Read Online 1805 by Richard Woodman - Free Book Online

snatching an hour or two's sleep, Mr Q. You have the
deck. I want absolute silence and no lights to be shown. Moonrise ain't
until two in the mornin'. You may tell Mount's sentries that one squeak
out of those prisoners and I'll hold 'em personally responsible. We may
be lucky and catch those invasion
bateaux
before
they get into Havre.'
    'Let's hope so, sir.'
    'Yes.' Drinkwater turned away and made for the cabin of the
brig where, rolling himself in his cloak and laying his cocked pistols
beside him, he lay down to rest.
    He was woken from an uneasy sleep by Mr Frey and rose, stiff
and uncertain of the time.
    'Eight bells in the first watch, sir,' said Frey.
    Drinkwater emerged on deck to find the brig racing along,
leaning to a steady breeze from the north, the sky clear and the stars
glinting like crystals. Quilhampton loomed out of the darkness.
    'I believe we have 'em, sir,' he pointed ahead, 'there, two
points to starboard.'
    At first Drinkwater could see nothing; then he made out a
luster of darker rectangles, rectangles with high peaks: lugsails.
    'Straight in amongst 'em, Mr Q. Get the men to their quarters
in silence. Orders to each gun-captain to choose a target carefully
and, once the order is given, fire at will.' Fatigue, worry and the
fuzziness of unquiet sleep left him in an instant.
    ''Ere's some coffee, sir.'
    'Thank you, Franklin.' He took the pot gratefully. Night
vision showed him the dark shadow of Franklin's naevus, visible even in
the dark.
    ''S all right, sir.'
    Drinkwater swallowed the coffee as the men went silently to
their places. The brig's armament was of French 8-pounders; light guns
but heavy enough to sink the
chaloupes
and
péniches
.
    'Haul up the fore-course, Mr Q. T'gallants to the caps, if you
please.'
    'Rise fore-tacks and sheets there! Clew-garnets haul!' The
orders passed quietly and the fore-course rose in festoons below its
yard.
    'T'gallants halliards…'
    The topgallant sails fluttered, flogged and kicked impotently
as their yards were lowered. The brig's speed eased so as to avoid
over-running the enemy.
    Drinkwater hauled himself up on the rail and held onto the
forward main shroud on the starboard side.
Bonaparte
had eased her heel and he could clearly see the enemy under her lee bow.
    'Make ready there! Mr Frey, stand by to haul the fore-yards
aback.'
    The sudden flash of a musket ahead was followed by a crackle
of fire from small arms. The enemy had seen them but were unable to
fire cannon astern.
    'Steady as you go…'
    'Steady as she goes, sir.'
    He saw the dark blob of a
chaloupe
lengthen as it swung round to fire a broadside, saw its lugsails
enlarge with the changing aspect, saw them flutter as she luffed.
    'Starboard two points! Gun-captains, fire when you bear.'
    There was a long silence, broken only by shouts and the
popping of musketry. A dull thud near Drinkwater's feet indicated where
at least one musket ball struck the
Bonaparte
.
The
chaloupe
fired its broadside, the row of
muzzles spitting orange, and a series of thuds, cracks and splintering
sounded from forward. Then they were running the
chaloupe
down. He could see men diving overboard to avoid the looming stem of
the brig as it rode over the heavy boat, split her asunder and sank her
in passing over the broken hull. Along the deck the brig's guns fired,
short barking coughs accompanied by the tremble of recoil and the reek
of powder. Another boat passed close alongside and Drinkwater felt the
hat torn from his head as musket balls buzzed round him.
    'Mind zur.' Like some dark Greek Olympic hero Tregembo hefted
a shot through the air and it dropped vertically into the boat. Next to
him Quilhampton's face was lit by the flash of the priming in a scatter
gun and the bell-muzzle delivered its deadly charge amongst the boat's
crew as they drew astern, screaming in the brig's wake.
    'Down helm!'
    'Fore-yards, Mr Frey!'
    The
Bonaparte
came up into the wind and
then began to make a stern board as Drinkwater had the