Read Online Battle Fleet (2007) by Paul Dowswell - Free Book Online Page A

appeared.
    ‘What in heaven’s name are you doing up there?’ asked the Captain. When we told him, he sounded a bit affronted. ‘You might have warned us,’ he said.
    Bel was unabashed. ‘I knew you’d have muskets,’ she chided, and went on, ‘Mr Garrick here just saved our lives!’
    We walked off, Bagley still too pale and frightened to talk.
    ‘Just one thing,’ said Bel to me when we were back onthe beach. ‘The monkey. I wonder who gave him that necklace and taught him to fetch coconuts?’
    Were there other natives here? Maybe he had been the pet of one of the dead we had buried. Maybe he had escaped from someone who was watching us even as we spoke.



CHAPTER 7
Company
    It took Garrick another day before he found a tree suitable to use as a mast. It was duly felled and laboriously heaved out to the beach where he set about stripping and preparing it for the ship.
    We stayed there on the beach during the day and returned to the
Orion
at night. She was anchored a fair way off, for the sea was shallow for several hundred feet beyond the shore. Now, whenever I returned I kept thinking about who owned that monkey and whether they would make themselves known to us.
    I asked Evison if he knew anything about the peopleof these parts. ‘A bit,’ he said cagily. ‘There aren’t many of them, so I’m hoping we won’t come to their attention. They’re dirty in their dress and dwelling places, but they’re clever too – they cultivate land, breed cattle and have their own script. They believe in evil spirits. They are small in stature – the women especially rarely grow taller than our ten year olds.’
    ‘They don’t sound too bad,’ I said. ‘They train monkeys too.’ This was of no interest to him.
    Then Evison said, ‘Their least appealing feature is a fondness for human flesh. I don’t think we should tarry here too long.’
    That day I heard Evison and Garrick arguing. ‘It’ll not be ready for another three days,’ said the carpenter crossly. ‘I do a bad job and it’ll come crashin’ down in calm weather never mind a storm. I’ll not have sailors’ lives on my conscience.’
    Evison was jumpy. Perhaps he felt we were pushing our luck staying this long. He often peered into the jungle close to the beach, as if he were expecting trouble.
    Now when we ventured into the jungle to search for food and water we went in groups of four or five, at least two armed with musket and pistol.
    Two days later the natives made their first appearance. Ten of them stood on the far edge of the sweeping crescent of sand that made up the beach. They were nakedsave for loincloths and leaned on their spears, broad brown faces regarding us blankly.
    ‘They’re all children,’ said Bagley with derision. ‘Just look at the size of them.’
    ‘They might be small,’ said Evison, ‘but they can still kill us. They’re sizing us up, wondering if we’re worth a fight.’
    He and Garrick fell into conversation. ‘There’s several days’ work here that’ll go to waste if we just up sticks and run,’ said the carpenter. ‘We don’t know for sure that they’re hostile. They might just want to trade?’
    ‘Let’s see then,’ said the Captain. ‘Men. Gather your belongings, but do it slowly. Don’t let them think we’re frightened of them. Let’s see what these fellows are like.’
    Evison turned and stood aside from the rest of us, then waved. One of the native men, attired in a fine feather headdress, stood forward and waved back. Then they called and beckoned Evison to come over to them.
    ‘Don’t go,’ said Bagley. ‘They could kill you on the spot and then have a go at us.’
    The distance between them and our boat moored near the shoreline was roughly the same. We could not be certain of reaching it before they caught up with us.
    I could feel the fear running between us like a magnetic force.
    Evison was being put on the spot. ‘Who will come with me?’ he said tersely.
    Not going would