other  folks'  expense;  and  if  you  do  get 
wet  when  you  are  on  duty,  you  can  generally  manage 
to  turn  in  dry  when  you  are  relieved.  It's  not  a  bad 
life,  my  boy,  I  can  tell  you;  and  if  you  do  your  duty 
well,  and  you  are  steady,  and  civil,  and  smart,  you  are 
sure  to  get  your  stripes,  especially  if  you  can  read  and 
write,  as  I  suppose  you  can." 


46       .  AN   AGREEABLE   CHANGE. 

Jack  nodded  with  a  half  smile. 

"  In  that  case,"  the  sergeant  said,  "  you  may  even  in 
time  get  to  be  an  officer.  I  can't  read  nor  write — not 
one  in  twenty  can — but  those  as  can,  of  course,  has  a 
better  chance  of  promotion  if  they  distinguish  them- 
selves. I  should  have  got  it  last  year  in  the  Low 
Country,  and  Marlborough  himself  said,  'Well  done!' 
when  I,  with  ten  rank  and  file,  held  a  bridge  across  a 
canal  for  half  an  hour  against  a  company  of  French. 
He  sent  for  me  after  it  was  over,  but  when  he  found  I 
couldn't  read  or  write  he  couldn't  promote  me;  but  he 
gave  me  a  purse  of  twenty  guineas,  and  I  don't  know 
but  what  that  suited  me  better,  for  I  am  a  deal  more 
comfortable  as  a  sergeant  than  I  should  have  been  as 
an  officer;  but  you  see,  if  you  had  been  in  my  place  up 
you  would  have  gone." 

The  wind  fell  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  cutter 
dropped  her  anchor  as  the  tide  was  running  against  her. 
At  night  Jack  Stilwell  and  the  others  who  had  accepted 
their  fate  slept  with  the  troops  on  board  instead  of 
returning  to  rejoin  their  companions  in  the  hold.  Jack 
was  extremely  glad  of  the  change,  as  there  was  air  and 
ventilation,  whereas  in  the  hold  the  atmosphere  had 
been  close  and  oppressive.  He  was  the  more  glad 
next  morning  when  he  found  that  the  wind,  which 
had  sprung  up  soon  after  midnight,  was  freshening 
fast,  and  was,  as  one  of  the  sailors  said,  likely  to  blow 
hard  before  long.  The  cutter  was  already  beginning 
to  feel  the  effect  of  the  rising  sea,  and  towards  the 


A   CHANGE   OF   WEATHER.  47 

afternoon  was  pitching  in  a  lively  way  and  taking  the 
sea  over  her  bows. 

"  You  seem  to  enjoy  it,  young  un,"  the  sergeant  said 
as  Jack,  holding  on  by  a  shroud,  was  facing  the  wind 
regardless  of  the  showers  of  spray  which  new  over 
him.  "  Half  our  company  are  down  with  sea-sickness, 
and  as  for  those  chaps  down  in  the  fore-hold  they 
must  be  having  a  bad  time  of  it,  for  I  can  hear  them 
groaning  and  cursing  through  the  bulkhead.  The 
hatchway  has  been  battened  down  for  the  last  three 
hours." 

"I  enjoy  it,"  Jack  said;  "whenever  I  got  a  holiday 
at  Southampton  I  used  to  go  out  sailing.  I  knew 
most  of  the  fishermen  there,  they  were  always  ready 
to  take  me  with  them  as  an  extra  hand.  When  do 
you  think  we  shall  get  to  Dover?" 

"  She  is  walking  along  fast,"  the  sergeant  said;  "  we 
shall  be  there  to-morrow  morning.  We  might  be  there 
before,  but  the  sailors  say  that  the  skipper  is  not  likely 
to  run  in  before  daylight,  and  before  it  gets  dark  he 
will  shorten  sail  so  as  not  to  get  there  before." 

The  wind  increased  until  it  was  blowing  a  gale; 
but  the  cutter  was  a  good  sea-boat,  and  being  in 
light  trim  made  good  weather  of  it.  However,  even 
Jack  was  pleased  when  he  felt  a  sudden  change  in  the 
motion  of  the  vessel,  and  knew  that  she  was  running 
into  Dover  harbour. 

Morning  was  just  breaking,  and  the  hatchways  being 
removed  the  sergeant  shouted  down  to  the  pressed  men 


48  LANDING. 

that  they  could  come  on  deck.  It  was  a  miserable 
body  of  men  who  crawled  up  in  answer  to  the  summons, 
utterly  worn  out  and  exhausted  with  the  sea-sickness, 
the  closeness  of  the  air,  and  the  tossing  and  buffet- 
ting  of  the  last  eighteen  hours;  many  had  scarce 
strength  to  climb  the  ladder. 

All  the  spirit  and  indignation  had  been  knocked  out 
of  them — they  were  too  miserable  and  dejected  to 
utter  a  complaint.  The  sergeant  ordered  his  men  to 
draw  up  some  buckets  of  water,  and  told  the  recruits 
to  wash  themselves  and  make  themselves  as  decent  as 
they  could,  and  the  order  was  sharply  enforced  by  the 
captain  when  he  came  on  deck. 

"I  would  not  march  through  the  streets  of  Dover 
with  such  a  filthy,  hang-dog  crew,"  he  said;  "why,  the 
very  boys  would  throw  mud  at  you.  Come,  do  what 
you  can  to  make  yourselves  clean,  or  I  will  have 
buckets  of  water  thrown  over  you.  I  would  rather 
take  you  on  shore  drenched  to  the  skin  than  in  that 
state.  You  have  brought  it  entirely  on  yourselves  by 
your  obstinacy.  Had  you  enlisted  at  once  without 
further  trouble  you  would  not  have  suffered  as  you 
have." 

The  fresh  air  and  cold  water  soon  revived  even  the 
most  exhausted  of  the  new  recruits,  and  as  soon  as  all 
had  been  made  as  presentable  as  circumstances  would 
admit  of,  the  order  was  given  to  land.  The  party  were 
formed  on  the  quay,  four  abreast,  the  soldiers  forming 
the  outside  line,  and  so  they  marched  through  Dover, 


THE   INSPECTION.  49 

where  but  yet  a  few  people  were  up  and  stirring,  to  the 
camp  formed  just  outside  the  walls  of  the  castle.  The 
colonel  of  the  regiment  met  them  as  they  marched  in. 

"Well,  Captain  Lowther,you  have  had  a  rough  time  of 
it,  I  reckon.  I  thought  the  whole  camp  was  going  to 
be  blown  away  last  night.  These  are  the  recruits  from 
Southampton,  I  suppose?" 

"Yes,  colonel,  what  there  is  left  of  them;  they  cer- 
tainly had  a  baddish  twelve  hours  of  it." 

"  Form  them  in  line,"  the  colonel  said,  "  and  let  me 
have  a  look  at  them.  They  are  all  ready  and  willing 
to  serve  her  majesty,  I  hope,"  he  added  with  a  grim 
smile. 

"  They  are  all  ready,  no  doubt,"  Captain  Lowther 
replied;  "as  to  their  willingness  I  can't  say  so  much. 
Some  half  dozen  or  so  agreed  at  once  to  join  without 
giving  any  trouble,  foremost  among  them  that  lad  at 
the  end  of  the  line,  who,  Sergeant  Edwards  tells  me,  is  a 
fine  young  fellow  and  likely  to  do  credit  to  the  regi- 
ment ;  the  rest  chose  to  be  sulky,  and  have  suffered  for 
it  by  being  kept  below  during  the  voyage.  However, 
I  think  all  their  nonsense  is  knocked  out  of  them 
now." 

The  colonel  walked  along  the  line  and  examined  the 
men. 

"A  sturdy  set  of  fellows,"  he  said  to  the  captain, 
"  when  they  have  got  over  their  buffeting.  Now,  my 
lads,"  he  went  on,  addressing  the  men,  "  you  have  all 
been  pressed  to  serve  her  majesty  in  accordance  with 

(338)  d 


50  SHAKING  DOWN. 

act  of  parliament,  and  though  some  of  you  may  not 
like  it  just  at  present,  you  will  soon  get  over  that  and 
take  to  it  kindly  enough.  I  warn  you  that  the  discip- 
line will  be  strict.  In  a  newly-raised  regiment  like 
this  it  is  necessary  to  keep  a  tight  hand,  but  if  you 
behave  yourselves  and  do  your  duty  you  will  not  find 
the  life  a  hard  one.  Remember,  it's  no  use  any  of  you 
thinking  of  deserting;  we  have  got  your  names  and 
addresses,  so  you  couldn't  go  home  if  you  did;  and  you 
would  soon  be  brought  back  wherever  you  went,  and 
you  know  pretty  well  what's  the  punishment  for 
desertion  without  my  telling  you.     That  will  do." 

No  one  raised  a  voice  in  reply — each  man  felt  that 
his  position  was  hopeless,  for,  as  the  colonel  said,  they 
had  been  legally  impressed.  They  were  first  taken 
before  the  adjutant,  who  rapidly  swore  them  in,  and 
they  were  then  set  to  work,  assisted  by  some  more 
soldiers,  in  pitching  tents.  Clothes  were  soon  served 
out  to  them  and  the- work  of  drill  commenced  at  once. 

Each  day  brought  fresh  additions  to  the  force,  and 
in  a  fortnight  its  strength  was  complete.  Jack  did 
not  object  to  the  hard  drill  which  they  had  to  go 
through,  and  which  occupied  them  from  morning  till 
night,  for  the  colonel  knew  that  on  any  day  the  regi- 
ment mio;ht  receive  orders  to  embark,  and  he  wanted 
to  get  it  in  something  like  shape  before  setting  sail. 
Jack  did,  however,  shrink  from  the  company  in  which 
he  found  himself.  With  a  few  exceptions  the  regiment 
was  made  up  of  wild  and  worthless  fellows,  of  whom 


A   ROUGH   LOT.  51 

the  various  magistrates  bad  been  only  too  glad  to  clear 
their  towns,  and  mingled  with  these  were  the  sweep- 
ings of  the  jails,  rogues  and  ruffians  of  every  descrip- 
tion. The  regiment  might  eventually  be  welded  into 
a  body  of  good  soldiers,  but  at  present  diseipline  had 
not  done  its  work,  and  it  was  simply  a  collection  of 
reckless  men,  thieves,  and  vagabonds. 


CHAPTER   III. 


A  DOMESTIC   STORM. 


RE  AT  was  the  surprise  of  Dame  Anthony 
when,  on  sending  down  her  servant  with 
a  letter  to  Jack  Stilwell,  the  woman  re- 
turned, saying  that  he  had  left  his  lodg- 
ing two  clays  before  and  had  not  returned.  All  his 
things  had  been  left  behind,  and  it  was  evident  that 
when  he  went  out  he  had  no  intention  of  leaving. 
The  woman  of  the  house  said  that  Master  Stilwell  was 
a  steady  and  regular  lodger,  and  that  she  could  not  but 
think  something  had  happened  to  him.  Of  course  she 
didn't  know,  but  all  the  town  were  talking  of  the  men 
who  had  been  taken  away  by  the  press-gang,  and  she 
thought  they  must  have  clapped  hands  on  her  lodger. 
Dame  Anthony  at  once  jumped  at  that  conclusion. 
The  pressing  of  fifty  men  had  indeed  made  a  great  stir 
in  the  town  during  the  last  two  clays.  The  mayor's 
office  had  been  thronged  by  angry  women  complaining 
of  their  husbands  or  sons  being  dragged  away;  and 
the  mayor  had  been  the  object  of  many  threats  and 
much  indignation,  and  had  the  evening  before  returned 


MRS.  ANTHONY  WANTS  TO  KNOW.  53 

home  bespattered  with  mud,  having  been  pelted  on  his 
way  from  the  town-hall  by  the  women,  and  having 
only  been  saved  from  more  serious  assaults  by  the 
exertions  of  the  constables. 

Dame  Anthony  had  been  surprised  that  her  husband 
had  taken  these  things  so  quietly.  Some  of  the 
women  had  indeed  been  seized  and  set  in  the  stocks, 
but  the  mayor  had  made  light  of  the  affair,  and  had 
altogether  seemed  in  an  unusually  good  state  of  temper. 
Dame  Anthony  at  once  connected  this  with  Jack's  dis- 
appearance. She  knew  that  the  list  had  been  made 
out  by  the  mayor,  and  the  idea  that  her  husband  had 
taken  this  means  of  getting  rid  of  Jack,  and  that  he 
was  exulting  over  the  success  of  his  scheme,  flashed 
across  her.  As  the  mayor  was  away  at  the  town-hall 
she  was  forced  to  wait  till  his  return  to  dinner;  but  no 
sooner  had  the  meal  been  concluded  and  Andrew 
Carson  and  the  two  assistants  had  left  the  table  than 
she  began: 

"  Richard,  I  want  to  look  at  the  list  of  the  men  who 
were  pressed." 

The  request  scarcely  came  as  a  surprise  upon  the 
clothier.  He  had  made  up  his  mind  that  his  wife 
would  be  sure  sooner  or  later  to  discover  that  Jack 
was  missing,  and  would  connect  his  disappearance  with 
the  operations  of  the  press-gang. 

"What  do  you  want  to  see  that  for?"  he  asked  shortly. 

"  I  want  to  see  who  have  been  taken,"  his  wife  said. 
"  There  is  no  secret  about  it,  I  suppose?" 


54  "I   WISH  TO   SEE  THE  LIST." 

"  No,  there  is  no  secret,"  the  mayor  replied.  "  Ac- 
cording to  the  act  of  parliament  and  the  request  of 
her  majesty's  minister  I  drew  out  a  list  of  fifty  of  the 
most  useless  and  disreputable  of  the  inhabitants  of  this 
town,  and  I  rejoice  to  say  that  the  place  is  rid  of  them 
all.  The  respectable  citizens  are  all  grateful  to  me  for 
the  manner  in  which  I  have  fulfilled  the  task  laid  upon 
me,  and  as  to  the  clamour  of  a  few  angry  women  it 
causes  me  not  a  moment's  annoyance." 

"I  don't  know  why  you  are  telling  me  all  this, 
Richard,"  his  wife  said  calmly.  "  I  did  not  cast  any 
reflections  as  to  the  manner  in  which  you  made  your 
choice.     I  only  said  I  wished  to  see  the  list." 

"  I  do  not  see  that  the  list  concerns  you,"  the  mayor 
said.     "Why  do  you  wish  to  see  it?" 

"  I  wish  to  see  it,  Richard,  because  I  suspect  that  the 
name  of  my  cousin  Jack  Stilwell  is  upon  it." 

"Oh,  mother!"  cried  Alice,  who  had  been  listening 
in  surprise  to  the  conversation,  suddenly  starting  to 
her  feet;  "you  don't  mean  that  they  have  pressed  Jack 
to  be  a  soldier." 

"Leave  the  room,  Alice,"  her  father  said  angrily; 
"this  is  no  concern  of  a  child  like  you."  When  the 
door  closed  behind  the  girl  he  said  to  his  wife: 

"  Naturally  his  name  is  in  the  list.  I  selected  fifty 
of  the  most  worthless  fellows  in  Southampton,  and 
his  name  was  the  first  which  occurred  to  me.  What 
then?" 

"  Then  I  tell  you,  Richard,"  Dame   Anthony  said, 


"YOU   KNOW   ME,    RICHARD."  55 

rising,  "  that  you  are  a  wretch,  a  mean,  cowardly,  cruel 
wretch.  You  have  vented  your  spite  upon  Jack,  whom 
I  love  as  if  he  were  my  own  son,  because  he  would  not 
put  up  with  the  tyranny  of  your  foreman  and  yourself. 
You  may  be  mayor  of  Southampton,  you  may  be  a  great 
man  in  your  own  way,  but  I  call  you  a  mean,  pitiful 
fellow.  I  won't  stay  in  the  house  with  you  an  hour 
longer.  The  waggon  for  Basingstoke  comes  past  at 
three  o'clock,  and  I  shall  go  and  stay  with  my  father 
and  mother  there,  and  take  Alice  with  me." 

"  I  forbid  you  to  do  anything  of  the  sort/'  the  mayor 
said  pompously. 

"You  forbid!"  Dame  Anthony  cried.  "What  do  I 
care  for  your  forbidding?  If  you  say  a  word  I  will  go 
down  the  town  and  join  those  who  pelted  you  with 
mud  last  night.  A  nice  spectacle  it  would  be  for  the 
worthy  mayor  of  Southampton  to  be  pelted  in  the 
street  by  a  lot  of  women  led  by  his  own  wife.  You 
know  me,  Richard.  You  know  when  I  say  I  will  do  a 
thing  I  will  do  it." 

"  I  will  lock  you  up  in  your  own  room,  woman." 

"  You  won't,"  Dame  Anthony  said  scornfully.  "  I 
would  scream  out  of  the  window  till  I  brought  the 
whole  town  round.  No,  Mr.  Mayor.  You  have  had 
your  own  way,  and  I  am  going  to  have  mine.  Go  and 
tell  the  town  if  you  like  that  your  wife  has  left  you 
because  you  kidnapped  her  cousin,  the  boy  she  loved. 
You  tell  your  story  and  I  will  tell  mine.  Why,  the 
women  in  the  town  would  hoot  you,  and  you  wouldn't 


56  dame  Anthony's  threat. 

dare  show  your  face  in  the  streets.  You  insist,  indeed! 
Why,  you  miserable  little  man,  my  fingers  are  tingling 
now.  Say  another  word  to  me  and  I  will  box  your 
ears  till  you  won't  know  whether  you  are  standing  on 
your  head  or  your  heels." 

The  mayor  was  a  small  man,  while  Dame  Anthony, 
although  not  above  the  usual  height,  was  plump  and 
strong;  and  her  crestfallen  spouse  felt  that  she  was 
capable  of  carrying  her  threat  into  execution.  He 
therefore  thought  it  prudent  to  make  no  reply,  and 
his  angry  wife  swept  from  the  room. 

It  was  some  time  before  the  mayor  descended  to  his 
shop.  In  the  interval  he  had  thought  the  matter  over, 
and  had  concluded  that  it  would  be  best  for  him  to  let 
his  wife  have  her  way.  Indeed,  he  did  not  see  how  he 
could  do  otherwise. 

He  had  expected  a  storm,  but  not  such  a  storm  as 
this.  Never  before  in  his  fifteen  years  of  married  life 
had  he  seen  his  wife  in  such  a  passion,  and  there  was 
no  saying  whether  she  would  not  carry  all  her  threats 
into  execution  if  he  interfered  with  her  now.  No. 
It  would  be  better  to  let  her  go.  The  storm  would 
blow  over  in  time.  It  was  natural  enough  for  her  to 
go  over  and  stay  a  few  weeks  with  her  people,  and  in 
time,  of  course,  she  would  come  back  again.  After  all, 
he  had  got  rid  of  Jack,  and  this  being  so,  he  could 
afford  for  a  while  to  put  up  with  the  absence  of  his 
wife.  It  was  unpleasant,  of  course,  very  unpleasant, 
to  be  called  such  names,  but  as  no  one  had  heard  them 


A   LETTER  FROM  JACK.  57 

but  himself  it  did  not  so  much  matter.  Perhaps,  after 
all,  it  was  the  best  thing  that  could  happen  that  she 
should  take  it  into  her  head  to  go  away  for  a  time.  In 
her  present  mood  she  would  not  make  things  comfort- 
able at  home,  and,  of  course,  his  daughter  would  side 
with  her  mother. 

Accordingly,  when  the  carrier's  waggon  stopped  at 
the  door  the  mayor  went  out  with  a  pleasant  counten- 
ance and  saw  that  the  boxes  were  safely  placed  in  it, 
and  that  his  wife  was  comfortably  seated  on  some 
shawls  spread  over  a  heap  of  straw.  His  attention, 
however,  received  neither  thanks  nor  recognition  from 
Dame  Anthony,  while  Alice,  whose  face  was  swollen 
with  crying,  did  not  speak  a  word.  However,  they 
were  seated  well  under  the  cover  of  the  waggon,  and 
could  not  be  seen  by  the  few  people  standing  near; 
and  as  the  mayor  continued  till  the  waggon  started 
speaking  cheerfully,  and  giving  them  all  sorts  of  in- 
junctions as  to  taking  care  of  themselves  on  the  way, 
he  flattered  himself  that  no  one  would  have  an  idea 
that  the  departure  was  anything  but  an  amicable  one. 

A  week  later  a  letter  arrived  for  Dame  Anthony  ? 
and  the  mayor  at  once  recognized  the  handwriting  of 
Jack  Stilwell.  He  took  it  up  to  his  room,  and  had 
a  considerable  debate  with  himself  as  to  whether  he 
would  open  it  or  not.  The  question  was,  What  did 
the  boy  say  ?  If  he  wrote  full  of  bitter  complaints  as 
to  his  treatment,  the  receipt  of  the  letter  by  his  wife 
would  only  make  matters  worse,  and  in  that  case  it 


58  A   GENEROUS   SPIRIT. 

would  be  better  to  destroy  the  letter  as  well  as  any 
others  which  might  follow  it,  and  so  put  an  end  to  all 
communication,  for  it  was  unlikely  that  the  boy  would 
ever  return  to  England. 

Accordingly  he  opened  the  letter,  and,  after  reading 
it  through,  laid  it  down  with  a  feeling  of  something 
like  relief.  It  was  written  in  a  cheerful  spirit.  Jack 
began  by  saying  that  he  feared  Dame  Anthony  and 
Alice  would  have  been  anxious  when  they  heard  that 
he  was  missing  from  his  lodgings. 

"  I  have  no  doubt,  my  dear  cousin,  you  will  have 
guessed  what  has  befallen  me,  seeing  that  so  many 
have  been  taken  away  in  the  same  way.  I  don't  think 
that  my  late  master  acted  handsomely  in  thus  getting 
rid  of  me;  for,  as  the  list  was  made  up  by  him,  it  was 
of  course  his  doing.  But  will  you  please  tell  him  from 
me  that  I  feel  no  grudge  against  him.  In  the  first 
place,  he  did  not  know  I  was  going  away  to  sea,  and  it 
must  naturally  have  angered  him  to  see  one  known  to 
be  connected  with  him  hanging  about  Southampton 
doing  nothing.  Besides,  I  know  that  he  always  meant 
kindly  by  me.  He  took  me  in  when  I  had  nowhere  to 
go,  he  gave  me  my  apprenticeship  without  fee,  and, 
had  it  not  been  that  my  roving  spirit  rendered  me  dis- 
inclined for  so  quiet  a  life,  he  would  doubtless  have 
done  much  for  me  hereafter.  Thus  thinking  it  over, 
it  seems  to  me  but  reasonable  that  he  should  have  been 
angered  at  my  rejection  of  the  benefits  he  intended 
for  me. 


A   CAREER   OPENED.  59 

"In  the  next  place,  it  may  be  that  his  action  in  ship- 
ping me  off  as  a  soldier  may  in  the  end  prove  to  be  for 
my  welfare.  Had  I  carried  out  my  intention  and  gone 
as  a  sailor,  a  sailor  I  mioht  have  remained  all  mv 
life.  It  seems  to  me  that  as  a  soldier  my  chances  are 
larger.  Not  only  shall  I  see  plenty  of  fighting  and 
adventure,  which  accords  well  with  my  spirit,  but 
it  seems  to  me — and  a  sergeant  who  has  shown  me 
much  kindness  says  that  it  is  so — that  there  are 
fair  chances  of  advancement.  The  soldiers  are  for 
the  great  part  disorderly  and  ignorant  men;  and, 
as  I  mean  to  be  steady  and  obedient  so  as  to  gain 
the  good-will  of  the  officers,  and  as  I  have  received 
a  good  education  from  my  dear  father,  I  hope  in 
time  to  come  to  be  regarded  as  one  somewhat  dif- 
ferent from  the  common  herd;  and  if  I  get  an  oppor- 
tunity of  distinguishing  myself,  and  do  not  get  killed 
by  a  Spanish  bullet  or  pike-thrust,  or  by  the  fevers 
which  they  say  are  not  uncommon,  then  it  is  possible 
I  may  come  back  at  the  end  of  the  war  with  some 
honour  and  credit,  and,  the  sergeant  said,  may  even 
obtain  advancement  to  the  rank  of  an  officer.  There- 
fore my  late  master,  having  done  me  many  good  turns, 
may  perhaps  find  that  this  last  one — even  though  he 
intended  it  not — is  the  best  of  all.  Will  you  make  my 
respects  to  him,  dear  cousin,  and  tell  him  that  I  feel 
no  grudge  or  ill-will  against  him  ?  Will  you  give  my 
love  to  my  cousin  Alice?  Tell  her  that  I  will  bring 
her  home  some  rare  keepsakes  from  Spain  should  they 


60  "THE   BOY    IS   NOT   A   BAD    BOY." 

fall  in  my  way;  and  you  know  I  will  do  the  same  for 
yourself,  who  have  always  been  so  good  and  kind  to 


me. 


"The  boy  is  not  a  bad  boy,"  the  mayor  said,  well 
pleased  as  he  laid  down  the  letter.     "  It  may  be  that  I 
have  judged  him  too  harshly,  seeing  that  he  set  him- 
self against  what  was  best  for  his  welfare.     Still,  one 
cannot  expect  men's  heads  on  boys'  shoulders,  and  he 
writes  dutifully  and  properly.    I  believe  it  is  the  fault 
of  Andrew  Carson,  who  was  for  ever  edging  me  on  by 
reports  of  the  boy's  laziness  and  carelessness.     He  cer- 
tainly has  a  grudge   against  him,  and  he  assuredly 
exceeded  his  place  and  authority  when  he  lifted  his 
hand  against  my  wife's  cousin.     It  seems  to  me  truly 
that    I    have    acted    somewhat    hastily   and   wrong- 
headedly  in  the  matter.     I  shall  give  Master  Carson 
notice  that  at  the  end  of  a  month  I  shall  require  his 
services  no  longer — the  fellow  puts  himself  too  for- 
ward.    That  will  please  Mary;  she  never  liked  him. 
and  women  in  these  matters  of  likes  and  dislikes  are 
shrewder  than  we  are.     Perhaps  when  she  hears  that 
he  is  going,  and  reads  this  letter,  which  I  will  forward 
to  her  by  the  carrier,  she  may  come  back  to  me.     I 
certainly  miss  iier '  sorely,  and  the  household  matters 
o-o  all  wrong  now  that  she  is  away.     She  ought  not  to 
have  said  things  to  me;  but  no  wise  man  thinks  any- 
thing of  what  a  woman  says  when  she's  angry;  and 
now  that  I  think  things  over,  it  certainly  seems  to  me 
that  she  had  some  sort  of  warrant  for  her  words.  Yes, 


THE   MAYOR   REPENTS.  61 

I  certainly  don't  know  what  can  have  come  over  me, 
unless  it  was  that  fellow  Andrew  Carson.  Richard  An- 
thony has  not  been  considered  a  bad  fellow,  else  he  would 
never  have  become  the  mayor  of  Southampton;  and 
for  fifteen  years  Mary  and  I  have  got  on  very  well  to- 
gether, save  for  the  little  disputes  which  have  arisen 
from  her  over-masterful  disposition.  But  she  is  a  good 
wife — none  could  wish  for  better — though  she  is  given 
to  flame  out  at  what  she  considers  unrighteous  deal- 
ings; but  every  woman  has  her  faults,  and  every  man 
too  as  far  as  that  goes,  and  upon  the  whole  few  of 
them  have  less  than  Mary.  I  will  write  to  her  at 
once." 

The  mayor  was  not  a  man  to  delay  when  his  mind 
was  once  made  up,  and  sitting  down  at  a  writing-desk 
he  wrote  as  follows: — 

"Dear  Wife, — I  inclose  a  letter  which  has  come  for 
you  from  your  cousin  Jack.  I  opened  it,  and  you 
will  think  poorly  of  me  when  I  tell  you  that  had  it 
been  filled  with  complaints  of  me,  as  I  expected,  it 
would  not  have  come  to  your  hands;  for  your  anger 
against  me  is  fierce  enough  without  the  adding  of  fresh 
fuel  thereto.  But  the  lad,  as  you  will  see,  writes  in 
quite  another  strain,  and  remembers  former  kind- 
nesses rather  than  late  injuries.  His  letter  has  put  it 
into  my  head  to  think  matters  over,  and  in  a  different 
spirit  from  that  in  which  I  had  previously  regarded  it, 
and  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  have  acted 
wrongly;  first,  that  I  did  not  make  allowances  enough 


62  THE   OLIVE   BRANCH. 

for  the  boy;  second,  that  I  insisted  on  keeping  him  to 
a  trade  he  disliked;  third,  that  I  have  given  too  willing 
an  ear  to  what  Andrew  Carson  has  said  against  the 
boy;  lastly,  that  I  took  such  means  of  freeing  myself 
from  him.  I  to-day  give  Andrew  Carson  notice  to 
quit  my  service — a  matter  in  which  I  have  hitherto 
withstood  you.  I  am  willing  to  forget  the  words  which 
you  spoke  to  me  in  anger,  seeing  that  there  was  some 
foundation  for  them,  and  that  when  a  woman  is  in  a 
passion  her  tongue  goes  further  than  she  means.  Now, 
as  I  am  ready  to  put  this  on  one  side,  I  trust  that  you 
also  will  put  aside  your  anger  at  my  having  obtained 
the  pressing  for  a  soldier  of  your  cousin.  You  can  see 
for  yourself  by  his  writing  that  he  does  not  desire  that 
any  enmity  shall  arise  out  of  the  manner  of  his  going. 
For  fifteen  years  we  have  lived  in  amity,  and  I  see 
not  why,  after  this  cloud  passes  away,  we  should  not 
do  so  again. 

"I  miss  you  sorely.  Things  go  badly  with  us  since 
you  have  gone=  The  food  is  badly  cooked,  and  the 
serving  indifferent.  If  you  will  write  to  tell  me  that 
you  are  willing  to  come  back,  and  to  be  a  loving  and 
dutiful  wife  again,  I  will  make  me  a  holiday  and  come 
over  to  Basingstoke  to  fetch  you  and  Alice  home  again. 
I  am  writing  to  Jack  and  sending  him  five  guineas,  for 
which  he  will  no  doubt  find  a  use  in  getting  things 
suitable  for  the  adventure  upon  which  he  is  embarked, 
for  the  payment  of  her  majesty  to  her  soldiers  does 
not  permit  of  the  purchase   of   many  luxuries.     On 


A   FAIR   APOLOGY.  63 

second  thoughts  I  have  resolved  to  pay  Andrew  Carson 
his  month's  wages,  and  to  let  him  go  at  once.  So  that 
if  you  return  you  will  not  find  one  here  against  whom 
you  have  always  been  set,  and  who  is  indeed  in  no  small 
way  the  author  of  the  matters  which  have  come  be- 
tween us,  save  only  as  touching  the  impressment,  of 
which  I  own  that  I  must  take  the  blame  solely  upon 
myself.  Give  my  love  to  Alice,  and  say  that  she  must 
keep  up  her  spirits,  and  look  forward  to  the  time  when 
her  cousin  Jack  shall  come  back  to  her  after  the  kill- 
ing of  many  Spaniards." 

Having  signed  and  carefully  sealed  this  letter,  with 
that  from  Jack  inclosed  within  it,  the  mayor  then  pro- 
ceeded to  write  to  the  young  soldier: — 

"  My  dear  Cousin  Jack, — I  have  read  the  letter  which 
you  sent  to  my  wife,  and  it  is  written  in  a  very  proper 
and  dutiful  strain.  Your  departure  has  caused  trouble 
between  my  wife  and  me;  but  this  I  hope  will  pass 
away  after  she  has  read  and  considered  your  letter. 
She  carried  matters  so  far  that  she  is  at  present  with 
your  cousin  Alice  at  the  house  of  her  parents  at  Basing- 
stoke. Having  read  your  letter,  I  write  to  tell  you 
that  I  feel  that  I  am  not  without  blame  towards  you. 
I  did  not  see  it  myself  until  the  manner  of  your  letter 
opened  my  eyes  to  the  fact.  I  have  misunderstood  you, 
and,  being  bent  on  carrying  out  my  own  inclinations, 
made  not  enough  allowance  for  yours.  Were  you  here 
now  I  doubt  not  that  in  future  we  should  get  on  better 
together;  but  as  that  cannot  be,  I  can  only  say  that  I 


64  THE   EXPEDITION   DELAYED. 

recognize  the  kind  spirit  in  which  you  wrote,  and  that 
I  trust  that  in  future  we  shall  be  good  friends.  I  in- 
close you  an  order  for  five  guineas  on  a  tradesman  in 
Dover  with  whom  I  have  dealings.  There  are  many 
little  things  that  you  may  want  to  buy  for  your  voyage 
to  supplement  the  pay  which  you  receive.  Andrew 
Carson  is  leaving  my  service.  I  think  that  it  is  he 
greatly  who  came  between  us,  and  has  brought  things 
to  the  pass  which  I  cannot  but  regret." 

A  week  later  the  cloth  merchant's  shop  in  the  High 
Street  was  shut  up,  and  the  mayor,  having  appointed 
a  deputy  for  the  week  he  purposed  to  be  absent,  took 
his  place  in  the  stage  for  Basingstoke,  when  a  com- 
plete reconciliation  was  effected  between  him  and  his 
wife. 

The  starting  of  the  expedition  was  delayed  beyond 
the  intended  time,  for  the  government  either  could  not 
or  would  not  furnish  the  required  funds,  and  the  Earl  of 
Peterborough  was  obliged  to  borrow  considerable  sums 
of  money,  and  to  involve  himself  in  serious  pecuniary 
embarrassments  to  remedy  the  defects,  and  to  supply 
as  far  as  possible  the  munition  and  stores  necessary  for 
the  efficiency  of  the  little  force  he  had  been  appointed 
to  command.  It  consisted  of  some  3000  English  troops, 
who  were  nearly  all  raw  and  undisciplined,  and  a 
brigade  2000  strong  of  Dutch  soldiers. 

Early  in  May  the  regiment  to  which  Jack  Stilwell 
belonged  marched  for  Portsmouth,  where  the  rest  of 
the  expedition  were  assembled,  and  embarked  on  board 


ON   BOARD.  65 

the  transports  lying  at  Spithead,  and  on  the  22d  of  the 
month  set  sail  for  St.  Helens,  where  they  were  joined 
on  the  following  day  by  their  general,  who  embarked 
with  his  suite  on  board  the  admiral's  ship.  On  the 
24th  the  fleet  sailed  for  Lisbon. 

Fond  as  Jack  was  of  the  sea,  he  did  not  find  the 
chano-e  an  agreeable  one.  On  shore  the  constant  drill 
and  steady  work  had  fully  occupied  the  men,  and 
had  left  them  but  little  time  for  grumbling.  On  board 
ship  things  were  different.  In  those  days  there  was 
but  little  of  the  strict  discipline  which  is  now  main- 
tained on  board  a  troop-ship.  It  was  true  that  the 
vessels  in  which  the  expedition  was  being  carried  be- 
longed to  the  royal  navy;  but  even  here  the  discipline 
was  but  lax.  There  were  many  good  sailors  on  board; 
but  the  bulk  of  the  crew  had  been  pressed  into  the 
service  as  harshly  and  tyrannically  as  were  the  soldiers 
themselves,  and  the  grumblers  of  one  class  found  ready 
sympathizers  among  the  others. 

The  captain  was  a  young  man  of  good  family  who 
had  obtained  his  appointment  solely  by  interest,  and 
who,  although  he  would  have  fought  his  ship  bravely 
in  an  action  with  the  enemy,  took  but  little  in- 
terest in  the  regular  work,  leaving  such  matters  en- 
tirely in  the  hands  of  his  first  lieutenant.  The  military 
officers  were  all  new  to  their  work.  On  shore  they  had 
had  the  support  which  the  presence  of  a  considerable 
number  of  veteran  troops  in  garrison  in  the  castle  gave 
them;  but  they  now  ceased  to  struggle  against  the 

(338)  e 


66  "THEY  ARE  A   ROUGH   LOT." 

difficulty  of  keeping  up  discipline  among  a  large  num- 
ber of  raw  and  insubordinate  recruits,  relying  upon 
bringing  them  into  order  and  discipline  when  they  got 
them  ashore  in  a  foreign  country.  Beyond,  therefore,  a 
daily  parade,  and  half  an  hour's  drill  in  the  handling  of 
their  firelocks,  they  interfered  but  little  with  the  men. 

Sergeant  Edwards  with  twenty  of  his  men  had  at 
the  last  minute,  to  Jack's  great  satisfaction,  been  drafted 
into  the  regiment,  and  accompanied  them  on  their 
voyage. 

"Ay,  they  are  a  rough  lot,"  the  sergeant  ssid  in 
answer  to  an  observation  of  Jack  as  to  the  grumbling 
of  the  men  after  they  had  been  at  sea  a  few  days;  "  but 
what  can  you  expect  when  you  take  men  from  their 
homes  against  their  will,  pick  out  the  worst  characters 
in  each  town,  make  up  their  number  with  gaoh  birds, 
and  then  pack  them  off  to  sea  before  they  have  got 
into  shape?  There's  nothing  tries  men  more  than  a  sea 
voyage.  Here  they  are  packed  up  as  close  as  herrings, 
with  scarcely  room  to  move  about,  with  nothing  to  do, 
and  with  food  which  a  dog  would  turn  up  his  nose 
to  eat.  Naturally  they  get  talking  together,  and 
grumbling  over  their  wrongs  till  they  work  them- 
selves up. 

"I  wish  the  voyage  was  over.  It  wouldn't  matter 
if  we  had  a  good  steady  old  crew,  but  more  than  half 
of  them  have  been  pressed,  many  of  them  are  lands- 
men who  have  been  carried  off  just  as  you  were.  No 
doubt  they  would  all  fight  toughly  enough  if  a  French- 


SIGNS   OF   COMING  TROUBLE.  67 

man  hove  in  view,  but  the  captain  couldn't  rely  on 
them  in  a  row  on  board.  As  long  as  the  fleet  keeps 
together  it's  all  right  enough.  Here  are  nine  vessels, 
and  no  one  on  board  one  knows  what's  going  on  in  the 
others,  but  if  the  captain  of  any  one  of  them  were  to 
hoist  a  signal  that  a  mutiny  had  broken  out  on  board, 
the  others  would  be  round  her  with  their  port-holes 
opened  ready  to  give  her  a  dose  of  round  shot  in  no 
time." 

"  But  you  don't  think  that  it  is  really  likely  that  we 
shall  have  any  trouble,  sergeant." 

"  There  won't  be  no  trouble  if,  as  I  am  telling  you, 
the  weather  holds  fine  and  the  fleet  keep  together;  but 
if  there's  a  gale  and  the  ships  get  scattered,  no  one 
can't  say  what  might  come  of  it." 

"  I  can't  think  how  they  could  be  so  mad  as  to  get 
up  a  mutiny,"  Jack  said;  "why,  even  supposing  they 
did  take  the  ship,  what  would  they  do  with  it?" 

"  Them's  questions  as  has  been  asked  before,  my  lad, 
and  there's  sense  and  reason  in  them,  but  you  knows  as 
well  as  I  that  there's  many  a  craft  sailing  the  seas  under 
the  black  flag.  There  isn't  a  ship  as  puts  to  sea  but  what 
has  half  a  dozen  hands  on  board  who  have  been  in 
slavers,  and  who  are  full  of  tales  of  islands  where 
everything  grows  without  the  trouble  of  putting  a 
spade  in  the  ground,  where  all  sorts  of  strange  fruit 
can  be  had  for  the  picking,  and  where  the  natives  are 
glad  enough  to  be  servants  or  wives,  as  the  case  may 
be,  to  whites.     It's  just  such  tales  as  these  as  leads 


68  tempters'  tales. 

men  away,  and  I  will  warrant  there's  a  score  at  least 
among  the  crew  of  the  Coesar  who  are  telling  such 
tales  to  any  who  will  listen  to  them.     Well,  you  see, 
it's  a  tempting  story  enough  to  one  as  knows  no  better. 
On  the  one  side  there  is  a  hard  life,  with  bad  food  and 
the  chance  of  being  shot  at,  and  the  sartainty  of  being 
ordered  about  and  not  being  able  to  call  your  life  your 
own.      On  the  other  side  is  a  life   of   idleness  and 
pleasure,    of    being    your   own   master,    and,    if    you 
want  something  which  the  islands  can't  afford  you, 
why,  there's  just  a  short  cruise  and  then  back  you 
come  with  your  ship  filled  up  with  plunder.     I  don't 
say  as  it's  not  tempting;  but  there's  one  thing  agin  it, 
and  the  chaps  as  tells  these  yarns  don't  say  much  about 
that." 

"What  is  it,  sergeant?" 

"  It's  just  the  certainty  of  a  halter  or  a  bloody  grave 
sooner  or  later.  The  thing  goes  on  for  some  time, 
and  then,  when  merchant-ship  after  merchant-ship  is 
missing,  there  are  complaints  at  home,  and  out  comes 
a  ship  or  two  with  the  queen's  pennant  at  the  head, 
and  then  either  the  pirate  ship  gets  caught  at  sea  and 
sunk  or  captured,  or  there's  a  visit  to  the  little  island, 
and  a  short  shrift  for  those  found  there. 

"  No,  I  don't  think  it  can  pay,  my  lad,  even  at  its 
best.  It's  jolly  enough  for  a  while,  maybe,  for  those 
whose  hearts  are  so  hard  that  they  think  nothing  of 
scuttling  a  ship  with  all  on  board,  or  of  making  the 
crew  and  passengers  walk  the  plank  in  cold  blood. 


A   STARTLING  ANNOUNCEMENT.  69 

Still  even  they  must  know  that  it  can't  last,  and  that 
there's  a  gallows  somewhere  waiting  for  them.  Still, 
you  see,  they  don't  think  of  all  that  when  a  chap  is  a- 
telling  them  of  these  islands,  and  how  pleasant  the  life 
is  there,  and  how  easy  it  would  be  to  do  for  the  officers, 
and  take  the  command  of  the  ship  and  sail  away.  Two 
or  three  chaps  as  makes  up  their  mind  for  it  will 
poison  a  whole  crew  in  no  time." 

"  You  speak  as  if  you  knew  all  about  it." 

"  I  know  a  good  deal  about  it,"  the  sergeant  replied 
gravely.  "It's  a  tale  as  there  ain't  many  as  knows; 
but  you  are  a  sort  of  lad  as  one  can  trust,  and  so  I  don't 
mind  if  I  tell  it  you.  Though  you  wouldn't  think  it,  I 
have  sailed  under  the  black  flag  myself." 

"  You,  sergeant ! "  Jack  exclaimed  incredulously;  "do 
you  mean  to  say  you  have  been  a  pirate?" 

"  Just  that,  my  boy.  I  don't  look  like  it,  do  I  ?  There 
ain't  nothing  bucaneering  about  my  cut.  I  looks  just 
what  I  am,  a  tough  old  sergeant  in  a  queen's  regiment; 
but  for  all  that  I  have  been  a  pirate.  The  yarn  is  a 
long  one,  and  I  can't  tell  it  you  now,  because  just  at 
present,  you  see,  I  have  got  to  go  below  to  look  after 
the  dinners  of  the  company,  but  the  first  time  as  we 
can  get  an  opportunity  for  a  quiet  talk  I  will  tell  it 
you.  But  don't  you  go  away  and  think  till  then  as  I 
was  a  pirate  from  choice.  I  shouldn't  like  you  to  think 
that  of  me;  there  ain't  never  no  saying  at  sea  what 
may  happen.  I  might  tumble  overboard  to-night  and 
get  drowned,  or  one  of  the  convoy  might  run  foul  of  us 


70  A   STORM   IN   THE  BAY. 

and  sink  us,  and  to-morrow  you  might  be  alive  and  I 
might  be  dead,  and  I  shouldn't  like  you  to  go  on  think- 
ing all  your  life  as  that  Sergeant  Edwards  had  been  a 
bloody  pirate  of  his  own  free-will.  So  you  just  bear  in 
mind,  till  I  tells  you  the  whole  story,  as  how  it  was  forced 
upon  me.  Mind,  I  don't  say  as  how  I  hadn't  the  choice 
of  death  or  that,  and  maybe  had  you  been  in  my  place 
you  would  have  chosen  death;  but,  you  see,  I  had  never 
been  brought  up  as  you  were.  I  had  had  no  chances 
to  speak  of,  and,  being  only  just  about  your  age,  I 
didn't  like  the  thought  of  dying,  so  you  see  I  took  to 
it,  making  up  my  mind  secret  at  the  same  time  that 
the  first  chance  I  had  I  would  slip  away  from  them. 
I  won't  tell  you  more  now,  I  hain't  time;  but  just  you 
bear  that  in  mind,  in  case  of  anything  happening,  that 
if  Sergeant  Edwards  once  sailed  under  the  black  flag, 
he  didn't  do  it  willing." 

The  sergeant  now  hurried  below,  leaving  Jack  won- 
dering over  what  he  had  heard.  Some  days  elapsed 
before  the  story  was  told,  for  a  few  hours  later  the 
sky  clouded  over  and  the  wind  rose,  and  before  next 
morning  the  vessel  was  labouring  heavily  under  double- 
reefed  topsails.  The  soldiers  were  all  kept  below,  and 
there  was  no  possibility  of  anything  like  a  quiet  talk. 
The  weather  had  hitherto  been  so  fine  and  the  wind 
so  light  that  the  vessels  had  glided  over  the  sea  almost 
without  motion,  and  very  few  indeed  of  those  on  board 
had  experienced  anything  of  the  usual  sea-sickness; 
but  now,  in  the  stifling  atmosphere  between  decks,  with 


A   WELCOME   INTIMATION.  71 

the  vessel  rolling  and  plunging  heavily,  the  greater 
part  were  soon  prostrate  with  sea-sickness,  and  even 
Jack,  accustomed  to  the  sea  as  he  was,  succumbed  to 
the  unpleasantness  of  the  surroundings. 

On  the  second  day  of  the  storm  Sergeant  Edwards, 
who  had  been  on  deck  to  make  a  report  to  the  captain 
of  the  company,  was  eagerly  questioned  on  his  return 
below  on  the  condition  of  the  weather. 

"  It's  blowing  about  as  hard  as  it  can  be,"  he  said, 
"and  she  is  rolling  fit  to  take  the  masts  out  of  her; 
but  I  expect  you  know  that  for  yourselves.  There  don't 
seem  no  chance  of  the  gale  breaking,  and  none  of  the 
other  ships  of  the  fleet  are  in  sight.  That's  about  all 
I  have  to  tell  you,  except  that  I  told  the  captain  that 
if  he  didn't  get  the  hatches  lifted  a  little  we  should 
be  all  stifled  down  here.  He  says  if  there's  a  bit  of 
a  lull  he  will  ask  them  to  give  us  a  little  fresh 
air,  and  in  the  meantime  he  says  that  any  who  are 
good  sailors  may  go  up  on  deck,  but  it  will  be  at  their 
own  risk,  for  some  of  the  seas  go  pretty  nearly  clean 
over  her." 


•<oHf 


CHAPTER   IV. 

THE   SERGEANT'S   YARN. 

ACK  STILWELL  and  a  few  of  the  other 
men  availed  themselves  of  the  permission 
to  escape  for  a  time  from  the  stifling 
atmosphere  below,  and  made  their  way  on 
deck.  For  a  time  the  rush  of  the  wind  and  the  wild 
confusion  of  the  sea  almost  bewildered  them.  Masses 
of  water  were  rushing  along  the  deck,  and  each  time 
she  rolled  the  waves  seemed  as  if  they  would  topple 
over  the  bulwarks.  Several  of  the  party  turned  and 
went  below  again  at  once,  but  Jack,  with  a  few  others, 
waited  their  opportunity  and,  making  a  rush  across 
the  deck,  grasped  the  shrouds  and  there  hung  on.  Jack 
soon  recovered  from  his  first  confusion  and  was  able  to 
enjoy  the  grandeur  of  the  scene. 

Small  as  was  the  canvas  she  was  showing  the  vessel 
was  travelling  fast  through  the  waves,  sometimes  com- 
pletely burying  her  head  under  a  sea;  then  as  she  rose 
again  the  water  rushed  aft  knee-deep,  and  Jack  had 
as  much  as  he  could  do  to  prevent  himself  being  carried 
off  his  feet.     Fortunately  all  loose  articles  had  long 


THE   STORM   ABATES.  73 

since  been  swept  overboard,  otherwise  the  risk  of  a 
broken  limb  from  their  contact  would  have  been  serious. 

In  a  quarter  of  an  hour  even  Jack  had  had  enough 
of  it  and  went  below,  and,  having  changed  his  drenched 
clothes,  slung  his  hammock  and  turned  in.  The  next 
day  the  gale  began  to  abate,  and  by  evening  the  wind 
had  nearly  died  away,  although  the  vessel  was  rolling 
as  heavily  as  before  among  the  great  masses  of  water 
which  rolled  in  from  the  Atlantic. 

The  hatchways,  however,  were  now  removed,  and  all 
below  ordered  on  deck,  and  after  a  while  a  party  was 
told  off  to  sluice  down  their  quarters  below.  The  men 
were  all  weakened  by  their  confinement,  but  their 
spirits  soon  rose,  and  there  was  ere  long  plenty  of 
laughter  at  the  misfortunes  which  befell  those  who 
tried  to  cross  the  deck,  for  the  ship  was  rolling  so 
heavily  that  it  was  impossible  for  a  landsman  to  keep 
his  feet  without  holding  on. 

The  next  morning,  although  a  heavy  swell  was  still 
rolling,  the  ship  assumed  her  normal  aspect.  The 
sailors  had  removed  all  trace  of  disorder  above,  clothes 
were  hung  out  to  dry,  and,  as  the  ship  was  still  far  too 
unsteady  to  allow  of  walking  exercise,  the  soldiers  sat 
in  groups  on  the  deck,  laughing  and  chatting  and 
enjoying  the  warm  sun  whose  rays  streamed  down 
upon  them.  Seeing  Sergeant  Edwards  standing  alone 
looking  over  the  bulwark,  Jack  made  his  way  up  to 
him. 

"  It  has  been  a  sharp  blow,"  the  sergeant  said,  "  and 


74  the  sergeant's  STORY. 

I  am  glad  it's  over;    the  last  four  days  have  been 
enough  to  sicken  one  of  the  sea  for  life.     I  suppose 
you  think  this  is  a  good  opportunity  for  my  yarn." 
"That  is  just  what  I  was  thinking,  sergeant." 
"  Very  well,  then,  my  lad,  here  goes.     I  was  born  at 
Poole.    My  people  were  all  in  the  seafaring  line,  and  it 
was  only  natural  that,  as  soon  as  I  got  old  enough  to 
stand  kicking,  I  was  put  on  board  a  coaster  plying 
between  Poole  and  London.     It  was  pretty  rough,  but 
the  skipper  wasn't  a  bad  kind  of  fellow  when  he  was 
sober.     I  stuck  to  that  for  three  years,  and  then  the 
old  craft  was  wrecked  on  Shoreham  beach.     Fortun- 
ately she  was  driven  up  so  far  that  we  were  able  to 
drop  over  the  bowsprit  pretty  well  beyond  the  reach 
of  the  waves,  but  there  was  no  getting  the  Eliza  off. 
It  was  no  great  loss,  for  she  would  have  had  to  be 
broken  up  as  firewood  in  another  year  or  two.    About 
six  hours  out  of  every  twenty-four  I  was  taking  my 
turn  at  spells  at  the  pump. 

"Now  the  Eliza  was  cast  away,  I  had  to  look  out  for 
another  ship.  I  had  had  enough  of  coasters,  so  instead 
of  going  home  I  tramped  it  up  to  London.  Having  got 
a  berth  on  board  a  foreign-bound  vessel,  I  made  two 
voyages  out  to  Brazil  and  back.  A  fine  country  is  the 
Brazils,  but  the  Portuguese  ain't  the  fellows  to  make 
much  out  of  it.  Little  under-sized  chaps,  they  are  all 
chatter  and  jabber,  and  when  they  used  to  come  along- 
side to  unload,  it  were  jest  for  all  the  world  like  so 
many  boatfuls  of  monkeys. 


DOUBTFUL   CUSTOMERS.  75 

"Well,  I  starts  for  my  third  voyage,  being  by  this 
time  about  sixteen  or  seventeen.  We  got  out  to  Rio 
right  enough;  but  we  couldn't  get  a  full  cargo  back, 
and  the  captain  determined  to  cruise  among  the  West 
Indy  Islands  and  fill  up  his  ship.  We  were  pretty  nigh 
full  when  one  morning  the  look-out  hailed  that  there 
were  two  vessels  just  coming  out  of  an  inlet  in  an 
island  we  were  passing,  some  three  miles  on  the 
weather-bow. 

"The  captain  was  soon  on  deck  with  his  glass,  and 
no  sooner  did  he  make  them  out  than  he  gave  orders 
to  clap  every  sail  on  her.  We  hadn't  a  very  smart 
crew,  but  there  are  not  many  British  ships  ever 
made  sail  faster  than  we  did  then.  The  men  just 
flew  about,  for  it  needed  no  glass  to  show  that  the 
two  vessels  which  came  creeping  out  from  among 
the  trees  weren't  customers  as  one  wanted  to  talk  to 
on  the  hio-h  seas.  The  one  was  a  brig,  the  other  a 
schooner.  They  carried  lofty  spars  ever  so  much  higher 
than  an  honest  trader  could  want;  and  quick  as  we 
had  got  up  our  sails,  they  had  got  their  canvas  spread 
as  soon  as  we  had. 

"  The  ship  was  a  fast  sailer,  but  it  didn't  need  half 
an  hour  to  show  that  they  had  the  legs  of  us.  So  the 
skipper  called  the  crew  aft.  '  Now,  my  lads,'  he  said, 
'you  see  those  two  vessels  astern.  I  don't  think  it 
needs  any  telling  from  me  as  to  what  they  are.  They 
might  be  Spaniards  or  they  might  be  French,  or  they 
might  be  native  traders,  but  we  are  pretty  well  sure 


76  the  captain's  address. 

they  ain't  anything  of  the  kind.  They  are  pirates — 
I  guess  the  same  two  vessels  I  heard  them  talking 
about  down  at  Rio.  They  have  been  doing  no  end  of 
damage  there.  There  were  pretty  nigh  a  dozen  ships 
missing,  and  they  put  them  all  down  to  them.  How- 
ever, a  couple  of  English  frigates  had  come  into  Rio, 
and  hearing  what  had  happened  had  gone  out  to  chase 
them.  They  hadn't  caught  them,  and  the  Brazilians 
thought  that  they  had  shifted  their  quarters  and  gone 
for  a  cruise  in  other  latitudes. 

" '  The  description  they  gave  of  them  answered  to 
these  two — a  brig  and  a  schooner,  with  low  hulls  and 
tall  spars.  One  of  them  carries  ten  guns,  the  other  two 
on  each  side,  and  a  heavy  piece  mounted  on  a  swivel 
amidships.  It  was  said  that  before  they  went  down  to 
Brazil  they  had  been  carrying  on  their  games  among 
the  West  Indian  Islands,  and  had  made  it  so  hot  for 
themselves  that  they  had  been  obliged  to  move  off 
from  there.  It  was  like  enough  that,  now  the  hue  and 
cry  after  them  had  abated,  they  would  return  to  their 
old  quarters. 

" '  Well,  my  lads,  I  needn't  tell  you  what  we  have  to 
expect  if  they  take  us.  Every  man-jack  will  either 
get  his  throat  cut  or  be  forced  to  walk  the  plank.  So 
wc  will  fight  her  to  the  last;  for  if  the  worst  comes  to 
the  worst,  it's  better  to  be  killed  righting  like  men  than 
to  be  murdered  in  cold  blood.  However,  I  hope  it 
won't  come  to  that.  We  carry  twelve  guns,  and  they 
are  heavier  metal  than  most  merchantmen  have  on 


PREPARING  FOR  THE   FIGHT.  77 

board.  We  are  more  than  a  match  for  either  of  them 
alone;  and  if  we  can  manage  to  cripple  one,  we  can 
beat  the  other  off. 

"'At  anyrate  we  will  try  our  best.  Thank  God 
we  have  no  women  on  board,  and  only  ourselves  to 
think  of!  Now,  my  lads,  cast  the  guns  loose  and  get 
the  ammunition  on  deck;  run  two  of  the  guns  aft 
and  train  them  over  the  stern.  As  soon  as  they  come 
within  range  we  will  try  and  knock  some  spars  out  of 
them.  Now,  boys,  give  three  cheers  for  the  old  flag, 
and  we  will  swear  together  it  shall  never  come  down 
while  there's  one  of  us  to  fight  the  ship.5 

"  The  men  gave  three  cheers  and  then  went  off  to 
their  quarters  at  the  guns.  They  were  quiet  and  grave, 
and  it  was  easy  enough  to  see  that  they  did  not  like  the 
prospect.  An  Englishman  always  goes  into  action,  as 
far  as  I  have  seen,  with  a  light  heart  and  a  joke  on  his 
lips  when  he's  fighting  against  Frenchmen  or  Spaniards 
or  any  other  foe,  but  it's  a  different  thing  when  it's  a 
pirate  he  has  to  deal  with.  Every  man  knows  then 
that  it's  a  case  of  life  or  death,  and  that  he's  got  to  win 
or  die.  The  enemy  made  no  secret  of  what  they  were, 
for  when  they  got  within  a  mile  of  us  two  black  flags 
ran  up  to  their  mast-heads. 

"  The  captain  he  trained  one  of  the  stern-chasers  his- 
self,  and  the  first  mate  took  the  other.  They  fired  at 
the  same  moment,  both  aiming  at  the  schooner,  which 
was  getting  the  nearest  to  us.  They  were  good  shots 
both  of  them.     The  mate's  ball  struck  the  water  some 


78  A   GOOD   BEGINNING. 

twenty  yards  in  front  of  her  forefoot,  and  smashed  her 
bow  planking  some  three  feet  above  the  water-line; 
while  the  captain's  struck  her  bulwark,  tore  along  her 
deck,  and  went  out  astern,  doing  some  damage  by  the 
way,  I  reckon. 

"  We  could  see  there  was  some  confusion  on  board. 
They  hadn't  reckoned  that  we  carried  such  heavy 
metal,  and  our  luck  in  getting  both  shots  on  board 
must  have  surprised  them.  Then  her  bow  paid  off, 
there  was  a  puff  of  smoke  amidship,  and  a  ball  from 
the  long  swivel  gun  buzzed  overhead,  passing  through 
our  mainsail  without  touching  mast  or  stay. 

"  So  far  we  had  the  best  of  it,  and  the  men  looked 
more  cheerful  than  they  had  done  from  the  first  mo- 
ment when  the  pirates  showed  from  among  the  trees. 
After  that  we  kept  up  a  fire  from  the  stern  guns  as 
fast  as  we  could  load.  I  could  not  see  myself  what 
damage  we  were  doing,  for  I  was  kept  hard  at  work 
carrying  ammunition.  Presently  the  broadside  guns 
began  to  fire  too,  and  taking  the  chance  for  a  look 
round  I  saw  that  the  pirates  had  separated,  and  were 
coming  up  one  on  each  side  of  us. 

"  So  far  they  had  not  fired  a  shot  after  the  first. 
I  suppose  they  didn't  want  to  lose  ground  by  yawing, 
but  as  they  came  abreast  of  us  they  both  opened  fire. 
Our  chaps  fought  their  guns  well,  and  I  expect  the 
pirates  found  they  were  not  getting  much  the  best  of 
it;  for  one  of  them  made  a  signal,  and  they  both  closed 
in  to  board.     We  hadn't  had  much  luck  after  our  first 


CAPTURED.  79 

shot.  We  had  hulled  them  over  and  over  aoain  and 
spotted  their  sails  with  shot.  Many  of  their  ropes  were 
hanging  loose,  but  we  hadn't  succeeded  in  crippling 
them,  although  almost  every  shot  had  been  aimed  at 
the  masts;  for  every  man  knew  that  our  only  chance 
was  to  bring  them  down. 

"As  they  came  up  close  to  us  they  poured  in  a  volley 
of  grape,  and  a  minute  later  they  grated  alongside  and 
a  crowd  of  men  swarmed  on  board  over  the  bulwarks. 
Our  fellows  fought  to  the  last,  but  the  odds  were  five 
to  one  against  them.  The  skipper  had  been  killed  by 
a  grape-shot,  but  the  mate  he  led  the  men;  and  if  fight- 
ing could  have  saved  us  the  ship  would  not  have  been 
captured.  But  it  was  no  use.  In  two  minutes  every 
man  had  been  cut  down  or  disarmed.  I  had  laid  about 
me  with  a  cutlass  till  I  got  a  lick  over  my  head  with  a 
boarding-pike  which  knocked  my  senses  out  of  me. 

"  When  I  opened  my  eyes  I  was  hauled  up  to  my 
feet  and  put  alongside  the  mate  and  six  others,  all  of 
whom  was  bleeding  more  or  less.  The  rest  had  all  been 
chucked  overboard  at  once.  In  a  minute  or  two  the 
captain  of  one  of  the  pirates,  a  little  dapper  French- 
man, came  up  to  us.  'You  have  fought  your  ship  well/ 
he  said  to  the  mate,  'and  have  killed  several  of  my 
officers  and  men;  but  I  bear  you  no  malice,  and  if  you 
are  ready  to  ship  with  me  I  will  spare  your  life.' 
'I  would  rather  die  a  hundred  times!'  the  mate  said. 
The  pirate  said  nothing  but  just  nodded,  and  four 
of  his  men  seized  the  mate  and  flung  him  over  the  bul- 


80  THE  ALTERNATIVE. 

warks.  The  same  question  was  asked  of  each  of  the 
men;  but  each  in  turn  refused,  and  an  end  was  made 
of  them.     I  was  the  last. 

" '  Now,  my  boy/  the  captain  said,  *  I  hope  you  won't 
be  stupid  like  those  pig-headed  fellows.  What  do  you 
say — good  treatment  and  a  free  life  on  the  sea,  or  the 
sharks  ? ' 

"  Well,  lad,  if  my  turn  hadn't  been  last  I  would  have 
said  'no'  like  the  others.  I  wouldn't  have  shown  the 
white  feather  before  any  of  my  shipmates;  but  they  had 
gone — there  wasn't  one  to  cast  a  reproachful  look  at  me 
or  to  taunt  me  with  cowardice.  I  just  stood  alone; 
there  weren't  no  one  to  back  me  up  in  choosing  to  die 
rather  than  to  serve,  and  so  I  says,  '  I  will  join  you, 
captain.'  I  don't  say  I  was  right,  lad,  I  don't  say  I 
didn't  act  as  a  coward ;  but  I  think  most  young  chaps 
with  my  bringing-up,  and  placed  as  I  was,  would  have 
done  the  same.  There's  many  as  would  have  said  'no' 
if  they  had  had  comrades  and  friends  looking  on,  but 
I  don't  think  there's  many  as  would  have  said  'no'  if 
they  had  stood  all  alone  as  I  did. 

"  I  can't  say  as  I  blame  myself  much  about  that 
business,  though  I  have  thought  it  over  many  a  score 
of  times;  but  anyhow,  from  the  first  I  made  up  my  mind 
that  at  the  very  first  chance  I  would  get  away  from 
them.  I  knew  the  chance  wasn't  likely  to  come  for 
some  time — still  there  it  was ;  and  during  all  the  black 
scenes  I  took  part  in  on  board  that  ship  I  was  always 
telling  myself  that  I  was  there  against  my  will. 


THE   PIRATES'   HOLD.  81 

"  It  was  the  brig  as  I  was  to  go  in.  And  as  soon  as 
that  little  matter  of  the  crew  was  settled  all  hands  set 
to  work  to  shift  the  cargo  from  the  ship  aboard  the 
pirates.  Wonderful  quick  they  did  it  too;  and  when 
I  thought  how  long  that  cargo  had  taken  to  get  on 
board,  it  was  wonderful  how  soon  they  whipped  it  out 
of  her.  When  they  had  stript  her  of  all  they  thought 
worth  taking  they  ran  one  of  the  cannon  to  the  open 
hatch,  loaded  it  and  crammed  it  full  of  balls  to  the 
muzzle;  then  they  pointed  it  down  the  hold  and  fired 
it,  and  were  soon  on  board  their  own  craft. 

"  The  charge  must  have  torn  a  great  hole  in  the 
ship's  bottom,  for  I  could  see  she  was  settling  down  in 
the  water  before  we  had  left  her  five  minutes,  and  in 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  she  gave  a  sudden  lurch  and 
sunk.  As  I  was  in  for  it  now  I  knew  the  best  thing 
was  to  put  a  good  face  on  it,  so  I  lent  a  hand  at 
shifting  the  cargo  and  did  my  best  to  seem  contented. 
We  sailed  off  in  company,  and  in  the  morning  when 
I  came  on  deck  I  found  the  two  craft  riding  side  by 
side  in  a  land-locked  harbour. 

"  A  few  minutes  later  the  boats  were  lowered  and 
the  work  of  getting  the  cargo  on  shore  began.  It  was 
clear  enough  that  this  was  the  pirates'  headquarters, 
for  there  were  lots  of  huts  built  on  the  sloping  sides  of 
the  inlet,  and  a  number  of  men  and  women  stood 
gathered  on  the  shore  to  receive  us  as  we  landed. 
The  women  were  of  all  countries,  English  and  French, 
Dutch,    Spaniards,    and     Portuguese,    with    a    good 

(  338  )  F 


82  ON   SHORE. 

sprinkling  of  dark-skinned  natives.  All  the  white 
women  had  been  taken  prisoners  at  some  time  or 
other  from  vessels  which  had  fallen  into  the  pirates' 
hands,  and  though  most  of  them  must  have  been  miser- 
able enough  at  heart,  poor  creatures,  they  all  made  a 
show  of  beino^  °'lad  to  see  the  men  back  again.  It  was 
but  a  week,  I  learned,  since  the  pirates  had  sailed,  and 
it  was  considered  a  great  stroke  of  luck  that  they 
should  so  soon  have  effected  a  capture. 

"  No  one  attended  to  me,  but  I  worked  hard  all  day 
with  the  others  rowing  backwards  and  forwards  be- 
tween the  shore  and  the  ship.  When  it  became  dusk 
they  knocked  off  work,  and  the  men  went  off  to  their 
huts,  for  it  seemed  that  each  of  them  had  a  wife, 
brown-skinned  or  white.  Seeing  that  nobody  paid 
any  attention  to  me  I  went  off  to  the  little  captain, 
who  was  making  his  way  up  to  a  hut  of  a  better  class 
than  the  others. 

"  '  What  is  to  become  of  me,  captain?'  I  asked.  'Ah! 
I  had  not  thought  of  you,'  he  said ;  '  well,  you  can  go 
up  with  me  and  get  some  supper,  and  you  can  have  a 
blanket  and  sleep  on  my  verandah  for  to-night,  we  will 
see  where  you  can  be  lodged  in  the  morning.'  I  fol- 
lowed him  into  his  house,  and  was  astonished  as  I 
entered  at  the  luxury  of  the  apartment,  which  far 
exceeded  anything  I  had  ever  seen  before.  The  plank 
walls  were  concealed  by  hangings  of  light  green  silk, 
a  rich  carpet  covered  the  floor,  the  furniture  was  most 
handsome  and  massive,  and  had  no  doubt  been  intended 


THE   CAPTAIN'S   HOUSE.  83 

for  the  palace  of  the  Spanish  governor  of  some  of  the 
islands.  A  pair  of  candelabra  of  solid  silver  stood  on 
the  table,  and  the  white  candles  in  them,  which  had 
just  been  lighted,  threw  a  soft  glow  of  light  over  the 
room  and  lighted  up  the  table,  on  which  was  a  service, 
also  of  solid  silver,  with  vases  and  lovely  flowers.  A 
young  woman  rose  from  a  couch  as  he  entered:  '  I  have 
been  expecting  you  for  the  last  half  hour,  Eugene. 
You  have  worked  longer  than  usual  this  evening;  if 
the  fish  are  spoiled  you  must  not  blame  Zoe.' 

"  The  speaker  wTas  a  tall  and  very  handsome  woman, 
and  I  now  understood  how  it  was  that  my  captor 
spoke  such  excellent  English.  There  was  a  deep  ex- 
pression of  melancholy  on  her  face,  but  she  smiled  when 
speaking  to  the  pirate,  and  her  tone  was  one  of  affec- 
tion. 

"'I  have  brought  home  a  countryman  of  yours, 
Ellen.  I  forgot  to  allot  him  quarters  until  it  was  too 
late,  so  please  give  him  over  to  the  care  of  Zoe  and  ask 
her  to  give  him  some  supper  and  a  blanket;  he  ^  ill 
sleep  in  the  verandah.' 

"The  first  look  which  the  woman  gave  me  as  the 
captain  spoke  made  me  wish  that  instead  of  speaking 
to  the  captain  I  had  lain  down  fasting  under  a  tree, 
there  was  so  much  contempt  and  horror  in  it;  then,  as 
I  suppose  she  saw  I  was  but  a  boy,  it  changed,  and  it 
seemed  to  me  that  she  pitied  me  from  her  heart;  how- 
ever, she  clapped  her  hands  and  a  negress  entered. 
She  said  something  to  her  in  Spanish,  and  the  old 


84  THE   PIRATE'S   WIFE. 

woman  beckoned  me  to  follow  her,  and  I  was  soon 
sitting;  in  front  of  a  better  meal  than  I  had  tasted  for 
many  a  month,  perhaps  the  best  meal  I  had  tasted  in 
my  life. 

"As  she  couldn't  speak  English  there  was  no  talk- 
ing with  the  old  woman.     She  gave  me  a  tumbler  of 
stiff  rum  and  water  to  drink  with  my  supper,  and  after 
I  had  done  she  handed  me  a  blanket,  took  me  out  into 
the  verandah,  pointed  to  the  side  where  I  should  get 
the  sea-breeze,  and  left  me.     I  smoked  a  pipe  or  two 
and  then  went  to  sleep.     I  was  awaked  in  the  morning 
by  someone  coming  along  the  verandah,  and,  sitting 
up,  saw  the  lady  I  had  seen  the  night  before.    '  So  you 
are  English?'  she  said.     'Yes,  ma'am,'  says  I  touching 
my  hat  sailor  fashion.     'Are  you  lately  from  home?' 
she  asked.     'Not  very  late,  ma'am,'  says  I;  'we  went 
to  Rio  first,  and  not  filling  up  there  were  cruising  about 
picking  up  a  cargo  when — '  and  I  stopped,  not  knowing, 
you  see,  how  I  should  put  it.    '  Are  there  any  more  of 
you?'  she  asked  after  a  while  in  a  low  sort  of  voice. 
'  No,  ma'am,'  says  I ;  '  I  am  the  only  one.'     '  I  did  not 
ask,'  she  said  almost  in  a  whisper,  and  I  could  see  her 
face  was  most  as  white  as  a  sheet,  '  I  never  ask.     And 
so  you  have  joined  them?'      'Yes,'  says  I,  'I  couldn't 
help  it,  ma'am.     I  was  the  last,  you  see;  if  there  had 
been  anyone  else  to  have  encouraged  me  I  should  have 
said  no,  but  being  alone — '     'Don't  excuse  yourself, 
poor  boy,'  she  said;  'don't  think  I  blame  you.     Who 
am  I  that  I  should  blame  anyone  ?    It  is  little  I  can  do 


ON   THE   ISLAND.  85 

for  you,  but  if  you  should  want  anything  I  will  do  my 
best  to  befriend  you.'  I  heard  the  captain's  voice  call- 
ing. Suddenly  she  put  her  finger  to  her  lips,  as  a  hint 
to  me  to  hold  my  tongue,  and  off  she  went. 

"I  don't  know  whether  the  captain's  wife  spoke  to 
him  about  me  or  not,  but  at  anyrate  he  didn't  tell  me 
off  to  any  of  the  huts,  but  kept  me  at  the  house.  I  used 
to  go  down  in  the  day  to  work  with  the  other  men 
unloading  the  ship  and  stowing  away  the  stores,  but 
they  only  worked  for  a  few  hours,  morning  and 
evening,  lying  in  hammocks  slung  under  the  trees 
during  the  heat  of  the  day.  I  made  myself  useful 
about  the  house,  helped  the  old  woman  to  chop  wood 
drew  water  for  her,  attended  to  the  plants  in  the 
little  garden  round  the  house,  trained  the  creepers  up 
the  verandah,  and  lent  a  hand  at  all  sorts  of  odd  jobs, 
just  as  a  sailor  will  do. 

"When,  ten  days  after  we  arrived,  the  ships  got 
ready  for  another  cruise,  I  was  afraid  they  would  take 
me  with  them,  and  I  lay  awake  at  nights  sweating 
as  I  thought  over  the  fearful  deeds  I  should  have  to 
take  part  in;  but  the  captain  gave  me  no  orders,  and 
to  my  delight  the  men  embarked  and  the  ships  sailed 
away  without  me.  I  found  there  were  some  forty  men 
left  behind,  whose  duty  it  was  to  keep  a  sharp  look- 
out and  man  the  batteries  they  had  got  at  the  entrance 
to  the  cove  in  case  any  of  our  cruisers  came  in  sight. 

"  The  man  who  was  in  command  was  a  Spaniard,  a 
sulky,  cruel -looking  scoundrel.      However,  he  didn't 


86  "YOU   WILL   HAVE  NO   CHANCE." 

have  much  to  do  with  me;  I  took  my  turn  at  the 
look-out  with  the  rest  of  them,  and  besides  that  there 
was  nothing  to  do.  The  men  on  shore  had  all  been 
in  one  or  other  of  the  ships  when  I  was  taken;  for  I 
found  there  were  about  a  hundred  and  sixty  of  them, 
and  a  quarter  stayed  at  home  by  turns,  changing  after 
each  cruise,  whether  it  was  a  long  or  short  one. 

"The  captain's  wife  often  spoke  to  me  now;  she  would 
come  out  and  sit  in  the  verandah  while  I  was  at  work. 
She  asked  me  what  part  I  came  from,  and  where  I  had 
sailed,  and  what  friends  I  had  at  home.  But  she  never 
said  a  word  to  me  about  the  capture  of  the  ship.  She 
always  looked  sad  now,  while  she  had  been  cheerful 
and  bright  while  the  captain  was  on  shore.  In  time 
she  got  quite  friendly  with  me,  and  one  day  she  said, 
1  Peter,  you  will  have  to  go  to  sea  next  time,  what  will 
you  do?' 

"'I  must  do  as  the  others  do,  God  forgive  me,' 
says  I;  'but  don't  think,  ma'am,  as  ever  I  shall  do  it 
willing.  It  may  be  years  before  I  gets  a  chance,  but 
if  ever  I  does  I  shall  make  a  run  for  it,  whatever  the 
risk  may  be.  I  speaks  free  to  you,  ma'am,  for  I  feel 
sure  as  you  won't  say  a  word  to  no  man,  for  it  would 
cost  me  my  life  if  they  thought  that  I  wasn't  with 
them  willing.' 

" '  I  will  not  tell  anyone,  Peter,  you  may  be  sure,' 
she  said;  'but  I  do  not  think  you  will  ever  have  a 
chance  of  getting  away — no  one  ever  does  who  once 
comes  here.' 


A   SAD   LIFE.  87 

"  Well,  in  time,  lad,  she  lets  out  bit  by  bit  a  little 
about  herself.  She  had  been  on  her  way  out  to  join 
her  father,  who  was  an  officer  of  the  East  Indy 
Company,  when  the  ship  was  taken  by  the  pirates. 
The  men  was  all  killed,  but  she  and  some  other 
women  was  taken  on  board  the  pirate  and  at  last 
brought  there.  The  French  captain  took  a  fancy  to 
her  from  the  first,  and  after  she  had  been  here  a 
year  brought  a  Spanish  priest  they  captured  on  board 
a  ship  and  he  married  them.  The  pirates  seemed  to 
think  it  was  a  joke,  and  lots  of  them  followed  the 
captain's  example  and  got  married  to  the  women  there. 
What  they  did  with  the  priest  afterwards,  whether 
they  cut  his  throat  or  landed  him  in  some  place  thou- 
sands of  miles  away,  or  entered  him  on  board  ship,  is 
more  nor  I  know. 

"There's  no  doubt  the  captain's  wTife  was  fond  of  her 
husband;  pirate  as  he  was;  he  had  not  behaved  so 
bad  to  her — but  except  when  he  was  with  her  she  was 
always  sad. 

"  She  had  an  awful  horror  of  the  life  he  led,  and 
with  this  was  a  terror  lest  he  should  fall  into  the 
hands  of  a  cruiser,  for  she  knew  that  if  he  hadn't  the 
good  luck  to  be  killed  in  the  fight,  he  would  be  tried 
and  hung  at  the  nearest  port.  It  was  a  kind  of  mixed 
feeling,  you  see;  she  would  have  given  everything  to 
be  free  from  the  life  she  was  leading,  and  yet  even 
had  she  had  the  chance  she  would  not  have  left  her 
husband.     I  believe  he  had  promised  her  to  give  it 


88  THREE  VOYAGES. 

up,  but  she  must  have  knowed  that  he  never  would 
do  it;  besides,  if  he  had  slipped  away  from  the  ship  at 
any  place  where  they  touched  he  could  not  have  got 
her  away,  and  her  life  would  have  paid  for  his  deser- 
tion. 

"  But  I  don't  think  he  would  have  gone  if  he  could, 
for,  quiet  and  nice  as  he  was  when  at  home,  he  was  a 
demon  at  sea.  Ruffians  and  scoundrels  as  were  his 
crew,  the  boldest  of  them  were  afraid  of  him.  It  was 
not  a  word  and  a  blow,  but  a  word  and  a  pistol-shot 
with  him ;  and  if  it  hadn't  been  that  he  was  a  first- rate 
seaman,  that  he  fought  his  ships  splendidly,  and  that 
there  was  no  one  who  could  have  kept  any  show  of 
order  or  discipline  had  he  not  been  there,  I  don't 
believe  they  would  have  put  up  with  him  for  a  day. 

"  Well,  lad,  I  sailed  with  them  for  three  voyages.  I 
won't  tell  you  what  I  saw  and  heard,  but  it  was  years 
before  I  could  sleep  well  at  night,  but  would  start  up 
in  a  cold  sweat  with  those  scenes  before  my  eyes  and 
those  screams  ringing  in  my  ears.  I  can  say  that  I 
never  took  the  life  of  a  man  or  woman.  Of  course  I 
had  to  help  to  load  the  cannon,  and  when  the  time 
for  boarding  came  would  wave  my  cutlass  and  fire  my 
pistols  with  the  best  of  them;  but  I  took  good  care 
never  to  be  in  the  front  line,  and  the  others  were  too 
busy  with  their  bloody  doings  to  notice  what  share  I 
took  in  them. 

"We  had  been  out  about  a  fortnight  on  my  third 
voyage,  and  the  schooner  and  brig  were  lying  in  a 


CAUGHT   IN   A   TRAP.  89 

little  bay  when  we  saw  what  we  took  to  be  a  large 
merchant  ship  coming  along.  She  was  all  painted 
black,  her  rigging  was  badly  set  up,  her  sails  were 
dirty  and  some  of  them  patched,  she  was  steering 
east,  and  seemed  as  if  she  was  homeward  bound  after 
a  long  voyage.  Off  we  went  in  pursuit,  thinking  we 
had  got  a  prize.  She  clapped  on  more  sail,  but  we 
came  up  to  her  hand  over  hand.  She  opened  fire 
with  two  eight-pounders  over  her  stern.  We  didn't 
waste  a  shot  in  reply,  but  ranged  up  alongside,  one  on 
each  beam.  Then  suddenly  her  sides  seemed  to  open, 
fifteen  ports  on  each  side  went  up,  and  her  deck 
swarmed  with  men. 

"  A  yell  of  dismay  went  up  from  the  schooner  which 
I  was  on.  In  a  moment  a  flash  of  fire  ran  along  the 
frigate's  broadside;  there  was  a  crash  of  timber,  and  the 
schooner  shook  as  if  she  had  struck  on  a  rock.  There 
was  a  cry,  'We  are  sinking!'  Some  made  a  wild  rush 
for  the  boats,  others  in  their  despair  jumped  overboard, 
some  cursed  and  swore  like  madmen  and  shook  their 
fists  at  the  frigate.  It  seemed  no  time  when  another 
broadside  came. 

"Down  came  the  foremast,  crushing  half  a  dozen  men 
as  she  fell.  Her  deck  was  nearly  level  with  the  water 
now.  I  climbed  over  the  wreck  of  the  foremast,  and  run 
out  along  the  bowsprit.  I  looked  round  just  as  I  leapt. 
The  pirate  captain  was  standing  at  the  wheel.  He  had 
a  pistol  to  his  head,  and  I  saw  the  flash,  and  he  fell. 
Then  I  dived  off  and  swam  under  water  as  hard  as  I 


90  PRISONERS. 

could  to  get  away  from  the  sinking  ship.  When  I 
came  up  I  looked  round.  I  just  saw  the  flutter  of  a 
black  flag  above  the  water  and  she  was  gone.  I  was  a 
good  swimmer,  and  got  rid  of  my  shoes  and  jacket,  and 
made  up  my  mind  for  a  long  swim,  for  the  frigate  was 
too  busy  with  the  brig  for  anyone  to  pay  attention  to 
us,  but  it  did  not  take  long  to  finish  it. 

"  In  five  minutes  it  was  over.  The  brig  lay  dis- 
masted, and  scarce  a  dozen  men  out  of  the  forty  she 
carried  were  alive  to  throw  down  their  arms  on  deck 
and  cry  that  they  surrendered.  Then  the  frigate's 
boats  were  lowered;  two  rowed  in  our  direction,  while 
two  put  off  to  the  brig.  There  were  only  nine  of  us 
picked  up,  for  from  the  first  broadside  till  we  sank  a 
heavy  musketry  fire  had  been  poured  down  upon  the 
deck,  and  as  we  were  not  more  than  fifty  yards  away 
from  the  frigate,  the  men  had  been  just  mowed  down. 
We  were  all  ironed  as  soon  as  we  were  brought  on 
board.  After  that  we  were  brought  up  one  by  one 
and  questioned. 

" '  You  are  young  to  be  engaged  in  such  a  work  as 
this/  the  captain  said  when  my  turn  came. 

" e  I  was  forced  into  it  against  my  will,  sir,'  I  said. 

"'Yes,'  the  captain  said,  'I  suppose  so;  that's  the  stoiy 
each  of  the  prisoners  tells.  How  long  have  you  been 
with  them?' 

" '  Less  than  six  months,  sir." 

" '  How  old  are  you  ?' 

"  '  I  am  not  seventeen  yet.     I  was  boy  on  board  the 


AN    OFFER   OF   LIFE.  91 

Jane  and  William.  We  were  taken  by  the  pirates  on 
our  way  back  from  Rio,  and  all  except  me  killed  or 
thrown  overboard.' 

" '  And  you  bought  your  life  by  agreeing  to  sail  with 
them,  I  suppose?'  the  captain  said  contemptuously. 

"'I  did,  sir,'  I  said;  'but  I  was  the  last  they  asked; 
all  the  others  had  gone,  and  there  warn't  no  one  to 
back  me  up.' 

" '  Well,  boy,  you  know  what  your  fate  will  be,'  the 
captain  said;  'there's  no  mercy  for  pirates.' 

"  The  next  day  the  captain  sent  for  me  again,  and  I 
took  heart  a  little,  for  I  thought  if  they  had  made  up 
their  minds  to  hang  me  they  wouldn't  have  questioned 
me. 

"'Look  here,  lad,'  the  captain  said;  'you  are  the 
youngest  of  the  prisoners,  and  less  steeped  in  crime  than 
any  here,  therefore  I  will  at  once  make  you  an  offer. 
If  you  will  direct  us  to  the  lair  of  the  pirates,  I  pro- 
mise your  life  shall  be  spared.' 

'"I  don't  know  the  latitude  and  longitude,  sir,'  I 
said,  'and  I  doubt  if  any  beside  the  captain  and  one  or 
two  others  do,  but  I  know  pretty  well  whereabouts 
it  is.  We  always  set  sail  at  night  and  came  in  at 
night,  and  none  was  allowed  on  deck  except  the 
helmsman  and  two  or  three  old  hands  till  morning; 
but  when  I  was  ashore  and  on  duty  at  the  look-out  I 
noticed  three  trees  growing  together  just  at  the  edge 
of  the  cliff  at  the  point  where  it  was  highest,  two 
miles  away  from  the  entrance  to  the  cove.    They  were 


92  THE   MARKS   TO   BE   LOOKED   FOR. 

a  big  un  and  two  little  uns,  and  I  feel  sure  if  I  were 
to  see  them  a^ain  I  should  know  them.' 

"  'Very  well/  the  captain  said, '  I  shall  make  for  port 
at  once,  and  hand  over  the  prisoners  to  the  Spanish 
authorities,  then  I  will  start  on  a  cruise  with  you,  and 
see  if  we  can  find  your  trees.' 

"  From  the  description  I  could  give  him  of  the  is- 
lands we  passed  after  we  had  been  at  sea  a  few  hours, 
and  the  time  it  took  us  to  sail  from  them  to  some 
known  points,  the  captain  was  able  to  form  a  sort  of 
idea  as  to  which  group  of  islands  it  belonged  to,  and 
when  he  had  reached  port  and  got  rid  of  his  prisoners, 
all  of  whom  were  garotted — that's  a  sort  of  strangling, 
you  know — by  the  Spaniards,  a  week  afterwards,  we  set 
out  again  on  our  search  for  the  island. 


CHAPTER  V. 


THE    PIRATE    HOLD. 


.^orgrcrtfe  HE  frig-ate  was  ag;ain  disguised  as  a  mer- 
jfj  chantman,  as,   if  she  had   passed  within 

sight  of  the  island  looking  like  a  ship  of 
war,  it  would  have  put  the  pirates  on  their 
guard,  and  I  had  told  the  captain  there  were  guns 
enough  at  the  mouth  of  the  cove  to  blow  the  ship's 
boats  out  of  the  water.  As  to  the  frigate  getting  in,  I 
knew  she  couldn't,  for  there  was  only  just  enough 
water  at  the  entrance  for  the  pirate  vessels  to  enter  in. 
I  was  not  in  irons  now,  but  spent  my  time  on  deck; 
and  a  wretched  time  it  was,  I  can  tell  you,  for  not  a 
sailor  on  board  would  speak  to  me. 

"For  three  weeks  we  cruised  about,  sailing  round 
island  after  island,  but  at  last  as  we  were  approaching 
one  of  them  I  saw  the  three  trees. 

"'That's  the  place,'  I  said  to  the  boatswain,  who  was 
standing:  near  me,  and  he  carried  the  news  to  the 
quarter-deck,  and  brought  back  word  I  was  to  go  to 
the  captain. 

"'You  are  sure  those  are  the  trees?' 


94  THE   THREE  TREES   FOUND. 

" '  Quite  sure,  sir.' 

"'They  answer  to  your  description  certainly/  the 
captain  said.  '  Keep  her  away,  master,  I  don't  want 
them  to  think  we  are  steering  for  the  island.' 

"  The  ship's  course  was  altered,  and  she  sailed  along 
parallel  with  the  coast. 

" '  I  beg  your  pardon,  sir,'  I  said,  touching  my  hat, 
•  but  they  have  got  some  wonderful  good  glasses  up  at 
the  look-out,  and  if  I  might  make  so  bold  I  should  say 
that  they  will  make  out  that  we  have  got  a  lot  more 
men  on  deck  than  a  merchant  ship  would  carry.' 

"'You  are  right,  lad,'  the  captain  said,  and  he  at  once 
gave  orders  that  all  hands  with  the  exception  of  half 
a  dozen  should  sit  down  under  the  bulwarks  or  go  be- 
low. The  captain  and  first  lieutenant  kept  a  sharp 
look-out  through  their  glasses  until  we  had  passed  the 
end  of  the  island.  I  pointed  out  to  them  the  exact 
position  of  the  cove,  but  it  was  so  shut  in  that  even 
when  I  showed  where  it  was,  it  was  as  much  as  they 
could  do  to  make  it  out. 

'"Now,  lad,  do  you  know  of  any  other  landing-places 
on  the  other  side  of  the  island?' 

" '  No,  sir,  and  I  don't  believe  there  is  any,'  says  I. 
I  know  the  captain  said  to  me  the  first  day  I  was 
on  shore,  '  It's  no  use  your  thinking  of  making  a  bolt, 
for  there  ain't  no  other  place  but  this  where  you  could 
get  to  sea — not  though  you  had  twenty  boats  waiting 
to  take  you  oft*. '  I  expects  that's  why  they  chose  it. 
Anyhow,  there  never  was  any  watch  kept  up  on  shore. 


iiiBiii iiijBi  \  PS :"  1 ~  1  i 


~~ ' 


_s ^_^ 


THE    SEARCH    FOR    THE    PIRATES     COVE. 


THE   CAPTAIN'S    INQUIRIES.  95 

though  I  have  no  doubt  there  was  many  a  one  who 
had  been  pressed  into  pirating  just  as  I  was,  to  save 
their  lives,  would  have  made  off  had  they  seen  ever 
such  a  little  chance  of  getting  away. 

"'Just  come  into  the  cabin  with  me,'  says  he;  'I  want 
you  to  show  me  exactly  where  are  these  batteries,  and 
the  position  of  the  village  on  shore.' 

"  The  first  lieutenant  came  too,  and  I  drew  them  out 
a  chart  as  well  as  I  could,  showing  them  the  position 
of  things,  and  told  them  that  every  evening  a  boom 
was  floated  across  the  entrance. 

" '  What  sentries  are  there  on  at  night?' 

"'Four,  sir;  two  close  down  to  the  water,  one  each 
side  of  the  cove,  and  two  in  the  batteries  at  the  top. 
That's  the  watch,  but  besides  there  are  six  men  sleep 
in  each  of  the  other  batteries,  and  six  in  each  of  the  bat- 
teries inside.' 

" '  Tell  me  more  about  the  place  and  the  life  you  led 
there,'  the  captain  said,  '  and  then  I  shall  understand 
the  position  of  things  better.' 

"  So  I  spun  him  a  regular  yarn  about  the  place  and 
the  people.  I  told  him  about  the  captain's  wife,  and 
she  being  an  English  woman,  and  how  she  was  taken, 
which  indeed  was  the  way  of  most  of  the  women 
there. 

" '  I  suppose  that  a  good  many  of  the  men  were 
pressed  too,'  the  captain  eaid 

"'I  expects  so,  sir;  but  when  we  were  together  on 
guard  or  on  board  a  ship  I  noticed  we  never  talked  of 


96  THE  DEFENCES  OF  THE  COVE. 

such  things.  It  seemed  to  me  as  if  everyone  was  try- 
ing to  forget  the  past,  and  I  think  that  made  them 
more  brutal  and  bloody-minded  than  they  would 
have  been.  Everyone  was  afraid  of  everyone  else 
guessing  as  he  wasn't  contented,  and  was  wanting  to 
get  away,  and  so  each  carried  on  as  bad  as  he  could.' 

11 '  I  daresay  you  are  right,  lad;  it  must  be  a  terrible 
position  for  a  man  to  be  in;  but  you  see  the  law  can 
make  no  distinctions.  If  it  wasn't  thoroughly  under- 
stood that  if  a  man  took  up  the  life  of  a  pirate,  whether 
willingly  or  unwillingly,  he  would  assuredly  be  exe- 
cuted if  he  was  caught,  we  should  have  the  sea 
swarming  with  pirates.  Now,  lad,  you  know  how  this 
boom  was  fastened;  can  you  suggest  any  way  that  we 
could  get  over  it  or  loosen  it  without  giving  the  alarm.' 

" '  There  is  no  way,  sir.  One  end  is  fastened  by  a  big 
chain  which  is  fixed  to  a  great  shackle  which  is  let  into 
a  hole  in  the  rock  and  fastened  in  there  with  lead; 
that's  the  fixed  end  of  the  boom.  The  other  end,  which 
is  swung  backwards  and  forwards  when  the  ships  go 
in  port,  has  got  a  big  chain  too.  It  goes  under  an  iron 
bar  which  is  bent,  and  the  two  ends  fastened  in  a  rock. 
When  they  want  to  fix  the  boom  the  end  of  the  chain 
is  passed  under  this  iron  loop  and  then  fastened  to  some 
blocks  and  ropes  worked  from  the  battery  above,  and 
the  end  of  the  chain  is  drawn  up  tight  there,  so  that 
there  is  no  loosing  the  chain  till  that  battery  is  taken.' 

" '  And  you  say  the  guns  of  the  lower  batteries  at  the 
inner  point  sweep  the  entrance?' 


A   DIFFICULT   UNDERTAKING.  97 

"  '  They  do,  sir.  There  are  ten  of  them  on  each  side, 
twelve-pounder  carronades,  which  are  always  charged, 
and  crammed  up  to  the  muzzle  with  bullets  and  nails 
and  bits  of  iron.  The  batteries  on  the  top  of  the  cliff 
at  the  entrance  are  the  heaviest  metal.  They  have  got 
twenty  guns  in  each  of  them.  They  are  loaded  with 
round  shot  to  keep  a  vessel  from  approaching,  though 
of  course  they  could  fire  grape  into  any  boats  they  saw 
coming  in.' 

"'This  does  not  seem  an  easy  business  by  any  means, 
Mr.  Earnshaw,'  the  captain  said. 

"  'It  does  not,  sir,'  the  lieutenant  agreed  in  a  dubisome 
sort  of  way;  'but  no  doubt  it  can  be  done,  sir — no 
doubt  it  can  be  done.' 

"'Yes,  but  how?'  the  captain  asked.  'You  will  be 
in  command  of  the  boats,  Mr.  Earnshaw,  and  it  will 
never  do  to  attack  such  a  place  as  that  without  some 
sort  of  plan.' 

"'What  is  the  boom  like,  my  lad?'  the  lieutenant 
asked;  'is  it  lashed  together?' 

"  'No,  it  is  a  solid  spar,'  I  said.  '  The  entrance  is  not 
more  than  forty  feet  wide,  and  the  boom  is  part  of  the 
main-mast  of  a  big  ship.' 

" 'It  seems  to  me/  said  the  lieutenant,  'that  the  only 
way  to  get  at  it  would  be  to  go  straight  at  the  boom, 
the  two  lightest  boats  to  go  first.  The  men  must  get 
on  the  spar  and  pull  the  boats  over,  and  then  make  a 
dash  for  the  batteries,  the  heavy  boats  can  follow 
them.' 

(338)  G 


98  the  captain's  plan. 

"  'It  would  never  do,  Mr.  Earnshaw/  the  captain  said. 
'You  forget  there  are  twelve  guns  loaded  to  the  muzzle 
with  grape  and  musket-balls  all  trained  upon  a  point 
only  forty  feet  across.  Would  it  be  possible  to  land 
just  outside  the  boom,  lad,  on  one  or  both  sides,  and 
to  keep  along  the  edge,  or  wade  in  the  water  to  the 
batteries?' 

"  'No,  sir,  the  rock  goes  straight  up  from  the  water 
both  sides/ 

"  'Well,  the  two  sentries,  how  do  they  get  down  to 
the  water's  edge?' 

"  'They  are  let  down  by  rope  from  above,  sir,  and  the 
rope  is  hauled  up  as  soon  as  they  are  down.' 

"  '  This  is  a  deuce  of  a  place,  Mr.  Earnshaw,'  the  cap- 
tain said.  '  We  must  do  nothing  hastily  in  this  matter, 
or  we  shall  only  be  throwing  away  the  lives  of  a  lot  of 
men,  and  failing  in  our  object.  I  was  intending  to  sail 
on  and  not  to  return  for  a  week,  for  no  doubt  they 
will  be  specially  vigilant  for  a  time  after  seeing  a  large 
ship  pass  them.  As  it  is,  I  will  return  to-night  to  the 
back  of  the  island,  and  will  there  leave  the  cutter  and 
my  gig.  You  will  be  in  charge  of  the  cutter,  and  Mr. 
Escombe  will  take  the  gig.  I  shall  then  sail  away 
again  before  daylight;  for,  although  from  what  the 
lad  said  there  is  no  watch  kept  on  that  side  of  the 
island,  it  cannot  be  more  than  three  miles  across,  and 
any  of  the  men  or  women  might  stroll  across  or  might 
from  any  high  point  in  the  island  obtain  a  view  that 
way.     You  will  make  a  thorough  survey  of  all  that 


EXPLORING   IN   BOATS.  99 

side.  The  cliffs  certainly  seem,  so  far  as  we  could  see 
them  as  we  left  the  island,  as  perpendicular  as  they 
are  on  the  side  we  passed;  but  there  may  be  some 
place  easier  than  another — some  place  where,  by  set- 
ting our  wits  to  work,  we  may  make  a  shift  to  climb 
up.  Get  into  the  island  I  will,  if  I  have  to  blast  a  flight 
of  steps  up  the  cliff.' 

"  'I  will  do  my  best  to  find  a  place,  sir,'  the  lieutenant 
said;  'and,  if  there  isn't  one,  I  will  make  one.' 

"  The  lieutenant  told  me  that  I  was  to  accompany 
him  in  the  cutter,  and  all  was  got  ready  for  the  trip. 
Water  and  a  week's  rations  of  food  were  placed  on 
board  the  boats;  for  in  that  climate  there  was  no  saying 
when  a  gale  might  spring  up,  or  how  long  the  vessel 
might  be  before  she  got  back  to  pick  up  the  boats. 

"  When  we  were  fairly  out  of  sight  of  the  island  we 
lay  to  till  it  got  dusk,  and  then  her  head  was  pointed 
back  again.  There  was  scarce  a  breath  of  wind  stir- 
ring, and  the  vessel  went  through  the  water  so  slowly 
that  a  couple  of  hours  later  the  captain  ordered  the 
boats  to  be  lowered,  for  he  saw  that  if  the  wind  didn't 
freshen  the  ship  could  not  get  to  the  island,  much 
less  get  away  again,  before  daylight.  The  oars  were 
got  out  and  off  we  started,  and  after  four  hours'  steady 
rowing,  the  lieutenant,  who  was  steering  by  compass, 
made  out  the  land  looming  high  above  us.  Another 
quarter  of  an  hour's  row  and  we  dropped  our  grapnels 
close  to  the  foot  of  the  cliffs,  and  the  men  were  told  to 
get  a  sleep  as  well  as  they  could  till  morning. 


100  A  VAIN   SEARCH. 

"As  soon  as  it  was  daylight  we  were  off  again  and 
rowed  to  the  end  of  the  island;  for,  as  Mr.  Earnshaw 
said  to  the  third  lieutenant,  we  had  best  begin  at  the 
end  and  do  the  work  thoroughly.  When  we  got  to  the 
point  we  turned  and  rowed  back,  keeping  about  two 
hundred  yards  from  the  cliff,  so  that  we  could  see  well 
up.  They  were  about  a  hundred  feet  high — some- 
times a  little  less,  sometimes  a  good  bit  more,  and  they 
went  as  straight  up  from  the  water's  edge  as  the  cliffs 
at  Dover,  only  there  weren't  no  beach.  It  was  deep 
water  right  up  to  the  foot. 

"We  went  along  very  slowly,  the  men  only  just  dip- 
ping their  oars  into  the  water,  and  all  of  us  watching 
every  foot  of  the  cliffs.  Sometimes  we  would  stop  alto- 
gether while  the  officers  talked  over  the  possibility  of 
anyone  climbing  up  at  some  place  where  the  water 
trickling  down  from  the  top  had  eaten  away  the  face  a 
little;  but  not  a  goat  in  the  world  could  have  climbed 
up  them,  not  to  say  men.  So  we  kept  on  till  we  got  to 
the  other  end  of  the  island,  which  must  have  been  five 
miles  long.    Not  a  place  could  we  see. 

"  'Unless  we  are  going  to  do  as  the  captain  said — 
blast  steps  up  the  face  of  that  rock — I  don't  believe  it's 
to  be  done,'  Lieutenant  Earnshaw  said  to  Mr.  Escombe. 
'Well,  there's  nothing  to  do,  lads,  but  to  row  in  and  drop 
your  grapnels  again  and  wait  till  we  see  the  ship's 
lights  to-nio-ht.' 

Although  we  rowed  in  to  within  an  oar's -length  of 
the  cliff,  there  was  eight  fathoms  of  water  when  we 


A   HOPEFUL   PLAN.  101 

dropped  the  grapnels.     We  had  been  lying  there  an 
hour  when  the  third  lieutenant  said: 

" '  I  should  think,  Mr.  Earnshaw,  that  if  we  were  to 
bring  the  pinnace  with  that  four-pounder  gun  in  the 
bow  and  up-end  it,  and  with  a  small  charge  fire  a  ball 
with  a  rope  fastened  to  it  up  into  that  clump  of  trees 
we  saw  just  about  the  middle  of  the  island,  it  might 
get  caught.' 

" '  So  it  might,  Escombe,  and  the  idea  is  a  good  one; 
but  I  doubt  whether  there's  a  man  on  board  ship 
could  climb  a  rope  swinging  like  that  against  the  face 
of  those  cliffs.' 

"  '  He  might  if  we  used  a  knotted  rope,'  Mr.  Escombe 
said. 

"  '  I  wouldn't  mind  making  a  try,  yer  honour,'  one  of 
the  sailors  said,  and  half  a  dozen  others  volunteered 
their  readiness  to  make  the  attempt. 

"'I  will  put  it  to  the  captain,'  Mr.  Earnshaw  said; 
'  if  he  agrees,  as  you  were  the  first  to  volunteer,  Jones, 
you  shall  have  the  chance.' 

"  The  clay  was  dead  calm,  so  was  the  night  that  fol- 
lowed it;  and  although  we  rowed  back  to  the  end  of 
the  island  from  which  we  had  come,  no  lights  were  to 
be  seen  that  night. 

"The  next  day  passed  slowly.  The  sun  was  hot; 
but  towards  evening  the  lieutenant  gave  permission  for 
the  men  to  bathe;  but  warned  us  that  no  man  must  go 
far  from  the  boats,  because  there  might  be  sharks 
about.     However,  we  didn't  see  none,  and  we  enjoyed 


102  PREPARATIONS. 

the  dip,  and  were  in  better  humour  still  when  we  found 
that  a  light  breeze  was  springing  up.  It  might  have 
been  about  midnight  when  the  men  on  watch  made 
out  a  light  to  seaward,  and  we  weren't  long  in  getting 
up  our  grapnels  and  sitting  to  our  oars.  In  half  an 
hour  we  were  on  board,  and  were  soon  sailing  away 
from  the  island  again. 

"  The  next  night  in  we  came  again,  and  I  saw  that 
the  third  lieutenant's  plan  was  going  to  be  adopted; 
in  fact,  I  guessed  so  before;  for  the  sail-makers  had 
been  at  work  with  two  light  ropes  making  a  rope- 
ladder,  and  the  ship's  smith  had  got  some  empty  shells 
on  deck,  and  had  made  a  shift  to  screw  some  iron  eyes 
into  them  for  fixing  ropes  to.  The  gun  was  taken 
out  of  the  pinnace  and  a  little  mortar  fixed  in  her,  and 
half  a  dozen  ropes,  each  a  hundred  fathoms  long,  had 
knots  put  in  them  every  two  feet. 

"  The  launch  and  the  two  cutters  were  lowered  as 
well  as  the  pinnace  this  time,  and  the  crews  were 
armed  with  cutlass  and  pistol.  I  went  with  them  as 
before,  as  I  should  be  wanted  to  guide  them  when  they 
got  near  the  village.  It  was  a  bright  starlight  night 
without  haze,  so  that  when  we  got  close  we  could 
make  out  the  outline  of  the  cliffs,  and  could  see  the 
thick  wood  growing  on  the  top.  When  we  got  within 
about  a  hundred  yards  of  the  cliffs  the  boat  stopped 
rowing. 

" '  Don't  use  more  powder  than  you  can  help,  gun- 
ner,' Mr.  Earnshaw  said.     'In  the  first  place,  we  don't 


A   LITTLE   SHORT.  103 

want  to  do  more  than  carry  out  the  rope  to  its  full 
length ;  in  the  next  place,  we  don't  want  to  make  more 
noise  than  we  can  help.  What  wind  there  is  is  for- 
tunately blowing  seaward,  and  being  so  close  under 
the  cliff  the  sound  will  be  echoed  back.  At  the  same 
time  the  less  noise  the  better.' 

"  '  I  will  begin  with  very  little,  sir.  If  the  ball  don't 
go  to  the  top  of  the  cliff,  I  shall  put  a  trifle  more  into 
the  gun  next  time;  it's  better  to  make  a  mistake  on 
the  right  side.' 

"A  small  quantity  of  powder  was  put  in  the  mortar, 
which  was  only  a  four-inch  one.  Then  a  wad  was  put 
in,  and  a  shell  with  one  of  the  knotted  ropes  fastened 
to  it  dropped  in  the  top.  The  rope  had  been  coiled  in 
a  tub  so  as  to  run  out  easily.  The  gunner  applied  the 
match.  There  was  a  dull  report,  and  every  man  held 
his  breath  to  listen.  There  was  a  thud  high  up  on  the 
cliff  and  then  a  splash. 

" '  A  few  feet  short  of  the  top,  I  should  say,  gunner. 
You  must  put  in  more  next  time,  for  the  shell  must  go 
well  up  over  the  trees  and  drop  among  them,  otherwise 
it  won't  catch.' 

"The  gunner  by  the  light  of  the  lantern  measured  out 
half  as  much  powder  again  as  he  had  used  before, 
and  then  fired.  This  time  we  heard  no  sound  till 
there  was  a  faint  splash  in  the  water. 

" '  The  rope's  gone,  sir/  the  gunner  said  looking  into 
the  tub.     'There  was  a  little  too  much  this  time.' 

" '  I  don't  think  so,'  Mr.  Escombe  said.    'I  think  that 


104  THE   LADDER   FIXED. 

splash  was  the  end  of  the  rope  touching  the  water.  In 
that  case  it  will  be  just  right,  a  hundred  feet  up  the 
cliffs,  and  five  hundred  feet  among  the  trees.  No  fear 
of  the  rope  coming  back  to  us.' 

"  It  took  us  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  search  in  the  dark 
to  find  the  rope;  but  at  last  we  came  upon  it,  and 
sure  enough  there  was  only  four  or  five  fathoms  in  the 
water. 

"'Now,  Jones,'  Mr.  Earnshaw  said,  'it's  your  turn. 
Put  that  light  line  over  your  shoulders,  and  when  you 
get  to  the  top  haul  on  it  till  you  get  up  the  rope- 
ladder,  and  fasten  that  to  a  stout  trunk  and  give  a  low 
hail.  We  will  hold  the  rope  as  steady  as  we  can 
below  while  you  mount.' 

"'Ay,  ay,  sir,'  said  the  man,  who  was  an  active 
young  chap;  'I  will  be  up  there  in  a  jiffy.' 

"  We  fastened  the  lower  end  round  one  of  the  thwarts 
of  the  boat,  and  then  he  began  to  climb.  It  was  near 
five  minutes  before  he  got  to  the  top,  for  there  were 
some  nasty  places  where  the  cliff  jutted  out,  and  the 
rope  was  hard  against  it;  but  presently  the  shaking- 
ceased,  and  a  minute  later  the  light  line  was  hauled 
tight  There  was  a  low  cheer  in  the  boats,  and  then 
up  went  the  rope-ladder.  A  minute  or  two  later  there 
was  a  hail  from  the  top. 

" '  All  taut,  sir.' 

"  c  I  will  go  first,'  Mr.  Earnshaw  said. 

"Accordingly  up  he  went,  and  one  by  one  we  followed, 
each  waiting  for  the  signal  that  the  one  before  him  had 


THE   SURPRISE   OF   THE   VILLAGE.  105 

gone  up,  till  all  had  gone  except  the  two  told  off  as 
boat  watch.  Then  the  men  of  the  launch  and  cutters 
followed,  and  in  about  two  hours  they  were  all  at  the 
top,  and  a  lantern  was  shown  to  tell  the  ship  we  were 
there. 

"We  started  at  once  across  the  island,  Mr.  Earn- 
shaw  keeping  the  line  by  a  pocket  compass.  It  was 
rough  work,  though,  and  at  last  the  lieutenant  said: 
'We  make  such  a  noise  going  through  the  bushes  that 
we  had  better  wait  till  daylight,  so  just  halt  where  you 
are,  lads.' 

*  As  soon  as  the  first  ray  of  light  showed  we  were  off 
again,  and  an  hour  later  reached  the  edge  of  the  slope 
down  to  the  cove. 

"'Now,  remember,'  the  lieutenant  said,  'that  no 
woman  is  to  be  hurt.  All  the  men  who  resist  are  to 
be  shot  or  cut  down ;  but  you  are  to  take  prisoners  all 
who  throw  down  their  arms.  Some  of  them  may  be 
able  to  prove  themselves  less  guilty  than  the  rest.  At 
anyrate,  there  is  no  fear  of  the  Spanish  authorities 
being  too  merciful.  These  pirates  have  been  the  scourge 
of  these  seas  for  the  last  six  years.' 

"  Well,  lad,  there  ain't  much  more  to  tell  you.  We 
took  them  completely  by  surprise,  and  the  men  in  the 
village  were  all  knocked  down  and  bound,  without  firing 
a  shot.  The  men  in  the  batteries  tried  to  slew  their 
guns  round,  but  we  didn't  give  'em  time.  They  fought 
desperately,  for  they  knew  what  their  doom  was,  and 
there  weren't  any  prisoners  taken  there.     As  soon  as 


106  THE   CAPTAIN'S   WIFE. 

the  village  was  taken  I  went  straight  with  Mr.  Es- 
combe  to  the  captain's  house.  His  wife  was  standing 
at  the  door,  and  she  gave  a  little  cry  as  she  saw  the 
British  uniforms,  and  ran  a  step  or  two  to  meet  us, 
then  she  stopped,  and  her  arms  dropped  by  her  side. 

'"What!  you,  Peter!'  she  said  as  we  came  up.  'Is 
it  you  who  led  them  here?' 

" '  Yes,  ma'am,  it  was  me,'  says  I, '  and  the  best  thing 
I  could  do  for  you,  for  you  could  not  wish  to  stay  here 
all  your  life  with  just  the  people  that  are  here.' 

" '  But  what  has  happened  ? '  she  said.  '  How  is  it 
you  are  here?     What  has  become  of  the  schooner?' 

" '  The  schooner  is  sunk,  ma'am,  and  the  brig  is  cap- 
tured.' 

" '  And  my  husband  V 

"'Well,  ma'am,  don't  you  take  on,  but  your  hus- 
band went  down  with  the  schooner.' 

"  She  tottered,  and  I  thought  she  would  have  fallen, 
but  Mr.  Escombe  put  his  arm  round  her  and  led  her  to 
the  house  and  left  her  there,  putting  two  sailors  on 
guard  to  see  as  she  wasn't  disturbed.  An  hour  or  two 
later  the  frigate  was  off  the  cove,  and  the  captain 
landed.  WTe  stopped  a  week  there,  and  carried  off  all 
there  was  worth  taking;  and  I  tell  you  there  was 
enough  to  give  every  man-jack  on  board  a  handsome 
share  of  prize-money  when  the  things  came  to  be  sold 
afterwards. 

"  Money,  there  was  lots  of  it  all  stored  away  in  what 
they  called  the  treasure-house,  for  money  was  no  good 


A   RICH   CAPTURE.  107 

there.  Jewels  and  ornaments,  watches,  and  the  things 
which  they  uses  in  them  Catholic  churches,  and  all 
kinds  of  valuable  things,  and  stores  of  silks  and 
velvets  and  all  kind  of  materials;  and  as  to  wine  and 
such  like,  there  was  enough  to  have  lasted  them  for 
years,  for  from  first  to  last  it  was  shown  afterwards 
that  those  fellows  must  have  captured  more  nor  fifty 
vessels.  Why  they  shouldn't  have  stopped  ashore  and 
enjoyed  what  they  got  was  a  mystery  to  me.  But  I 
suppose  they  couldn't  do  without  excitement,  and 
though  every  man  talked  of  the  time  when  the  treasure 
would  be  divided  and  they  were  to  scatter,  I  don't 
suppose  as  one  ever  expected  as  the  time  would  really 
come. 

"Well,  arter  everything  was  on  board,  and  the 
women  and  children,  the  place  was  burnt,  and  we 
sailed  for  the  nearest  Spanish  port.  We  had  had  a 
sort  of  court-martial  on  board  the  frigate,  and  two  or 
three  young  chaps  like  myself,  and  two  men  as  was 
proved  to  have  been  captured  in  the  pirate's  last  cruise, 
and  who  hadn't  been  to  sea  with  them  or  taken  part  in 
any  of  their  bloody  doings,  was  kept  on  board  ship,  and 
the  rest  was  handed  over  to  the  Spanish  authorities. 
Most  of  them  was  garotted,  and  a  few  was  condemned 
to  work  on  the  roads  for  life.  I  and  the  others  was 
taken  back  to  England  in  the  frigate,  whose  foreign 
time  was  up,  and  when  we  got  to  Portsmouth  we  was 
drafted  into  a  regiment  there,  and  lucky  we  thought 
ourselves  to  get  off  so  easy.     The  captain's  wife  and 


108  THE  END   OF  THE  YARN. 

some  of  the  other  white  women  came  home  to  Eng- 
land on  board  the  frigate.  She  was  very  low  at  first, 
but  she  brightened  up  a  good  deal  towards  the  end  of 
the  voyage,  which  lasted  two  months.  She  grieved 
over  her  husband,  you  see,  but  she  couldn't  but  have 
felt  that  it  was  all  for  the  best.  I  heard  afterwards  as 
how  two  years  after  she  married  Mr.  Earnshaw,  who  by 
that  time  had  got  to  be  a  captain.  So  that,  you  see, 
my  lad,  is  how  I  came  to  fight  under  the  black  flag 
first  and  then  to  be  a  soldier  of  the  queen.  I  didn't 
mean  it  to  be  sich  a  long  yarn,  but  when  I  once  began 
it  all  came  back  to  me,  and,  you  see,  I  haven't  spoken 
of  it  for  years.  You  don't  think  altogether  as  I  was 
very  wrong,  I  hope." 

"  I  thank  you  very  much  for  your  story,  sergeant," 
Jack  replied.  "  I  only  wish  it  had  been  longer;  and 
although  it's  very  easy  to  say  that  a  man  ought  to 
die  rather  than  consent  to  be  a  pirate,  I  don't  think 
there  are  many  lads  who  would  choose  death  if  they 
were  placed  as  you  were." 

"  I  am  glad  to  think  that,  young  un,  it's  always  been 
a  sore  point  with  me.  I  have  done  my  duty  since,  and 
no  one  can  say  as  he's  ever  seen  Sergeant  Edwards  show 
the  white  feather.  But  the  thought  that  that  once  I 
did  not  act  as  a  brave  man  would  have  done  has  always 
troubled  me." 

The  next  day,  as  the  sea  went  down,  and  the  recruits 
recovered  from  the  effects  of  the  confinement  and  sick- 
ness, they  again  began  to  talk  among  themselves.    The 


OMINOUS   SIGNS.  109 

fact  that  all  the  other  vessels  of  the  fleet  were  out  of 
sight  naturally  encouraged  them.  Jack  observed,  how- 
ever, that  the  call  to  parade  on  deck  was  answered 
with  more  quickness  than  before,  and  the  exercises 
were  gone  through  with  a  painstaking  steadiness  greater 
than  had  been  shown  since  the  embarkation.  When 
the  men  were  dismissed  from  parade  Jack  remarked 
this  to  the  sergeant. 

"Ay,  ay,  lad,  I  noticed  it  too,"  the  sergeant  said, 
shaking  his  head,  "  and  in  my  opinion  it's  a  bad  sign. 
They  want  to  throw  the  officers  off  their  guard.  It's  a 
pity  you  have  been  seen  talking  so  much  to  me,  because, 
of  course,  they  won't  say  anything  when  you  are  listen- 
ing; but  one  or  two  of  the  men  who  came  into  the  regi- 
ment with  me  have  dropped  a  word  as  they  happened 
to  pass  this  morning  that  they  wanted  to  have  a  word 
if  they  could  get  one  without  being  noticed,  so  I  hope 
to  hear  a  little  more  to-night." 

That  evening,  before  going  below,  Jack  had  an  hour's 
talk  with  Sergeant  Edwards. 

"  It's  just  as  I  thought,"  the  latter  said,  "  they've  got 
an  idea  of  seizing  the  ship.  The  men  I  spoke  of 
managed  to  get  a  few  words  with  me  this  evening. 
They  don't  know  any  about  piracy.  All  they  have 
heard  is  that  there  is  a  proposal  to  seize  the  ship  and 
to  carry  her  into  one  of  the  northern  ports  of  Spain, 
where  the  men  will  land  and  give  up  their  arms  to  the 
Spanish  authorities,  and  then  either  disperse  and  make 
their  way  home  by  twos  and  threes  as  best  they  can,  or 


110  THE  SERGEANT'S  ADVICE. 

they  will  take  service  with  the  King  of  Spain,  who, 
they  think,  will  pay  them  a  deal  better  than  the 
English  government. 

"  A  part  of  the  crew  are  in  the  scheme.  These,  the 
men  tell  me,  do  not  intend  to  land,  but  only  tell  the 
others  that  they  shall  sail  away.  That's  about  what  I 
thought  would  be.  The  greater  part  of  these  fellows  only 
wants  to  get  quickly  home  again,  while  the  sailors,  who 
may  want  to  go  a-bucaneering,  would  not  care  about 
having  the  soldiers  with  them.  I  shall  give  a  hint  to 
the  captain  of  my  company  to-night  as  to  what  is  going 
on,  but  I  don't  much  expect  he  will  pay  any  attention 
to  it.  Officers  never  believe  these  things  till  it  is  too 
late,  and  you  see  I  can't  give  them  any  names  yet  or 
prove  what  I  say;  besides,  likely  enough,  any  inquiry 
set  on  foot  would  only  bring  the  matter  to  a  head. 
We  must  wait  till  we  know  something  sure. 

"  You  keep  your  ears  open,  my  boy,  and  your  eyes 
too,  and  I  will  do  the  same.  If  it  comes,  and  you  see 
a  chance  of  warning  the  captain  of  the  ship  or  the  first 
lieutenant  in  time,  you  do  it;  but  don't  you  do  it  if 
you  don't  think  there's  time  enough,  or  if  you  can't  do  it 
without  being  seen.  If  it's  too  late,  and  you  are  found 
out,  they  would  just  chuck  you  overboard  or  knock 
you  on  the  head,  and  you  will  have  done  no  good  after 
all,  and  perhaps  only  caused  bloodshed.  Like  enough, 
if  matters  go  quietly,  there  won't  be  no  bloodshed, 
and  the  officers  and  those  who  stick  to  them  will 
just  be  turned  adrift  in  the  boats,  or  maybe  handed 


THE   OUTBREAK   OF   THE   MUTINY.  Ill 

over  to  the  Spanish  at  the  port  they  go  into  as  pri- 
soners." 

Jack  promised  to  follow  the  sergeant's  instructions, 
and  went  below.  He  thought  that  the  men  were  un- 
usually  quiet,  and  taking  his  blanket — for  although 
some  of  the  soldiers  slept  in  hammocks,  the  majority 
lay  on  the  deck  wrapped  in  their  blankets — he  lay 
down  by  the  side  of  a  gun  whose  port  had  been  opened 
to  admit  air  between  decks.  After  thinking  the 
matter  over  for  some  time,  and  wondering  what  would 
be  the  end  of  it,  he  dropped  off  into  a  light  sleep. 

Presently  he  was  aroused  by  a  confused  sound. 
Looking  round  cautiously,  he  saw  by  the  dim  light  of 
the  lantern  that  most  of  the  men  were  on  their  feet. 
Some  of  them  were  taking  down  their  fire-arms  from 
the  arm-racks;  small  groups  were  stooping  over  some 
of  the  sleeping  figures;  and  to  the  mast,  close  to  which 
one  of  the  lanterns  hung,  two  or  three  men  were  bound, 
and  two  soldiers  with  pikes  were  standing  by  them.  The 
crisis,  then,  had  come,  and  Jack  at  once  proceeded  to 
carry  out  the  plan  he  had  thought  out  after  he  lay 
down. 

Very  quietly  he  crawled  out  through  the  port-hole, 
and  then  raised  himself  and  stood  on  the  muzzle  of  the 
gun.  There  he  could  reach  the  foot  of  the  shrouds  of 
the  foremast,  which  happened  to  be  immediately  above 
the  port.  He  swung  himself  up,  and,  placing  his 
hands  on  the  edge  of  the  bulwark,  cautiously  looked 
over. 


112  THE   FIRST   STEP   GAINED. 

At  present  all  was  quiet  there,  the  signal  from 
below  had  not  been  given,  and  the  troops  on  deck — for, 
owing  to  the  numbers  on  board,  one-fourth  were  always 
on  deck  in  fine  weather — were  standing  about  or  sitting 
in  groups.  Keeping  his  feet  on  the  ledge  which  ran 
round  level  with  the  deck,  and  his  fingers  on  the  top 
of  the  bulwark,  Jack  managed  to  edge  his  way  aft 
until  he  reached  the  line  of  the  quarter-deck.  Here 
the  line  of  the  bulwark  ceased,  the  cabins  of  the 
officers  rising,  as  was  usual  in  those  days,  in  a  double 
tier  high  about  the  waist. 

The  nearest  port-hole,  which  was  open,  was  but  three 
feet  along,  and  Jack,  reaching  forward,  put  one  hand 
in  it  and  continued  his  way.  The  port-hole  was  but 
just  large  enough  for  him  to  squeeze  through.  Looking 
in  before  he  attempted  it  he  saw  an  officer  asleep 
immediately  below  him.  It  was  the  ensign  of  his  own 
company.  Leaning  in  he  touched  him  gently.  After 
one  or  two  attempts,  the  young  officer  opened  his  eyes, 
saying,  "  What  is  it  ?     It's  not  morning  yet." 

"  Hush,  sir,"  Jack  said  earnestly, "  I  am  Jack  Stilwell 
of  your  company.  There  is  a  mutiny,  sir,  forward. 
Please  help  me  in,  I  want  to  warn  the  captain  of  the 
ship,  and  he  will  know  what  to  do." 

The  young  officer  leapt  from  his  bunk  and  assisted 
Jack  to  enter. 

"  I  will  come  with  you,"  he  said,  hastily  dragging  on 
his  trousers  and  coat.    "Are  you  sure  of  what  you  say  ?" 

"Quite  sure,  sir;  the  non-commissioned  officers  are 


THE  CAPTAIN  ROUSED.  113 

bound;  it  may  begin  at  any  moment."  The  ensign  led 
the  way  to  the  captain's  cabin,  which  he  opened  and 
entered  without  ceremony. 

"What  is  it?"  the  captain  exclaimed.  The  ensign 
said  who  he  was,  and  Jack  repeated  his  story. 

"The  dogs!"  the  captain  said,  "we  will  teach  them 
a  lesson.  Let  me  see,  the  second  lieutenant  is  on  duty; 
rouse  all  the  other  officers;"  and  he  himself  assisted 
them  to  do  so.  In  a  minute  or  two  they  were  gathered 
hastily  attired,  with  sword  and  pistol,  in  the  captain's 
cabin. 

"  Do  you,  Mr.  Hartwell,"  the  captain  said,  addressing 
the  first  lieutenant,  "  go  below  and  rouse  the  boatswain 
and  petty  officers,  and  bid  them  get  together  all  the 
men  they  can  depend  upon,  arm  them  quietly,  and  be 
ready  to  rush  on  deck  the  instant  a  stir  is  heard 
forward  among  the  soldiers.  Any  man  who  disobeys 
orders,  shoot  him  instantly.  Do  you,  sir,"  he  said  to 
the  second  officer,  "go  to  the  magazine  with  four  of 
the  midshipmen,  open  it  and  bring  up  charges  of  grape 
for  the  guns  on  the  quarter-deck.  Be  as  quick  as  you 
can.  Now,  gentlemen,  the  rest  of  us  will  make  our 
way  up  quietly,  one  by  one,  to  the  quarter-deck.  Go 
well  aft,  so  that  the  men  in  the  waist  will  not  notice 
you.  Directly  the  cartridges  come  up  we  will  load  the 
guns,  and  be  in  readiness  to  slew  them  across  the  deck ; 
and  in  the  meantime,  if  they  should  attack  before  we 
are  ready,  we  must  hold  the  ladders  to  the  last." 

One  by  one   the  officers  stole  out  from  the  cabin 

(  338 )  h 


114  ON    THE   QUARTER-DECK. 

with  bare  feet,  and  made  their  way  up  to  the  quarter- 
deck, until  some  thirty  of  them  were  gathered  there, 
being  all  the  officers  of  the  regiment,  the  naval  officers, 
and  midshipmen.  The  night  was  a  dark  one,  and  this 
was  accomplished  without  the  movement  being  noticed 
by  any  of  those  in  the  waist  of  the  ship. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


A   COMMISSION. 


%to»&<^ig  ;HE  moments  passed  slowly  and  anxiously, 
:  V  for,  if  the  mutineers  were  to  pour  up 
fh&^  from  below  before  the  cartridges  arrived 
and  the  lieutenant  had  got  the  petty- 
officers  and  men  on  whom  they  could  rely  ready  for 
action,  it  was  improbable  that  the  officers  would  be 
able  successfully  to  oppose  the  rush  of  the  men,  armed 
as  these  would  be  with  matchlock  and  pike. 

The  mutineers,  however,  believing  that  there  was 
no  occasion  to  hurry,  were  quietly  carrying  out  their 
intentions.  The  non-commissioned  officers  had  all  been 
seized,  tied,  and  placed  under  sentries,  whose  orders 
were  to  pike  them  if  they  uttered  a  word.  A  strong- 
guard  had  been  placed  at  the  foot  of  the  gangway  to 
prevent  any  of  the  soldiers  who  were  not  in  the  plan 
from  going  on  deck  and  oivino-  the  alarm.  The  muskets 
were  not  loaded,  as  on  embarkation  all  ball  cartridges 
had,  as  usual,  been  stowed  away  in  the  magazine;  but 
they  reckoned  upon  obtaining  possession  of  this  at  the 
first  rush.    The  ringleaders  proceeded  to  form  the  men 


116  THE  AMMUNITION   ARRIVES. 

in  fours,  so  that  they  could  pour  on  to  the  deck  in 
military  order.  The  men  of  each  company  were  told  off 
to  separate  work.  Two  companies  were  to  clear  the 
decks,  where,  on  their  appearance,  they  would  be  joined 
by  their  comrades  there,  and  to  overpower  any  sailors 
who  might  offer  resistance. 

Another  company  was  to  run  down  and  secure  the 
magazine,  and,  breaking  it  open,  to  serve  out  cartridges 
to  all.  Two  other  companies  were  to  rush  aft  and 
overpower  the  officers,  the  sixth  and  seventh  were  to 
form  round  the  head  of  the  hatchway  leading  to  the 
decks  where  the  sailors  slept,  and  to  allow  only  those 
to  come  on  deck  who  had  entered  into  the  plot.  The 
other  three  companies  were  already  on  deck.  The 
arrangements  were  excellent,  but  the  care  taken  in 
preparing  for  them,  and  the  necessity  for  doing  this 
in  silence  lest  the  stir  should  be  heard  and  an  alarm 
be  given  on  deck,  occupied  time  which  the  officers 
were  turning;  to  advantage. 

As  soon  as  the  captain  and  naval  men  had  gained 
the  quarter-deck  they  threw  off  the  lashings  of  the 
guns,  and  had  all  in  readiness  for  running  them  in 
and  taking  them  aft  to  the  edge  of  the  quarter-deck. 
There  was  a  deep  sensation  of  relief  as  one  after 
another  the  midshipmen  joined  them,  each  carrying 
three  cartridges  of  grape,  and  followed  by  the  gunner 
with  four  more.  The  lieutenant  was  to  stay  below 
to  lead  the  sailors  on  to  the  deck. 

The  gunner  brought  a  message  saying  that  all  was 


TAKEN   BY   SURPRISE.  117 

well.  Many  of  the  sailors  were  found  to  have  turned 
into  their  hammocks  without  undressing,  and  to  have 
hand-pikes  or  cutlasses  concealed  beneath  the  clothes. 
These,  however,  had  been  surprised  and  taken  with- 
out the  slightest  noise;  as,  on  finding  a  lantern  on 
one  side  of  their  heads  and  a  pistol  on  the  other,  each 
had  submitted  without  the  slightest  resistance.  All 
these  had  been  sent  down  to  the  hold  below,  and  a 
guard  placed  over  them.  The  guns  were  loaded  and 
the  whole  of  the  officers  divided  among  them  in  readi- 
ness to  run  them  forward.  Four  or  five  minutes  passed, 
then  a  shout  was  heard  forward  and  a  low  rush  of 
many  feet. 

In  an  instant  the  four  guns  on  the  quarter-deck  were 
run  across.  TVhile  this  was  being  done  there  was  a 
clashing  of  swords,  shouts,  and  a  noise  of  conflict  heard 
forward,  and  at  the  same  time  a  loud  cheer  arose,  while 
from  the  after  hatchway  a  dark  body  of  men  rushed 
up  on  to  the  deck  and  formed  across  it.  Some  mid- 
shipmen, who  had  been  told  off  for  the  duty,  ran  up 
from  the  officers'  cabin  with  lighted  lanterns,  which 
were  ranged  along  at  the  edge  of  the  quarter-deck. 

There  was  a  rush  aft  of  the  mutineers,  but  these 
recoiled  astonished  at  the  sight  of  the  pikes  which  con- 
fronted them,  and  the  line  of  sailors  four- deep  across 
the  deck,  while  at  the  same  moment  the  light  of  the 
lanterns  showed  them  the  officers  on  the  quarter-deck, 
and  the  four  guns  pointed  threateningly  towards  them. 
For  a  moment  a  silence  of  astonishment  and  dismay 


118  THE   MUTINY   SUPPRESSED. 

succeeded  the  uproar  which  had  preceded  it,  then  the 
captain's  voice  was  heard: 

"Down  with  your  arms,  you  mutinous  dogs,  or  I 
will  blow  you  into  the  air.  It  is  useless  to  resist.  We 
are  prepared  for  you,  and  you  are  without  ammunition. 
Throw  down  the  arms  on  the  decks,  every  man  of  you, 
before  I  count  three,  or  I  fire.     One — two —  " 

There  was  a  loud  clattering  of  arms,  mingled  with 
shouts  of — 

"  We  surrender;  don't  fire,  sir,  don't  fire." 

"  It's  all  over,"  the  captain  said  grimly.  "  Mr.  Hart- 
well,  "  march  your  men  forward,  shoot  any  scoundrel 
instantly  whom  you  find  with  arms  in  his  hands,  collect 
all  the  weapons  and  bring  them  aft. 

"Now,  Colonel  Clifford,"  he  said,  turning  to  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  regiment,  "  if  you  go  below 
with  the  officers,  you  can  unloose  the  non-commissioned 
officers;  they  will  be  able  to  point  out  to  you  the  ring- 
leaders in  this  business.  They  had  better  be  ironed  at 
once  and  put  into  the  hold.  You  will  have  no  more 
trouble  now,  I  fancy." 

In  ten  minutes  the  whole  of  the  arms  had  been  col- 
lected and  stored  up,  the  non-commissioned  officers  had 
pointed  out  some  twenty  of  the  ringleaders,  and  these 
were  safely  in  irons  below,  while  a  strong  guard  of 
armed  sailors  was  placed  between  decks  to  see  that 
there  was  no  renewal  of  insubordinate  conduct.  There 
was,  however,  no  fear  of  this;  the  men  were  thoroughly 
cowed  and  humiliated  by  the  failure  of  their  plan,  and 


THE    SENTENCES   ON    THE   MUTINEERS.  119 

each  was  occupied  only  in  hoping  that  he  had  not  been 
sufficiently  conspicuous  to  be  handed  over  in  the 
morning  to  join  the  prisoners  below. 

There  was  no  more  sleep  that  night  on  board  the 
ship.  After  breakfast  two  courts-martial  were  held, 
the  one  by  the  naval  the  other  by  the  military  officers. 
The  latter  sentenced  two  men,  who  were  convicted  on 
the  testimony  of  the  non-commissioned  officers  as 
having  been  the  leaders,  to  be  hung,  and  the  sentence 
was  at  once  carried  out.  The  regiment  was  formed  in 
close  order  on  deck  unarmed  and  witnessed  the  exe- 
cution of  their  comrades,  who  were  hung  up  to  the 
extremities  of  the  main-yard.  The  other  prisoners 
were  sentenced  to  two  hundred  lashes  a -piece  —  a 
punishment  which  was,  according  to  the  ideas  of  the 
time,  very  lenient,  such  a  punishment  being  frequently 
administered  for  comparatively  trifling  offences,  and 
the  prisoners  considered  themselves  fortunate  in  escap- 
ing hanging,  for  which,  indeed,  they  had  prepared 
themselves. 

Previous  to  the  administration  of  their  punishment 
the  colonel  addressed  the  men,  and  told  them  that  all 
the  ringleaders  had  been  found  guilty  and  sentenced 
to  death,  but  that  the  members  of  the  court-martial 
had  agreed  with  him  that,  considering  the  youth  and 
inexperience  of  the  offenders  and  the  whole  circum- 
stances of  the  case,  it  would  be  possible  to  remit  the 
death  sentence,  confident  that  the  prisoners  and  the 
whole  of  the  regiment  would  recognize  the  leniency 


120  REJOINING  THE  FLEET. 

with  which  they  had  been  treated,  and  would  return  to 
their  duty  with  a  firm  and  hearty  determination  to  do 
all  in  their  power  to  atone  for  their  misconduct,  and  to 
show  themselves  true  and  worthy  soldiers  of  the  queen. 
If  this  was  the  case,  no  further  notice  would  be  taken 
of  the  error;  but  at  the  same  time  he  warned  them, 
that  he  had  by  him  a  long  list  of  men  who  had  taken 
a  prominent  part  in  the  affair,  and  that  the  first  time 
any  of  these  misconducted  themselves  they  might  be 
well  assured  that  no  mercy  would  be  shown  to  them. 

The  naval  court-martial  showed  no  greater  severity 
than  that  administered  by  the  military  officers.  The 
vessel  was  short-handed,  and  moreover  the  officers  did 
not  wish  the  stigma  to  attach  to  the  ship  of  a  serious 
mutiny  among  the  crew.  Had  any  of  these  been  hung, 
the  matter  must  have  been  reported;  but  as  none  of 
the  crew  had  absolutely  taken  part  in  the  rising,  how- 
ever evident  it  was  that  they  intended  to  do  so,  no 
sentences  of  death  were  passed.  But  a  number  of  the 
men  were  sentenced  to  be  flogged  more  or  less  severely, 
those  who  had  but  lately  been  pressed  getting  off  with 
comparatively  light  punishments,  while  the  heaviest 
sentences  were  passed  on  the  older  hands  concerned 
in  the  affair. 

The  arms  of  the  troops  continued  to  be  kept  under 
a  strong  guard  until,  ten  days  later,  the  rest  of  the  fleet 
were  seen,  just  as  the  northern  point  of  Portugal  was 
made  out.  A  few  hours  later  the  fleet  was  united; 
and   the   next  day,  the  wind   dying   entirely  away, 


THE   SERGEANT   HAD   GUESSED   IT.  121 

Colonel  Clifford  proceeded  in  a  boat  to  the  flag-ship  to 
report  to  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  the  mutiny  which 
had  taken  place  in  his  regiment,  and  its  successful 
suppression.  Immediately  the  mutiny  had  been  put 
down  Jack  Stilwell  had  stolen  away  and  rejoined  the 
soldiers  forward;  and  although  there  was  much  wonder 
amono-  the  men  as  to  how  the  affair  had  been  dis- 
covered,  none  suspected  him  of  having  betrayed  them, 
and  believed  that  the  officers  must  have  been  warned 
by  some  word  incautiously  let  drop  in  their  hearing. 
Only  to  Sergeant  Edwards  did  Jack  reveal  what  had 
taken  place. 

"Do  you  know,  lad,  I  guessed  as  you  had  had  a 
hand  in  the  business  somehow.  When  I  was  standing 
tied  up  against  the  mast  I  had  to  keep  my  mouth 
shut;  but  I  had  the  use  of  my  eyes,  and  I  could  not 
make  you  out  among  them.  I  might  have  missed  you, 
of  course;  but  your  company  was  formed  up  close  to 
where  I  was  standing,  and  I  thought  I  should  have  seen 
you  if  you  had  been  there.  I  could  not  think  what 
had  become  of  you;  but  when  the  men  came  pouring 
down  again  without  their  arms,  and  I  heard  them 
cursino-  and  swearing  because  the  sailors  and  the 
officers,  and  all  was  found  in  readiness  to  receive  them, 
it  somehow  came  to  my  mind  as  that  you  was  at  the 
bottom  of  it — though  how,  I  could  not  for  the  life  of 
me  make  out,  for  I  knew  you  had  gone  below  when 
I  did." 

"I  wish,  sergeant,  that  when  you  are  examined,  as  you 


122  JACK   IS   SENT  FOR 

will  be  about  this  affair,  you  will  ask  Captain  Curtis 
to  ask  the  colonel  not  to  let  it  be  known  publicly  that 
it  was  I  who  warned  him,  for  my  life  would  be  unbear- 
able among  the  men  if  they  knew  it.  And  if  it  didn't 
happen  before,  it  would  be  certain  that  the  first  time 
we  went  into  action  I  should  get  a  bullet  in  my  back." 

"You  are  right  there,  my  lad.  I  will  tell  the  cap- 
tain. You  may  be  sure  your  conduct  won't  be  over- 
looked ;  but  at  present,  as  you  say,  the  less  said  about 
it  the  better." 

An  hour  after  Colonel  Clifford  had  gone  on  board 
the  flag-ship  the  boat  returned  with  orders  that  Private 
Stilwell  of  D  Company  was  to  go  back  with  them. 
The  order  was  given  to  Captain  Curtis,  who  sent  first 
for  Sergeant  Edwards. 

"  Go  forward,  sergeant,  and  tell  Stilwell  that  he  is 
to  go  on  board  the  flag-ship.  No  doubt  the  colonel  has 
spoken  to  the  general.  Tell  the  lad  apart,  and  let  him 
make  his  way  aft  here  to  the  gangway  quietly,  so  that 
he  won't  be  noticed.  If  any  of  the  men  happen  to  see 
him  going  off  in  the  boat,  they  may  suppose  that  the 
colonel  has  only  sent  for  some  man  who  can  write ;  and 
naturally  if  the  captain  had  ordered  me  to  choose  a  man, 
I  should  have  picked  him  out." 

On  reaching  the  deck  of  the  flag-ship  Jack  was  con- 
ducted to  the  admiral's  cabin.  At  the  head  of  the 
table  was  seated  a  man  whom  Jack  recognized  at  once, 
from  the  description  he  had  heard  of  him,  as  the  Earl 
of  Peterborough.      He  was  small  and   very  spare  in 


THE   EARL   OF   PETERBOROUGH.  123 

person,  his  features  were  pleasant,  his  nose  somewhat 
prominent,  his  eye  lively  and  penetrating.  He  had 
laid  aside  the  immense  wig  which,  in  accordance  with 
the  custom,  he  wore  when  abroad  or  at  court  in  Eng- 
land; and  Jack  saw  his  hair,  which  was  light-brown 
and  somewhat  scanty.  The  admiral  of  the  fleet  sat  next 
to  him;  for  although  Peterborough  had  the  command 
of  the  expedition  both  at  land  and  sea,  an  admiral 
was  in  command  of  the  fleet  under  him.  Colonel 
Clifford  was  seated  on  the  earl's  left,  and  several  other 
naval  and  military  officers  were  at  the  table. 

"Well,  young  man,"  Peterborough  said,  "Colonel 
Clifford  has  been  telling  us  that  it  is  due  to  you  that 
I  have  not  a  regiment  the  less  under  my  orders,  and 
that  her  majesty  has  not  lost  a  ship  from  the  list  of  her 
navy  He  says  that  the  whole  thing  was  so  quickly 
done  that  he  has  not  been  able  to  learn  the  full  par- 
ticulars from  you,  and  that  he  has  abstained  from 
questioning  you  because  you  did  not  wish  any  sus- 
picion to  be  excited  among  the  men  of  the  part  you 
played  in  it.  Now,  please  to  tell  me  the  whole  history 
of  the  affair." 

Jack  thereupon  related  how  his  suspicions  had  been 
aroused  by  Sergeant  Edwards,  who  was  only  waiting 
for  sufficient  opportunity  and  a  certainty  of  informa- 
tion to  divulge  the  plot  to  the  officers.  He  then  related 
his  awaking  as  the  mutiny  began,  and  the  steps  he 
had  taken  to  warn  the  officers.  When  he  had  done,  the 
earl  said: 


124  PROMOTED. 

"You  have  acted  smartly  and  well,  young  man;  you 
have  shown  promptness,  courage,  and  fidelity.  You 
speak  above  your  rank,  what  is  your  parentage  ? " 

"  My  father  was  a  clergyman,  sir,"  Jack  said,  "  but, 
being  dispossessed  of  his  living  in  the  troubles,  could 
not  make  his  case  known  on  the  return  of  King 
Charles;  but  he  supported  himself  by  teaching,  and 
gave  me  such  education  as  he  could,  in  hope  that  I 
too  should  enter  the  ministry.  But  my  thoughts  did 
not  incline  that  way;  and  when  he  died,  and  also  my 
mother,  I  thought  of  going  to  sea,  when  it  happened 
that  I  was  pressed  for  a  soldier.  And  seeing  that  it 
was  so,  I  made  up  my  mind  to  make  the  best  of 
things." 

"And  you  have  done  so,  young  man;  and  right  glad 
am  I  that  your  education  and  parentage  are  such  that 
I  can  reward  you  as  I  should  wish.  I  give  you  a 
discharge  now  from  your  regiment  and  appoint  you 
ensign.  You  will  at  present  form  one  of  my  staff; 
and  glad  am  I  to  have  so  dashing  and  able  a  young 
officer  ready  to  hand  for  any  perilous  service  I  may 
require." 

On  the  20th  of  June  the  fleet  sailed  up  the  Tagus. 

Jack  had  not  returned  on  board  his  ship. 

"Better  stop  here,"  the  earl  said.  "If  you  went  back, 
and  they  heard  you  were  promoted,  likely  enough 
some  of  them  might  toss  you  overboard  on  a  dark 
night.  We  will  set  the  tailors  at  once  to  work  to  rig 
you  up  an  undress  uniform.     You  can  get  a  full  dress 


THE   GENERAL'S   SECRETARY.  125 

made  at  Lisbon.  Not  that  you  will  be  wanting  to 
wear  that  much,  for  we  have  come  out  for  rough  work; 
still,  when  we  ride  triumphantly  into  any  town  we 
have  taken,  it  is  as  well  to  make  a  good  impression 
upon  the  Spanish  donnas.  And,  say  what  they  will, 
fine  feathers  go  a  long  way  towards  making  fine  birds. 
Do  you  write  a  good  hand?" 

"  I  think  I  write  a  pretty  fair  one,  sir." 

"  That  is  good.  I  write  a  crabbed  stick  myself,  and 
there's  nothing  I  hate  more  than  writing;  and  as  for 
these  young  gentlemen,  I  don't  think  they  will  be  of 
much  use  for  that  sort  of  thing.  However,  I  sha'n't 
have  a  great  deal  of  it.  But  you  shall  act  as  my  secre- 
tary when  necessary." 

The  earl's  orders  to  the  tailors  were  peremptory  to 
lose  no  time  in  fitting  Jack  with  an  undress  suit,  and 
in  twenty-four  hours  he  was  able  to  join  the  mess  of 
the  young  officers  and  volunteers  who  accompanied  the 
general.  These  were  all  young  men  of  good  family; 
and  having  heard  how  Jack  had  saved  the  ship  from 
mutiny,  they  received  him  among  them  with  great 
heartiness,  which  was  increased  when  they  found  that 
he  was  well  educated  and  the  son  of  a  gentleman. 

It  was  a  great  satisfaction  to  Jack  that,  owing  to  the 
kindness  and  generosity  of  the  earl,  he  was  able  to  pay 
his  expenses  at  mess  and  to  live  on  equal  terms  with 
them;  for  the  general  had  dropped  a  purse  with  a 
hundred  guineas  into  his  hand,  saying: 

"  This  will  be  useful  to  you,  lad,  for  you  must  live 


126  PETERBOROUGH'S   GENEROSITY. 

like  the  other  officers.  I  owe  it  to  you  many  times 
over  for  having  saved  me  that  regiment,  upon  whose 
equipment  and  fitting  out  I  had  spent  well-nigh  a 
hundred  times  that  sum." 

Some  of  the  officers  were  but  little  older  than  Jack, 
and  by  the  time  the  ship  dropped  anchor  in  the  Tagus 
he  was  quite  at  home  with  them. 

"What  a  lovely  city!"  he  said  as  he  leant  over  the 
bulwark  and  looked  at  the  town  standing  on  the  steep 
hills  sloping  down  to  the  river. 

"Yes,  indeed,"  Graham,  one  of  the  young  officers, 
agreed.  "But  I  fancy  the  Portuguese  are  but  poor 
creatures.  The  Earl  of  Galway  writes  in  his  despatches 
that  they  are  great  at  promises,  but  he  finds  he  can 
expect  little  assistance  from  them." 

"  Have  you  any  idea  whether  we  are  going  to  land 

here?" 

"No;  wherever  we  land,  you  may  be  sure  it  won't 
be  here.  The  Earl  of  Galway  has  been  here  two  or 
three  months,  and  he  has  some  good  regiments  with 
him.  Our  chief  would  be  losing  his  position  did 
we  land  here,  as  he  has  a  separate  command,  and 
would  of  course  be  under  Galway  if  the  forces  were 
joined.  The  Dutch  fleet  is  to  be  here  in  a  day  or 
two,  and  the  Archduke  Charles  sailed  a  fortnight  be- 
fore we  did;  and  as  we  have  made  a  very  slow  voyage  of 
it,  he  ought  to  have  been  here  long  ago.  What  a  talk 
there  will  be!  What  with  the  archduke,  and  the  Portu- 
guese, and  the  Dutch,  and  the  Prince  of  Hesse-Darm- 


RAISING   A  LOAN.  127 

stadt,  and  the  Earls  of  Gal  way  and  Peterborough,  and 
probably  every  one  of  them  with  his  own  ideas  and 
opinions,  it  will  be  hard  to  come  to  any  arrangement. 
Besides  there  will  be  despatches  from  the  British 
court,  and  the  court  of  the  Netherlands,  and  the  Aus- 
trian emperor,  all  of  whom  will  probably  differ  as  to 
what  is  the  best  thing  to  be  done.  There  will  be  a 
nice  to-do  altogether.  There's  one  thing  to  be  said, 
our  chief  can  out-talk  them  all;  and  he  can  say  such 
disagreeable  things  when  he  likes  that  he  will  be 
likely  to  get  his  own  way,  if  it's  only  to  get  rid  of 
him.  There  goes  his  boat  into  the  water.  What  an 
impatient  fellow  he  is,  to  be  sure!" 

No  sooner  had  Peterborough  landed  than  he  turned 
all  his  energies  to  obtain  the  supplies  which  had  been 
denied  to  him  at  home,  and  after  much  difficulty  he 
succeeded  in  borrowing  a  hundred  thousand  pounds 
from  a  Jew  named  Curtisos  on  treasury  bills  on  Lord 
Godolphin,  with  the  condition  that  the  lender  should 
be  given  the  contract  for  the  supply  of  provisions  and 
other  requisites  for  the  army.  The  day  that  the  earl 
had  carried  out  this  arrangement  he  returned  on  board 
radiant.  Hitherto  he  had  been  terribly  out  of  temper, 
and  Jack,  who  had  become  his  amanuensis,  had  written 
at  his  dictation  many  very  sharp  notes  to  everyone 
with  whom  he  had  come  in  contact.  As  soon  as  he 
came  on  board  he  sent  for  Jack  to  his  cabin. 

"  Sit  down,  Mr.  Stilwell,  I  have  a  despatch  for  you 
to  write  to  the  lord-treasurer.     I  have  got  my  money, 


128  A    PLEASANT   STAY. 

so  that  difficulty  is  at  an  end.  It  is  glorious!  I  couldn't 
get  a  penny  out  of  them  before  I  sailed,  now  I  have 
got  as  much  as  I  want.  I  would  give  a  thousand  guineas 
out  of  my  own  pocket  to  see  Godolphin's  face  when  he 
reads  my  despatch,  and  finds  that  he's  got  to  honour 
bills  for  a  hundred  thousand  pounds;  it  will  be  better 
than  any  comedy  that  ever  was  acted.  How  the 
pompous  old  owl  will  fret  and  fume!  But  he  will  have 
to  find  the  money  for  all  that.  He  can't  begin  the 
campaign  by  dishonouring  bills  of  her  majesty's  general, 
or  no  one  would  trust  us  hereafter.  You  haven't  seen 
my  lord-treasurer,  Mr.  Stilwell?" 

"  No,  sir,  I  have  not  been  at  court  at  all." 

"  That's  a  pity,"  the  earl  said;  "for  you  lose  the  cream 
of  the  joke.  Now,  I  shall  go  on  shore  to-morrow  and 
get  everything  that  is  wanted,  and  then  the  sooner  we 
are  off  the  better;  we  have  been  here  a  fortnight,  and 
I  am  sick  of  the  place." 

Jack  was  by  no  means  sick  of  Lisbon,  for  he  enjoyed 
himself  vastly.  The  town  was  full  of  troops — English, 
Dutch,  and  Portuguese.  Of  an  evening  there  were  fetes 
and  galas  of  all  kinds,  and  as  the  earl  always  attended 
these,  Jack  and  the  other  young  officers  were  permitted 
to  go  ashore  either  in  full  uniform  to  take  part  in  the 
fetes,  or  to  enjoy  themselves  according  to  their  fancies. 

As  Graham  had  predicted  it  was  some  time  before 
any  conclusion  was  arrived  at  as  to  the  destination  of 
the  fleet.  Several  councils  were  held,  but  no  decision 
was  come  to.    Peterborough's  orders  were  so  vague  that 


A  DECISION   ARRIVED   AT.  129 

he  could  use  his  own  discretion.  He  had,  indeed,  been 
recommended  to  prevail  upon  the  Archduke  Charles  to 
accompany  him  and  to  proceed  to  Italy,  where  he  was 
to  form  a  junction  with  Victor  Amadeus,  Duke  of  Savoy, 
who  was  sorely  pressed  by  the  armies  of  France. 

A  messenger,  however,  arrived  by  sea  with  an  order 
from  the  queen  that  the  fleet  should  proceed  to  the 
coast  of  Catalonia,  in  consequence  of  information  which 
had  been  sent  to  the  British  court  of  the  favourable 
disposition  of  the  Catalans  towards  the  Archduke 
Charles.  This  was  in  accordance  with  the  counsel 
which  the  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  had  been  strenu- 
ously urging,  and  his  recent  success  in  the  capture  and 
subsequent  defence  of  Gibraltar  gave  weight  to  his 
words  and  effaced  the  recollection  of  his  failure  before 
Barcelona  in  the  previous  year. 

The  final  decision  rested  in  a  great  measure  with 
the  Archduke  Charles,  who  at  last  decided  to  proceed 
with  Lord  Peterborough  and  land  upon  the  coast 
of  Spain  and  test  the  disposition  of  his  Valencian 
and  Catalan  subjects.  The  reasons  for  Peterborough's 
falling  in  with  the  decision  to  move  on  Barcelona  are 
explained  in  a  despatch  which  he  dictated  to  Sir  George 
Rooke  on  the  20th  of  July. 

"Upon  the  letter  of  my  Lord  Godolphin  and  the 
secretary  of  state,  the  King  of  Spain,  his  ministers,  and 
my  Lord  Galway  and  myself  have  concluded  there 
was  no  other  attempt  to  be  made  but  upon  Catalonia 
where  all  advices  agree  that  6000  men  and  1200  horse 

(338)  1 


130  THE  FLEET  SAILS  FOR  BARCELONA. 

are  ready  expecting  our  arrival  with  a  general  good- 
will of  all  the  people.  The  Portuguese  have  entirely- 
refused  to  join  in  any  design  against  Cadiz,  and  by  a 
copy  of  my  Lord  Galway's  letter  you  will  find  he  is  in 
an  utter  despair  of  their  attempting  anything  this 
year,  and  that  by  our  instructions  it  will  appear  that 
there  is  no  other  enterprise  left  for  our  choice." 

Peterborough's  military  force  was,  however,  wholly 
insufficient  for  such  an  enterprise.  He  prevailed  upon 
Lord  Gal  way  to  give  him  a  part  of  Lord  Raby's  and 
General  Cunningham's  regiments  of  English  dragoons, 
although  the  Portuguese  strenuously  opposed  this  being 
done.  Their  conduct,  indeed,  at  this  time  was  very 
similar  to  that  which  they  adopted  a  hundred  years 
later  towards  the  Duke  of  Wellington,  throwing  every 
conceivable  obstacle  in  the  English  commander's  way, 
and  opposing  every  plan  of  action  which  he  suggested. 
Many  of  the  dragoons  were  without  horses,  but  Lord 
Peterborough  mounted  them  on  animals  which  he 
bought  with  some  of  the  money  he  had  procured  from 
Curtisos. 

The  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  went  on  ahead  to 
Gibraltar  to  arrange  for  a  portion  of  the  garrison  to 
accompany  the  expedition.  On  the  28th  of  July  the 
Archduke  Charles  embarked  with  Lord  Peterborough 
on  board  the  Ranelagh,  and  an  hour  later  the  fleet  put 
to  sea.  Off  Tangiers  they  were  joined  by  the  squadron 
under  Sir  Cloudesley  Shovel,  and  a  few  days  later  they 
reached  the  Bay  of  Gibraltar. 


ASKING  A  FAVOUR.  131 

Here  they  found  that  the  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt 
had  arranged  that  the  battalion  of  the  guards,  with 
three  other  veteran  regiments  that  had  borne  part  in 
the  gallant  defence  of  the  fortress,  were  to  be  em- 
barked, and  two  of  the  newly-raised  corps  Lord  Peter- 
borough had  brought  out  from  England  were  to  take 
their  place  in  the  garrison.  The  regiment  to  which 
Jack  had  belonged  was  one  of  these.  As  soon  as  he 
heard  the  news  he  took  the  first  opportunity  of  speak- 
ing to  the  earl. 

"  I  have  a  favour  to  ask,  sir." 

"What  is  that,  lad?" 

"  It  is,  sir,  that  Sergeant  Edwards,  who,  if  you  re- 
member, advised  me  about  warning  the  officers  of  the 
mutiny,  should  be  transferred  to  one  of  the  regiments 
coming  on  board." 

"Certainly,  my  lad;  I  had  not  forgotten  him.  I 
only  wish  that  he  had  sufficient  education  to  give  him 
a  commission.  I  sent  to  inquire  of  his  colonel,  but 
finding  that  he  could  not  read  or  write,  and  that  he 
would  be  out  of  place  among  the  officers,  I  could  not  do 
it;  but  I  will  gladly  take  him  with  us  on  active  service. 
It  would  be  hard  on  a  good  soldier  to  be  left  behind 
with  that  mutinous  set  of  rascals." 

Jack  had  already  heard  from  Sergeant  Edwards, 
whom  he  had  met  several  times  on  shore  at  Lisbon,  and 
who  had  rejoiced  most  heartily  at  his  promotion,  that 
Lord  Peterborough  had  sent  him,  through  the  colonel, 
a  purse  of  fifty  guineas  as  a  reward  for  his  conduct. 


132  THE  LANDING. 

Jack  immediately  proceeded  in  a  boat  to  his  old  vessel, 
with  an  order  from  the  earl  that  the  sergeant  should 
be  at  once  transferred  into  one  of  the  regiments  coming 
on  board.  The  sergeant  was  delighted,  for  orders  had 
already  been  received  for  the  regiment  to  disembark 
and  form  part  of  the  garrison. 

An  hour  later  the  Archduke  Charles  landed,  amid 
the  thunder  of  the  guns  of  the  fleet  and  fortress,  for 
here  for  the  first  time  he  was  acknowledged  as,  and 
received  the  honour  due  to  the  King  of  Spain.  There 
was  but  little  delay — Lord  Peterborough's  energy 
hurried  everyone  else  forward,  and  on  the  5th  of 
August  the  fleet  again  put  to  sea,  the  king  and  the 
Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  accompanying  it. 

The  winds  were  contrary,  and  it  was  not  till  the 
11th  that  they  anchored  in  Altea  Bay,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Guadalaviar,  on  the  Yalencian  coast.  On  the  other 
side  of  the  roadstead  stood  the  castle  and  village  of 
Denia.  The  expedition  was  received  with  good-will 
by  the  people,  who  hated  the  ascendency  of  France  at 
Madrid  and  were  bitterly  jealous  of  Castille. 

As  soon  as  the  fleet  anchored  Peterborough  caused  a 
manifesto  to  be  distributed  among  the  people  disclaim- 
ing any  idea  of  aggrandizement  on  the  part  of  Great 
Britain  or  her  allies,  or  any  intention  of  injuring  the 
persons  or  property  of  Spaniards  who  were  the  lawful 
subjects  of  King  Charles  III.  "We  come,"  said  he, 
"  to  free  you  from  the  insupportable  yoke  of  the  gov- 
ernment of  foreigners,  and  from  the  slavery  to  which 


338 


SERGEANT    EDWARDS    AGAIN    JOINS  JACK. 


"LONG   LIVE  CHARLES   III.!"  133 

you  have  been  reduced  and  sold  to  France  by  ill- 
designing  persons." 

Several  of  the  Spanish  followers  of  the  king  landed 
to  encourage  the  people,  among  them  General  Basset  y 
Ramos,  an  active  officer  who  was  a  Valencian  by  birth. 
The  people  rapidly  assembled  from  the  surrounding 
country  and  lined  the  shore  shouting,  "Long  live  King 
Charles  III!"  Abundant  supplies  of  provisions  were 
sent  off  to  the  fleet,  for  which,  however,  Peterborough 
insisted  upon  liberal  payment  being  made. 

A  detachment  of  British  infantry  was  landed  to 
cover  the  operation  of  watering  the  fleet.  The  insur- 
rection spread  rapidly,  and  a  thousand  of  the  peasants 
seized  the  town  of  Denia  for  the  kinor  A  frigate 
and  two  bomb-vessels  crossed  the  bay  and  threatened 
the  castle.  This,  although  a  magnificent  pile  of  build- 
ing, was  but  weakly  fortified,  and  after  a  few  shots 
had  been  fired  it  surrendered,  and  General  Ramos  with 
400  regular  troops  from  the  fleet  landed  and  took 
possession,  and  amid  the  enthusiasm  of  the  population 
Charles  III.  wras  for  the  first  time  on  Spanish  ground 
proclaimed  King  of  Spain  and  of  the  Indies. 

The  Earl  of  Peterborough  now  proposed  a  plan  of 
the  most  brilliant  and  daring  kind,  and  had  his  advice 
been  taken  the  war  would  probably  have  terminated 
in  a  very  short  time,  by  securely  seating  Charles  III. 
upon  the  Spanish  throne.  Madrid  was  distant  but 
fifty  leagues  from  Altea  Bay.  Requena  was  the  only 
town  of  strength  that  lay  in  the  way;  the  rich  country 


134  A  BOLD   PLAN. 

would  have  afforded  ample  provision  and  means  of 
transport,  and  these  the  friendly  portion  of  the  people 
would  have  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  army. 

In  the  whole  of  Central  Spain  there  was  no  force 
which  could  oppose  him.  All  the  troops  of  Philip  were 
either  on  the  frontier  of  Portugal  or  occupying  the 
disaffected  cities  of  the  north.  At  Madrid  there  were 
but  a  few  troops  of  horse;  in  a  week  then,  and  possibly 
without  shedding  a  drop  of  blood,  Charles  might  have 
been  proclaimed  king  in  the  capital  of  Spain.  The 
plan  was,  of  course,  not  without  danger.  Marshal 
Tesse,  with  an  overwhelming  force,  would  threaten  the 
left  of  the  advancing  army,  and  the  garrisons  of  the 
northern  cities,  if  united,  could  march  with  equal 
superiority  of  force  upon  its  right;  but  Tesse  would  be 
followed  by  Lord  Galway  and  the  allied  and  Portu- 
guese army,  while  Barcelona  and  the  other  strongholds 
of  Catalonia  would  rise  if  their  garrisons  were  with- 
drawn. 

Even  in  the  case  of  failure  Peterborough  could  have 
retired  safely  through  Valencia  and  have  re-embarked 
on  board  the  fleet,  or  could  have  marched  to  Gibraltar. 
The  scheme  was  at  once  daring  and  judicious,  but  the 
Archduke  Charles  was  slow  and  timid,  and  was  con- 
trolled by  the  advice  of  his  even  slower  and  more  cau- 
tious German  advisers,  and  neither  argument  nor  en- 
treaty, on  the  part  of  Peterborough,  could  suffice  to 
move  him.  The  earl  was  in  despair  at  so  brilliant  an 
opportunity  being  thrown  away,  and  expressed  himself 


THE   FLEET   SAILS   ON.  135 

with  the  greatest  of  bitterness  in  his  letters  home  as  to 
the  impossibility  of  carrying  out  movements  when 
embarrassed  by  the  presence  of  the  king  and  by  the 
incapacity  of  the  king's  advisers. 

However,  findino-  that  nothing  could  be  done  he  re- 
embarked  his  troops,  and  the  fleet  sailed  for  Barcelona 
It  was  not,  however,  thought  probable  that  a  successful 
attempt  could  be  made  upon  so  strongly  fortified  a  city, 
and  it  was  determined  that  if  upon  inspection  the 
chances  of  success  should  appear  slight,  the  fleet  and 
army  should  at  once  proceed,  as  originally  intended,  to 
the  assistance  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy. 


CHAPTER   VII. 

BARCELONA. 

HE  city  of  Barcelona,  one  of  the  most  popu- 
lous and  important  in  Spain,  is  not  natu- 
rally a  place  of  great  strength.  It  is 
situated  on  a  plain  close  to  the  sea.  and  its 
defences,  although  extensive,  were  not  very  formidable 
against  a  strong  army  provided  with  a  siege  train. 
To  hold  them  fully  required  a  much  larger  force  than 
was  disposable  for  the  defence.  The  garrison  was, 
however,  fully  equal  in  strength  to  the  force  of  Peter- 
borough, and  should  have  been  able  to  defend  the  city 
against  an  army  vastly  exceeding  their  own  numbers. 
Ten  bastions  and  some  old  towers  protected  the  town 
towards  the  north  and  east;  between  the  city  and  the 
sea  was  a  long  rampart  with  an  unfinished  ditch  and 
covered  way;  while  to  the  west,  standing  on  a  lofty 
elevation,  the  castle  of  Montjuich  overlooked  and 
guarded  the  walls  of  the  city. 

From  the  centre  of  the  sea  face  a  mole  projected 
into  the  water,  guarding  a  small  harbour.  The  country 
round  the  town  was  fertile  and  beautiful,  carefully 


THE   FIRST   CANNON-SHOT.  137 

cultivated  and  watered  by  streams  flowing  from  the 
neighbouring  mountains.  At  the  distance  of  about  a 
league  from  the  shore  the  land  rises  into  an  amphi- 
theatre of  hills  thickly  dotted  with  small  towns,  villages, 
and  country  seats. 

As  soon  as  the  allied  fleet  had  anchored  the  garrison 
commenced  a  cannonade  from  the  mole  and  from  a 
battery  close  to  the  sea  upon  some  of  the  transports 
nearest  to  the  shore;  but  their  shot  did  not  reach  the 
vessels,  and  the  fire  soon  ceased.  The  east  wind,  how- 
ever, proved  more  troublesome  than  the  enemy's  fire, 
and  the  ships  rolled  heavily  from  the  sea  which  came 
in  from  the  east. 

The  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  with  two  frigates 
put  into  the  harbour  of  Mataro  for  the  purpose  of  ob- 
taining intelligence.   He  found  that  in  the  neighbouring 

CD  CD  CD  CD 

town  of  Yich  the  people  had  risen  for  King  Charles, 
and  putting  himself  in  communication  with  their 
leaders  he  advised  them  to  march  upon  the  coast  and 
co-operate  with  the  forces  about  to  land.  On  his  way 
to  rejoin  the  fleet  the  prince  chased  two  Neapolitan 
galleys,  which,  however,  managed  to  get  safely  into 
Barcelona. 

They  had  on  board  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Popoli, 
M.  d'Abary,  a  French  officer  of  distinction,  and  forty 
other  young  gentlemen,  partisans  of  the  Duke  d'Anjou, 
and  destined  for  employment  in  different  parts  of  Spain. 
They  were  now,  however,  detained  in  the  city  by  the 
governor  to  assist  in  its  defence. 


138  A   GLOOMY   PROSPECT. 

The  first  glance  into  the  state  of  affairs  gave  the 
Earl  of  Peterborough  such  an  unfavourable  impression 
that  he  at  once  objected  to  the  proposed  attack. 

The  governor,  Don  Francisco  Velasco,  was  a  brave 
and  distinguished  officer,  the  garrison  equalled  his  own 
force  in  numbers,  the  town  was  well  supplied  with 
provisions  and  stores,  and,  in  order  to  add  to  the  diffi- 
culties of  the  besiegers,  orders  had  been  given  to  des- 
troy all  the  forage  in  the  surrounding  country  which 
could  not  be  conveyed  within  the  walls.  Any  Austrian 
sympathies  the  inhabitants  might  possess  were  effec- 
tually suppressed  by  the  power  and  vigilance  of  the 
governor.  The  besieging  army  was  far  too  small  to 
attempt  a  blockade,  while  the  chances  of  an  assault 
upon  an  equal  force  behind  well-armed  defences  seemed 
almost  desperate. 

The  engineers  declared  that  the  difficulties  of  a 
regular  sieo*e  were  enormous  if  not  insurmountable, 
and  that  the  only  vulnerable  point  was  covered  by  a 
bog,  where  the  transport  of  cannon  or  the  formation  of 
works  would  be  impossible.  Above  all,  the  principal 
hope  of  the  expedition  had  failed.  The  adherents  of 
Charles  had  assured  him  that  the  whole  country  would 
rise  in  his  favour  on  the  arrival  of  the  fleet,  and  that 
the  town  itself  would  probably  open  its  gates  to  receive 
him.  These  promises  had,  like  all  others  he  had  re- 
ceived from  his  Spanish  friends,  proved  delusive.  Few 
of  the  peasantry  appeared  to  receive  them  on  the  coast, 
and  these  were  unarmed  and  without  officers. 


A  COUNCIL   OF  WAR.  139 

The  earl's  instructions,  although  generally  quite  in- 
definite, were  stringent  upon  one  point.  He  was  on 
no  account  to  make  the  slightest  alteration  in  the  plans 
of  the  expedition,  or  to  take  any  decisive  step  for  their 
accomplishment,  without  the  advice  of  the  council  of 
war.  This  would  have  been  in  any  case  embarrassing 
for  a  general,  in  the  present  instance  it  was  calculated 
altogether  to  cripple  him.  There  was  but  little  harmony 
among  the  chief  officers.  The  English  military  officers 
were  by  no  means  on  good  terms  with  each  other,  while 
the  naval  officers  regarded  almost  as  an  insult  Lord 
Peterborough's  being  placed  in  command  of  them.  The 
English  hated  the  German  officers  and  despised  the 
Dutch.  Lord  Peterborough  himself  disliked  almost  all 
his  associates,  and  entertained  a  profound  contempt  for 
anyone  whose  opinion  might  differ  from  that  which 
he  at  the  moment  might  happen  to  hold. 

It  was  impossible  that  good  could  come  from  a 
council  of  war  composed  of  such  jarring  elements  as 
these.  However,  Lord  Peterborough's  instructions  were 
positive,  and  on  the  16th  of  August,  1705,  he  convened 
a  council  of  war  on  board  the  Britannia,  consisting  of 
nine  generals  and  a  brigadier,  with  two  colonels  on  the 
staff.  The  king  and  the  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt 
were  present,  but  took  no  part  in  the  deliberations. 
Singularly  enough  the  council  proved  unanimous  in 
their  opinion  that  Barcelona  should  not  be  attacked. 
The  reasons  for  the  decision  were  drawn  up  and  put 
on  record.     The  council  pointed  out  all  the  difficulties 


140  THE  TROOPS   ARE  LANDED. 

which  existed,  and  declared  the  strength  of  the  allied 
army  to  be  only  nineteen  battalions  of  foot  and  two 
cavalry  regiments,  of  whom  no  more  than  7000  men 
were  fit  for  action,  and  only  120  dragoon  horses  had 
survived  the  voyage  in  serviceable  condition. 

The  decision  of  the  council  was  most  opposed  to  the 
hopes  and  wishes  of  Charles  and  the  Prince  of  Hesse- 
Darmstadt,  and  they  addressed  letters  of  strong  re- 
monstrance to  Lord  Peterborough,  urging  that  to  aban- 
don the  expedition  at  this  juncture  would  be  alike  fatal 
to  the  common  cause  and  discreditable  to  the  British 
arms. 

Meanwhile,  however,  the  greater  part  of  the  troops 
had  landed  without  opposition;  but  the  sea  broke  with 
such  force  on  the  beach  that  much  difficulty  had  been 
experienced  in  getting  ashore.  The  landing-place  had 
been  well  chosen  by  Lord  Peterborough  and  Sir  Cloucles- 
ley  Shovel.  It  was  about  two  miles  east  of  the  city, 
near  a  place  called  Badalona,  and  close  to  the  mouth 
of  the  little  river  Basoz.  The  transports  were  moored 
in  as  close  as  possible,  and  the  boats  of  the  fleet  carried 
three  thousand  men  ashore  each  trip. 

In  five  hours  fifteen  battalions  were  landed  without 
the  loss  of  a  man.  A  strong  natural  position  about  a 
mile  from  the  city  was  chosen  for  the  encampment;  its 
left  rested  on  the  sea,  its  right  was  covered  by  several 
abrupt  hills  and  defiles  through  which  the  river  Basoz 
flowed.  The  front  was,  however,  much  extended,  but 
this  mattered  the  less,  as  the  people  from  the  neigh- 


THE   KING'S  PROTEST.  141 

bouringr  villages  began  to  assemble  when  the  landing: 
took  place,  and  welcomed  the  allies  of  King  Charles 
with  joy.  A  number  of  these  were  employed  by  Lord 
Peterborough  in  guarding  the  advanced  posts  and  cover- 
ing the  numerous  roads  leading  from  the  city  towards 
the  camp. 

On  the  22d  another  council  of  war  was  held  at  the 
Dutch  General  Schratenbach's  quarters  in  the  camp  to 
consider  two  letters  of  the  king,  in  which  he  again  urged 
the  allied  generals  to  attack  the  city.  He  proposed  that 
a  battery  of  fifty  guns  should  be  erected  to  breach  the 
wall  between  two  of  the  bastions,  and  that  the  whole 
strength  of  the  army  should  be  thrown  upon  an  assault. 
He  acknowledged  the  force  of  the  several  objections  to 
the  attack,  but  urged  that  in  such  a  case  vigorous  action 
was  the  safest.  He  dwelt  upon  the  ruin  that  must  fall 
upon  such  of  his  subjects  as  had  declared  for  him  if 
abandoned  to  their  fate,  and  concluded  by  declaring 
that  he  at  least  would  not  desert  them. 

The  appeal  failed  to  move  any  of  the  council  with 
the  exception  of  Peterborough  himself,  and  he  alone 
voted,  although  in  opposition  to  his  own  judgment,  in 
compliance  with  the  king's  plan.  Notwithstanding 
the  adverse  decision  of  the  council  the  horses  and 
dragoons  were  landed  on  the  24th. 

On  the  25th,  the  26th,  and  the  28th  the  council  again 
assembled  to  deliberate  upon  an  earnest  request  of  the 
king  that  they  should  attempt  the  siege  for  a  period 
of  eighteen  days.     The  first  decision  was  adverse,  two 


142  PETERBOROUGH'S   TROUBLES. 

only  voting  with  Lord  Peterborough  for  the  siege.  At 
the  second  council,  his  influence  succeeded  in  obtaining 
a  majority;  but  at  the  third,  they  agreed  to  abandon  the 
attempt,  even  the  commander-in-chief  concurring. 

The  cause  of  this  sudden  reversal  of  their  opinion 
was,  that  none  of  the  workmen  whom  they  had  de- 
manded from  the  leaders  of  the  Catalan  peasantry  had 
appeared,  and  they  felt  it  impossible  to  carry  on  the 
works  and  erect  the  siege  batteries  without  such  assis- 
tance. Nevertheless  the  peasantry  gave  effectual  aid 
in  landing  the  artillery,  tents,  ammunition,  and  stores. 
On  the  28th  the  king  landed  amid  a  great  concourse 
of  people,  who  received  him  with  every  demonstration 
of  enthusiasm,  and  he  could  with  difficulty  make  his 
way  through  them  to  the  camp  prepared  for  him  near 
San  Martino. 

The  presence  of  the  king  on  shore  added  to  the  diffi- 
culties of  the  situation.  He  and  his  following  of  Ger- 
man courtiers  complained  bitterly  of  the  disinclination 
of  the  allies  to  undertake  the  siege,  while  the  allies 
were  incensed  against  those  who  reproached  them  for 
not  undertaking  impossibilities.  Dissension  spread 
between  the  allies  themselves,  and  the  Dutch  general 
declared  that  he  would  disobey  the  orders  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief rather  than  vainly  sacrifice  his  men. 

Peterborough  was  driven  nearly  out  of  his  mind  by 
the  reproaches  and  recrimination  to  which  he  was  ex- 
posed, and  the  quarrels  which  took  place  around  him. 
He  was  most  anxious  to  carry  out  his  instructions,  and, 


HARASSED   ON  ALL  SIDES.  143 

as  far  as  possible,  to  defer  to  the  opinion  of  Charles, 
but  he  was  also  bound  by  the  decisions  of  the  councils 
of  war,  which  were  exactly  opposite  to  the  wishes  of 
the  king. 

The  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  enraged  him  by  in- 
sisting that  1500 disorderly  peasants  whom  he  had  raised 
were  an  army,  and  should  be  paid  as  regular  soldiers 
from  the  military  chest,  while  they  would  submit  to  no 
discipline,  and  refused  to  labour  in  the  trenches,  and  an 
open  rupture  took  place,  when  the  prince,  in  his  vexation 
at  the  results  of  the  councils  of  war,  even  went  so  far 
as  to  accuse  the  earl  of  having  used  secret  influence  to 
thwart  the  enterprise. 

To  add  to  the  difficulties  of  the  commander-in-chief 
the  English  troops  were  loud  in  their  complaints  against 
him  for  having  landed  and  committed  them  to  this 
apparently  hopeless  enterprise;  but  they  nevertheless 
clamoured  to  be  led  against  the  town,  that  they  might 
not  be  said  to  have  "come  like  fools  and  gone  like 
cowards." 

Lord  Peterborough  confided  his  trouble  and  vexation 
freely  to  his  young  secretary.  Jack  was  sincerely 
attached  to  his  generous  and  eccentric  chief,  and  the 
general  was  gratified  by  the  young  officer's  readiness 
at  all  times  and  hours  to  come  to  him  and  write  from 
his  dictation  the  long  letters  and  despatches  which  he 
sent  home.  He  saw,  too,  that  he  was  thoroughly  trust- 
worthy, and  could  be  relied  upon  to  keep  absolute 
silence  as  to  the  confidences  which  he  made  him, 


144  NAVAL  OPINION. 

In  the  midst  of  all  these  quarrels  and  disputes  the 
siege  was  carried  on  in  a  languid  manner.  A  battery 
of  fifty  heavy  guns,  supplied  by  the  ships  and  manned 
by  seamen,  was  placed  upon  a  rising  ground  flanked 
by  two  deep  ravines,  and  on  several  of  the  adja- 
cent hills  batteries  of  light  field-guns  had  been  raised. 
Three  weeks  were  consumed  in  these  comparatively 
unimportant  operations,  and  no  real  advance  towards 
the  capture  of  the  place  had  been  effected.  Something 
like  a  blockade,  however,  had  been  established,  for  the 
Catalan  peasants  guarded  vigilantly  every  approach  to 
the  town. 

The  officers  of  the  fleet  were  no  less  discontented  than 
their  brethren  on  shore  at  the  feeble  conduct  of  the 
siege,  and  had  they  been  consulted  they  would  have 
been  in  favour  of  a  direct  attack  upon  the  city  with 
scaling-ladders,  as  if  they  had  been  about  to  board  a 
hostile  ship.  But  Peterborough  and  his  officers  were 
well  aware  that  such  an  attack  against  a  city  defended 
by  a  superior  force  would  be  simple  madness,  and  even 
an  attack  by  regular  approaches,  with  the  means  and 
labour  at  their  disposal,  would  have  had  no  chance  of 
success. 

But  while  all  on  shore  and  in  the  fleet  were  chafing 
at  the  slowness  and  hopelessness  of  the  siege,  Jack 
Stilwell  was  alone  aware  that  the  commander-in-chief 
did  not  share  in  the  general  despair  of  any  good  aris- 
ing from  the  operations. 

Lord  Peterborough  had  little  communication  with 


MONTJUICH.  145 

the  other  generals;  but,  alone  in  his  tent  with  Jack  and 
an  interpreter,  he  occupied  himself  from  morning  till 
night  in  examining  peasants  and  spies  as  to  every  par- 
ticular of  the  fortifications  of  the  city,  of  the  ground 
near  to  the  walls,  and  of  the  habits  and  proceedings  of 
the  garrison.  At  last  he  resolved  upon  an  attempt, 
which,  in  its  daring  and  enterprise,  is  almost  without 
parallel.  Indeed  its  only  hope  of  success  lay  in  its 
boldness,  for  neither  friend  nor  foe  could  anticipate 
that  it  would  be  attempted.  It  was  no  less  than  the 
surprise  of  the  citadel  of  Montjuich. 

This  formidable  stronghold  covered  the  weakest  part 
of  the  defences,  that  towards  the  south-west,  and  far 
exceeded  in  strength  any  other  part  of  the  lines.  It 
had  been  most  skilfully  designed.  The  ditches  were 
deep,  and  the  walls  firm;  the  outworks  skilfully  planned; 
the  batteries  well  armed,  and  the  inner  defences  for- 
midable in  themselves.  It  was,  in  fact,  by  far  the 
strongest  point  in  the  position  of  the  besieged.  Stand- 
ing on  a  commanding  height  it  was  abundantly  capable 
of  defence  even  against  a  regular  siege,  and  its  reduc- 
tion was  always  regarded  as  a  most  formidable  enter- 
prise, to  be  undertaken  at  leisure  after  the  capture  of 
the  town.  Its  only  weakness  lay  in  the  fact  that, 
surrounding  it  on  every  side  were  numerous  ravines 
and  hollows,  which  would  afford  concealment  to  an  as- 
sailant, and  that  trusting  to  the  extraordinary  strength 
of  their  position  the  garrison  of  Montjuich  might 
neglect  proper  precautions. 

(338)  & 


146  A  SCOUT  RECONNAISSANCE. 

One  morning  before  daybreak  the  earl,  accompanied 
only  by  Jack  and  a  native  guide,  left  the  camp  on 
foot,  having  laid  aside  their  uniforms  and  put  on  the 
attire  of  peasants,  so  that  the  glitter  of  their  accoutre- 
ments might  not  attract  the  attention  of  the  enemy's 
outposts.  Making  a  long  detour  they  approached  the 
castle,  and  ascending  one  of  the  ravines  gained  a  point 
where,  themselves  unseen,  they  could  mark  all  par- 
ticulars of  the  fortifications.  Having  carried  out  his 
purpose  the  earl  returned  to  camp  with  his  companion 
without  his  absence  having  been  observed.  The  ob- 
servations which  Peterborough  had  made  confirmed 
the  reports  of  the  peasants,  that  the  garrison  kept  but 
a  negligent  watch,  and  he  at  once  resolved  upon  making 
the  attempt ;  but  to  none  of  his  most  intimate  friends 
did  he  give  the  slightest  hint  of  his  intentions. 

To  disguise  his  views  he  called  councils  of  war  both 
in  the  camp  and  fleet,  wherein  it  was  resolved,  with 
his  full  consent,  that  the  siege  of  Barcelona  should  be 
abandoned,  and  that  the  army  should  be  immediately 
re-embarked  and  conveyed  to  Italy.  Accordingly 
the  heavy  artillery  was  conveyed  on  board  ship,  the 
warlike  stores  collected,  and  the  troops  warned  to  be 
ready  for  embarkation.  A  storm  of  reproaches  was 
poured  upon  the  earl  by  Charles  and  his  courtiers. 
The  officers  of  the  fleet  protested  openly,  declaring  that 
an  assault  ought  to  be  attempted,  and  that  it  was  too 
late  in  the  season  to  attempt  operations  elsewhere. 

To  Jack's  surprise  his  commander,  usually  so  hasty, 


THE  EMBARKATION  ORDERED.  147 

irritable,  and  passionate,  bore  with  the  greatest  calm- 
ness and  patience  the  reproaches  and  accusations  to 
which  he  was  exposed.  No  one  dreamed  that  behind 
these  preparations  for  embarkation  any  plan  of  attack 
was  hidden. 

On  the  13th  of  September  the  army  received  orders 
to  embark  on  the  morrow,  while  within  the  town  the 
garrison  and  the  inhabitants,  who  were,  or  pretended 
to  be,  well-affected  to  the  Bourbons,  held  high  rejoicing 
at  the  approaching  departure. 

On  the  afternoon  of  that  day  a  detachment  of  Eng- 
lish and  Dutch  troops  1200  strong  were  ordered  to  as- 
semble in  the  allied  camp  for  the  purpose,  as  was  sup- 
posed, of  covering  the  embarkation.  Scaling-ladders 
and  everything  necessary  for  an  assault  had  already 
been  privately  prepared  by  the  Catalan  peasants  under 
Peterborough's  instructions. 

About  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  400  grenadiers  of 
the  party  assembled  under  the  command  of  Hon.  Col- 
onel Southwell,  and  were  ordered  to  march  by  the  Ser- 
ria  road,  as  if  en  route  to  Taragona  to  meet  the  fleet 
and  embark  in  that  harbour.  The  remainder  of  the 
detachment  followed  in  support  at  some  little  distance. 
At  nio-htfall  the  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  was  sur- 
prised  by  Lord  Peterborough's  entrance  into  his  quar- 
ters. Since  their  rupture  all  intercourse  had  ceased 
between  them. 

"  I  have  determined,"  the  earl  said,  "  to  make  this 
night  an  attack  upon  the  enemy.     You  may  now,  if 


148  A  LONG   NIGHT-MARCH. 

you  please,  be  a  judge  of  our  behaviour,  and  see  whether 
my  officers  and  soldiers  really  deserve  the  bad  character 
which  you  of  late  have  so  readily  imputed  to  them." 
He  then  explained  that  the  troops  were  already  on 
their  march  to  Montjuich. 

The  prince  immediately  ordered  his  horse,  and  the 
two  gallant  but  impulsive  and  singular  men  rode  off, 
followed  only  by  Jack  Stilwell  and  the  prince's  aide- 
de-camp.  At  ten  o'clock  they  overtook  the  troops,  and 
Peterborough  ordered  a  total  change  of  route,  he  him- 
self leading. 

The  roads  were  winding,  narrow,  and  difficult.  For  a 
great  part  of  the  way  there  was  only  room  for  the 
men  to  march  in  single  file.  The  night  was  very  dark, 
and  the  detachment  many  hours  on  the  march,  so  that 
daylight  was  just  breaking  when  they  reached  the  foot 
of  the  hill  on  which  the  fort  of  Montjuich  stood. 

The  troops  under  Peterborough's  command  now  per- 
ceived the  object  of  their  march,  and  imagined  that 
they  would  be  led  to  the  attack  before  the  day  had 
fairly  broke;  but  the  general  had  well  considered  the 
subject,  and  had  determined  to  avoid  the  risk  and  con- 
fusion of  a  night  assault.  He  called  his  officers  together 
and  explained  to  them  why  he  did  not  mean  to  attack 
till  broad  daylight. 

His  examination  of  the  place  had  shown  him  that 
the  ditches  could  be  crossed,  no  palisades  or  barriers 
havino-  been  erected.  He  had  noticed,  too,  that  the 
inner  works  were  not  sufficiently  high  to  enable  their 


THE  DISPOSITIONS   FOR  THE  ASSAULT.  149 

guns  properly  to  command  the  outer  works  should 
these  be  carried  by  an  enemy.  He  had  therefore  de- 
termined to  carry  the  outworks  by  assault,  judging 
that  if  he  captured  them  the  inner  works  could  not 
long  resist.  In  case  of  a  reverse,  or  to  enable  him  to 
take  advantage  of  success,  he  told  them  that  he  had 
ordered  Brigadier- general  Stanhope  to  march  during 
the  night  with  a  thousand  infantry  and  the  handful 
of  cavalry  to  a  convent  lying  half-way  between  the 
camp  and  the  city,  and  there  to  hold  himself  in  re- 
serve. 

Peterborough  now  silently  and  coolly  completed  his 
arrangements  for  the  assault.  He  divided  the  body  of 
troops  into  three  parties;  the  first  of  these,  two  hun- 
dred and  eighty  strong,  were  to  attack  the  bastion 
facing  the  town,  which  was  the  strongest  part  of  the 
defence.  He  himself  and  the  Prince  of  Hesse  accom- 
panied this  party.  A  lieutenant  and  thirty  men  formed 
the  advance.  A  captain  and  fifty  more  were  the  sup- 
port, and  the  remaining  two  hundred  men  were  to 
form  in  the  rear. 

The  orders  were  that  they  should  push  forward  in 
spite  of  the  enemy's  fire,  leap  into  the  ditch,  drive  the 
garrison  before  them,  and  if  possible  enter  the  works 
with  them ;  but,  if  not,  to  obtain  at  least  a  firm  footing 
on  the  outer  defences.  The  second  party,  similar  in 
strength  and  formation,  under  the  command  of  the 
Hon.  Colonel  Southwell,  were  to  attack  an  unfinished 
demi-bastion  on  the  extreme  western  point  of  the  fort 


150  A  BASTION  CARRIED. 

and  furthermost  from  the  town.  The  remainder  of  the 
little  force,  under  a  Dutch  colonel,  were  to  be  held  in 
reserve,  and  to  assist  wherever  they  might  be  most 
useful.  They  occupied  a  position  somewhat  in  rear, 
and  half-way  between  the  two  parties  who  were  to 
make  the  assault. 

Soon  after  daylight  Peterborough  gave  the  order  to 
advance,  and  in  the  highest  spirits,  and  in  excellent 
order,  the  soldiers  pushed  up  the  hill  towards  the  fort. 
Some  irregular  Spanish  troops  were  the  first  to  perceive 
them.  These  fired  a  hasty  volley  at  the  British  troops 
as  they  ascended  the  crest  and  then  retreated  into  the 
fort.  Seizing  their  arms  the  garrison  rushed  to  the 
ramparts  and  manned  them  in  time  to  receive  the  as- 
sailants with  a  sharp  fire.  The  grenadiers  who  formed 
the  leading  party  did  not  hesitate  for  a  moment,  but 
leaped  into  the  unfinished  ditch,  clambered  up  the  outer 
rampart,  and  with  pike  and  bayonet  attacked  the  de- 
fenders. 

The  captain's  detachment  speedily  joined  them.  The 
defenders  gave  way,  broke,  and  fled,  and  in  wild  con- 
fusion both  parties  rushed  into  the  bastion.  Peter- 
borough and  the  prince  with  their  two  hundred  men  fol- 
lowed them  quickly  and  in  perfect  order,  and  were  soon 
masters  of  the  bastion.  The  earl  at  once  set  his  men 
to  work  to  throw  up  a  breastwork  to  cover  them  from 
the  guns  of  the  inner  works;  and  as  there  was  plenty 
of  materials  collected  just  at  this  spot  for  the  carrying 
out  of  some  extensive  repairs,  they  were  able  to  put 


FURTHER   SUCCESS.  151 

themselves  under  cover  before  the  enemy  opened  fire 
upon  them. 

The  attention  of  the  garrison  was  wholly  occu- 
pied by  this  sudden  and  unexpected  attack,  and  the 
Prince  della  Torrella,  a  Neapolitan  officer  in  tem- 
porary command  of  the  fort,  ordered  all  his  force  to 
oppose  the  assailants.  This  was  what  Peterborough 
had  expected.  He  at  once  sent  orders  to  Colonel  South- 
well to  commence  his  attack  upon  the  now  almost 
undefended  west  bastion.  The  order  was  promptly 
obeyed.  At  the  first  rush  the  ditch  was  passed,  the 
rampart  gained,  the  outer  walls  scaled,  and  three  guns 
taken  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 

The  defenders  hastened  at  once  to  meet  this  new 
danger.  They  opened  a  heavy  fire  upon  the  British, 
and  sallying  out  endeavoured  to  retake  the  outer  ram- 
part with  the  bayonet.  A  desperate  contest  ensued; 
but  though  many  of  the  English  officers  and  soldiers 
fell,  they  would  not  yield  a  foot  of  the  position  they 
had  captured.  Colonel  Southwell,  a  man  of  great  per- 
sonal strength  and  daring,  was  in  the  struggle  three 
times  surrounded  by  the  enemy;  but  each  time  he  cut 
his  way  out  in  safety. 

The  sally  was  at  last  repulsed,  and  the  English  in- 
trenched their  position  and  turned  their  captured  guns 
against  the  fort.  While  both  the  assaulting  columns 
were  occupied  in  intrenching  themselves  there  was  a 
lull  in  the  battle.  The  besieged  could  not  venture  to 
advance  against  either,  as  they  would  have  been  ex- 


152         CONSTERNATION  IN  BARCELONA. 

posed  to  the  fire  of  the  other,  and  to  the  risk  of  a  flank 
attack 

Peterborough  exerted  himself  to  the  utmost.  He 
ordered  up  the  thousand  men  under  General  Stanhope 
and  made  prodigious  exertions  to  get  some  guns  and 
mortars  into  position  upon  the  newly  won  ramparts. 

Great  was  the  consternation  and  astonishment  in 
Barcelona  when  a  loud  roar  of  musketry  broke  out 
round  the  citadel,  and  Velasco,  the  governor,  was  thun- 
derstruck to  find  himself  threatened  in  this  vital  point 
by  an  enemy  whose  departure  he  had,  the  evening 
before,  been  celebrating.  The  assembly  was  sounded, 
and  the  church  bells  pealed  out  the  alarm. 

The  troops  ran  to  their  places  of  assembly,  the  forti- 
fications round  the  town  were  manned,  and  a  body  of 
four  hundred  mounted  grenadiers  under  the  Marquis 
de  Risbourg  hurried  off  to  the  succour  of  Montjuich. 
The  earl  had  been  sure  that  such  a  movement  would 
be  made.  He  could  not  spare  men  from  his  own  scanty 
force  to  guard  the  roads  between  the  city  and  the 
castle,  but  he  had  posted  a  number  of  the  armed 
Spanish  peasants,  who  were  in  the  pay  of  the  army,  in 
a  narrow  gorge,  where,  with  hardly  any  risk  to  them- 
selves, they  might  easily  have  prevented  the  horsemen 
from  passing.  The  peasants,  however,  fired  a  hurried 
volley  and  then  fled  in  all  directions. 

Lord  Peterborough  learnt  a  lesson  here  which  he 
never  forgot,  namely,  that  these  Spanish  irregulars, 
useful  as  they  might  be  in  harassing  an  enemy  or 


A  TREACHEROUS   RUSE.  153 

pursuing  a  beaten  foe,  were  utterly  untrustworthy  in 
any  plan  of  combined  action.  The  succour,  therefore, 
reached  Montjuich  in  safety;  two  hundred  of  the  men 
dismounted  and  entered  the  fort,  the  remainder,  leading 
their  horses,  returned  to  Barcelona. 

The  Marquis  de  Risbourg  had  no  sooner  entered  the 
fort  and  taken  the  command  than  he  adopted  a  strat- 
agem which  nearly  proved  fatal  to  the  English  hopes 
of  success.  He  ordered  his  men  to  shout,  "  Long  live 
Charles  the  Third!"  and  threw  open  the  gates  of  the 
fort  as  if  to  surrender.  The  Prince  of  Hesse-Darmstadt, 
who  commanded  at  this  point,  was  completely  deceived, 
and  he  ordered  Colonel  Allen  to  advance  with  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  while  he  himself  followed  with 
a  company  in  reserve,  believing  that  the  Spanish  garri- 
son had  declared  for  King  Charles. 

The  British  advanced  eagerly  and  in  some  disorder 
into  the  ditch,  when  a  terrible  fire  of  musketry  was 
suddenly  opened  upon  them  from  the  front  and  flank. 
In  vain  they  tried  to  defend  themselves,  the  brave 
prince  was  struck  down  by  a  mortal  wound  while  endea- 
vouring to  encourage  them,  and  was  carried  to  the  rear, 
and  Allen  and  two  hundred  men  were  taken  prisoners. 
The  prince  expired  a  few  minutes  later  before  there 
was  time  for  a  doctor  to  examine  his  wound. 

Peterborough,  who  had  come  up  just  at  the  end  of 
the  struggle,  remained  with  him  till  he  died,  and  then 
hurried  off  to  retrieve  the  fortune  of  the  day,  which, 
during  these  few  minutes,  had  greatly  changed.  Yelasco 


154  A  STRANGE  PANIC. 

had  despatched  three  thousand  men,  as  fast  as  they 
could  be  got  together,  to  follow  Risbourg's  dragoons  to 
the  succour  of  the  fort,  and  these  were  already  in  sight. 
But  this  was  not  all.  One  of  the  strange  panics  which 
occasionally  attack  even  the  best  troops  had  seized  the 
British  in  the  bastion. 

Without  any  apparent  cause,  without  a  shot  being 
fired  at  them  from  the  fort,  they  fell  into  confusion. 
Their  commander,  Lord  Charlemont,  shared  the  panic, 
and  gave  orders  for  a  retreat.  The  march  soon  became 
a  rout,  and  the  men  fled  in  confusion  from  the  position 
which  they  had  just  before  so  bravely  won. 

Captain  Carleton,  a  staff-officer,  disengaged  himself 
from  the  throng  of  fugitives  and  rode  off  to  inform 
the  earl,  who  was  reconnoitring  the  approaching 
Spaniards,  of  what  had  taken  place.  Peterborough 
at  once  turned  his  horse,  and,  followed  by  Carleton  and 
Jack  Stilwell,  galloped  up  the  hill.  He  drew  his  sword 
and  threw  away  the  scabbard  as  he  met  the  troops, 
already  half-way  down  the  hill,  and,  dismounting, 
shouted  to  them: 

"  I  am  sure  all  brave  men  will  follow  me.  Will  you 
bear  the  infamy  of  having  deserted  your  post  and 
forsaken  your  general?" 

The  appeal  was  not  in  vain.  Ashamed  of  their  late 
panic  the  fugitives  halted,  faced  about,  and  pressed 
after  him  up  the  hill,  and,  on  reaching  the  top,  found 
that,  strangely  enough,  the  garrison  had  not  discovered 
that  the  bastion  had   been  abandoned,  for  in  their 


THE    COLUMN    RETIRE.  155 

retreat  the  English  were  hidden  from  the  si°\ht  of  those 
in  the  inner  works. 

The  Marquis  de  Bisbourg,  instead  of  following  up 
his  advantage,  had  at  once  left  Montjuich  at  the  side 
near  the  city,  taking  Colonel  Allen  and  the  prisoners 
with  him,  and  pushed  on  towards  Barcelona.  Half- 
way down  he  met  the  reinforcement  of  three  thousand 
men.  The  prisoners,  on  being  questioned,  informed  the 
Spanish  commander  that  Lord  Peterborough  and  the 
Prince  of  Hesse  led  the  attack  in  person. 

Thereupon  the  officer  commanding  the  reinforce- 
ments concluded  that  the  whole  of  the  allied  army 
was  round  the  castle,  and  that  he  would  be  risking 
destruction  if  he  pushed  on.  He  therefore  turned  and 
marched  back  to  the  city.  Had  he  continued  his  way 
Peterborough's  force  must  have  been  destroyed,  as 
Stanhope  had  not  yet  come  up,  and  he  had  with  him 
only  the  little  force  with  which  he  had  marched  out 
from  camp,  of  whom  more  than  a  fourth  were  already 
captured  or  slain.  Such  are  the  circumstances  upon 
which  the  fate  of  battles  and  campaigns  depend. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 


A   TUMULT    IN    THE    CITY. 


S  the  Spanish  column  retired  to  Barcelona 
under  the  idea  that  the  whole  English 
army  was  on  the  hill,  the  Miquelets,  as 
the  armed  bands  of  peasants  were  called, 
swarmed  down  from  the  hills.  Incapable  of  with- 
standing an  attack  by  even  a  small  force,  they  were 
in  their  element  in  harassing  a  large  one  in  retreat. 
Half-way  between  Montjuich  and  the  town  was  the 
small  fort  of  San  Bertram.  The  garrison,  seeing  the 
column  in  retreat  towards  the  town,  pursued  by  the 
insurgent  peasantry,  feared  that  they  themselves  would 
be  cut  off,  and  so  abandoned  their  post  and  joined 
the  retreat. 

The  peasants  at  once  took  possession  of  San  Bertram, 
where  there  were  five  light  guns.  As  soon  as  the  news 
reached  Peterborough  he  called  together  two  hundred 
men  and  led  them  down  to  the  little  fort.  Ropes  were 
fastened  to  the  guns,  and  with  forty  men  to  each  gun 
these  were  quickly  run  up  the  hill  and  placed  in 
position  in  the  captured  bastions.      So  quickly  was 


THE   SIEGE  PRESSED   ON.  157 

this  done  that  in  less  than  an  hour  from  the  abandon- 
ment of  San  Bertram  by  the  Spanish  the  guns  had 
opened  fire  upon  Montjuich. 

While  the  troops  worked  these  five  guns  and  the 
three  captured  in  Southwell's  first  attack  Jack  Stilwell 
was  sent  off  on  horseback  at  full  speed  with  an  order 
for  the  landing  of  the  heavy  guns  and  mortars  from  the 
fleet.  The  news  of  the  attack  on  Montjuich,  and  the 
retreat  of  the  Spanish  column,  spread  with  rapidity 
through  the  country,  and  swarms  of  armed  peasants 
flocked  in.  These  the  earl  dispersed  among  the  ravines 
and  groves  round  the  city,  so  as  to  prevent  any 
parties  from  coming  out  to  ascertain  what  was  going 
on  round  Montjuich,  and  to  mask  the  movements  of 
the  besiegers. 

Velasco  appeared  paralysed  by  the  energy  and  daring 
of  his  opponent,  and,  although  he  had  in  hand  a  force 
equal  if  not  superior  to  that  which  Peterborough  could 
dispose  of,  he  allowed  two  days  to  pass  without 
attempting  to  relieve  Montjuich.  In  those  two  days 
wonders  had  been  performed  by  the  soldiers  and  sailors, 
who  toiled  unweariedly  in  dragging  the  heavy  guns 
from  the  landing-place  to  the  hill  of  Montjuich. 
The  light  cannon  of  the  besiegers  had  had  but  little 
effect  upon  the  massive  walls  of  the  fortress,  and  the 
Prince  Caraccioli  held  out  for  two  days  even  against 
the  heavier  metal  of  the  mortars  and  siege-guns  that 
were  quickly  brought  to  bear  upon  him. 

On  the  17th,  however,  Colonel  Southwell  by  a  well- 


158  EXPLOSION   OF   A  MAGAZINE. 

aimed  shot  brought  the  siege  to  a  close.  He  noticed 
that  a  small  chapel  within  the  fort  appeared  to  be 
specially  guarded  by  the  besieged,  and  ordered  a  Dutch 
sergeant  of  artillery,  who  was  working  a  heavy  mortar, 
to  try  to  drop  a  shell  upon  it.  The  artilleryman  made 
several  attempts,  but  each  time  missed  the  mark. 
Colonel  Southwell  then  undertook  the  management 
of  the  gun  himself,  and  soon  succeeded  in  dropping 
a  shell  upon  the  roof  of  the  building,  which  proved,  as 
he  had  suspected,  to  be  in  use  as  a  magazine.  There  was 
a  tremendous  explosion,  the  chapel  was  shattered  into 
fragments,  Caraccioli  and  three  other  officers  were  killed, 
and  a  great  breach  was  blown  in  the  main  rampart. 

A  loud  cheer  broke  from  the  besiegers,  and  Colonel 
Southwell  at  once  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  men 
in  the  trenches  and  advanced  to  storm  the  breach 
before  the  enemy  could  recover  from  their  confusion. 
The  disastrous  effects  of  the  explosion  had,  however, 
scared  all  idea  of  further  resistance  out  of  the  minds  of 
the  defenders,  who  at  once  rushed  out  of  the  works 
and  called  out  that  they  surrendered,  the  senior  sur- 
viving officer  and  his  companions  delivering  up  their 
swords  to  Colonel  Southwell,  and  begging  that  protec- 
tion might  at  once  be  given  to  their  soldiers  from  the 
Miquelets,  whose  ferocity  was  as  notorious  then  as  it 
was  a  hundred  years  afterwards. 

Peterborough  appointed  Colonel  Southwell  governor 
of  Montjuich,  and  at  once  turned  his  attention  to  the 
city.     The  brilliant  result  of  the  attack  on  the  citadel 


THE    CITY   WALLS   BREACHED.  159 

had  silenced  all  murmurs  and  completely  restored  Lord 
Peterborough's  authority.  Soldiers  and  sailors  vied 
with  each  other  in  their  exertions  to  get  the  guns  into 
position,  and  the  Miquelets,  largely  increased  in  number, 
became  for  once  orderly  and  active,  and  laboured  stead- 
ily in  the  trenches. 

The  main  army  conducted  the  attack  from  the  side 
at  which  it  had  been  originally  commenced,  while 
General  Stanhope,  his  force  considerably  increased  by 
troops  from  the  main  body,  conducted  the  attack  from 
the  side  of  Montjuich.  Four  batteries  of  heavy  guns 
and  two  of  mortars  soon  opened  lire  upon  the  city, 
while  the  smaller  vessels  of  the  fleet  moved  close  in  to 
the  shore  and  threw  shot  and  shell  into  the  town. 

A  breach  was  soon  effected  in  the  rampart,  and 
Yelasco  was  summoned  to  surrender;  but  he  refused  to 
do  so,  although  his  position  had  become  almost  desperate. 
The  disaffection  of  the  inhabitants  was  now  openly 
shown.  The  soldiers  had  lost  confidence  and  heart, 
and  the  loyalty  of  many  of  them  was  more  than 
doubtful.  The  governor  arrested  many  of  the  mutinous 
soldiers  and  hostile  citizens,  and  turned  numbers  of 
them  out  of  the  city. 

On  the  3d  of  October  the  English  engineers  declared 
the  breach  on  the  side  of  Montjuich  to  be  practicable, 
and  Peterborough  himself  wrote  to  the  governor  offer- 
ing honourable  terms  of  capitulation,  but  declaring  that 
if  these  were  rejected  he  would  not  renew  his  offer. 

Yelasco  ao-ain  refused.    He  had  erected  a  formidable 


160  THE   CAPITULATION. 

intrenchment  within  the  breach,  and  had  sunk  two 
mines  beneath  the  ruins  in  readiness  to  blow  the  assail- 
ing columns  into  the  air. 

The  guns  again  opened  fire,  and  in  a  very  short  time 
a  Dutch  artillery  officer  threw  two  shells  upon  the  in- 
trenchment and  almost  destroyed  it,  while  a  third  fell 
on  the  breach  itself,  and  crashing  through  the  rubbish 
fired  Velasco's  two  mines  and  greatly  enlarged  the 
breach.  The  earl  could  now  have  carried  the  town  by 
storm  had  he  chosen,  but  with  his  usual  magnanimity 
to  the  vanquished  he  again  wrote  to  Velasco  and  sum- 
moned him  to  surrender. 

The  governor  had  now  no  hope  of  a  successful  re- 
sistance, and  he  therefore  agreed  to  surrender  in  four 
days  should  no  relief  arrive.  The  terms  agreed  upon 
were  that  the  garrison  should  march  out  with  all  the 
honours  of  war,  and  should  be  transported  by  sea  to 
San  Felix,  and  escorted  thence  to  Gerona;  but  as  a  few 
hours  later  the  news  arrived  that  Gerona  had  declared 
for  King  Charles,  Velasco  requested  to  be  conveyed  to 
Rosas  instead.  The  capitulation  was  signed  on  the 
9th  of  October,  and  the  garrison  were  preparing  to 
march  out  on  the  14th,  when,  in  the  English  camp,  the 
sound  of  a  tumult  in  the  city  was  heard. 

"Quick,  Stilwell!"  the  earl  cried,  running  out  of  his 
tent,  "to  horse!  The  rascals  inside  are  breaking  out 
into  a  riot,  and  there  will  be  a  massacre  unless  I  can 
put  a  stop  to  it." 

The  earl  leapt  on  to  his  horse,  called  to  a  few  orderly 


A   POPULAR  TUMULT.  161 

dragoons  who  were  at  hand  to  accompany  him,  and  or- 
dered that  four  companies  of  grenadiers  should  follow 
as  quickly  as  possible. 

Galloping  at  full  speed  Peterborough  soon  arrived  at 
the  gate  of  San  Angelo,  and  ordered  the  Spanish  guard 
to  open  it.  This  they  did  without  hesitation,  and  fol- 
lowed by  his  little  party  he  rode  into  the  city.  All 
was  uproar  and  confusion.  The  repressive  measures 
which  the  governor  had  been  obliged  to  take  against 
the  disaffected  had  added  to  the  Catalan  hatred  of 
the  French,  and  the  Austrian  party  determined  to 
have  vengeance  upon  the  governor.  A  report  was  cir- 
culated that  he  intended  to  carry  away  with  him  a 
number  of  the  principal  inhabitants  in  spite  of  the  ar- 
ticles of  capitulation.  This  at  once  stirred  up  the  people 
to  fury,  and  they  assailed  and  plundered  the  houses 
of  the  French  and  of  the  known  partisans  of  the  Duke 
dAnjou. 

They  then  turned  upon  the  governor  and  garrison. 
The  latter  dispersed  through  the  city,  and  unprepared 
for  attack,  would  speedily  have  been  massacred  had 
not  their  late  enemy  been  at  hand  to  save  them. 
Peterborough,  with  his  little  party  of  dragoons,  rode 
through  the  streets  exhorting,  entreating,  and  command- 
ing the  rioters  to  abstain.  When,  as  in  some  cases,  the 
mob  refused  to  listen  to  him,  and  continued  their  work, 
the  dragoons  belaboured  them  heartily  with  the  flats 
of  their  swords;  and  the  surprise  caused  by  seeing  the 
British  uniforms  in  their  midst,  and  their  ignorance  of 

(  338 )  l 


162  A  NARROW  ESCAPE. 

how  many  of  the  British  had  entered,  did  more  even 
than  the  efforts  of  the  dragoons  to  allay  the  tumult. 
Many  ladies  of  quality  had  taken  refuge  in  the  convent, 
and  Peterborough  at  once  placed  a  guard  over  this. 

Dashing  from  street  to  street,  unattended  even  by 
his  dragoons,  Peterborough  came  upon  a  lady  and  gen- 
tleman strugo-ling  with  the  mob,  who  were  about  to  ill- 
treat  them.     He  charged  into  the  thick  of  the  tumult. 

His  hat  had  been  lost  in  the  fray,  and  the  mob, 
not  recognizing  the  strange  figure  as  the  redoubted 
English  general,  resisted;  and  one  discharged  a  mus- 
ket at  him  at  a  distance  of  a  few  feet,  but  the  ball 
passed  through  his  periwig  without  touching  the  head 
under  it. 

Fortunately  two  or  three  of  his  dragoons  now  rode 
up,  and  he  was  able  to  carry  the  lady  and  gentleman 
to  their  house  hard  by,  when,  to  his  satisfaction,  he 
found  that  the  gentleman  he  had  saved  was  the  Duke 
of  Popoli,  and  the  lady  his  wife,  celebrated  as  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  women  in  Europe. 

Jack  Stilwell  had  soon  after  they  entered  the  town 
become  separated  from  his  general.  Seeing  a  mob 
gathered  before  a  house  in  a  side  street,  and  hearing 
screams,  he  turned  off  and  rode  into  the  middle  of 
the  crowd.  Spurring  his  horse  and  making  him  rear, 
he  made  his  way  through  them  to  the  door,  and  then 
leaping  off,  drawing  as  he  did  so  a  pistol  from  his 
holster,  he  ran  upstairs. 

It  was  a  large  and  handsomely-furnished  house.    On 


A   RESCUE.  163 

the  first  floor  was  a  great  corridor.  A  number  of  men 
were  gathered  round  a  doorway.  Within  he  heard  the 
clashing  of  steel  and  the  shouts  of  men  in  conflict. 
Bursting  his  way  in  through  the  doorway  he  entered 
the  room. 

In  a  corner,  at  the  farthest  end,  crouched  a  lady 
holding  a  little  boy  in  her  arms.  Before  her  stood  a 
Spanish  gentleman,  sword  in  hand.  A  servant,  also 
aimed,  stood  by  him.  They  were  hard  pressed,  for 
six  or  eight  men  with  swords  and  pikes  were  cutting 
and  thrusting  at  them.  Three  servants  lay  dead  upon 
the  ground,  and  seven  or  eight  of  the  townspeople  were 
also  lying  dead  or  wounded.  Jack  rushed  forward,  and 
with  his  pistol  shot  the  man  who  appeared  to  be  the 
leader  of  the  assailants,  and  then,  drawing  his  sword, 
placed  himself  before  the  gentleman  and  shouted  to 
the  men  to  lay  down  their  arms.  The  latter,  astounded 
at  the  appearance  of  an  English  officer,  drew  back. 
Seeing  he  was  alone,  they  would,  however,  have  renewed 
the  attack,  but  Jack  ran  to  the  window  and  opened  it, 
and  shouted  as  if  to  some  soldiers  below. 

The  effect  was  instantaneous.  The  men  dropped 
upon  their  knees,  and  throwing  down  their  arms  begged 
for  mercy.  Jack  signified  that  he  granted  it,  and  mo- 
tioned to  them  to  carry  off  their  dead  and  wounded 
comrades.  Some  of  the  men  in  the  corridor  came  in  to 
aid  them  in  so  doing.  Jack,  sword  in  hand,  accompanied 
them  to  the  door,  and  saw  them  out  of  the  house.  Then 
he  told  a  boy  to  hold  his  horse,  and  closing  the  door 


164  AN   INTRODUCTION   UNDER  DIFFICULTIES. 

returned  upstairs.  He  found  the  gentleman  sitting  on 
a  chair  exhausted,  while  his  wife,  crying  partly  from 
relief,  partly  from  anxiety,  was  endeavouring  to  stanch 
the  blood  which  flowed  from  several  wounds. 

Jack  at  once  aided  her  in  the  task,  and  signed  to  the 
servant  to  bring  something  to  drink.  The  man  ran  to 
a  buffet  and  produced  some  cordials.  Jack  filled  a 
glass  and  placed  it  at  the  lips  of  the  wounded  man, 
who,  after  drinking  it,  gradually  recovered  his  strength. 

"  My  name,  sir,"  he  said,  "  is  Count  Julian  de  Minas, 
and  I  owe  you  my  life  and  that  of  my  wife  and  child. 
To  whom  am  I  indebted  so  much?" 

Jack  did  not,  of  cc»urse,  understand  his  words,  but 
the  title  caught  his  ear,  and  he  guessed  that  the 
Spaniard  was  introducing  himself. 

"My  name  is  S  til  well,"  Jack  said;  "I  am  one  of 
General  Peterborough's  aides-de-camp.  I  am  very  glad 
to  be  of  assistance;  and  now,  seeing  you  are  so  far  re- 
covered, I  must  leave  you,  for  there  is  much  to  do  in 
the  town,  and  the  general  has  entered  with  only  a  few 
troops.  I  think  you  need  not  fear  any  return  on  the 
part  of  these  ruffians.  The  English  troops  will  enter 
the  town  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours." 

So  saying  Jack  immediately  hurried  away,  and 
mounting  his  horse  rode  off  to  find  the  general. 

The  news  that  Lord  Peterborough  and  the  English 
had  entered  spread  rapidly  through  the  city,  and 
the  rioters,  fearing  to  excite  the  wrath  of  the  man 
who  in  a  few  hours  would  be  master  of  the  town,  scat- 


CONFIDENCE  RESTORED.  165 

tered  to  their  homes,  and  when  all  was  quiet  Peter- 
borough again  rode  oft'  to  the  camp  with  his  troops 
and  there  waited  quietly  until  the  hour  appointed  for 
the  capitulation.  The  Spanish  then  marched  out,  and 
the  earl  entered  with  a  portion  of  his  troops. 

He  at  once  issued  a  proclamation  that  if  any  person 
had  any  lawful  grievances  against  the  late  governor 
they  should  go  to  the  town-house  and  lay  them  in 
proper  form,  and  that  he  would  see  that  justice  was 
done.  An  hour  later  some  of  the  principal  inhabitants 
waited  upon  him,  and  asked  which  churches  he  desired 
to  have  for  the  exercise  of  his  religion.     He  replied: 

"  Wherever  I  have  my  quarters  I  shall  have  conveni- 
ency  enough  to  worship  God,  and  as  for  the  army  they 
will  strictly  follow  the  rules  of  war,  and  perform  divine 
service  among  themselves  without  giving  any  offence 
to  anyone." 

This  answer  gave  great  satisfaction  to  the  people,  as 
the  French  had  spread  a  report  among  them  that  the 
Protestants,  if  they  captured  the  town,  would  take 
their  churches  from  them. 

In  the  evening  the  earl  gave  a  great  banquet,  at 
which  he  entertained  all  the  people  of  distinction  of 
both  parties,  and  his  courtesy  and  affability  at  once 
won  for  him  the  confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact.  The  next  day  the  shops  were  all  opened, 
the  markets  filled,  and  there  were  no  sions  that  the 
tranquillity  of  Barcelona  had  ever  been  disturbed. 
Soon  after  breakfast  Jack,  who  was  quartered  in  the 


166  A  VISIT   OF  THANKS. 

governor's  palace  with  the  general,  was  informed  that  a 
gentleman  wished  to  speak  to  him,  and  the  Count  de 
Minas  was  shown  in. 

He  took  Jack's  hand  and  bowed  profoundly.  As 
conversation  was  impossible  Jack  told  his  orderly  to 
fetch  one  of  the  interpreters  attached  to  the  general. 

"  I  tried  to  come  last  night,"  the  count  said,  "  but  I 
found  that  I  was  too  weak  to  venture  out.  I  could 
not  understand  what  you  said  when  you  went  away 
so  suddenly,  but  I  guessed  that  it  was  the  call  of  duty. 
I  did  not  know  your  name,  but  inquiring  this  morning 
who  were  the  officers  that  entered  with  the  general 
yesterday,  I  was  told  that  his  aide-de-camp,  Lieutenant 
Stilwell,  was  alone  with  him.  That  is  how  I  found 
you.  And  now,  let  me  again  thank  you  for  the  immense 
service  you  have  rendered  me  and  my  wife  and  child. 
Remember,  henceforth  the  life  of  the  Count  de  Minas 
and  all  that  he  possesses  is  at  your  service." 

When  the  interpreter  had  translated  this,  Jack  said 
in  some  confusion,  "I  am  very  glad,  count,  to  have 
been  of  service  to  you.  It  was  a  piece  of  good  fortune, 
indeed,  on  my  part  that  I  happened  so  providentially 
to  ride  along  at  the  right  moment.  I  was  about  this 
morning  to  do  myself  the  honour  of  calling  to  inquire 
how  the  countess  and  yourself  were  after  the  terrible 
scene  of  yesterday." 

"The  countess  prayed  me  to  bring  you  round  to 
her,"  the  count  said.  "  Will  you  do  me  the  honour  of 
accompanying  me  now?" 


THE  COUNTESS.  167 

Jack  at  once  assented,  and,  followed  by  the  inter- 
preter, proceeded  with  the  count  to  his  house.  The 
room  into  which  the  count  led  him  was  not  that  in 
which  the  fray  had  taken  place  the  day  before.  The 
countess  rose  as  they  entered,  and  Jack  saw  that, 
though  still  pale  and  shaken  by  the  events  of  the  pre- 
vious day,  she  was  a  singularly  beautiful  woman. 

"  Ah,  seiior,"  she  said,  advancing  to  meet  him,  and 
taking  his  hand  and  laying  it  against  her  heart,  "  how 
can  I  thank  you  for  the  lives  of  my  husband  and  my 
boy!  One  more  minute  and  you  would  have  arrived 
too  late.  It  seemed  to  me  as  if  heaven  had  opened 
and  an  angel  had  come  to  our  aid  when  you  en- 
tered." 

Jack  coloured  up  hotly  as  the  interpreter  translated 
the  words.  If  he  had  expressed  his  thoughts  he  would 
have  said,  "Please,  don't  make  any  more  fuss  about  it;" 
but  he  found  that  Spanish  courtesy  required  much 
more  than  this,  so  he  answered: 

"  Countess,  the  moment  was  equally  fortunate  to  me, 
and  I  shall  ever  feel  grateful  that  I  have  been  per- 
mitted to  be  of  service  to  so  beautiful  a  lady." 

The  countess  smiled  as  Jack's  words  were  trans- 
lated. 

"  I  did  not  know  that  you  English  were  flatterers," 
she  said.  "They  told  us  that  you  were  uncouth 
islanders,  but  I  see  that  they  have  calumniated  you." 

"I  hope  some  day,"  Jack  said,  "that  I  shall  be  able 
to  talk  to  you  without  the  aid  of  an  interpreter.    It  is 


168  MUTUAL  COMPLIMENTS. 

very  difficult  to  speak  when  every  word  has  to  be 
translated." 

For  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  conversation  was  con- 
tinued, the  count  and  countess  asking  questions  about 
England.  At  the  end  of  that  time  Jack  thought  he 
might  venture  to  take  his  leave.  The  count  accom- 
panied him  to  the  door,  and  begged  him  to  consider 
his  house  as  his  own,  and  then  with  many  bows  on  each 
side  Jack  made  his  way  into  the  street. 

"  Confound  all  this  Spanish  politeness!"  he  muttered 
to  himself;  "  it's  very  grand  and  stately,  I  have  no 
doubt,  but  it's  a  horrible  nuisance;  and  as  to  talking 
through  an  interpreter  it's  like  repeating  lessons,  only 
worse.  I  should  like  to  see  a  man  making  a  joke 
through  an  interpreter,  and  waiting  to  see  how  it  told. 
I  must  get  up  a  little  Spanish  as  soon  as  possible.  The 
earl  has  picked  up  a  lot  already,  and  there  will  be  no 
fun  to  be  had  here  in  Spain  unless  one  can  make  one's 
self  understood." 

The  next  day  there  were  rumours  current  that  the 
population  were  determined  to  take  vengeance  upon 
Velasco.  The  earl  marched  eight  hundred  men  into 
the  town,  placed  the  governor  in  their  centre  and 
escorted  him  to  the  shore,  and  so  took  him  safely  on 
board  a  ship.  He  was  conveyed,  by  his  own  desire,  to 
Alicante,  as  the  revolt  had  spread  so  rapidly  through 
Catalonia  that  Rosas  was  now  the  only  town  which 
favoured  the  cause  of  the  Duke  d'Anjou. 

The  capture  of  Barcelona  takes  its  place  as  one  of 


GENERAL   FESTIVITIES.  169 

the  most  brilliant  feats  in  military  history,  and  reflects 
extraordinary  credit  upon  its  general,  who  exhibited 
at  once  profound  prudence,  faithful  adherence  to 
his  sovereign's  orders,  patience  and  self-command 
under  the  ill-concealed  hatred  of  many  of  those  with 
whom  he  had  to  co-operate — the  wrong-headedness 
of  the  kino;,  the  insolence  of  the  German  courtiers,  the 
supineness  of  the  Dutch,  the  jealousy  of  his  own 
officers,  and  the  open  discontent  of  the  army  and  navy — 
and  a  secrecy  marvellously  kept  up  for  many  weary 
and  apparently  hopeless  days. 

On  the  2Sth  of  October  King  Charles  made  his 
public  entry  into  Barcelona,  and  for  some  days  the 
city  was  the  scene  of  continual  fetes.  The  whole  pro- 
vince rose  in  his  favour,  and  the  gentlemen  of  the  dis- 
trict poured  into  the  town  to  offer  their  homage  to  the 
king.  Only  about  one  thousand  men  of  the  Spanish 
garrison  had  to  be  conveyed  to  Rosas  in  accordance 
with  the  terms  of  capitulation,  the  rest  of  the  troops 
taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  Kino-  Charles  and  beino; 
incorporated  with  the  allied  army. 

Jack  Stilwell  entered  into  the  festivities  with  the 
enjoyment  of  youth.  The  officers  of  the  allied  army 
were  made  much  of  by  the  inhabitants,  and  Jack,  as 
one  of  the  general's  aides-de-camp,  was  invited  to  every 
fete  and  festivity.  The  Count  de  Minas  introduced  him 
to  many  of  the  leading  nobles  of  the  city  as  the  pre- 
server of  his  life;  but  his  inability  to  speak  the  lan- 
guage deprived  him  of  much  of  the  pleasure  which  he 


170  PREPARATIONS   FOR  AN   ADVANCE. 

would  otherwise  have  obtained,  and,  like  many  of  the 
other  officers,  he  set  to  work  in  earnest  to  acquire  some 
knowledge  of  it.  In  one  of  the  convents  were  some 
Scottish  monks,  and  for  three  or  four  hours  every 
morning  Jack  worked  regularly  with  one  of  them. 

Although  Lord  Peterborough  threw  himself  heart 
and  soul  into  the  festivities,  he  worked  with  equal 
ardour  at  the  military  preparations.  But  here,  as 
before,  his  plans  for  energetic  action  were  thwarted  by 
the  Germans  and  Dutch.  At  last,  however,  his  energy, 
aided  by  the  active  spirit  of  the  king,  prevailed,  and 
preparations  were  made  for  the  continuance  of  the 
campaign.  The  season  was  so  late  that  no  further 
operations  could  be  undertaken  by  sea,  and  the  allied 
fleet  therefore  sailed  for  England  and  Holland,  leaving 
four  English  and  two  Dutch  frigates  in  support  of  the 
land  forces  at  Barcelona. 

Garrisons  of  regular  troops  were  despatched  to  the 
various  towns  which  had  either  declared  for  the  king 
or  had  been  captured  by  the  Miquelets  headed  by  the 
Marquis  of  Cif  uentes,  engineer  officers  being  also  sent  to 
put  them  in  a  state  of  defence.  Of  these  Tortosa  was, 
from  its  position,  the  most  important,  as  it  commanded 
the  bridge  of  boats  on  the  Ebro,  the  main  communica- 
tion between  Aragon  and  Valencia.  To  this  town  two 
hundred  dragoons  and  one  thousand  foot  were  sent 
under  Colonel  Hans  Hamilton.  The  king  turned  his 
attention  to  the  organization  of  the  Spanish  army.  He 
formed  a  regiment  of  live  hundred  dragoons  for  his  body- 


Peterborough's  plans  thwarted.  171 

guard,  mounting  them  upon  the  horses  of  the  former 
garrison,  while  from  these  troops,  swelled  by  levies  from 
the  province,  he  raised  six  powerful  battalions  of 
infantry.  He  excited,  however,  a  very  unfavourable 
feeling  among  the  Spaniards  by  bestowing  all  the  chief 
commands  in  these  corps  upon  his  German  followers. 

But  while  the  conquest  of  Barcelona  had  brought 
the  whole  of  Catalonia  to  his  side,  the  cause  of  King 
Charles  was  in  other  parts  of  Spain  less  flourishing. 
Lord  Galway  and  General  Fagel  had  been  beaten  by 
Marshal  Tesse  before  Badajos,  and  the  allied  army  had 
retreated  into  Portugal,  leaving  the  French  and  Spanish 
adherents  of  Philip  free  to  turn  their  whole  attention 
ao-ainst  the  allies  in  Catalonia. 

Weary  weeks  passed  on  before  Lord  Peterborough 
could  overcome  the  apathy  and  obstinacy  of  the  Ger- 
mans and  Dutch.  At  a  council  of  war  held  on  the 
30th  of  December  Peterborough  proposed  to  divide  the 
army,  that  he  in  person  would  lead  half  of  it  to  aid  the 
insurrection  which  had  broken  out  in  Valencia,  and 
that  the  other  half  should  march  into  Aragon;  but 
Brio-adier-general  Conyngham  and  the  Dutch  general 
Schratenbach  strongly  opposed  this  bold  counsel,  urg- 
ing that  the  troops  required  repose  after  their  labours, 
and  that  their  numbers  were  hardly  sufficient  to 
guard  the  province  they  had  won.  Such  arguments 
drove  Peterborough  almost  to  madness;  the  troops 
had,  in  fact,  gone  through  no  hard  work  during  the 
siege  of  Barcelona,  and  two  months  and  a  half  had 


172  THE  RISING  IN  VALENCIA. 

elapsed  since  that  city  surrendered.  Moreover,  far 
from  being  reinvigorated  from  rest,  they  were  suffer- 
ing from  illness  caused  by  inactivity  in  an  unhealthy 
country. 

Already  all  the  benefits  derivable  from  the  gallant 
capture  of  Barcelona  had  been  lost.  The  enemy  had 
recovered  from  the  surprise  and  dismay  excited  by  that 
event.  The  friendly  and  wavering,  who  would  at  once 
have  risen  had  the  king  boldly  advanced  after  his 
striking  success,  had  already  lost  heart  and  become 
dispirited  by  the  want  of  energy  displayed  in  his  after 
proceedings,  and  from  all  parts  of  Spain  masses  of 
troops  were  moving  to  crush  the  allies  and  stamp  out 
the  insurrection. 

In  Valencia  only  had  the  partisans  of  Charles  gained 
considerable  advantages.  In  the  beginning  of  Decem- 
ber Colonel  Nebot,  commanding  a  regiment  of  Philip's 
dragoons,  declared  for  Charles,  and,  accompanied  by 
four  hundred  of  his  men,  entered  the  town  of  Denia, 
where  the  people,  and  Basset  the  governor,  at  once 
declared  for  Charles. 

On  the  11th  Nebot  and  Basset  attacked  the  little 
town  of  Xabea,  garrisoned  by  five  hundred  Biscayans, 
and  carried  it,  and  the  same  night  took  Oliva  and 
Gandia.  The  next  day  they  pushed  on  through  Alzira, 
where  they  were  joined  by  many  of  the  principal  in- 
habitants, and  a  detachment  of  the  dragoons  under 
Nebot's  brother,  Alexander,  surprised  and  routed  three 
troops  of  the  enemy's  horse,  captured  their  convoy  of 


SAN   MATTEO   THREATENED.  173 

ammunition,  and  pursued  them  to  the  very  gates  of 
Valencia. 

On  the  night  of  the  15th  the  main  body  marched 
from  Alzira,  and  appeared  next  morning  before 
Valencia  and  summoned  the  town  to  surrender.  The 
Marquis  de  Villa  Garcia  refused,  but  Alexander  Nebot 
put  himself  at  the  bead  of  his  dragoons  and  galloped 
up  to  the  gates  shouting,  "Long  live  the  king!"  The 
inhabitants  overpowered  the  guard  at  the  gate  and 
threw  it  open,  and  Valencia  was  taken.  When  the 
news  of  these  reverses  reached  Madrid  the  Conde  de  las 
Torres,  a  veteran  officer  who  had  seen  much  service 
in  the  wars  of  Italy,  marched  from  Madrid  in  all  haste 
to  prevent  if  possible  the  junction  of  the  forces  of 
Catalonia  with  the  Valencians. 

He  at  once  marched  upon  San  Matteo,  which  lay  on 
the  main  line  of  communication,  and  commenced  a 
vigorous  siege  of  that  city.  The  king  received  the 
news  on  the  18th  of  January,  1706,  and  wrote  at  once 
to  Peterborough,  urging  him  to  go  to  the  relief  of  San 
Matteo,  but  giving  him  no  troops  whatever  to  assist  him 
in  his  enterprise;  and  Peterborough's  difficulties  were 
increased  by  General  Conyngham,  who  commanded  a 
brigade  at  Fraga,  hastily  falling  back  upon  Lerida, 
upon  hearing  exaggerated  rumours  of  the  strength  of 
the  enemy. 

Peterborough,  however,  did  not  hesitate  a  moment, 
but  mounting  his  horse,  and  accompanied  only  by  his 
aides-de-camp,  Jack  Stilwell  and  Lieutenant  Graham, 


174  A   BOLD   RESOLUTION. 

rode  for  Tortosa.  Changing  his  horse  at  the  various 
towns  through  which  he  passed,  and  riding  almost  night 
and  day,  he  reached  Tortosa  on  the  4th,  and  at  once  sum- 
moned the  magnates  of  the  town  to  give  information  as 
to  the  real  state  of  things.  He  then  found,  to  his  as- 
tonishment, that  the  details  which  the  king  had  sent 
him  respecting  the  force  of  the  enemy  were  entirely 
incorrect.  Charles  had  written  that  they  were  2000 
strong,  and  that  16,000  peasants  were  in  arms  against 
them,  whereas  Las  Torres  had  with  him  7000  good 
troops,  and  not  a  single  peasant  had  taken  up  arms. 

General  Killigrew,  who  now  commanded  the  two 
hundred  dragoons  and  the  thousand  British  infantry  at 
Tortosa,  together  with  his  officers,  considered  that  under 
such  circumstances  it  was  absolutely  hopeless  to  attempt 
any  movement  for  the  relief  of  San  Matteo;  but  Peter- 
borough did  not  hesitate  a  moment,  and  only  said  to 
his  officers: 

"Unless  I  can  raise  that  siege  our  affairs  are  des- 
perate, and  therefore  capable  only  of  desperate  remedies. 
Be  content,  let  me  try  my  fortune,  whether  I  cannot 
by  diligence  and  surprise  effect  that  which  by  down- 
right force  is  impracticable." 

The  officers  had  unbounded  confidence  in  their  general, 
and  although  the  enterprise  appeared  absolutely  hope- 
less, they  at  once  agreed  to  undertake  it.  Accordingly 
the  three  weak  English  regiments  marched  from  Tortosa 
under  Killigrew,  and  the  next  day  the  earl  followed 
with  the  dragoons  and  a  party  of  Miquelets,  and  over- 


PREPARING   A   SURPRISE.  175 

took  the  infantry  that  night.  The  next  morning  he 
broke  up  his  little  army  into  small  detachments  in  order 
that  they  might  march  more  rapidly,  and,  dividing  the 
Miquelets  among  them  as  guides,  ordered  them  to 
assemble  at  Fraiguesa,  two  leagues  from  San  Matteo. 

The  advance  was  admirably  managed.  Small  parties 
of  dragoons  and  Miquelets  went  on  ahead  along  each  of 
the  roads  to  occupy  the  passes  among  the  hills.  When 
arrived  at  these  points  they  had  strict  orders  to  let  no 
one  pass  them  until  the  troops  appeared  in  sight,  when 
the  advance  again  pushed  forward  and  secured  another 
position  for  the  same  purpose. 

Thus  no  indication  of  his  coming  preceded  him,  and 
the  troops  arriving  together  with  admirable  punctuality 
before  Fraiguesa,  the  place  was  taken  by  surprise,  and 
guards  were  at  once  mounted  on  its  gates,  with  orders 
to  prevent  anyone  from  leaving  the  town  on  any  excuse 
whatever.  Thus  while  the  English  force  were  within 
two  leagues  of  San  Matteo,  Las  Torres  remained  in 
absolute  ignorance  that  any  hostile  force  was  advanc- 
ing against  him.  Graham  and  Jack  were  nearly  worn 
out  by  the  exertions  which  they  had  undergone  with 
their  indefatigable  general.  They  had  ridden  for  three 
days  and  nights  almost  without  sleep,  and  on  their 
arrival  at  Tortosa  were  engaged  unceasingly  in  carry- 
ing out  their  chief's  instructions,  in  making  preparations 
for  the  advance,  and  in  obtaining  every  possible  in- 
formation as  to  the  country  to  be  traversed. 

Both  the  young  officers  had  now  begun  to  speak 


176  LEARNING   SPANISH. 

Spanish.  A  residence  of  four  months  in  the  country, 
constant  communication  with  the  natives,  and  two 
months  and  a  half  steady  work  with  an  instructor,  had 
enabled  them  to  make  great  progress,  and  they  were 
now  able  to  communicate  without  difficulty  with  the 
Spaniards  with  whom  they  came  in  contact. 


CHAPTER  IX. 


THE   ADVANCE   INTO   VALENCIA. 


^E  Earl  of  Peterborough  had  not  satisfied 
himself  with  depriving  the  enemy  of  all 
information  as  to  his  advance.  He  took 
steps  to  confuse  and  alarm  them  by  false 
news.  By  means  of  large  bribes  he  prevailed  upon 
two  peasants  to  carry  each  a  copy  of  the  same  letter 
to  Colonel  Jones,  who  commanded  in  San  Matteo.  He 
took  the  further  step  of  ensuring  their  loyalty  by 
arresting  their  families  as  hostages,  and,  moreover, 
took  care  that  they  should  know  nothing  as  to  the 
real  state  of  things  that  they  could  report  if  trea- 
cherously inclined. 

He  arranged  that  one  of  them  should  go  in  first,  and, 
passing  through  the  besiegers'  lines,  should  arouse  their 
suspicions,  and  should  then,  when  arrested,  give  up  the 
letter  concealed  upon  him,  and  should  also  betray  the 
route  by  which  his  companion  was  endeavouring  to 
reach  the  city,  so  that  the  second  messenger  would  also 
be  captured  and  his  letter  be  taken.     The  letters  were 


as  follows 

(338) 


M 


178  AN   ARTFUL  LETTER. 

"  To  Colonel  Jones. — You  will  hardly  believe  your- 
self what  this  letter  informs  you  of,  if  it  come  safe  to 
you;  and  though  I  have  taken  the  best  precaution,  it 
will  do  little  prejudice  if  it  falls  into  the  enemy's  hands, 
since  they  shall  see  and  feel  my  troops  almost  as  soon 
as  they  can  receive  intelligence,  should  it  be  betrayed 
to  them.  The  end  for  which  I  venture  it  to  you  is,  that 
you  may  prepare  to  open  the  furthest  gate  towards 
Valencia,  and  have  four  thousand  Miquelets  ready, 
who  will  have  the  employment  they  love,  and  are  fit 
for,  the  pursuing  and  pillaging  a  flying  enemy.  The 
country  is  as  one  can  wish  for  their  entire  destruction. 
Be  sure,  upon  the  first  appearance  of  our  troops  and  the 
first  discharge  of  our  artillery,  you  answer  with  an 
English  halloo,  and  take  to  the  mountains  on  the  heights 
with  all  your  men.  The  Conde  de  las  Torres  must  take 
the  plains,  the  hills  on  the  left  being  almost  impassable, 
and  secured  by  five  or  six  thousand  of  the  country 
people.  But  what  will  gall  him  most  will  be,  the  whole 
regiment  of  Nebot,  which  revolted  to  us  near  Valencia, 
is  likewise  amongst  us. 

"  I  was,  eight  days  ago,  myself  in  Barcelona,  and  I 
believe  the  Conde  de  las  Torres  must  have  so  good 
intelligence  from  thence  that  he  cannot  be  ignorant 
of  it.  What  belongs  to  my  own  troops  and  my  own 
resolutions  I  can  easily  keep  from  them,  though  nothing 
else.  You  know  the  force  I  have,  and  the  multitudes 
that  are  gathering  from  all  parts  against  us,  so  I  am 
forced  to  put  the  whole  into  this  action,  which  must 


DECEIVING  THE   ENEMY.  179 

be  decided  to  give  any  hopes  to  our  desperate  game. 
By  nine  or  ten,  within  an  hour  after  you  can  receive 
this,  you  will  discover  us  on  the  tops  of  the  hills,  not 
two  cannon-shot  from  their  camp. 

"  The  advantages  of  the  sea  are  inconceivable,  and 
Lave  contributed  to  bring  about  what  you  could  never 
expect  to  see,  a  force  almost  equal  to  the  enemy  in 
number,  and  you  know  that  less  would  do  our  business. 
Besides,  never  men  were  so  transported  as  to  be  brought 
in  such  secrecy  so  near  an  enemy.  I  have  near  six 
thousand  men  locked  up  this  night  within  the  walls  of 
Traguera.  I  do  not  expect  you  will  believe  it  till  you 
see  them. 

"  You  know  we  had  a  thousand  foot  and  two  hundred 
dragoons  in  Tortosa.  Wills  and  a  thousand  foot  English 
and  Dutch  came  down  the  Ebro  in  boats,  and  I  embarked 
a  thousand  more  at  Tarragona  when  I  landed  at  Vinaroz, 
and  the  artillery  from  thence  I  brought  in  country  carts. 
It  was  easy  to  assemble  the  horse.  Zinzendorf  and 
Moras  are  as  good  as  our  own,  and  with  our  English 
dragoons  make  up  in  all  near  two  thousand.  But  the 
whole  depends  upon  leaving  them  a  retreat  without 
interruption. 

"  Dear  Jones,  prove  a  good  dragoon,  be  diligent  and 
alert,  and  preach  the  welcome  doctrine  to  your  Mi- 
quelets,  plunder  without  danger. — Your  friend,  Peter- 
borough." 

The  two  letters  fell  into  the  hands  of  Las  Torres, 
and  so  artfully  had  the  capture  been  contrived,  that  it 


180  A  PANIC  AMONG  THE  BESIEGERS. 

never  occurred  to  him  to  doubt  the  truth  of  these  men- 
dacious documents.  Orders  were  instantly  given  to 
prepare  for  a  march,  and  almost  at  the  same  time  two 
events  occurred  in  the  sieo-e  works  which  caused  con- 
fusion  of  the  troops  Several  mines  had  been  unskil- 
fully sunk  and  charged;  one  of  these  prematurely  ex- 
ploded and  destroyed  forty  of  the  workmen.  The 
remaining  mines  Colonel  Jones  contrived  to  swamp  by 
turning  the  course  of  a  brook  into  them,  thus  render- 
ing them  harmless.  While  the  troops  were  confused 
with  these  disasters,  the  news  of  the  contents  of  the 
intercepted  letters  spread  through  the  camp,  causing 
a  general  panic;  and  almost  immediately  afterwards 
the  advance-guard  of  Peterborough's  force  were  seen, 
according  to  the  promise  contained  in  the  letters,  on 
the  crests  of  the  hills. 

By  able  management  the  twelve  hundred  men  were 
made  to  appear  vastly  more  numerous  than  they  were. 
The  dragoons  showed  in  various  parties  at  different 
points  of  the  hill-tops,  and,  after  pausing  as  if  to  re- 
connoitre the  camp,  galloped  back  again  as  if  to  carry 
information  to  a  main  body  behind;  while  the  infantry 
availed  themselves  of  the  wooded  and  uneven  ground 
to  conceal  their  weakness.  It  seemed,  indeed,  to  the 
enemy  that  the  tops  of  all  the  hills  and  the  avenues 
of  approach  were  covered  by  advancing  columns.  Las 
Torres,  unsuspicious  of  stratagem,  was  now  convinced 
that  his  position  was  one  of  extreme  danger,  while  con- 
fusion reigned  in  the  camp.     The  tents  were  hastily 


IN   FULL  RETREAT.  181 

struck,  the  guns  spiked,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the 
Spanish  army  started  along  the  Valencia  road  in  a 
retreat  which  might  almost  be  called  a  flight. 

Colonel  Jones,  seeing  the  confusion  that  reigned, 
instantly  sallied  from  the  town  with  his  whole  force  in 
pursuit,  and  followed  Las  Torres  for  nearly  two  leagues 
to  Pefiasol,  inflicting  a  loss  of  nearly  three  hundred 
men  upon  the  Spaniards;  while  Peterborough  on  the 
other  side  marched  his  force  through  the  abandoned  in- 
trenchments  into  the  town.  Scarcely  halting,  however 
he  made  a  show  of  pursuit  as  far  as  Albocazer,but  always 
keeping  to  the  hills  with  such  caution  that  in  case 
the  enemy  should  learn  his  weakness,  his  retreat  would 
still  be  secured.  While  on  the  march  a  courier  over- 
took him  with  two  despatches — the  one  from  King 
Charles,  the  other  from  the  English  resident  with  the 
court  at  Barcelona. 

The  king  told  him  that  he  would  be  obliged  to 
countermand  the  reinforcements  he  had  promised  him 
for  the  relief  of  San  Matteo,  in  consequence  of  the 
unfavourable  state  of  affairs  elsewhere.  It,  however, 
conveyed  to  Peterborough  something  which  he  valued 
more  than  reinforcements,  namely,  full  power  to  act 
in  accordance  with  his  own  discretion.  The  despatch 
from  the  British  resident  told  him  that  news  had  come 
that  the  Duke  of  Berwick,  with  the  main  army  of 
France,  freed  by  the  retreat  of  Lord  Galway  from  all 
trouble  on  the  western  side  of  Spain,  was  in  full  march 
for  Catalonia. 


182  A   GRAVE  RESPONSIBILITY. 

The  Prince  of  Serclaes,  with  4000  men,  watched  the 
small  garrison  at  Lerida;  the  Duke  of  Noailles,  with 
8000  French  troops  from  Roussillon,  threatened  Cata- 
lonia on  a  third  side;  while  Philip  and  Marshal  Tesse 
had  collected  10,000  men  at  Madrid.  The  letter  con- 
cluded with  the  words:  "There  is  nothing  here  but 
distrust,  discontent,  and  despair." 

The  responsibility  left  by  the  king's  letter  upon 
Peterborough  was  great  indeed.  On  the  one  hand,  if 
he  did  not  return  to  the  defence  of  Catalonia,  the  king 
might  be  exposed  to  imminent  danger;  and,  on  the 
other,  if  he  repassed  the  Ebro  he  might  be  accused  of 
having  left  Valencia  and  its  loyal  inhabitants  to  their 
fate,  and  would  have  forfeited  all  the  advantages  that 
his  audacity  and  skill  had  already  gained. 

His  difficulties  in  any  case  were  enormous.  His 
infantry  were  marching  almost  barefooted;  they  were 
clothed  in  rags.  The  season  was  inclement,  the  country 
mountainous  and  rough,  and  the  horses  of  the  dragoons 
so  exhausted  that  they  could  scarcely  carry  their  riders. 
In  obedience  to  his  instructions,  here,  as  at  Tortosa,  he 
assembled  his  officers  in  a  council  of  war  and  asked 
their  opinion.  They  were  unanimous  in  saying  that, 
with  the  small  and  exhausted  force  under  his  orders, 
no  further  operation  could  be  undertaken  for  the  con- 
quest of  Valencia,  but  that  the  little  army  should  post 
itself  in  such  a  position  as  might  afford  the  greatest 
facility  for  protecting  the  king. 

Peterborough  had  thus  on  one  side  not  only  the  dif- 


AN   EXTRAORDINARY   RESOLVE.  183 

Acuity  of  the  position,  but  the  opinion  of  the  council 
of  war  against  a  further  advance;  but  on  the  other 
hand  he  knew  the  anxiety  of  the  king  that  help  should 
be  given  to  the  Yalencians.  He  therefore  announced 
to  his  officers  a  resolution  as  desperate  as  that  ever 
formed  by  a  sane  man.  He  had  listened  gravely  and 
in  silence  while  the  officers  gave  their  opinion,  and 
then  ordered  that  the  foot-sore  infantry,  with  a  few 
of  the  horse,  should  march  back  to  Vinaroz,  a  little 
town  on  the  sea -side  a  day's  journey  from  Tortosa, 
where  in  case  of  necessity  they  might  embark  in 
boats  and  be  taken  off  to  the  ships.  Then,  to  the  stupe- 
faction of  his  officers,  he  announced  his  intention  of 
himself  proceeding  with  the  remaining  dragoons,  about 
a  hundred  and  fifty  in  number,  to  conquer  the  province 
of  Valencia! 

In  vain  the  officers  remonstrated,  the  earl  was  firm. 
The  council  then  broke  up,  and  the  troops  prepared  for 
their  march  in  opposite  directions.  The  parting  of 
Peterborough  and  his  officers  was  very  sad,  for  they 
doubted  not  that  it  was  a  final  one. 

"  I  will  yet  endeavour,"  he  said,  "  however  our  cir- 
cumstances seem  desperate,  to  secure  the  kingdom  of 
Valencia;  and  since  the  king  has  thought  conquest 
possible  in  this  present  case,  he  cannot  complain  of  my 
motions,  however  rash  they  might  appear.  I  am  re- 
solved, therefore,  never  to  repass  the  Ebro  without 
positive  orders  from  him." 

Before  starting  the  earl  wrote  to  Charles  and  ex- 


184  PETERBOROUGH'S   LETTER. 

plained  fully  his  intentions.  It  is  evident  from  the 
tone  of  his  letter  that  Peterborough  did  not  expect  to 
survive  this  extraordinary  expedition.  The  language  is 
grave  and  firm,  and,  though  respectful,  full  of  stronger 
remonstrance  and  more  homely  advice  than  often 
reaches  kings.     It  concluded: 

"  I  have  had  but  little  share  in  your  councils.  If 
our  advance  had  been  approved,  if  your  majesty  had 
trusted  us  .  .  .  if  your  majesty  had  permitted  me  to 
march  into  the  kingdom  of  Valencia,  when  I  so  ear- 
nestly desired  it,  without  making  me  stay  under  pre- 
tence of  the  march  of  imaginary  troops;  if  your  majesty 
would  have  believed  me  on  that  occasion,  your  majesty 
would  have  had  this  time  not  only  a  viceroy  of  Valencia 
but  the  kingdom.  With  what  force  I  have  I  am  going 
to  march  straight  to  Valencia.  I  can  take  no  other 
measures,  leaving  the  rest  to  Providence.  ...  If  the 
time  lost  (so  much  against  my  inclination)  exposes  me 
to  a  sacrifice,  at  least  I  will  perish  with  honour,  and  as 
a  man  deserving  a  better  fate.  Peterborough.— 
Alcala,  27th  of  January,  1706." 

The  earl  now  again  sent  orders  to  one  thousand 
Spanish  foot  and  three  hundred  horse,  which  had  be- 
fore been  nominally  placed  at  his  disposal,  but  had 
never  moved  from  the  town  in  which  they  were 
garrisoned,  to  follow  him  into  Valencia;  and  at  the 
same  time  he  wrote  to  Colonel  Wills  to  march  imme- 
diately with  a  like  number  of  English  horse  and  foot 
to  his  assistance. 


A  DESPERATE   UNDERTAKING.  185 

The  king,  on  the  receipt  of  Peterborough's  letter, 
issued  positive  and  peremptory  orders  that  the  Span- 
ish troops  were  at  once  to  be  set  in  motion.  Colonel 
Wills  wrote  in  reply  that  an  important  action  had 
taken  place  at  San  Esteban  de  Litera  on  the  2Gth  and 
27th  of  January,  between  General  Conyngham  with 
his  brigade  and  the  Chevalier  d'Asfeldt,  in  which,  after 
a  bloody  contest,  the  French  were  driven  from  the 
field  with  a  heavy  loss  of  killed,  wounded,  and  pri- 
soners. The  allies  had  also  suffered  serious  loss,  and 
General  Conyngham  had  received  a  mortal  wound. 
The  command,  therefore,  had  devolved  upon  himself. 

Having  seen  the  infantry  march  off,  Peterborough, 
attended  only  by  his  two  aides-de-camp,  took  his  place 
at  the  head  of  his  handful  of  cavalry  and  proceeded  on 
his  desperate  enterprise — an  enterprise  the  most  extra- 
ordinary that  has  ever  taken  place  between  enemies 
of  an  equal  degree  of  civilization.  It  was  a  war  of 
a  general  with  a  small  escort,  but  literally  without 
an  army,  against  able  officers  with  thousands  of  dis- 
ciplined troops  and  numerous  defensible  towns  and 
positions,  against  enormous  difficulties  of  country, 
against  want  and  fatigue  in  every  shape,  and  above 
all,  against  hope  itself.  And  yet  no  one  who  had  wit- 
nessed that  little  body  march  off  would  have  supposed 
that  they  were  entering  upon  what  seemed  an  im- 
possible expedition — an  expedition  from  which  none 
could  come  back  alive.  Worn  out  and  sorry  as  was 
the  appearance  of  the  horses,  ragged  and  dirty  that  of 


1S6  AN   ALTERNATIVE. 

their  riders,  the  latter  were  in  high  spirits.  The  con- 
tagion of  the  extraordinary  energy  and  audacity  of 
their  chief  had  spread  among  them;  they  had  an  ab- 
solute confidence  in  his  genius;  and  they  entered  upon 
the  romantic  enterprise  with  the  ardour  of  schoolboys. 

Not  less  was  the  spirit  of  the  two  young  aides- 
de-camp.  Before  starting  the  earl  had  offered  them 
the  option  of  marching  away  with  the  infantry. 

"It  is  not  that  I  doubt  your  courage,  lads,  for 
I  marked  you  both  under  fire  at  Montjuich,  but  the 
fatigues  will  be  terrible.  You  have  already  supported, 
in  a  manner  which  has  surprised  me,  the  work  which 
you  have  undergone.  You  have  already  borne  far 
more  than  your  full  share  of  the  hardships  of  the 
campaign,  and  I  have,  in  my  despatches,  expressed  a 
very  strong  opinion  to  the  government  as  to  the  value 
of  the  services  you  have  rendered.  You  are  both  very 
young,  and  I  should  be  sorry  to  see  your  lives  sacrificed 
in  such  an  enterprise  as  that  I  am  undertaking,  and 
shall  think  no  less  of  you  if  you  elect  now  to  have  a 
period  of  rest." 

The  young  men  had,  however,  so  firmly  and  emphati- 
cally declined  to  leave  him  that  the  earl  had  accepted 
their  continued  service. 

The  cavalry,  instead  of  keeping  in  a  compact  body, 
were  broken  up  into  parties  of  ten,  all  of  whom  fol- 
lowed different  roads,  spreading,  through  every  hamlet 
they  passed,  the  news  that  a  great  army,  of  which  they 
were  the  forerunners,  was  following  hotly  behind.    So 


THE  FIRST  DAY'S  ADVANCE.  187 

that,  should  any  peasants  favourable  to  Philip's  cause, 
carry  the  news  to  Las  Torres,  that  general  would  be 
forced  to  believe  that  he  was  being  pursued  by  a  veri- 
table army.  Many  stragglers  of  the  retreating  force 
were  picked  up  and  handed  over  to  the  peasantry  to 
be  sent  as  prisoners  into  Catalonia. 

For  the  most  part  the  little  parties  of  cavalry  were 
well  received  by  the  populace;  the  majority  of  the 
Yalencians  were  in  favour  of  King  Charles,  and  that 
night,  when  they  halted,  the  weary  horses  obtained 
ample  supplies  of  grain  and  forage,  and  the  troopers 
were  made  welcome  to  the  best  the  villages  afforded. 

A  few  extra  horses  were  purchased  by  Peterborough 
during  the  day,  and  it  was  well  for  his  aides-de-camps 
that  it  was  so,  for  scarcely  had  they  finished  their 
meal  than  Peterborough  ordered  them  again  into  the 
saddle.  They  were  to  ride  by  cross  roads  right  and  left 
to  the  villages  where  the  different  detachments  had  been 
ordered  to  halt,  and  to  tell  them  the  routes  marked 
out  for  them  by  which  they  would  again  concentrate 
at  mid-day,  so  as  to  ride  in  comparatively  strong  force 
through  a  small  town  on  the  main  road,  whence  news 
might,  not  improbably,  be  sent  on  to  Las  Torres. 
After  that  they  were  to  again  disperse  and  pervade 
the  country. 

Jack  and  Graham  carried  out  these  orders,  taking 
guides  from  each  village  through  which  they  passed  to 
the  next,  and  it  was  near  midnight  before  they  had 
finished  their  work.     At  four  in  the  morning  every 


188  A   BRUTAL  MASSACRE. 

detachment  was  in  motion,  and  at  noon  the  troop  was 
ao-ain  concentrated.  Here  the  earl  learned  that  a 
detachment  of  the  enemy  had  remained  behind  at 
Alcala,  and,  instead  of  carrying  out  his  previous  plan, 
he  rode  straight  with  the  whole  of  his  dragoons  to 
that  town.  When  he  approached  it  he  divided  his 
force  into  three  bodies,  which  entered  the  place  simul- 
taneously by  different  gates,  and  the  Spanish  detach- 
ment, two  hundred  strong,  at  once  laid  down  their 
arms. 

Evening  was  now  approaching,  and,  as  the  horses 
and  dragoons  were  utterly  worn  out,  Peterborough 
halted  for  the  night.  He  at  once  called  together  the 
principal  inhabitants,  and  informed  them  that  he  re- 
quired all  the  horses  in  the  town,  with  such  saddlery 
as  they  could  obtain,  to  be  collected  and  forwarded  for 
his  use  to  a  point  he  named. 

The  next  morning  the  march  was  continued.  Las 
Torres  had  continued  his  flight,  and  this  was  hastened 
when  he  heard  of  the  capture  of  Alcala.  He  pushed 
through  the  town  of  Borriol  and  hastened  on  to  Villa- 
Real,  a  town  strongly  favourable  to  King  Charles.  It 
opened  its  gates,  however,  on  the  solemn  promise  of 
Las  Torres  to  respect  the  life  and  property  of  the 
inhabitants;  but  no  sooner  had  his  troops  entered  than 
he  gave  the  order  for  a  general  massacre  and  the  sack 
of  the  town.  This  ferocious  order  was  executed,  and 
very  few  of  the  inhabitants  escaped  with  their  lives. 

The  following  day,  on  the  news  coming  in  from 


NULES   CLOSES   ITS   GATES.  189 

various  points  in  his  rear  that  the  enemy  were  pressing 
after  him,  he  marched  his  dispirited  army  to  Nules, 
whore  the  inhabitants  were  well  affected.  In  answer  to 
his  appeal  a  thousand  of  the  citizens  enrolled  themselves 
and  undertook  to  defend  the  town  till  the  last  against 
the  Eno-lish.  Having  assured  himself  of  their  earnest- 
ness  Las  Torres  inspected  the  muster,  and  having 
viewed  all  the  dispositions  for  defence,  continued  his 
flight.  Nules  was  fortified  by  strong  walls  flanked 
with  towers,  the  fortifications  were  in  an  excellent 
state  of  defence,  and  the  town  could  have  resisted  a 
siege  by  a  considerable  army. 

On  arriving  at  Villa-Real  the  British  were  horrified 
at  the  hideous  massacre  which  had  taken  place.  They 
went  from  house  to  house  and  found  everywhere  the 
bodies  of  the  slaughtered  inhabitants,  and  the  ardour 
of  the  dragoons  was,  if  possible,  heightened  by  the  sight. 
They  made  but  a  short  stay  here  and  then  galloped  on 
to  Nules.  As  they  neared  the  town  a  fire  of  musketry 
was  opened  from  the  walls,  but,  wholly  disregarding 
this,  the  earl  at  the  head  of  his  men  dashed  up  to  the 
gates  and  demanded,  in  an  imperious  tone,  that  the 
principal  inhabitants  should  assemble  and  hold  parley 
with  him. 

The  boldness  of  the  earl's  manner  and  the  imperative 
tone  in  which  he  spoke  so  astonished  the  citizens  on  the 
walls  that  they  ceased  firing,  and  sent  for  their  magis- 
trates and  priests.  When  these  assembled  on  the  wall 
Peterborough  told  them  in  an  angry  tone  that  he  gave 


190         THE  SUCCESS  OF  A  BOLD  FRONT. 

them  only  six  minutes  for  deliberation,  and  that  if  they 
offered  the  slightest  resistance  he  would  repeat  at 
Nules  the  massacre  which  Las  Torres  had  carried  out 
at  Villa-Real.  He  added  that,  unless  they  instantly 
surrendered,  he  would  blow  down  their  walls  the 
moment  his  artillery  and  engineers  arrived.  The 
terror-stricken  magistrates  at  once  summoned  the  town 
council,  and,  upon  their  repeating  Peterborough's 
terrible  threats,  it  was  resolved  at  once  to  surrender, 
and  the  six  minutes  had  scarcely  elapsed  when  the 
gates  fell  back  on  their  hinges,  and  Peterborough  and 
his  dragoons  entered  the  town  in  triumph. 

Here  the  wearied  band  enjoyed  a  rest  for  some  days, 
Peterborough  spreading  the  alarm,  which  his  presence 
excited,  by  giving  orders  that  great  quantities  of 
provisions  and  forage  should  be  brought  in  from  all 
directions  for  the  supply  of  the  large  army,  which  he 
stated  to  be  following  at  his  heels.  As  it  never  occurred 
to  anyone  that  he  could  be  pursuing  an  army  of 
seven  thousand  men  through  a  hostile  country  with 
only  a  handful  of  dragoons,  his  statements  were  not 
doubted.  The  requisitions  were  complied  with,  and 
provisions  and  stores  poured  into  the  town. 

Las  Torres  at  Almenara,  where  he  had  again  per- 
petrated a  horrible  massacre,  heard  the  news  of  the 
great  preparations  that  Peterborough  was  making  for 
the  supply  of  his  army,  and  considering  his  position  to 
be  unsafe  again  retreated  hastily. 

At  Nules  two  hundred  horses  were  found,  and  at 


ARRIVAL   OF   A   REINFORCEMENT.  191 

once  appropriated  for  the  use  of  the  army.  With 
a  portion  of  his  force  Peterborough  rode  out  to  Cas- 
tillon  de  la  Plana,  an  open  town  of  some  size,  where 
the  people  were  well  affected  to  the  Austrian  cause. 
Here  he  secured  four  hundred  more  horses,  at  the  same 
time  assuring  both  friends  and  foes  that  his  army  was 
driving  the  enemy  out  of  the  kingdom.  On  entering 
Nules,  Peterborough  had  sent  orders  for  Lord  Barry  - 
more's  regiment  of  British  infantry,  at  that  time  under 
the  command  of  Colonel  Pierce,  to  march  from  Vinaroz, 
where  they  had  been  sent  with  the  rest  of  the  infantry 
from  San  Matteo,  to  Oropesa,  a  town  about  nine  miles 
from  Castillon,  where  he  had  collected  all  the  horses 
he  had  obtained  during  his  march. 

CD 

AVhen  the  news  reached  Xules  of  the  arrival  of  this 
regiment  at  Oropesa,  Lord  Peterborough  at  once  rode 
over.  The  regiment  was  formed  up  for  his  inspection;  it 
had  marched  with  the  greatest  speed,  and  the  men 
were  worn  out  and  footsore  with  their  long  tramp  over 
the  stony  hills.  After  inspecting  them  the  earl  paid 
them  a  high  compliment  upon  their  past  achievements, 
and  concluded  by  expressing  his  wish  that  they  had 
but  horses  and  accoutrements  to  try  whether  a  corps 
of  so  high  a  character  would  maintain  their  reputation 
in  the  novelty  of  mounted  service. 

The  joke  of  their  eccentric  general  seemed  but  a  poor 
one  to  the  footsore  and  almost  shoeless  men,  but  they 
were  astonished  when  Jack  rode  forward  and  presented 
to  each  of  the  officers  a  commission,  which  he  had 


192  A   REGIMENT   OF  HORSE. 

drawn  out  in  the  earl's  name,  as  cavalry  officers.  Their 
astonishment  was  changed  to  delight  when  Peter- 
borough marched  them  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  where 
they  stood,  and  they  saw  eight  bodies  of  horses  drawn 
up  in  order  ready  for  their  eight  companies.  Among 
these  were  set  apart  three  good  chargers  for  each 
captain,  two  for  lieutenants,  and  one  for  cornets.  He 
ordered  the  regiment  to  mount,  and,  immensely  amused 
at  their  sudden  elevation  to  the  cavalry  service,  the 
troops  rode  back  to  the  town. 

From  the  moment  when  he  started  from  San  Matteo 
Peterborough  had,  in  spite  of  his  incessant  exertions 
and  multifarious  cares,  been  quietly  making  prepara- 
tions for  this  event.  He  had  sent  to  Barcelona  for 
the  necessary  accoutrements  for  these  men  and  for 
the  dismounted  British  dragoons.  The  accoutrements 
had  been  sent  from  Barcelona  to  the  nearest  port 
on  the  sea  coast,  and,  by  continually  urging  on  the 
local  carriers,  the  earl  had,  in  nine  days  after  leaving 
San  Matteo,  collected  them  in  readiness  at  his  depot  at 
Castillon,  and  thus  raised  his  little  band  of  horse  to 
nearly  a  thousand  men.  These  he  dispersed  at  once 
among  the  well-affected  towns  of  the  neighbourhood, 
whose  walls  would  render  them  safe  from  the  attack 
of  an  enemy  unsupported  by  artillery,  moving  them 
constantly  from  place  to  place,  partly  to  accustom 
them  to  their  new  duties,  partly  to  confuse  the  enemy 
as  to  their  numbers. 


CHAPTER  X. 


AN  ADVENTURE  IN  THE  MOUNTAINS. 


R.  STILWELL ,"  the  earl  said,  a  few  days 
after  his  arrival  atCastillon,  "will  you  take 
twenty  dragoons  and  ride  out  to  the  village 
of  Estrella?  The  district  round  it  is  ex- 
tremely hostile,  and  they  prevent  supplies  being 
brought  in  from  that  direction.  Get  hold  of  the  prin- 
cipal men  in  the  place,  and  tell  them  that  if  I  hear 
any  more  complaints  of  hostility  in  that  neighbour- 
hood I  will  send  out  a  regiment  of  horse,  burn  their 
village,  and  ravage  all  the  country.  I  don't  think  you 
need  apprehend  any  opposition ;  but  of  course  you  will 
keep  a  good  look-out." 

"  Am  I  to  return  to-night,  sir?" 
"  Let  that  depend  upon  your  reception.  If  the  in- 
habitants show  a  fairly  good  disposition,  or  if  you  see 
that  at  anyrate  there  is  a  considerable  section  of  the 
population  well-disposed  to  the  cause,  stay  there  for  the 
night,  and  in  the  morning  make  a  wide  circuit  through 
the  district  before  returning.  If  you  perceive  a  strong 
hostile  feeling  it  were  best  not  to  sleep  there ;  with  so 


(338) 


N 


194  ESTRELLA. 

small   a   force   you  would   be   liable   to  a  night   at- 
tack." 

Twenty  minutes  later  Jack  rode  off  with  his  party, 
having  first  obtained  directions  from  the  natives  as  to 
the  best  road  to  Estrella.  The  village  was  but  some 
fifteen  miles  off,  and  lay  in  the  centre  of  a  fertile  dis- 
trict on  the  other  side  of  a  range  of  lofty  hills.  The 
road  they  were  traversing  ran  through  the  hills  by  a 
narrow  and  very  steep  valley. 

"This  would  be  a  nasty  place  to  be  attacked,"  Jack 
said  to  the  sergeant  who  was  riding  just  behind 
him. 

"It  would,  indeed,  sir;  and  if  they  were  to  set  some 
of  those  stones  a-rolling  they  would  soon  knock  our 
horses  off  their  legs." 

A  mile  or  two  farther  on  the  road  again  descended 
and  the  valley  opened  to  a  fertile  country.  Another 
half  hour's  sharp  riding  brought  them  into  Estrella. 
Their  coming  had  probably  been  signalled,  for  the  in- 
habitants evinced  no  sudden  alarm  as  the  little  troop 
rode  along  the  principal  street.  The  women  stood  at 
the  doors  of  the  houses  to  look  at  them,  the  men  were 
gathered  in  little  knots  at  the  corners;  but  all  were  un- 
armed, and  Jack  saw  at  once  that  there  was  no  inten- 
tion of  offering  resistance.  He  alighted  at  the  door  of 
the  village  inn,  and  in  a  few  minutes  two  or  three  of 
the  chief  men  in  the  village  presented  themselves. 

"  The  English  general,"  Jack  said,  "  has  heard  that 
the  people  of  your  neighbourhood  are  hostile,  and  that 
those  who  would  pass  through  with  animals  and  stores 
for  the  army  are  prevented  from  doing  so.     He  bids 


THE   GENERAL'S   MESSAGE.  195 

me  say  that  he  does  not  wish  to  war  with  the  people 
of  this  country  so  long  as  they  are  peaceful.  Those 
who  take  up  arms  he  will  meet  with  arms;  but  so  long 
as  they  interfere  not  with  him  he  makes  no  inquiry  as 
to  whether  their  wishes  are  for  King  Charles  or  Philip 
of  Anjou;  but  if  they  evince  an  active  hostility  he 
will  be  forced  to  punish  them.  You  know  how  Marshal 
Tesse  has  massacred  unarmed  citizens  whom  he  deemed 
hostile,  and  none  could  blame  the  English  general 
did  he  carry  out  reprisals;  but  it  will  grieve  him  to 
have  to  do  so.  He  has  therefore  sent  me  with  this 
small  troop  to  warn  you  that  if  the  people  of  this  vil- 
lage and  district  interfere  in  any  way  with  his  friends, 
or  evince  signs  of  active  hostility,  he  will  send  a  regi- 
ment of  horse  with  orders  to  burn  the  village  to  the 
ground,  and  to  lay  all  the  district  bare." 

"  Your  general  has  been  misinformed,"  the  principal 
man  in  the  place  said.  "  There  are,  it  is  true,  some  in 
the  district  who  hold  for  Philip  of  Anjou;  but  the  popu- 
lation are  well-disposed  to  King  Charles,  and  this  vil- 
lage is  ready  to  furnish  any  supplies  that  the  English 
may  require.  If  your  honour  will  give  me  a  list  of 
these  I  will  do  my  best  to  have  them  in  readiness  by 
to-morrow  morning,  and  I  trust  that  you  will  honour 
us  by  stopping  here  till  then." 

Jack  hesitated;  he  did  not  much  like  the  appear- 
ance of  the  man  or  the  tone  of  humility  in  which  he 
spoke;  still,  as  he  offered  to  furnish  supplies,  he  thought 
it  well  to  accept  the  same. 

"What  horses  could  you  let  us  have?"  he  asked. 

"We  could  supply  ten  horses,"  the  man  said,  "fit  for 


196  A   FRIENDLY   DEMEANOUR. 

cavalry,  four  waggons  of  grain,  and  twenty  barrels  of 
wine." 

"Very  well,"  Jack  said;  "if  these  are  ready  by  to- 
morrow morning  I  will  accept  them  as  an  earnest  of 
your  good-will,  and  now  I  require  food  for  my  men." 

"  That  shall  be  ready  for  them  in  an  hour,"  the  man 
replied. 

Jack  now  gave  orders  to  the  sergeant  that  the  girths 
to  the  saddles  should  be  loosened,  and  the  horses 
fastened  in  readiness  for  service  in  the  street  close  to 
the  inn.  Four  men  were  then  posted  as  pickets  at  the 
distance  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  on  each  side  of  the  vil- 
lage. Corn  was  brought  for  the  horses.  The  women 
and  children  gathered  round  to  gaze  at  the  foreign 
soldiers,  and  Jack  was  convinced  that  there  was  at  any- 
rate  no  intention  to  effect  a  surprise  while  he  remained 
in  the  village.  In  an  hour  the  dinner  was  served,  and 
there  was  no  reason  to  complain  of  the  quantity  or 
quality  of  the  provisions. 

An  hour  after  dinner  the  troop  again  mounted  and 
took  a  detour  of  some  miles  through  the  district,  pass- 
ing through  several  other  villages,  in  none  of  which 
were  the  slightest  signs  of  hostility  met  with.  "  Ser- 
geant," Jack  said,  after  they  had  returned  to  Estrella, 
"everything  looks  very  quiet  and  peaceful;  but,  con- 
sidering what  we  have  heard  of  the  feeling  in  this  dis- 
trict, it  seems  to  me  that  it  is  almost  too  peaceful.  I 
can't  help  feeling  somewhat  uneasy.  When  it  gets  dark 
divide  the  troop  into  two  parties;  keep  one  constantly 
under  arms;  place  sentries  in  pairs  at  each  end  of  the 
village,  and  keep  a  most  vigilant  watch.     Do  not  let 


WHERE  ARE  THE  MEN?  197 

the  others  scatter  to  the  quarters  the  mayor  has  pro- 
vided; but  let  all  lie  down  here  in  the  inn  ready  to 
turn  out  at  a  moment's  notice.  They  are  a  treacherous 
lot  these  Spaniards,  and  we  cannot  be  too  strictly  on 
our  guard." 

The  night  passed,  however,  without  an  incident,  and 
in  the  morning  the  five  waggons  with  grain  and  wine, 
and  eight  horses,  were  brought  in. 

Jack,  rather  ashamed  of  his  suspicions  on  the  pre- 
vious night,  thanked  the  mayor  warmly.  Eight  of  the 
troopers  took  each  a  led  horse.  The  four  countrymen 
in  charge  of  the  waggons  shouted  to  their  oxen,  and  the 
party  moved  out  from  Estrella. 

"There  are  very  few  men  about  the  village,  Mr. 
Stilwell,"  the  sergeant  said,  as  Jack  reined  back  his 
horse  to  speak  to  him.     "Did  you  notice  that,  sir?" 

"Yes,"  Jack  said;  "I  did  notice  it;  for  except  a  few 
old  men  and  boys,  there  were  none  but  women  and  chil- 
dren gathered  round  or  standing  at  their  door.  There 
were  plenty  of  men  about  yesterday;  but  perhaps  they 
have  all  gone  up  to  work  in  the  fields;  however,  we 
will  keep  our  eyes  open.  You  had  best  ride  forward, 
sergeant,  to  the  two  men  in  front  and  tell  them  to 
keep  a  sharp  look-out." 

They  were  proceeding  only  at  a  slow  walk  in  order 
to  keep  pace  with  the  waggons,  and  it  was  an  hour 
and  a  half  after  leaving  Estrella  before  they  entered 
the  hills. 

Jack  noticed  that  although  many  women  and  girls 
could  be  seen  working  in  the  fields,  not  a  man  was  in 
sight. 


198  PRECAUTIONS. 

"It  is  curious,  sergeant,  that  there  are  no  men  about, 
and  I  can't  help  thinking  that  all  is  not  right.  Do  you 
take  four  men  with  you  and  ride  straight  on  through 
that  nasty  narrow  valley  we  noticed  as  we  came.  Keep 
a  sharp  look-out  on  both  sides,  for  there  are  rocks 
enough  on  those  hills  to  hide  an  army." 

Jack  halted  the  detachment  when  the  scouting  party 
went  forward.  In  three  quarters  of  an  hour  the  ser- 
geant returned  with  his  men,  saying  that  he  had  ridden 
right  through  the  valley  and  could  see  no  signs  of  life 
whatever. 

"  Very  well,  sergeant,  then  we  will  proceed.  But  we 
will  do  so  in  groups.  If  we  are  to  be  attacked  in  that 
valley,  we  could  make  no  fight  of  it  were  we  ten  times 
as  many  as  we  are;  and  if  we  must  be  caught,  they 
shall  have  as  few  of  us  as  possible;  therefore,  let  a  cor- 
poral with  four  men  go  on  a  good  quarter  of  a  mile 
ahead,  so  that  he  will  be  past  the  worst  part  before  the 
next  body  enter.  Then  do  you  take  ten  men  and  go 
next.  I  will  follow  you  at  the  same  distance  with  the 
other  five  men  and  the  waggons.  Order  the  corporal 
if  attacked  to  ride  through  if  possible;  if  not,  to  fall 
back  to  you.  Do  you  do  the  same.  If  you  are  nearly 
through  the  valley  when  you  are  attacked,  dash  straight 
forward.  I  shall  see  what  is  going  on,  and  will  turn 
and  ride  back  with  my  party,  and  making  a  sweep 
round  through  the  flat  country  find  my  way  back  by 
some  other  road.  In  that  case  by  no  possibility  can 
they  get  more  than  a  few  of  us." 

These  orders,  which  were  well  calculated  to  puzzle  a 
concealed  enemy,  were    carried  out.     The  corporal's 


THE  AMBUSCADE.  199 

party  were  just  disappearing  round  a  turn  at  the  upper 
end  of  the  valley  when  the  main  body  under  the  ser- 
geant entered  it.  Jack  was  not  quite  so  far  behind, 
and  halted  as  he  entered  the  valley  to  allow  those  who 
preceded  him  to  get  through  before  he  proceeded.  They 
were  still  some  two  hundred  yards  from  the  further 
end  when  a  shot  was  heard,  and  in  an  instant  men  ap- 
peared from  behind  every  rock,  and  the  hillside  was 
obscured  with  smoke  as  upwards  of  two  hundred  guns 
were  fired  almost  simultaneously.  Then  there  was  a 
deep  rumbling  noise,  and  the  rocks  came  bounding 
down  from  above. 

The  sergeant  carried  out  Jack's  orders.  At  the  flash 
of  the  first  gun  he  set  off  with  his  men  at  a  gallop ;  and 
so  quick  and  sudden  was  the  movement  that  but  few 
of  the  bullets  touched  them,  and  the  rocks  for  the 
most  part  thundered  down  in  their  rear.  Two  or  three 
horses  and  men  were,  however,  struck  down  and  crushed 
by  the  massive  rocks;  but  the  rest  of  the  party  got 
through  the  pass  in  safety  and  joined  their  comrades 
who  had  preceded  them.  They  rode  on  for  a  short 
distance  further,  and  then  there  was  a  halt,  and  wounds 
were  examined  and  bandaged. 

"  It  is  well  that  we  came  as  we  did,"  the  sergeant 
said  to  his  corporal;  "if  we  had  been  all  together,  with 
the  waggons  blocking  up  the  road,  not  a  man-jack  of 
us  would  have  escaped  alive.  What  an  escape  it  has 
been!  the  whole  hillside  seemed  coming  down  on  us." 

"What  will  Mr.  Stilwell  do,  sergeant?" 

"  He  said  he  should  ri  le  back  into  the  plain  and  take 
some  other  way  round,"  the  sergeant  replied;  "but  I 


200  THE   ROAD   BLOCKED. 

fear  he  won't  find  it  so  easy.  Fellows  who  would  lay 
such  an  ambush  as  that  are  pretty  sure  to  have  taken 
steps  to  cut  off  the  retreat  of  any  who  might  escape 
and  ride  back.  I  am  sure  I  hope  he  will  get  out  of  it, 
for  he  is  a  good  officer,  and  as  pleasant  a  young  fellow 
as  one  can  want  to  serve  under;  besides,  there  are  five 
of  our  chaps  with  him." 

Jack  had  halted  his  men  the  instant  the  first  shot 
was  fired.  "Shall  I  shoot  these  fellows,  sir?"  one  of  the 
troopers  asked,  drawing  his  pistol  and  pointing  it  at 
the  head  of  the  peasant  leading  a  yoke  of  oxen. 

"No,"  Jack  said;  "they  are  unarmed;  besides,  they 
are  plucky  fellows  for  risking  their  lives  on  such  a 
venture.  There!  the  sergeant's  troop  have  got  through ; 
but  there  are  two  or  three  of  them  down.  Come  along, 
lads,  we  must  ride  back,  and  there  is  no  time  to  lose. 
Keep  well  together,  and  in  readiness  to  charge  if  I  give 
the  word.    It  is  likely  enough  our  turn  may  come  next." 

They  rode  on  without  interruption  at  full  gallop  till 
they  neared  the  lower  end  of  the  valley.  Then  Jack 
drew  up  his  horse.  Across  the  road  and  the  ground 
on  each  side,  extended  a  dozen  carts,  the  oxen  being 
taken  out,  and  the  carts  placed  end  to  end  so  as  to 
form  a  barricade.  A  number  of  men  were  standing 
behind  them. 

"  I  expected  something  of  this  sort,"  Jack  muttered. 
He  looked  at  the  hills  on  either  side,  but  they  were  too 
steep  to  ride  up  on  horseback;  and  as  to  abandoning 
the  animals  and  taking  to  the  hills  on  foot,  it  was  not 
to  be  thought  of,  for  the  active  peasants  would  easily 
overtake  them. 


[mm-  fmM:l 


WHICH  WAY  TO   GO?  201 

"  We  must  ride  straight  forward,"  he  said;  "  there  is 
no  other  way  out  of  it.  There  is  level  ground  enough 
for  a  horse  to  pass  round  the  left  of  the  waggons.  Ride 
for  that  point  as  hard  as  you  can,  and  when  you  are 
through  keep  straight  forward  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
till  we  are  together  a^ain.     Now." 

Giving  his  horse  the  spur,  Jack  dashed  off  at  full 
speed,  followed  closely  by  the  troopers.  As  they  ap- 
proached the  line  guns  flashed  out  from  the  waggons, 
and  the  bullets  sang  thickly  round  them;  but  they 
were  going  too  fast  to  be  an  easy  mark,  and  the 
peasants,  after  firing  their  guns,  seeing  the  point  for 
which  they  were  making,  ran  in  a  body  to  oppose  them, 
armed  with  pitchforks  and  ox-goads;  few  of  them  had, 
however,  reached  the  spot  when  Jack  and  his  troopers 
dashed  up.  There  was  a  short  sharp  struggle,  and 
then,  leaving  five  or  six  of  the  peasants  dead  on  the 
ground,  the  troopers  burst  through  and  rode  forward. 
One  man  only  had  been  lost  in  the  passage,  shot  through 
the  head  as  he  approached  the  gap. 

"  So  far  we  are  safe,"  Jack  said,  "  and  as  I  expect 
every  man  in  the  country  round  was  engaged  in  that 
ambush,  we  need  not  hurry  for  the  present.  The 
question  is,  Which  way  to  go?" 

This  was  indeed  a  difficult  point  to  settle,  for  Jack 
was  wholly  ignorant  of  the  country.  He  had  made 
inquiries  as  to  the  way  to  Estrella,  but  knew  nothing 
of  any  other  roads  leading  from  that  village,  and  indeed, 
for  aught  he  knew,  the  road  by  which  he  had  come 
might  be  the  only  one  leading  to  the  south  through 
the  range  of  hills. 


202  A  CUL-DE-SAC. 

"We  will  turn  west,"  he  said,  after  a  moment's 
thought,  "  and  keep  along  near  the  foot  of  the  hills  till 
we  come  to  another  road  crossing  them." 

So  saying,  he  set  forward  at  an  easy  trot  across  the 
fields  of  maize  and  wheat  stubble,  vineyards,  and  occa- 
sionally orchards.  For  upwards  of  two  hours  Jack 
led  the  way,  but  they  saw  no  signs  of  a  road,  and  he 
observed  with  uneasiness  that  the  plain  was  narrowing 
fast  and  the  hills  on  the  left  trending  to  meet  those  on 
the  right  and  form  an  apparently  unbroken  line  ahead. 

The  horses  were  showing  signs  of  fatigue,  and  Jack 
drew  rein  on  somewhat  rising  ground  and  looked 
anxiously  round.  If,  as  it  seemed,  there  was  no  break 
in  the  hills  ahead,  it  would  be  necessary  to  retrace  their 
steps,  and  long  ere  this  the  defenders  of  the  ravine 
would  have  returned  to  their  homes,  and  learnt  from 
the  men  at  the  carts  that  a  small  party  had  escaped. 
As  the  women  in  the  fields  would  be  able  to  point  out 
the  way  they  had  taken,  the  whole  population  would 
be  out  in  pursuit  of  them.  Looking  round,  Jack 
saw  among  some  trees  to  his  right  what  appeared 
to  be  a  large  mansion,  and  resolved  at  once  to  go 
there. 

"The  horses  must  have  food  and  a  rest,"  he  said, 
"before  we  set  out  again;  and  though  it's  hardly  pro- 
bable, as  the  peasants  are  so  hostile,  that  the  owner  of 
this  place  is  friendly,  I  would  even  at  the  worst  rather 
fall  into  the  hands  of  a  gentleman  than  into  those  of 
these  peasants,  who  would  certainly  murder  us  in  cold 
blood" 

Thus  thinking,  he  rode  straight  towards  the  man- 


A   COLD   WELCOME.  203 

sion,  whose  owner  must,  he  thought  as  he  approached 
it,  be  a  man  of  importance,  for  it  was  one  of  the  finest 
country  residences  he  had  seen  in  Spain.  He  rode  up 
to  the  front  door  and  dismounted  and  rang  at  the  bell. 
A  man  opened  the  door,  and  looked  with  surprise  and 
alarm  at  the  English  uniforms.  He  would  have  shut  the 
door  again,  but  Jack  put  his  shoulder  to  it  and  pushed 
it  open. 

"  What  means  this  insolence?"  he  said  sternly,  draw- 
ing his  pistol.     "Is  your  master  in?" 

"  No,  senor,"  the  man  stammered,  "  the  count  is  from 
home." 

"  Is  your  mistress  in  ? " 

The  man  hesitated. 

"  I  will  see,"  he  said. 

"  Look  here,  sir,"  Jack  said.  "  Your  mistress  is  in, 
and  unless  you  lead  me  straight  to  her  I  will  put  a 
bullet  through  your  head." 

Several  other  men-servants  had  now  come  up,  but 
the  four  troopers  had  also  entered.  The  Spaniards 
looked  at  each  other  irresolutely. 

"'Now,  sirrah,"  Jack  said,  raising  his  pistol, "  are  you 
going  to  obey  me?" 

The  Spaniard,  seeing  Jack  would  execute  his  threat 
unless  obeyed,  turned  sullenly,  and  led  the  way  to  a 
door.     He  opened  it  and  entered. 

"  Madam  the  countess,"  he  said,  "  an  English  officer 
insists  on  seeing  you." 

Jack  followed  him  in.  A  lady  had  just  risen  from 
her  seat. 

"I   must   apologize,  madam,"  he  began,  and  then 


204  A  WELCOME   RECOGNITION. 

stopped  in  surprise,  while  at  the  same  moment  a  cry 
of  astonishment  broke  from  the  lady. 

"  Senor  Stilwell ! "  she  cried  "  Oh !  how  glad  I  am 
to  see  you !  but — but —  "  and  she  stopped. 

"  But  how  do  I  come  here  ?  countess,  you  would  ask. 
I  come  here  by  accident,  and  had  certainly  no  idea  that 
I  should  find  you,  or  that  this  mansion  belonged  to  your 
husband.  You  told  me  when  I  saw  you  last,  a  fortnight 
before  I  left  Barcelona,  that  you  were  going  away  to 
your  seat  in  the  country.  You  told  me  its  name,  too, 
and  were  good  enough  to  say  that  you  hoped  when 
this  war  was  over  that  I  would  come  and  visit  you; 
but,  in  truth,  as  this  is  not  a  time  for  visiting,  I  had 
put  the  matter  out  of  my  mind." 

"  And  do  you  belong,  then,"  the  countess  asked,  "  to 
the  party  who  we  heard  yesterday  had  arrived  at  Es- 
trella?     If  so — "  and  she  stopped  again. 

"If  so,  how  have  I  escaped?  you  would  ask.  By 
good  fortune  and  the  speed  of  my  horse." 

"What  will  the  count  say?"  the  countess  exclaimed. 
"How  will  he  ever  forgive  himself?  Had  he  known 
that  our  preserver  was  with  that  party  he  would  have 
cut  off  his  right  hand  before  he  would  have —  " 

"  Led  his  tenants  to  attack  us.  He  could  not  tell, 
countess,  and  now  I  hope  that  you  will  give  your  re- 
tainers orders  to  treat  my  men  with  hospitality.  At 
present  my  four  troopers  and  your  men  are  glowering 
at  each  other  in  the  hall  like  wolves  and  dogs  ready  to 
spring  at  each  other's  throats." 

The  countess  at  once  went  out  into  the  hall.  The 
servants  had  now  armed  themselves,  and,  led  by  the 


"LAY  ASIDE  YOUR  ARMS,    MEN."  205 

major-domo,  were  standing  in  readiness  to  attack  the 
dragoons  on  the  termination  of  the  colloquy  between 
the  officer  and  their  mistress. 

"  Lay  aside  your  arms,  men,"  the  countess  said  im- 
periously. "  These  men  are  the  count's  guests.  Enrico, 
do  you  not  recognize  this  gentleman?" 

The  major-domo  turned,  and,  at  once  dropping  his 
musket,  ran  across,  and,  falling  on  his  knees,  pressed 
Jack's  hand  to  his  lips.  The  servants,  who  had  at  first 
stood  in  irresolute  astonishment  at  their  mistress's 
order,  no  longer  hesitated,  but  placed  their  arms  against 
the  wall. 

"This,"  the  major-domo  said  to  them,  rising  to  his 
feet,  "  is  the  noble  English  lord  who  saved  the  lives  of 
the  count  and  countess  and  my  young  master  from  the 
mob  at  Barcelona,  as  I  have  often  told  you." 

This  explained  the  mystery.  The  servants  saluted 
Jack  with  profound  respect,  for  all  were  deeply  at- 
tached to  the  count  and  countess,  and  had  often 
thrilled  with  fury  and  excitement  over  the  major- 
domo's  relation  of  that  terrible  scene  at  Barcelona. 

Jack  in  a  few  words  explained  to  the  troopers  the 
reason  of  the  change  in  their  position.  The  dragoons 
put  up  their  swords,  and  were  soon  on  the  best  terms 
with  the  retainers  in  the  great  kitchen,  while  Jack 
and  the  countess  chatted  over  the  events  which  had 
happened  since  they  last  parted. 

"  I  shall  always  tremble  when  I  think  of  to-day," 
the  countess  said.  "  What  a  feeling  mine  would  have 
been  all  my  life  had  our  preserver  been  killed  by 
my  servants!     I  should  never  have  recovered  it.     It 


206  "WHAT  HAS   HAPPENED,   NINA?" 

is  true  it  would  have  been  an  accident,  and  yet  the 
possibility  should  have  been  foreseen.  The  count 
knew  you  were  with  the  Earl  of  Peterborough,  and 
the  whole  English  army  should  have  been  sacred  in  his 
eyes  for  your  sake;  but  I  suppose  he  never  thought  of 
it  any  more  than  I  did.  Of  course  everyone  knows 
that  we  belong  to  Philip's  party.  It  was  for  that 
that  the  mob  at  Barcelona  would  have  killed  us;  but 
my  husband  does  not  talk  much,  and  when  he  left 
Barcelona  no  objection  was  raised.  He  did  not  in- 
tend to  take  part  in  the  war,  and  he  little  thought  at 
that  time  that  an  enemy  would  ever  come  so  far  from 
Barcelona;  but  yesterday,  when  a  message  came  that 
a  small  party  of  the  enemy  had  entered  the  valley,  and 
that  the  peasants  had  prepared  an  ambuscade  for  them 
on  their  return,  and  that  they  hoped  that  the  count 
their  master  would  himself  come  and  lead  them  to 
annihilate  the  heretics,  the  simple  man  agreed,  never 
thinking  that  you  might  be  among  them.  What  will 
his  feelings  be  when  he  learns  it?" 

Late  in  the  afternoon  the  count  arrived.  One  of  the 
servants  who  had  been  on  the  look-out  informed  the 
countess  of  his  approach. 

"  I  will  go  myself  to  meet  him,"  she  said.  "  Do  you 
stay  here,  sefior,  where  you  can  hear." 

The  count  rode  up  at  full  speed,  and  as  the  door 
opened  ran  hastily  in. 

"  What  has  happened, Nina?"  he  exclaimed  anxiously. 
"  I  have  had  a  great  fright.  We  have  been  following 
a  small  party  of  the  enemy  who  escaped  us  from 
Estrella,  and  just  now  a  woman  returning  from  work 


"WHAT   AM   I   TO   SAY?"  207 

in  the  fields  told  us  she  had  seen  five  strange  soldiers 
ride  up  here  and  enter." 

"They  are  here,"  the  countess  answered  compla- 
cently.    "  They  are  at  present  our  guests." 

"Our  guests!"  the  count  exclaimed  astonished. 
"What  are  you  saying,  Nina?  The  enemies  of  our 
country  our  guests!  In  what  a  position  have  you 
placed  me!  I  have  two  hundred  armed  men  just 
behind.  I  left  them  to  ride  on  when  I  heard  the  news, 
being  too  anxious  to  go  at  their  pace,  and  now  you  tell 
me  that  these  men  of  whom  they  are  in  search  are  our 
guests !  What  am  I  to  say  or  do  ?  You  amaze  me  alto- 
gether." 

"What  would  you  have  me  do?"  the  countess  said. 
"  Could  I  refuse  hospitality  to  wearied  men  who  asked 
it,  Juan?"  she  continued,  changing  her  tone,  "  you  have 
to  thank  Providence  indeed  that  those  men  came  to  our 
door  instead  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  your  peasants." 

"To  thank  Providence!"  the  count  repeated  aston- 
ished. 

"  Come  with  me  and  you  will  see  why." 

She  led  the  way  into  the  room,  her  husband  following 
her.  The  count  gave  a  cry  as  his  eye  fell  upon  Jack, 
and  every  vestige  of  colour  left  his  face. 

"Mary,  mother  of  heaven!"  he  said  in  a  broken 
voice,  "  I  thank  thee  that  I  have  been  saved  from  a 
crime  which  would  have  embittered  all  my  life.  Oh, 
sefior,  is  it  thus  we  meet?  Thus,  when  I  have  been 
hunting  blindly  for  the  blood  of  the  man  to  whom  I 
owe  so  much." 

"  Happily  there  is  no  harm  done,  count,"  Jack  said, 


208  the  count's  emotion. 

advancing  with  outstretched  hand,  "you  were  doing 
what  you  believed  to  be  your  duty,  attacking  the 
enemy  of  your  country.  Had  you  killed  me  you  would 
have  been  no  more  to  blame  than  I  should,  did  a  chance 
shot  of  mine  slay  you  when  fighting  in  the  ranks  of 
the  soldiers  of  Philip." 

The  count  was  some  time  before  he  could  respond 
to  Jack's  greeting,  so  great  was  his  emotion  at  the 
thought  of  the  escape  he  had  had  from  slaying  the 
preserver  of  his  wife  and  child.  As  soon  as  he  re- 
covered himself  he  hurried  out  to  meet  the  peasants, 
whose  shouts  could  be  heard  as  they  approached  the 
castle.  He  soon  returned  and  bade  his  servants  take 
a  cask  of  wine  into  the  court-yard  behind  the  house, 
with  what  bread  and  meat  there  might  be  in  the  larder 

"You  had  no  trouble  with  them,  I  hope?"  Jack  asked. 

"None  whatever,"  the  count  said.  "As  soon  as  I 
told  them  the  circumstances  under  which  you  saved 
the  life  of  the  countess,  my  boy,  and  myself,  their  only 
wish  was  to  see  you  and  express  their  gratitude;  they 
are  simple  fellows  these  peasants,  and  if  fairly  treated 
greatly  attached  to  their  lords." 

"  It's  a  pity  their  treatment  of  the  prisoners  is  so 
savage,"  Jack  said  drily. 

"  They  are  savage,"  the  count  said,  "  but  you  must 
remember  that  the  history  of  Spain  is  one  long  story 
of  war  and  bloodshed.  They  draw  knives  on  each 
other  on  the  slightest  provocation,  and  in  their  amuse- 
ments, as  you  know,  there  is  nothing  that  in  their  eyes 
can  rival  a  bull-right;  it  is  little  wonder,  then,  that  in 
war  they  are   savage  and,  as  you  would   say,  even 


THE  mayor's  apology.  209 

bloodthirsty.  This  is  not  so  in  regular  warfare.  What- 
ever may  have  been  the  conduct  of  some  of  our  irreg- 
ulars, none  have  ever  alleged  that  Spanish  troops 
are  less  inclined  to  give  quarter  to  conquered  foes 
than  others;  but  in  this  rouo-h  irrecmlar  warfare  each 
peasant  rights  on  his  own  account  as  against  a  personal 
enemy,  and  as  he  would  expect  and  would  meet  with 
little  mercy  if  he  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands,  so  he 
grants  no  mercy  to  those  who  fall  into  his.  Indeed, 
after  the  brutal  treatment  which  Marshal  Tesse  has, 
I  am  ashamed  to  say,  dealt  out  to  those  who  opposed 
him,  you  can  scarcely  blame  peasants  for  acting  as  they 
see  civilized  soldiers  do." 

A  short  time  afterwards  Jack  went  out  with  the 
count  into  the  court-yard,  and  was  received  with  the 
most  hearty  and  cordial  greeting  by  the  men  who  were 
an  hour  before  thirsting  for  his  blood.  Anions  them 
was  the  village  mavor. 

"  Ah,  sir,"  he  said,  "  why  did  you  not  tell  us  that 
you  had  saved  the  life  of  our  dear  lord  and  lady?  you 
should  have  had  all  the  horses  in  the  district,  and  as 
many  waggons  of  wine  and  grain  as  we  could  collect. 
We  are  all  in  despair  that  we  should  have  attacked 
our  lord's  preserver." 

"  I  could  not  tell  you,"  Jack  said,  "  because  I  was  in 
io-norance  that  the  Count  de  Minas  was  your  lord :  had 
I  known  it  I  should  have  assuredly  gone  straight  to 
him." 

"  We  shall  never  forgive  ourselves,"  the  man  said, 
"  for  having  killed  four  of  your  honour's  soldiers. 

"  I  am  sorry  that  it  was  so,"  Jack  said,  "  but  I  can- 

(338)  o 


210  BACK   AT   CASTILLON. 

not  blame  you;  and  I  am  sorry  that  we  on  our  part 
must  have  killed  as  many  of  yours." 

"  Six,"  the  mayor  replied.  "  Yes,  poor  fellows,  but 
the  count  will  see  to  their  widows  and  orphans,  he  has 
promised  us  as  much.  I  drink  to  your  health,  senor," 
and  all  present  joined  in  the  shout,  "  Long  live  the 
preserver  of  the  count  and  countess!" 

Jack  and  the  count  now  returned  to  the  house,  and 
the  next  morning,  after  a  cordial  adieu  to  the  host  and 
hostess,  he  rode  back  with  his  men  to  Castillon. 

"Welcome  back,  Mr.  Stilwell,"  the  general  said  as 
he  entered,  "  I  have  been  very  uneasy  about  you.  Your 
men  returned  at  noon  yesterday  and  told  me  of  the 
ambush  in  which  they  had  been  beset.  Your  arrange- 
ments were  excellent  except  for  your  own  safety. 
How  did  you  manage  to  get  out?  By  the  way,  I  was 
astonished  by  the  arrival  here  an  hour  since  of  the 
horses  and  waggons.    The  men  who  brought  them  could 

on  o 

give  me  no  account  of  it,  except  that  the  mayor  of 
Estrella  returned  late  yesterday  evening  and  ordered 
them  to  set  out  before  daybreak.  It  seemed  to  me  a 
perfect  mystery.  I  suspected  at  first  that  the  wine  was 
poisoned,  and  ordered  the  men  who  brought  it  to  drink 
some  at  once,  but  as  they  did  so  without  hesitation  or 
sign  of  fear,  I  concluded  that  I  was  mistaken.  How- 
ever, I  have  kept  them  captive  pending  news  from  you 
to  enlighten  me." 

"  I  am  not  surprised  you  were  astonished,  sir,  but 
the  matter  was  simple  enough;"  and  then  Jack  related 
the  circumstances  which  had  befallen  them. 

"Bravo!"  the  earl  said,  "for  once,  Mr.  Stilwell,  a 


THE   EARL'S   CONGRATULATIONS.  211 

good  action  has  had  its  reward,  which,  so  far  as  my 
experience  goes,  is  an  exception." 

The  earl  at  once  called  in  a  sergeant  and  ordered 
the  release  of  the  men  who  had  brought  the  horses  and 
waggons,  and  gave  ten  gold  pieces  to  be  distributed 
among  them.  Jack  also  went  out  and  be^o-ed  them 
to  give  his  compliments  and  thanks  to  the  mayor. 

"  I  am  heartily  glad  the  adventure  ended  as  it  did;" 
the  earl  said  when  he  returned,  "  for,  putting  aside  the 
regret  I  should  have  felt  at  your  loss,  it  would  have 
been  a  difficult  business  for  me  to  undertake,  with  my 
present  force,  to  chastise  the  men  who  attacked  you, 
who  must  be  bold  and  determined  fellows,  and  capable 
of  realizing  the  advantages  of  this  mountainous  coun- 
try. If  all  Spaniards  would  do  as  much  it  would  tax 
the  power  of  the  greatest  military  nation  to  subdue 
them ;  and  yet  I  could  hardly  have  suffered  such  a  check 
without  endeavouring  to  avenge  it;  so  altogether,  Mr 
Stilwell,  we  must  congratulate  ourselves  that  the  affair 
ended  as  it  did.  In  any  case  you  would  have  been  in 
no  way  to  blame,  for  your  dispositions  throughout 
appear  to  have  been  excellent,  and  marked  alike  with 
prudence  and  boldness." 


CHAPTER   XL 


VALENCIA. 

HILE  occupied  in  preparing  for  his  advance, 
the  general  sent  letter  after  letter  to  Va- 
lencia, bidding  the  citizens  to  keep  up 
their  courage,  and  promising  to  hasten  to 
the  relief  of  that  city.  Ordering  Jack  to  continue  the 
correspondence  in  his  name,  so  as  to  delude  both 
friends  and  foes  that  he  was  still  at  Castillon,  he 
took  post  secretly  and  hurried  away  back  to  Tortosa 
to  see  after  reinforcements.  He  still  doubted  whether 
the  Spanish  troops,  which  the  king  had  promised 
should  be  at  his  disposal  for  the  campaign  in  Valencia, 
had  got  into  motion,  and  in  case  they  had  not  done  so 
he  determined  to  post  to  Colonel  Wills  and  bring  up 
that  officer  with  his  brigade. 

At  Vifiaroz  he  found  that  the  Spanish  troops  had 
already  entered  Valencia,  and  that  some  of  the  militia 
of  that  province  and  of  Catalonia  were  also  in  motion 
to  join  him.  He  therefore  concentrated  his  little  force 
at  Castillon,  to  which  place  he  returned  as  rapidly  as 
he  had  left  it.  When  it  was  assembled  it  consisted  of 
a  thousand  horse  and  two  thousand  infantry,  being 


THE   ADVANCE.  213 

one  English  and  three  Spanish  battalions  of  regulars. 
Besides  these  were  about  three  thousand  armed  peas- 
ants, whom  the  earl  thought  it  better  not  to  join  with 
his  army,  and  therefore  quartered  them  at  Almenara. 

Although  he  had  accomplished  marvels,  there  was 
yet  much  to  do.  The  Duke  of  Arcos  had  succeeded 
the  Conde  de  las  Torres  in  the  chief  command,  the 
latter  having  been  superseded  after  his  signal  failures. 
The  duke  had  ten  thousand  men  placed  under  his 
orders,  of  whom  three  thousand  five  hundred  were  in 
possession  of  the  strong  town  of  Murviedro,  which 
covered  the  approach  to  Valencia,  while  with  the  main 
body  he  marched  upon  Valencia  and  commenced  the 
siege  of  that  city.  The  magistrates,  knowing  that  they 
could  expect  but  little  mercy  should  the  town  be  taken, 
made  vigorous  preparations  for  defence,  and  despatched 
some  messengers  to  Peterborough  imploring  him  to 
come  to  their  assistance.  He  was  now  in  readiness  to 
do  so,  and  on  the  1st  of  February  marched  from  Cas- 
tillon  with  his  army. 

Having  unlimited  powers,  the  earl,  before  starting, 
presented  to  his  two  aides-de-camp  commissions  as 
captains,  as  a  reward  for  the  services  they  had  ren- 
dered. 

Although  so  inferior  in  numbers  the  little  army  ad- 
vanced towards  Valencia  with  an  absolute  confidence 
of  victory.  The  successes  gained  by  their  leader  with 
a  handful  of  cavalry  over  an  army  of  seven  thou- 
sand men,  had  been  so  astounding,  that  his  troops  be- 
lieved him  capable  of  effecting  anything  that  he  under- 
took.    They  had  seen  him  ride  off  from  San  Matteo 


214  Peterborough's  genius. 

with  his  little  body  of  horse  upon  what  seemed  an  im- 
possible enterprise;  they  had  met  him  again  after 
having  conquered  half  a  province;  and  if  he  had  accom- 
plished this  with  such  scanty  means,  what  was  not 
possible  now  when  he  had  three  thousand  men  at  his 
disposal  ? 

But  the  earl  trusted  fully  as  much  to  his  talents  in  the 
way  of  deceiving  the  enemy  as  to  his  power  of  defeat- 
ing them  by  open  force  in  the  field.  His  eccentric  genius 
appeared  to  revel  in  the  mendacious  statements  by 
which  he  deceived  and  puzzled  both  friend  and  foe;  and 
although  the  spreading  of  a  certain  amount  of  false 
news  for  the  purpose  of  deceiving  an  enemy  has  always 
been  considered  as  a  legitimate  means  of  warfare, 
Peterborough  altogether  exceeded  the  usual  limits,  and 
appeared  to  delight  in  inventing  the  most  complicated 
falsehoods  from  the  mere  love  of  mischief.  At  times 
Jack  was  completely  bewildered  by  his  general,  so 
rapid  were  the  changes  of  plans,  so  changeable  his 
purposes,  so  fantastic  and  eccentric  his  bearing  and  utter- 
ances. That  his  military  genius  was  astonishing  no 
one  can  for  a  moment  question,  but  it  was  the  genius 
rather  of  a  knight- errant  than  of  the  commander  of 
great  armies. 

As  a  partisan  leader  Peterborough  is  without  a  rival 
in  history.  Whether  he  would  have  succeeded  equally 
well  as  the  commander  of  great  armies  he  had  never 
an  opportunity  of  proving,  but  it  is  more  than  doubtful. 
Rapid  changes  of  plan,  shifting  and  uncertain  move- 
ments, may  lead  to  wonderful  successes  when  but  a 
small  body  of  troops  have  to  be  set  in  motion,  but 


MURVIEDRO.  215 

would  cause  endless  confusion  and  embarrassment  with 
a  large  army,  which  can  only  move  in  accordance  with 
settled  plans  and  deliberate  purpose. 

It  must  be  said,  however,  that  this  most  eccentric 
of  generals  proved  upon  many  occasions,  as  at  the  siege 
of  Barcelona,  that  he  was  capable  of  adapting  himself 
to  circumstances,  and  it  is  possible  that,  had  he  ever 
been  placed  in  command  of  a  great  army,  he  would 
have  laid  aside  his  flightiness  and  eccentricity,  his  love 
for  theatrical  strokes  and  hair-breadth  adventures,  and 
would  have  exhibited  a  steadfast  military  genius  which 
would  have  placed  his  name  in  the  annals  of  British 
history  on  a  par  with  those  of  Wellington  and  Marl- 
borough. Never  did  he  exhibit  his  faculty  for  in- 
genious falsehood  more  remarkably  than  at  Murviedro, 
where,  indeed,  a  great  proportion  of  his  inventions 
appear  to  have  been  prompted  rather  by  a  spirit  of 
malice  than  by  any  military  necessity. 

Murviedro  was  the  Saguntum  of  the  Romans,  one  of 
the  strongest  cities  in  Spain.  The  force  there  was 
commanded  by  Brigadier-general  Mahony,  aa  officer  of 
Irish  descent  He  had  under  him  500  regular  cavalry 
and  a  battalion  of  800  trained  infantry;  the  rest  of  his 
force  consisted  of  Spanish  militia.  The  town  itself 
was  fairly  strong  and  contained  a  large  population.  It 
was  separated  from  a  wide  plain  by  a  river,  on  the 
banks  of  which  redoubts  mounted  with  artillery  had 
been  thrown  up. 

Here  the  Yalencian  road  wound  through  a  pass, 
above  which,  on  the  crest  of  a  lofty  overhanging  hill, 
were  the  ruins  of  ancient  Saguntum.     Peterborough 


216  FALSE   NEWS. 

had  no  artillery  save  a  few  Spanish  field-guns;  the 
enemy's  position  was  formidable  both  by  formation 
and  art,  and  his  force  was  altogether  inadequate  for  an 
attack  upon  it.  So  hopeless  did  the  attempt  appear 
to  be  that  Peterborough's  officers  were  unanimous  in 
the  opinion  that  it  would  be  better  to  make  a  wide 
circuit  and  avoid  the  place,  and  to  march  directly  upon 
Valencia  and  give  battle  to  the  Duke  of  Arcos  under 
its  walls.  Peterborough,  however,  simply  told  them 
to  wait  and  see  what  would  come  of  it,  and  in  the 
meantime  he  continued  to  bewilder  his  foes  by  the 
most  surprising  romances. 

His  agents  were  for  the  most  part  a  few  sharp-witted 
dragoons,  and  some  peasants  whose  fidelity  was  secured 
by  their  families  being  held  as  hostages.  He  had 
already  contrived  to  bewilder  the  division  of  Las 
Torres  before  it  reached  the  main  body  under  the 
Duke  of  Arcos.  A  spy  in  his  pay  had  informed  the 
Spanish  general  that  the  British  were  close  upon  him, 
and  he  had  accordingly  at  once  broken  up  his  camp 
and  marched  all  night. 

In  the  morning  the  spy  again  presented  himself  and 
stated  that  the  British  were  pushing  on  over  the  moun- 
tains to  his  left  to  occupy  an  important  point  and  to 
cut  off  his  retreat  to  the  Valencian  plains.  As  it 
seemed  absolutely  impossible  that  they  could  have 
pressed  forward  so  quickly  Las  Torres  refused  to  credit 
the  story.  The  spy,  as  if  indignant  at  his  truth  being 
doubted,  pledged  himself  at  the  hazard  of  his  life  to 
give  proof  of  the  assertion  to  any  officer  who  might  be 
sent  to  ascertain  it. 


WHOLESALE  LIES.  217 

Two  officers  in  plain  clothes  were  accordingly  sent 
with  him  in  the  direction  where  he  stated  the  English 
to  be;  but  when  they  stopped  for  refreshment  at  a 
village  on  the  way  they  were  suddenly  pounced  upon 
by  a  picket  of  English  dragoons,  who  had  been  sent 
there  for  the  purpose.  After  a  time  the  spy  pretended 
to  the  two  officers  that  he  had  made  the  guard  drunk 
and  that  they  could  now  make  their  escape,  and  lead- 
ing them  stealthily  to  the  stable  showed  them  two  of 
the  dragoons  lying  in  an  apparently  drunken  sleep. 
Three  horses  were  quietly  led  out  of  the  stable,  and 
the  three  men  rode  off,  some  of  the  dragoons  making 
a  show  of  pursuit. 

This  incident,  of  course,  established  the  credit  of  the 
spy.  Las  Torres  was  convinced  that  his  retreat  was 
really  threatened,  and  hurried  on  again  with  all  speed, 
while  all  this  time  the  English  army  was  really  many 
miles  away  near  Murviedro.  Other  dragoons  were 
induced  to  feign  desertion,  while  some  permitted  them- 
selves to  be  taken  prisoners,  and  as  each  vied  with  the 
others  in  the  extravagance  of  his  false  information,  the 
Spanish  generals  were  utterly  bewildered  by  the  con- 
tradictory nature  of  the  lies  that  reached  them. 

While  Las  Torres  was  hastening  away  at  full  speed 
to  join  the  Duke  of  Arcos,  Peterborough  was  occupied 
in  fooling  Mahony.  That  officer  was  a  distant  relation 
of  Lady  Peterborough,  and  the  earl  sent  to  demand  an 
interview  with  him,  naming  a  small  hill  near  the  town 
for  the  purpose  When  the  time  for  the  interview 
approached  the  earl  disposed  his  army  so  as  to  magnify 
their  numbers  as  much  as  possible.    Some  were  posted 


218  FOOLING  A  COMMANDER. 

as  near  the  town  as  they  could  venture  along  the  pass; 
others  were  kept  marching  on  the  lower  slopes  of  the 
hills,  their  numbers  increased  in  appearance  by  masses 
of  the  armed  peasantry  being  mingled  with  them. 

Mahony  having  received  the  earl's  word  for  his 
safety  rode  out  to  the  appointed  place  to  meet  him, 
accompanied  by  several  of  the  principal  Spanish 
officers.  Peterborough  first  used  every  persuasion  to 
induce  Mahony  to  enter  the  service  of  King  Charles, 
but  the  Irish  officer  refused  to  entertain  the  tempting 
offers  which  he  made.  Peterborough  then  changed  his 
tone,  and  said  with  an  air  of  kindly  frankness: 

"  The  Spaniards  have  used  such  severities  and  cruel- 
ties at  Villa-Real  as  to  oblige  me  to  retaliate.  I  am 
willing  to  spare  a  town  if  under  your  protection.  I 
know  that  you  cannot  pretend  to  defend  it  with  the 
horse  you  have,  which  will  be  so  much  more  useful  in 
another  place  if  joined  with  the  troops  of  Arcos  to 
obstruct  my  passing  the  plains  of  Valencia.  I  am  con- 
fident that  you  will  soon  quit  Murviedro,  which  I  can 
as  little  prevent  as  you  can  hinder  me  from  taking  the 
town.  The  inhabitants  there  must  be  exposed  to  the 
most  abject  miseries,  and  I  can  in  no  way  preserve  it 
but  by  being  bound  in  a  capitulation,  which  I  am  will- 
ing to  give  you  if  I  have  the  assurance  of  the  imme- 
diate surrender  of  the  place  this  very  night.  Some 
cases  are  so  apparent  that  I  need  not  dissemble.  I 
know  you  will  immediately  send  to  the  Duke  of  Arcos 
to  march  to  the  Carthusian  convent  and  meet  him 
there  with  the  body  of  horse  under  your  command." 

The  earl  further  offered,  in  the  same  apparent  spirit 


A  BASE   SCHEME.  219 

of  frankness,  to  show  Mahony  all  his  troops  and  artillery, 
as  well  as  the  large  resources  he  had  upon  the  sea, 
which  was  only  six  miles  off.  Mahony  was  entirely 
deceived  by  the  manner  of  the  man  he  regarded  as 
a  relative,  and  laughingly  acknowledged  that  he  had, 
in  case  of  necessity,  intended  to  fall  back  with  his 
cavalry  upon  the  Duke  of  Arcos.  The  interview  ended 
by  Mahony  retiring  to  the  town,  agreeing  to  send  back 
an  answer  in  half  an  hour.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
he  sent  out  a  capitulation  by  a  Spanish  officer. 

Had  Peterborough's  scheme  ended  here  he  would 
not  have  exceeded  the  bounds  of  what  is  regarded  as  a 
fair  method  of  deceiving  an  enemy,  but  his  subsequent 
proceedings  were  absolutely  indefensible,  and  are, 
indeed,  almost  incredible  on  the  part  of  the  man  who 
in  some  respects  carried  the  point  of  honour  almost  to 
an  extreme.  His  notion,  no  doubt,  was  to  paralyse 
the  action  of  the  enemy  by  exciting  suspicions  of 
treachery  among  their  leaders,  but  the  means  which 
he  took  to  do  so  were  base  and  unworthy  in  the 
extreme. 

He  began  with  the  Spanish  officer  who  had  brought 
the  capitulation,  giving  him  a  garbled  account  of  his 
interview  with  Mahony,  and  then  endeavouring  to 
bribe  him  to  desert  to  the  Austrian  cause,  insinuating 
that  he  had  succeeded  by  this  means  with  Mahony. 
As  the  earl  expected,  he  failed  to  induce  the  Spaniard 
to  desert,  but  he  succeeded  in  his  purpose  of  filling 
his  mind  with  suspicions  of  treachery  on  the  part  of 
Mahony. 

Mahony  had  conducted  the  negotiations  in  a  manner 


220  A   FALSE   ALARM. 

worthy  of  a  loyal  and  skilful  officer;  he  had  stipulated 
not  to  leave  the  town  till  one  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
and  that  Peterborough  should  not  pass  the  river  until 
that  hour. 

This  he  had  arranged  in  order  to  allow  the  Duke  of 
Arcos  time  to  reach  the  plains,  where  he  was  to  be 
joined  by  the  horse  from  Murviedro.  But  Peter- 
borough's machinations  had  been  effectual;  the  Spanish 
officer,  on  his  return,  informed  his  countrymen  that 
Mahony  had  betrayed  them,  and  the  troops  and  popu- 
lace became  enraged  against  the  unfortunate  Irishman 
and  threatened  his  life.  Peterborough,  who,  in  spite 
of  his  perverted  notions  of  honour,  would  not  on  any 
account  have  passed  the  river  before  the  time  stipu- 
lated, heard  the  neighing  of  horses  in  the  town  and 
supposed  that  some  of  the  troops  were  leaving  it.  In 
order,  therefore,  to  create  suspicion  and  confusion 
among  the  enemy,  he  ordered  a  body  of  men  near 
the  river  to  fire  straggling  shots  as  if  small  parties  were 
engaged  at  the  outposts. 

Mahony  hearing  these  sounds  sent  word  that  what- 
ever collision  might  have  occurred  it  was  the  result  of 
no  breach  of  the  terms  of  capitulation  on  his  part,  and 
that,  depending  implicitly  on  the  honour  of  an  English 
general,  he  could  not  believe  that  any  foul  play  could 
take  place.  Peterborough  sent  back  his  compliments 
by  the  officer  who  brought  the  message,  with  expres- 
sions of  gratification  at  the  good  understanding  which 
prevailed  between  them,  and  at  the  same  time  he  pro- 
posed that  Mahony,  for  the  security  of  the  inhabitants 
of  Murviedro,  and  to  prevent  his  troops  being  molested 


AN   INFAMOUS   PLAN.  221 

as  they  retired  from  the  town,  should  permit  a  regi- 
ment of  English  dragoons  to  cross  the  river  and  to 
form  a  guard  at  the  gates,  offering  at  the  same  time  to 
deliver  up  a  number  of  his  officers  as  hostages  to  the 
Spanish  for  the  loyal  fulfilment  of  the  term-. 

In  an  evil  hour  for  himself  Mahony  consented  to 
the  proposal.  When  the  Spaniards  saw  Peterborough's 
dragoons  advancing  without  opposition  through  the 
difficult  pass,  and  up  to  the  very  gates  of  the  town, 
their  suspicions  of  the  treachery  of  their  leader  became 
a  certainty.  The  Spanish  officers  each  got  his  company 
or  troop  together  as  quickly  as  possible  and  hurried 
across  the  plain  to  the  camp  of  the  duke,  where  they 
spread  a  vague  but  general  panic.  The  officers  ac- 
cused Mahony  of  treachery  to  the  Spanish  general,  and 
the  national  jealousy  of  foreigners  made  their  tale 
easily  believed ;  but  Peterborough  had  taken  another 
step  to  secure  the  success  of  his  diabolical  plan  against 
the  honour  of  his  wife's  relative. 

He  made  choice  of  two  Irish  dragoons,  and  persuaded 
them  by  bribes  and  promises  of  promotion  to  under- 
take the  dangerous  part  of  false  deserters,  and  to  tell 
the  tale  with  which  he  furnished  them.  They  accord- 
ingly set  out  and  rode  straight  to  the  camp  of  the 
Duke  of  Arcos  and  gave  themselves  up  to  the  outposts, 
by  whom  they  were  led  before  the  Spanish  general. 
Questioned  by  him,  they  repeated  the  story  they  had 
been  taught. 

The  statement  was,  that  they  had  been  sitting  drink- 
ins  wine  together  under  some  rocks  on  the  hillside, 
close  to  where  the  conference  was  held,  and  that  Peter- 


222  UNMERITED  DISGRACE. 

borough  and  Mahony,  walking  apart  from  the  others, 
came  near  to  where  they  were  sitting  but  did  not 
notice  them,  and  that  they  saw  the  earl  deliver  5000 
pistoles  to  Mahony,  and  heard  him  promise  to  make 
him  a  major-general  in  the  English  army,  and  to 
give  him  the  command  of  10,000  Irish  Catholics  which 
were  being  raised  for  the  service  of  King  Charles. 
They  said  that  they  were  content  to  receive  no  reward 
but  to  be  shot  as  spies  if  Mahony  himself  did  not  give 
proof  of  treachery  by  carrying  out  his  arrangements 
with  the  earl,  by  sending  a  messenger  requesting  the 
duke  to  march  that  night  across  the  plain  towards 
Murviedro  to  the  Carthusian  convent,  where  every- 
thing would  be  arrano-ed  for  their  destruction  by  a 
strong  ambush  of  British  troops. 

Scarcely  had  the  men  finished  their  story  when  an 
aide-de-camp  galloped  in  from  Mahony  with  the  very 
proposition  which  they  had  reported  that  he  would 
make.  Arcos  had  now  no  doubt  whatever  of  Mahony 's 
treason,  and  instead  of  complying  with  his  request, 
which  was  obviously  the  best  course  to  have  been  pur- 
sued, as  the  junction  of  the  two  armies  would  thereby 
have  been  completed,  the  duke  broke  up  his  camp 
without  delay  and  fell  back  in  exactly  the  opposite 
direction. 

This  was  exactly  what  Peterborough  had  been 
scheming  to  bring  about.  Mahony,  with  his  cavalry, 
having  delivered  over  the  town,  marched  to  the  Car- 
thusian convent,  and  there,  finding  themselves  unsup- 
ported, rode  on  to  the  spot  where  the  duke  had  been 
encamped,  and,  finding  that  his  army  was  gone,  fol- 


VALENCIA   RELIEVED.  223 

lowed  it.     On  overtaking  it  Mahony  was  instantly  ar- 
rested and  sent  a  prisoner  to  Madrid. 

It  is  satisfactory  to  know  that  he  succeeded  in  clear- 
ing himself  from  the  charge  of  treachery,  was  pro- 
moted to  the  rank  of  major-general,  and  was  sent  hack 
with  Las  Torres,  who  was  ordered  to  supersede  the 
Duke  of  Arcos. 

The  success  of  the  earl's  stratagem  had  been  com- 
plete. Without  the  loss  of  a  single  man  he  had  ob- 
tained possession  of  Murviedro,  and  had  spread  such 
confusion  and  doubt  into  the  enemy's  army  that, 
althouo-h  more  than  three  times  his  own  force,  it  was 
marching  away  in  all  haste,  having  abandoned  the  siege 
of  Valencia,  which  city  he  could  now  enter  with  his 
troops.  The  success  was  a  wonderful  one;  but  it  is 
sad  to  think  that  it  was  gained  by  such  a  treacherous 
and  dastardly  manoeuvre,  which  might  have  cost  a  gal- 
lant officer — who  was,  moreover,  a  countryman  and 
distant  connection  of  the  earl — his  honour  and  his  life. 

The  next  day  the  earl  entered  the  city  of  Valencia 
in  triumph.  The  whole  population  crowded  into  the 
streets.  The  houses  were  decorated  with  flags  and 
hangings.  The  church  bells  pealed  out  their  welcome, 
and  amidst  the  shouts  of  the  people  below  and  the 
waving  of  handkerchiefs  from  the  ladies  at  the  bal- 
conies,  he  rode  through  the  streets  to  the  town-hall, 
where  all  the  principal  personages  were  assembled,  fol- 
lowed by  the  little  army  with  which  he  had  performed 
what  appeared  to  have  been  an  impossible  undertaking. 

After  their  incessant  labours  during  the  past  two 
months,  the  rest  at  Valencia  was  most   grateful   to 


224  FETES   AND   FESTIVITIES. 

the  troops.  The  city  is  celebrated  as  being  one  of  the 
gayest  and  most  delightful  in  all  Spain.  Its  situation 
is  lovely,  standing  within  a  mile  and  half  of  the  sea, 
in  a  rich  plain  covered  with  vines,  olives,  and  other 
fruit-trees,  while  beyond  the  plains  rise  the  moun- 
tains, range  after  range,  with  the  higher  summits 
covered  with  snow.  The  people,  at  all  times  pleasure- 
loving,  gave  themselves  up  to  fetes  and  rejoicings  for 
some  time  after  the  entrance  of  the  army  that  had  saved 
them  from  such  imminent  danger,  and  all  vied  in  hos- 
pitality to  the  earl  and  his  officers. 

King  Charles,  astonished  and  delighted  at  Peter- 
borough's success,  appointed  him  captain-general  of  all 
his  forces,  and  gave  him  the  power  of  appointing  and 
removing  all  governors  and  other  public  servants,  as 
he  might  consider  necessary  for  the  good  of  the  cause, 
while  from  London  the  earl  received  a  despatch  ap- 
pointing him  plenipotentiary  at  the  court  of  King 
Charles. 

Here  as  at  Barcelona  the  earl  entered  with  almost 
boyish  animation  into  the  gaiety  of  which  he  was  the 
centre.  With  the  priests  and  ladies  he  was  an  especial 
favourite,  having  won  the  former  by  the  outward  re- 
spect which  he  paid  to  their  religion,  and  by  the  defer- 
ence he  exhibited  towards  themselves. 

Valencia  prided  itself  on  being  one  of  the  holiest 
cities  in  Spain,  and  no  other  town  could  boast  of  the 
connection  of  so  many  saints  or  the  possession  of  so 
many  relics.  The  priesthood  were  numerous  and  in- 
fluential. Religious  processions  were  constantly  pass- 
ing through  the  streets,  and  in  the  churches  the  ser- 


THE  earl's  position.  225 

vices  were  conducted  with  the  greatest  pomp  and 
magnificence. 

Peterborough,  knowing  the  value  of  the  alliance  and 
assistance  of  the  priests,  spared  no  pains  to  stand  well 
with  the  Church,  revenging  himself  for  the  outward  de- 
ference he  paid  to  it  by  the  bitterest  sarcasm  and  jeers 
in  his  letters  to  his  friends  at  home.  Believing  nothing 
himself,  the  gross  superstition  which  he  saw  prevail- 
ing round  him  was  an  argument  in  favour  of  his  own 
disbelief  in  holy  things,  and  he  did  not  fail  to  turn  it 
to  advantage. 

With  the  ladies  his  romantic  adventures,  his  extra- 
ordinary bravery,  his  energy  and  endurance,  his  bril- 
liant wit,  his  polished  manner,  his  courtesy  and  devo- 
tion, rendered  him  an  almost  mythical  hero;  and  the 
fair  Valencians  were  to  a  woman  his  devoted  admirers 
and  adherents. 

But,  while  apparently  absorbed  in  pleasure,  Peter- 
borough's energy  never  slumbered  for  a  moment.  His 
position  was  still  one  of  extreme  danger.  The  force 
of  Las  Torres,  seven  thousand  strong,  recovering  from 
their  panic,  had,  a  day  or  two  after  he  entered  the 
town,  returned  and  taken  post  on  some  hills  near  it, 
preparatory  to  recommencing  the  siege.  Four  thousand 
Castilians  were  marching  to  their  support  by  the  road 
leading-  through  Fuente  de  la  Higuera,  while  at  Madrid, 
within  an  easy  distance,  lay  the  overwhelming  forces 
of  the  main  army  under  Marshal  Tesse.  To  cope  with 
these  forces  he  had  but  his  little  army  in  the  town, 
amounting  to  but  three  thousand  men,  deficient  in 
artillery,  ammunition,  and  stores  of  all  kinds. 

(333)  p 


226  A  DANCE  DISTURBED. 

Had  Marshal  Tesse  marched  at  once  to  join  Las 
Torres  Peterborough's  little  force  must  have  been 
crushed;  but  the  court  of  King  Philip  decided  to  de- 
spatch the  marshal  against  Barcelona.  Fortunately 
Peterborough  was  well  informed  by  the  country  people 
of  everything  that  was  passing,  for  in  every  town 
and  village  there  were  men  or  women  who  sent  him 
news  of  all  that  was  going  on  in  their  neighbour- 
hood. 

It  was  but  a  week  after  they  entered  Valencia 
that  the  earl,  happening  to  pass  close  by  Jack  Stil- 
well  at  a  brilliant  ball,  paused  for  a  moment  and 
said: 

"Get  away  from  this  in  half  an  hour,  find  Graham, 
and  bring  him  with  you  to  my  quarters.  Before  you 
go  find  Colonel  Zinzendorf  and  tell  him  to  have  two 
hundred  men  ready  to  mount  at  half-past  one.  He  is 
here  somewhere.  If  you  find  he  has  left  you  must  go 
round  to  the  barracks.  Tell  him  the  matter  is  to 
be  kept  an  absolute  secret.  I  know,"  the  earl  said 
gallantly  to  the  lady  on  his  arm,  and  to  Jack's  partner, 
"we  can  trust  you  two  ladies  to  say  nothing  of  what 
you  have  heard.  It  is  indeed  grief  and  pain  to  myself 
and  Captain  Stilwell  to  tear  ourselves  away  from  such 
society,  and  you  may  be  sure  that  none  but  the  most 
pressing  necessity  could  induce  me  to  do  it." 

Jack  at  once  led  his  partner  to  a  seat  and  set  out  on 
the  search  for  Graham  and  the  colonel  of  dragoons. 
He  was  some  time  in  finding  them  both,  and  it  was 
already  past  one  when  the  three  issued  together  from 
the  palace  where  the  fete  was  held,  and  hurried  off, 


IMPORTANT   NEWS.  227 

the  two  young  officers  to  Peterborough's  quarters, 
the  colonel  to  his  barracks 

The  earl  was  already  in  his  chamber.  He  had  slipped 
away  unobserved  from  the  ball,  and  had  climbed  the 
wall  of  the  garden,  to  avoid  being  noticed  passing  out 
of  the  entrance.  His  great  wig  and  court  uniform  were 
thrown  aside,  and  he  was  putting  on  the  plain  uniform 
which  he  used  on  service  when  his  aide-de-camp  en- 
tered: 

"  Get  rid  of  that  finery  and  gold-lace,"  he  said  as  they 
entered.  "You  have  to  do  a  forty-mile  ride  before 
morning.  I  have  received  glorious  news.  One  of  my 
partners  told  me  that  she  had,  just  as  she  was  starting 
for  the  ball,  received  a  message  from  a  cousin  saying 
that  a  vessel  had  come  into  port  from  Genoa  with  six- 
teen brass  24-pounder  guns,  and  a  quantity  of  ammu- 
nition and  stores,  to  enable  Las  Torres  to  commence 
the  siege.  The  stores  were  landed  yesterday,  and  carts 
were  collected  from  the  country  round  in  readiness  for 
a  start  at  daybreak  this  morning.  As  these  things  will 
be  even  more  useful  to  us  than  to  the  Spaniards,  I 
mean  to  have  them  now.  Be  as  quick  as  you  can.  I 
have  already  ordered  your  horses  to  be  brought  round 
with  mine." 

In  five  minutes  they  were  in  the  saddle  and  rode 
quickly  to  the  cavalry  barracks.  The  streets  were  still 
full  of  people;  but  the  earl  in  his  simple  uniform 
passed  unnoticed  through  them.  The  dragoons  were 
already  mounted  when  they  reached  the  barracks. 

"  We  will  go  out  at  the  back  gate,  colonel,"  the  earl 
said.     "  Take  the  most  quiet  streets  by  the  way,  and 


228  A   NIGHT   RIDE. 

make  for  the  west  gate.  Break  your  troop  up  into  four 
parties,  and  let  them  go  by  different  routes,  so  that  any 
they  meet  will  suppose  they  are  merely  small  bodies 
going  out  to  relieve  the  outposts.  If  it  was  suspected 
that  I  was  with  you,  and  that  an  expedition  was  on 
foot,  the  Spaniards  would  hear  it  in  an  hour.  Loyal 
as  the  population  are  here,  there  must  be  many  adher- 
ents of  Philip  among  them,  and  Las  Torres  no  doubt 
has  his  spies  as  well  as  we  have." 

The  earl's  orders  were  carried  out,  and  half  an  hour 
later  the  four  parties  again  assembled  at  a  short  dis- 
tance outside  the  city  gates.  Peterborough  placed  him- 
self at  their  head  and  rode  directly  for  the  sea. 

"  The  Spaniards  are  sure  to  have  outposts  placed  on 
all  the  roads  leading  inland,"  he  said  to  Colonel  Zinzen- 
dorf,  "and  the  Spanish  irregulars  will  be  scattered  all 
over  the  country;  but  I  do  not  suppose  they  will  have 
any  down  as  far  as  the  sea-shore." 

When  they  reached  the  coast  they  followed  a  small 
road  running  along  its  margin.  Two  or  three  miles 
farther  they  turned  off  and  rode  inland  till  they  struck 
a  main  road,  so  as  to  avoid  following  all  the  windings 
of  the  coast.  They  now  pushed  on  at  a  sharp  trot,  and 
just  at  four  o'clock  came  down  upon  the  little  port. 

Its  streets  were  cumbered  with  country  carts,  and  as 
the  dragoons  dashed  into  the  place  a  few  shots  were 
fired  by  some  Spanish  soldiers  belonging  to  a  small  de- 
tachment which  had  been  sent  by  Las  Torres  to  act  as 
a  convoy  for  the  guns  and  stores,  and  who  were  sleep- 
ing on  the  pavement  or  scattered  among  the  houses  in 
readiness  for  a  start  at  daybreak.    The  resistance  soon 


A   SUCCESSFUL  FORAY.  229 

ceased.  Before  entering  the  place  Peterborough  had 
placed  a  cordon  of  dragoons  in  a  semicircle  round  it  to 
prevent  anyone  passing  out. 

No  time  was  lost;  the  carts  were  already  loaded,  and 
a  troop  of  cavalry  horses  stood  picketed  by  the  guns- 
These  were  soon  harnessed  up,  and  the  few  other 
horses  in  the  place  were  seized  to  prevent  anyone 
riding  off  with  the  news.  The  order  was  given  to  the 
peasants  to  start  their  carts,  and  in  ten  minutes  after 
their  entering  the  place  the  convoy  was  on  its  way 
with  its  lono-  row  of  carts  laden  with  ammunition  and 
its  sixteen  guns. 

The  cordon  of  dragoons  was  still  left  round  the  town, 
the  officer  in  command  being  ordered  to  allow  no  one 
to  pass  for  an  hour  and  a  half,  after  which  time  he 
was  to  gallop  on  with  his  men  to  overtake  the  convoy, 
as  by  that  time  it  would  be  no  longer  possible  for  any- 
one to  carry  the  news  to  Las  Torres  in  time  for  him  to 
put  his  troops  into  motion  to  cut  off  the  convoy  from 
Valencia.  The  journey  back  took  much  longer  than 
the  advance,  for  the  carts,  drawn  for  the  most  part  by 
bullocks,  made  but  slow  progress.  Three  hours  after 
the  convoy  started  the  dragoons  left  behind  overtook 
them.  When  within  three  miles  of  the  town,  they 
were  met  by  a  small  party  of  the  enemy's  Spanish 
militia;  but  these  were  at  once  scattered  by  a  charge 
of  the  dragoons,  and  the  convoy  proceeded  without 
further  molestation  until  just  at  noon  it  entered  the 
gates  of  Valencia,  where  the  astonishment  and  delight 
of  the  inhabitants  at  its  appearance  were  unbounded. 

In  a  few  hours  the  cannon  were  all  mounted  in 


230  ANOTHER  EXPEDITION. 

position  on  the  ramparts,  adding  very  much  to  the 
defensive  power  of  the  town,  which  was  now  safe  for 
a  time  from  any  attempt  at  a  siege  by  Las  Torres, 
whose  plans  would  be  entirely  frustrated  by  the  cap- 
ture of  the  artillery  intended  for  the  siege. 

But  Peterborough  was  not  yet  contented.  The  junc- 
tion of  the  four  thousand  Castilians,  of  whose  approach 
he  had  heard,  with  Las  Torres  would  raise  the  force 
under  that  general  to  a  point  which  would  enable  him 
to  blockade  the  town  pending  the  arrival  of  artillery 
for  siege  works;  and  no  sooner  had  the  earl  returned 
to  his  quarters,  after  seeing  the  cannon  placed  upon  the 
walls,  than  he  began  his  preparations  for  another  ex- 
pedition. He  ordered  Colonel  Zinzendorf  to  march 
quietly  out  of  the  city  at  eight  o'clock  with  four  hun- 
dred of  his  dragoons,  and  four  hundred  British  and  as 
many  Spanish  infantry  were  to  join  him  outside  the 
walls.  The  colonels  of  these  three  bodies  were  ordered 
to  say  nothing  of  their  intended  movement,  and  to 
issue  no  orders  until  within  half  an  hour  of  the  time 
named.  At  the  same  hour  the  rest  of  the  troops  were 
to  march  to  the  walls  and  form  a  close  cordon  round 
them,  so  as  to  prevent  anyone  from  letting  himself 
down  by  a  rope,  and  taking  the  news  that  an  expedi- 
tion was  afoot,  to  Las  Torres. 

At  a  few  minutes  past  eight,  eight  hundred  foot  and 
four  hundred  horse  assembled  outside  the  gates,  and 
Peterborough  took  the  command.  His  object  was  to 
crush  the  Castilians  before  they  could  effect  a  junction 
with  Las  Torres.  In  order  to  do  this  it  would  be  ne- 
cessary to  pass  close  by  the  Spanish  camp,  which  covered 


A  SUCCESSFUL  SURPRISE.  231 

the  road  by  which  the  reinforcements  were  advancing 
to  join  thern. 

In  perfect  silence  the  party  moved  forward  and 
marched  to  a  ford  across  the  river  Xucar,  a  short  dis- 
tance only  below  the  Spanish  camp.  Peterborough 
rode  at  their  head,  having  by  his  side  a  Spanish  gentle- 
man acquainted  with  every  foot  of  the  country.  They 
forded  the  river  without  being  observed,  and  then, 
making  as  wide  a  circuit  as  possible  round  the  camp, 
came  down  upon  the  road  without  the  alarm  being 
given,  then  they  pushed  forward,  and  after  three  hours' 
march  came  upon  the  Castilians  at  Fuente  de  la  Hi- 
guera.  The  surprise  was  complete.  The  Spaniards, 
knowing  that  the  Spanish  army  lay  between  them  and 
the  town,  had  taken  no  precautions,  and  the  British 
were  in  possession  of  the  place  before  they  were  aware 
of  their  danger. 

There  was  no  attempt  at  resistance  beyond  a  few 
hasty  shots.  The  Castilians  were  sleeping  wrapt  up 
in  their  cloaks  around  the  place,  and  on  the  alarm 
they  leapt  up  and  fled  wildly  in  all  directions.  In 
the  darkness  great  numbers  got  away,  but  six  hun- 
dred were  taken  prisoners.  An  hour  was  spent  in 
collecting  and  breaking  the  arms  left  behind  by  the 
fugitives,  and  the  force,  with  their  prisoners  in  their 
midst,  then  started  back  on  their  return  march.  The 
circuit  of  the  Spanish  camp  was  made,  and  the  ford 
passed,  as  successfully  as  before,  and  just  as  daylight 
was  breaking  the  little  army  marched  into  Valencia. 

The  news  rapidly  spread,  and  the  inhabitants  hurried 
into  the  streets,  unable  at  first  to  credit  the  news  that 


232  A    COUNTER-STROKE   ATTEMPTED. 

the  Castilian  army,  whose  approach  menaced  the  safety 
of  the  town,  was  destroyed.  The  movement  of  the 
troops  on  the  previous  night  to  the  ramparts,  and  the 
absence  of  the  greater  part  of  the  officers  from  the 
festivities,  had  occasioned  some  comment,  but  as  none 
knew  that  an  expedition  had  set  out,  it  was  supposed 
that  the  earl  had  received  news  from  his  spies  that  Las 
Torres  intended  to  attempt  a  sudden  night  attack,  and 
the  people  would  have  doubted  the  astonishing  news 
they  now  received  had  it  not  been  for  the  presence  of 
the  six  hundred  Castilian  prisoners. 

These  two  serious  misadventures  caused  Las  Torres 
to  despair  of  success  against  a  town  defended  by  so 
energetic  and  enterprising  a  commander  as  Peter- 
borough, and  he  now  turned  his  thoughts  towards  the 
small  towns  of  Sueca  and  Alcira.  Below  these  towns, 
and  commanded  by  their  guns,  was  the  important  bridge 
of  Cullera,  by  which  by  far  the  greater  portion  of  the 
supplies  for  the  town  was  brought  in  from  the  country. 
Las  Torres,  therefore,  determined  to  seize  these  places, 
which  were  distant  about  fifteen  miles  from  his  camp, 
and  so  to  straiten  the  town  for  provisions. 

As  usual  Peterborough's  spies  brought  him  early 
intelligence  of  the  intended  movement,  and  the  orders 
issued  by  Las  Torres  were  known  to  the  earl  a  few 
hours  later.  It  needed  all  his  activity  to  be  in  time. 
Five  hundred  English  and  six  hundred  Spanish  in- 
fantry, and  four  hundred  horse,  were  ordered  to  march 
with  all  speed  to  the  threatened  towns,  and,  pushing 
on  without  a  halt,  the  troops  reached  them  half  an 
hour  before  the  Spanish  force  appeared  on  the  spot. 


A   STRANGE   PANIC.  233 

On  finding  the  two  towns  strongly  occupied  by  the 
British,  Las  Torres  abandoned  his  intention  and  drew 
off  his  troops. 

A  portion  of  the  Spanish  army  were  cantoned  in  a 
village  only  some  two  miles  from  Alcira,  and  a  few 
days  later  Peterborough  determined  to  surprise  it,  and 
for  that  purpose  marched  out  at  night  from  Valencia 
with  an  English  force  of  a  thousand  men,  and  reached 
the  spot  intended  at  daybreak  as  he  had  arranged. 
The  Spanish  garrison  of  Alcira,  also  about  a  thousand 
strong,  had  orders  to  sally  out  and  attack  the  village  at 
the  same  hour.  The  Spaniards  also  arrived  punctually, 
but  just  as  they  were  preparing  to  burst  upon  the  un- 
conscious enemy,  who  were  4000  strong,  they  happened 
to  come  upon  a  picket  of  twenty  horse.  An  unac- 
countable panic  seized  them,  they  broke  their  ranks 
and  fled  in  such  utter  confusion  that  many  of  the 
terror-stricken  soldiers  killed  each  other.  The  picket 
aroused  the  enemy,  who  quickly  fell  into  their  ranks, 
and  Peterborough,  seeing  that  it  would  be  madness  to 
attack  them  with  his  wearied  and  unsupported  force, 
reluctantly  ordered  a  retreat,  which  he  conducted  in 
perfect  order  and  without  the  loss  of  a  man. 

This  was  Peterborough's  only  failure;  with  this  ex- 
ception every  one  of  his  plans  had  proved  successful, 
and  he  only  failed  here  from  trusting  for  once  to  the 
co-operation  of  his  wholly  unreliable  Spanish  allies. 
After  this  nothing  was  done  on  either  side  for  several 
weeks. 

The  campaign  had  been  one  of  the  most  extraor- 
dinary ever  accomplished,  and  its  success  was  due  in  no 


234  THE  CAUSES  OF  SUCCESS. 

degree  to  chance,  but  solely  to  the  ability  of  Peter- 
borough himself.  Wild  as  many  of  his  schemes  appeared 
they  were  always  planned  with  the  greatest  care.  He 
calculated  upon  almost  every  possible  contingency, 
and  prepared  for  it.  He  never  intrusted  to  others  that 
which  he  could  do  himself,  and  he  personally  com- 
manded every  expedition  even  of  the  most  petty  kind. 
His  extraordinary  physical  powers  of  endurance  en- 
abled him  to  support  fatigue,  and  to  carry  out  adven- 
ture, which  would  have  prostrated  most  other  men. 
The  highest  praise,  too,  is  due  to  the  troops,  who  proved 
themselves  worthy  of  such  a  leader.  Their  confidence  in 
their  chief  inspired  them  with  a  valour  equal  to  his 
own.  They  bore  uncomplainingly  the  greatest  hard- 
ships and  fatigues,  and  engaged  unquestioningly  in  ad- 
ventures and  exploits  against  odds  which  made  success 
appear  absolutely  hopeless.  The  hundred  and  fifty 
dragoons  who  followed  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  to  the 
conquest  of  Valencia  deserve  a  place  side  by  side  with 
the  greatest  heroes  of  antiquity. 


•M 


^ff^* 


CHAPTER   XII. 


IRREGULAR   WARFARE. 

ROM  the  moment  that  the  news  of  the  loss 
of  Barcelona  had  reached  Madrid,  Philip 
of  Anjou  had  laboured  strenuously  to 
collect  a  force  sufficient  to  overwhelm 
his  enemies.  He  had,  moreover,  written  urgently 
to  Louis  XIV.  for  assistance,  and  although  France 
was  at  the  moment  obliged  to  make  strenuous  efforts 
to  show  a  front  to  Marlborough  and  his  allies,  who 
had  already  at  Blenheim  inflicted  a  disastrous  de- 
feat upon  her,  Louis  responded  to  the  appeal.  For- 
midable French  armies  were  assembled  at  Sarao-ossa 
and  Roussillon,  while  a  fleet  of  twelve  ships  of  the 
line,  under  the  command  of  the  Count  of  Toulouse, 
sailed  to  blockade  Barcelona,  and  the  Duke  of  Berwick, 
one  of  the  ablest  generals  of  the  day,  was  sent  to  lead 
the  southern  army. 

In  January  the  French  army  of  Catalonia,  under 
Marshal  Tesse,  reached  Saragossa,  where  the  arrogance 
and  brutality  of  the  marshal  soon  excited  a  storm  of 
hatred  among  the  Aragonese.  The  towns  resisted 
desperately  the  entry  of  the  French  troops;  assassin- 


236  A  MISSION. 

ations  of  officers  and  men  were  matters  of  daily 
occurrence,  and  the  savage  reprisals  adopted  by  the 
marshal,  instead  of  subduing,  excited  the  Spaniards  to 
still  fiercer  resistance.  But  savage  and  cruel  as  was  the 
marshal,  he  was  in  no  haste  to  meet  the  enemy  in  the 
field,  and  Philip,  who  was  with  him,  had  the  greatest 
difficulty  in  getting  him  to  move  forward. 

It  was  in  the  last  week  of  February  that  the  news 
reached  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  that  Marshal  Tesse 
had  left  Saragossa,  and  was  marching  towards  Lerida. 
This  was  two  days  after  the  unsuccessful  attempt  to 
surprise  the  enemy's  camp  near  Alcira;  and,  menaced 
as  Valencia  was  by  a  force  greatly  superior  to  his  own, 
he  could  not  leave  the  city,  which  in  his  absence  would 
speedily  have  succumbed  to  the  attack  of  Las  Torres. 
He  walked  quickly  up  and  down  his  room  for  some 
minutes  and  then  said: 

"  Captain  Stilwell,  I  cannot  leave  here  myself,  but  I 
will  send  you  to  the  Marquis  of  Cifuentes.  You  have 
shown  the  greatest  activity  and  energy  with  me,  and  I 
do  not  doubt  that  you  will  do  equally  well  when  acting 
independently.  I  will  give  you  a  letter  to  the  marquis, 
saying  that  you  are  one  of  my  most  trusted  and  valued 
officers,  and  be^o-ino-  him  to  avail  himself  to  the  fullest 
of  your  energy  and  skill.  I  shall  tell  him  that  at  pre- 
sent I  am  tied  here,  but  that  when  the  enemy  reach 
Barcelona  I  shall  at  all  hazards  march  hence  and 
take  post  in  their  rear  and  do  what  I  can  to  prevent 
their  carrying  on  the  siege.  In  the  meantime  I  beg 
him  to  throw  every  obstacle  in  the  way  of  their  advance, 
to  hold  every  pass  till  the  last,  to  hang  on  their  rear, 


jack's  instructions.  237 

attack  baggage  trains,  and  cut  off  stragglers.  He 
cannot  hope  to  defeat  Tesse',  but  he  may  wear  out  and 
dispirit  his  men  by  constant  attacks.  You  speak 
Spanish  fluently  enough  now,  and  will  be  able  to  advise 
and  suggest.  Remember,  every  day  that  Tesse  is  de- 
layed gives  so  much  time  to  the  king  to  put  Barcelona 
in  a  state  of  defence.  With  my  little  force  I  cannot 
do  much  even  when  I  come.  The  sole  hope  of  Bar- 
celona is  to  hold  out  until  a  fleet  arrives  from  England. 
If  the  king  would  take  my  advice  I  will  guarantee  that 
he  shall  be  crowned  in  Madrid  in  two  months;  but  those 
pig-headed  Germans  who  surround  him  set  him  against 
every  proposition  I  make.  You  had  better  start  to- 
night as  soon  as  it  gets  dark,  and  take  a  mounted  guide 
with  you  who  knows  the  country  thoroughly." 

"  It  will  be  a  change  for  you,  from  the  pleasures  of 
Valencia  to  a  guerrilla  warfare  in  the  mountains  in  this 
inclement  season,  Stilwell,"  Graham  said  as  they  left 
the  general.  "  I  don't  think  I  should  care  about  your 
mission.  I  own  I  have  enjoyed  myself  in  Valencia, 
and  I  have  lost  my  heart  a  dozen  times  since  we 
arrived." 

"I  have  not  lost  mine  at  all,"  Jack  said  laughingj 
"  and  I  am  sick  of  all  these  balls  and  festivities.  I  was 
not  brought  up  to  it,  you  know,  and  rough  as  the  work 
may  be  I  shall  prefer  it  to  a  long  stay  here." 

"  Yes,"  Graham  agreed,  "  I  should  not  care  for  a  long 
stay,  but  you  may  be  quite  certain  the  earl  will  not 
remain  inactive  here  many  weeks.  He  is  waiting  to 
see  how  things  go,  and  the  moment  the  game  is  fairly 
opened  you  may  be  sure  he  will  be  on  the  move." 


238  JACK   STARTS   ON   HIS   MISSION. 

"Yes,  I  don't  suppose  you  will  be  very  long  after  me," 
Jack  said;  "  still,  I  am  not  sorry  to  go." 

At  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  Jack  set  out,  taking 
with  him  two  dragoons  as  orderlies,  the  earl  having 
suggested  that  he  should  do  so. 

"Always  do  a  thing  yourself  if  it  is  possible,  Captain 
Stilwell;  but  there  are  times  when  you  must  be  doing 
something  else,  and  it  is  as  well  to  have  someone  that 
you  can  rely  upon;  besides,  the  orderlies  will  give  you 
additional  importance  in  the  eyes  of  the  peasants.  Most 
of  the  men  have  picked  up  some  Spanish,  but  you  had 
better  pick  out  two  of  my  orderlies  who  are  best  up 
in  it. 

Jack  had  spent  the  afternoon  in  making  a  round  of 
calls  at  the  houses  where  he  had  been  entertained,  and 
after  the  exchange  of  adieus,  ceremonial  speeches,  and 
compliments,  he  was  heartily  glad  when  the  gates 
closed  behind  him  and  he  set  out  on  his  journey.  As 
the  road  did  not  pass  anywhere  near  the  Spanish 
camp  there  was  little  fear  of  interruption  in  the  way. 
The  guide  led  them  by  little-frequented  tracks  across 
the  hills,  and  by  morning  they  were  far  on  their  road. 

They  were  frequently  obliged  to  make  detours  to  avoid 
towns  and  villages  favourable  to  King  Philip.  Why 
one  town  or  village  should  take  one  side,  and  the  next 
the  other,  was  inexplicable  to  Jack,  but  it  was  so,  and 
throughout  the  country  this  singular  anomaly  existed. 
It  could  be  accounted  for  by  a  variety  of  causes.  A 
popular  mayor  or  a  powerful  landed  proprietor,  whose 
sympathies  were  strong  with  one  side  or  the  other, 
would  probably  be  followed   by  the  townspeople  or 


THE   RISING   OF   THE   PEOPLE.  239 

peasants.  The  influence  of  the  priests,  too,  was  great, 
and  this  also  was  divided.  However  it  was,  the  fact 
remained  that,  as  with  Villa-Real  and  Nules,  neighbour- 
ing towns  were  frequently  enthusiastically  in  favour 
of  opposite  parties.  As  Jack  had  seen  all  the  des- 
patches and  letters  which  poured  in  to  the  earl,  he  knew 
what  were  the  circumstances  which  prevailed  in  every 
town  and  village.  He  knew  to  what  residences  of 
large  proprietors  he  could  ride  up  with  an  assurance  of 
welcome,  and  those  which  must  be  carefully  avoided. 

In  some  parts  of  the  journey,  where  the  general 
feeling  was  hostile,  Jack  adopted  the  tactics  of  his 
general,  riding  boldly  into  the  village  with  his  two 
dragoons  clattering  behind  him,  summoning  the  head- 
men before  him,  and  peremptorily  ordering  that  pro- 
visions and  forage  should  be  got  together  for  the  five 
hundred  horsemen  who  might  be  expected  to  come  in 
half  an  hour.  The  terror  caused  by  Peterborough's 
raids  was  so  great  that  the  mere  sight  of  the  English 
uniform  was  sufficient  to  ensure  obedience,  and  without 
any  adventure  of  importance  Jack  and  his  companions 
rode  on,  until,  on  the  third  day  after  leaving  Valencia, 
they  approached  Lerida.  Groups  of  armed  peasants 
hurrying  in  the  same  direction  were  now  overtaken. 
These  saluted  Jack  with  shouts  of  welcome,  and  he 
learned  that,  on  the  previous  day,  Marshal  Tesse  with 
his  army  had  crossed  from  Aragon  into  Catalonia,  and 
that  the  alarm  bells  had  been  rung  throughout  the 
district. 

From  the  peasants  Jack  learned  where  the  Count  of 
Cifuentes  would  be  found.     It  was  in  a  village  among 


240  THE   COUNT   OF   CIFUENTES. 

the  hills,  to  the  left  of  the  line  by  which  the  enemy 
were  advancing.  It  was  towards  this  place  that  the 
peasants  were  hastening.  Jack  had  frequently  met 
the  count  at  the  siege  of  Barcelona,  and  had  taken  a 
strong  liking  for  the  gallant  and  dashing  Spanish 
nobleman.  The  village  was  crowded  with  peasants 
armed  with  all  sorts  of  weapons — rough,  hardy,  resolute 
men,  determined  to  defend  their  country  to  the  last 
against  the  invaders.  A  shout  of  satisfaction  arose  as 
Jack  and  his  two  troopers  rode  in,  and  at  the  sound  the 
count  himself  appeared  at  the  door  of  the  principal 
house  in  the  village. 

"  Ah,  Seiior  Stilwell,"  he  said,  "  this  is  an  unexpected 
pleasure.  I  thought  that  you  were  with  the  earl  in 
Valencia." 

"  So  I  have  been,  count,  but  he  has  sent  me  hither 
with  a  despatch  for  you,  and,  as  you  will  see  by  its 
contents,  places  me  for  a  while  at  your  disposal." 

"  I  am  pleased  indeed  to  hear  it,"  the  count  said ; 
"  but  pray  senor — " 

"Captain,  count,"  Jack  said  with  a  smile,  "for  to 
such  rank  the  earl  has  been  pleased  to  promote  me, 
as  a  recognition  for  such  services  as  I  was  able  to 
perform  in  his  campaign  against  Valencia." 

"  Ah,"  the  count  said,  "  you  earned  it  well.  Every 
man  in  that  wonderful  force  deserved  promotion. 
It  was  an  almost  miraculous  adventure,  and  recalled 
the  feats  of  the  Cid.  Truly  the  days  of  chivalry  are 
not  passed,  your  great  earl  has  proved  the  contrary." 

They  had  now  entered  the  house,  and,  after  pouring 
out  a  cup  of  wine  for  Jack  after  the  fatigue  of  his  ride, 


THE   MIQUELETS.  241 

the  count  opened  the  despatch  of  which  Jack  was  the 
bearer. 

"  It  is  well,"  he  said  when  he  had  read  it.  "  As  you 
see  for  yourself  I  am  already  preparing  to  carry  out 
the  first  part,  for  the  alarm  bells  have  been  ringing 
out  from  every  church  tower  in  this  part  of  Catalonia, 
and  in  another  twenty-four  hours  I  expect  six  thousand 
peasants  will  be  out.  But,  as  the  earl  says,  I  have  no 
hope  with  such  levies  as  these  of  offering  any  effectual 
opposition  to  the  advance  of  the  enemy. 

"The  Miquelets  cannot  stand  against  disciplined 
troops.  They  have  no  confidence  in  themselves,  and  a 
thousand  Frenchmen  could  rout  six  thousand  of  them; 
but  as  irregulars  they  can  be  trusted  to  fight.  You  shall 
give  me  the  advantage  of  your  experience  and  wide 
knowledge,  and  we  will  dispute  every  pass,  cut  off 
their  convoys,  and  harass  them.  I  warrant  that  they 
will  have  to  move  as  a  body,  for  it  will  go  hard  with 
any  party  who  may  be  detached  from  the  rest." 

"  I  fear,  count,  you  must  not  rely  in  any  way  upon 
my  knowledge,"  Jack  said.  "  I  am  a  very  young  officer, 
though  I  have  had  the  good  fortune  to  be  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  captain." 

"Age  goes  for  nothing  in  this  warfare,"  the  count  said. 
"  The  man  of  seventy  and  the  boy  of  fifteen  who  can 
aim  straight  from  behind  a  rock  are  equally  welcome. 
It  is  not  a  deep  knowledge  of  military  science  that 
will  be  of  any  use  to  us  here.  What  is  wanted  is  a 
quick  eye,  a  keen  spirit,  and  courage.  These  I  know 
that  you  have,  or  you  would  never  have  won  the 
approbation  of  the  Earl  of  Peterborough,  who  is,  of  all 

(338)  Q 


242  DISTRIBUTING   STORES. 

men,  the  best  judge  on  such  matters.  Now  I  will  order 
supper  to  be  got  ready  soon,  as  it  must,  I  am  sure,  be 
long  since  you  had  food.  While  it  is  being  prepared  I 
will,  with  your  permission,  go  out  and  inspect  the  new 
arrivals.  Fortunately,  ten  days  ago,  foreseeing  that 
Tesse'  would  probably  advance  by  this  line,  I  sent 
several  waggon-loads  of  provisions  to  this  village,  and 
a  store  of  ammunition." 

Jack  accompanied  the  count  into  the  street  of  the 
village.  The  latter  went  about  among  the  peasants 
with  a  kindly  word  of  welcome  to  each,  giving  them 
the  cheering  news  that  though  the  great  English 
general  was  occupied  in  Valencia,  he  had  promised  that, 
when  the  time  came,  he  would  come  with  all  haste  to 
the  defence  of  Barcelona,  and  in  the  meantime  he  had 
sent  an  officer  of  his  own  staff  to  assist  him  to  lead  the 
noble  Catalans  in  the  defence  of  their  country.  On 
the  steps  of  the  church  the  priest,  with  half  a  dozen 
willing  assistants,  was  distributing  food  from  the 
waggons  to  the  peasants. 

"  Don't  open  the  ammunition  waggon  to-night,"  the 
count  said.  "  The  men  must  not  take  as  much  as  they 
like,  but  the  ammunition  must  be  served  out  regularly, 
for  a  Catalan  will  never  believe  that  he  has  too  much 
powder,  and  if  left  alone  the  first  comers  would  load 
themselves  with  it,  and  the  supply  would  run  short 
before  all  are  provided." 

The  count  then  entered  the  church,  where  a  party  of 
men  were  occupied  in  putting  down  a  thick  layer  of 
straw.  Here  as  many  as  could  find  room  were  to  sleep, 
the  others  sheltering  in  the  houses  and  barns,  for  the 


THE   COUNT'S   MEASURES.  243 

nights  were  still  very  cold  among  the  hills.  Having 
seen  that  all  was  going  on  well,  the  count  returned  to 
his  quarters,  where  a  room  had  been  assigned  to  Jack's 
two  dragoons,  and  the  sound  of  loud  laughter  from 
within  showed  that  they  were  making  themselves 
at  home  with  the  inmates. 

A  well-cooked  repast  was  soon  on  the  table,  and  to 
this  Jack  and  his  host  did  full  justice. 

"This  wine  is  excellent;  surely  it  does  not  grow  on 
these  hills?" 

"  No,"  the  count  said  laughing.  "  I  am  ready  to  run 
the  risk  of  being  killed,  but  I  do  not  want  to  be 
poisoned,  so  I  sent  up  a  score  or  two  of  flasks  from  my 
own  cellars.  The  vineyards  of  Cifuentes  are  reckoned 
among  the  first  in  this  part  of  Spain.  And  now,"  he 
said,  when  they  had  finished  and  the  table  had  been 
cleared,  "  we  will  take  a  look  at  the  map  and  talk 
over  our  plans.  The  enemy  leave  Lerida  to-morrow. 
I  have  already  ordered  that  the  whole  country  along 
their  line  of  march  shall  be  wasted,  that  all  stores  of 
corn,  wine,  and  forage  which  cannot  be  carried  off 
shall  be  destroyed,  and  that  every  horse  and  every 
head  of  cattle  shall  be  driven  away.  I  have  also  ordered 
the  wells  to  be  poisoned." 

Jack  looked  grave.  "  I  own  that  I  don't  like  that," 
he  said. 

"  I  do  not  like  it  myself,"  the  count  replied;  "  but  if 
an  enemy  invades  your  country  you  must  oppose  him 
by  all  means.  Water  is  one  of  the  necessaries  of  life, 
and  as  one  can't  carry  off  the  wells  one  must  render 
them  useless;  but  I  don't  wish  to  kill  in  this  way,  and 


244  SURVEYING  THE  GROUND. 

have  given  strict  orders  that  in  every  case  where 
poison  is  used,  a  placard,  with  a  notice  that  it  has  been 
done,  shall  be  affixed  to  the  wells." 

"  In  that  case,"  Jack  said,  "  I  quite  approve  of  what 
you  have  done,  count;  the  wells  then  simply  cease  to 
exist  as  sources  of  supply." 

"  I  wish  I  could  poison  all  the  running  streams  too," 
the  count  said;  "  but  unfortunately  they  are  beyond  us, 
and  there  are  so  many  little  streams  caused  by  the 
melting  snow  on  the  hills  that  I  fear  we  shall  not  be 
able  greatly  to  straiten  the  enemy.  At  daybreak  to- 
morrow I  will  mount  with  you,  and  we  will  ride  some 
twenty  miles  along  the  road  and  select  the  spots  where 
a  sturdy  resistance  can  best  be  made  By  the  time  we 
get  back  here  most  of  the  peasants  who  are  coming 
will  have  assembled.  These  we  will  form  into  bands, 
some  to  hold  the  passes  and  to  dispute  the  advance, 
others  to  hang  upon  the  skirts  and  annoy  them  inces- 
santly, some  to  close  in  behind,  cut  off  waggons  that 
break  down  or  lag  by  the  way,  and  to  prevent,  if  pos- 
sible, any  convoys  from  the  rear  from  joining  them." 

This  programme  was  carried  out.  Several  spots 
were  settled  on  where  an  irregular  force  could  oppose 
a  stout  resistance  to  trained  troops,  and  points  were 
fixed  upon  where  breastworks  should  be  thrown  up, 
walls  utilized,  and  houses  loopholed  and  placed  in  a 
state  of  defence. 

It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  before  they  rode  again 
into  the  village.  The  gathering  of  peasants  was  now 
very  largely  increased,  and  extended  over  the  fields  for 
some  distance  round  the  place.      The  count  at  once 


JACK   DECLINES   A   COMMAND.  245 

gave  orders  that  all  should  form  up  in  regular  order 
according  to  the  villages  from  which  they  came. 
When  this  was  done  he  divided  them  into  four  groups. 

The  first,  2000  strong,  was  intended  to  hold  the 
passes;  two  others,  each  1000  strong,  were  to  operate 
upon  the  flanks  of  the  enemy ;  and  a  fourth,  of  the  same 
strength,  to  act  in  its  rear. 

"  Now,  Captain  Stilwell,"  he  said,  "  will  you  take  the 
command  of  whichever  of  these  bodies  you  choose?" 

"  I  thank  you,  count,  for  the  offer,"  Jack  said,  "  but 
I  will  take  no  command  whatever.  In  the  first  place, 
your  Catalans  would  very  strongly  object  to  being 
led  by  a  foreigner,  especially  by  one  so  young  and 
unknown  as  myself.  In  the  second  place,  I  would 
rather,  with  your  permission,  remain  by  your  side. 
You  will  naturally  command  the  force  that  opposes 
the  direct  attack,  and,  as  the  bulk  of  the  fighting 
will  fall  on  them,  I  should  prefer  being  there.  I  will 
act  as  your  lieutenant." 

"  Well,  since  you  choose  it,  perhaps  it  is  best  so,"  the 
count  said.  "  These  peasants  fight  best  their  own  way. 
They  are  given  to  sudden  retreats,  but  they  rally 
quickly  and  return  again  to  the  fight,  and  they  will 
probably  fight  better  under  their  own  local  leaders 
than  under  a  stranger.  You  will  see  they  have  no 
idea  of  fighting  in  a  body;  the  men  of  each  village  will 
fight  together  and  act  independently  of  the  rest.  Many 
of  them,  you  see,  are  headed  by  priests,  not  a  few  of 
whom  have  brought  rifles  with  them.  These  will 
generally  lead  their  own  villagers,  and  their  authority 
is  far  greater  than  that  which  any  layman  could  obtain 


246  THE   COUNT'S   ORDERS. 

over  them.  I  must  appoint  a  leader  to  each  body  to 
direct  their  general  movements;  the  village  chiefs  will 
do  the  rest." 

While  the  count  had  been  absent  several  other 
gentlemen  of  good  family  had  arrived  in  the  village, 
some  marching  in  with  the  peasants  on  their  estates. 
Three  of  these  were  appointed  to  lead  the  three  bands 
destined  for  the  flank  and  rear  attacks.  The  next 
three  hours  were  devoted  to  the  distribution  of  pro- 
visions and  ammunition,  each  man  taking  four  days' 
supply  of  the  former  and  receiving  sufficient  powder  and 
bullets  for  forty  rounds  of  the  latter.  All  were  ordered 
to  be  in  readiness  to  march  two  hours  before  daybreak. 

The  count  then  retired  to  his  quarters,  and  there 
pointed  out  on  the  map,  to  the  three  divisional  leaders, 
the  spots  where  he  intended  to  make  a  stand,  and  gave 
them  instructions  as  to  their  respective  shares  of  the 
operations.  Their  orders  were  very  general.  They 
were  to  post  their  men  on  the  side  hills,  and  as  much 
behind  cover  as  possible,  to  keep  up  a  galling  tire  at  the 
column,  occasionally  to  show  in  threatening  masses  as 
if  about  to  charge  down,  so  as  to  cause  as  much  alarm 
and  confusion  as  possible,  and,  should  at  any  point  the 
nature  of  the  ground  favour  it,  they  were  to  dash 
down  upon  the  baggage  train  and  to  hamstring  the 
horses,  smash  the  wheels,  and  create  as  much  damage 
as  they  could,  and  to  fall  back  upon  the  approach  of  a 
strong  body  of  the  enemy.  Those  in  the  rear  were  to 
press  closely  up  so  as  to  necessitate  a  strong  force 
being  kept  there  to  oppose  them.  But  their  principal 
duties  were  to  hold  the  passes,  and   to  prevent  any 


A   GRAVE   GATHERING.  247 

convoys,  unless  very  strongly  guarded,  from  reaching 
the  enemy  from  his  base  at  Saragossa. 

After  these  instructions  had  been  given  supper  was 
spread,  and  some  fifteen  or  twenty  of  the  principal 
persons  who  had  joined  were  invited  by  the  count, 
and  a  pleasant  evening  was  spent. 

It  was  interesting  to  Jack  to  observe  the  difference 
between  this  gathering  and  that  which  had  taken  place 
in  the  Earl  of  Peterborough's  quarters  on  the  evening 
before  the  attack  on  San  ILatteo.  There,  although  many 
considered  that  the  prospects  of  success  on  the  following 
day  were  slight  indeed,  all  was  merriment  and  mirth. 
The  whole  party  were  in  the  highest  spirits,  and  the 
brilliant  wit  of  the  earl,  and  his  reckless  spirit  of  fun, 
had  kept  the  party  in  continual  laughter. 

The  tone  on  the  contrary  at  the  present  gathering 
was  quiet  and  almost  stiff.  These  grave  Catalan  nobles, 
fresh  from  their  country  estates,  contrasted  strongly 
with  the  more  lively  and  joyous  inhabitants  of  Va- 
lencia. Each  addressed  the  other  with  ceremony,  and 
listened  with  grave  attention  to  the  remarks  of  each 
speaker  in  turn. 

During  the  whole  evening  nothing  approaching  to  a 
joke  was  made,  there  was  scarcely  a  smile  upon  the 
countenance  of  any  present;  and  yet  the  tone  of  court- 
liness and  deference  to  the  opinions  of  each  other,  the 
grave  politeness,  the  pride  with  which  each  spoke  of 
his  country,  their  enthusiasm  in  the  cause,  and  the 
hatred  with  which  they  spoke  of  the  enemy,  impressed 
Jack  very  favourably;  and  though,  as  he  said  to  him- 
self when  thinking  it  over,  the  evening  had  certainly 


248  PREPARATIONS  FOR  DEFENCE. 

not  been  a  lively  one,  it  had  by  no  means  been  un- 
pleasant. 

Two  hours  before  daybreak  the  bell  of  the  church 
gave  the  signal.  As  the  men  had  only  to  rise  to  their 
feet,  shake  themselves,  take  up  their  arms,  and  sling 
their  bags  of  provisions  round  their  necks,  it  was  but 
a  few  minutes  before  they  were  formed  up  in  order. 
The  count  saw  the  three  divisions  file  off  silently  in 
the  darkness,  and  then,  placing  himself  at  the  head  of 
the  main  body,  led  the  way  towards  the  spot  which 
he  and  Jack  had  selected  for  opposing  the  march  of 
Tesse's  invading  column. 

Daylight  was  just  breaking  when  they  reached  it, 
and  the  count  ordered  the  men  to  pile  their  arms  and 
at  once  to  set  to  work.  The  road,  which  had  been 
winding  along  in  a  valley,  here  mounted  a  sharp  rise, 
on  the  very  brow  of  which  stood  a  hamlet  of  some 
twenty  houses.  It  had  already  been  deserted  by  the 
inhabitants,  and  the  houses  were  taken  possession  of  by 
the  workers.  Those  facing  the  brow  of  the  hill  were 
loopholed,  as  were  the  walls  along  the  same  line.  Men 
were  set  to  work  to  build  a  great  barricade  across  the 
road,  and  to  run  breastworks  of  stones  right  and  left 
from  the  points  where  the  walls  ended  along  the  brow. 
Other  parties  loopholed  the  houses  and  walls  of  the 
village,  and  formed  another  barricade  across  the  road 
at  the  other  end.  With  two  thousand  men  at  work 
these  tasks  were  soon  carried  out;  and  the  count  then 
led  the  men  down  the  hill,  whose  face  was  covered 
with  loose  stones,  and  set  them  to  work  piling  these  in 
lines  one  above  another. 


READY  FOR  THE  FRAY.  249 

At  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  work  was  com- 
plete. The  count  told  the  men  off  by  parties,  each  of 
which  were  to  hold  one  of  the  lines  of  stones ;  each  party 
was,  as  the  French  charged,  to  retire  up  the  hill  and  join 
that  at  the  line  above,  so  that  their  resistance  would 
become  more  and  more  obstinate  till  the  village  itself 
was  reached.  Here  a  stand  was  to  be  made  as  long  as 
possible.  If  the  column  advanced  only  by  the  road, 
every  house  was  to  be  held;  if  they  spread  out  in  line 
so  as  to  overlap  the  village  on  both  sides,  a  rapid 
retreat  was  to  be  made  when  the  bugler  by  the  count's 
side  gave  the  signal. 

The  men  sat  down  to  breakfast  in  their  allotted 
places,  quiet,  grave,  and  stern;  and  again  the  contrast 
with  the  laughter  and  high  spirits  which  prevail  among 
English  soldiers,  when  fighting  is  expected,  struck  Jack 
v7ery  forcibly. 

"They  would  make  grand  soldiers  if  properly  trained, 
these  grave  earnest-looking  men,"  he  said  to  himself. 
"They  look  as  if  they  could  endure  any  amount  of 
fatigue  and  hardship;  and  although  they  don't  take 
thino-s  in  the  same  cheerful  light  our  men  do,  no  one 
can  doubt  their  courage.  I  can  quite  understand  now 
the  fact  that  the  Spanish  infantry  was  once  considered 
the  finest  in  Europe.  If  they  only  had  leaders  and 
discipline  Spain  would  not  want  any  foreign  aid, 
her  own  people  would  be  more  than  a  match  for 
any  army  the  French  could  send  across  the  northern 
frontier." 

The  meal  was  scarcely  finished  when,  at  the  end  of 
the  valley,  some  three  miles  away,  a  cloud  of  dust  was 


250  THE    APPROACH   OF   THE   ENEMY. 

seen  to  rise  with  the  sparkle  of  the  sun  on  arms  and 
accoutrements. 

"There  are  Tesse's  cavalry!"  the  count  exclaimed. 
"Another  half  hour  will  cause,  a  transformation  in  this 
quiet  valley." 

The  head  of  the  column  came  on  but  slowly,  the 
cavalry  regiment  forming  it  accommodating  their  pace 
to  that  of  the  infantry  and  baggage- waggons  in  the 
rear.  Slowly  they  moved  on,  until  the  bottom  of  the 
valley  appeared  covered  with  a  moving  mass  extend- 
ing from  the  end,  three  miles  away,  to  within  half  a 
mile  of  the  foot  of  the  hill  on  which  the  Spaniards 
were  posted.  Suddenly  from  the  hillsides  on  the  left 
puffs  of  smoke  darted  out,  and  instantly  a  similar  fire 
was  opened  on  the  right. 

"  They  are  at  work  at  last,"  Jack  exclaimed  as  the 
rattle  of  musketry  sounded  loud  and  continuous.  "  I 
wondered  when  they  were  going  to  begin." 

"  I  told  them  to  let  the  column  pass  nearly  to  the 
head  of  the  valley  before  they  opened  fire,"  the  count 
said.  "  Had  they  begun  soon  after  the  enemy  entered 
the  valley,  they  would  have  left  all  their  baggage  be- 
hind under  a  guard,  and  the  infantry  would  have  been 
free  to  attack  the  hills  at  once.  Now  they  are  all 
crowded  up  in  the  valley — horse,  foot,  and  baggage. 
The  wounded  horses  will  become  unmanageable,  and 
there  is  sure  to  be  confusion,  though  perhaps  not 
panic.  See,  they  are  answering  our  fire !  They  might 
as  well  save  their  powder,  for  they  are  only  throwing 
away  ammunition  by  firing  away  at  the  hillside." 

This  indeed  was  the  case;  for  Jack,  although  in  the 


THE  FRENCH  ADVANCE.  251 

course  of  the  morning  he  had  frequently  watched  the 
hillside  for  signs  of  the  other  parties,  had  not  made 
out  the  slightest  movement,  so  completely  were  the 
men  hidden  behind  rocks  and  bushes. 

Strong  bodies  of  infantry  were  thrown  out  by  Tesse 
on  both  flanks,  and  these  began  to  climb  the-  hills, 
keeping  up  a  heavy  fire  at  their  concealed  foe,  while 
the  main  column  continued  its  way. 

Not  a  shot  was  fired  by  the  Spanish  until  the  head 
of  the  column  was  within  a  hundred  yards  of  the 
foot  of  the  rise,  and  then  from  the  whole  face  of  the 
hill  a  heavy  fire  was  opened.  The  enemy  recoiled, 
and  for  a  time  there  was  great  confusion  near  the 
head  of  the  column;  an  officer  of  high  rank  dashed 
up,  and  the  troops  formed  out  into  a  line  across  the 
whole  width  of  the  valley  and  then  moved  forward 
steadily;  so  heavy  were  their  losses,  however,  that  they 
presently  came  to  a  standstill.  But  reinforcements 
coming  up,  they  again  pressed  forward,  firing  as  they 
went. 

Not  until  they  were  within  twenty  yards  did  the 
Miquelets  lining  the  lower  wall  of  rocks  leave  their 
post,  and,  covered  by  the  smoke,  gain  with  little  loss 
the  line  next  above  them.  Slowly  the  enemy  won 
their  way  uphill,  suffering  heavily  as  they  did  so,  and 
continually  being  reinforced  from  the  rear.  At  the 
last  wall  the  peasants,  gathered  now  together,  main- 
tained a  long  resistance;  and  it  was  not  until  fully 
four  thousand  of  the  enemy  were  brought  up  that  the 
position  was  seriously  threatened.  Then  their  leader, 
seeing  that  they  would  sustain  very  heavy  loss  if  the 


252  AN   OBSTINATE   RESISTANCE. 

enemy  carried  the  wall  by  assault,  ordered  his  trum- 
peter to  sound  the  retreat.  It  was  at  once  obeyed, 
and  by  the  time  the  French  had  crossed  the  wall  the 
peasants  had  already  passed  out  at  the  other  end  of 
the  village. 

As  the  French  cavalry  had  not  been  able  to  pass 
the  lower  walls  there  was  no  pursuit.  The  peasants 
rallied  after  a  rapid  flight  of  a  mile.  Their  loss  had 
been  small,  while  that  of  the  French  had  been  very 
considerable;  and  the  marshal  halted  his  troops  round 
the  village  for  the  day. 

The  result  of  the  fighting  added  to  the  resolution 
of  the  peasants,  and  as  soon  as  the  French  continued 
their  route  the  next  morning  the  fighting  began  again. 
It  was  a  repetition  of  that  of  the  preceding  day.  The 
enemy  had  to  contest  every  foot  of  the  ground,  and 
were  exposed  to  a  galling  fire  along  the  whole  line  of 
their  march.  Many  times  they  made  desperate  efforts 
to  drive  the  peasants  from  the  hillsides;  sometimes  they 
were  beaten  back  with  heavy  loss,  and  when  they  suc- 
ceeded it  was  only  to  find  the  positions  they  attacked 
deserted  and  their  active  defenders  already  beyond 
musket-fire.  At  night  they  had  no  respite;  the  enemy 
swarmed  round  their  camp,  shot  down  the  sentries,  and 
attacked  with  such  boldness  that  the  marshal  was 
obliged  to  keep  a  large  number  of  his  men  constantly 
under  arms. 

At  last,  worn  out  by  fatigue  and  fighting,  the  weary 
army  emerged  from  the  hills  into  the  wide  valleys, 
where  their  cavalry  were  able  to  act,  and  the  ground  no 
longer  offered  favourable  positions  of  defence  to  the 


BARCELONA  INVESTED.  253 

peasantry.  Seeing  the  uselessness  of  further  attacks, 
the  Count  of  Cifuentes  drew  off  his  peasants;  and 
Tesse  marched  on  to  Barcelona  and  effected  a  junction 
with  the  troops  from  Roussillon  under  the  Duke  de 
Noailles,  who  had  come  down  by  the  way  of  Gerona. 
The  town  was  at  once  invested  on  the  land  side; 
while  the  Count  of  Toulouse,  with  thirty  French  ships, 
blockaded  it  from  the  sea. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 


THE   FRENCH   CONVOY. 


REPORT  having  arrived  at  the  camp 
of  the  Count  of  Cifuentes  that  the  pea- 
sants around  Saragossa  had  risen  in  in- 
surrection, Jack  thought  that  he  should 
be  doino-  more  good  by  discovering  the  truth  of  the 
rumour,  and  by  keeping  the  earl  informed  of  the  state 
of  things  in  the  enemy's  rear,  than  by  remaining 
with  the  count.  He  hesitated  whether  he  should 
take  his  two  orderlies  with  him,  but  as  they  were 
well  mounted  he  decided  that  they  should  accom- 
pany him,  as  they  would  add  to  his  authority,  and 
would,  in  case  of  need,  enable  him  the  better  to  assume 
the  position  of  an  officer  riding  in  advance  of  a  consid- 
erable force. 

After  a  hearty  adieu  from  the  Count  of  Cifuentes,  he 
started  soon  after  daybreak.  After  riding  for  some 
hours,  just  as  he  reached  the  top  of  a  rise,  up  which  he 
had  walked  his  horse,  one  of  the  orderlies,  who  were 
riding  a  few  paces  behind  him,  rode  up. 

"I  think,  Captain  Stilwell,"  he  said,  "I  hear  the 
sound  of  firing.     Brown  thinks  he  hears  it  too." 


AX   UNEXPECTED   RECEPTION.  255 

Jack  reined  in  his  horse. 

"  I  hear  nothing,"  he  said,  after  a  pause  of  a  minute- 

"  I  don't  hear  it  now,  sir,"  the  man  said.  "  I  think  it 
came  down  on  a  puff  of  wind.  If  you  wait  a  minute 
or  two  I  think  you  will  hear  it." 

Jack  waited  another  two  minutes,  and  then  was  about 
to  resume  his  journey,  when  suddenly  a  faint  sound 
came  upon  the  wind. 

"  You  are  right,  Thompson,"  he  exclaimed,  "  that's 
firing,  sure  enough.  It  must  be  a  convoy  attacked  by 
peasants." 

He  touched  his  horse  with  the  spur  and  galloped 
forward.  Two  miles  farther  on,  crossing  the  brow, 
they  saw,  half  a  mile  ahead  of  them  in  the  dip  of  the 
valley,  a  number  of  waggons  huddled  together.  On 
either  side  of  the  road  men  were  lying,  and  the  spurts 
of  smoke  that  rose  from  these,  as  well  as  from  the 
waggons,  proved  that  they  were  still  stoutly  defending 
themselves.  A  light  smoke  rose  from  every  bush  and 
rock  on  the  hillsides  around,  showing  how  numerous 
were  the  assailants.  Leaving  the  road,  Jack  galloped 
towards  the  hill.  Presently  several  balls  came  singing 
round  them. 

"  They  think  we  are  French,  sir,"  one  of  the  troopers 
said.  "I  guess  they  don't  know  much  about  uni- 
forms." 

Jack  drew  out  a  white  handkerchief  and  waved  it 
as  he  rode  forward,  shouting  as  he  did,  "  English, 
English."  The  fire  ceased,  and  the  little  party  soon 
reached  the  spot  where  the  peasants  were  lying 
thickly  in  their  ambushes. 


256  A  WARLIKE   PRIEST. 

"  I  am  an  English  officer,"  Jack  said  as  he  leapt  from 
his  horse.     "  Where  is  your  leader?" 

"  There  is  one  of  them,"  a  peasant  said,  pointing  to  a 
priest,  who,  with  a  long  musket  in  his  hand,  rose  from 
behind  a  log. 

"  Reverend  father,"  Jack  said,  "  I  have  come  from 
the  Earl  of  Peterborough  with  a  mission  to  understand 
how  matters  go  in  Arragon,  and  to  ascertain  what  force 
would  be  likely  to  join  him  in  this  province  against 
the  invader." 

"You  see  for  yourself  how  things  go,"  the  priest 
said.  "  I  am  glad  to  see  an  officer  of  the  great  Earl  of 
Peterborough,  whose  exploits  have  excited  the  admira- 
tion of  all  Spain.  To  whom  have  I  the  honour  of 
speaking?" 

"  I  am  Captain  Stilwell,"  one  of  the  earl's  aides-de- 
camp; and  you,  father?" 

"I  am  Ignacio  Bravos,  the  humble  padre  of  the 
village  of  San  Aldephonso.  And  now,  Captain  Stil- 
well, if  you  will  excuse  me  till  we  make  an  end  of 
these  accursed  Frenchmen,  afterwards  I  will  be  at  your 
service." 

For  another  two  hours  the  conflict  continued.  Jack 
saw  that  the  fire  of  the  defenders  of  the  waggons  was 
decreasing,  and  he  was  not  surprised  when  a  white 
handkerchief  was  raised  on  the  top  of  a  bayonet  and 
waved  in  the  air  in  token  of  a  desire  to  parley.  A 
shout  of  exultation  rose  from  the  Spaniards.  The  priest 
showed  himself  on  the  hillside. 

"Do  you  surrender?"  he  shouted. 

"  We  surrender  the  waggons/'  an  officer  called  back, 


JACK  REMONSTRATES.  257 

"  on  condition  that  we  are  allowed  to  march  off  with 
our  arms  without  molestation." 

A  shout  of  refusal  rose  from  the  peasants,  and  the 
firing  was  instantly  renewed.  Jack  went  and  sat 
down  by  the  side  of  the  priest. 

"  Father,"  he  said,  "  it  were  best  to  give  these  men 
the  terms  they  ask.     "War  is  not  massacre." 

"  Quite  so,  my  son,"  the  priest  replied  coolly.  "  That 
is  what  you  should  have  told  Marshal  Tesse.  It  is  he 
who  has  chosen  to  make  it  massacre.  Why,  man,  he  has 
shot  and  huno-  hundreds  in  cold  blood  in  and  around 
Sarao-ossa,  has  burnt  numerous  villages  in  the  neio-h- 
bourhood,  and  put  man,  woman,  and  child  to  the  sword." 

"  Then,  if  this  be  so,  father,  I  should  say,  by  all 
means  hang  Marshal  Tesse  when  you  catch  him,  but 
do  not  punish  the  innocent  for  the  guilty.  You  must 
remember  that  these  men  have  been  taken  away  from 
their  homes  in  France,  and  forced  to  fight  in  quarrels 
in  which  they  have  no  concern.  Like  yourself,  they 
are  Catholics.  Above  all,  remember  how  many  scores 
of  villages  are  at  present  at  the  mercy  of  the  French. 
If  the  news  comes  to  the  marshal  that  you  have  re- 
fused quarter  to  his  soldiers,  he  will  have  a  fair  excuse 
for  taking  vengeance  on  such  of  your  countrymen  as 
may  be  in  his  power." 

"  There  is  something  in  that,"  the  priest  said.  "  For 
myself  I  have  no  pity,  not  a  scrap  of  it,  for  these 
Frenchmen,  nor  would  you  have,  had  you  seen  as  much 
of  their  doings  as  I  have,  nor  do  I  think  that  any  retri- 
bution that  we  mio-ht  deal  out  to  the  men  could 
increase  Tesse's  hatred  and  ferocity  towards  us." 

(338)  R 


258  THE  PRIEST   IS  CONVINCED. 

"Still,  it  might  serve  as  an  excuse,"  Jack  urged. 
"  Remember  the  eyes  of  Europe  are  upon  this  struggle, 
and  that  the  report  of  wholesale  slaughter  of  your  ene- 
mies will  not  influence  public  opinion  in  your  favour." 

"Public  opinion  goes  for  nothing,"  the  priest  said 
shortly. 

"  Pardon  me,  father,"  Jack  replied.  "  The  English 
and  Dutch  and  the  Duke  of  Savoy  are  all  righting  in 
your  favour,  and  we  may  even  boast  that  had  it  not 
been  for  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  and  the  allies  the 
chains  of  France  would  be  riveted  firmly  round  your 
necks.  You  will  tell  me,  no  doubt,  that  they  are  fight- 
ing for  their  own  political  ends,  and  from  no  true  love 
for  the  Spanish  people.  That  may  be  so,  but  you 
must  remember  that  although  governments  begin  wars 
it  is  the  people  who  carry  them  on.  Let  the  people  of 
England  and  Holland  hear,  as  they  will  hear,  of  the 
brutal  ferocity  of  the  French  marshal  on  a  defenceless 
people,  and  their  sympathies  will  be  strongly  with  you. 
They  will  urge  their  governments  to  action,  and  vote 
willingly  the  necessary  sums  for  carrying  on  the  war. 
Let  them  hear  that  with  you  too  war  is  massacre,  that 
you  take  no  prisoners,  and  kill  all  that  fall  into  your 
hands,  and,  believe  me,  the  public  will  soon  grow  sick 
of  the  war  carried  on  with  such  cruelty  on  both  sides." 

"You  are  right,  my  son,"  the  priest  said  frankly. 
"  Young  as  you  are,  you  have  seen  more  of  the  world 
than  I,  who,  since  I  left  the  University  of  Salamanca, 
have  never  been  ten  miles  from  my  native  village.  I 
will  do  what  I  can  to  put  a  stop  to  this  matter.  But 
I  am  not  solely  in  command  here.     I  lead  my  own 


A  COUNCIL.  259 

village,  but  there  are  the  men  of  a  score  of  villages 
lying  on  these  hills.  But  I  will  summon  all  the 
chiefs  to  a  council  now." 

The  priest  called  half  a  dozen  of  the  peasants  to 
him,  and  despatched  them  with  orders  to  bring  all  the 
other  leaders  to  take  part  in  a  council  with  an  English 
officer  who  had  arrived  from  the  great  Earl  of  Peter- 
borough. 

In  half  an  hour  some  twenty  men  were  assembled  in 
a  little  hollow  on  the  hillside,  where  they  were  shel- 
tered from  the  fire  of  the  French.  Four  or  five  of  these 
were  priests.  There  were  two  or  three  innkeepers. 
The  remainder  were  small  landed  proprietors.  Father 
Ignacio  first  addressed  them.  He  stated  that  the  Eng- 
lish officer  had  come  on  a  mission  from  the  earl,  and 
had  arrived  accidentally  while  the  fight  was  going  on, 
and  that  he  was  of  opinion  that  the  French  offer  of 
surrender  should  be  accepted.  A  murmur  of  dissent 
went  round  the  circle. 

"  I  was  at  first  of  your  opinion,"  the  priest  said,  "  but 
the  reasons  which  this  English  officer  has  given  me  in 
support  of  his  advice  have  brought  me  round  to  his  way 
of  thinking.     I  will  leave  him  to  state  them  to  you." 

Jack  now  rose  to  his  feet,  and  repeated  the  argu- 
ments which  he  had  used  to  the  priest.  He  gathered 
from  the  faces  of  his  hearers  that,  although  some  were 
convinced  that  mercy  would  be  the  best  policy,  others 
were  still  bent  upon  revenge.  Father  Ignacio  then,  in 
lano-uao-e  which  he  thouovht  best  suited  to  touch  his 
hearers,  repeated  Jack's  arguments,  urging  very  strongly 
the  vengeance  which  the  French  marshal  would  be  sure 


260  ARGUMENTS   FOR  MERCY. 

to  take  upon  the  Spanish  population  of  the  country 
through  which  he  was  passing  when  he  heard  the 
news. 

"Besides,"  Jack  said,  when  he  had  finished,  "you 
must  remember  you  have  not  conquered  the  enemy 
yet.  I  see  the  officer  has  withdrawn  all  his  men  among 
the  waggons,  where  their  shelter  will  be  nearly  as  good 
as  yours.  They  have,  doubtless,  abundant  stores  of 
ammunition  in  those  waggons,  together  with  food  and 
wine,  and  if  you  force  them  to  fight  to  the  last  man 
they  can  hold  out  for  a  very  long  time,  and  will  inflict 
a  heavy  loss  upon  your  men  before  they  are  overcome." 

"But  why  should  they  take  their  weapons  with 
them?"  one  of  the  men  said;  "they  will  be  useful  to 
us.  Why  should  we  let  them  carry  them  away  to  kill 
more  Spaniards?" 

"  The  reason  why  I  would  let  them  take  their  arms 
is  this,"  Jack  said.  "  Unless  they  march  away  armed 
you  will  not  be  able  to  restrain  your  followers,  who 
will  be  likely  to  break  any  convention  you  may  make 
and  to  massacre  them  without  mercy.  As  to  the  arms 
being  used  again  against  you,  I  will  put  the  officers 
under  their  parole  that  they  and  their  men  shall  not 
take  any  further  part  in  the  war  until  they  are  ex- 
changed for  an  equal  number  of  prisoners  taken  by  the 
French." 

"Who  would  trust  to  a  Frenchman's  word?"  a  man 
asked  scoffingly. 

"  I  would  trust  to  a  French  officer's  word  as  much  as 
to  that  of  an  English  officer,"  Jack  replied.  "You  would 
expect  them  to  trust  to  your  word  that  they  should  be 


THE   QUESTION   SETTLED.  261 

safe  if  they  laid  down  their  arms;  and  yet,  as  you 
know,  you  might  not  be  able  to  keep  it?  Better  a 
thousand  times  that  a  handful  of  French  officers  and 
men  should  be  allowed  to  join  the  enemy's  ranks  than 
that  the  national  honour  of  Spain  should  be  soiled  by 
a  massacre  perpetrated  just  after  a  surrender." 

"The  Englishman  is  right,"  Father  Ignacio  said  posi- 
tively. "  Let  us  waste  no  further  words  on  it.  Besides, 
I  have  a  reason  of  my  own.  I  started  before  daybreak 
without  breakfast,  and  have  got  nothing  but  a  piece  of 
dry  bread  with  me.  If  we  don't  accept  these  fellows' 
surrender  we  may  be  on  the  hillside  all  night,  and  I  told 
my  servant  that  I  should  have  a  larded  capon  and  a 
flask  of  my  best  wine  for  dinner.  That  is  an  argu- 
ment, my  sons,  which  I  am  sure  comes  home  to  you  all ; 
and  remember,  if  we  accept  the  surrender  we  shall  soon 
quench  our  thirst  on  the  good  wine  which,  I  doubt 
not,  is  contained  in  some  of  the  barrels  I  see  down 
yonder." 

There  was  a  hearty  laugh  and  the  question  was  settled; 
and  it  was  arranged  at  once  that  Father  Ignacio,  one 
of  the  other  leaders,  and  Jack  should  treat  with  the 
enemy.  The  other  leaders  hurried  away  to  their  re- 
spective sections  to  order  them  to  cease  firing  when  a 
white  flag  was  raised;  and,  having  given  them  twenty 
minutes  to  get  to  their  several  posts,  a  white  hand- 
kerchief was  waved  in  the  air.  The  Spanish  fire 
ceased  at  once,  and  as  soon  as  the  French  perceived 
the  flag  they  also  stopped  firing. 

"We  are  coming  down,  three  of  us,  to  discuss  matters 
with  you,"  Father  Ignacio  shouted  out. 


262  TERMS   OF   SURRENDER. 

The  three  accordingly  descended  the  hill,  and  when 
within  a  short  distance  of  the  waggons  were  met  by 
the  officer  in  command  of  the  convoy  and  two  others. 

"  We  have  come  to  discuss  the  terms  of  your  sur- 
render," Jack  said.  "I  am  Captain  Stilwell,  one  of 
Lord  Peterborough's  aides-de-camp.  You  see  your 
position  is  desperate." 

"Not  quite  desperate,"  the  French  officer  replied; 
"  we  have  plenty  of  ammunition  and  abundance  of 
provisions,  and  can  hold  out  for  a  long  time,  till  rescue 
comes." 

"There  is  little  chance  of  rescue,"  Jack  said.  "Your 
marshal  has  his  hands  full  where  he  is;  and  even  did 
he  hear  of  your  situation  and  detach  a  force  back  to 
your  rescue,  neither  of  which  he  is  likely  to  do,  that 
force  would  have  to  fight  every  foot  of  its  way,  and 
assuredly  not  arrive  in  time.  Nor  is  there  any  more 
chance  of  your  receiving  succour  from  the  rear.  You 
have  made  a  gallant  defence,  sir,  and  might  perhaps 
hold  out  for  many  hours  yet;  but  of  what  use  is  it 
sacrificing  the  lives  of  your  men  in  a  vain  resistance?" 

"What  is  your  proposal?"  the  officer  asked. 

"We  propose,"  Jack  said,  "to  allow  you  to  march 
out  with  your  arms  and  five  rounds  of  ammunition  to 
each  man,  on  you  and  your  officers  giving  me  your 
parole  to  consider  yourselves  and  your  men  as  prisoners 
of  war,  and  not  to  serve  again  until  exchanged." 

The  terms  were  far  better  than  the  French  officer 
had  looked  for. 

"I  may  tell  you,"  Father  Ignacio  said,  "that  for 
these  terms  you  are  indebted  solely  to  this  English 


THE  CONDITIONS  ACCEPTED.  263 

officer.  Had  it  depended  upon  us  only,  rest  assured 
that  no  one  of  you  would  have  gone  away  alive." 

"You  will  understand,"  Jack  said,  "that  you  will  be 
allowed  to  take  your  arms  solely  as  a  protection 
against  the  peasants,  who  have  been  justly  enraged 
by  the  brutal  atrocities  of  your  general.  You  know 
well  that  even  could  their  leaders  here  obtain  from 
their  followers  a  respect  for  the  terms  of  surrender, 
that  your  men  would  be  massacred  in  the  first  village 
through  which  they  passed  were  they  deprived  of  their 
arms.  My  friends  here  are  desirous  that  no  stigma  of 
massacre  shall  rest  upon  the  Spanish  honour,  and  they 
have  therefore  agreed  to  allow  your  men  to  keep  their 
arms  for  purposes  of  defence  on  their  return  march." 

After  a  few  words  with  his  fellow-officers  the  com- 
mander of  the  convoy  agreed  to  the  terms.  "You  will, 
however,"  he  said,  "  permit  me  to  take  with  me  one  or 
more  waggons,  as  may  be  required,  to  carry  off  my 
wounded  ? " 

This  was  at  once  agreed  to,  and  in  ten  minutes  the 
two  companies  of  French  infantry  were  in  readiness 
to  march.  There  were  forty  wounded  in  the  waggons, 
and  seven -and -twenty  dead  were  left  behind  them. 
The  French  officer  in  command,  before  marching  off, 
thanked  Jack  very  heartily  for  his  interference  on  their 
behalf. 

"I  tell  you  frankly,  Captain  Stilwell,"  he  said,  "that 
I  had  no  hopes  whatever  that  I  or  any  of  my  men 
would  leave  the  ground  alive,  for  these  Spaniards  in- 
variably massacre  prisoners  who  fall  into  their  hands. 
I  could  not  have  left  my  wounded  behind  me;  and 


2G4  THE   SPOILS   OF  WAR. 

even  if  I  had  resolved  to  do  so,  the  chances  of  our  fight- 
ing our  way  back  in  safety  would  have  been  small  in- 
deed. We  owe  you  our  lives,  sir ;  and  should  it  ever  be 
in  the  power  of  Major  Ferre  to  repay  the  debt,  you 
may  rely  upon  me." 

"  I  trust  that  the  fortune  of  war  may  never  place  me 
in  a  position  when  I  may  need  to  recall  your  promise," 
Jack  said,  smiling;  "but  should  it  do  so,  I  will  not  fail 
to  remind  you  if  I  get  a  chance." 

All  was  now  ready  for  the  march.  Two  waggons 
which  had  been  hastily  emptied  were,  with  the  wounded 
men,  placed  in  the  centre,  and  the  French,  numbering 
now  less  than  a  hundred,  started  on  their  march. 
The  Spanish  peasants  remained  in  their  places  on  the 
hillside  till  they  had  departed,  as  the  leaders  had 
agreed  that  it  was  better  they  should  be  kept  away 
from  the  vicinity  of  the  French,  as  a  quarrel  would  be 
certain  to  take  place  did  they  come  to  close  quarters. 
The  peasants  were  indignant  at  what  they  deemed  the 
escape  of  their  enemies;  but  the  desire  of  plunder  soon 
overcame  other  considerations,  and  as  soon  as  the 
French  had  marched  off  they  poured  down  from  the 
hills.  Their  leaders,  however,  restrained  them  from 
indiscriminate  plundering.  There  were  in  all  eighty- 
seven  waggons  loaded  with  wine,  corn,  flour,  and  pro- 
visions for  the  use  of  the  army. 

An  equal  division  was  made  of  these  among  the  vari- 
ous bands  of  peasants  in  proportion  to  their  strength. 
A  few  casks  of  wine  were  broached.  The  peasants 
then  buried  their  own  dead — who  were  very  few  in 
number,  so  securely  had  they  been  sheltered  in  their 


the  priest's  invitation.  265 

hiding-places — and  then  the  force  broke  up,  each  party 
marching  with  its  proportion  of  waggons  back  to  its 
village. 

"Now,  Signor  Capitano,"  Father  Ignacio  said,  "I 
trust  that  you  will  come  home  with  me.  My  village 
is  six  miles  away,  and  I  will  do  my  best  to  make 
you  comfortable.  Hitherto  you  have  seen  me  only  as 
a  man  of  war.  I  can  assure  you  that  I  am  much  more 
estimable  in  my  proper  character  as  a  man  of  peace. 
And  let  me  tell  you,  my  cook  is  excellent;  the  wine 
of  the  village  is  famous  in  the  province,  and  I  have 
some  in  my  cellars  ten  years  old." 

"  I  cannot  resist  such  a  number  of  good  arguments," 
Jack  said,  smiling,  "  and  till  to-morrow  morning  I  am 
at  your  service;  but  I  warn  you  that  my  appetite 
just  at  present  is  ravenous,  and  that  my  two  dragoons 
are  likely  to  make  a  serious  inroad  upon  the  larders  of 
your  village,  however  well  supplied." 

"They  will  be  welcome,"  the  priest  said,  "and  I  guar- 
antee the  larders  will  prove  sufficiently  well  stocked. 
Fortunately,  although  nearly  every  village  in  the  neigh- 
bourhood has  been  raided  by  the  French,  owing  to  our 
good  fortune  and  the  interposition  of  the  blessed  San 
Aldephonso  our  village  has  escaped  a  visit." 

The  party  under  Father  Ignacio  soon  turned  off  from 
the  main  road,  and,  with  the  six  waggons  which  fell  to 
their  share,  journeyed  along  a  rough  country  road  until 
they  reached  the  village.  Father  Ignacio  sat  on  the 
leadino-  wao-o-on,  and  Jack  rode  alongside  chatting  with 
him.  The  priest  was  a  stout-built  man,  with  a  good- 
humoured  countenance  and  merry  twinkle  of  the  eye, 


266  THE  DIVISION   OF  THE   SPOILS. 

and  Jack  wondered  what  could  have  been  the  special 
wrong  that  induced  him  to  take  up  a  musket  and  lead 
his  flock  to  the  attack  of  a  French  convoy. 

"Katherine!"  he  shouted  as  the  waggon  stopped  in 
front  of  his  house  and  a  buxom  serving-woman  ap- 
peared at  the  door,  "dinner  as  quickly  as  possible, 
for  we  are  starving;  and  let  it  be  not  only  quick  but 
plentiful.  Lay  a  cover  for  this  gentleman,  who  will 
dine  with  me;  and  prepare  an  ample  supply  of  food  in 
the  kitchen  for  these  two  English  soldiers,  who  have 
come  across  the  sea  to  fight  for  the  good  cause. 

"And  now,"  he  said  to  Jack,  "  while  dinner  is  pre- 
paring I  must  distribute  the  spoil."  The  waggons 
we're  unloaded  and  their  contents  divided  among  the 
men  who  had  taken  part  in  the  expedition,  his  flock 
insisting  upon  the  padre  taking  a  bountiful  share. 

The  mules  and  bullocks  in  the  waggons  were  similarly 
divided,  in  this  case  one  being  given  to  each  family; 
for  there  were  but  thirty  animals,  while  the  fighting 
contingent  from  the  village  had  numbered  nearly 
eighty  men.  There  were  five  or  six  animals  over  when 
the  division  had  been  made;  and  these  were  given,  in 
addition  to  their  proper  share,  to  the  families  of  three 
men  who  had  been  killed  in  the  fight. 

"  Now,  my  sons,"  the  padre  said  when  all  was  done, 
"  take  your  axes  and  fall  upon  the  waggons.  A  waggon 
is  a  thing  to  swear  by.  Every  man  knows  his  own 
goods;  and  should  the  French  ever  visit  our  village 
ao-ain  these  wagrffons  mi^ht  cost  us  dear.  Therefore  let 
them  be  made  into  firewood  as  quickly  as  possible,  and 
let  them  all  be  consumed  before  other  fuel  is  touched. 


A   SNUG  DINNER.  2G7 

And  now,  capitano,  I  think  that   Katherine  will   be 
ready  for  us." 

So  saying  he  led  the  way  back  into  his  house.  A 
capital  meal  was  provided,  and  Jack  found  that  the 
priest  had  by  no  means  over-praised  either  his  cook  or 
his  cellar.  After  the  meal  was  over  and  the  two  had 
drawn  their  chairs  up  to  the  hearth,  on  which  was 
blazing  brightly  some  wood  which  Jack  recognized  as 
forming  part  of  one  of  the  waggons,  and  the  priest  had 
placed  on  a  small  table  close  at  hand  a  large  flask 
which  he  had  himself  gone  into  the  cellar  to  fetch, 
Jack  said: 

"  How  is  it,  father,  that,  as  you  told  me,  you  have 
seen  such  acts  of  brutality  on  the  part  of  the  French 
as  to  cause  you  to  wage  a  war  without  mercy  against 
them,  when,  as  you  say,  they  have  never  penetrated  to 
your  village?  Your  reasons  must  be  strong,  for  your 
profession  is  a  peaceful  one.  You  do  not  look  like  a 
man  who  would  rush  into  deeds  of  violence  for  their 
own  sake,  and  your  cook  and  your  cellar  offer  you 
strong  inducements  to  remain  at  home." 

"  That  is  so,  my  son,"  the  priest  said  with  a  laugh. 
"  I  am,  as  you  may  see,  an  easy-going  man,  well  con- 
tented with  my  lot,  and  envy  not  the  Bishop  of  To- 
ledo; but  you  know  it  is  said  that  even  a  worm  will 
turn,  and  so  you  have  seen  the  peaceful  priest  enact- 
ing the  part  of  the  bloodthirsty  captain.  But,  my  son" 
— and  his  face  grew  grave  now — "you  can  little  imagine 
the  deeds  which  the  ferocious  Tesse  has  enacted  here  in 
Arragon.  When  warring  with  you  English  the  French 
behave  like  a  civilized  nation;  when  warring  with  us 


268  THE  priest's  story. 

Spanish  peasants,  who  have  no  means  of  making  our 
wrongs  known  to  the  world,  they  behave  worse  than  a 
horde  of  brutal  savages.  But  I  will  tell  you  the  circum- 
stances which  have  driven  me  to  place  myself  at  the 
head  of  my  parishioners,  to  wage  a  war  of  exter- 
mination with  the  French,  and  to  deny  mercy  to 
every  one  of  that  accursed  nation  who  may  fall  into 
my  hands.  I  have  a  brother — or  rather  I  should  say 
I  had  one — a  well-to-do  farmer  who  lived  at  a  village 
some  six  miles  from  Saragossa.  He  had  an  only 
daughter,  who  was  to  be  married  to  the  son  of  a 
neighbouring  proprietor.  A  handsome,  high-spirited 
lad  he  was,  and  devoted  to  Nina.  They  were  to  have 
been  married  some  three  months  ago,  and  they  wrote 
to  me  to  go  over  to  perform  the  ceremony. 

"I  went;  the  wedding-day  arrived,  and  all  was  ready. 
It  was  a  holiday  in  the  village,  for  both  were  favourites. 
The  bride  was  dressed;  the  village  maidens  and  men 
were  all  in  their  best;  the  procession  was  about  to 
set  out,  when  a  troop  of  dragoons  rode  suddenly  in  from 
Saragossa.  A  shot  or  two  had  been  fired  at  them  as 
they  rode  through  a  wood.  When  they  arrived  they 
dismounted,  and  the  commander  ordered  the  principal 
men  of  the  village  to  be  brought  to  him.  My  brother 
and  the  father  of  the  bridegroom  were  among  them. 

" '  My  troops  have  been  fired  at/  the  Frenchman 
said,  'and  I  hold  you  responsible.' 

" '  It  was  no  one  from  this  village,'  my  brother  said ; 
'we  have  a  wedding  here,  and  not  a  soul  is  absent.' 

" '  I  care  not,'  the  officer  said ;  '  we  have  been  fired 
at,  and  we  shall  give  the  people  of  this  district  a  lesson.' 


A   COLD-BLOODED   MASSACRE.  2  GO 

"  So  without  another  word  he  turned  to  his  soldiers 
and  ordered  them  to  fire  the  village  from  end  to  end. 

"  'It  is  outrageous/  my  brother  said,  and  the  others 
joined  him  in  the  cry.  I,  too,  implored  him  to  pause 
before  having  such  an  order  carried  into  execution. 
His  only  reply  was  to  give  the  order  to  his  men. 

"  The  six  principal  men  were  seized  at  once,  were  set 
with  their  backs  against  the  wall  of  a  house,  and  shot." 

"You  cannot  mean  it!"  Jack  exclaimed  indignantly. 
"Surely  such  an  outrage  could  never  be  perpetrated 
by  civilized  soldiers?" 

"I  saw  it  done,"  the  priest  said  bitterly.  "I  tried  to 
throw  myself  between  the  victims  and  their  mur- 
derers, but  I  was  held  back  by  force  by  the  soldiers. 
Imagine  the  scene  if  you  can — the  screaming  women, 
the  outburst  of  vain  fury  among  the  men.  The  bride- 
groom, in  his  despair  at  seeing  his  father  murdered, 
seized  a  stick  and  rushed  at  the  French  officer;  but  he, 
drawing  a  pistol,  shot  him  dead,  and  the  soldiers  poured 
a  volley  into  his  companions,  killing  some  eight  or  ten 
others.  Resistance  was  hopeless.  Those  who  were  un- 
wounded  fled;  those  who  fell  were  bayoneted  on  the 
spot.  I  took  my  niece's  arm  and  led  her  quietly  away. 
Even  the  French  soldiers  drew  back  before  us.  You 
should  have  seen  her  face.  Madre  de  Dios !  I  see  it  now 
— I  see  it  always.  She  died  that  night.  Not  one  word 
passed  her  lips  from  the  moment  when  her  father 
and  her  affianced  husband  fell  dead  before  her  eyes. 
An  hour  later  the  troop  rode  off,  and  the  people  stole 
back  to  bury  their  dead  among  the  ashes  of  what  had 
been  their  homes.     I  went  to  Saragossa  after  reading 


270  the  priest's  appeal. 

the  funeral  service  over  them.  I  saw  Tesse  and  told 
him  of  the  scene  I  had  witnessed,  and  demanded  ven- 
geance. He  laughed  in  my  face.  Seiior,  I  persisted, 
and  he  got  angry  and  told  me  that,  were  it  not  for  my 
cloth,  he  would  hang  me  from  the  steeple.  I  called 
down  Heaven's  curse  upon  him,  and  left  him  and  came 
home.  Do  you  wonder,  senor,  that  I  found  it  hard  to 
spare  those  Frenchmen  for  whom  you  pleaded  ?  Do 
you  wonder  that  I,  a  man  of  peace,  lead  out  my  vil- 
lagers to  slaughter  our  enemy?" 

"I  do  not,  indeed!"  Jack  exclaimed  warmly.  "Such 
acts  as  these  would  stir  the  blood  of  the  coldest  into 
fire;  and,  priest  or  no  priest,  a  man  would  be  less  than 
a  man  who  did  not  to  try  take  vengeance  for  so  foul  a 
deed.  Have  many  massacres  of  this  sort  been  perpe- 
trated?" 

"  Many,"  the  priest  replied,  "and  in  no  case  has  any 
redress  been  obtained  by  the  relatives  of  the  victims." 

"And  throughout  all  Arra^on,  does  the  same  hatred 
of  the  French  prevail?" 

"  Everywhere,"  the  priest  said. 

"Then  King  Charles  would  meet  with  an  enthusiastic 
welcome  here?" 

"  I  do  not  say  that,"  the  priest  answered.  "He  would 
be  well  received,  doubtless,  simply  because  he  is  the 
enemy  of  the  French;  but  for  himself,  no.  We  Arra- 
gonese  cannot  for  the  life  of  us  see  why  we  should  be 
ruled  over  by  a  foreigner;  and  in  some  respects  a  Ger- 
man kino-  is  even  less  to  be  desired  than  a  French  one. 
The  connection  between  the  two  Latin  nations  is  na- 
turally closer  than  between  us  and  the  Germans,  and  a 


A  DIVIDED  NATION.  271 

French  king  would  more  readily  adapt  himself  to  our 
ways  than  would  a  still'  and  thick-headed  German. 

"  Apart  from  the  recent  doings  of  the  French  army 
Arragon  would  have  preferred  Philip  to  Charles.  More- 
over, Charles  is  looked  upon  as  the  choice  of  the  Cata- 
lans and  Valencians,  and  why  should  the  men  of  Arra- 
gon take  the  king  others  have  chosen?  No,  King 
Charles  will  doubtless  be  received  well  because  he 
appears  as  the  enemy  of  the  French;  but  you  will  not 
find  that  the  people  of  Arragon  will  make  any  great 
sacrifices  in  his  behalf.  Let  a  French  army  enter 
our  province  again,  every  man  will  rise  in  arms 
against  it;  but  there  will  be  little  disposition  to  raise 
troops  to  follow  King  Charles  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
province.  Castille  is  strong  for  Philip;  the  jealousy 
there  of  the  Catalans  is  even  greater  than  here,  and 
the  fact  that  Arragon  will  go  with  Catalonia  and  Val- 
encia will  only  render  the  Castillians  more  earnest  in 
the  cause  of  Philip.  There  have  been  several  skir- 
mishes already  between  bands  of  our  Miquelets  and 
those  of  Castille,  and  the  whole  country  along  the 
border  is  greatly  disturbed." 

"It  is  a  pity  that  Spaniards  cannot  agree  among 
themselves  as  to  who  shall  be  king." 

uAh,  my  son;  but  it  will  be  very  long  yet  before 
Spaniards  agree  upon  any  point.  It  is  a  mistake  to 
think  of  us  as  one  nation.  We  are  half  a  dozen  nations 
under  one  king.  If  you  are  asked  your  nationality, 
you  reply  an  Englishman.  If  you  ask  a  Spaniard,  he 
will  reply,  I  am  a  Castillian,  or  a  Catalan,  an  Arra- 
gonese  or  Biscay  an — never,  I  am  a  Spaniard.     We 


272  UNANIMITY   IMPOSSIBLE. 

hate  each  other  as  you  Scotchmen  and  Englishmen 
hated  each  other  a  hundred  years  back,  and  even  now  re- 
gard yourselves  as  different  peoples.  What  connection 
is  there  between  the  hardy  mountaineer  of  the  northern 
provinces  and  the  easy-going  peasant  of  Valencia  or 
Andalusia?  Nothing.  Consequently,  if  one  part  of 
Spain  declares  for  one  man  as  a  king,  you  may  be  sure 
that  the  other  will  declare  against  him. 

"As  long  as  we  had  great  men,  Spaniards,  for  our 
kings — and  the  descent  went  in  the  regular  way  from 
father  to  son — things  went  smoothly,  because  no  pre- 
tender could  have  a  shadow  of  claim.  As  between  two 
foreign  princes,  each  man  has  a  right  to  choose  for 
himself.  Were  there  any  Spaniard  with  a  shadow  of 
claim,  all  parties  would  rally  round  him;  but,  unfor- 
tunately, this  is  not  so ;  and  I  foresee  an  epoch  of  war 
and  trouble  before  the  matter  is  settled.  For  myself,  I 
tell  you  I  would  not  give  that  flask  of  wine  were  I  able 
to  put  the  crown  upon  the  head  of  one  or  other  of  these 
foreigners.  Let  whoever  gets  the  crown  govern  well 
and  strongly,  tax  my  villagers  lightly,  and  interfere 
in  no  way  with  our  privileges,  and  I  shall  be  well  con- 
tent, and  such  you  will  find  is  the  opinion  of  most  men 
in  Spain.  And  now,  tell  me  if  there  is  ought  that  I  can 
do  for  you.  You  say  you  must  be  on  your  way  by  day- 
break. Tell  me  in  which  direction  you  journey,  and 
it  will  be  hard  if  I  cannot  find  a  friend  there  with 
whom  my  introduction  will  insure  you  a  hearty  wel- 
come." 

"  If  you  can  tell  me  where  are  the  largest  gatherings 
of  Miquelets,  I  can  tell  you  which  way  I  shall  ride/' 


THE  priest's  views.  273 

Jack  replied.  "  My  mission  is  to  ascertain  what  aid 
the  king  can  rely  upon  in  this  province." 

"  Three  days  ago  there  were  many  thousands  of  men 
under  arms,"  the  priest  replied;  "by  to-night  there  will 
be  less  than  as  many  hundreds.  The  day  Tesse'  crossed 
the  frontier  with  his  army  the  greater  portion  of  the 
bands  went  to  their  homes,  and  their  arms  will  be  laid 
aside  until  the  news  comes  that  the  French  army  is  on 
its  return  from  Barcelona.  I  fancy  there  is  but  little 
chance  of  our  seeing  King  Charles  among  us.  In  an- 
other  clay  or  two  Tesse  will  be  before  Barcelona;  and 
joined,  as  he  will  be  there,  by  the  French  army  march- 
ing down  from  Roussillon,  he  will  make  quick  work  of 
that  town,  and  King  Charles  will  have  the  choice  of 
going  to  Valencia  to  be  hunted  shortly  thence,  or  of  sail- 
ing away  again  from  the  country  in  your  ships." 

"It  would  seem  like  it,"  Jack  agreed;  "but  you  are 
reckoning  without  the  Earl  of  Peterborough." 

"Your  English  general  must  be  a  wonder,"  the  priest 
said,  "a  marvel;  but  he  cannot  accomplish  impossi- 
bilities. What  can  he  do  with  two  or  three  thousand 
trained  troops  against  twenty  thousand  veteran  French 
soldiers?" 

"I  cannot  tell  what  he  will  do,"  Jack  laughed;  "but 
you  may  rely  upon  it  that  he  will  do  something,  and  I 
would  take  fair  odds  that  he  will  somehow  or  other  save 
Barcelona  and  rid  Catalonia  of  its  invaders." 

"That  I  judge  to  be  altogether  impossible,"  the 
priest  replied.  "Anything  that  man  could  do  I  am  ready 
to  admit  that  your  general  is  capable  of;  but  I  do  not 
judge  this  to  be  within  the  range  of  possibilities.     If 

(  338 )  s 


274  A   PRECIOUS   STORE. 

you  will  take  my  advice,  my  son,  you  will  not  linger 
here,  but  will  ride  for  Valencia  and  embark  on  board 
your  ships  with  him  when  the  time  comes." 

"We  shall  see,"  Jack  said  laughing.  "I  have  faith 
in  the  improbable.  It  may  not  be  so  very  long  before 
I  drop  in  again  to  drink  another  flask  of  your  wine 
on  my  way  through  Arragon  with  King  Charles  on  his 
march  towards  Madrid." 

"  If  you  do,  my  son,  I  will  produce  a  bottle  of  wine 
to  which  this  is  but  ditch-water.  I  have  three  or  four 
stored  away  in  my  cellar  which  I  preserve  for  great 
occasions.  They  are  the  remains  of  the  cellar  of  my 
predecessor,  as  good  a  judge  of  wine  as  ever  lived.  It 
is  forty  years  since  he  laid  them  by,  and  they  were,  he 
said,  the  best  vintage  he  had  ever  come  across.  Had 
the  good  old  man  died  ten  years  earlier,  what  a  heritage 
would  have  been  mine!  but  in  his  later  years  he  was 
not  so  saving  as  it  behoves  a  good  man  to  be,  and 
indulged  in  them  on  minor  occasions;  consequently, 
but  two  dozen  remained  when  I  succeeded  to  the  charge 
twenty  years  ago.  I,  too,  was  not  sufficiently  chary 
of  them  to  begin  with,  and  all  but  six  bottles  were  drunk 
in  the  first  ten  years.  Since  then  I  have  been  as 
stingy  as  a  miser,  and  but  two  bottles  have  been 
opened." 

"I  hope,  father,  that  you  have  laid  in  a  similar 
supply  for  whomsoever  may  come  after  you." 

"  Surely  I  have,  my  son.  Fifteen  years  ago  I  had  a 
hogshead  of  the  primest  vintage  in  the  neighbourhood 
bricked  up  in  my  cellar.  I  had  an  inscription  placed 
on  the  wall  by  which,  should  I  be  taken  suddenly,  my 


THE   HIDDEN   HOGSHEAD.  275 

successor  may  know  of  the  store  that  awaits  him.  At 
present  you  would  not  find  the  inscription  did  you 
search  for  it;  for,  when  those  troubles  began,  I  filled 
up  the  letters  in  the  stone  with  mortar,  and  gave  the 
wall  two  or  three  coats  of  whitewash.  I  did  not  choose 
to  run  any  risk  of  my  grand  wine  going  down  the 
throats  of  thirsty  French  soldiers.  It  would  be  an  act 
of  sacrilege.  When  matters  are  settled,  and  we  are  at 
peace  again,  I  will  pick  out  the  mortar  from  the  letters; 
but  not  till  then.  I  have  often  reflected  since  how 
short-sighted  it  was  not  to  have  stowed  away  another 
hogshead  for  my  own  consumption.  It  would  have 
been  something  to  have  looked  forward  to  in  my 
declining  years." 

"  Ah,  father,  who  knows  what  may  happen  before 
that?  The  wall  may  fall  down,  and  then  naturally 
you  would  wish  to  see  whether  the  wine  is  in  as  good 
a  condition  as  it  should  be.  Besides,  you  will  say  to 
yourself,  why,  when  my  successor  left  me  but  a  miser- 
able two  dozen  of  that  grand  wine  of  his,  should  I 
bequeath  a  whole  hogshead  to  him  who  may  come  after 
me,  and  who,  moreover,  may  be  so  bad  a  judge  of  wine 
that  he  will  value  my  treasure  no  more  than  an  equal 
quantity  of  the  rough  country  vintage?" 

"Avaunt,  tempter!"  the  priest  said  laughing.  "But," 
he  added,  more  seriously,  "  you  have  frightened  me.  I 
never  thought  of  that.  I  have  always  pictured  my 
successor  as  a  man  who  would  appreciate  good  wine  as 
I  do  myself.  Truly,  it  would  be  a  terrible  misfortune 
did  he  not  do  so — a  veritable  throwing  of  pearls  before 
swine.     Now  that  you  have  presented  this  dreadful 


276  CONVINCING   ARGUMENTS. 

idea,  it  will  be  ever  in  my  mind.     I  shall  no  longer 
think  of  my  hogshead  with  unmixed  satisfaction." 

"  The  idea  is  a  terrible  one,  truly,"  Jack  said  gravely, 
"  and  to  prevent  it  I  would  advise  you  when  the  time 
of  peace  arrives  to  open  your  cave,  to  bottle  oft'  your 
wine,  and  to  secure  its  being  appreciated  by  indulging 
in  it  yourself  on  special  occasions  and  holidays,  taking 
care  always  to  leave  a  store  equal  to,  or  even  superior 
to,  that  which  you  yourself  inherited." 

"  I  will  think  it  over,  my  son,  and  it  may  be  that  I 
shall  take  your  advice.  Such  a  misfortune  as  that 
which  you  have  suggested  is  too  terrible  to  think  of." 

"It  is  so,  father,  terrible  indeed;  and  I  feel  confident 
that  you  will  do  the  best  in  your  power  to  prevent 
the  possibility  of  its  occurrence.  Besides,  you  know, 
wine  may  be  kept  even  too  long.  I  judge  you  not  to 
be  more  than  five-and- forty  now;  with  so  good  a  cook 
and  so  good  a  cellar  you  may  reasonably  expect  to  live 
to  the  age  of  eighty;  there  is,  therefore,  plenty  of 
time  for  you  to  lay  in  another  hogshead  to  mature  for 
your  successor." 

The  priest  burst  into  a  roar  of  laughter,  in  which 
Jack  joined  him. 

"Your  reasoning  powers  are  admirable,"  he  said 
when  he  recovered  his  gravity,  "  and  you  have  com- 
pletely convinced  me.  An  hour  ago  if  it  had  been 
suggested  to  me  that  I  should  open  that  cellar  I  should 
have  viewed  the  proposal  with  horror;  now  it  seems 
to  me  that  it  is  the  very  best  thing  that  could  be  done 
for  all  parties,  including  the  wine  itself." 

There  was  some  further  chat  as  to  the  course  which 


A  FRESH   START.  277 

Jack  would  follow  in  the  morning,  and  he  decided 
finally  to  ride  to  the  borders  of  Castille  in  order  that 
he  might  learn  as  much  as  possible  as  to  the  feeling  of 
people  in  that  province.  Father  Ignacio  gave  him  a 
letter  of  introduction  to  the  priest  in  charge  of  a  village 
a  mile  or  two  within  the  border  of  Arrao'on,  and  the 
next  morning  Jack  started  at  daybreak,  after  a  hearty 
adieu  from  his  host,  who  insisted  on  rising  to  see 
him  off. 


CHAPTER   XIV. 


A  PRISONER. 


ACK,  with  his  two  troopers,  rode  away  from 
the  hospitable  cottage  of  the  priest  in  high 
spirits.  He  determined  to  avoid  Saragossa, 
as  he  was  not  charged  with  any  direct 
mission  from  the  earl,  and  wished,  therefore,  to  avoid 
any  official  intercourse  with  the  leaders  of  the  pro- 
vince. As  soon  as  the  marshal  had  marched,  the 
people  there  had  risen,  had  driven  out  the  small 
French  garrison  left,  and  had  resumed  the  management 
of  their  own  affairs.  Jack  learned,  however,  that  the 
city  had  not  formally  declared  for  King  Charles.  As 
the  priest  had  told  him  would  be  the  case,  Jack  encoun- 
tered no  bodies  of  armed  men  during  the  day;  the 
country  had  a  peaceful  aspect,  the  peasants  were 
working  in  the  fields,  and  at  the  villages  through  which 
he  passed  the  English  uniforms  excited  a  feeling  of 
curiosity  rather  than  of  interest.  He  stopped  at  several 
of  these  and  entered  into  conversation  with  the  inhabi- 
tants. He  found  everywhere  an  intense  hatred  of  the 
French  prevailing,  while  but  little  interest  was  evinced 
in  the  respective  claims  of  Charles  and  Philip. 


A   LETTER   OF   INTRODUCTION.  279 

After  a  very  long  ride  he  arrived,  at  nightfall,  near 
the  spot  to  which  he  was  bound.  In  this  neighbour- 
hood he  observed  a  greater  amount  of  watchfulness 
and  preparation  than  had  prevailed  elsewhere.  The 
men,  for  the  most  part,  remained  in  their  villages,  and 
went  about  armed.  Jack  learned  that  an  inroad  by 
the  Miquelets  of  Castille  was  deemed  probable,  and 
that  it  was  thought  possible  that  another  French  force 
might  follow  Tesse  from  Madrid  to  Barcelona. 

It  was  late  in  the  evening  before  Jack  reached  his 
destination,  where,  on  his  presenting  his  letter  of  in- 
troduction, he  was  most  heartily  received  by  the  priest. 
"  Father  Io-nacio  tells  me,"  he  said  when  he  had  read 
it,  "  that  you  are  not  only  to  be  welcomed  as  an  officer 
of  the  great  English  general,  but  that  you  are  in  every 
way  deserving  of  friendship;  he  adds,  too,  that  you  are 
a  first-rate  judge  of  wine,  and  that  you  can  be  trusted 
as  an  adviser  upon  knotty  and  difficult  matters." 

Jack  laughed.  "I  only  gave  the  good  father  my 
advice  upon  two  points,"  he  said;  "the  first  was  the 
admitting  to  terms  of  surrender  of  a  body  of  French 
troops  with  whom  he  was  engaged  in  battle  when  I 
arrived;  the  second  was  upon  the  important  question 
of  broaching  or  not  broaching  a  hogshead  of  particularly 
good  wine." 

"If  you  advised  that  the  hogshead  should  be 
broached,"  the  priest  said  smiling,  "  I  can  warrant  that 
my  good  brother  Ignacio  followed  your  advice,  and 
can  well  understand  the  respect  in  which  he  seems  to 
hold  your  judgment.  But  do  not  let  us  stand  talking 
here. 


280  MARGARETTA. 

"Your  men  will  find  a  stable  behind  the  house 
where  they  can  stand  the  horses.  Alas!  it  is  unin- 
habited at  present,  for  my  mule,  the  gentlest  and  best 
in  the  province,  was  requisitioned — which  is  another 
word  for  stolen — by  the  French,  as  they  passed  through. 
My  faithful  beast!  I  miss  her  every  hour  of  the  day, 
and  I  doubt  not  that  she  misses  me  still  more  sorely. 
Tell  me,  seiior,  my  brother  Ignacio  writes  me  that  he 
has  captured  many  animals  from  the  French — was 
Margaretta  among  them?  She  was  a  large  mule,  and 
in  good  condition;  indeed  there  was  some  flesh  on  her 
bones.  She  was  a  dark  chestnut  with  a  white  star  on 
the  forehead,  a  little  white  on  her  forefeet,  and  white 
below  the  hocks  on  the  hind-legs;  she  had  a  soft  eye, 
and  a  peculiar  twist  in  jerking  her  tail." 

The  manner  of  the  priest  was  so  earnest  that  Jack 
repressed  a  smile  with  difficulty. 

"I  did  notice  among  the  mules  in  one  of  the 
waggons  one  marked  somewhat  similarly  to  your 
description,  and,  if  I  mistake  not,  it,  with  another,  fell 
to  the  share  of  the  good  priest;  but  I  cannot  say  that 
it  had  much  flesh  upon  its  bones,  indeed  it  was  in  very 
poor  case.  Nor  did  I  notice  that  its  eyes  were  parti- 
cularly soft,  or  that  there  was  any  peculiarity  in  the 
twitching  of  its  tail." 

"  It  may  be  Margaretta,"  the  priest  said  with  some 
excitement;  "the  poor  beast  would  naturally  lose  flesh 
in  the  hands  of  the  French,  while  as  to  the  switch  in 
the  tail,  it  was  a  sign  of  welcome  which  she  gave 
me  when  I  took  an  apple  or  a  piece  of  bread  into  her 
stable,  and  she  would  not  be  likely  so  to  greet  strangers- 


A   PLEASANT  EVENING.  281 

I  will  lose  no  time  in  writing  to  Ignacio  to  inquire 
further  into  the  matter.  Verily,  it  seems  to  me  as  if 
the  saint  had  sent  you  specially  here  as  a  bearer  of 
this  good  news." 

Jack  spent  a  pleasant  evening  with  the  priest,  and 
learned  much  as  to  the  state  of  things  upon  the  fron- 
tier. The  priest  represented  the  Castillians  as  bitterly 
opposed  to  the  claims  of  Charles;  they  had  no  griev- 
ances against  the  French,  who  had  behaved  with  strict 
discipline  in  that  province,  and  had  only  commenced 
their  excesses  upon  crossing  the  frontier  into  Arragon. 
This  they  regarded,  though  wrongfully,  as  a  hostile 
country ;  for,  previous  to  their  arrival,  the  people  there 
had  taken  no  part  either  way  in  the  struggle,  but  the 
overbearing  manner  of  Tesse,  and  the  lax  discipline  of 
his  troops,  had  speedily  caused  an  intense  feeling  of 
irritation.  Resistance  had  been  offered  to  foraging 
parties  of  the  French  army,  and  the  terrible  vengeance 
which  had  been  taken  by  Tesse  for  these  acts  had 
roused  the  whole  province  in  a  flame  of  insurrec- 
tion. 

"  There  are  several  bodies  of  French  cavalry  across 
the  frontier,"  the  priest  said;  "occasionally  they  make 
flying  raids  into  Arragon,  but,  as  you  see,  the  people 
are  armed,  and  prepared,  and  ready  to  give  them  a  hot 
reception.  The  Castillians  are  like  ourselves;  if  at 
any  time  an  army  should  march  in  this  direction 
against  Madrid  the  Miquelets  will  oppose  them  just  as 
we  should  oppose  the  French,  but  they  will  not  leave 
their  homes  to  interfere  with  us,  for  they  know  well 
enough  that  did  they  do  so  we  also  should  cross  the 


282  SURROUNDED. 

line,  and  fire  and  destruction  would  be  carried  through 
all  the  villages  on  both  sides  of  the  border.  So  at  pre- 
sent there  is  nothing  to  fear  from  Castille,  but  if  your 
English  general  were  to  drive  the  French  out  of  the 
country,  he  would  have  hard  work  ere  he  overcame 
the  resistance  of  that  province." 

Just  as  day  was  breaking  the  next  morning  Jack 
was  aroused  by  shouts  in  the  streets,  followed  by  the 
heavy  trampling  of  horse.  He  sprang  from  the  bed 
and  threw  on  his  cloak;  as  he  was  buckling  on  his 
sword  one  of  the  dragoons  rushed  into  his  room. 

"We  are  surrounded,  sir!  I  have  just  looked  out, 
and  there  are  French  cavalry  all  round  the  house." 

As  he  spoke  there  was  a  tremendous  knocking  at 
the  door.  The  priest  ran  into  the  room.  "We  are 
betrayed,"  he  said;  "someone  must  have  carried  away 
the  news  last  night  of  your  arrival  here,  and  it  has 
come  to  the  ears  of  the  French  cavalry  on  the  other 
side.  I  ordered  some  men  out  last  ni^ht  to  watch  the 
road  across  the  border,  but  the  enemy  must  have 
ridden  too  fast  for  them  to  get  here  first." 

"It  cannot  be  helped,"  Jack  said;  "you  had  best 
open  the  door,  or  they  will  break  it  in  in  another 
minute.  Make  no  resistance,  lads,"  he  said  to  the 
dragoons,  for  the  second  orderly  had  now  joined  them; 
"lay  your  swords  down  on  the  bed;  we  are  caught  this 
time,  and  must  make  our  escape  when  we  can.  It  is 
better,  anyhow,  to  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
French  than  of  the  Spanish." 

The  sound  of  the  knocking  had  ceased  now,  and 
there  was  a  trampling  and  clamour  of  voices  as  the 


"YOU  ARE  MY  PRISONER."  283 

French  soldiers  poured  into  the  house.  Steps  were 
hoard  ascending  the  stairs,  the  door  opened,  and  the 
priest,  accompanied  by  a  French  officer  and  followed 
by  a  number  of  soldiers,  entered  the  room. 

"  You  are  my  prisoner,  sir,"  the  French  officer  said. 

"  I  am  afraid  there  is  no  doubt  of  that,"  Jack  said 
speaking  in  Spanish;  "here  is  my  sword,  sir.  These 
two  men  are  my  orderlies,  and,  of  course,  also  sur- 
render. You  will  observe  that  we  are  all  in  uniform, 
that  we  are  taken  on  the  soil  of  Arragon,  and  that  I 
am  here  in  pursuance  of  my  duty  as  an  officer  of  the 
English  army." 

"You  are  alone?"  the  officer  asked. 

"  Yes,"  Jack  said ;  "  there  are,  so  far  as  I  know,  no 
other  British  but  ourselves  in  Arragon." 

"Then  we  were  misinformed,"  the  officer  said;  "the 
news  was  received  last  night  that  the  Earl  of  Peter- 
borough was  himself  here;  and  although  it  was  but  in 
the  afternoon  that  we  had  heard  that  your  general  was 
at  Valencia,  his  movements  are  so  swift  and  erratic 
that,  if  we  heard  of  him  in  Portugal  one  hour  we 
should  not  be  surprised  to  find  him  here  the  next." 
He  stopped  as  shots  were  heard  fired  in  the  streets. 

"You  must  excuse  ceremony,  sir,"  he  said,  "and 
mount  at  once  with  your  men  and  accompany  me.  In 
ten  minutes  we  shall  have  the  whole  country  buzzing 
round  us  like  wasps;  and  now  that  the  object  of  my 
ride  is  accomplished  I  don't  wish  to  throw  away  my 
men's  lives." 

The  horses  were  saddled  without  loss  of  time,  and  in 
two  or  three  minutes   Jack  was  trotting  down  the 


284  HATRED   OP  THE   SPANISH. 

village  in  the  midst  of  the  French  cavalry  amid  a 
scathing  fire  from  behind  the  houses  and  walls. 

The  French  officer  rode  at  the  head  of  his  troop  till 
well  beyond  the  village,  then,  reining  in  his  horse, 
joined  his  prisoner. 

"And  now,"  he  asked,  "whom  have  I  had  the  honour 
of  capturing?" 

"  I  am  Captain  Stilwell,"  Jack  replied,  "  one  of  the 
Earl  of  Peterborough's  aides-de-camp." 

"I  am  Captain  de  Courcy,"  the  French  officer  said; 
"  happily,  although  the  French  and  English  have  taken 
opposite  sides  on  this  question,  we  can  esteem  and 
honour  each  other  as  brave  and  civilized  adversaries. 
As  for  these  Spanish  scoundrels,  they  are  no  better 
than  banditti ;  they  murder  us  in  our  beds,  they  poison 
our  wine,  they  as  often  as  not  burn  us  alive  if  we  fall 
into  their  hands;  they  are  savages,  neither  more  nor 
less;  and  why  Philip  of  Anjou,  who  could  have  had  all 
the  pleasures  of  life  as  a  prince  of  the  blood  at  Ver- 
sailles should  covet  the  kingship  of  this  country,  passes 
my  understanding.  And  now  tell  me  about  that  pala- 
din, your  general.  Peste,  what  a  man !  And  you  are 
one  of  his  aides-de-camp  ?  Why,  if  he  drags  you  about 
everywhere  with  him,  you  must  lead  the  life  of  a  dog." 

"  When  I  last  heard  of  the  general  he  was  at  Valen- 
cia," Jack  said.     "  But  that  was  ten  days  since." 

"Ten  days!"  the  Frenchman  said,  "then  by  now  he 
may  be  in  London,  or  in  Rome,  or  at  Paris." 

"  With  the  wind  favouring  him  he  might  be  at  Rome, 
but  he  could  scarcely  have  arrived  at  either  London 
or  Paris." 


PETERBOROUGH'S   REPUTATION.  285 

"There  is  no  saying,"  the  French  officer  laughed. 
"  Has  he  not  three-leagued  boots,  and  can  he  not  step 
from  mountain  to  mountain?  Does  he  not  fly  through 
a  storm  on  a  broomstick?  Can  he  not  put  on  a  cap 
and  make  himself  invisible?  For  I  can  tell  you  that 
our  soldiers  credit  him  with  all  these  powers.  Can  he 
not,  by  waving  his  hand,  multiply  three  hundred  men 
into  an  army,  spread  them  over  a  wide  extent  of  coun- 
try, and  then  cause  them  to  sink  into  the  ground  and 
disappear1?  Our  soldiers  are  convinced  that  he  is  in 
league  with  the  evil  one,  even  if  he  be  not  the  gentle- 
man in  black  himself." 

Jack  joined  in  the  laugh.  "  He  is  a  wonderful  man," 
he  said,  "though  he  cannot  do  all  you  credit  him 
with.  But  he  is  absolutely  tireless,  and  can  do  with- 
out sleep  for  any  time;  and  yet  to  look  at  him  no  one 
would  think  that  he  was  in  any  way  a  strong  man. 
He  is  small,  thin,  and  worn-looking — in  fact,  almost 
insignificant  in  appearance,  were  it  not  for  his  keen 
eye  and  a  certain  lofty  expression  of  face.  My  post 
is  no  sinecure,  I  can  assure  you,  for  the  general  expects 
all  to  be  able  to  do  as  well  as  himself.  But  with  a 
chief  who  never  spares  himself  all  are  willing  to  do 
their  best.  Extreme  as  has  been  the  labour  of  the 
troops,  severe  as  have  been  their  hardships,  you  will 
never  hear  a  grumble;  the  men  have  most  implicit  con- 
fidence in  him,  and  are  ready  to  go  anywhere  and  do 
anything  he  orders  them." 

"He  is  a  marvel,"  the  French  officer  said.  "The 
way  he  took  Barcelona,  and  then,  with  a  handful  of 
men,  hunted  our  armies  out  of  Catalonia  and  Valencia 


286  THE   DUKE   OF   BERWICK. 

was  wonderful;  and  though  it  was  at  our  cost,  and  not 
a  little  to  our  discredit,  there  is  not  an  officer  in  the 
army  but  admires  your  general.  Fortunately  I  was  not 
in  Barcelona  when  you  laid  siege  to  it,  but  I  was  with 
Las  Torres  afterwards  when  you  were  driving  us  about 
like  sheep.  I  shall  never  forget  that  time.  We  never 
knew  when  to  expect  an  attack,  what  force  was 
opposed  to  us,  or  from  what  direction  you  would  come. 
I  laugh  now,  but  it  was  no  joke  then." 

Three  hours'  riding  took  them  into  the  little  town 
from  which  the  French  cavalry  had  started  in  the 
middle  of  the  night.  On  arriving  there  the  French 
officer  at  once  sent  off  a  trooper  to  Madrid,  reporting  the 
prisoners  he  had  taken,  and  forty-eight  hours  later  he 
received  orders  to  himself  conduct  his  prisoners  to 
Madrid. 

Upon  arriving  there  Jack  was  at  once  taken  before 
the  Duke  of  Berwick,  who  received  him  courteously, 
and  asked  him  many  questions  concerning  the  force 
under  the  earl,  the  intentions  of  the  general,  and  the 
force  which  the  king  had  at  Barcelona  to  resist  the 
two  French  armies  now  hurrying  before  it.  To  these 
questions  Jack  gave  cautious  answers.  As  to  matters 
concerning  which  he  was  sure  that  the  French  must 
have  accurate  information,  he  replied  frankly.  For- 
tunately he  was,  as  he  truly  said,  in  entire  ignorance 
as  to  the  plans  of  the  earl,  and  as  to  Barcelona,  he 
knew  nothing  whatever  of  what  had  taken  place  there 
from  the  day  when  he  suddenly  left  with  Peter- 
borough. 

"  I  would  place  you  on  your  parole  with  pleasure," 


JACK   SPEAKS   OUT.  287 

the  duke  said,  "  but  I  tell  you  frankly  that  in  the  pre- 
sent excited  state  of  public  feeling  I  do  not  think  it 
-will  be  safe  for  you  to  move  through  the  streets  un- 
protected. So  many  of  our  officers  have  been  murdered 
in  Saragossa  and  other  places,  that  the  lower  class  of 
Spaniards  would  think  it  a  meritorious  action  to  take 
vengeance  on  an  English  officer.  Of  course  I  am  well 
aware  that  the  English  have  nothing  to  do  with  these 
atrocities,  but  the  people  in  general  are  not  able  to 
draw  nice  distinctions.  I  shall  send  you  to  France 
on  the  first  opportunity,  to  remain  there  till  ex- 
changed." 

"Thank  you,  sir,"  Jack  said;  "I  should  prefer  not 
being  put  on  my  parole,  for  I  shall  certainly  escape 
if  I  have  the  opportunity.  I  should  tell  you,  sir,  that 
I  have  ridden  through  Arragon,  and  though  I  do  not 
wish  to  excuse  the  murders  perpetrated  by  the  Span- 
iards, I  must  tell  you  that  I  cannot  blame  them;  for, 
horrible  as  are  their  deeds,  they  are  simply  acts  of  re- 
taliation for  the  abominable  atrocities  which  Marshal 
Tesse  allows  and  encourages  his  troops  to  perpetrate 
upon  the  population.  I  have  the  highest  respect,  sir, 
for  the  French  nation,  but  if  I  were  the  Earl  of  Peter- 
borough, and  Marshal  Tesse  fell  into  my  hands,  I  would 
hand  him  over  to  the  Spaniards  to  be  torn  in  pieces 
as  he  deserves." 

"  You  speak  boldly,  sir,"  the  duke  said  sternly. 

"  I  feel  what  I  say,  sir,"  Jack  replied.  "  I  think  it 
well  that  you,  a  general  high  in  command  under  the 
French  king,  should  know  the  atrocities  perpetrated 
in  his  name  by  this  man  upon  defenceless  people.     I 


288  INTERROGATIONS. 

could  tell  you,  sir,  a  score  of  stories  which  I  heard  in 
Arragon,  although  I  was  but  two  days  there,  of  mas- 
sacre and  murder  which  would  make  your  blood  run 
cold.  I  confess  that  personally  I  have  no  greater  in- 
terest in  King  Charles  than  in  King  Philip.  I  have 
seen  so  much  of  the  Austrian  and  his  advisers  that  I 
believe  that  if  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  were  to  seat  him 
on  his  throne  here  to-morrow,  he  would  be  driven  from 
the  country  a  fugitive  before  many  weeks  were  over; 
but  in  the  same  way  I  am  convinced  that  Philip  of 
Anjou  will  never  be  accepted  by  the  Spanish  as  their 
king  if  his  cause  be  stained  by  such  atrocities  as  those 
carried  out  by  Marshal  Tesse  in  his  name." 

The  duke  then  asked  Jack  if  he  had  any  objections 
to  state  the  particular  object  for  which  he  was  sent  into 
Arragon  by  his  general;  and  Jack  was  glad  to  be  able 
to  say  truthfully  that  the  earl  knew  nothing  of  his 
being  there,  he  having  sent  him  simply  to  assist  the 
Count  of  Cifuentes  in  barring  the  advance  of  the 
French  army  into  Catalonia,  and  that  when  he  had 
carried  out  that  order  he  had  ridden  into  Arragon  on 
his  own  account,  in  order  that  he  might,  on  his  return 
to  the  earl,  be  able  to  give  him  an  accurate  description 
of  the  state  of  affairs  in  that  province. 

"Then  so  far  as  you  know,  Captain  Stilwell,  the 
Earl  of  Peterborough  is  still  at  Valencia,  and  has  no 
intention  of  leaving  that  province  at  present." 

"  I  can  say  truly,  sir,  that  so  far  as  I  know  the 
general  had  no  intention  of  leaving  Valencia;  but  as 
his  decisions  are  generally  taken  instantaneously,  and 
are  a  surprise  to  all  about  him,  I  should  be  sorry  to 


THE   END   OF   THE   INTERVIEW.  289 

assert  that  the  earl  remained  in  Valencia  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  after  I  quitted  the  city." 

"It  matters  little,"  the  duke  said,  "the  affair  is 
rapidly  approaching  an  end.  Barcelona  must  surrender 
as  soon  as  Tesse  and  the  Duke  de  Noailles  appear  be- 
fore it;  the  breaches  are  open,  and  there  are  not  a  thou- 
sand men  in  garrison.  Barcelona  once  fallen,  the  cause 
of  the  Austrian  is  lost.  Your  general  is  already 
watched  by  an  army  four  times  as  strong  as  his  own, 
and  the  20,000  men  under  the  marshal  will  compel 
him  to  take  to  his  ships,  and  will  stamp  out  the  last 
embers  of  the  insurrection.  You  agree  with  me,  do 
you  not?"  he  asked,  as  Jack  remained  silent. 

"  Well,  sir,  it  seems  that  it  must  be  as  you  say,  and 
I  have  only  to  reply  that  you  have  not  reckoned  upon 
the  Earl  of  Peterborough.  What  he  will  do  I  do  not 
pretend  to  say,  but  knowing  him  as  I  do,  I  can  say 
that  he  will  give  you  trouble.  I  don't  think  that  any- 
thing can  be  considered  as  a  certainty  in  which  you 
have  the  Earl  of  Peterborough  to  reckon  with." 

"  He  is  a  great  man/'"  the  duke  said — "  a  great  man, 
and  has  performed  marvels;  but  there  is  a  limit  to  the 
possibilities  which  one  man  can  perform,  and  here  that 
limit  is  passed.  I  shall  give  orders,  Captain  Stilwell, 
that  your  imprisonment  is  made  as  little  disagreeable 
as  possible,  and  that  you  have  everything  you  require." 

Jack  expressed  his  thanks  and  retired.  On  leaving 
the  room  he  was  again  taken  charge  of  by  Captain 
de  Courcy  and  four  of  his  troopers,  and  was  conducted 
by  him  to  the  citadel. 

The  quarters  assigned  to  Jack  were  by  no  means 

(338)  t 


290  A  VISITOR. 

uncomfortable.  A  good  meal  was  placed  before  him, 
and  after  he  had  finished  it  the  governor  of  the  citadel 
called  upon  him  and  told  him  that  he  was  at  liberty 
to  go  where  he  would  within  the  walls,  and  that  any 
wishes  he  might  express  he  would  do  his  best  to  com- 
ply with.  Jack  at  once  availed  himself  of  his  liberty 
by  going  out  into  the  court-yard,  and  thence  on  to  the 
walls  of  the  citadel.  It  was  a  strongly  fortified  and 
gloomy  building,  which  has  now  ceased  to  exist.  It 
covered  a  considerable  portion  of  ground,  and  had  at 
one  time  been  a  royal  residence;  the  walls  were  strong 
and  high,  and  sentries  were  placed  on  them  at  short 
intervals. 

Jack  saw  at  once  there  was  little  possibility  of 
escape  thence,  and  decided  that  he  might  as  well  abandon 
any  idea  of  evasion  for  the  present,  and  would  trust  to 
luck  in  escaping  from  his  escort  on  the  road  to  the 
frontier,  or,  if  no  opportunity  then .  presented  itself, 
from  his  prison  in  France.  A  week  after  his  arrival 
he  was  surprised  by  being  told  that  an  officer  wished 
to  see  him,  and  a  minute  later  Major  Ferre  entered 
the  apartment. 

"  I  only  arrived  an  hour  ago,"  he  said,  "  and  learned 
that  you  were  prisoner  here.  Who  would  have  thought 
when  we  parted  last,  and  you  gave  me  my  liberty, 
that  on  my  arrival  here  I  should  find  that  you  had 
already  been  a  week  a  prisoner?  Horses'  legs  move 
faster  than  men's,  you  see." 

"  It  is  the  fortune  of  war,"  Jack  said  smiling.  "  I 
am  glad  to  see  that  you  got  out  of  Arragon  safely." 

"  It  was  thanks  to  your  seeing  that  we  were  pro- 


THE  MAJOR'S   EXPERIENCES.  291 

vided  with  ammunition,"  tlic  major  said.  "The  peas- 
ants swarmed  round  us  hotly  more  than  once,  and  it 
was  the  fact  that  we  had  our  arms  and  were  ready  to 
use  them,  quite  as  much  as  my  assurances  that  we 
wrere  prisoners  on  parole,  and  had  promised  not  to  serve 
in  Spain  until  exchanged,  that  kept  them  from  making 
an  attack  upon  us;  as  it  was  we  nearly  came  to  blows 
several  times.  I  marched  that  day  till  the  men  were 
ready  to  drop,  and  camped  at  a  distance  from  a  road 
in  a  lonely  place;  I  dared  not  scatter  my  men  in  a 
village.  The  next  day  we  kept  steadily  on  and  crossed 
the  frontier  into  Castille,  pretty  well  worn  out,  just  at 
nightfall.  I  had  to  give  my  men  two  days'  halt  before 
we  could  go  further,  and  we  have  since  come  by  easy 
stages,  which  accounts  for  your  being  here  so  long  before 
us.  And  now,  is  there  anything  that  I  can  do  for  you  ? 
if  there  is,  command  my  service  to  the  utmost.  I  shall 
see  the  duke  this  afternoon,  and  shall  tell  him  that  I 
and  my  party  are  indebted  to  you  for  our  lives.  It  is 
well  for  me  that  he  is  in  command  here  instead  of  the 
marshal;  he  is  a  gentleman,  and  will  respect  the  parole 
I  gave  for  myself  and  my  men;  if  it  had  been  Tesse 
I  might  have  had  trouble,  for  as  likely  as  not  he  would 
have  scoffed  at  my  promise,  and  ordered  me  and  my 
men  back  to  the  front  again,  and  then  I  should  have 
been  placed  in  a  nice  fix." 

"The  best  thing  you  could  do  for  me,"  Jack  said, 
"would  be  to  suggest  to  the  marshal  that  he  should 
exchange  me  against  you.  If  he  will  let  me  take  my 
two  troopers  I  would  throw  in  all  your  men.  There 
will  be  no  occasion  to  arrange  it  with  our  general;  you 


292  A   PLEASANT   RIDE. 

gave  your  word  to  me,  and  I  can  give  it  you  back 
again.  As  I  am  of  no  use  to  him,  and  you  are,  I 
should  think  he  would  consent." 

"I  should  think  so  too,"  Major  Ferre*  said,  "and 
should  be  delighted,  on  both  our  accounts,  if  it  could 
be  managed." 

Three  hours  later  the  major  returned  in  high  spirits. 

"  I  have  arranged  the  matter,"  he  said,  "  and  we  are 
both  free  men.  You  can't  stir  out  of  here  at  present, 
because  it  would  not  be  safe  for  you  to  go  about  Madrid; 
but  I  have  orders  to  march  to-morrow  morning,  in 
command  of  a  convoy,  to  join  Las  Torres  outside 
Valencia,  so  you  can  ride  with  me  till  we  get  near 
the  town,  and  then  join  your  people." 

Jack  was  delighted,  and  the  next  morning  set  out 
with  the  convoy.  His  appearance,  as  he  rode  by  the 
side  of  Major  Ferre  with  his  two  orderlies  behind 
him,  excited  the  greatest  surprise  and  curiosity  in  the 
various  towns  and  villages  through  which  they  passed. 
The  journey  was  a  pleasant  one,  Major  Ferre  exert- 
ing himself  in  every  way  to  make  it  as  pleasant  as 
possible.  After  four  days'  journey  the  convoy  arrived 
within  sight  of  Valencia.  When  they  came  to  a  place 
where  the  roads  forked  the  major  said: 

"  That  is  your  way,  my  dear  Stilwell.  I  hope  that 
some  day  the  fortunes  of  war  will  throw  us  together 
again,  in  some  pleasant  position  where  we  can  renew 
our  friendship.  Two  miles  on  is  a  ford  across  the 
river,  where,  as  the  peasants  tell  me,  two  of  your 
vedettes  are  posted,  another  hour's  ride  will  take  you 
to  Valencia." 


BACK  WITH   THE   GENERAL  293 

With  a  hearty  good-bye  on  both  sides,  Jack  and  his 
two  dragoons  rode  off,  and  soon  astonished  the  English 
vedettes  by  their  appearance  on  the  opposite  bank  of 
the  river.  A  few  words  in  English  convinced  the 
soldiers  that  it  was  no  trick  that  was  being  played 
with  them,  and  Jack  rode  across  the  ford  and  then 
galloped  on  to  Valencia. 

"  Well,  Captain  Stilwell,"  the  earl  said,  as  Jack 
entered  his  apartment,  "  what  news  do  you  bring  me 
from  Barcelona?  I  hear  that  Tes-d  has  invested  the 
town." 

"My  last  news  is  from  Madrid,  general,"  Jack  said; 
"  I  have  had  to  stay  a  week  in  that  city."  And  he 
then  proceeded  to  relate  the  series  of  events  which 
had  happened  from  the  time  he  joined  the  Count  of 
Cif uentes.  "  I  know  I  exceeded  my  duty,  general,"  he 
said  when  he  finished,  "  in  going  up  into  Arragon 
without  orders;  but  I  felt  that  I  was  of  little  use  with 
the  count,  who  handles  the  Miquelets  well,  and  I 
thought  that  you  would  be  glad  of  trustworthy  infor- 
mation of  the  state  of  feeling  in  Arragon,  and  perhaps 
of  Castille." 

"You  were  quite  right,"  the  earl  said,  "and  have 
done  exceedingly  well.  Yours  has  been  an  adventure 
after  my  own  heart,  and  you  have  just  arrived  here  in 
time,  for  I  am  on  the  point  of  starting  to  do  what  I 
can  to  harass  the  besiegers  of  Barcelona." 


CHAPTER   XV. 


THE   RELIEF   OF   BARCELONA. 


LTHOUGH  for  months  it  was  evident  that 
the  French  were  preparing  to  make  a  great 
effort  to  recapture  Barcelona,  Charles  and 
Jj  his  German  advisers  had  done  nothing 
whatever  to  place  the  city  in  the  position  to  resist  a 
siege.  The  fortifications  remained  just  as  they  had 
been  when  Peterborough  had  captured  the  city.  The 
breaches  which  had  been  made  by  the  English  cannon 
were  still  open,  and  even  that  in  the  all-important 
citadel  of  Montjuich  remained  as  it  had  been  left  by 
the  explosion  of  the  magazine. 

Not  until  Tesse'  was  pressing  down  from  Lerida 
and  De  Noailles  from  Roussillon  did  the  king  awake  to 
his  danger.  Orders  were  sent  out  to  recall  all  the 
troops  who  were  within  reach,  the  country  people 
were  set  to  work  collecting  provisions,  and  the  king 
made  an  urgent  appeal  to  the  citizens  to  aid  in  repair- 
ing the  fortifications.  The  appeal  was  responded  to; 
the  whole  male  population  took  up  arms,  even  priests 
and  friars  enrolling;  themselves  in  the  ranks. 

The  women  and  children  were  formed  into  companies, 
and  all  Barcelona  laboured  in  carrying  materials  and 


AN    INFATUATED   KING.  205 

in  repairing  the  breaches.  The  king  had  received  a  letter 
from  Peterborough  proposing  the  plan  of  which  he  had 
spoken  to  his  aides-de-camp,  and  which,  had  it  been 
carried  out,  would  have  changed  the  fate  of  Spain. 
His  suggestion  was,  that  Charles  should  at  once  make 
his  way  by  sea  to  Portugal,  which,  as  the  blockade 
had  not  then  commenced,  he  could  have  easily  clone, 
there  to  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  allied  army, 
26,000  strong,  and  march  straight  upon  Madrid.  This 
could  have  been  done  with  a  certainty  of  success,  for 
the  west  of  Spain  and  the  capital  had  been  denuded 
of  troops  for  the  invasion  of  Catalonia  and  Valencia, 
and  no  more  than  2000  men  could  have  been  collected 
to  oppose  the  invaders. 

"  If  your  majesty  will  undertake  to  do  this,"  wrote 
the  earl,  "  I  will  undertake  to  maintain  the  province 
here,  and  perhaps  to  open  a  way  to  Madrid." 

But  now,  as  before,  this  bold  but  really  safe  counsel 
was  overruled  by  Charles's  German  courtiers,  and  he 
resolved  to  remain  in  Barcelona  and  wait  a  siege. 

As  soon  as  Peterborough  received  the  answer,  he 
left  a  small  garrison  in  Valencia,  and  marched  away 
with  all  the  force  he  could  collect,  which,  however^ 
numbered  only  2000  foot  and  600  horse,  while  De 
Noailles  had  no  less  than  20,000  gathered  round  Bar- 
celona. Peterborough  moved  rapidly  across  the  coun- 
try, pushing  forward  at  the  utmost  speed  of  the  troops 
till  he  arrived  within  two  leagues  of  Barcelona,  and 
took  up  a  strong  position  among  the  mountains,  where 
he  was  at  once  joined  by  the  Count  of  Cifuentes  and 
his  peasant  army. 


296  THE   SIEGE   BEGINS. 

"  Ah,  count,"  the  earl  said  as  he  rode  into  his  camp, 
"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  again.  You  did  not  succeed  in 
stopping  Tesse,  but  by  all  accounts  you  mauled  him 
handsomely.     And  now,  what  are  our  prospects?" 

"  Indeed,  sir,  they  are  not  over-bright,  and  I  do  not 
see  that  we  can  effect  much  to  aid  the  king.  My  men 
will  fight  well  enough,  as  Captain  Stilwell  has  wit- 
nessed, when  they  choose  their  position  and  shoot  be- 
hind shelter,  but  they  would  be  of  no  use  whatever  in 
a  regular  action;  and  as  to  advancing  into  the  plain 
to  give  battle  with  you  against  20,000  regular  troops, 
they  would  not  attempt  it,  even  if  you  were  to  join 
your  orders  to  mine." 

"  We  will  not  ask  them,  count,"  Peterborough  said. 
"  I  know  the  Miquelets  by  this  time.  They  are 
admirable  for  irregular  war,  but  worse  than  useless  for 
anything  else.  All  we  will  ask  of  them,  count,  is  to 
scatter  in  strong  bodies  over  the  hills,  to  guard  every 
road,  and  cut  off  any  parties  of  the  enemy  who  may 
venture  to  go  out  to  gather  provisions  or  forage.  If 
they  can  manage  occasionally  to  threaten  an  attack 
upon  the  French  camp,  so  much  the  better." 

The  next  morning  a  strong  body  of  the  French  took 
post  round  Montjuich,  and  at  nine  o'clock  a  force 
of  infantry,  supported  by  two  squadrons  of  horse, 
attempted  to  carry  the  western  outworks  by  storm. 
This  was  the  weakest  part  of  the  citadel,  and  was 
manned  by  only  a  hundred  men  of  Colonel  Hamilton's 
regiment,  who  had  arrived  the  night  before,  having 
in  two  days  ridden  seventy  miles  on  mules. 

As  the  French  advanced  they  received  them  with 


THE   FIRST  ATTACK   REPULSED.  297 

great  determination,  and  poured  in  so  sharp  a  fire  that 
the  assailants  speedily  retired  with  considerable  loss. 
As  they  fell  back  the  English  threw  up  their  caps  and 
raised  loud  shouts,  which  so  exasperated  the  enemy 
that  they  re-formed  and  returned  several  times  to  the 
assault,  but  only  to  be  repulsed  as  on  their  first  attempt. 
This  was  a  sharp  check  to  the  French,  who  had  expected 
to  rind  the  place  guarded  only  by  the  usual  garrison 
of  forty  Spaniards. 

When  the  sound  of  firing  was  heard  in  the  town 
the  whole  garrison  turned  out  and  marched  to  support 
Montjuich,  only  twelve  men  being  left  behind  for  a 
guard  to  the  king.  This  repulse  of  the  first  attempt 
of  the  enemy  raised  the  spirits  of  the  townsmen,  and 
bands  of  them  ventured  beyond  the  walls,  and,  shel- 
tering in  the  gardens  and  groves,  maintained  a  strong 
fire  upon  the  French. 

Finding  that  Barcelona  was  not  to  be  taken  as  easily 
as  they  had  expected,  the  French  generals  extended 
their  camp  so  as  to  completely  surround  the  town. 
On  their  side  the  citizens  were  not  inactive,  and,  sally- 
ing out,  managed  to  cut  off  and  drive  in  a  flock  of 
seven  hundred  of  the  enemy's  sheep  and  twelve  of  their 
mules. 

The  following  night  the  besieged  sustained  a  severe 
loss  by  the  treacherous  surrender,  by  its  commander, 
of  Fort  Redonda,  which  stood  on  the  sea-shore  and 
commanded  the  landing.  The  enemy  at  once  profited 
by  this  advantage  and  began  landing  their  provisions, 
guns,  and  ammunition.  This  misfortune  was,  however, 
balanced  by  the  enterprise  of  Brigadiers-general  Lord 


298  BARCELONA  REINFORCED. 

Donegal  and  Sentiman,  with  two  English  and  two 
newly  raised  Catalan  battalions.  They  received  the 
king's  orders  to  return  to  Barcelona  too  late  to  reach 
the  town  before  its  investment,  but  now  managed, 
under  cover  of  night,  to  elude  the  enemy  and  enter  the 
city  in  safety. 

When  the  enemy  received  news  of  the  success  of 
this  attempt  they  closed  in  their  left  wing  to  the  east- 
ward, in  hopes  of  preventing  further  reinforcements 
from  entering  the  town.  But  they  had  not  reckoned 
upon  the  Earl  of  Peterborough,  who  had  received  news 
that  the  garrison  of  Gerona,  after  evacuating  that 
town  on  the  approach  of  the  army  of  the  Duke  de 
Noailles,  had  embarked  in  small  boats  and  were  about 
to  attempt  a  landing  near  Barcelona,  on  the  north  side. 
On  receipt  of  the  news  he  started  as  night  fell  wTith  his 
whole  force  from  his  camp  in  the  mountains,  and  having, 
after  a  march  of  nearly  twenty  miles,  arrived  at  the 
spot  named  for  the  debarkation  just  as  the  boats  were 
nearing  the  shore,  and  having  escorted  the  Gerona 
men  past  the  enemy's  outpost  and  into  the  town,  without 
the  loss  of  a  man,  he  again  retired  to  the  mountains. 
These  accessions  of  strength  raised  the  force  of  troops 
in  the  besieged  town  to  upwards  of  3000. 

The  next  day  a  case  of  treason  was  discovered  among 
the  Spaniards  in  the  garrison  of  Montjuich.  A  boy 
confessed  that  he  had  been  hired  by  one  of  these  men 
to  put  out  all  the  gun-matches,  and  to  throw  the 
priming-powder  out  of  the  matchlocks  that  night.  He 
was  told  to  do  this  on  the  weakest  side  of  the  works, 
where  the  attack  would  probably  be  made. 


THE  ATTACK   ON   MONTJUICII.  299 

The  discovery  of  this  intended  treason,  following  so 
closely  on  that  at  Fort  Redonda,  excited  suspicions  of 
the  loyalty  of  the  Spanish  governor  of  Montjuich, 
and  he  was  superseded  and  the  Earl  of  Donegal  ap- 
pointed to  the  command.  For  the  next  six  days  the 
French  continued  to  raise  battery  after  battery  around 
Montjuich.  Lord  Donegal  made  some  gallant  sallies 
and  several  times  drove  the  besiegers  from  their  works, 
but  in  each  case  they  returned  in  such  overwhelming 
force  that  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  the  positions  he 
had  won  and  to  fall  back  into  the  citadel. 

The  Miquelets,  of  whom  there  were  many  in  the 
town,  aided  the  besieged  by  harassing  the  French. 
Every  night  they  stole  into  their  camp,  murdered 
officers  in  their  tents,  carried  off  horses,  slew  sentries, 
and  kept  the  enemy  in  a  perpetual  state  of  watcli fulness. 

At  eight  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  April 
the  besiegers  made  a  furious  attack  on  the  western 
outwork  of  Montjuich,  having  ascertained  that  it 
was  defended  only  by  a  party  of  one  of  the  newly 
raised  Spanish  regiments.  They  captured  the  post 
without  difficulty,  the  Spaniards  flying  at  the  first 
assault,  but  on  the  inner  ramparts  they  were  met  by 
Donegal  and  his  grenadiers,  and  a  desperate  struggle 
took  place  which  lasted  for  two  hours. 

The  English  fought  with  the  greatest  obstinacy, 
and  frequently  flung  back  among  their  assailants  the 
grenades  which  the  latter  showered  among  them, 
before  they  had  time  to  explode,  Lord  Donegal  himself 
setting  the  men  the  example.  But  though  able  to  pre- 
vent the  French  from  advancing  further,  the  English 


300  THE   SIEGE   IS   HOTLY  PRESSED. 

could  not  recover  the  outpost  which  the  Spaniards  had 
abandoned,  and  the  French  formed  intrenchments  and 
mounted  a  battery  upon  it. 

In  spite  of  the  continued  fire  which  the  besiegers 
now  poured  in  upon  it  from  all  sides,  Lord  Donegal 
held  out  bravely.  The  little  force  under  his  command 
was  much  reduced  in  numbers,  and  so  worn  out  by 
constant  exertion  and  loss  of  sleep  that  men  frequently 
fell  asleep  while  under  arms  under  the  heaviest  fire. 
The  besiegers  were  not  idle  in  other  directions.  Several 
mortar  vessels  moved  close  in  shore  and  threw  shells 
into  the  town,  while  the  batteries  poured  in  red- 
hot  shot.  This  spread  great  alarm  throughout  the 
town.  The  people  could  be  hardly  induced  to  con- 
tinue working  on  the  defences,  and  many  took  refuge 
in  cellars  or  in  the  churches.  Ammunition  began  to 
fail,  and  despair  was  taking  possession  of  the  defenders, 
when,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  21st,  a  galley 
ran  safely  into  the  harbour  bearing  a  supply  of  powder 
and  encouraging  messages  from  Lord  Peterborough. 

Three  days  later  he  managed  to  throw  a  body  of 
Neapolitan  troops  into  the  town,  embarking  them  in 
boats  at  Matero,  a  small  port  a  few  miles  to  the  north- 
east of  the  town.  He  sent  them  close  along  the  shore 
in  order  to  pass  the  enemy's  fleet,  if  possible, unobserved. 
They  found,  however,  that  a  line  of  boats  had  been 
drawn  across  the  harbour  to  blockade  the  entrance. 
They  attacked  the  boats,  and  after  a  sharp  fight,  which 
lasted  over  an  hour,  four  hundred  men  succeeded  in 
forcing  their  way  through,  and  the  rest  returned  to 
Matero  in  safety. 


A   THWARTED   PLAN.  301 

Peterborough  now  determined  to  endeavour  to  re- 
lieve  the  town  by  the  desperate  expedient  of  attacking 
the  enemy's  camp  with  his  little  force.  In  order  to  do 
this  with  any  prospect  of  success  it  was  necessary  to 
warn  the  king  of  his  intentions,  so  that  the  garrison  of 
the  town  could  issue  out  and  attack  the  enemy  at  the 
same  moment  from  their  side.  He  committed  the 
despatch  to  Captain  Graham,  who  succeeded  in  making 
his  way  through  the  enemy's  lines  to  the  city.  The 
king  agreed  to  join  in  a  combined  attack,  and,  having 
arranged  all  his  plans,  gave  the  despatch  to  Graham 
to  carry  back  to  the  earl. 

On  the  way  out  he  was  less  successful  than  he  had 
been  in  entering.  He  was  seized  upon  by  a  body  of 
French  before  he  could  destroy  the  paper.  Tesse  was 
accordingly  warned  of  the  earl's  plans,  and  at  the  hour 
appointed  for  the  attack  drew  up  his  army  in  order  of 
battle.  Peterborough  was  ready  to  advance,  and  the 
besieged  were  all  in  arms  on  the  ramparts,  but  seeing 
that  the  enemy  were  fully  prepared  the  project  was 
abandoned,  and  the  troops  returned  to  their  quarters. 

But  the  fall  of  Montjuich  was  at  hand.  The  be- 
siegers secretly  massed  a  large  force  in  the  trenches. 
At  mid-day  on  the  22d  a  salvo  of  four  mortars  gave  the 
signal.  The  French  rushed  in  with  loud  shouts  and 
effected  a  complete  surprise.  Before  the  troops  could 
get  under  arms  two  bastions  were  captured. 

So  sudden  was  the  affair  that  many  of  the  English 
officers,  hearing  the  firing,  ran  out  from  the  keep,  and 
seeing  some  foreign  troops  drawn  up  in  the  works 
joined  them,  concluding  that  they  were  Dutch,  and 


302  THE  FALL   OF  MONTJUICH. 

were  only  undeceived  by  finding  themselves  taken 
prisoners.  The  men  were  so  confused  by  the  loss  of 
many  of  the  officers,  that,  had  the  French  pushed  in  at 
once,  they  would  have  been  able  to  carry  the  main 
body  of  the  works  with  but  little  resistance.  They 
halted,  however,  in  the  bastions  they  had  won.  The 
next  morning  the  people  of  Barcelona,  headed  by  their 
priests,  sallied  out  to  effect  the  relief  of  Montjuich, 
but  were  easily  driven  back  by  the  besiegers.  The 
little  garrison  of  the  castle  sallied  out  to  meet  their 
friends,  but  when  these  retreated  to  the  town  they 
had  to  fight  their  way  back  to  the  castle,  which  they 
regained  with  great  difficulty,  the  gallant  Earl  of 
Donegal  and  many  of  his  officers  being  killed. 

Finding  that  their  position  was  now  desperate,  the 
remnant  of  the  British  troops  abandoned  the  castle 
they  had  so  stoutly  defended,  and  succeeded  in  making 
their  way  safely  into  the  city.  Tesse'  now  pushed  on 
the  siege  of  the  town  with  vigour.  Batteries  of  heavy 
guns  were  raised  opposite  the  newly-mended  breaches, 
and  so  close  did  he  plant  his  guns  to  the  walls  that  the 
artillery  of  the  besieged  could  not  be  depressed  suffi- 
ciently to  play  upon  them,  while  so  heavy  a  fire  of  in- 
fantry was  kept  up  upon  the  walls,  that  their  defenders 
were  unable  to  reply  effectively  with  their  musketry. 

The  walls  crumbled  rapidly,  and  the  defenders  busied 
themselves  in  raising  inner  defences  behind  the  breaches. 
Had  the  French  been  commanded  by  an  enterprising 
general  there  is  little  doubt  that  they  could  have  carried 
the  town  by  assault,  but  Tesse,  in  his  over-caution, 
waited  until  success  was  a  certainty.     The  alarm  in 


THE   FLEET   DELAYED.  303 

Barcelona  was  great,  and  the  king  sent  messenger  after 
messenger  to  Peterborough  to  urge  him  to  come  to  his 
relief;  but,  daring  as  was  the  earl  when  he  considered 
success  to  be  possible,  he  would  not  venture  his  little 
force  upon  an  enterprise  which  was,  he  felt,  hopeless, 
and  he  knew  that  the  only  possible  relief  for  the  city 
was  the  arrival  of  the  English  fleet. 

Early  in  March  Admiral  Sir  John  Leake  and  Baron 
Wassenaer  had  sailed  from  Lisbon  with  the  combined 
fleet  in  accordance  with  Peterborough's  orders;  but  the 
wind  was  contrary,  and  it  was  fully  six  weeks  after 
starting  that  they  reached  the  Straits,  where  they  were 
joined  by  Captain  Price  with  a  small  squadron,  on  board 
of  which  were  two  English  regiments.  It  was  not  until 
the  24th  of  April  that  they  sailed  from  Gibraltar. 

On  reaching  Altea  they  received  news  that  another 
squadron  had  sailed  from  Lisbon  to  join  them,  and,  in 
spite  of  the  warm  remonstrances  of  General  Stanhope, 
who  commanded  the  troops  on  board,  the  Dutch  and 
English  admirals  determined  to  await  the  arrival  of 
the  reinforcements  before  sailing  to  give  battle  to  the 
fleet  of  the  Count  of  Toulouse  before  Barcelona. 

On  the  3d  of  April  Sir  George  Byng  arrived  at 
Altea  with  some  ships  from  Ireland,  and  the  next  day 
Commodore  Walker,  with  the  squadron  from  Lisbon, 
also  arrived;  but  the  wind  was  now  contrary,  and  al- 
though the  fleet  set  sail,  for  three  days  they  made  no 
progress  whatever,  and  each  hour  so  wasted  rendered 
the  position  of  the  besieged  at  Barcelona  more  and 
more  desperate.  While  lying  at  Altea  General  Stan- 
hope had  sent  a  message  to  Lord  Peterborough  telling 


304  A   MYSTERIOUS   DESPATCH. 

him  that  he  would  use  every  means  in  his  power  to 
hasten  Sir  John  Leake's  movements,  and  that  he 
would  give  him  timely  notice  of  the  approach  of  the 
fleet. 

He  said  that,  as  it  was  of  the  utmost  importance 
that  the  enemy  should  remain  in  ignorance  of  the  ap- 
proaching succours,  his  messenger  should  carry  only  a 
half  sheet  of  blank  paper,  so  that  if  he  were  taken  by 
the  enemy  they  would  learn  nothing  from  his  despatch. 
When  the  fleet  sailed  he  sent  off  a  second  messenger, 
who  got  safely  to  the  earl,  and  delivered  his  blank 
despatch.  With  the  exception  of  his  aide-de-camp, 
who  was  always  in  his  confidence,  he  told  no  one  the 
meaning  of  this  blank  despatch,  and  his  officers  were 
surprised  when  orders  were  issued  for  the  little  army 
at  once  to  prepare  for  a  night  march.  Officers  and 
men  had,  however,  most  implicit  confidence  in  their 
general,  and,  doubting  not  that  some  daring  enterprise 
was  at  hand,  they  started  in  high  spirits. 

All  through  the  night  they  marched  in  a  south- 
westerly direction  over  the  hills,  and  at  daybreak 
reached  the  little  seaport  of  Sitjes,  some  seven  leagues 
from  Barcelona.  Ordering  the  wearied  soldiers  to  en- 
camp  behind  some  low  hills,  the  indefatigable  general 
rode  with  Jack  Stilwell  into  the  little  port,  and  at 
once,  by  offering  large  rewards,  set  the  sailors  and 
fishermen  at  work  to  collect  the  boats,  barges,  and 
fishing-smacks  along  the  neighbouring  coast,  and  to 
bring  them  to  Sitjes. 

In  two  days  he  had  succeeded  in  collecting  a  suffi- 
cient number  to  carry  the  whole  force.     The  news  of 


BEWILDERMENT   OF  THE   ARMY.  305 

the  work  upon  which  the  general  was  engaged  soon 
spread  among  the  force  and  caused  the  greatest  aston- 
ishment. Jack  Stilwell  was  overwhelmed  with  ques- 
tions as  to  the  intentions  of  the  general. 

"  What  on  earth  are  we  going  to  do  next,  Stilwell?" 
one  of  the  colonels  said  to  him.  "  We  are  all  ready, 
you  know,  to  do  anything  that  the  chief  bids  us,  but  for 
the  life  of  us  no  one  can  make  this  business  out.  The 
only  possible  thing  seems  to  be  that  the  chief  intends 
to  attack  the  French  fleet,  and  desperate  as  many  of  his 
exploits  have  been,  they  would  be  as  nothing  to  that. 
Even  the  earl  could  surely  not  expect  that  fifteen 
hundred  men  in  fishing-boats  and  barges  could  attack 
a  fleet  of  some  thirty  men-of-war.  The  idea  seems  pre- 
posterous, and  yet  one  does  not  see  what  else  he  can 
have  got  in  his  head." 

"  Of  course,  colonel,"  Jack  said  laughing,  "  you  do  not 
expect  me  to  tell  you  what  are  the  general's  plans. 
You  may  be  quite  sure  that,  whatever  they  are,  there 
is  nothing  absolutely  impossible  about  them,  for  you 
know  that,  although  the  general  may  undertake  des- 
perate things,  he  never  attempts  anything  that  has  not 
at  least  a  possibility  of  success;  in  fact,  as  you  know, 
he  has  never  yet  failed  in  any  enterprise  that  he  has 
undertaken." 

"  That  is  true  enough,"  the  colonel  said,  "  and  yet 
for  the  life  of  me  I  cannot  make  out  what  else  he 
can  be  thinking  of.  Certainly  to  attack  Toulouse 
would  be  madness,  and  yet  there  is  no  one  else  to 
attack." 

"Well,  colonel,  I  can  only  say  that  time  will  show, 

(  338  )  U 


306  NO  FLEET  IN   SIGHT. 

and  I  don't  think  you  will  have  to  wait  very  long  be- 
fore you  know  as  much  about  it  as  I  do." 

Jack  was  right  in  this,  for  on  the  night  of  the  second 
day  the  earl  called  his  officers  together,  and  informed 
them  that  he  was  waiting  to  join  the  English  fleet, 
which  might  at  any  moment  come  in  sight.  As  hitherto 
nothing  had  been  known  about  the  arrival  of  reinforce- 
ments,  the  news  excited  the  greatest  joy.  The  earl 
had  hoped  that  at  daybreak  the  fleet  would  be  in 
sight,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  light  he  mounted  a  hill 
which  gave  him  a  wide  view  over  the  sea,  but  to  his 
deep  disappointment  not  a  sail  appeared  above  the 
horizon.  Knowing  the  desperate  state  of  the  garrison 
of  Barcelona,  and  that  at  any  hour  he  might  receive 
news  that  an  assault  had  been  delivered  and  the  city 
captured,  his  disappointment  at  the  delay  in  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  fleet  was  unbounded. 

The  roar  of  the  distant  guns  round  Barcelona  came 
distinctly  to  his  ears,  and  he  was  almost  wild  with  im- 
patience and  anxiety.  On  reaching  the  shore  again  he 
found  that  a  fast-sailing  felucca  had  just  come  in  from 
Barcelona.  She  had  managed  to  evade  the  blockad- 
ing fleet,  and  bore  an  urgent  letter  from  the  king, 
praying  Peterborough  to  come  to  his  assistance.  The 
earl  did  not  hesitate  a  moment,  but  determined  to  set 
sail  at  once  to  find  the  fleet,  and  to  bring  it  on  to  Bar- 
celona with  all  speed. 

The  astonishment  and  dismay  of  his  officers  at  the 
news  that  their  general  was  about  to  leave  them  and 
embark  on  such  an  enterprise  was  very  great,  but 
the  earl  explained  to  the  lenders  the  reasons  for  his 


THE   ADMIRAL   IN    CHIEF.  307 

anxiety  to  gain  the  fleet.  His  commission  appointed 
him  to  the  command  at  sea  as  well  as  on  land,  and  on 
joining  the  fleet  he  would  be  its  admiral-in-chief.     He 

feared  that  at  the  sight  of  so  powerful  an  armament 
the  Count  of  Toulouse  would  at  once  decline  battle  and 
make  for  France.  He  determined,  therefore,  to  advance 
only  with  a  force  considerably  inferior  to  that  of  the 
French,  in  which  case  Toulouse,  rather  than  abandon 
the  siege  of  Barcelona  just  when  success  seemed  assured, 
would  sail  out  and  give  battle. 

Should  he  do  so  the  earl,  however  inferior  his  force, 
had  no  doubts  as  to  obtaining  victory.  Accompanied 
only  by  Jack  Stilwell  and  by  Captain  Humphrey,  who 
had  taken  the  place  of  Graham,  he  embarked  on  board 
the  little  felucca  and  put  to  sea.  The  weather  was  cold 
and  stormy,  and  the  master  of  the  boat  did  not  like 
putting  out  far  from  shore;  but  the  earl  was  peremptory, 
and  the  felucca  stood  well  out  to  sea.  Night  came  on 
without  any  signs  of  the  fleet  being  discovered.  The 
hours  of  darkness  passed  slowly,  for  the  boat  was  un- 
decked and  afforded  no  shelter,  and  the  heavy  seas  which 
broke  over  her  kept  all  on  board  wetted  to  the  skin. 

At  daybreak,  to  their  great  joy,  they  perceived  a 
British  man-of-war  approaching.  They  at  once  made 
for  her,  and  found  she  was  the  Leopard,  commanded 
by  Captain  Price.  The  astonishment  of  that  officer 
and  of  all  on  board,  was  unbounded  at  being  boarded 
at  break  of  day  almost  out  of  sight  of  land  from  an 
open  boat  by  the  admiral  of  all  the  fleets.  The  earl's 
stay  on  board  was  but  a  short  one.  As  soon  as  he  had 
learned  the  whereabouts  of  the  rest  of  the  fleet,  and 


308  THE  FRENCH  DECLINE  BATTLE. 

given  instructions  to  Captain  Price,  he  again  embarked 
in  the  felucca,  and  sailed  for  Sitjes. 

The  joy  of  the  troops  was  great  at  the  return  of  their 
general,  for  the  night  had  been  so  stormy  that  there 
were  great  fears  for  his  safety;  but  he  was  not  to  re- 
main with  them  long,  for,  having  given  orders  that  the 
whole  disposable  force,  about  1400  men,  should  embark 
in  the  boats  before  daybreak  next  morning,  and  follow 
the  fleet  to  Barcelona,  he  again  with  his  aides-de-camp 
took  his  place  in  the  felucca  and  sailed  for  the  fleet. 

In  the  middle  of  the  night  he  came  across  them,  and 
boarding  the  Prince  George,  hoisted  his  flag  as  admiral 
of  the  fleet  on  the  main- top,  and  took  the  command. 
He  then  sent  a  boat  to  Sir  John  Leake  to  acquaint 
him  with  his  orders  and  intentions,  and  another  boat 
to  advise  General  Stanhope  of  his  arrival;  but  the 
darkness  delayed  the  delivery  of  these  messages  till 
nearly  morning,  and  when  day  appeared  the  whole 
fleet  was  amazed  at  seeing  the  flag  of  the  admiral-in- 
chief  flying  on  the  Prince  George.  The  wind  was 
strong  and  favourable,  and  the  fleet  crowded  on  all 
sail;  but  when  within  about  eighteen  miles  of  Bar- 
celona  one  of  the  French  look-out  ships  sighted  them, 
and  made  a  signal  to  a  consort  farther  along.  She  in 
turn  passed  on  the  news  until  it  reached  the  Count  of 
Toulouse,  who,  without  waiting  to  ascertain  the  strength 
of  the  approaching  squadron,  at  once  signalled  to  his 
fleet  to  weigh  anchor,  and,  putting  to  sea,  sailed  for 
France. 

The  disappointment  of  the  earl  was  great,  as  he  had 
fully  calculated  upon  gaining  a  great  naval  battle  in 


TESSE"    RETREATS.  309 

sight  of  the  city  he  had  come  to  relieve.  On  the 
afternoon  of  the  8th  of  May  the  leading  vessels  anchored 
oft'  Barcelona,  and  preparations  were  at  once  made  for 
the  landing  of  the  troops.  The  first  to  set  foot  on  shore 
were  the  earl's  veteran  troops,  who  had  according  to 
his  orders  accompanied  the  fleet  from  Sitjes.  The  suc- 
cour was  welcome,  indeed;  the  breaches  were  no  longer 
defensible,  and  an  assault  was  hourly  expected.  The 
king  himself  came  down  to  receive  the  earl  and  his 
army;  the  city  went  wild  with  joy. 

For  a  few  days  the  French  made  a  show  of  carrying 
on  the  siege.  They  were  still  enormously  superior  in 
force;  but  the  energy  and  skill  of  Peterborough  counter- 
balanced the  inequality.  He  worked  day  and  night  in 
superintending  the  works  of  defence,  and  in  placing  the 
troops  in  readiness  for  the  expected  assault.  Philip 
and  many  of  his  officers  were  still  in  favour  of  an  at- 
tack upon  the  city;  but  Tesse'  as  usual  was  opposed  to 
anything  like  vigorous  measures,  and  his  views  were 
adopted  by  a  council  of  war. 

At  one  o'clock,  on  the  morning  of  the  11th  of  May, 
the  besiegers  broke  up  their  camp,  and  in  great  con- 
fusion made  their  way  towards  the  French  frontier, 
for  Tesse  preferred  even  the  ignominy  of  falling  back 
into  France  with  his  unsuccessful  and  dispirited  army 
to  retracing  his  steps  towards  Saragossa,  where  his  de- 
vastations and  cruelty  had  caused  the  whole  population 
to  rise  in  insurrection  as  soon  as  his  army  had  passed 
into  Catalonia.  Besides  which,  he  had  received  news 
that  Peterborough  had  caused  every  pass  and  town  on  his 
way  to  the  west  to  be  fortified  and  held  by  the  Mique- 


310  BAFFLED  HOPES. 

lets.  Philip  accompanied  the  retreating  army  to  Rous- 
sillon.  The  downfall  of  his  hopes  had  been  utter  and 
complete.  But  a  few  weeks  before  it  had  seemed  that 
Spain  was  his,  and  that  the  forces  at  his  disposal  were 
ample  to  crush  out  the  insurrection  in  Barcelona,  and 
to  sweep  into  the  sea  the  handful  of  the  invaders. 
But  all  his  plans  had  been  baffled,  all  his  hopes  brought 
to  nought  by  the  genius  and  energy  of  one  man,  in 
spite  of  that  man  being  thwarted  at  every  turn  by  the 
imbecile  German  coterie  who  surrounded  the  king,  and 
by  the  jealousy  and  ill-will  of  his  fellow-generals. 

Bad  news  met  the  fugitive  at  Roussillon.  There 
he  heard  that  his  countrymen  had  suffered  a  disast- 
rous defeat  at  Ramillies;  that  nearly  all  the  Netherlands 
had  been  wrested  from  France,  that  a  heavy  defeat 
had  been  inflicted  upon  her  at  Turin,  and  that  Italy 
was  well-nigh  lost.  It  needed,  indeed,  but  the  smallest 
amount  of  unanimity,  enterprise,  and  confidence  on  the 
part  of  the  advisers  and  generals  of  King  Charles  to 
have  placed  him  securely  and  permanently  upon  the 
throne  of  Spain. 

When  the  flight  of  the  besieging  army  was  dis- 
covered after  daybreak  by  the  besieged,  they  poured 
out  from  Barcelona  into  the  deserted  camp.  All  the 
ordnance  and  stores  of  the  French  had  been  aban- 
doned. Two  hundred  heavy  brass  guns,  thirty  mortars, 
and  a  vast  quantity  of  shot,  shells,  and  intrenching 
tools,  three  thousand  barrels  of  powder,  ten  thousand 
sacks  of  corn,  and  a  vast  quantity  of  provisions  and 
stores  were  found  left  behind  in  the  camp.  Tesse  had 
left,  too,  all  his  sick  and  wounded,  with  a  letter  to  the 


Peterborough's  precautions.  311 

Earl  of  Peterborough  begging  him  to  see  that  they 
were  well  cared  for. 

The  news  of  the  hasty  retreat  of  Marshal  Tesse  from 
before  Barcelona  caused  a  shock  of  surprise  throughout 
Europe.  In  France  it  had  never  been  doubted  that  Bar- 
celona would  fall,  and  as  to  the  insurrection,  it  was  be- 
lieved that  it  could  be  trampled  out  without  difficulty 
by  the  25,000  French  veterans  whom  the  marshal  had  at 
his  disposal.  As  to  the  handful  of  British  troops  whose 
exploits  had  occasioned  such  astonishment,  none  had 
supposed  for  a  moment  that  they  would  be  able  to  effect 
anything  when  opposed  to  so  overwhelming  a  force  of 
the  disciplined  troops  of  France. 

Peterborough  himself  had  hardly  hoped  to  save  Bar- 
celona, but,  unlike  his  enemies,  he  had  not  considered 
that  the  fall  of  that  city  would  necessarily  entail  the 
final  defeat  of  the  cause  for  which  he  fought.  While 
busying  himself  with  the  marches  and  achievements  of 
the  troops  under  his  command,  he  had  never  ceased  to 
take  measures  to  provide  for  the  future.  His  marches 
and  counter -marches  had  made  him  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  country,  and  he  had  won  the  entire 
confidence  of  the  people. 

He  had,  therefore,  taken  measures  that  even  if  Bar- 
celona fell  Philip  should  not  march  back  again  to  his 
capital.  From  the  clay  Tesse  advanced  he  had  had 
thousands  of  the  country  people  at  work,  under  the 
direction  of  a  few  of  his  own  officers,  rendering  each 
of  the  three  roads  by  which  the  French  army  could 
march  from  Barcelona  to  Madrid  impracticable.  Gorges 
were  blocked  with  vast  masses  of  rock  rolled  down 


312  CAUTION   AND   BOLDNESS. 

from  the  mountain  side  at  spots  where  the  road  wound 
along  on  the  face  of  precipices;  and  where  it  had 
only  been  made  by  blasting,  it  was  by  similar  means 
entirely  destroyed.  Bridges  were  broken  down,  every 
castle  and  town  on  the  lines  of  retreat  placed  in  a  state 
of  defence,  and  the  cattle  and  provisions  driven  off  to 
places  of  safety. 

Thus  while  the  earl  was  himself  engaged  in  the  most 
perilous  adventures,  he  neglected  nothing  that  the  most 
prudent  and  cautious  general  could  have  suggested  to 
ensure  the  success  of  his  plans.  Even  when  affairs 
looked  most  unpromising  in  Barcelona  the  earl  wrote 
cheerfully  to  the  Duke  of  Savoy,  saying  that  the  cir- 
cumstances were  much  better  than  were  generally  sup- 
posed; and  that  "the  French  officers,  ignorant  of  the 
situation  of  the  country,  would  be  astonished  at  the 
difficulties  that  would  be  opposed  to  them  on  advancing 
even  after  success;  and  that  if  the  siege  were  raised 
they  would  be  forced  to  abandon  Spain,  while  all  the 
western  frontier  would  be  clear  for  the  progress  of 
Lord  Galway  and  Das  Minas  to  Madrid." 

A  few  days  after  the  retreat  of  Marshal  Tesse,  to 
Jack's  great  pleasure  Graham  came  into  Barcelona. 
He  had,  in  the  confusion  of  the  retreat,  had  little  diffi- 
culty in  slipping  away  from  his  captors.  His  only 
danger  had  been  from  the  peasantry,  at  whose  hands 
he  had  narrowly  escaped  death,  as  they  took  him  for 
a  French  officer;  but,  upon  being  convinced  by  his  as- 
surances that  he  was  an  Englishman  and  an  aide-de- 
camp of  the  Earl  of  Peterborough,  they  had  provided 
him  with  a  horse  to  make  his  way  back  to  Barcelona. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


INGRATITUDE. 

ARCELONA  rescued,  Peterborough  at  once 
urged  the  king  to  march  upon  Madrid 
and  have  himself  proclaimed  king  in  his 
capital.  There  was  no  force  which  could 
oppose  his  advance,  and  Lord  Galway  and  the  Por- 
tuguese could  move  unresisted  from  the  west  and 
meet  him  there.  But  it  was  a  long  time  before 
Charles  and  his  counsellors  would  listen  to  his  advice; 
and  although  at  last  they  agreed  to  follow  it,  their 
resolution  was  short.  In  the  first  place,  they  deter- 
mined to  leave  so  large  a  force  to  garrison  Catalonia 
that  the  army  available  for  the  advance  on  Madrid 
would  be  very  seriously  weakened — 1500  English  and 
1100  Spaniards  were  to  be  left  at  Barcelona,  1600 
English  and  Dutch  and  1500  Spanish  at  Gerona,  850 
Spanish  and  Dutch  at  Lerida,  and  500  Spanish  at 
Tortosa. 

This  left  but  6500  men  available  for  service  in  the 
field,  and  even  this  number  was  subsequently  dimin- 
ished by  the  vacillating  Charles  to  4500.  As  Peter- 
borough wrote  to  Lord  Halifax:  "We  have  saved  king- 


314  FATAL  INCOMPETENCE. 

doms  in  spite  of  the  king,  who  would  abandon  them, 
and  we  have  wa^ed  more  dangerous  war  with  ministers 
than  with  enemies.  Lord  Galway  and  the  Portuguese 
generals  pass  all  understanding." 

No  wonder  the  earl  was  astounded  by  the  incompe- 
tence of  Lord  Galway  and  the  Portuguese  generals. 
They  had  20,000  men,  while  to  oppose  them  there 
were  but  5000  under  the  Duke  of  Berwick;  and  yet 
after  entering  Spain  they  fell  back,  without  doing 
anything,  into  Portugal — their  retreat  beginning  on 
the  11th  of  May,  the  day  on  which  Philip  retreated 
from  Barcelona.  So  that  on  the  opposite  side  of  Spain 
two  large  armies  simultaneously  retired  before  others 
vastly  weaker  than  themselves.  When  the  news  of 
Tesse's  retreat  to  France  reached  Portugal  they  again 
advanced.  Berwick  was  too  weak  to  oppose  them, 
and  on  the  25th  of  June  the  advance-guard  of  the 
allies  occupied  Madrid,  and  there  proclaimed  Charles 
as  king. 

Had  Galway  and  his  colleagues  now  shown  the 
slightest  energy,  and  moved  against  Berwick's  little 
force,  with  which  was  Philip  himself,  they  could  have 
driven  them  across  the  frontier  without  striking  a 
blow,  and  the  French  cause  would  have  been  lost  in 
Spain;  but,  having  reached  Madrid,  they  remained 
there  doing  absolutely  nothing — leaving  ample  time 
to  Philip  to  repair  his  misfortunes,  receive  aid  from 
France,  and  recommence  the  campaign  with  vigour. 
As  Peterborough  wrote  indignantly  to  General  Stan- 
hope: "Their  halt  is  as  fatal  as  was  Hannibal's  at 
Capua." 


A   VACILLATING   KINO.  315 

As  soon  as  the  movement  upon  Madrid  lia<l  been 
decided  upon,  Peterborough  sailed  with  the  English 
and  Dutch  infantry  to  Valencia,  where  he  was  received 
with  enthusiasm  by  the  inhabitants.  He  at  once  set  to 
work  to  raise  a  regiment  of  dragoons,  and  organized 
them  in  three  weeks.  The  very  day  they  were  mounted 
he  marched  them  upon  Castille.  During  this  time  not 
only  had  Lord  Galway  made  no  movement,  but  he  had 
joined  in  the  German  intrigue  by  which  Charles  was 
induced  to  abandon  the  plan  of  marching  to  his  capital 
under  the  escort  of  Peterborough. 

The  allied  generals  at  Madrid  were  indeed  basely 
jealous  of  the  brilliant  conqueror  of  Catalonia  and 
Valencia.  His  deeds  had  thrown  theirs  entirely  into 
the  shade.  With  utterly  insufficient  means  he  had 
done  everything ;  with  ample  means  they  had  effected 
nothing,  and  had  only  been  enabled  to  enter  Madrid 
by  the  fact  that  he  had  drawn  off  the  army  which  had 
successfully  opposed  them. 

After  incessant  labour  in  organizing  his  force,  the 
earl  sent  2000  men,  under  the  command  of  Lieutenant- 
general  Wyndham,  to  besiege  the  towns  of  Requena 
and  Cuenca — two  places  of  some  strength  which  blocked 
the  road  between  Valencia  and  Madrid. 

Wyndham  easily  accomplished  the  task;  and  the 
road  being  thus  secured,  Peterborough  wrote  to  Charles 
that  "  nothing  remained  to  hinder  him  from  entering 
Madrid  with  even  a  small  escort  of  horse."  The  earl  had 
everything  prepared  along  the  road  for  the  passage  of 
the  kino-;  but,  although  he  wrote  over  and  over  again 
urging  him  not  to  delay,  Charles  refused  to  stir,  and 


316  A  FATAL   STEP. 

told  General  Stanhope  (who  backed  Peterborough's 
entreaties)  that  he  had  "  no  becoming  equipment  with 
which  to  enter  his  capital." 

"  Sire,"  the  English  general  exclaimed  in  indignant 
astonishment,  "  our  William  the  Third  entered  London 
in  a  hackney,  with  a  cloak-bag  behind  it,  and  was 
made  king  not  many  weeks  after." 

A  month  after  the  elate  originally  settled  Charles 
set  out  and  proceeded  to  Taragona,  but  then,  to  the 
astonishment  of  the  English  general  and  envoy,  they 
learned  he  had  altered  his  mind  and  taken  the  route  to 
Saragossa.  When  he  heard  the  news,  Peterborough 
sent  couriers  day  after  day  with  urgent  letters  to  the 
king.  He  prevailed  upon  a  deputation  of  the  Valencian 
nobility  to  follow  with  the  same  purpose,  and  trans- 
mitted the  opinion  of  a  council  of  war,  which  was  un- 
animous in  intreating  the  king  to  stay  his  steps.  The 
king  again  hesitated,  and  was  about  to  follow  Peter- 
borough's advice,  when  a  French  officer  in  the  Portu- 
guese service  arrived  from  Galway  and  Das  Minas, 
again  urging  him  to  move  by  the  route  which  they  had 
suggested. 

Charles  again  hesitated,  the  Count  of  Cifuentes  (who 
was  with  him)  gave  his  advice  in  favour  of  the  Sara- 
gossa route,  and  the  king  decided  on  that  line.  On  the 
2Gth  of  July  the  earl  summoned  a  council  of  war,  in- 
cluding the  governor  of  Valencia,  two  Spanish  generals, 
and  his  own  officers.  They  agreed  unanimously  that 
Peterborough  should  march  his  army  to  Madrid  or  join 
the  army  in  Portugal,  as  circumstances  might  require. 
Just  before  they  started  letters  came  in  from  the  king 


Peterborough's  advice  justified.  317 

desiring  that  Peterborough  should  send  the  forces 
under  his  command  either  to  relieve  the  Duke  of 
Savoy  or  to  capture  the  Balearic  Isles. 

The  earl  declined  to  follow  this  ungrateful  sugges- 
tion, which  was  manifestly  intended  by  Charles  and 
his  advisers,  English,  Portuguese,  and  German,  to  send 
away  from  his  kingdom  the  man  who  had  won  it  for 
him.  Being  fortunately  independent  of  orders,  Peter- 
borough marched  for  Castille,  as  he  and  the  council  of 
war  had  previously  determined. 

Charles  was  not  long  in  regretting  that  he  had  not 
followed  Lord  Peterborough's  advice.  Instead  of  the 
triumphant  procession  from  Saragossa  to  Madrid,  which 
he  had  been  promised,  he  was  met  with  the  most  de- 
termined opposition. 

Every  town  and  village  in  the  centre  and  south  of 
Spain  rose  against  him;  Salamanca  and  Toledo  de- 
clared for  Philip,  and  Andalusia  raised  18,000  men. 
The  troops  of  Las  Torres  from  Valencia,  and  those  who 
had  retreated  under  Tesse  to  Roussillon,  had  joined 
Berwick  at  Xadraque,  and  Philip  had  placed  himself 
at  the  head  of  this  formidable  army.  Charles  was  ob- 
lio-ed  to  send  in  the  utmost  haste  to  ask  the  Earl  of 
Peterborough  to  extricate  him  from  the  position  in 
which  he  had  placed  himself  by  neglecting  his  advice. 

The  earl  instantly  complied  with  the  request,  and 
marching  with  all  speed  overtook  the  king  on  the  4th 
of  August  at  Pastrina,  and  thence  on  the  following 
day  escorted  him  in  safety  to  the  army  of  Portugal  at 
Guadalaxara. 

The  total  strength  of  the  united  allied  army  was 


318  JEALOUSY  AND   DIVISION. 

18,000  men— a  force  inferior,  indeed,  to  that  with  which 
Berwick  confronted  them;  and  that  portion  brought 
by  Lord  Galway  and  the  Portuguese  general  Das 
3. Unas  was  not  to  be  relied  upon,  having  fallen  into 
a  state  of  great  indiscipline  owing  to  the  tedious  de- 
lavs,  the  frequent  retreats,  and  the  long  inactivity  to 
which  it  had  been  subjected  by  the  incompetence  of  its 
leaders.  That  this  was  so  was  evident  by  the  fact  that 
the  day  after  the  king's  arrival  the  French  made 
a  partial  attack,  and  many  of  the  allied  battalions  at 
once  fell  into  complete  confusion.  But  this  was  not 
the  greatest  drawback  to  the  efficiency  of  the  allied 
army;  they  were  paralysed  by  the  dissensions  of  their 
commanders  Galway,  Das  Minas,  and  the  Dutch  Count 
cle  Noyelles.  Each  and  all  declined  to  acknowledge 
Peterborough  as  commander-in-chief.  The  earl  then 
offered  to  waive  his  own  rights  entirely  and  to  fight  as 
a  simple  volunteer,  and  that  Das  Minas,  Lord  Galway, 
and  the  Dutch  general  should  each  command  their 
own  forces,  receiving  their  orders  from  the  king. 

This  offer  was,  however,  refused  by  the  three  gene- 
rals. The  partisans  of  the  various  leaders  shared 
their  animosity  The  English  troops  of  Peterborough 
claiming,  and  justly,  that  Catalonia  and  Valencia  had 
been  gained  and  won  by  him,  and  that  to  him  alone 
the  king  owed  his  crown,  were  furious  that  those  who 
had  shown  nought  but  incapacity  from  the  commence- 
ment of  the  campaign  should  now  refuse  to  recognize 
his  authority.  AYhile  the  disputes  continued  Berwick 
had  nearly  succeeded  in  surprising  Galway,  and  a  dis- 
astrous defeat  had  only  been  prevented  by  the  gallant 


PETERBOROUGH  LEAVES  THE  ARMY.        319 

defence  made  by  Lord  Tyrawley  of  an  outpost  which  he 
commanded,  and  which  he  held  for  two  hours  against 
all  the  efforts  of  the  French,  and  so  gave  lame  for  the 
army  to  make  a  hasty  retreat. 

The  army  was  moreover  straitened  by  want  of  pro- 
visions: Lord  Gal  way  and  his  colleagues  had  made  no 
arrangements  whatever  for  its  supply.  Day  and  ni. 
the  German  favourites  of  the  king,  who  had  ruined  their 
master's  cause  by  dissuading  him  from  following  the  ad- 
vice of  Lord  Peterborough,  now  laboured  with  the  king 
still  further  to  destroy  his  confidence  in  Peterborough; 
and  finding  himself  treated  coldly  by  the  ungrateful 
monarch, who  owed  everything  to  him,  opposed  at  every 
turn  by  the  other  generals,  and  seeing  that  his  presence 
was  worse  than  useless,  Peterborough  announced  his 
intention  of  obeying  the  orders  from  Queen  Anne, 
dated  the  12th  of  June,  and  repeated  on  the  17th,  to 
proceed  to  the  assistance  of  the  Duke  of  Savoy. 

On  the  same  evening  a  council  of  war  was  held. 
The  king  formally  laid  Peterborough's  announcement 
before  the  generals,  who,  delighted  to  get  rid  of  their 
rival,  unanimously  recommended  that  he  should  depart. 

On  the  11th  of  August,  full  of  mortification  and  dis- 
gust at  the  treatment  that  he  had  experienced  and  the 
3  ingratitude  of  the  king,  Peterborough  rode  from 
the  camp  at  Guadalaxara.  As  if  to  humiliate  him  as 
far  as  possible,  he  was  given  only  an  escort  of  eighty 
dragoons,  although  there  were  serious  difficulties 
to  be  encountered  on  the  road  to  Valencia.  His  two 
favourite  aides-de-camp,  Stilwell  and  Graham,  were 
the  only  officers  who  accompanied  him.     It  is  satisfac- 


320  A  SERIOUS   LOSS. 

tory  to  know  that  from  the  moment  of  the  earl's  de- 
parture misfortune  and  disaster  fell  upon  the  fortunes 
of  Kino;  Charles,  and  that  the  crown  which  he  had 
received  from  the  English  earl  was  wrested  from  his 
unworthy  grasp. 

Peterborough  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  when  he 
heard  that  all  his  baggage,  consisting  of  eight  waggon- 
loads  and  of  the  value  of  £8000,  had  fallen  into  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  When  he  left  Valencia  to  extri- 
cate the  king  from  his  difficulties  he  had  ordered  it  to 
be  sent  after  him  to  Guadalaxara.  When  it  arrived  at 
Cuenca,  General  Wyndham,  who  commanded  there, 
forwarded  it  with  a  small  escort;  but  it  was  attacked 
while  passing  through  the  town  of  Huete  by  a  party  of 
the  Duke  of  Berwick's  troopers. 

The  earl  was  furious  at  the  news.  Not  only  were 
all  his  personal  effects,  jewels,  and  uniforms  lost,  but 
his  spare  horses,  carriages,  and  mules.  Upon  making 
inquiry  he  found  that  the  troopers  of  Berwick  had 
been  aided  by  the  inhabitants  of  Huete,  who  had  given 
information  to  the  troopers  and  shared  in  the  plunder. 
His  first  impulse  was  to  burn  the  town  to  the  ground, 
and,  as  when  he  arrived  there  he  was  joined  by  Wynd- 
ham's  force,  he  had  ample  power  to  do  so. 

He  immediately  summoned  the  magistrates  and  clergy 
to  meet  him,  and  told  them  in  decided  terms  that  they 
must  find  his  baggage  and  the  rogues  that  had  stolen  it. 
After  making  a  search  in  the  town  they  were  able  to 
find  but  a  small  portion  of  it.  They  then  offered  to 
pay  him  10,000  pistoles  for  his  loss,  or  any  other  sum 
which  he  might  choose  to  name;  but  the  earl,  with  that 


A   GENEROUS   ACTION.  321 

singular  generosity  which  formed  so  marked  a  part  of 
his  character,  declined  the  offer,  and  said: 

"  I  see  you  are  honest  gentlemen;  for  my  part  I  will 
sit  content  with  my  loss  if  you  will  bring  all  the  corn 
of  the  district  to  the  army." 

The  townspeople  were  delighted  at  this  clemency, 
as  corn  was  much  more  easy  to  procure  than  money, 
and  it  was  accordingly  sent  to  Lord  Galway's  camp, 
where  it  sufficed  to  supply  the  whole  army  for  six 
weeks. 

This  was  an  act  of  almost  unparalleled  magnanimity 
and  generosity  to  the  generals  whose  jealousy  and  ma- 
chinations had  driven  him  from  the  army;  but  the  earl 
was  so  satisfied  at  thus  heaping  coals  of  fire  upon  the 
heads  of  his  rivals,  that  he  continued  his  journey  in 
the  highest  state  of  good-humour  in  spite  of  the  loss 
which  he  had  suffered,  and  which,  as  he  was  by  no 
means  rich,  was  a  very  considerable  one.  He  took 
with  him  Killiorew's  dragoons  and  sent  on  Wyndham's 
brigade  to  join  Lord  Galway.  On  the  way  he  en- 
countered several  adventures. 

One  night  when  he  arrived  at  the  little  town  of 
Campillo,  he  heard  of  a  barbarous  massacre  that  had 
that  day  been  perpetrated  in  a  neighbouring  village 
upon  a  small  detachment  of  English  soldiers,  who  had 
just  been  discharged  from  the  hospital  at  Cuenca,  and 
were  proceeding  under  the  command  of  an  officer  to 
join  Wyndham's  battalion  of  the  guards,  to  which  they 
belonged.  They  had  slept  at  the  village,  and  were 
marching  out  unconscious  of  danger  when  a  shot  in 
the  back  killed  their  officer,  and  the  peasants  at  once 

(338)  x 


322  A  BARBAROUS   MASSACRE. 

rushed  in  upon  the  men  and  killed  several  of  them, 
together  with  their  wives  who  had  accompanied  them. 
The  rest  were  dragged  up  a  hill  near  the  village,  and 
then  one  by  one  thrown  down  a  deep  pit. 

No  sooner  did  the  earl  hear  of  the  outrage  than  he 
ordered  the  trumpets  to  sound  to  horse.  The  dragoons, 
who,  weary  with  their  long  march,  had  just  unsaddled 
turned  out  wondering  at  the  order;  but  when  they 
heard  what  had  happened,  they  mounted  with  an  im- 
patience for  vengeance  equal  to  that  of  their  general. 
Arriving  at  the  village  they  found,  to  their  great  dis- 
appointment, that  the  murderers  had  fled,  and  that 
hardly  any  of  the  inhabitants  remained.  They  found, 
however,  hidden  in  the  church,  the  clothes  of  some  of 
the  murdered  guardsmen.  The  sacristan  of  the  church 
was  alleged  by  the  inhabitants,  who  were  narrowly 
examined,  to  have  taken  an  active  part  in  the  slaughter, 
and  the  earl  ordered  him  to  be  hung  up  at  once  to  the 
knocker  of  his  own  door.  The  troops  then  rode  up  to 
the  top  of  the  hill,  and  the  earl  and  his  aides-de-camp 
dismounted  at  the  edge  of  the  pit.  They  had  procured 
a  rope  at  the  village,  although  the  inhabitants  insisted 
that  no  one  could  be  found  alive,  as  the  pit,  which  was 
a  disused  one,  was  of  vast  depth. 

"Is  anyone  alive  down  there?"  the  earl  shouted. 

"Yes,  yes,"  a  voice  cried  a  short  distance  below 
them.  "Thank  God  friends  have  come;  but  help  me 
quickly,  for  I  cannot  hold  on  much  longer." 

Jack  seized  the  rope  and  twisted  one  end  round  his 
body.  Several  of  the  soldiers  lowered  him  down,  and 
some  twenty  feet  below  the  edge  he  came  upon  the 


338 


JACK   RESCUES    HIS    FRIEND   THE   SERGEANT. 


A   WONDERFUL   ESCAPE.  323 

man  who  had  spoken.  As  he  fell  he  had  caught  some 
bushes  which  grew  in  the  side  of  the  old  pit,  and  hav- 
ing managed  to  find  a  ledge  on  which  to  place  his  feet, 
had  maintained  his  grasp  in  this  perilous  position  the 
whole  day.  As  the  rope  was  amply  strong  enough  to 
hold  two,  Jack  clasped  his  arms  around  the  man's 
body  and  called  to  those  above  to  haul  up.  They 
were  soon  at  the  surface. 

The  soldier,  who  had  fainted  when  he  found  himself 
in  safety,  was  laid  down  and  brandy  poured  down  his 
throat,  and  Jack,  to  his  astonishment  and  satisfaction, 
recognized  in  him  his  old  friend  Sergeant  Edwards. 
He  did  not  wait,  however,  for  him  to  recover  sensibil- 
ity, but  at  once  told  the  troopers  to  lower  him  again 
to  the  end  of  the  rope.  This  they  did,  and  Jack  then 
shouted  several  times,  but  received  no  answer.  He 
then  dropped  a  small  stone  he  had  brought  down  with 
him,  but  no  sound  came  back  in  return,  and,  satisfied 
that  none  of  the  soldiers  could  have  survived  the  fall, 
for  he  was  already  more  than  sixty  feet  below  the 
surface,  he  shouted  to  those  above  to  draw  him  up. 
He  found  that  Edwards  had  now  recovered  his  senses, 
and  was  giving  to  the  earl  a  detailed  account  of  the  mas- 
sacre, which  so  exasperated  him  that  he  gave  orders 
that  the  village  should  be  burnt  to  the  ground,  a  com- 
mand which  was  willingly  carried  out  by  the  troopers. 
Edwards  was  delighted  at  recognizing  Jack,  and  when, 
after  the  destruction  of  the  village,  the  party  rode  back 
to  Campillo  for  the  night,  the  two  old  friends  had  a 
long  chat  as  to  the  events  which  had  happened  since 
they  last  parted  at  Barcelona, 


324  AN   OLD   FRIEND. 

"Is  it  true,  sir,  that  the  general  has  resigned  his 
command?" 

"  Quite  true,  Edwards." 

"  And  is  he  going  home,  sir  ? " 

"  No;  he  will  sail  to  aid  the  Duke  of  Savoy;  at  least 
that  is  the  present  intention;  but  I  should  not  be  sur- 
prised if  he  is  in  England  ere  many  months  are  over." 

"  Well,  sir,  I  should  like  to  get  my  discharge  and  go 
home  too;  being  chucked  down  that  pit  has  given  me 
a  regular  sickness  of  campaigning  among  these  savages. 
Talk  about  pirates,  Captain  Stilwell,  why  I  had  rather 
fall  among  pirates  any  day  than  among  these  blood- 
thirsty wretches.  Calls  themselves  Christians  too !  The 
pirates  wasn't  hypocrites,  in  that  way  anyhow ;  they 
didn't  bob  down  on  their  knees  before  every  little  trum- 
pery doll  stuck  up  by  the  wayside,  and  then  go  and  cut 
a  man's  throat  afterwards — it  was  all  fair  and  square 
with  them.  Anyways,  it  don't  matter  to  me,  as  I  see, 
whether  they  has  King  Charles  or  King  Philip  to  rule 
over  them,  I  wishes  him  joy  of  the  job  whichever  it 
may  be;  but  I  don't  see  no  call  to  be  risking  my  life 
in  being  shot,  or  chucked  down  pits,  or  stabbed  in  my 
bed,  for  such  a  lot  of  varmint  any  longer.  I  have 
served  my  full  time,  and  can  take  my  pension ;  besides, 
I  have  got  something  like  a  thousand  pounds  stowed 
away  in  a  snug  hiding-place  near  Barcelona." 

"You  have,  Edwards?  I  am  glad  to  hear  it;  I  had  no 
idea  you  were  such  a  rich  man." 

"It's  prize-money,  sir,  lawful  earned  prize-money, 
though  I  don't  know  between  ourselves  as  the  colonel 
would  have  approved  of  it;  so  I  stowed  it  away  and 


THE   SERGEANT'S   STORY.  325 

says  nothing  till  I  gets  a  chance  to  lift  it  before  I  set 
sail.  It's  been  rather  worrying  me  in  case  we  should 
be  ordered  to  take  ship  at  some  other  port." 
"Well,  but  how  did  you  get  it,  Edwards?" 
"  Well,  sir,  I  know  that  I  can  tell  you,  'cause  I  am 
sure  it  won't  go  no  further.  Just  afore  the  French 
came  down  to  besiege  Barcelona  I  was  up  with  the 
brigade  at  Lerida.  The  people  were  pretty  much  divided 
up  there,  but  the  news  as  the  French  was  coming 
to  drive  us  into  the  sea  made  the  folks  as  was  against 
us  very  bold.  The  sentries  had  to  be  doubled  at  night, 
for  lots  of  our  men  were  found  stabbed,  and  it  was 
dangerous  to  go  about  outside  the  town  except  in 
parties.  Well,  sir,  Sergeant  Adams  of  ours,  as  smart 
a  soldier  as  ever  wore  pigtail,  had  fallen  in  love  with 
the  daughter  of  an  innkeeper  at  a  place  four  miles 
from  Lerida. 

"  It  wasn't  much  of  a  village,  but  there  was  a  big 
convent  close  by,  one  of  the  richest  in  Spain,  they  said. 
The  girl  was  fond  of  Adams,  and  had  agreed,  so  he  told 
me,  to  cut  and  run  when  the  regiment  marched  away, 
and  to  be  spliced  to  him.  I  rather  tried  to  dissuade 
him  from  the  affair,  for,  as  I  pointed  out,  how  would 
a  Spanish  woman  get  on  in  barracks  with  the  other 
sergeants'  wives,  specially  if  she  was  as  pretty  as  the 
whole  lot  put  together.  However,  of  course,  he  wouldn't 
listen  to  that — no  chap  ever  does  when  he's  downright 
in  love;  so  he  asked  me  one  afternoon  if  I  would  go 
out  with  him  and  Sergeant  Saunders  to  the  village,  so 
that  while  we  were  having  our  glass  he  could  manage 
to  get  a  few  words  with  the  girl  to  arrange  about  her 


326  A  LOVE  ADVENTURE. 

joining  him,  for  the  French  were  only  two  or  three 
marches  away,  and  we  might  have  to  fall  back  any 
day. 

"I  didn't  much  like  the  job,  for  it  was  a  risky  busi- 
ness three  of  us  going  so  far;  but  he  pointed  out  that 
we  needn't  start  till  it  got  dark,  so  nobody  would  see 
us  till  we  got  to  the  village,  and  we  needn't  stay  there 
above  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  could  be  off  before  any 
one  who  meant  mischief  could  find  out  that  we  were 
alone;  besides,  hitherto  the  people  there  had  always 
been  friendly,  for,  being  just  the  right  distance  for  a 
walk,  and  the  wine  there  being  good,  our  fellows  went 
over  there  a  good  deal :  so  the  long  and  short  of  it  was 
we  went. 

"  We  got  there  all  right,  and  walked  into  the  wine- 
shop as  usual  and  sat  down  and  called  for  wine.  There 
were  half  a  dozen  fellows  sitting  there  drinking.  They 
were  talking  aloud  when  we  entered,  but  stopped  at 
once  as  we  came  in,  and  looked  as  men  do  when  you 
come  across  them  just  as  they  are  saying  something  as 
is  no  good  about  you.  We  passed  the  word  as  usual, 
and  were  soon  chatting  with  them.  They  didn't  seem 
very  free  and  friendly,  and  asked  several  questions 
about  the  French  army,  and  whether  we  had  any 
troops  coming  up  to  help  us  hold  Lerida.  I  said  we 
expected  five  or  six  thousand  in  a  day  or  two,  which 
seemed  rather  to  take  them  by  surprise. 

"Well,  presently  Adams  got  up  quietly  and  went 
out  of  the  door,  and  I  knew  he  was  going  round  to  the 
back  to  meet  his  girl.  I  had  seen  a  look  pass  atween 
them  when  she  brought  in  our  wine.     We  went  on 


A   SPANIARD'S   VENGEANCE.  327 

talking  quiet  for  some  time;  four  or  five  other  men 
dropped  in,  and  some  of  them  got  talking  together  in 
low  tones,  and  I  began  to  wish  we  were  well  out  of  it, 
and  to  wonder  how  much  longer  Adams  was  going  to 
be  before  he  came  back.  Suddenly  we  heard  a  loud 
scream,  and  Manola — that  was  the  girl's  name — came 
rushing  in  from  behind.  '  He's  killed  him,'  she  screamed, 
and  she  fell  down  as  if  she  had  been  killed  too.  As  I 
heard  afterwards,  her  old  rascal  of  a  father  had  for 
some  time  suspected  something  was  up  between  her 
and  Adams,  and  when  he  missed  him  had  stolen  out 
behind  and  came  upon  them  just  as  he  was  kissing  her 
and  saying  good-bye.  Then  he  whipped  his  knife  out, 
and  before  Adams  had  time  to  turn  round,  stabbed  him 
in  the  back,  and  the  sergeant  fell  dead  without  a  word. 

"Close  behind  the  girl  rushed  in  the  innkeeper, 
swearing  and  cursing  and  calling  us  heretics,  and  dogs, 
and  robbers,  and  every  other  bad  kind  of  name.  The 
men  got  up  and  began  to  stamp  and  shout,  and  seeing 
that  it  was  no  time  for  argument  I  said  to  Saunders, 
'We  had  best  make  a  bolt  of  it,  Bill.'  So  we  out 
swords  and  made  a  dash  for  the  inner  door,  for  they 
had  closed  in  at  the  other  with  their  knives  out.  We 
got  safely  through  the  house.  Just  outside  the  back 
door  we  came  upon  the  body  of  Adams.  We  stopped 
a  moment  and  turned  him  over  to  see  if  he  was  dead, 
but  it  was  all  up  with  him. 

"It  didn't  take  a  moment  to  look;  but,  before  it  was 
done,  they  were  upon  us,  both  from  behind  and  run- 
ning round  from  the  front  of  the  house.  We  cut  and 
slashed  for  a  moment  and  then  bolted  with  them  at  our 


328  SANCTUARY. 

heels.  We  got  separated  in  a  minute.  I  turned  in 
amongst  some  bushes  and  lost  Saunders.  I  heard  after- 
wards he  was  killed  before  he  had  run  fifty  yards. 
Luckily  they  had  missed  me  for  the  moment,  and  I  lay 
down  among  the  bushes  and  thought  it  over.  The 
whole  village  was  up  by  this  time,  as  I  could  hear  by 
the  shouts ;  and  after  thinking  it  over  I  concluded  that 
there  was  no  chance  of  my  making  my  way  back  to 
Lerida,  and  that  my  best  plan  would  be  to  go  up  to 
the  convent  and  ask  for  shelter  there.  I  knew  well 
enough  that  once  inside  I  should  be  safe  from  the 
peasants. 

"Well,  I  crawled  along  for  some  distance.  Half  a 
dozen  times  they  was  nigh  stumbling  over  me  as  they 
searched  about  in  the  gardens  and  vineyards ;  but  at 
last  I  made  my  way  safe  up  to  the  convent  and  rang 
at  the  bell.  Presently  the  little  window  in  the  door 
opened,  and  a  monk  said,  'Who  is  there?'  I  kept  out 
of  his  sight  and  said  in  Spanish: 

" '  A  fugitive  who  seeks  for  sanctuary.'  Thinking  I 
was  only  somebody  who  had  stabbed  three  or  four 
men  in  a  row,  the  monk  opened  the  door.  He  gave  an 
exclamation  when  he  saw  my  uniform  when  I  entered, 
and  would  have  slammed  the  door  in  my  face;  but  I 
pushed  in.  Then  he  gave  a  shout,  and  five  or  six  other 
monks  came  running  up  and  set  up  a  jabbering,  and 
stood  staring  at  me  as  if  I  had  been  a  wild  beast.  Then 
they  wanted  to  turn  me  out;  but  I  wouldn't  budge, 
and  as  I  had  my  sword  still  in  my  hand  they  didn't 
know  what  to  do. 

"  At  last  some  chap  in  authority  came  down.     He 


TREACHERY.  329 

talked  to  me  and  tried  to  persuade  me  to  leave; 
but  I  said,  'No,  I  claim  sanctuary;'  and  as  they  were 
ready  to  give  sanctuary  to  the  worst  of  murderers,  I 
didn't  see  as  they  could  deny  it  to  me  who  had  committed 
no  crime  whatever.  He  went  away  and  came  back 
again  after  some  time,  and  then  told  me  to  sheath  my 
sword  and  follow  him.  This  I  did,  and  he  led  the  way 
to  a  sort  of  cell  where  there  were  some  rushes  laid  on 
a  stone  bed,  and  told  me  that  I  could  remain  there. 

"  Thinking  it  was  all  right  I  lay  down  and  went  to 
sleep,  but  was  presently  woke  by  half  a  dozen  monks, 
who  were  tying  my  hands  and  feet  with  cords.  It  was 
no  use  struggling,  so  I  lay  quiet;  and  when  they  had 
done,  they  carried  me  away,  took  me  some  distance, 
and  went  down  a  flight  of  stairs ;  a  door  was  unlocked, 
and  then  I  was  pitched  down  on  the  ground  as  if  I  had 
been  a  loo-  of  wood.     I  didn't  move  much  that  nio-ht. 

"  In  the  morning  there  was  just  enough  light  came 
through  a  little  slit  high  up  in  the  wall  to  show  me  that 
I  was  in  a  place  about  six  feet  square.  It  was  perfectly 
bare,  without  as  much  as  a  bit  of  straw  to  lie  on.  Pre- 
sently two  monks  came  in.  One  of  them  untied  the 
cords  which  fastened  my  hands.  They  placed  some  black 
bread  and  a  jug  of  water  by  me,  and  then  went  out 
again.  There  they  kept  me  for  six  days.  At  the  end 
of  that  time  they  told  me  to  come  along  with  them.  I 
had,  of  course,  taken  the  cords  off  my  legs  when  I  had 
got  my  hands  free,  and  I  followed  them,  wondering 
what  was  to  come  next.  I  was  taken  to  the  door  of 
the  convent,  and  there  I  saw  a  party  of  French  troopers, 
to  whom  the  monks  handed  me  over.     I  mounted  be- 


330  AN   ESCAPE. 

hind  one  of  them,  and  was  taken  to  Marshal  Tesse"s 
camp  near  Lerida,  and  a  couple  of  days  afterwards 
sent  back  to  Saragossa. 

"  I  didn't  stop  long  in  the  prison  there,  for  the  next 
day  the  people  rose,  turned  the  French  from  the  citadel, 
and  opened  the  prison  doors  and  let  out  all  the  pri- 
soners. They  made  a  good  deal  of  me,  as  I  was  the 
only  Englishman  there,  supplied  me  with  money  and 
clean  clothes,  and  provided  me  with  a  guide  and  a  mule 
to  take  me  by  round-about  byroads  so  that  I  should 
avoid  the  French  army.  I  put  my  regimentals  in  a 
bag,  which  I  carried  behind  me,  and  at  last  got  down  to 
Barcelona  the  very  day  before  the  French  arrived  there. 

"  I  found  my  regiment  already  there.  I  got  a  rare 
blowing  up  from  the  colonel  for  having  gone  out  from 
Lerida  without  leave ;  but,  as  he  said  he  thought  I  had 
been  punished  enough  already,  and  bore  a  good  char- 
acter, he  overlooked  it,  of  which  I  was  glad  enough,  I 
can  tell  you,  for  I  expected  nothing  less  than  reduction 
to  the  ranks. 

"Well,  after  Lord  Peterborough  arrived  with  the 
fleet,  and  the  French  bolted  as  hard  as  they  could  to 
France,  Wyndham's  brigade  went  up  again  to  Lerida. 
I  got  chatting  the  affair  over  with  Jack  Thompson, 
who  was  General  Wyndham's  servant,  and  we  agreed 
between  us  that  we  would  give  those  monks  a  fright, 
and  perhaps  get  some  compensation  out  of  them.  So 
we  got  hold  of  four  of  Killigrew's  dragoons,  who,  when 
they  heard  what  was  wanted,  was  ready  enough  for 
the  spree.  So  one  day  when  General  Wyndham  had 
gone  off  with  a  party  for  the  day,  Thompson  borrowed 


A  VISIT  OF  REPRISAL.  331 

his  hat  and  plumes  and  his  cloak,  and  hiding  them  up, 
went  out  of  camp  with  me  to  a  place  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  away,  where  the  four  troopers  with  two  spare 
horses  were  waiting  for  us.  Thompson  put  on  the 
general's  hat  and  cloak,  and  mounted  one  horse,  while 
I  got  on  the  other,  and  away  we  rode  out  to  the  vil- 
lage. 

"  First  of  all  we  went  to  the  inn  and  seized  the  inn- 
keeper. Manola  wasn't  there,  and  I  never  heard  what 
became  of  her — whether  her  father  had  sent  her  to  a 
convent  or  killed  her,  I  don't  know.  However,  we  held 
a  court  regular.  Thompson  he  was  the  judge,  and  I 
gave  evidence  as  to  the  innkeeper  having  murdered 
poor  Adams,  and  Thompson  sentenced  him  to  death, 
and  we  hung  him  up  over  his  door.  When  we  had 
set  that  job  right  we  went  to  the  convent  and  rang  the 
bell.     They  opened  quick  enough  this  time. 

" '  Tell  the  prior,'  Thompson  said,  '  that  the  Earl  of 
Peterborough  is  here,  and  desires  to  see  him  instantly.' 

"  Mighty  frightened  the  monk  looked,  I  can  tell  you, 
as  he  went  off  to  give  the  message,  and  came  back  in  a 
minute,  asking  Thompson  to  follow  him.  We  all  dis- 
mounted. Two  of  the  troopers  stopped  to  look  after 
the  horses,  and  the  others  with  drawn  swords  followed 
Thompson  and  me.  We  were  shown  into  the  prior's 
room,  which  was  fit  for  a  prince.  The  prior  looked 
mighty  pale,  and  so  did  two  or  three  other  chaps  who 
were  with  him. 

"'Look  here,'  Thompson  said  in  an  angry  tone  of 
voice,  'I  am  the  Earl  of  Peterborough,  and  I  hear 
from  this  man,  Sergeant  Edwards,  of  the  king's  regi- 


332  SCARING   THE  MONKS. 

ment  of  grenadiers,  that  he  was  basely  and  treacher- 
ously made  a  prisoner  by  you ;  that  he  was  confined  in 
an  underground  cell  and  fed  with  bread  and  water  for 
a  week,  and  then  handed  over  to  the  French.  Now, 
sir,  I  give  you  an  hour  to  clear  out  with  all  your  gang 
from  this  convent,  which  I  intend  to  destroy.  You 
will  remain  in  the  court-yard  as  prisoners.  You  will 
then  be  tried  for  this  treacherous  act  against  one  of  the 
King  of  England's  guards,  and  all  found  to  have  had 
a  hand  in  the  proceeding  will  be  hung.' 

"  Well,  sir,  you  may  just  guess  the  fright  they  were 
in.  They  knew  that  the  earl  was  just  the  sort  of  man 
to  carry  his  threat  into  execution,  and  they  thought 
their  last  day  was  come.  You  never  saw  such  a  set  of 
cowardly  wretches  in  your  life.  I  am  blest  if  they 
didn't  go  down  on  their  knees  and  howl.  At  last 
Thompson  began  to  think  he  had  worked  them  up 
enough,  and  he  said  stern: 

" '  Well,  I  am  disposed  to  have  mercy,  and  if  in  half 
an  hour  you  pay  down  the  sum  of  five  thousand  pounds 
as  a  ransom  for  the  convent  and  your  wretched  lives  I 
will  be  merciful/ 

"  Then  there  was  a  fresh  howling.  They  swore  by 
all  the  saints  that  such  a  sum  as  five  thousand  pounds 
was  never  heard  of.  Thompson  gradually  dropped  his 
demands  to  three  thousand;  still  they  swore  they  hadn't 
got  it,  and  he  said  sternly  to  one  of  the  troopers: 

" '  Ride  back  and  fetch  up  the  regiment  which  is  a 
mile  outside  the  village.' 

"  Then  there  was  more  howling,  and  at  last  they 
offered  to  give  seven  hundred  pounds,  which  was  all 


A  RANSOM.  333 

the  money  which  they  had  in  the  treasury,  and  to  make 
it  up  in  precious  stones.  After  a  deal  of  haggling 
Thompson  consented,  and  I  believe  if  he  had  stood  out 
for  three  times  as  much  he  would  have  got  it,  for  the 
convent  was  rich  in  relics,  and  no  end  of  precious 
offerings  were  stored  away  in  their  chests.  However, 
he  didn't  wish  to  push  matters  too  far,  and  in  half  an 
hour  they  brought  the  money,  and  a  handful  of  dia- 
monds and  rubies,  and  things  they  had  picked  out  of 
their  settings  in  the  vases  and  crucifixes  and  vestments, 
and  what  not. 

"We  didn't  know  if  they  were  real  or  not;  but 
Thompson  told  them  he  should  give  them  to  a  jeweller 
to  value,  and  if  he  found  they  had  cheated  him  by 
giving  him  false  stones  he  would  come  back  and  hang 
the  lot  of  them.     So  off  we  rode  again. 

"  When  we  got  back  to  Lerida  we  took  two  or  three 
of  the  stones  to  a  jeweller  and  found  that  they  were 
all  right.  Then  we  divided  the  swag  into  three  parts 
as  we  had  agreed.  Thompson  took  one,  I  took  another, 
and  the  other  was  divided  among  the  four  troopers, 
who  were  not  running  such  a  risk  as  we  were.  I  never 
heard  anything  more  about  the  matter,  as  far  as  I 
was  concerned,  though  there  was  a  row.  The  prior  heard 
that  Peterborough  had  never  been  near  Lerida,  and 
came  over  and  saw  General  Wyndham. 

"  Killigrew's  dragoons  were  paraded,  but  the  prior 
couldn't  spot  any  of  them.  We  had  chosen  four  fair 
fellows,  and  they  had  all  darkened  themselves  a  bit 
before  they  went.  Luckily  the  prior  did  not  say  any- 
thing about  me.     I  expect  he  was  afraid  that  when 


334  DOUBTFUL  MORALITY. 

Wyndham  heard  how  I  had  been  treated  there  he  might 
have  inflicted  a  fresh  fine  on  the  convent;  however,  I 
was  not  there  at  the  time,  for  I  had  a  touch  of  fever  the 
day  after  the  affair,  and  made  myself  out  a  bit  worse 
than  I  was,  and  so  got  sent  down  to  Barcelona,  where 
I  buried  my  share  of  the  plunder  four  or  five  inches 
deep  in  a  corner  of  the  hospital  yard.  As  to  Thompson, 
there  wasn't  any  reason  why  suspicion  should  fall  upon 
him.  Soon  after  I  got  back  to  my  regiment  I  got  ill 
again  and  was  left  in  a  hospital  at  Cuenca,  and  had 
a  narrow  escape  of  it  this  morning." 

"  It  was  a  risky  business,"  Jack  said,  "  and  it  would 
have  gone  very  hard  with  you  and  Thompson  if  you  had 
been  found  out." 

"  So  it  would,  sir.  I  knew  that ;  but  you  see  it  was 
only  right  and  just  those  fellows  should  pay  for  their 
treatment  of  me.  If  I  had  laid  the  case  before  General 
Wyndham,  no  doubt  he  would  have  punished  them 
just  as  severe  as  I  did,  only  the  fine  would  have  gone 
into  the  army  treasury,  instead  of  going  to  the  right 
person." 

"  I  am  afraid,  Edwards,  that  you  have  not  got  rid  of 
those  loose  notions  of  morality  you  picked  up  among 
the  pirates,"  Jack  said  smiling. 

"  Perhaps  not,  Captain  Stilwell.  You  see  bad  habits 
stick  to  a  man ;  but  I  have  done  with  them  now.  When 
I  get  back  to  England  I  shall  buy  a  snug  public-house 
at  Dover,  and  with  that  and  my  pension  I  shall  be  in 
clover  for  the  rest  of  my  life." 

It  was  not  until  the  voyage  home  that  Jack,  after 
obtaining  a  promise  of  secrecy,  related  to  the  earl  the 


THE   EARL'S   VIEW   OF   THE   CASE.  335 

liberty  which  had  been  taken  with  his  name.  It  was 
just  a  freak  after  Peterborough's  heart,  and  he  was  im- 
mensely amused. 

"The  rascals!"  he  said,  "  they  deserved  hanging  every 
one  of  them;  but  the  story  is  a  capital  one,  and  I 
should  like  to  have  been  there  myself  to  have  seen  the 
fright  of  the  prior  and  his  assistants.  They  richly  de- 
served what  befell  them  and  more  for  betraying  sanc- 
tuary. If  it  had  been  a  scoundrel  who  had  cut  his 
wife's  throat,  and  stabbed  half  a  dozen  men,  they  would 
have  refused  to  give  him  up  to  the  civil  power,  and 
would  have  stood  on  the  rights  of  sanctuary  of  the 
church.  I  think  they  were  let  off  very  easily.  Let  me 
see,  is  not  that  the  same  fellow  that  I  exchanged  into 
the  grenadiers  at  Gibraltar  at  your  request,  for  his  con- 
duct in  that  business  of  the  mutiny  on  board  your 
ship?'" 

"  The  same  man,  sir.  He  has  led  a  queer  life.  He 
was  a  sailor  originally,  and  was  taken  by  pirates  and 
forced  to  join  them,  and  had  a  narrow  escape  of  being 
hung  when  the  vessel  he  sailed  in  was  captured  by  an 
English  cruiser;  but  his  life  was  spared,  and  he  was 
drafted  into  the  army;  and  he  is  a  willing  and  faithful 
soldier  of  the  queen,  and  really  a  worthy  fellow." 

"  He  is  evidently  an  arrant  old  scamp,  Stilwell.  Still, 
as  long  as  we  recruit  our  army  as  we  do,  we  cannot 
look  for  morality  as  well  as  bravery,  and  I  daresay  your 
fellow  is  no  worse  than  the  rest.  If  you  ever  run 
against  him  in  London  you  must  bring  him  to  me,  and 
I  will  hear  his  story  from  his  own  lips." 


CHAPTER   XVII. 


HOME. 


PON  the  arrival  of  the  Earl  of  Peterborough 
at  Valencia  he  was  received  with  the  pro- 
foundest  sympathy  and  respect  by  the 
people,  who  were  filled  with  indignation 
at  the  treatment  which  the  man  whose  daring  and 
genius  had  freed  Catalonia  and  Valencia  of  the  French 
had  received  at  the  hands  of  their  ungrateful  monarch. 
Finding  that  a  portion  of  the  fleet  had  been  ordered  to 
the  West  Indies,  the  earl  was  obliged  to  abandon  his 
project  of  capturing  Minorca  and  then  carrying  sub- 
stantial aid  to  the  Duke  of  Savoy.  He,  however, 
went  to  Genoa,  and  there  borrowed  a  hundred  thousand 
pounds,  which  he  brought  back  to  Valencia  and  sent 
to  the  king  for  the  use  of  the  army. 

The  cause  of  Charles  was  already  well-nigh  desperate. 
Castille  was  lost,  and  the  enemy  were  pressing  forward 
to  recover  Catalonia  and  Valencia.  Affairs  were  in 
the  utmost  state  of  confusion.  Peterborough's  rivals 
having  got  rid  of  him  now,  quarrelled  among  them- 
selves, or  their  only  bond  of  union  was  their  mutual 
hatred  of  the  earl. 


A   SEA  VOYAGE.  337 

The  king  himself,  while  he  pretended  to  flatter  him, 
wrote  letters  behind  his  back  to  England  bringing  all 
sorts  of  accusations  against  him,  and  succeeded  in  ob- 
taining an  order  for  his  return.  Before  leaving  he  im- 
plored  the  king  and  his  generals  to  avoid  a  battle,  which 
would  probably  be  disastrous,  and  to  content  themselves 
with  a  defensive  war  until  Eugene  of  Savoy  and  the 
Duke  of  Marlborough  broke  the  power  of  France  else- 
where. His  opinion  was  overruled,  and  the  result  was 
the  disastrous  battle  of  Almanza,  in  which  the  hopes  of 
Charles  of  Austria  of  obtaining  the  crown  of  Spain  were 
finally  crushed.  Peterborough  embarked  on  the  14th 
of  May  on  board  the  Resolution  man-of-war,  com- 
manded by  his  second  son  Henry. 

The  Resolution  was  accompanied  by  two  frigates, 
the  Enterprise  and  the  Milford  Haven.  The  King  of 
Spain's  envoy  to  the  court  of  Savoy  also  sailed  in  the 
Resolution.  The  earl  took  with  him  his  two  aides-de- 
camp, who  were  both  too  indignant  at  the  treatment 
which  their  chief  had  received  to  desire  to  remain 
with  the  army  in  Spain.  The  little  squadron  sailed 
first  for  Barcelona,  where  it  only  remained  a  few 
hours,  and  then  set  sail  for  Italy. 

On  the  fifth  day  at  sea  they  fell  in  with  a  French 
fleet  of  six  men-of-war.  Two  carried  eighty  guns,  two 
seventy,  one  sixty-eight,  and  the  other  fifty-eight.  The 
Resolution  was  a  slow  sailer,  and  the  French,  who  at 
once  gave  chase,  gained  rapidly  upon  her.  As  resistance 
against  such  overwhelming  odds  seemed  hopeless,  Peter- 
borough determined  to  go  with  the  Spanish  envoy  and 
the  state  papers  on  board  the  Enterprise.     There  was 

(  338 )  Y 


338  A   DESPERATE   POSITION. 

little  time  for  reflection.  A  small  boat  was  lowered, 
and  the  earl,  with  a  hasty  adieu  to  his  son,  Jack,  and 
Graham,  descended  the  ship's  side  with  the  Spanish 
envoy  and  rowed  away  to  the  Enterprise. 

"  We  are  fated  to  see  the  inside  of  a  French  prison 
after  all,"  Jack  said  to  Graham. 

"  I  don't  know,  Stilwell.  We  have  both  been  in  their 
hands  once,  and  did  not  stay  there  long.  I  can  hardly 
believe  that  our  luck's  going  to  desert  us  at  last." 

"  I  don't  see  much  chance  of  our  escape  this  time, 
Graham.  Six  ships  against  one  are  too  great  odds 
even  for  English  sailors.  The  smallest  of  them  carries 
as  many  guns  as  we  do,  and  once  a  prisoner  on  board 
a  ship  there  is  no  slipping  away." 

"  We  are  not  prisoners  yet,  Jack,  and  I  don't  think 
that  Mordaunt  will  strike  his  flag  without  a  struggle 
though  they  are  six  to  one.  He  is  just  his  father  over 
again  as  far  as  courage  goes." 

"Well,  I  hope,  anyhow,  the  earl  will  get  away," 
Jack  said.  "  If  it  hadn't  been  for  all  those  state  papers 
he  is  burdened  with  I  am  sure  he  would  have  stuck  to 
the  Resolution  and  fought  it  out.  It  would  be  just  the 
kind  of  desperate  adventure  to  suit  him.  See,  he  has 
reached  the  Enterprise,  and  she  and  the  Milford 
Haven  are  spreading  every  sail;  but  although  they 
will  leave  us  behind  I  question  whether  they  will  out- 
sail the  French.     They  are  coming  up  fast." 

"  It  will  soon  be  dark,"  Graham  said,  "and  they  may 
be  able  to  slip  away.  You  may  be  sure  the  French 
will  attend  to  us  first,  as  being  the  most  valuable 
prize." 


A   GALLANT   RESOLVE.  339 

"  Well,  gentlemen,"  Captain  Mordaunt  said,  coming 
up  to  them,  "  you  are  going  to  have  a  piece  of  new  ex- 
perience. I  know  you  have  been  through  some  appar- 
ently hopeless  conflicts  on  land  with  my  father,  but  I 
don't  think  you  have  ever  seen  a  sea-fight." 

"Are  you  going  to  fight  them  all,  sir?"  Jack  asked. 

"  I  am  going  to  try,"  the  captain  said.  "  My  orders 
were  to  go  to  Leghorn,  and  to  Leghorn  I  mean  to  go 
if  the  ship  floats;  but  I  tell  you  honestly  I  do  not 
think  there  is  much  chance  of  our  o-ettino*  there.  Still, 
as  long  as  the  ship  floats,  the  British  flag  will  float 
over  her." 

"Is  there  anything  we  can  do,  sir?"  Jack  asked. 
"  We  shall  be  happy  to  serve  as  volunteers  in  any  capa- 
city in  which  you  think  we  may  be  useful." 

"  Until  it  comes  to  boarding  I  fear  that  you  cannot 
help,"  the  captain  said,  "  except  by  walking  about  be- 
tween decks  and  cheering  and  inspiriting  the  men.  The 
presence  of  officers  looking  cool  and  confident  among 
them  always  does  good.  If  the  enemy  try  to  board  us 
you  shall  fight  by  my  side." 

The  two  fastest  sailing  French  vessels  were  so  close 
when  night  fell  that  it  was  hopeless  to  try  to  evade 
them  either  by  changing  the  ship's  course  or  by  lower- 
ing the  sails.  At  ten  o'clock  they  were  less  than  a  mile 
astern,  one  on  either  quarter.  The  ship  had  long  since 
been  ready  for  action,  and  the  men  were  now  called  to 
the  guns;  but  the  enemy  did  not  open  fire,  but  could, 
by  the  night-glasses,  be  seen  somewhat  to  shorten  sail 
so  as  to  keep  about  the  same  distance  behind  the  Reso- 
lution. 


340  LONG  ODDS. 

"  Cowardly  dogs,"  the  young  captain  said,  "  they  do 
not  mean  to  fight  until  the  whole  of  their  consorts 
come  up.  However,  we  ought  not  to  grumble,  as  every 
hour  takes  us  so  much  nearer  port." 

He  then  ordered  the  men  to  lie  down  by  the  guns 
and  get  what  sleep  they  could  until  the  enemy  opened 
fire.  Jack  and  Graham,  finding  that  there  was  nothing 
to  be  done,  threw  themselves  into  their  hammocks, 
and  slept  till  five  o'clock  in  the  morning.  They  were 
then  aroused,  and  went  on  deck.  The  six  French  ships 
had  now  all  come  up,  and  were  coming  on  in  a  body. 

"  Good  morning,  gentlemen,"  the  young  captain  said 
gaily.  "  We  have  a  fine  morning  for  our  amusement. 
I  wish  the  wind  would  freshen  a  little  more  so  as  to 
take  this  lubberly  old  ship  faster  through  the  water." 

At  six  o'clock  the  leading  vessel  of  the  French 
squadron  opened  fire,  and  at  the  signal  her  consorts  all 
followed  her  example.  Some  of  them  were  now  almost 
abreast  of  the  Resolution,  and  the  iron  shower  tore 
through  her  sails  and  cut  her  rigging.  She  answered 
with  a  broadside  from  both  sides,  and  the  battle  com- 
menced in  earnest. 

In  all  the  annals  of  British  seamanship  there  is  no 
more  heroic  story  than  that  of  the  fight  between  the 
Resolution  and  the  six  French  men-of-war.  From  six 
in  the  morning  until  half-past  three  in  the  afternoon 
she  maintained  the  unequal  contest,  still  keeping  on 
under  full  sail  towards  her  port,  only  yawing  occasion- 
ally to  pour  a  broadside  into  one  or  other  of  her  foes. 
They  were  now  running  along  the  coast,  and  the  pea- 
sants on  the  distant  hills  must  have  watched  with 


NO   SURRENDER.  341 

astonishment  the  unequal  fight  as  the  vessels  pressed 
on  past  them.  By  half-past  three  the  Resolution  was 
little  more  than  a  wreck.  Her  sails  were  riddled  with 
holes,  many  of  her  spars  shot  away,  her  sides  ragged 
and  torn,  and  many  of  her  crew  killed,  but  the  remain- 
der of  the  crew  still  fought  their  guns  unflinchingly. 

"  We  can  do  no  more,"  Captain  Mordaunt  said  to 
Jack.  "  The  carpenter  has  just  reported  that  the  main- 
mast is  so  seriously  injured  that  at  any  moment  it 
may  go  over  the  side.  It  is  impossible  to  hope  any 
longer  to  reach  Leghorn,  but  my  ship  I  am  determined 
they  shall  not  have." 

So  saying,  he  gave  orders  to  the  first  lieutenant,  and 
the  vessel's  head  was  suddenly  turned  straight  towards 
the  shore.  The  French,  astonished  at  so  desperate  a 
course,  did  not  venture  to  follow  her,  and  the  Resolu- 
tion threaded  her  way  through  the  dangerous  reefs 
till  at  last  she  brought  up  with  a  sudden  crash  which 
sent  her  tottering  main-mast  over  the  side. 

The  French  advanced  cautiously  until  nearing  the 
reefs,  and  then  opened  a  distant  fire,  which  the  Resolu- 
tion did  not  return.  The  captain  ordered  the  ex- 
hausted crew  from  their  guns,  a  strong  allowance  of 
grog  was  served  out,  and  after  a  meal  the  men  felt 
again  ready  for  work.  Jack  and  his  companion  were 
at  dinner  with  the  captain,  when  the  officer  in  charge 
of  the  deck  reported  that  the  French  ships  were  lower- 
ing their  boats. 

"  Let  the  men  rest  as  long  as  possible,  Mr.  Darwin, 
but  when  you  see  the  boats  fairly  on  their  way  towards 
us  beat  to  quarters."     A  few  minutes  later  the  roll  of 


342  THE  BOATS   BEATEN   OFF. 

the  drums  was  heard.  "  Now,  gentlemen,  we  will  go 
on  deck,"  the  captain  said,  "  since  they  will  not  let  us 
alone.  But  if  their  ships  could  not  take  us  I  do  not 
think  that  their  boats  will  have  much  chance." 

Dusk  was  closing  in  when  they  went  on  deck  and 
saw  all  the  boats  of  the  six  French  men-of-war,  crowded 
with  men,  rowing  in  a  line  towards  them.  The  captain 
gave  the  order  for  the  men  to  load  with  grape.  As 
soon  as  the  French  flotilla  came  well  within  range  the 
word  was  given,  and  a  storm  of  balls  swept  their 
line. 

Several  of  the  boats  were  sunk  at  once,  the  others 
paused  to  pick  up  their  comrades  from  the  water,  and 
then  again  dashed  forward;  but  by  this  time  the  guns 
were  again  loaded,  and  the  hail  of  iron  again  crashed 
into  them.  With  splendid  bravery  the  French  still  ad- 
vanced until  close  to  the  ship.  Then  Captain  Mordaunt 
ordered  all  the  lower  deck  guns  to  be  run  in  and  the 
ports  closed,  and  the  crew  to  come  on  deck.  While 
some  worked  the  upper  guns,  others  kept  up  a  heavy 
fire  of  musketry  upon  the  boats,  which  swarmed  round 
the  ship. 

Ao-ain  and  again  the  French  made  determined  efforts 
to  board,  but  they  were  unable  to  climb  the  lofty  sides 
of  the  ship.  At  length,  after  suffering  terrible  loss,  the 
French  sailors  gave  up  the  attempt  and  rowed  sullenly 
off  to  their  ships,  covered  by  the  darkness  from  the 
English  fire.  Captain  Mordaunt  took  off  his  cap  and 
gave  the  signal,  and  a  hearty  cheer  arose  from  the 
crew.  The  night  passed  quietly,  the  terribly  diminished 
crew  lay  down  as  they  stood  by  the  guns,  in  readiness 


LEAVING  THE   SHIP.  343 

to  repel  another  attack,  should  it  be  attempted.  The 
next  morning  one  of  the  French  80-gun  ships  got  under 
way,  and,  with  merely  a  rag  of  canvas  shown,  and  her 
boats  rowing  ahead  and  sounding  to  find  a  channel 
through  the  reefs,  gradually  made  her  way  towards 
the  Resolution. 

"Well,  gentlemen,"  the  captain  said,  "I  think  you 
will  agree  with  me  that  nothing  further  can  be  done. 
The  ship  is  already  half  full  of  water,  the  magazine  is 
flooded,  and  the  whole  of  the  powder  wetted.  The 
ship  is  a  wreck,  and  I  should  be  only  throwing  away 
the  men's  lives  uselessly  by  attempting  further  resis- 
tance." 

The  officers  thoroughly  agreed,  and  with  the  greatest 
coolness  the  captain  gave  his  orders  for  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  vessel.  Although  the  French  man-of-war 
had  now  opened  fire,  all  the  wounded,  the  whole  of  the 
crew,  the  flags,  papers,  and  everything  of  value  were 
placed  in  the  boats,  and  the  vessel  was  then  set  on  fire 
in  a  dozen  places. 

After  superintending  everything  personally,  and 
making  sure  that  the  fire  had  obtained  such  a  hold  that 
it  could  not  be  extinguished,  Captain  Mordaunt  ordered 
the  officers  to  descend  into  the  boats.  Just  as  he  was 
about  to  leave  the  deck  himself,  the  last  man  on  board 
the  ship,  a  cannon-shot  from  the  French  man-of-war 
struck  him  in  the  leg.  The  officers  ran  back  and 
raised  him  from  the  deck. 

"It  might  have  been  worse,"  he  said  cheerfully 
"  Now,  gentlemen,  will  you  carry  me  down  and  place 
me  in  my  gig,  and  then  take  your  boats  as  arranged. 


344  TRAVELLING   HOMEWARD. 

Be  careful,  as  you  row  towards  shore,  to  keep  the 
Resolution  between  you  and  the  Frenchman's  guns." 

Everything  was  done  steadily  and  in  order,  and 
the  survivors  of  the  crew  of  the  Resolution  reached 
the  shore  without  further  loss.  The  Resolution  was 
now  in  a  blaze  from  end  to  end,  and  by  eleven  o'clock 
she  was  burnt  to  the  water's  edge.  Mordaunt  and  his 
crew  were  kindly  received  by  the  people  of  the  country. 
As  the  captain  himself  would  not  be  able  to  move 
for  some  time,  Jack  and  Graham  said  adieu  to  him 
and  posted  to  Turin,  where  the  earl  had  told  them  that 
he  should  go  direct  from  Leghorn. 

They  arrived  before  him,  but  twenty-four  hours 
after  they  had  reached  the  capital  of  Savoy  the  earl 
arrived.  He  had  already  heard  rumours  of  the  des- 
perate fight  between  the  Resolution  and  the  enemy, 
and  that  his  son  had  been  wounded.  His  aides-de-camp 
were  now  able  to  assure  him  that,  although  serious, 
Captain  Mordaunt's  wounds  were  not  likely  to  be  fatal, 
and  Peterborough  was  delighted  with  the  narrative  of 
the  gallant  achievement  of  his  son.  Shortly  after- 
wards an  imperative  order  for  his  return  reaching  the 
earl,  he  set  out  for  England  through  Germany  with 
his  two  aides-de-camp.  Peterborough  was  suffering 
from  illness  caused  by  the  immense  exertions  he 
had  made  through  the  campaign,  and  travelled  but 
slowly.  He  visited  many  of  the  German  courts,  and 
went  for  a  few  days  to  the  camp  of  Charles  of  Sweden 
in  Saxony. 

After  this,  by  special  invitation,  he  journeyed  to  the 
camp  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough  at  Genappes,  where 


HOME.  345 

he  was  leceived  with  much  honour  by  the  great  com- 
mander.    He  presented  to  him  his  two  aides-de-camp. 

"  They  have,  my  lord  duke,"  he  said,  "  been  my  faith- 
ful friends  throughout  the  whole  campaign  in  Spain, 
they  have  shared  all  my  clangers,  and  any  credit  I  may 
have  gained  is  due  in  no  small  degree  to  their  zeal 
and  activity.  It  is  unlikely  that  I  shall  again  com- 
mand an  army  in  the  field,  and,  therefore,  I  would 
recommend  them  to  you.  They  will  accompany  me  to 
England,  for  they,  too,  need  a  rest,  after  their  exer- 
tions; after  that  I  trust  that  they  may  be  sent  out 
to  fight  under  your  orders,  and  I  trust  that  you  will 
keep  them  in  your  eye,  and  will  give  them  the  advan- 
tage of  your  protection  and  favour." 

The  duke  promised  to  do  so,  and,  after  a  few  days' 
stay  in  the  camp,  the  earl  with  his  two  followers  started 
for  England,  where  he  arrived  on  the  20th  of  August, 
1707,  nearly  two  years  to  a  day  from  the  date  when 
he  had  appeared,  with  a  force  under  his  command, 
before  Barcelona.  But  the  campaign  itself,  so  far  as 
he  was  concerned,  had  lasted  less  than  a  year,  as  it 
was  in  August,  1706,  that  he  rode  into  Valencia,  after 
having  been  deprived  of  his  command. 

In  that  year  he  exhibited  military  qualities  which 
have  never  been  surpassed.  Daring  to  the  point  of 
extreme  rashness,  where  there  was  a  possibility  of 
success,  he  was  prudent  and  cautious  in  the  extreme 
when  prudence  was  more  necessary  than  daring. 
With  absurdly  insufficient  means  he  all  but  con- 
quered Spain  for  Charles  of  Austria,  and  would  have 
succeeded  in  doing  so  altogether  had  he  not,  from 


346  Peterborough's  genius. 

first  to  last,  been  thwarted  and  hampered  by  jealousy, 
malignity,  stupidity,  and  irresolution  on  the  part  of 
the  king,  his  courtiers,  and  the  generals  who  should 
have  been  the  earl's  assistants,  but  who  were  his  rivals, 
detractors,  and  enemies. 

It  must  be  owned  that  Peterborough  owed  this 
opposition  in  some  degree  to  himself.  He  was  impa- 
tient of  fools,  and  took  no  pains  to  conceal  his  contempt 
and  dislike  for  those  whose  intellects  were  inferior  to 
his  own.  His  independence  of  spirit  and  eccentricity 
of  manner  set  the  formal  German  and  Spanish  advisers 
of  the  king  against  him,  and,  although  adored  by  the 
officers  and  men  who  served  under  him,  he  made  almost 
every  man  of  rank  approaching  his  own  who  came  in 
contact  with  him  his  personal  enemy.  Among  the  bulk  of 
the  Spanish  people  of  the  provinces  in  which  he  warred 
he  was  beloved  as  well  as  admired,  and  even  to  this 
day  legends  of  the  brilliant  and  indefatigable  English 
general  are  still  current  among  the  people  of  Catalonia 
and  Valencia.  No  man  ever  served  the  cause  to  which 
he  devoted  himself  with  greater  zeal  and  sincerity. 
He  was  lavish  of  his  own  private  means  in  its  interest, 
and,  even  when  his  advice  and  opinion  were  most 
slighted,  he  was  ready  to  sacrifice  himself,  his  rank,  and 
dignity,  to  the  good  of  the  cause.  Had  he  had  the  good 
fortune  to  command  an  army  of  his  own  countrymen, 
unfettered  by  others,  it  is  probable  that  he  would 
have  gained  a  renown  equal  to  that  of  the  greatest 
commanders  the  world  has  known. 

The  great  services  which  he  had  rendered  were 
warmly  felt  and  acknowledged  by  the  people  of  Eng- 


AFTER  DAYS.  347 

land  on  his  return,  and  the  attempts  of  his  enemies  to 
undermine  his  reputation  were  confuted  by  the  papers 
which  he  brought  back  with  him.  For  a  time  Peter- 
borough  took  a  considerable  part  in  politics,  and  his 
acrimony  in  debate  so  enraged  his  enemies  that  his 
conduct  during  the  war  in  Spain  was  called  into 
question.  A  debate  on  the  subject  took  place.  In  this 
he  successfully  defended  himself  from  the  attacks 
made  against  him,  and  a  formal  vote  of  thanks  to  him 
was  passed. 

Some  years  afterwards  he  retired  altogether  from 
public  life,  and  privately  married  Miss  Anastasia 
Robinson,  his  first  wife  having  died  many  years  before. 
Miss  Robinson  was  a  singer  of  the  highest  repute, 
of  the  most  amiable  character,  and  kindest  disposition. 
There  was  no  reason  why  the  match  should  not  have 
been  publicly  acknowledged,  as  the  lady  was  held  in 
universal  esteem;  but,  with  his  usual  eccentricity,  the 
earl  insisted  on  the  marriage  being  kept  a  secret,  and 
did  not  announce  it  until  on  his  death-bed  in  the  year 
1735.  Lady  Peterborough  lived  in  profound  retire- 
ment, universally  beloved  and  honoured,  to  the  age 
of  eighty- eight. 

Upon  arriving  in  London  Jack  stayed  for  a  few 
days  with  his  friend  Graham,  whose  family  lived 
there.  The  earl  had  told  the  young  officer  that  he 
would  introduce  them  to  the  queen,  but,  on  their  call- 
ing by  appointment  on  him  at  his  hotel  on  the  third 
day  after  their  arrival  in  town,  Peterborough  said: 

"You  had  best  go  about  your  own  business  for  a 
time;  the  queen  is  out  of  temper.     The  ears  of  min- 


348  jack's  reception. 

isters  have  been  poisoned  by  lying  letters  from  my 
enemies  in  Spain,  but  it  will  all  come  right  in  time. 
As  you  know,  I  have  papers  which  will  clear  me  of 
every  charge  that  their  malignity  may  invent.  When 
I  am  in  favour  again  I  will  let  you  know,  and  will 
present  you  to  the  queen  and  minister  of  war;  at  any- 
rate  you  will  like  a  rest  at  home  before  you  set  out 
for  the  Netherlands,  so  there  will  be  plenty  of  time." 

The  next  day  Jack  took  his  place  on  the  coach  for 
Southampton.  He  arrived  there  after  fourteen  hours' 
journey,  and  put  up  at  an  hotel  for  the  night.  The 
next  morning  he  dressed  himself  with  greater  care 
than  usual,  and  started  for  the  well-remembered  shop 
in  the  High  Street.  He  knocked  at  the  private  door, 
and  inquired  if  Mistress  Anthony  were  in. 

"  Will  you  say  that  a  gentleman  whom  she  knows 
wishes  to  speak  to  her." 

Jack  was  shown  into  the  parlour,  and  in  a  minute 
or  two  Mrs.  Anthony  appeared,  looking  a  little  flustered 
at  hearing  that  a  grand-looking  officer  wished  to  see 
her.     Jack  advanced  towards  her  with  a  smile. 

"Why,  Jack!"  she  exclaimed  with  a  scream  of 
delight,  "  is  it  you  ? "  and  the  good  woman  threw  her 
arms  round  his  neck  and  kissed  him  as  if  he  had  been 
her  own  son. 

"  Of  course  we  got  your  letters,"  she  said,  n  telling 
us  how  you  had  been  made  an  officer  and  then  a 
captain.  The  last  letter  we  had  from  you  was  from 
Italy,  telling  us  about  that  great  sea-fight,  and  that 
you  were  coming  home,  but  that's  eight  months  ago. 
We  knew  you  were  with  my  Lord  Peterborough,  and 


ALICE.  349 

we  saw  in  the  Intelligencer  about  his  being  in  Germany, 
and  last  week  they  said  he  had  come  home.  We  were 
talking  about  you  only  yesterday,  and  wondering 
whether  you  would  come  down  to  see  us,  and  whether 
you  would  know  us  now  you  had  grown  such  a  line 
o-entleman,  and  beino-  written  about  in  Lord  Peter- 
borough's  despatches,  and  accustomed  to  all  sorts  of 
grand  society." 

"You  knew  I  would,"  Jack  said;  "why,  where 
should  I  go  if  not  here?  And  Alice  is  quite  well,  I 
hope,  and  grown  quite  a  woman1?" 

"Not  quite  a  woman  yet,  Jack,  but  getting  on." 
She  opened  the  door  and  called  Alice,  and  in  a  minute 
the  girl  ran  down.  Her  mother  saw  that  she  had 
guessed  who  the  caller  was,  for  she  had  smoothed  her 
hair  and  put  on  a  bright  ribbon  which  her  mother  had 
not  seen  for  three  years,  and  which  Jack  himself  had 
given  her.  She  paused  a  moment  shyly  at  the  door, 
for  this  young  officer,  in  all  the  glories  of  the  staff 
uniform,  was  a  very  grand  figure  in  her  eyes. 

"How  do  you  do,  cousin  Jack?"  she  said  coming 
forward,  with  a  bright  colour  and  outstretched  hand. 

"How  are  you,  cousin  Alice?"  Jack  said,  mimicking 
her  tone;  "  why,  you  little  goose,"  he  exclaimed,  catch- 
ing her  in  his  arms  and  kissing  her,  "  you  don't  sup- 
pose I  am  going  to  be  satisfied  with  shaking  your  hand 
after  being  nearly  three  years  away." 

"  Oh,  but  you  are  so  big,  Jack,  and  so  grand,  it  seems 
different  altogether." 

"  You  are  bigger  than  you  were,  Alice,  but  it  does 
not  seem  in  the  least  different  to  me." 


350  JACK  IS   NOT  CHANGED. 

"  Well,  I  thought  you  would  be  quite  changed,  Jack, 
and  quite  different,  now  you  are  a  captain,  and  famous, 
and  all  that,  and  you  have  seen  so  many  grand  ladies 
in  all  the  countries  you  have  travelled  that — that — " 
and  she  hesitated. 

"  Well,  go  on,"  Jack  said  gravely. 

"Well,  then,  that  you  would  have  forgotten  all 
about  me." 

"  Then  you  are  a  very  bad  little  girl,  Alice,  and  not 
half  so  good  as  I  thought  you  were,  for  you  must  have 
a  very  bad  opinion  of  me,  indeed,  if  you  thought  all  that 
of  me." 

"I  don't  think  I  quite  thought  so,  Jack.  Well,  I 
told  myself  it  was  only  natural  it  should  be  so." 

"We  will  argue  that  out  presently,"  Jack  said;  "and 
now,  where  is  Mr.  Anthony?" 

"  I  will  call  him,  Jack,"  Mrs.  Anthony  said.  "  You 
have  no  ill-feeling,  I  hope,  towards  him,  for  you  know 
he  really  has  been  very  sorry  about  the  part  he  took 
in  getting  you  away,  and  has  blamed  himself  over  and 
over  ao;ain." 

"  I  never  have  had,"  Jack  said;  "it  has  been  the  best 
thing  that  ever  happened  to  me.  If  I  had  had  my 
own  way  I  should  still  be  working  before  the  mast  in- 
stead of  being  a  captain  in  the  army." 

Mr.  Anthony  was  soon  called  in  from  the  store.  At 
first  he  was  a  little  awkward  and  shy,  but  Jack's 
heartiness  soon  put  him  at  his  ease. 

Jack  stayed  a  fortnight  at  Southampton,  and  then, 
on  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  the  Earl  of  Peter- 
borough, went  up  to  town,  where  he  was  presented  to 


A   WEDDING.  351 

the  queen  and  afterwards  to  the  minister  of  war  by  the 
earl. 

A  week  later  he  and  Graham  sailed  for  the  Nether- 
lands and  joined  the  army  of  the  Duke  of  Marlborough, 
and  served  under  that  great  commander  until,  three 
years  later,  the  war  was  brought  to  a  conclusion.  They 
were  attached  to  the  staff  of  one  of  the  generals  of 
division. 

The  duke  kept  his  promise  to  the  Earl  of  Peter- 
borough, and  kept  his  eye  upon  the  young  officers. 
Both  distinguished  themselves  in  the  hard-fought 
battles  in  Belgium,  and  the  end  of  the  war  found  them 
both  colonels.  There  being  no  prospect  of  further  wars 
the  army  was  greatly  reduced,  and  Jack  was  retired 
on  half -pay,  and  as  soon  as  matters  were  arranged  in 
London  he  again  made  nis  way  down  to  Southampton, 
and  at  once  asked  Mr.  Anthony's  permission  to  pay  his 
addresses  to  his  daughter. 

The  ex-mayor  consented  with  delight,  and,  as  Alice 
herself  offered  no  objection,  matters  were  speedily  ar- 
ranged. Jack's  half-pay  was  sufficient  for  them  to  live 
on  comfortably,  and  Mr.  Anthony,  in  his  gratification 
at  a  marriage  which  he  considered  did  him  great  hon- 
our,  presented  her  with  a  handsome  sum  at  her  wed- 
ding, and  the  young  couple  settled  down  in  a  pretty 
house  a  short  distance  out  of  Southampton. 

Jack  was  never  called  out  again  for  active  service, 
and  lived  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Southampton  until 
the  end  of  his  long  life,  buying  a  small  estate  there, 
when,  at  the  death  of  Mr.  Anthony,  the  handsome 
fortune  which  the  cloth  merchant  had  made  came  to 


352  AN   M.R 

his  daughter,  subject  to  an  annuity  to  Mrs.  Anthony, 
who  took  up  her  abode  for  the  rest  of  her  life  with 
her  son-in-law,  her  daughter,  and  their  children. 

For  many  years  Colonel  Stilwell  sat  in  Parliament 
as  member  for  Southampton,  and  maintained  a  warm 
friendship  with  his  ancient  commander  until  the  death 
of  the  latter,  in  1735. 


THE   END. 


BLACKIE   &   SON'S 
BOOKS  FOE  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY   G.    A.    HENTY. 


BeriC  the  Briton:  A  Story  of  the  Roman  Invasion.  By 
G-.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  W.  Parkinson. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

This  story  deals  with  the  invasion  of  Britain  by  the  Roman  legionaries. 
Beric,  who  is  a  boy-chief  of  a  British  tribe,  takes  a  prominent  part  in  the 
insurrection  under  Boadicea:  and  after  the  defeat  of  that  heroic  queen  (in 
A.D.  62)  he  continues  the  struggle  in  the  fen-country.  Ultimately  Beric 
is  defeated  and  carried  captive  to  Rome,  where  he  is  trained  in  the  exercise 
of  arms  in  a  school  of  gladiators.  Such  is  the  skill  which  he  there  acquires 
that  he  succeeds  in  saving  a  Christian  maid  by  slaying  a  lion  in  the  arena, 
and  is  rewarded  by  being  made  librarian  in  the  palace,  and  the  personal 
protector  of  Nero.  Finally  he  escapes  from  this  irksome  service,  organizes 
a  band  of  outlaws  in  Calabria,  defies  the  power  of  Rome,  and  at  length 
returns  to  Britain,  where  he  becomes  a  wise  ruler  of  his  own  people. 

In  Greek  Waters:  A  Story  of  the  Grecian  War  of  Inde- 
pendence (1821-1827).  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illus- 
trations by  W.  S.  Stacey,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant, 
olivine  edges,  6s. 

A  large  part  of  this  story  deals  with  the  revolt  of  the  Greeks,  in  1821, 
against  Turkish  oppression.  Mr.  Beveridge  and  his  son  Horace,  like  most 
Englishmen  at  that  time,  are  stirred  with  enthusiasm  for  the  down-trodden 
nation.  So  they  fit  out  a  privateer,  load  it  with  military  stores,  and  set 
sail  for  Greece  to  assist  the  insurgents.  On  their  arrival,  however,  they 
find  that  the  leaders  of  the  insurrection  are  a  cowardly,  thieving,  blood- 
thirsty crew.  So  they  resolve  to  hold  aloof  from  politics,  and  give  all 
possible  assistance  to  the  victims  of  war,  both  Greeks  and  Turks.  They 
rescue  the  Christians  who  are  beleaguered  in  the  island  of  Cyprus,  assist 
the  Turkish  garrison  in  Athens,  relieve  the  captive  Greeks  who  are  being 
sent  to  the  slave  markets,  destroy  Turkish  shipping,  and  fight  the  Turkish 
war  vessels.  The  story  is  full  of  stirring  adventure,  and  will  delight  the 
boy  who  loves  the  sea,  and  the  hazards  of  seafaring. 


BLACK  IE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BY    G.    A.    HENTY. 

"  Mr.  Henty  is  one  of  the  best  of  story-tellers  for  young  people."— Spectator. 


Redskin  and  Cow-boy:  A  Tale  of  the  Western  Plains.   By 

G.  A.  Henty.     With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Alfred  Pearse. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"It  has  a  good  plot;  it  abounds  in  action;  the  scenes  are  equally  spirited  and 
realistic,  and  we  can  only  say  we  have  read  it  with  much  pleasure  from  first  to 
last.  The  pictures  of  life  on  a  cattle  ranche  are  most  graphically  painted,  as  are 
the  manners  of  the  reckless  but  jovial  cow-boys." — Times. 

The  Dash  for  Khartoum:  A  Tale  of  the  Nile  Expedition. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  J.  Schonberg  and 
J.  Nash,  and  4  Plans.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  The  Dash  for  Khartoum  is  your  ideal  boys'  book."— Tablet. 

"It  is  literally  true  that  the  narrative  never  flags  a  moment;  for  the  incidents 
which  fall  to  be  recorded  after  the  dash  for  Khartoum  has  been  made  and  failed 
are  quite  as  interesting  as  those  which  precede  it.  The  characters  of  all  the  per- 
sons are  remarkably  life-like."— Academy. 

By  England's  Aid:  The  Freeing  of  the  Netherlands  (1585- 
1604).  By  G-.  A.  Henty.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  Alfred 
Pearse,  and  4  Maps.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Boys  know  and  love  Mr.  Henty's  books  of  adventure,  and  will  welcome  hia 
tale  of  the  Freeing  of  the  Netherlands."— Athenceum. 

"The  story  is  told  with  great  animation,  and  the  historical  material  is  most 
effectively  combined  with  a  most  excellent  plot.  The  maps  and  woodcuts  are 
excellent  illustrations."— Saturday  Review. 

By  Right  Of  Conquest:  Or,  With  Cortez  in  Mexico.  By 
G-.  A.  Henty.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  W.  S.  Stacey,  and 
2  Maps.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Mr.  Henty's  skill  has  never  been  more  convincingly  displayed  than  in  this 
admirable  and  ingenious  story." — Saturday  Review. 

"By  Right  of  Conquest  is  the  nearest  approach  to  a  perfectly  successful  histori- 
cal tale  that  Mr.  Henty  has  yet  published."— A cademy. 

With   Lee    in    Virginia:    A  Story  of  the  American  Civil 

War.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  10  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon 

Browne,  and  6  Maps.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"The  story  is  a  capital  one  and  full  of  variety,  and  presents  us  with  many 
picturesque  scenes  of  Southern  life.  Young  Wingfield,  who  is  conscientious, 
spirited,  and  'hard  as  nails,'  would  have  been  a  man  after  the  very  heart  of 
Stonewall  Jackson." — Times. 

By  Pike  and  Dyke:  A  Tale  of  the  Eise  of  the  Dutch  Re- 
public. By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  Maynard 
Brown,  and  4  Maps.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"The  mission  of  Ned  to  deliver  letters  from  William  the  Silent  to  his  adherents 
at  Brussels,  the  fight  of  the  Good  Venture  with  the  Spanish  man-of-war,  the  battle 
on  the  ice  at  Amsterdam,  the  siege  of  Haarlem,  are  all  told  with  a  vividness  and 
skill,  which  are  worthy  of  Mr.  Henty  at  his  best."— Academy. 


BLACK  IE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY    G.    A.    HENTY. 

"Surely  Mr.  Henty  should  understand  boys'  tastes  better  than  any  man  living." 

— The  Times. 


With  Clive  in  India:  Or,  The  Beginnings  of  an  Empire. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Among  writers  of  stories  of  adventure  for  boys  Mr.  Henty  stands  in  the  very 
first  rank.  Those  who  know  something  about  India  will  be  the  most  ready  to 
thank  Mr.  Henty  for  giving  them  this  instructive  volume  to  place  in  the  hands 
of  their  children."— A cademy. 

The  Lion  Of  St.  Mark:  A  Tale  of  Venice  in  the  Fourteenth 
Century.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon 
Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  Every  boy  should  read  The  Lion  of  St.  Mark.  Mr.  Henty  has  never  produced 
any  story  more  delightful,  more  wholesome,  or  more  vivacious.  From  first  to 
last  it  will  be  read  with  keen  enjoyment." — The  Saturday  Bevieiv. 

Under  Drake's  Flag:  A  Tale  of  the  Spanish  Main.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  Illustrated  by  12  page  Pictures  by  Gordon  Browne. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6.s\ 

"There  is  not  a  dull  chapter,  nor,  indeed,  a  dull  page  in  the  book;  but  the 
author  has  so  carefully  worked  up  his  subject  that  the  exciting  deeds  of  his 
heroes  are  never  incongruous  or  absurd." — Observer. 

Bonnie  Prince  Charlie:  A  Tale  of  Fontenoy  and  Culloden. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Ronald,  the  hero,  is  very  like  the  hero  of  Quentin  Durward.  The  lad's 
journey  across  France  with  his  faithful  attendant  Malcolm,  and  his  hairbreadth 
escapes  from  the  machinations  of  his  father's  enemies,  make  up  as  good  a 
narrative  of  the  kind  as  we  have  ever  read.  For  freshness  of  treatment  and 
variety  of  incident,  Mr.  Henty  has  here  surpassed  himself." — Spectator. 

For  the  Temple:  A  Tale  of  the  Fall  of  Jerusalem.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  S.  J.  Solomon,  and 
a  Coloured  Map.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Mr.  Henty's  graphic  prose  pictures  of  the  hopeless  Jewish  resistance  to  Roman 
sway  adds  another  leaf  to  his  record  of  the  famous  wars  of  the  world.  The  book 
is  one  of  Mr.  Henty's  cleverest  efforts." — Graphic. 

True  tO  the  Old  Flag1:  A  Tale  of  the  American  War  of 
Independence.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by 
Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Does  justice  to  the  pluck  and  determination  of  the  British  soldiers.  The  son 
of  an  American  loyalist,  who  remains  true  to  our  flas:,  falls  anions  tbe  hostile  red- 
skins in  that  very  Huron  country  which  has  been  endeared  to  us  by  the  exploits 
of  Hawkeye  and  Chingachgook."— The  Times. 


BLACKIE  <fc  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY    G.   A.    HENTY. 

'*  Among  writers  of  stories  of  adventure  for  boys  Mr.  Henty  stands  in  the  very 
first  rank." — Academy. 

The  Lion  Of  the  North:  A  Tale  of  Gustavus  Adolphus  and 
the  Wars  of  Religion.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Pictures 
by  J.  Schonberg.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"A  praiseworthy  attempt  to  interest  British  youth  in  the  great  deeds  of  the 
Scotch  Brigade  in  the  wars  of  Gustavus  Adolphus.  Mackay,  Hepburn,  and  Munro 
live  again  in  Mr.  Henty's  pages,  as  those  deserve  to  live  whose  disciplined  bands 
formed  really  the  germ  of  the  modern  British  army." — Athenaeum. 

The   Young  Carthaginian:   a  story  of  the  Times  of 

Hannibal.    By  G.  A.  Henty.    With  12  page  Illustrations  by  C.  J. 
Staniland,  e.i.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  The  effect  of  an  interesting  story,  well  constructed  and  vividly  told,  is  en- 
hanced by  the  picturesque  quality  of  the  scenic  background.  From  first  to  last 
nothing  stays  the  interest  of  the  narrative.  It  bears  us  along  as  on  a  stream, 
whose  current  varies  in  direction,  but  never  loses  its  force."— Saturday  Review. 

With  Wolfe  in  Canada:  Or,  The  Winning  of  a  Continent. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"A  model  of  what  a  boys'  story-book  should  be.  Mr.  Henty  has  a  great  power 
of  infusing  into  the  dead  facts  of  history  new  life,  and  as  no  pains  are  spared  by 
him  to  ensure  accuracy  in  historic  details,  his  books  supply  useful  aids  to  study 
as  well  as  amusement."— School  Guardian. 

In  Freedom's  Cause:  A  Story  of  Wallace  and  Bruce.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Mr.  Henty  has  broken  new  ground  as  an  historical  novelist.  His  tale  of  the 
days  of  Wallace  and  Bruce  is  full  of  stirring  action,  and  will  commend  itself  to 
boys. " — A  thenceum.' 

Through  the  Fray:  A  Story  of  the  Luddite  Eiots.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  H.  M.  Paget.  Crown 
8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  Mr.  Henty  inspires  a  love  and  admiration  for  straightforwardness,  truth,  and 
courage.  This  is  one  of  the  best  of  the  many  good  books  Mr.  Henty  has  produced, 
and  deserves  to  be  classed  with  his  Facing  Death."— Standard. 

Captain  Bayley'S  Heir:  A  Tale  of  the  Gold  Fields  of  Cali- 
fornia. By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  H.  M. 
Paget.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"A  Westminster  boy  who  makes  his  way  in  the  world  by  hard  work,  good 
temper,  and  unfailing  courage.  The  descriptions  given  of  life  are  just  what  a 
healthy  intelligent  lad  should  delight  in."— St.  James's  Gazette. 


BLACKIE  <fc  SOU'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY    G.    A.    HENTY. 

Mr.  Henty  is  one  of  our  most  successful  writers  of  historical  tales.  —Scotsman. 


Condemned  as  a  Nihilist :  A  Story  of  Escape  from  Siberia. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8  page  Illustrations  by  Walter  Paget. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

Godfrey  Bullen,  the  hero  of  this  story,  is  an  English  boy  resident  in  St. 
Petersburg.  Through  two  student  friends  he  becomes  innocently  involved 
in  various  political  plots,  resulting  in  his  seizure  by  the  Russian  police, 
and  his  exile  to  Siberia.  He  is  conveyed  to  the  most  remote  part  of  that 
northern  wilderness,  and  placed  in  a  convict  settlement.  After  a  first  un- 
successful attempt  to  escape  he  gives  himself  up  to  the  Russian  authorities 
at  the  mines  of  Kara.  He  again  escapes;  walks  eight  hundred  miles  till 
he  reaches  the  Angara  river;  buys  a  canoe  from  the  fisher-folk;  sails  down 
the  Siberian  rivers  for  a  thousand  miles;  coasts  along  the  arctic  shores  of 
Russia,  and  at  last,  after  many  exciting  adventures  with  wolves,  bears,  and 
hostile  Samoyedes,  he  reaches  Norway,  and  thence  home,  after  a  perilous 
journey  which  lasts  nearly  two  years. 

Held  Fast  for  England:  A  Tale  of  the  Siege  of  Gibraltar. 

By  G-.  A.  Henty.    With  8  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"Among  them  we  would  place  first  in  interest  and  wholesome  educational 
value  the  story  of  the  siege  of  Gibraltar.  .  .  .  There  is  no  cessation  of  exciting 
incident  throughout  the  story."— Athenceum. 

One  Of  the  28th:  A  Tale  of  Waterloo.    By  G.  A.  Henty. 

With  8  page  Illustrations  by  W.  H.  Overend,  and  2  Maps.    Crown 

8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"  Written  with  Homeric  vigour  and  heroic  inspiration.  It  is  graphic,  pictur- 
esque, and  dramatically  effective  .  .  .  shows  us  Mr.  Henty  at  his  best  and 
brightest.  The  adventures  will  hold  a  boy  of  a  winter's  night  enthralled  as  he 
rushes  through  them  with  breathless  interest  'from  cover  to  cover. ' "— Observer. 

The    Cat   Of   Bubastes:    A  Story  of  Ancient  Egypt.      By 

G.  A.  Henty.     With  8  page  Hlustrations  by  J.  R.  Weguelin. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"The  story,  from  thj  critical  moment  of  the  killing  of  the  sacred  cat  to  the 
perilous  exodus  into  Asia  with  which  it  closes,  is  very  skilfully  constructed  and 
full  of  exciting  adventures.    It  is  admirably  illustrated."— Saturday  Review. 

MaOPi  and  Settler:  A  Story  of  the  New  Zealand  War.  By 
G.  A  Henty.  With  8  page  Illustrations  by  Alfred  Pearse,  and 
a  Map.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"It  is  a  book  which  all  young  people,  but  especially  boys,  will  read  with 
avidity." — Athenceum. 

"A  first-rate  book  for  boys,  brimful  of  adventure,  of  humorous  and  interesting 
conversation,  and  of  vivid  pictures  of  colonial  life."—  Schoolmaster. 


6  BLACKIE  <k  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE. 

BY    G.   A.    HENTY. 

"Mr.  Henty  is  the  king  of  story-tellers  for  boys. "— Sword  and  Trowel. 

St.  George  for  England:  A  Tale  of  Creasy  and  Poitiers. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Gokdon 
Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"  Mr.  Henty's  historical  novels  for  boys  bid  fair  to  supplement,  on  their  behalf, 
the  historical  labours  of  Sir  Walter  Scott  in  the  land  of  fiction." — Standard. 

"  A  story  of  very  great  interest  for  boys.  In  his  own  forcible  style  the  author 
has  endeavoured  to  show  that  determination  and  enthusiasm  can  accomplish  mar- 
vellous results;  and  that  courage  is  generally  accompanied  by  magnanimity  and 
gentleness." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

The   Bravest  Of  the   Brave:    With  Peterborough  in  Spain. 

By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  8  full-page  Pictures  by  H.  M.  Paget. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"Mr.  Henty  never  loses  sight  of  the  moral  purpose  of  his  work — to  enforce  the 
doctrine  of  courage  and  truth,  mercy  and  lovingkindness,  as  indispensable  to  the 
making  of  an  English  gentleman.  British  lads  will  read  The  Bravest  of  the 
Brave  with  pleasure  and  profit;  of  that  we  are  quite  sure."— Daily  Telegraph. 

For  Name  and  Fame:  Or,  Through  Afghan  Passes.  By 
G.  A.  Henty.  With  8  full-page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"The  best  feature  of  the  book,  apart  from  its  scenes  of  adventure,  is  its  honest 
effort  to  do  justice  to  the  patriotism  of  the  Afghan  people." — Daily  News. 

"Not  only  a  rousing  story,  replete  with  all  the  varied  forms  of  excitement  of  a 
campaign,  but,  what  is  still  more  useful,  an  account  of  a  territory  and  its  inhabi- 
tants which  must  for  a  long  time  possess  a  supreme  interest  for  Englishmen,  as 
being  the  key  to  our  Indian  Empire." — Glasgoiv  Herald. 

In  the  Reign  Of  Terror:   The  Adventures  of  a  Westminster 

Boy.      By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  8  full -page  Illustrations  by  J. 

Sohonberg.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"Harry  Sandwith,  the  Westminster  boy,  may  fairly  be  said  to  beat  Mr.  Henty's 
record.  His  adventures  will  delight  boys  by  the  audacity  and  peril  they  depict. 
The  story  is  one  of  Mr.  Henty's  best."— Saturday  Review. 

Orange  and  Green:  A  Tale  of  the  Boyne  and  Limerick. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8  full -page  Illustrations  by  Gordon 
Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"An  extremely  spirited  story,  based  on  the  struggle  in  Ireland,  rendered 
memorable  by  the  defence  of  'Deny  and  the  siege  of  Limerick." — Sat  Revieiu. 

"The  narrative  is  free  from  the  vice  of  prejudice,  and  ripples  with  life  as 
vivacious  as  if  what  is  being  described  were  really  passing  before  the  eye.  .  .  . 
Should  be  in  the  hands  of  every  young  student  of  Irish  history."— Belfast  News. 

By  Sheer  Pluck:  A  Tale  of  the  Ashanti  War.  By  G.  A. 
Henty.  With  8  full-page  Pictures  by  Gordon  Browne.  Crown 
8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"By  Sheer  Pluck  will  be  eagerly  read.  The  author's  personal  knowledge  of  the 
west  coast  has  been  turned  to  good  advantage." — Athenaeum. 

"Morally,  the  book  is  everything  that  could  be  desired,  setting  before  the  boys 
a  bright  and  bracing  ideal  of  the  English  gentleman."— Christian  Leader. 


BLACKIE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOU  NO  PEOPLE. 


BY    G.    A.    HENTY. 

"Mr.  Henty  is  the  king  of  story-tellers  for  boys. "—Sword  and  Trowel. 


The  Dragon  and  the  Raven:  Or,  The  Days  of  King 

Alfred.     By  G.  A.  Henty.     With  8  page  Illustrations  by  C.  J. 
St  anil  and,  K.I.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"A  story  that  may  justly  be  styled  remarkable.  Boys,  in  reading  it,  will  be 
surprised  to  find  how  Alfred  persevered,  through  years  of  bloodshed  and  times 
of  peace,  to  rescue  his  people  from  the  thraldom  of  the  Danes.  We  hope  the 
book  will  soon  be  widely  known  in  all  our  schools." — Schoolmaster. 

A  Final  Reckoning":  A  Tale  of  Bush  Life  in  Australia. 
By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8  page  Illustrations  by  W.  B.  Wollen. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"  All  boys  will  read  this  story  with  eager  and  unflagging  interest.  The  episodes 
are  iu  Mr.  Henty's  very  best  vein— graphic,  exciting,  realistic;  and,  as  in  all  Mr. 
Henty's  books,  the  tendency  is  to  the  formation  of  an  honourable,  manly,  and 
even  heroic  character."— Birmingham  Post. 

Facing"  Death:  Or,  The  Hero  of  the  Vaughan  Pit.  A  Tale  of 
the  Coal  Mines.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  8  page  Pictures  by 
Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"If  any  father,  godfather,  clergyman,  or  schoolmaster  is  on  the  look-out  for  a 
good  book  to  give  as  a  present  to  a  boy  who  is  worth  his  salt,  this  is  the  book  we 
would  recommend." — Standard. 

A  Chapter  Of  Adventures:  Or,  Through  the  Bombard- 
ment of  Alexandria.  By  G.  A.  Henty.  With  6  page  Illustrations 
by  W.  H.  Overend.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"The'experience  of  Jack  Robson  and  his  two  companions  in  the  streets  of 
Alexandria  when  Arabi's  rioters  filled  the  city  is  capitally  told.  They  have  their 
fill  of  excitement,  and  their  chapter  of  adventures  is  so  brisk  and  entertaining  we 
could  have  wished  it  longer  than  it  is." — Saturday  Review. 


Grettir  the  Outlaw:  A  Story  of  Iceland.  By  S.  Baring- 
Gould.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  M.  Zeno  Diemer,  and  a 
Coloured  Map.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  Is  the  boys'  book  of  its  year.  That  is,  of  course,  as  much  as  to  say  that  it 
will  do  for  men  grown  as  well  as  juniors.  It  is  told  in  simple,  straightforward 
English,  as  all  stories  should  be,  and  it  has  a  freshness,  a  freedom,  a  sense  of  sun 
and  wind  and  the  open  air,  which  make  it  irresistible."— National  Observer. 


TWO  Thousand  Years  AgO:  Or,  The  Adventures  of  a  Bornan 
Boy.  By  Professor  A.  J.  Church.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by 
Adrien  Marie.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"Adventures  well  worth  the  telling.  The  book  is  extremely  entertaining  as 
well  as  useful,  and  there  is  a  wonderful  freshness  in  the  Roman  scenes  and 
characters.  "—The  Times. 


BLACKIE  <fc  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY   GEORGE    MAC  DONALD. 


A  Rough  Shaking".  By  George  Mac  Donald.  With 
12  page  Illustrations  by  W.  Parkinson.  Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant, 
olivine  edges,  6s. 

"One  of  Air.  Mac  Donald's  wonderful  and  charming  stories." — Athenaeum. 

"One  of  the  very  best  books  for  boys  that  has  been  written.  It  is  full  of  mate- 
rial peculiarly  well  adapted  for  the  young,  containing  in  a  marked  degree,  the 
elements  of  all  that  is  necessary  to  make  up  a  perfect  boys'  book." — Teachers'  Aid. 

At  the  Back  Of  the  North  Wind.  By  George  Mac 
Donald.  With  75  Illustrations  by  Arthur  Hughes.  Crown 
8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"In  At  the  Back  of  the  North  Wind  we  stand  with  one  foot  in  fairyland  and 
one  on  common  earth.  The  story  is  thoroughly  original,  full  of  fancy  and  pathos, 
and  underlaid  with  earnest  but  not  too  obtrusive  teaching."— The  Times. 

Ranald  Bannerman's  Boyhood.  By  George  Mac  Donald. 

With  36  Illustrations  by  Arthur  Hughes.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  ele- 
gant, olivine  edges,  5s. 

"The  sympathy  with  boy-nature  in  Ranald  Bannerman's  Boyhood  is  perfect. 
It  is  a  beautiful  picture  of  childhood,  teaching  by  its  impressions  and  suggestions 
all  noble  things." — British  Quarterly  Review. 

The  Princess  and  the  Goblin.    By  George  MacDonald. 

With  32  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6d. 

"Little  of  what  is  written  for  children  has  the  lightness  of  touch  and  play  of 
fancy  which  are  characteristic  of  George  Mac  Donald's  fairy  tales.  Mr.  Arthur 
Hughes's  illustrations  are  all  that  illustrations  should  be."— Manchester  Guardian. 

The  Princess  and  Curdie.  By  George  Mac  Donald. 
With  8  page  Illustrations     Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  Qd. 

"  There  is  the  finest  and  rarest  genius  in  this  brilliant  story.  Upgrown  people 
would  do  wisely  occasionally  to  lay  aside  their  newspapers  and  magazines  to 
spend  an  hour  with  Curdie  and  the  Princess. "— Sheffield  Independent. 


BY   SARAH    DOUDNEY. 


Under  False  Colours.     By  Sarah  Doudney.    With  12 

page  Illustrations  by  G.  G.  Kilburne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant, 
olivine  edges,  6s. 

"This  is  a  charming  story,  abounding  in  delicate  touches  of  sentiment  and 
pathos.  Its  plot  is  skilfully  contrived.  It  will  be  read  with  a  warm  interest  by 
every  girl  who  takes  it  up."— Scotsman. 

"Sarah  Doudney  has  no  superior  as  a  writer  of  high-toned  stories— pure  in 
style,  original  in  conception,  and  with  skilfully  wrought-out  plots ;  but  we  have 
seen  nothing  from  her  pen  equal  in  dramatic  energy  to  this  book."— Christian 
Leader. 


BLACK1E  <fc  SOy'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOVSG  PEOPLE. 


NEW    EDITION    OF    THE    UNIVERSE. 


The  Universe :  Or  The  Infinitely  Great  and  the  Infinitely  Little. 
A  Sketch  of  Contrasts  in  Creation,  and  Marvels  revealed  and 
explained  by  Natural  Science.  By  F.  A.  Pouchet,  m.d.  With 
272  Engravings  on  wood,  of  which  55  are  full-page  size,  and  a 
Coloured  Frontispiece.  Tenth  Edition,  medium  8vo,  cloth  elegant, 
gilt  edges,  7s.  6d. ;  also  morocco  antique,  16s. 

"  We  can  honestly  commend  Professor  Pouchet's  book,  which  is  admirably,  as 
it  is  copiously  illustrated." — The  Times. 

"Scarcely  any  book  in  French  or  in  English  is  so  likely  to  stimulate  in  the 
young  an  interest  in  the  physical  phenomena."— Fortnightly  Review. 


BY    ROBERT   LEIGHTON. 


The  Thirsty  Sword:  A  Story  of  the  Norae  Invasion  of 
Scotland  (1262-63).  By  Robert  Leighton.  With  8  page  Illus- 
trations by  Alfred  Fearse,  and  a  Map.  Crown  8vo,  cloth  ele- 
gant, olivine  edges,  5s. 

In  this  story  of  The  Thirsty  Sword,  and  the  vengeance  which  it  accom- 
plishes, there  is  found  much  of  the  simple  directness  and  tragic  strength 
of  the  old  Scandinavian  Sagas.  It  is  laid  in  that  period  of  Scottish  history 
which  ended  with  the  famous  battle  of  Largs;  and  it  tells  how  Roderic 
MacAlpin,  the  sea-rover,  came  to  the  Isle  of  Bute;  how  he  slew  his  brother 
Earl  Hamish  in  Rothesay  Castle;  how  Alpin,  the  earl's  eldest  son,  challenged 
his  uncle  to  ordeal  by  battle,  and  was  likewise  slain;  how  young  Kenric 
now  became  king  of  Bute,  and  vowed  vengeance  against  the  slayer  of  his 
brother  and  father;  and  finally,  it  tells  how  this  vow  was  kept  when  Kenric 
and  the  murderous  sea-rover  met  at  midnight  on  Garroch  Head,  and  ended 
their  feud  in  one  last  great  fight. 

The  Pilots  Of  Pomona:  A  Story  of  the  Orkney  Islands. 
By  Robert  Leighton.  With  8  page  Illustrations  by  John  Leigh- 
ton,  and  a  Map.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"A  story  which  is  quite  as  good  in  its  way  as  Treasure  Island,  and  is  full  of 
adventure  of  a  stirring  yet  most  natural  kind.  Although  it  is  primarily  a  boys' 
book,  it  is  a  real  godsend  to  the  elderly  reader  who  likes  something  fresh — some- 
thing touched  with  the  romance  and  magic  of  youth." — Glasgoiv  Evening  Times. 

"His  pictures  of  Orcadian  life  and  nature  are  charming." — Saturday  Review. 


Robinson  Crusoe.     By  Daniel  Defoe.    Illustrated  by  100 

Pictures  by  Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  6s. 

"One  of  the  best  issues,  if  not  absolutely  the  best,  of  Defoe's  work  which  has 
ever  appeared."— The  Standard. 


Gulliver's  Travels.     Illustrated  by  more  than  100  Pictures 

by  Gordon  Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"  Mr.  Gordon  Browne  is,  to  my  thinking,  incomparably  the  most  artistic, 
spirited,  and  brilliant  of  our  illustrators  of  books  for  boys,  and  one  of  the  most 
humorous  also,  as  his  illustrations  of  'Gulliver'  amply  testify."—  Truth. 


10  BLACKIE  <k  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY   GEORGE    MANVILLE    FENN. 

"  Mr.  Fenn  stands  in  the  foremost  rank  of  writers  in  this  department.  "—Daily 

News. 

Quicksilver:  Or,  A  Boy  with  no  Skid  to  his  Wheel.  By 
George  Manville  Fenn.  With  10  page  Illustrations  by  Frank 
Dadd.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  Quicksilver  is  little  short  of  an  inspiration.  In  it  that  prince  of  story-writers 
for  boys— George  Manville  Fenn— has  surpassed  himself.  It  is  an  ideal  book  for 
a  boy's  library." — Practical  Teacher. 

"The  story  is  capitally  told,  it  abounds  in  graphic  and  well-described  scenes, 
and  it  has  an  excellent  and  manly  tone  throughout."— The  Guardian. 

Dick  0'  the  Fens:  A  Bomance  of  the  Great  East  Swamp.  By 
G.  Manville  Fenn.  With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Frank  Dadd. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"We  conscientiously  believe  that  boys  will  find  it  capital  reading.  It  is  full 
of  incident  and  mystery,  and  the  mystery  is  kept  up  to  the  last  moment.  It  is 
rich  in  effective  local  colouring;  and  it  has  a  historical  interest."— Times. 

"Deserves  to  be  heartily  and  unreservedly  praised  as  regards  plot,  incidents, 
and  spirit.     It  is  its  author's  masterpiece  as  yet."— Spectator. 

Devon  Boys:  A  Tale  of  the  North  Shore.     By  G.  Manville 

Fenn.     With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.     Crown 

8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"An  admirable  story,  as  remarkable  for  the  individuality  of  its  young  heroes 
as  for  the  excellent  descriptions  of  coast  scenery  and  life  in  North  Devon.  It  is 
one  of  the  best  books  we  have  seen  this  season."— A thenceum. 

The  Golden  Magnet :  A  Tale  of  the  Land  of  the  Incas.    By 

G.  Manville  Fenn.     Illustrated  by  12  page  Pictures  by  Gordon 

Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"There  could  be  no  more  welcome  present  for  a  boy.  There  is  not  a  dull  page 
in  the  book,  and  many  will  be  read  with  breathless  interest.  'The  Golden  Mag- 
net' is,  of  course,  the  same  one  that  attracted  Raleigh  and  the  heroes  of  West- 
ivard  Ho  .'"—Journal  of  Education. 

In  the  King's  Name:  Or,  The  Cruise  of  the  Kestrel.  By 
G.  Manville  Fenn.  Illustrated  by  12  page  Pictures  by  Gordon 
Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  A  capital  boys'  story,  full  of  incident  and  adventure,  and  told  in  the  lively 
style  in  which  Mr.  Fenn  is  such  an  adept."— Globe. 

"  The  best  of  all  Mr.  Fenn's  productions  in  this  field.  It  has  the  great  quality 
of  always  '  moving  on,'  adventure  following  adventure  in  constant  succession." — 
Daily  News. 

Bunyip  Land:  The  Story  of  a  Wild  Journey  in  New  Guinea. 

By  G.  Manville  Fenn.     With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon 

Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"  Mr.  Fenn  deserves  the  thanks  of  everybody  for  Bunyip  Land,  and  we  may  ven- 
ture to  promise  that  a  quiet  week  maybe  reckoned  on  whilst  the  youngsters  have 
such  fascinating  literature  provided  for  their  evenings'  amusement." — Spectator. 


BLACK1E  d-   SOX'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE.  11 


BY    GEORGE    MANVILLE    FENN. 

"  No  one  can  find  his  way  to  the  hearts  of  lads  more  readily  than  Mr.  Fenn."— 
Nottingham  Guardian. 

YuSSUf  the   Guide:   Being  the  Strange  Story  of  Travels  in 

Asia  Minor.     By  G.  Manville  Fenn     With  8  page  Illustrations 

by  J.  Schonberg.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"The  narrative  will  take  its  readers  into  scenes  that  will  have  great  novelty 
and  attraction  for  them,  and  the  experiences  with  the  brigands  will  be  especially 
delightful  to  boys." — Scotsman. 

MenhardOG:    A  Story  of  Cornish  Nets  and  Mines.      By  G. 

Manville  Fenn.     With  8  page  Illustrations  by  C.  J.  Staniland. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"They  are  real  living  boys,  with  their  virtues  and  faults.  The  Cornish  fisher- 
men are  drawn  from  life,  they  are  racy  of  the  soil,  salt  with  the  sea-water,  and 
they  stand  out  from  the  pages  in  their  jerseys  and  sea-boots  all  sprinkled  with 
silvery  pilchard  scales." — Spectator. 

Nat   the    Naturalist:    A  Boy's  Adventures   in  the  Eastern 

Seas.    By  G.  Manville  Fenn.    With  8  page  Pictures.    Crown  8vo, 

cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"This  sort  of  book  encourages  independence  of  character,  develops  resource, 
and  teaches  a  boy  to  keep  his  eyes  open." — Saturday  Review. 

BrOWnsmith's  Boy:  A  Eomance  in  a  Garden.  By  G.  Man- 
ville Fenn.  With  6  page  Illustrations.  New  Edition.  Crown 
8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"Mr.  Fenn's  books  are  among  the  best,  if  not  altogether  the  best,  of  the  stories 
for  boys.     Mr.  Fenn  is  at  his  best  in  Brownsmith's  Boy."— Pictorial  World. 

BY    DR.    GORDON    STABLES. 


'Twixt  School  and  College :  A  Tale  of  Self-reliance.    By 

Gordon  Stables,  cm.,  m.d.,  r.n.      "With  8  page  Illustrations  by 

W.  Parkinson.      Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"One  of  the  best  of  a  prolific  writer's  books  for  boys,  being  full  of  practical 
instructions  as  to  keeping  pets,  from  white  mice  upwards,  and  inculcates  in  a  way 
which  a  little  recalls  Miss  Edge  worth's  'Frank'  the  virtue  of  self-reliance, 
though  the  local  colouring  of  the  home  of  the  Aberdeenshire  boy  is  a  good  deal 
more  picturesque."— Athenceum. 


The  Seven  Wise  Scholars.    By  Ascott  e.  Hope.    With 

nearly  100  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne.     Cloth  elegant,  5s. 

"As  full  of  fun  as  a  volume  of  Punch;  with  illustrations,  more  laughter- 
provoking  than  most  we  have  seen  since  Leech  died." — Sheffield  Independent. 

StOPieS    Of   Old   Renown:    Tales  of   Knights  and  Heroes. 

By  Ascott  R  Hope.    With  100  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"  A  really  fascinating  book  worthy  of  its  telling  title.  There  is,  we  venture  to 
say,  not  a  dull  page  in  the  book,  not  a  story  which  will  not  bear  a  second  read- 
ing."— Guardian. 


12  BLACKIE  d:  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG   PEOPLE. 


BY  ANNE    BEALE. 

The  Heiress  of  Courtleroy.    By  Anne  Beale.    With  8 

page  Illustrations  by  T.  C.  H.  Castle.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant, 
olivine  edges,  5s. 

Mimica,  the  heroine  of  this  story,  comes  to  England  as  an  orphan,  and 
is  coldly  received  by  her  uncle,  who  makes  her  feel  that  she  is  a  pensioner 
on  his  bounty.  The  girl  has  a  brave  nature,  however,  and  she  deals  with 
his  indifference  to  herself  and  his  selfish  treatment  of  his  tenants  at  Court- 
leroy in  a  spirit  of  practical  kindness.  It  is  a  difficult  task  which  the  girl 
has  set  herself,  but  at  last  she  succeeds  in  saving  the  estate  from  ruin  and 
reclaiming  her  uncle  from  the  misanthropical  disregard  of  his  duties  as  a 
landlord. 


BY    ROSA    MULHOLLAND. 


Giannetta:  A  Girl's  Story  of  Herself.    By  Eosa  Mulholland. 

With  8  page  Illustrations  by  Lockhart  Bogle.     Crown  8vo,  cloth 

elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"Giannetta  is  a  true  heroine— warm-hearted,  self-sacrificing,  and,  as  all  good 
women  nowadays  are,  largely  touched  with  the  enthusiasm  of  humanity.  One 
of  the  most  attractive  gift-books  of  the  season."— The  Academy. 


BY   HARRY   COLLINGWOOD. 


The    Pirate    Island:    A  Story  of  the   South  Pacific.      By 

Harry  Collinqwood.     With  8  page  Pictures  by  C.  J.  Staniland 

and  J.  P.  Wells.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"  A  capital  story  of  the  sea ;  indeed  in  our  opinion  the  author  is  superior  in  some 
respects  as  a  marine  novelist  to  the  better  known  Mr.  Clark  Russell."—  The  Times. 

The  Log  Of  the  "  Flying"  Fish:"  A  Story  of  Aerial  and 

Submarine  Peril  and  Adventure.    By  Harry  Collingwood.    With 

12  page  Illustrations  by  Gordon   Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth 

elegant,  olivine  edges,  6s. 

"The  Flying  Fish  actually  surpasses  all  Jules  Verne's  creations;  with  incred- 
ible speed  she  flies  through  the  air,  skims  over  the  surface  of  the  water,  and  darts 
along  the  ocean  bed.  We  strongly  recommend  our  school-boy  friends  to  possess 
themselves  of  her  log."— Athenaeum. 

The  Congo  Rovers:   A  Story  of  the  Slave  Squadron.     By 

Harry  Collingwood.    With  8  page  Illustrations  by  J.  Schonberg. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"No  better  sea  story  has  lately  been  written  than  the  Congo  Rovers.  It  is  as 
original  as  any  boy  could  desire." — Morning  Post. 


BLACK1E  cfc  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  TOUNO  PEOPLE.  13 


BY  G.  NORWAY. 


HllSSein  the  Hostage :   Or,  A  Boy's  Adventures  in  Persia. 

By  G.  Norway.     With  8  page  Illustrations  by  John  Schonberg. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 
"  Htissein  the  Hostage  is  full  of  originality  and  vigour.     The  characters  are  life- 
like, there  is  plenty  of  stirring  incident,  the  interest  is  sustained  throughout,  and 
every  boy  will  enjoy  following  the  fortunes  of  the  hero."— Journal  of  Education. 

The  Loss  of  John  Humble:  What  Led  to  it,  and  what 

Came  of  It.     By  G.  Norway.     With  8  page  Illustrations  by  John 

Schonberg.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"  This  story  will  place  the  author  at  once  in  the  front  rank.  It  is  full  of  life 
and  adventure.  He  is  equally  at  home  in  his  descriptions  of  life  in  Sweden  and 
in  the  more  stirring  passages  of  wreck  and  disaster,  and  the  interest  of  the  story 
is  sustained  without  a  break  from  first  to  last."— Standard. 


BY    F.    FRANKFORT   MOORE. 


Highways  and  High  Seas:  Cyril  Harley's  Adventures  on 

both.     By  F.  Frankfort  Moore.     With  8  page  Illustrations  by 

Alfred  Pearse.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5s. 

"This  is  one  of  the  best  stories  Mr.  Moore  has  written,  perhaps  the  very  best. 
The  exciting  adventures  among  highwaymen  and  privateers  are  sure  to  attract 
boys." — Spectator. 

Under  Hatches :  Or,  Ned  Woodthorpe's  Adventures.     By  F. 

Frankfort  Moore.     "With  8  page  Illustrations  by  A.  Forestier. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  5«. 

"  The  story  as  a  story  is  one  that  will  just  suit  boys  all  the  world  over.  The 
characters  are  well  drawn  and  consistent;  Patsy,  the  Irish  steward,  will  be  found 
especially  amusing." — Schoolmaster. 


BY   ALICE    CORKRAN. 


Meg'S  Friend.     By  Alice  Corkran.     With  6  page  Illustra- 
tions by  Robert  Fowler.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  Qd. 

"One  of  Miss  Corkran's  charming  books  for  girls,  narrated  in  that  simple 
and  picturesque  style  which  marks  the  authoress  as  one  of  the  first  amongst 
writers  for  young  people." — The  Spectator. 

Margery  Merton'S  Girlhood.     By  Alice  Corkran.    With 

6  page  Pictures  by  Gordon  Browne.     Cr.  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6d. 

"Another  book  for  girls  we  can  warmly  commend.  There  is  a  delightful 
piquancy  in  the  experiences  and  trials  of  a  young  English  girl  who  studies 
painting  in  Paris."—  Saturday  Review. 

Down   the   SnOW   Stairs:   Or,  From  Good-night  to  Good- 

morning.    By  Alice  Corkran.    With  60  Illustrations  by  Gordon 

Browne.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  olivine  edges,  3s.  6c?. 

"  A  fascinating  wonder-book  for  children." — Athen&um. 

"A  gem  of  the  first  water,  bearing  upon  every  page  the  mark  of  genius.  It  ia 
indeed  a  Little  Pilgrim's  Progress."— Christian  Leader. 


14  BLACKIE  &  SOWS  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY   ANNIE    E.   ARMSTRONG. 


A  Very  Odd  Girl:  or,  Life  at  the  Gabled  Farm.     By  Annie 

E.  Armstrong.    With  6  page  Illustrations  by  S.  T.  Dadd.    Crown 

8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

The  heroine  of  this  story  is  of  French  and  English  parentage,  and  this 

fact  accounts  to  a  great  extent  for  her  odd  characteristics.     Vera  is  a 

bright,  clever,  lovable  girl,  however,  and  her  experiences  in  an  English 

farmhouse  are  exceedingly  interesting.     No  doubt  she  gets  both  herself 

and  her  cousins  into  trouble,  but  in  the  end  all  the  misunderstandings  are 

explained,  and  the  character  of  this  odd  girl  is  deepened  and  chastened. 

Three  Bright  Girls:  A  Story  of  Chance  and  Mischance. 
By  Annie  E.  Armstrong.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by  W.  Par- 
kinson.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

"Among  many  good  stories  for  girls  this  is  undoubtedly  one  of  the  very  best. 
The  three  girls  whose  portraits  are  so  admirably  painted  are  girls  of  earnest, 
practical,  and  business-like  mood.  Ever  bright  and  cheerful,  they  influence  other 
lives,  and  at  last  they  come  out  of  their  trials  and  difficulties  with  honour  to 
themselves  and  benefits  to  all  about  them." — Teachers'  Aid. 


BY   EDGAR    PICKERING. 


An  Old -Time  Yarn:  Wherein  is  set  forth  divers  desperate 
mischances  which  befell  Anthony  Ingram  and  his  shipmates  in  the 
West  Indies  and  Mexico  with  Hawkins  and  Drake.  By  Edgar 
Pickering.  Illustrated  with  6  page  Pictures  drawn  by  Alfred 
Pearse.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

The  hero  of  this  yarn  sails  from  Plymouth  for  the  Spanish  Main  in  the 
flag-ship  of  Master  John  Hawkins.  Divers  are  the  perils  by  sea  and  land 
through  which  he  passes.  Chief  of  these  are  the  destruction  of  the  English 
ships  by  the  treacherous  Spaniards,  the  fight  round  the  burning  vessels, 
the  journey  of  the  prisoners  to  the  city  of  Mexico,  the  horrors  of  the 
Inquisition,  the  sentence  to  death  by  fire,  and  the  final  escape  to  the  coast 
and  home  to  England. 

Silas  Vemey:   A  Tale  of  the  Time  of  Charles  II.     By  Edgar 

Pickering.    With  6  page  Illustrations  by  Alfred  Pearse.    Crown 

8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

"Wonderful  as  the  adventures  of  Silas  are,  it  must  be  admitted  that  they  are 
very  naturally  worked  out  and  very  plausibly  presented.  Altogether  this  is  an 
excellent  story  for  boys." — Saturday  Review. 


Brother  and  Sister:    Or,  The  Trials  of  the  Moore  Family. 

By  Elizabeth  J.  Lysaght.     With  6  page  Illustrations.     Crown 

8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

'-  "  A  pretty  story,  and  well  told.     The  plot  is  cleverly  constructed,  and  the  mora) 
is  excellent." — At'ienaum. 


BLACKIE  4  SOX'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE.  15 

The  Captured  Cruiser:  or,  Two  Years  from  Laud.  By 
C.  J.  Hyne.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by  F.  Brangwyn.  Crown 
8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

The  central  incidents  in  this  realistic  story  of  modern  naval  warfare  deal 
with  the  capture,  during  the  war  between  Chili  and  Peru,  of  an  armed 
cruiser.  The  heroes  and  their  companions  break  from  prison  in  the  harbour 
of  Valparaiso,  board  this  war-ship  in  the  night,  overpower  the  watch,  escape 
to  sea  under  the  fire  of  the  forts,  fight  two  torpedo  boats,  and  finally,  after 
marvellous  adventures,  lose  the  cruiser  among  the  icebergs  near  Cape 
Horn. 

Afloat  at  Last :  A  Sailor  Boy's  Log  of  his  Life  at  Sea.  By 
John  C.  Hutcheson.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by  W.  H. 
Overend.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6c7. 

"As  healthy  and  breezy  a  book  as  one  could  wish  to  put  into  the  hands  of 
a  boy." — Academy. 

"  A  tale  of  seafaring  life  told  with  fire  and  enthusiasm,  full  of  spirited  incident 
and  well-drawn  character."— Observer. 

Picked  Up  at   Sea:   Or,  The  Gold  Miners  of  Minturne  Creek. 

By  J.  C.  Hutcheson.    With  6  page  Pictures.     Cloth  extra,  3s.  6d. 

"  The  author's  success  with  this  book  is  so  marked  that  it  may  well  encourage  him 
to  further  efforts.  The  description  of  mining  life  in  the  Far  "West  is  true  and  accu- 
rate."— Standard. 


Sir  Walter's  Ward:  A  Tale  of  the  Crusades.  By  William 
Everard.  With  6  page  Illustrations  by  Walter  Paget.  Crown 
8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6d. 

"  This  book  will  prove  a  very  acceptable  present  either  to  boys  or  girls.  Both 
alike  will  take  an  interest  in  the  career  of  Dodo,  in  spite  of  his  unheroic  name, 
and  follow  him  through  his  numerous  and  exciting  adventures." — Academy. 

The  Search  for  the  Talisman:  a  story  of  Labrador. 

By  Henry  Frith.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  J.  Schonberg. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

"  Mr.  Friths  volume  will  be  among  those  most  read  and  highest  valued.  The 
adventures  among  seals,  whales,  and  icebergs  in  Labrador  will  delight  many  a 
young  reader." — Pall  Mall  Gazette. 


Reefer  and  Rifleman:  A  Tale  of  the  Two  Services.  By 
J.  Percy -Groves,  late  27th  Inniskillings.  With  6  page  Illustra- 
tions by  John  Schonberg.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"  A  good,  old-fashioned,  amphibious  story  of  our  fighting  with  the  Frenchmen  in 
the  beginning  of  our  century,  with  a  fair  sprinkling  of  fun  and  frolic." — Times. 


Self-Exiled:    A  Story  of  the  High  Seas  and  East  Africa.     By 

J.  A.  Steuart.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  John  Schonberg. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"It  is  cram  full  of  thrilling  situations.  The  number  of  miraculous  escapes 
from  death  in  all  its  shapes  which  the  hero  experiences  in  the  course  of  a  few 
months  must  be  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  most  voracious  appetite." — Schoolmaster. 


16  BLACKIE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BY   CAROLINE   AUSTIN. 


COUSin  Geoffrey  and    I.     By  Caroline  Austin.     With  6 

page  Illustrations  by  W.  Parkinson.     Cr.  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6c?. 

"Miss  Austin's  story  is  bright,  clever,  and  well  developed." — Saturday  Review. 
"  A  powerfully  written  and  realistic  story  of  girl  life.     .     .     .    The  tone  of  the 
book  is  pure  and  good." — Practical  Teacher. 

Hugh    Herbert's    Inheritance.      By  Caroline   Austin. 

With  6  page  Illustrations  by  C.  T.  Garland.     Crown  8vo,  cloth 

elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

"Will  please  by  its  simplicity,  its  tenderness,  and  its  healthy  interesting 
motive.    It  is  admirably  written." — Scotsman. 


Storied   Holidays:   A  Cycle  of  Red-letter  Days.     By  E.  S. 

Brooks.     With  12  page  Illustrations  by  Howard  Pyle.     Crown 

8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  Qd. 

"  It  is  a  downright  good  book  for  a  senior  boy,  and  is  eminently  readable  from 
first  to  last" — Schoolmaster. 

ChivalriC   Days:    Stories  of   Courtesy  and   Courage  in  the 

Olden   Times.      By   E.    S.    Brooks.     With   20   Illustrations   by 

Gordon  Browne  and  other  Artists.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6c?. 

"We  have  seldom  come  across  a  prettier  collection  of  tales.  These  charming 
stories  of  boys  and  girls  of  olden  days  are  no  mere  fictitious  or  imaginary  sketches, 
but  are  real  and  actual  records  of  their  sayings  and  doings. " — Literary  World. 

Historic  Boys:   Their  Endeavours,  their  Achievements,  and 

their  Times.      By  E.  S.  Brooks.     With  12  page  Illustrations  by 

E,.  B.  Birch  and  John  Schonberg.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  Qd. 

"  A  wholesome  book,  manly  in  tone,  its  character  sketches  enlivened  by  brisk 
dialogue  and  high-class  illustrations;  altogether  one  that  should  incite  boys  to 
further  acquaintance  with  those  rulers  of  men  whose  careers  are  narrated.  We 
advise  teachers  to  put  it  on  their  list  of  prizes. " — Knowledge. 


Dr.  Jolliffe'S  Boys:  A  Tale  of  Weston  School.    By  Lewis 

Hough.     With  6  page  Pictures.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  Qd. 

"  Young  people  who  appreciate  Tom  Brown's  School-days  will  find  this  story  a 
worthy  companion  to  that  fascinating  book.  There  is  the  same  manliness  of  tone, 
truthfulness  of  outline,  avoidance  of  exaggeration  and  caricature,  and  healthy 
morality  as  characterized  the  masterpiece  of  Mr.  Hughes." — Netccastle  Journal. 


The  Bubbling"  Teapot.     A  Wonder  Story.     By  Mrs.  L.  W. 

Champney.     With   12    page   Pictures    by   Walter    Satterlee. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  Qd. 

"Very  literally  a  'wonder  story,'  and  a  wild  and  fanciful  one.  Nevertheless 
it  is  made  realistic  enough,  and  there  is  a  good  deal  of  information  to  be  gained 
from  it.  The  steam  from  the  magic  teapot  bubbles  up  into  a  girl,  and  the  little 
girl,  when  the  fancy  takes  her,  can  cry  herself  back  into  a  teapot.  Transformed 
and  enchanted  she  makes  the  tour  of  the  globe.  "—The  Times. 


BLACKIE  <t  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE.  17 


Laugh  and  Learn:  The  Easiest  Book  of  Nursery  Lessons 
and  Nursery  Games.  By  Jennett  Humphreys.  Profusely  Illus- 
trated.    Square  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6d. 

"Laugh  and  Learn  instructs  and  amuses;  it  is  the  very  book  for  a  wet  day 
in  the  nursery,  for  besides  solid  instruction,  admirably  given,  it  contains  number- 
less games  and  contrivances,  with  useful  and  amusing  illustrations.  The  musical 
drill  is  remarkably  good." — Athenceum. 

"One  of  the  best  books  of  the  kind  imaginable,  full  of  practical  teaching  in 
word  and  picture,  and  helping  the  little  ones  pleasantly  along  a  right  royal  road 
to  learning."— Graphic. 

"Every  mother  of  children  should  have  Laugh  and  Learn,  and  go  through 
with  them  the  excellent  course  it  contains." — Journal  of  Education. 


BY    MARY   C   ROWSELL. 


Thomdyke  Manor:  A  Tale  of  Jacobite  Times.     By  Mary 

C.  Eowsell.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  L.  Leslie  Brooke. 

Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"It  is  a  good  story,  with  plenty  of  'go'  in  it."— Times. 

"-Miss  Rowsell  has  never  written  a  more  attractive  book  than  Thomdyke 
Manor  " —Belfast  News-Letter. 

Traitor  Or  Patriot?    A  Tale  of  the  Rye-House  Plot.     By 

Mary  C.  Eowsell.    With  6  page  Pictures  by  C.  O.  Murray  and 

C.  J.  Staniland,  r.i.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6c?. 

"  Here  the  Rye-House  Plot  serves  as  the  groundwork  for  a  romantic  love  epi- 
sode, whose  true  characters  are  lifelike  beings,  not  dry  sticks  as  in  many  histori- 
cal tales." — Graphic. 


Silver  Mill:  A  Tale  of  the  Don  Valley.    By  Mrs.  E.  H.  Eead. 

With  6  page  Illustrations  by  John  Schonberg.     Crown  8vo,  cloth 

elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"A  good  girl's  story-book.  The  plot  is  interesting,  and  the  heroine,  Ruth,  a 
lady  by  birth,  though  brought  up  in  a  humble  station,  well  deserves  the  more 
elevated  position  in  which  the  end  of  the  book  leaves  her."— Saturday  Review. 

Dora:  Or,  A  Girl  without  a  Home.    By  Mrs.  E.  H.  Eead.    With 
6  page  Illustrations.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s.  6d. 

"It  is  no  slight  thing,  in  an  age  of  rubbish,  to  get  a  story  so  pure  and  healthy 
as  this." — The  Academy. 


Life's    Daily    Ministry:   A  Story  of  Everyday  Service  for 

Others.  By  Mrs.  E.  B,  Pitman.    With  4  page  Illustrations.    Crown 

8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s.  6c?. 

"Shows  exquisite  touches  of  a  master  hand.     She  depicts  in  graphic  outline 
the  characteristics  of  the  beautiful  and  the  good  in  life."—  Christian  Union. 

My  Governess  Life:  Or,  Earning  my  Living.     By  Mrs.  E. 

E.  PlTMAN.     With  4  page  Illustrations.     Cloth  extra,  3s.  6d. 

"  Full  of  sound  teaching  and  bright  examples  of  character." — S.S.  Chronicle. 


18  BLACKIE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BLACKIE'S    NEW   THREE-SHILLING    SERIES. 

Beautifully  Illustrated  and  Handsomely  Bound. 

Patience  Wins  I  or,  War  in  the  Works.     By  George  Man- 
ville  Fenn.     With  6  page  Illustrations.     Neiv  Edition.     Crown 
8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s. 
"  Mr  Fenn  has  never  hit  upon  a  happier  plan  than  in  writing  this  story  of 

Yorkshire  factory  life.     The  whole  book  is  all  aglow  with  life,  the  scenes  varying 

continually  with  kaleidoscopic  rapidity. "—Pall  Mall  Gazette. 

Mother  Carey's  Chicken:   Her  Voyage  to  the  Unknown 
Isle.     By  G.  Manville  Fenn.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  A. 
Forestier.     New  Edition.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s. 
"  Undoubtedly  one  of  the  best  Mr.  Fenn  has  written.     The  incidents  are  of 
thrilling  interest,  while  the  characters  are  drawn  with  a  care  and  completeness 
rarely  found  in  a  boys*  book.    The  illustrations  are  exceptionally  good.  —Liter- 
ary World. 

The  Missing  Merchantman.    By  Harry  Collingwood. 

With   6  page   Illustrations   by  W.  H.  Overend.     New  Edition. 
Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s. 
"  One  of  the  author's  best  sea  stories.     The  hero  is  as  heroic  as  any  boy  could 
desire,  and  the  ending  is  extremely  happy."— British  Weekly. 

The  Rover's  Secret:  A  Tale  of  the  Pirate  Cays  and  Lagoons 

of  Cuba.    By  Harry  Collingwood.    With  6  page  Illustrations  by 

W.  C.  Symons.     New  Edition.    Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s. 

"  The  Rover's  Secret  is  by  far  the  best  sea  story  we  have  read  for  years,  and  is 
certain  to  give  unalloyed  pleasure  to  boys.  The  illustrations  are  fresh  and 
vigorous."— Saturday  Review. 

The  Wigwam  and  the  War-path:  stories  of  the  Red 

Indians.     By  Ascott  R.  Hope.     With  6  page  IUustrations.     New 
Edition.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s. 
"Is  notably  good.     It  gives  a  very  vivid  picture  of  life  among  the  Indians, 
which  will  delight  the  heart  of  many  a  schoolboy."— Spectator. 

Perseverance  Island:  or,  The  Robinson  Crusoe  of  the  19th 

Century.    By  Douglas  Frazar.    With  6  page  Illustrations.    New 

Edition.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  extra,  3s. 

"This  is  an  interesting  story,  written  with  studied  simplicity  of  style,  much  in 

^efoe's  vein  of  apparent  sincerity  and  scrupulous  veracity;  while  for  practical 

instruction  it  is  even  better  than  Robinson  Crusoe."— Illustrated  London  JSews. 

Girl   Neighbours:  or,  The  Old  Fashion  and  the  New.     By 

Sarah  Tytler.     With  6  page  Illustrations  by  C.  T.  Garland. 

New  Edition.     Crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant,  3s. 
"One  of  the  most  effective  and  quietly  humorous  of  Miss  Sarah  Tytler's  stories. 
Girl  Neighbours  is  very  healthy,  very  agreeable,  and  very  well  written.  —The 
Spectator. 


BLACKIE  6c  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE.  19 

BLACKIE'S    HALF-CROWN    SERIES. 

Illustrated  by  eminent  Artists.     In  crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant. 


A  ROUgh  Road:   or,  How  the  Boy  Made  a  Man  of  Himself. 
By  Mrs.  G.  Linnjeus  Banks.     Illustrated  by  Alfred  Pearse. 

Robert  Wallis  suffered  from  the  old,  mistaken  belief  that  by  hard  flog- 
ging a  boy  could  be  made  a  scholar.  His  father,  who  was  a  schoolmaster, 
carried  this  severe  form  of  discipline  to  such  lengths  that  the  lad  ran 
away,  and  maintained  himself  by  selling  needles  from  place  to  place.  It 
was  a  rough  road  he  had  chosen,  but  he  ultimately  succeeded  in  making  a 
man  of  himself  by  honesty,  industry,  and  perseverance. 

The  TWO  Dorothys:  A  Tale  for  Girls.     By  Mrs.  Herbert 
Martin.     Illustrated  by  Gordon  Browne. 

In  this  story  the  shy,  dreamy,  unselfish  Dorothy  Heriot  comes  to  live 
with  her  great-aunt,  the  other  Dorothy,  at  Hampstead.  This  old  lady 
is  kind  enough  in  her  own  way,  but  her  discipline  is  unsympathetic,  and 
she  has  fits  of  harsh  temper  in  which  she  is  unjust  to  the  sensitive  girl. 
But  the  younger  Dorothy's  loving,  unselfish  nature  wins  upon  the  proud 
old  lady,  and  the  end  is  happiness  and  mutual  helpfulness. 

Penelope    and    the    Others:    A    Story  of   Five    Country 
Children.    By  Amy  Walton.    Illustrated  by  L.  Leslie  Brooke. 

A  pleasant  narrative  of  the  sayings,  doings,  and  adventures  of  five  coun- 
try children.  It  tells  how  the  boys  found  buried  gold  in  the  old  Roman 
camp,  and  how  the  girls  discovered  hid  treasure  in  the  person  of  little 
"Kettles."  It  is  a  charming  record  of  the  everyday  affairs  of  lovable, 
interesting,  and  well-mannered  children. 

A  Cruise   in   ClOUdland.      By  Henry  Frith.     Illustrated 
by  W.  S.  Stacey. 

The  hero  of  this  story  is  carried  out  to  sea  in  a  balloon,  and  after  a  time 
of  strange  experience  and  terrible  anxiety  he  comes  to  earth  again  on  an 
island  in  the  Atlantic.  Here  the  unfortunate  lad  lives  with  the  inhabitants 
until  he  is  rescued  by  an  English  yacht,  the  owner  of  which  sails  for  Con- 
stantinople. The  lad  then  accompanies  his  benefactor  to  Bulgaria,  and 
takes  an  exciting  part  in  the  famous  siege  of  Plevna. 

Marian  and  Dorothy:  or,  The  Abbey  Grange.     By  Annie 
E.  Armstrong.     Illustrated  by  L.  Leslie  Brooke. 

"  This  is  distinctively  a  book  for  girls.  It  contains  a  bright  wholesome  story, 
with  the  useful  morals  of  industry  and  forgiveness  of  injuries.  The  book  is 
decidedly  to  be  commended."— Academy. 


20  BLACKIE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


HALF-CROWN    SERIES-Continued. 


StimSOll's    Reef:  A  Tale  of  Adventure.     By  C.  J.  Hyne. 

Illustrated  by  W.  S.  Stacey. 

"Few  stories  come  within  hailing  distance  of  Stimson's  Beef  in  the  matter  of 
startling  incidents  and  hairbreadth  'scapes.  In  these  respects  it  may  almost  vie 
with  Mr.  It.  L.  Stevenson's  matchless  Treasure  Island."— Guardian. 

Gladys  Anstrilther:  or,  The  Young  Stepmother.   By  Louisa 

Thompson.     Illustrated  by  F.  H.  Townsend. 

"It  is  a  clever  hook,  and  some  of  the  passages  in  the  narrative  are  novel  and 
striking  in  the  highest  degree."— Schoolmistress. 

The  Secret  of  the  Old  House.     By  Evelyn  Everett- 

Green. 

"Tim,  the  little  Jacobite  who  asks  his  grandmother  if  she  can  remember 
Charles!.,  is  a  charming  creation.  So  original  a  child  as  Tim  must  win  the 
hearts  of  all  who  read  the  pleasant  tale."— Academy. 

Hal  Hungerford.      By  J.  B.  Hutchinson,  b.a. 

"  There  is  no  question  whatever  as  to  the  spirited  manner  in  which  the  story  is 
told  •  the  death  of  the  mate  of  the  smuggler  by  the  teeth  of  the  dog  is  especially 
effective.    Altogether,  Hal  Hungerford  is  a  distinct  literary  success."— Specta tor. 

The  Golden  Weathercock.    By  Julia  Goddard. 

"  A  cleverly  conceived  quaint  story,  in  which  the  golden  cock  on  the  church 
spire  is  the  recipient  of  enchanting  stories  of  enchanted  people  and  places.  Full  of 
pretty  and  ingenious  ideas,  prettily  and  ingeniously  written."— Saturday  Review. 

White  Lilac :  Or,  The  Queen  of  the  May.    By  Amy  Walton. 

"  Every  here  and  there  we  are  reminded  of  Mrs.  Tulliver  and  Sister  Pullet  in 
the  quaint  dialogue  of  the  story.  .  .  .  Every  rural  parish  ought  to  add  White 
Lilac  to  its  library."— Academy. 

Miriam's  Ambition.      By  Evelyn  Everett-Green. 

"Miss  Green's  children  are  real  British  boys  and  girls,  not  small  men  and 
women.     Babs  is  a  charming  little  one."— Liverpool  Mercury. 

The  Brig"  "  Audacious."    By  Alan  Cole. 

"  Bright  and  vivacious  in  style,  and  fresh  and  wholesome  as  a  breath  of  sea  air 
in  tone." — Court  Journal. 

The  Saucy  May.     By  Henry  Frith. 

"  Mr.  Frith  gives  a  new  picture  of  life  on  the  ocean  wave  which  will  be  acceptable 
to  all  young  people."— Sheffield  Independent. 

Jasper's  Conquest.     By  Elizabeth  J.  Lysaght. 

"One  of  the  best  boys'  books  of  the  season.  It  is  full  of  stirring  adventure  and 
Startling  episodes,  and  yet  conveys  a  splendid  moral  throughout.  -Schoolmaster. 


BLACKIE  6  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE  21 


HALF-CROWN    SERIES- Continued. 


Little  Lady  Clare.     By  Evelyn  Everett-Green. 

"Certainly  one  of  the  prettiest,  reminding  us  in  its  quaintness  and  tender 
pathos  of  Mrs.  Ewing's  delightful  tales.  This  is  quite  one  of  the  hest  stories  Miss 
Green's  clever  pen  lias  yet  given  us."— Literary  World. 

The  Eversley  Secrets.    By  Evelyn  Everett-Green. 

"  A  clever  and  well-told  story.  Roy  Eversley  is  a  very  touching  picture  of  high 
principle  and  unshrinking  self-devotion  in  a  good  purpose." — Guardian. 

The  Hermit  Hunter  of  the  Wilds.    By  G.  Stables,  r.n. 

"  Pirates  and  pumas,  mutiny  and  merriment,  a  castaway  and  a  cat,  famish 
the  materials  for  a  tale  that  will  gladden  the  heart  of  many  a  bright  boy."— 
Methodist  Recorder. 

Sturdy  and  Strong".    By  G.  A.  Henty. 

"The  history  of  a  hero  of  everyday  life,  whose  love  of  truth,  clothing  of 
modesty,  and  innate  pluck  carry  him,  naturally,  from  poverty  to  affluence.  He 
stands  as  a  good  instance  of  chivalry  in  domestic  life."— The  Empire. 

Gutta-Pereha  Willie,   The  Working  Genius.     By  George 

Mac  Donald. 

"  Had  we  space  we  would  fain  quote  page  after  page.  All  we  have  room  to  say 
is,  get  it  for  your  boys  and  girls  to  read  for  themselves."— Practical  Teacher. 

The  War  Of  the  Axe :  Or,  Adventures  in  South  Africa.    By 
J.  Percy- Groves. 

"The  story  of  their  final  escape  from  the  Caffres  is  a  marvellous  bit  of  writing. 
.    .    .    The  story  is  well  and  brilliantly  told."— Literary  World. 

The  Lads  of  Little  Clayton.    By  b.  Stead. 

"A  capital  book  for  boys.  They  will  learn  from  its  pages  what  true  boy  cour- 
age is.  They  will  learn  further  to  avoid  all  that  is  petty  and  mean  if  they  read 
the  tales  aright.     They  may  be  read  to  a  class  with  great  profit."— Schoolmaster. 

Ten    BoyS  who  lived  on  the  Road  from  Long  Ago  to  Now. 

By  Jane  Andrews.     With  20  Illustrations. 

"  The  idea  of  this  book  is  a  very  happy  one,  and  is  admirably  carried  out.  We 
have  followed  the  whole  course  of  the  work  with  exquisite  pleasure.  Teachers 
should  rind  it  particularly  interesting  and  suggestive."— Practical  Teacher. 

A  Waif  Of  the  Sea:  Or,  The  Lost  Found.     By  Kate  Wood. 

"Written  with  tenderness  and  grace,  the  story  will  appeal  to  mothers  who 
have  felt  the  pain  of  being  parted  from  their  children,  as  powerfully  as  to  the 
hearts  and  sympathies  of  younger  readers."— M orning  Advertiser. 

Winnie's  Secret:  A  Story  of  Faith  and  Patience.     By  Kate 
Wood. 
"  One  of  the  best  story-books  we  have  read.     Girls  will  be  charmed  with  the 
tale,  and  delighted  that  everything  turns  out  so  well."— Schoolmaster. 


22  BLACKIE  &  SOX'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


HALF-CROWN  SERIES— Continued. 


Miss  WillOWblirn's  Offer.     By  Sarah  Doudney. 

"Patience  "Willowburn  is  one  of  Miss  Doudney's  best  creations,  and  is  the  one 
personality  in  the  story  which  can  be  said  to  give  it  the  character  of  a  book  not 
for  young  ladies  but  for  girls."— Spectator. 

A  Garland  for  Girls.     By  Louisa  M.  Alcott. 

"The  Garland  will  delight  our  girls,  and  show  them  how  to  make  their  lives 
fragrant  with  good  deeds." — British  Weekly. 
"  These  little  tales  are  the  beau  ideal  of  girls'  stories."— Christian  World. 

Hetty  Gray :  Or,  Nobody's  Bairn.     By  Rosa  Mulholland. 

"  A  charming  story  for  young  folks.  Hetty  is  a  delightful  creature— piquant, 
tender,  and  true— and  her  varying  fortunes  are  perfectly  realistic." — World. 

Brothers  in  Arms :   A  Story  of  the  Crusades.     By  F.  Bay- 
ford  Harrison. 

"  Full  of  striking  incident,  is  very  fairly  illustrated,  and  may  safely  be  chosen  as 
sure  to  prove  interesting  to  young  people  of  both  sexes." — Guardian. 

The  Ball  Of  Fortune:   Or,  Ned  Somerset's  Inheritance.    By 

Charles  Pearce. 

"  A  capital  story  for  boys.  It  is  simply  and  brightly  written.  There  is  plenty 
of  incident,  and  the  interest  is  sustained  throughout."— Journal  of  Education. 

Miss  Fenwick's  Failures:  Or,  "Peggy  Pepper-Pot."   By 

Esme  Stuart. 

"Esme"  Stuart  may  be  commended  for  producing  a  girl  true  to  real  life,  who 
will  put  no  nonsense  into  young  heads."— Graphic. 

Gytha'S   Message:   A  Tale  of  Saxon  England.     By  Emma 

Leslie. 

"This  is  a  charmingly  told  story.  It  is  the  sort  of  book  that  all  girls  and  some 
boys  like,  and  can  only  get  good  from."— Journal  of  Education. 

Jack  0'  Lan thorn:  A  Tale  of  Adventure.    By  Henry  Frith. 

"The  narrative  is  crushed  full  of  stirring  incident,  and  is  sure  to  be  a  prime 
favourite  with  our  boys,  who  will  be  assisted  by  it  in  mastering  a  sufficiently 
exciting  chapter  in  the  history  of  England."—  Christian  Leader. 

The  Family  Failing*.    By  Darley  Dale. 

"At  once  an  amusing  and  an  interesting  story,  and  a  capital  lesson  on  the 
value  of  contentedness  to  young  and  old  alike."— Aberdeen  Journal. 

My  Mistress  the  Queen:  A  Tale  of  the  17th  Century.     By 
M.  A.  Paull. 
"  The  style  is  pure  and  graceful,  the  presentation  of  manners  and  character 
has  been  well  studied,  and  the  story  is  full  of  interest."— Scotsman. 


BLACKIE  d:  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR  YOU  SO  PEOPLE.  23 


HALF-CROWN    SERIES— Continued. 


The  Stories  of  Wasa  and  Menzikoff :  The  Deliverer  of 

Sweden,  and  the  Favourite  of  Czar  Peter. 

"Both  are  stories  worth  telling  more  than  once,  and  it  is  a  happy  thought  to 
have  put  them  side  by  side."—  Sped  a  tor. 

Stories  of  the  Sea  in  Former  Days. 

"Xext  to  an  original  sea-tale  of  sustained  interest  come  well-sketched  collec- 
tions of  maritime  peril  and  suffering  which  awaken  the  sympathies  by  the  realism 
of  fact.    Stories  of  the  Sea  are  a  very  good  specimen  of  the  kind."— The  Tunes. 

Tales  of  Captivity  and  Exile. 

"It  would  be  difficult  to  place  in  the  hands  of  young  people  a  book  which 
combines  interest  and  instruction  in  a  higher  degree."— Manchester  Courier. 

Famous  Discoveries  by  Sea  and  Land. 

"Such  a  volume  may  providentially  stir  up  some  youths  by  the  divine  fire 
kindled  by  these  'great  of  old '  to  lay  open  other  lands."— Perth  Advertiser. 

Stirring*  Events  of  History. 

"The  volume  will  fairly  hold  its  place  among  those  which  make  the  smaller 
ways  of  history  pleasant  and  attractive."—  Guardian. 

Adventures  in  Field,  Flood,  and  Forest. 

"The  editor  has  beyond  all  question  succeeded  admirably.  The  present  book 
cannot  fail  to  be  read  with  interest  and  advantage." — Academy. 


BLACKIE'S   TWO-SHILLING    SERIES. 

Illustrated  by  eminent  Artists.     In  crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant. 


An  Unexpected  Hero.  By  Eliz,  J.  Ltsaght.  illustra- 
tions by  S.  T.  Dadd. 
There  is  a  boy  in  this  story  who  has  been  sent  from  home  in  disgrace 
because  of  his  troublesome  practical  jokes.  He  is  a  good-hearted  lad, 
however,  and  unexpectedly  proves  himself  a  hero  by  rescuing  his  sister 
from  a  burning  house.  The  girl  who  tells  the  story  is  herself  a  most  in- 
teresting character. 

The  Bushranger's  Secret.  By  Mrs.  Henry  Clarke,  m.a. 
Illustrated  by  W.  S.  Stacey. 
In  this  story  of  Australian  life  the  hero  is  tempted  to  appropriate  the 
hidden  booty  of  a  bushranger,  who  has  died  and  left  the  youth  with  the 
secret  of  its  whereabouts.  In  searching  for  this  buried  gold  retribution 
overtakes  him,  and  after  terrible  misadventures  in  the  bush  he  restores  the 
booty  to  itfl  rightful  owners. 


24  BLACKIE  <fc   SON'S  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


TWO-SHILLING    SERIES— Continued. 


The   White   Squall :  A  Story  of  the  Sargasso  Sea.     By  John 

C.  Hutcheson.    With  3  page  Illustrations.    New  Edition. 

"This  is  a  capital  story.  The  descriptions  of  scenery  and  places,  and  especially 
of  the  changes  of  calm  and  tempest,  are  lifelike  and  vivid.  Boys  will  find  it 
difficult  to  lay  down  the  book  till  they  have  got  to  the  end." — Standard. 

The  Wreck  of  the  "  Nancy  Bell:"  or,  Cast  Away  on 

Kerguelen  Land.     By  John  C.  Hutcheson.     With  3  page  Illus- 
trations.    New  Edition. 

"  Well  deserves  popularity,  for  while  the  narrative  is  full  of  excitement  and  in- 
terest, it  cannot  fail  to  stimulate  a  love  of  enterprise  and  adventure,  develop 
resource,  and  encourage  independence  and  manliness  of  character." — Academy. 

The    Joyous    Story   Of   TotO.      By  Laura  E.  Richards. 
With  30  Humorous  Illustrations  by  E.  H.  Garrett. 

"  A  very  delightful  hook  for  children,  which  deserves  to  find  a  place  in  every 
nursery." — Lady's  Pictorial. 

"It  should  take  its  place  heside  Lewis  Carroll's  unique  works,  and  find  a  special 
place  in  the  affections  of  hoys  and  girls." — Birmingham  Gazette. 

The  Lonely  Pyramid.    By  J.  H.  Yoxall. 

"  There  is  only  the  record  of  one  week's  wanderings ;  hut  it  is  an  exceedingly  full 
week— full  of  wild  surprises  and  marvels.  The  Pyramid  alone  is  a  fascinating 
invention,  and  the  'lost  oasis  of  the  vision  on  the  sand'  is  even  more  delightful." 
— Saturday  Review. 

Bab:  or,  The  Triumph  of  Ud selfishness.     By  Ismay  Thorn. 

"Bab  is  a  capital  story  for  children,  who  will  be  much  amused  by  the  picture 
on  the  cover  of  the  worthy  doll  Jocasta."— Athenceum. 

Climbing1  the  Hill,  and  other  Stories.    By  Annie  S.  Swan. 

"Miss  Annie  Swan's  children  are  children,  and  not  old  people  masquerading  in 
children's  attire.  This  volume  of  tales  is  made  up  of  just  the  kind  of  incidents 
of  which  children  love  to  read."— Christian  Leader. 

Brave  and  True,  and  other  Stories.      By  Gregson  Gow. 

"This  is  one  of  those  very  few  volumes  which  are  adapted  for  reading  aloud  to 
children  in  the  nursery." — Spectator. 

The  Light  Princess.     By  George  Mac  Donald. 

"  Graceful,  fantastic,  delicately  didactic  in  its  playfulness,  this  volume  is  likely 
to  give  as  much  pleasure  to  the  elder  folk  as  to  the  younger." — Daily  News. 

Nutbrown  Roger  and  I.    By  J.  h.  Yoxall. 

"The  pictures  of  manners  is  perfect,  the  excitement,  of  the  healthiest  kind, 
goes  on  increasing  to  the  last.  It  is  one  of  the  very  best  and  most  delightful 
story-hooks  of  the  season." — Tablet. 

Warner's  Chase :  Or,  The  Gentle  Heart.    By  Annie  S.  Swan. 

"In  Milly  Warren,  the  heroine,  who  softens  the  hard  heart  of  her  rich  uncle, 
and  thus  unwittingly  restores  the  family  fortunes,  we  have  a  fine  ideal  of  real 
womanly  goodness." — Schoolmaster. 


BLACK1E  d>  SON'S  BOOKS   FOB    YOUSG   PEOPLE  25 


TWO-SHILLING     SERIES— Continued. 


Sam  Silvan's  Sacrifice.    By  Jesse  Colman. 

"  There  is  a  spirit  of  gentleness,  kindliness,  and  tenderness  manifest  in  every 
page  of  this  volume,  which  will  make  it  an  influence  for  good."— Christian  Union. 

Insect  Ways  On  Summer  Days  in  Garden,  Forest,  Field, 

and  Stream.     By  Jennett  Humphreys.     With  70  Illustrations. 

"This  book  will  prove  not  only  instructive  but  delightful  to  every  child  whose 
mind  is  beginning  to  inquire  and  reflect  upon  the  wonders  of  nature.  It  is 
capitally  illustrated  and  very  tastefully  bound."— Academy. 

Susan.     By  Amy  Walton. 

"A  clever  little  story,  written  with  some  humour.  The  authoress  shows  a 
great  deal  of  insight  into  children's  feelings  and  motives."— Pall  MaM  Gazette. 

A  Pair  Of  ClOgS.     By  Amy  Walton. 

"Decidedly  interesting,  and  unusually  true  to  nature.  For  children  between 
nine  and  fourteen  this  book  can  be  thoroughly  commended."— Academy 

The    Hawthorns.      By  Amy  Walton. 

"A  remarkably  vivid  and  clever  study  of  child-life.  At  this  species  of  work 
Amy  Walton  has  no  superior." — Christian  Leader. 

Dorothy's  Dilemma.      By  Caroline  Austin. 

"An  exceptionally  well-told  story,  and  will  be  warmly  welcomed  by  children. 
The  little  heroine,  Dorothy,  is  a  charming  creation."— Court  Journal. 

Marie's  Home.    By  Caroline  Austin. 

"An  exquisitely  told  story.  The  heroine  is  as  fine  a  type  of  girlhood  as  one 
could  wish  to  set  before  our  little  British  damsels  of  to-day."—  Christian  Leader. 

A  Warrior  King".      By  J.  Evelyn. 

"The  friendship  formed  between  the  African  Prince  and  Adrian  Englefield  will 
remind  the  reader  of  the  old  story  of  the  '  wonderful  love'  which  existed  long  ago 
when  Jonathan  and  David  made  a  covenant." — Dundee  Advertiser. 

Aboard  the  "Atalanta."      By  Henry  Frith. 

"The  story  is  very  interesting  and  the  descriptions  most  graphic.  AVe  doubt 
if  any  boy  after  reading  it  would  be  tempted  to  the  great  mistake  of  running 
away  from  school  under  almost  any  pretext  whatever."— Practical  Teacher. 

The  Penang*  Pirate.    By  John  C.  Hutcheson. 

"A  book  which  boys  will  thoroughly  enjoy:  rattling,  adventurous,  and  romantic, 
and  the  stories  are  thoroughly  healthy  in  tone."— Aberdeen  Journal. 

Teddy:  The  Story  of  a  "Little  Pickle."   By  John  C.  Hutcheson. 

"He  is  an  amusing  little  fellow  with  a  rich  fund  of  animal  spirits,  and  when  at 
length  he  goes  to  sea  with  Uncle  Jack  he  speedily  sobers  down  under  the  discip- 
line of  life."— Saturday  Review. 

A  Rash  Promise.     By  Cecilia  Selby  Lowndes. 

"A  carefully  told  story;  and  Meg  Clifford  is  a  delightful  and  natural  little  girl/ 
— Spectator. 


26  BLACKIE  &  SONS  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


TWO-SHILLING    SERIES— Continued. 


Linda  and  the  Boys.     By  Cecilia  Selby  Lowndes. 

"  The  book  is  essentially  a  child's  book,  and  will  be  heartily  appreciated  by  the 
young  folk."— The  Academy. 

SwiSS  Stories  for  Children.     From  the  German  of  Madam 

Johanna  Spyri.     By  Lucy  Wheelock. 

"Charming  stories.  They  are  rich  in  local  colouring,  and,  what  is  better,  in 
genuine  pathos." — The  Times. 

The  Squire's  Grandson:  A  Devonshire  Story.     By  J.  M. 

Callwell. 

"The  lessons  of  courage,  filial  affection,  and  devotion  to  duty  on  the  part  of  the 
young  hero  cannot  fail  to  favourably  impress  all  young  readers."— Schoolmaster. 

Magna  Charta  Stories.     Edited  by  Arthur  Gilman,  a.m. 

"A  book  of  special  excellence,  which  ought  to  be  in  the  hands  of  all  boys."— 
Educational  News. 

The    Wing's     Of    Courage ;    and    The    Cloud  -  Spinner. 

Translated  from  the  French  of  George  Sand,  by  Mrs.  Corkran. 

"Mrs.  Corkran  has  earned  our  gratitude  by  translating  into  readable  English  these 
two  charming  little  stories." — Atlienceum. 

Chirp   and   Chatter:  Or,  Lessons  from  Field  and  Tree. 

By  Alice  Banks.     With  54  Illustrations  by  Gordon  Browne. 

"We  see  the  humbling  influence  of  love  on  the  haughty  harvest-mouse,  we  are 
touched  by  the  sensibility  of  the  tender-hearted  ant,  and  may  profit  by  the  moral 
of  '  the  disobedient  maggot.'    The  drawings  are  spirited  and  funny."— The  Times. 

Four  Little  Mischiefs.    By  Eosa  Mulholland. 

"  Graphically  written,  and  abounds  in  touches  of  genuine  humour  and  innocent 
fun."— Freeman.       "A  charming  bright  story  about  real  children."— Watchman. 

New  Light  through  Old  Windows.    By  Gregson  Gow. 

"The  most  delightfully-written  little  stories  one  can  easily  find  in  the  literature 
of  the  season.     Well  constructed  and  brightly  told." — Glasgow  Herald. 

Little  Tottie,  and  Two  Other  Stories.     By  Thomas  Archer. 

"We  can  warmly  commend  all  three  stories;  the  book  is  a  most  alluring  prize 
for  the  younger  ones." — Schoolmaster. 

Naughty  Miss  Bunny.     By  Clara  Mulholland. 

"This  naughty  child  is  positively  delightful.  Papas  should  not  omit  Naughty 
Miss  Bunny  from  their  list  of  juvenile  presents." — Land  and  Water. 

Adventures  Of  Mrs.  Wishing-tO-be.   By  Alice  Corkran. 

"Simply  a  charming  book  for  little  girls."— Saturday  Review. 

"Just  in  the  style  and  spirit  to  win  the  hearts  of  children."—  Daily  News. 


BLACKIE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUXO  PEOPLE.  27 


Our  Dolly:   Her  Words  and  Ways.    By  Mrs.  R.  H.  Read.    25. 

"  Prettily  told  and  prettily  illustrated." — Guardian. 

Fairy  Fancy:  What  she  Heard  and  Saw.  By  Mrs.  Read.   2s. 

"  All  is  pleasant,  nice  reading,  with  a  little  knowledge  of  natural  history  and 
other  matters  gently  introduced." — Practical  Teacher. 


BLACKIE'S   EIGHTEENPENNY   SERIES. 

With  Illustrations.     In  crown  8vo,  cloth  elegant. 


Phil  and  his  Father.    By  Ismay  Thorn. 

The  father  of  Phil  is  a  widower,  who  proposes  to  marry  a  second  time. 
The  boy,  however,  resents  this  arrangement  at  first,  but  by  the  kindness 
and  forbearance  of  his  proposed  stepmother  all  his  ill-natured  displeasure 
is  dispelled,  and  the  former  comfortless  home  is  made  happy. 

Prim's  Story.    By  L.  E.  Tiddeman. 

In  her  story  Miss  Prim  tells  what  a  foolish  little  girl  she  used  to  be. 
Her  chief  faults  were  to  insist  on  always  having  her  own  way,  and  to  be 
somewhat  prim  and  priggish  in  her  treatment  of  others.  She  was  cured 
of  these  faults  by  the  kindness  and  good  sense  of  "the  new  nurse." 

Littlebourne  Lock.     By  F.  Bayford  Harrison. 

"I  would  like  you  all,  big  and  little,  to  read  the  story  of  Juliet,  the  London 
waif,  out  of  whose  life  poverty  and  Avant  had  pinched  all  sweetness  and  bright- 
ness, who  was  taken  to  a  little  lock-house  by  the  side  of  our  beautiful  river,  the 
Thames,  and  turned  out  to  be  a  regular  'brick  of  a  girl.'"— Pall  Mall  Budget. 

Wild  Meg1  and  Wee  Dickie.    By  Mary  e.  Ropes. 

"A  study  of  life  in  the  slums,  vivid,  powerful,  and  unutterably  sad,  yet  not 
without  hope.  Meg's  keen  sense  of  humour  helps  her  greatly,  and  her  indomit- 
able spirit  enables  her  to  raise  herself  and  the  little  lad  she  has  saved  out  of  the 
depths  into  pleasant  and  honourable  ways."— Athenaeum. 

Grannie.     A  Story  by  Elizabeth  J.  Lysaght. 

"The  tale  is  prettily  told,  and  the  contrast  drawn  between  the  two  girls  who 
are  thrown  together  is  very  effective.  The  story,  pathetic  though  it  be,  is  true  to 
hie."— Nottingham  Guardian. 

The   Seed   She   Sowed:   A  Tale  of  the  Great  Dock  Strike.     By 

Emma  Leslie. 

"A  very  true  picture  of  the  life  and  pain  and  pathos  of  outcast  London."— Pall 
Mall  Gazette. 

Unlucky :  A  Fragment  of  a  Girl's  Life.     By  Caroline  Austin. 

"The  heroine  is  a  finely-drawn  character.  Through  much  domestic  difficulty 
at  the  hands  of  a  stepmother,  she  holds  on  in  the  right  path,  and  exhibits  a  self- 
sacrificing  nature  that  all  would  do  well  to  copy." — Teachers'  Aid. 

Everybody's  Business.    By  Ismay  Thorn. 

"One  of  Ismay  Thorn's  delightful  children's  books.  The  story  is  simply  and 
cleverly  written,  and  doubly  attractive  by  ending  so  happily."— Saturday  Review. 


28  BLACKIE  &  SON'S  BOOKS  FOR    YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


BLACKIE'S    EIGHTEENPENNY    SERIES— Continued. 


Tales  of  Daring-  and  Danger.    By  G.  A.  Henty. 

"Mr.  Henty's  heroes  are  brave  and  upright,  quick  and  keen,  and  their  doings 
make  capital  reading  for  boys."— A thenceum. 

"  '  White-Faced  Dick '  is  a  sketch  worthy  of  Bret  Harte  at  his  best.  Just  the 
sort  of  tales  to  read  aloud  by  the  fireside  on  a  winter's  night."— Pract,  Teacher. 

Yarns  on  the  Beach.    By  G.  A.  Henty. 

"Should  find  special  favour  among  boys.  The  yarns  are  full  of  romance  and 
adventure,  and  are  admirably  calculated  to  foster  a  manly  spirit.  "—The  Echo. 

The  Seven  Golden  Keys.    By  James  e.  Aknold. 

"  No  better  fairy  book  than  this  has  come  our  way  for  a  long  time.  It  is  written 
with  singular  grace  and  skill;  so  perfect  is  the  illusion,  no  child  will  doubt  for 
a  moment  that  it  is  all  a  true  story." — Christian  Leader. 

The  Story  of  a  Queen.    By  Maey  C.  Rowsell. 

"Miss  Rowsell  is  an  excellent  story-teller;  she  is  especially  successful  in 
historical  tales;  her  chronicle  of  Marie  and  her  trials  is  thrilling."— Guardian. 

Joan's  Adventures,  At  the  North  Pole  and  Elsewhere.     By  Alice 
Corkran. 

"  This  is  a  most  delightful  fairy  story.  The  charming  style  and  easy  prose 
narrative  makes  its  resemblance  striking  to  Hans  Andersen's." — Spectator. 

Edwy:  Or,  Was  He  a  Coward?     By  Annette  Lyster. 

"  This  is  a  charming  story,  and  sufficiently  varied  to  suit  children  of  all  ages." 
—The  Academy. 

Filled  With  Gold.     By  Jennie  Perrett. 

"The  tale  is  interesting,  and  gracefully  told.  Miss  Perrett's  description  of  life 
on  the  quiet  Jersey  farm  will  have  a  great  charm." — Spectator. 

The  Battlefield  Treasure.    By  F.  Bayford  Harrison. 

"Jack  Warren  is  a  lad  of  the  Tom  Brown  type,  and  his  search  for  treasure  and 
the  sequel  are  sure  to  prove  interesting  to  boys. "— English  Teacher. 

By  Order  of  Queen  Maude.    By  Louisa  Crow. 

"The  tale  is  brightly  and  cleverly  told,  and  forms  one  of  the  best  children's 
books  which  the  season  has  produced."— A  cade  my. 

Our  General :  A  Story  for  Girls.     By  Elizabeth  J.  Lysaght. 

"A  young  girl  of  indomitable  spirit,  to  whom  all  instinctively  turn  for  guid- 
ance—a noble  pattern  for  girls." — Guardian. 

Aunt  Hesba's  Charge.     By  Elizabeth  J.  Lysaght. 

"This  well-written  book  tells  how  a  maiden  aunt  is  softened  by  the  influence 
of  two  Indian  children  who  are  unexpectedly  left  upon  her  hands." — Academy. 

Into  the  Haven.     By  Annie  S.  Swan. 

"No  story  more  attractive,  by  reason  of  its  breezy  freshness,  as  well  as  for  the 
practical  lessons  it  conveys."—  Christian  Leader. 


BLACKIE  &  SOX'S  BOOKS  FOR   YOUNG  PEOPLE.  29 


BLACKIE'S    EIGHTEENPENNY    SERIES— Continued, 


Our  Frank :  and  other  Stories.     By  Amy  Walton. 

"These  stories  are  of  the  sort  that  children  of  the  clever  kind  are  sure  to  like." 
— Academy. 

The  Late  Miss  Hollingford.    By  Rosa  Mulholland. 

"Xo  book  for  girls  published  this  season  approaches  this  in  the  charm  of  its 
telling,  which  will  be  equally  appreciated  by  persons  of  all  ages."— Standard. 

The  Pedlar  and  His  Dog.    By  Mary  c.  Rowskll. 

"  The  opening  chapter,  with  its  description  of  Xecton  Fair,  will  forcibly  remind 
many  readers  of  George  Eliot.  Taken  altogether  it  is  a  delightful  story."— 
Western  Morning  Xews. 

A  Terrible  Coward.    By  P  Manville  Fmrar. 

"Just  such  a  tale  as  boys  will  delight  to  read,  and  as  they  are  certain  to  profit 
by." — Aberdeen  Journal. 

Tom  Finch's  Monkey :  and  other  Yarns.     By  J.  C.  Hutcheson. 

"Stories  of  an  altogether  unexceptionable  character,  with  adventures  sufficient 
for  a  dozen  books  of  its  size." — U.  Service  Gazette. 

Miss  Grantley's  Girls.     By  Thomas  Archer. 

"  For  fireside  reading  more  wholesome  and  highly  entertaining  reading  for  young 
people  could  not  be  found." — Northern  Chronicle. 

Down  and  Up  Again.    By  Gregson  Gow. 

"  The  story  is  very  neatly  told,  with  some  fairly  dramatic  incidents,  and  cal- 
culated altogether  to  please  young  people."— Scotsman. 

The  Troubles  and  Triumphs  of  Little  Tim.    A  City  Story 

By  Gregson  Gow. 

"  An  undercurrent  of  sympathy  with  the  struggles  of  the  poor,  and  an  ability 
to  describe  their  feelings,  eminently  characteristic  of  Dickens,  are  marked  fea. 
tures  in  Air.  Gow's  story?'- X.  B.  Mail. 

The  Happy  Lad :  A  Story  of  Peasant  Life  in  Norway.     From  the 
Norwegian  of  Bjornson. 

"This  pretty  story  has  natural  eloquence  which  seems  to  carry  us  back  to  some 
of  the  love  stories  of  the  Bible."— Aberdeen  Free  Press. 

The  Patriot  Martyr :  and  other  Narratives  of  Female  Heroism. 

"It  should  be  read  with  interest  by  every  girl  who  loves  to  learn  what  her  sex 
can  accomplish  in  times  of  danger."— Bristol  Times. 

Madge's  Mistake.     By  Annie  E.  Armstrong. 

"We  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  this  delightful  little  tale.  It  abounds  in 
interesting  and  laughable  incidents.  "—Bristol  Times. 

BOX  Of  Stories.     Packed  for  Young  Folk  by  Horace  Happyman. 
When  I  was  a  Boy  in  China.    By  Yah  Phou  Lee. 

"Has  been  written  not  only  by  a  Chinaman,  but  by  a  man  of  culture.  His 
book  is  as  interesting  to  adults  as  it  is  to  children."— The  Guardian. 


30 


BLACKIE  &  SOWS  BOOKS  FOR  YOUNG  PEOPLE. 


THE   SHILLING   SERIES   OF   BOOKS 
FOR   YOUNG   PEOPLE. 

Square  16mo,  Illustrated,  and  neatly  bound  in  cloth  extra. 


The  Lost  Dog,  and   other   Stories. 
By  Ascott  R.  Hope. 

The  Rambles  of  Three  Children. 

By  Geraldine  Mockler. 

A  Council  of  Courtiers.    By  Cora 
Langton. 


A  Parliament  of  Pickles.  By  Cora 

Lanqton. 

Sharp  Tommy:  A  Story  for  Boys  and 
Girls.     By  E.  J.  LYSAGHT. 

The  Strange  Adventures  of  Nell, 
Eddie,  and  Toby.  By  Geraldine 
Mockler. 

Freda's  Folly.   By  M.  S.  Haycraft. 

Philip  Danford:  A  Story  of  School 
Life.     By  JULIA  Goddard. 

The  Youngest  Princess.  By  Jennie 
Chappell. 

Arthur's  Temptation.  By  Emma 
Leslie. 

A  Change  for  the  Worse.  By  M. 
Harriet  M.  Capes. 

Our  Two  Starlings.  By  Christian 
Bedford. 

Mr.  Lipscombe's  Apples.  By  Julia 
Goddard. 

Gladys :  Or,  The  Sister's  Charge.  By 
£.  O'Byrne. 

A  Gypsy  against  Her  Will.      By 

Emma  Leslie. 

The  Castle  on  the  Shore.  By  Isa- 
bel HORNIBROOK. 

An   Emigrant  Boy's   Story.      By 

Ascott  R.  Hope. 

Jock  and  his  Friend.  By  Cora 
Langton. 

John  a'  Dale.  By  Mary  C.  Rowsell. 

In  the  Summer  Holidays.  By  Jen- 
nett  Humphreys. 

How  the  Strike  Began.  By  Emma 
Leslie. 

Tales  from  the  Russian  of  Madame 
Kubalensky.    By  G.  Jenner. 

Cinderella's  Cousin.  By  Penelope. 

Their  New  Home.    By  A.  S.  Fenn. 

Janie's  Holiday.    By  C.  Redford 


A  Boy  Musician:  or,  The  Young  Days 
of  Mozart. 

Hatto's  Tower.    By  M.  C.  Rowsell. 

Fairy  Lovebairn's  Favourites. 

Alf  Jetsam.   By  Mrs.  Geo.  Cdpples. 

The  Redfords.  By  Mrs.  G.  Cupples. 

Missy.    By  F.  Bayford  Harrison. 

Hidden  Seed.    By  Emma  Leslie. 

Ursula's  Aunt.    By  Annie  S.  Fenn. 

Jack's  Two  Sovereigns.  By  Annie 

S.  Fenn. 

A  Little  Adventurer.    By  Gregson 

GOW. 

Olive  Mount.    By  Annie  S.  Fenn. 

Three  Little  Ones.  By  C.  Langton. 

Tom  Watkins'  Mistake.    By  Emma 
Leslie. 

Two  Little  Brothers.    By  M.  Har- 
riet m.  Capes. 


The  New  Boy  at  Merriton. 

Julia  Goddard. 


By 


The  Children  of  Haycombe.    By 

Annie  S.  Fenn. 

The  Cruise  of  the  "Petrel."    By 
F.  M.  Holmes. 

The  Wise  Princess.  ByM.  Harriet 
M.  Capes. 

The  Blind   Boy  of  Dresden  and 
his  Sister. 

Jon  of  Iceland :  A  Story  of  the  Far 
North. 

Stories  from  Shakespeare. 

Every  Man  in  his  Place. 

Fireside     Fairies     and     Flower 
Fancies. 

To  the  Sea  in  Ships. 

Jack's  Victory:  Stories  about  Dogs. 

Story  of  a  King.    By  one  of  his  Sol- 
diers. 

Prince  Alexis:  or,  Old  Russia. 

Little  Daniel :  A  Story  of  a  Flood  on 
the  Rhine. 

Sasha  the  Serf:  Stories  of  Russian 
Life. 

True  Stories  of  Foreign  History. 


BLACKIE  &  SOX'S  BOOKS  FOR  CUILDREX. 


31 


THE    NINEPENNY   SERIES   OF    BOOKS    FOR 
CHILDREN. 

F'cap  8vo,  Illustrated,  and  neatly  bound  in  cloth  extra. 


Little  Miss   Masterful. 

TlDDEMAN. 


By  L.  E. 


A  Sprig  of  Honeysuckle :  A  Story 
of  Epping  Forest.  By  GE0RGINA 
M.  Squire. 

An  Australian  Childhood.  By  Ellen 
Campbell. 


Kitty  Carroll.    By  L.  E.  Tiddeman. 

A  Joke  for  a  Picnic.     By  W.  L. 

Booper. 

Cross   Purposes,   and   The   Sha- 
dows.   By  George  Mac  Donald. 

Patty's  Ideas,  and  What  Came  of 
Them.    By  L.  E.  Tiddeman. 

Daphne:    A  Story  of   Self-conquest. 
By  E.  O'Byrne. 

Lily  and  Rose  in  One.    By  Cecilia 
S.  Lowndes. 

Crowded  Out :  or,  The  Story  of  Lil's 
Patience.     By  M.  B.  MANWELL. 

Tom  in  a  Tangle.    By  T.  Sparrow. 

Things    will    Take    a    Turn.     By 
Beatrice  Harraden. 

Max  or  Baby.    By  Ismay  Thorn. 

The  Lost  Thimble.     By  Mrs.  Mus- 
grave. 

Jaek-a-Dandy,    By  E.  J.  Lysaght. 


A  Day  of  Adventures. 

LOTTE  WYATT. 

The  Golden   Plums. 
Clare. 


By  Char- 
By  Francis 


The  Queen  of  Squats.    By  Isabel 

HoRNIBROOK. 

Shucks.    By  Emma  Leslie. 

Sylvia  Brooke.    By  M.  Harriet  M. 
Capes. 

The  Little  Cousin.    By  A.  S.  Fenn. 

In  Cloudland.    By  Mrs.  Musgraye. 

Jack  and  the  Gypsies.    By  Kate 
Wood. 

Hans  the   Painter.     By  Mary  C. 

ROWSELL. 

Little   Troublesome.      By  Isabel 

HORNIBROOK. 

My  Lady  May:  and  One  Other  Story. 
By  Harriet  Boultwood. 

A  Little  Hero.    By  Mrs.  Musgraye. 

Prince     Jon's     Pilgrimage.      By 
Jessie  Fleming. 

Harold's  Ambition:  or,  A  Dream  of 
Fame.     By  Jennie  Perrett. 

Sepperl  the  Drummer  Boy.    By 
Mary  C.  Eowsell. 

Aboard    the    Mersey.      By    Mrs. 

George  Cupples. 


A  Blind  Pupil. 


Lost   and   Found. 
Bother. 

Fisherman    Grim. 

BOWSELL. 


By  ANNEE  S.  FENN. 
By  Mrs.  Carl 


By   Mary   C. 


"The  same  good  character  pervades  all  these  books.  They  are  admirably 
adapted  for  the  young.  The  lessons  deduced  are  such  as  to  mould  children's 
minds  in  a  good  groove.  We  cannot  too  highly  commend  them  for  their  excel- 
lence."— Schoolmistress. 


SOMETHING    FOR    THE 

Fully  Illustrated.     64  pp 

Tales  Easy  and  Small  for  the  Young- 
est of  All.  In  no  word  will  you  see 
more  letters  than  three.  By  J. 
Humphreys. 

Old  Dick  Grey  and  Aunt  Kate's  Way. 
Stories  in  words  of  not  more  than 
four  letters.    By  J.  Humphreys. 


VERY    LITTLE    ONES. 

,  cloth.     Sixpence  each. 

Maud's  Doll  and  Her  Walk.    In 

words  of  not  more  than  four  let- 
ters.   By  J.  Humphreys. 

In  Holiday  Time.  In  words  of  not 
more  than  five  letters.  By  J. 
Humphreys. 

Whisk  and  Buzz.  By  Mrs.  A.  H. 
Garlick. 


32 


BLACKIE  &   SON'S  BOOKS  FOB  CHILD  BEN. 


THE    SIXPENNY    SERIES    FOR    CHILDREN. 

Neatly  bound  in  cloth  extra.     Each  contains  64  pages  and  a  Coloured  Cut. 


From  over  the  Sea.  By  L.  E.  TIDDE- 
MAN. 

The  Kitchen  Cat.    By  Amy  Walton. 

The  Royal  Eagle.  By  Louisa  Thomp- 
son. 

Two  Little  Mice.    By  Mrs.  Garlick. 

A  Little  Man  of  War.  By  L.  E. 
Tiddeman. 

Lady  Daisy.  By  Caroline  Stewart. 
Dew.    By  H.  Mary  Wilson. 
Chris's  Old  Violin.   By  J.  Lockhart. 
Mischievous  Jack.    By  A.  Corkran. 
The  Twins.    By  L.  E.  Tiddeman. 
Pet's  Project.    By  Cora  Lanoton. 
The  Chosen  Treat.    By  C.  Wyatt. 
Little  Neighbours.    By  A.  S.  Fenn. 
Jim:  A  Story  of  Child  Life.  By  Chris- 
tian Burke. 

Little  Curiosity:  or,  A  German  Christ- 
mas.    By  J.  M.  Callwell. 

Sara  the  Wool -gatherer.    By  w. 

L.  ROOPER. 

Fairy  Stories:  told  hy  Penelope. 
A  New  Year's  Tale.  ByM.  A.Currie. 
Little  Mop.  By  Mrs.  Charles  Bray. 


The  Tree  Cake,  and  other  Stories. 
By  W.  L.  Rooper. 

Nurse  Peggy,  and  Little  Dog  Trip. 

Fanny's  King.    By  Darley  Dale. 

Wild  Marsh  Marigolds.  By  D.Dale. 

Kitty's    Cousin.      By  Hannah  B. 

-Mackenzie. 

Cleared  at  Last.     By  Julia  God- 

DARD. 

Little  Dolly  Forbes.    By  Annie  S. 
Fenn. 

A  Year  with  Nellie.    By  A.  S.  Fenn. 
The  Little  Brown  Bird. 
The  Maid  of  Domremy,  and  other 
Tales. 

Little  Eric:  a  Story  of  Honesty. 

Uncle  Ben  the  Whaler. 

The  Palace  of  Luxury. 

The  Charcoal  Burner. 

Willy  Black:  A  Story  of  Doing  Eight. 

The  Horse  and  His  Ways. 

The  Shoemaker's  Present. 

Lights  to  Walk  by. 

The  Little  Merchant. 

Nicholina:  A  Story  about  an  Iceberg 


"  A  very  praiseworthy  series  of  Prize  Books.  Most  of  the  stories  are  designed 
to  enforce  some  important  moral  lesson,  such  as  honesty,  industry,  kindness, 
helpfulness."— School  Guardian. 


SERIES   OF    FOURPENNY    REWARD    BOOKS. 

Each  64  pages,  18mo,  Illustrated,  in  Picture  Boards. 


A  Start  in  Life.    By  J.  Lockhart. 
Happy  Childhood.     By  Aimee  de 
Venoix  Dawson. 

Dorothy's  Clock.    By       Do. 
Toddy.    By  L.  E.  Tiddeman. 

Stories  about  myDolls.  By  Felicia 
Melancthon. 

Stories  about  my  Cat  Timothy. 
Delia's  Boots.    By  W.  L.  Rooper. 
Lost  on  the  Rocks.    By  R.  Scotter. 
A  Kitten's  Adventures.    By  Caro- 
line STEWART. 

Climbing   the   Hill. 


A  Year  at  Coverley. 

SWAN. 


By  Annie  S. 
By  Annie  S. 


Phil  Foster.    By  J.  Lockhart. 

Papa's  Birthday.   By  W.  L.  Rooper. 

The  Charm  Fairy.    By  Penelope. 

Little  Tales  for  Little  Children. 
By  M.  A.  Currie. 

Worthy  of  Trust.     By  H.  B.  Mac- 
kenzie. 

Brave  and  True.  By  Gregson  Gow. 

Johnnie  Tupper's  Temptation.  Do. 

Maudie  and  Bertie.  Do. 

The  Children  and  the  Water-Lily. 
By  Julia  Goddard. 

Poor  Tom  Olliver.    By  Do. 

Fritz's   Experiment.     By  Letitia 

M'LINTOCK. 

Lucy's  Christmas-Box. 


BLACKIE    &    SON,    Limited, 
LONDON,   GLASGOW,    EDINBURGH,   AND  DUBLIN. 


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