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

show we were afraid of them. ‘I’ll go,’ I heard myself saying.
    ‘I need brawn, lad,’ he said.
    My volunteering shamed the other men. Lieutenant Hossack, Garrick and Bedlington stepped forward.
    ‘Are you all armed?’ asked Evison. They nodded. ‘Then let’s see what they’re made of.’
    Seeing four of our party walk towards them, the native chief immediately selected three of his men to go with him, and they walked forward to meet our fellows on neutral ground.
    As they grew closer the chief called out, ‘Geen wapen.’
    ‘That sounds like Dutch,’ said one of our men. ‘He’s saying “No weapons.”’
    To emphasise the point the natives laid down their spears and knives in the sand.
    We saw Evison and his men do the same with their guns, and I wondered if some of the natives would nip out of the forest to snatch them.
    The two groups met, and both Evison and the chief made bowing motions. We were still anxious, but the meeting seemed to go well.
    Evison returned with a smile. ‘They want to trade. I said we would return tomorrow with plates and nails. They say they have gold to give us. Gold from the far hills.’
    ‘So you could understand them?’ I said. Evison shrugged.
    ‘A few words. The chief, he speaks a little Dutch and so do I.’
    The next day we returned. The natives did too. Evison had brought several bags of nails from the
Orion
and went with two of the crew to barter with them. I watched from a distance. The Captain was arguing heatedly. We held our breath, wondering if our comrades were going to be slaughtered.
    The natives backed away and began to make contrite gestures – bowing and holding their hands in a submissive way. I began to breathe again and noticed my hands were trembling. Bel held tightly to my arm. ‘Thought we’d had it then,’ she whispered.
    Evison returned to our party. ‘They’ve no gold, so there’s no nails for them. Their chief says he has sent men into the mountains for it and they’ll be a few days. But I don’t think they’re really going to exchange their gold for a few nails. I think they’re waiting for more of their kind to arrive, and then they’ll have a go at us.’
    He turned to the carpenter. ‘They’re very interested in your tools, Mr Garrick. I think the sooner you’re away with your mast and tool bag, the better.’
    ‘Then let’s go,’ said Garrick. ‘We’ll have to carry on shaping the mast when we have it in place on the
Orion
.’
    Evison spoke again. ‘I can’t take you all, and the mast, right now. I want those of you remaining to spend the last hour or two here stocking up on any fruits and vegetables you can find. It’ll be valuable work and useful in keeping the scurvy at bay. Stay together, stay away from the natives and stay close enough to the beach to be ready for us when we return. I’ve told them we’ll be back for their gold but my guess is they’ll attack if they think we’re going for good. If some of us stay, they’ll know for sure we’ll be coming back.’
    The Captain took Bel to one side. He looked solemn as he spoke and she nodded a few times. Then we all helped push the mast into the shallows and watched as they attached it to the stern of the boat with a rope. Garrick hauled his tool bag aboard and they started rowing for the
Orion
. The natives watched from the edge of the forest and began a strange little dance, stamping their feet and spears into the ground in unison. It was a menacing gesture. Evison’s response – a friendly wave and a promise to return – seemed out of place.
    A handful of us remained. I couldn’t contain my curiosity. I asked Bel, ‘What did the Captain say to you?’
    ‘Told me he was sorry he couldn’t take me back on the boat just now,’ said Bel. ‘Said he needed every strong man he could get to haul the mast on to the ship.’ She seemed unconcerned. ‘Fair enough, I suppose.’
    Lieutenant Hossack was among us. Evison obviously hadn’t forgiven his