Mutiny (50 page)

_{At nightfall hopes
faded. They had not overhauled the enemy — they could be anywhere, or have
changed course to the north and open sea. The fleet shortened sail for the
night, standing off the coast.}

_{Dawn came with driving
rain, clearing to blustery squalls that sent men aloft to take in sail. While
they were fisting the wet canvas Circe frigate hove in sight, a signal hoist
and a gun to leeward bringing every man on deck.}

_{Kydd hastened to
the quarterdeck to hear developments. The signal lieutenant had his glass up,
his midshipman beside him with the signal book. 'Enemy in sight, sir!' he said,
following the frigate. 'Three leagues to the sou'-east'}

_{The news spread, and
from all parts of the ship roars of satisfaction and ribaldry arose, but
Captain Essington waited grimly.}

_{'Enemy
course north, sir.'}

_{'Ah! That's what I want to hear. They've
heard we're at sea and are turned back for home. How far from the Texel?'}

_{'Er, the town
yonder must be Kamperduin, so that makes the Texel fifteen miles distant, sir.'}

_{'Umm. De Winter has to form up. If we
can bring him to action before noon, we have a chance.' The quarterdeck became
animated, high spirits breaking through, but Essington did not join in. 'Do you
bear in mind, gentlemen, the Dutch are an old and proud race. They have bested
us once before in the last age, and we can be sure they will consult their
honour again today. Their admiral is of the first rank, and their ships are not
worn by stress of weather. They are of equal numbers and they are fighting for
their hearth and home in their own seas. Today will be hard-won for the victor.
Enough talk! Clear for action, if you please.'}

_{The boatswain piped the order and
the ship was plunged into instant activity. The boatswain's party went to the
tops. Their task was to sway up and rig chain slings to restrain hundred-foot
yards from plunging down if their the blocks were shot away, with quarter
slings on the lower yards.}

_{Along the decks topsail
sheets were stoppered properly, preventer braces led along and a netting spread
between main and mizzen to catch wreckage falling from above.}

_{The galley fire was put
out, its cinders placed in tubs amidships ready for scattering over pooling
blood, and hammocks were hoisted into the tops to form protective barricades
against enemy sharp-shooters.}

_{Below,
in the gloomy orlop, the surgeon and his mates readied the cockpit for who
could guess how many men who would be carried in agony and fear below.}

_{Kydd had little time to
think about an unknown future. His quarters were the big twenty-four-pounders
along the main deck, and specifically those aft of centre. Standing near the
main-hatch gratings he watched his gun captains make ready their pieces: the
implements of gunnery — the handspike, sponge, crow — could be relied on to be
in place; what was more important were the details.}

_{He knew what to look for:
the match tubs next to each gun for use in case of misfire would be useless
without slow-burning match ready alight and drawing. The gunners' pouch of each
gun-captain must contain tools and spare flints for the gunlock, and quill
ignition tubes checked that the tallow cap had been removed.}

_{The sound of a grindstone
came from forward: pikes, cutlasses and tomahawks were getting a fine edge. A
cook's mate carried a scuttled butt of water to place on the centreline for
thirsty gun-crews. It was well spiked with vinegar to slow their drinking.}

_{Activity slowed, the
ship was cleared fore and aft. It now only required the enemy to appear and the
ship would beat to quarters. During the wait, biscuit and cheese were issued,
and a double tot of rum to all hands. It was nearly time ...}

_{The enemy fleet was sighted at
nine, sail upon sail startlingly pale against the dark grey clouds, occupying
half the horizon. Beyond lay the flat terrain of Holland. Men came up from the
gundeck to catch a glimpse of the enemy; once in action they would not see them
again until they closed and grappled.}

_{At half past, de Winter
formed his line of battle. On the quarterdeck Kydd heard the officers'
conversation: the taut enemy line was heading to the north - the Dutch, still
apparently hoping to reach safe harbour, were sailing close to the land.}

_{Duncan's strategy was
simple: braving the massed broadsides of the enemy he would without delay throw
his fleet at their line in two groups, one to larboard under himself to take
the Dutch van, the other to starboard under his vice admiral, Onslow, to fall
on their rear. Triumph would go with Duncan.}

_{More signal flags soared up on the
flagship, but Kydd never found out what they were for the urgent thunder of a
drum sent the ship to quarters.}

_{With an iron
resolution, he clattered down the main hatchway past the marine drummer madly
rattling out 'Hearts of Oak'. Of one thing he was certain: he would do his duty
to the limit.}

_{Touching his hat to
Monckton, he verified the presence of the young midshipman and three men
standing by the centreline grating, then turned his attention to the guns. If
they fought both sides at once they would be short-handed; some gun numbers
would have to cross the deck to work the opposite gun.}

_{He stepped up on the
grating while the wash-deck hose swashed across the deck. A seaman followed,
scattering sand to give grip to the feet. Powder monkeys brought up the first
cartridges in their long wooden salt boxes, and he watched as the
quarter-gunner settled ear-pads on the young lads. Gun-crews made do with their
bandannas, tying them tightly round their heads.}

_{Kydd took his broad
cross-belt, settling it to take the weight of his cutlass, which, as a boarder,
he would wear for the rest of the battle. When the order came, he would seize a
brace of pistols from the arms-chest and lead the second wave of boarders.}

_{He paced slowly along,
checking and rechecking: the middle of a battle was not a good time to be
finding missing spares. Tucked in along the sides of the main-hatch, beside the
ready-use shot lining it, were ranged spare breeching, complete training
tackles, gun lashings, all becketted up neatly.}

_{As he walked, he saw
the gun-crews looking at him, eyes flashing. They would be forced to stand idle
for all of the time it took to reach the enemy, their own guns unable to bear,
while the Dutch could concentrate their whole fire unopposed. After their line
was reached it would be another story: as they passed through they would blast
a storm of balls down the length of an enemy ship from each side.}

_{But first they had to
reach them. Triumph was as ready as forethought and devotion to the sea crafts
could make her. Now the fortune of war and the courage of her men would decide
the day.}

_{The enemy began to fire just after
midday, the thunder of their guns loud on the inactive gundeck. Kydd joined the
gun-crews leaning out of their ports to see. The whole line of the enemy ahead
was nearly obscured in gunsmoke, the sea between torn by shot. To starboard}

_{Vice Admiral Onslow's division was
diverging, his flagship, Monarch, in the lead of a straggling group. Duncan
must be anxious to start the fight, thought Kydd, that he did not form line of
battle.}

_{He crossed to the other
side of the deck. As he did the first cannon strikes thudded home. These were
longer-range shots and taken on the ricochet: closer in they would crush and
splinter. Out of the gunports Kydd saw their own flagship, Duncan's Venerable, streaming
out ahead, her blue ensign defiantly aloft, others coming up on her flank.}

_{The sea hissed past a
few feet below. They were running large, direcdy to leeward in the stiff wind —
their time to fight would not be long delayed. Kydd pulled himself inboard. A
sudden crash sounded somewhere forward. Something hissed past him, striking a
deck beam then angling down to a gun, which it hit with a musical clang.}

_{Then came the welcome
smash of their own carronades on the deck above. Kydd dared a quick last look
out of a port and saw, in a single flash ahead, Venerable bearing down on the
big Dutch flagship, and at the same time the Dutch next astern courageously
closing the gap to prevent Venerable passing through and breaking the line.}

_{He pulled in and took
post, conscious that his duty was to make sure Lieutenant Monckton's orders
were carried out — whatever the circumstances.}

_{'Point your guns!' The
enemy were very near now. Gun-captains scrambled to sight down their pieces,
signalling for handspikes to muscle the heavy guns round to train on target,
then tracking it, waiting with gun lanyard extended for the word to fire.}

_{So
close. Smashing strikes and cries of injured men were general now, the moments
seeming to last for ever. But then it died away and the sea outside shadowed
suddenly. It was the enemy line.}

_{'Fire!' came the order.
In a rippled broadside from forward the twenty-four-pounders crashed out in a
vengeful smash straight at the unprotected stern of the unknown Dutch ship —
thirty-seven heavy iron balls at point-blank velocity in a merciless
splintering path of destruction right down the length of the ship. The noise
was overwhelming, going on and on as they passed through.}

_{Kydd bent his knees to see. Through the
smoke he caught sight of an ornate stern gallery riven into gap-toothed ugliness.
Wreckage rained down and turned the sea white with splashes. He wheeled round,
still bent, and briefly glimpsed, through the opposite side, the tangled
bowsprit of another ship.}

_{Crews flung themselves
at their guns: sponging, the lethal grey cartridge and wad, then the deadly
iron ball. Kydd felt the deck sway over to starboard and realised they must be
coming round to lock into their opponent. He yelled hoarsely at the crews:
doubling the rate of fire was as good as doubling the number of guns, and once
around they would be facing an equal broadside from their opponent.}

_{It came early, before
they were fully round — and at ten-yards range the effect was lethal. The iron
shot tore through the sides of Triumph, the balls rampaging the whole width of the
gundeck before smashing through the far side, tearing and shattering. The deck
trembled as more balls struck below.}

_{Monckton raised his
speaking trumpet and was thrown violendy along the deck. He did not move. Kydd
ran to his body: there was no mark on it, but a red rash was spreading on the
side of his face. He put his hand inside the officer's coat and felt for the
heart it still beat.}

_{'Bear a hand!' he
roared at the men hovering around. They dragged Monckton to the centreline
gratings and laid him out on his back. He had been knocked unconscious by the
close passage of a round-shot. If he recovered he would want to be at his post,
but for now Kydd must perform his duty.}

_{A midshipman arrived
from forward, wide-eyed, his hand convulsively gripping the hilt of his dirk.
'Get back to y'r post,' Kydd told him. 'Orders are th' same.'}

_{Kydd turned to the
gun-crews. There was no need for interference: the men worked like demons,
their gun-captains throwing a glance his way, then getting on with it.}

_{A messenger raced
down from the quarterdeck and skidded to a stop at the sight of Monckton's
body. Kydd stepped up. 'I'm in charge. What's y'r message?' The order was
clear: each gun was to fire alternately at maximum depression or elevation.
This would send their shot down to the enemy's keel or up through her
unprotected decks, a terrifying ordeal for an opponent. Kydd ran along the
guns, tasking off the gun-captains.}

_{The hull of the enemy ship loomed
through the gunports in the thinning smoke; dull black, with signs of cannon
strike everywhere and jerking activity at her gunports. Their own guns crashed
out Triumph's gun-crews worked savagely, needing no goading. Smoke swirled
thickly back into the gundeck, obscuring everything. A mounting warrior's
bloodlust set Kydd's heart aflame for victory.}

_{There was no
pretence at aiming: fire was general. 'Double shotting!' Kydd bellowed. As the
two balls diverged at the muzzle, aim would be affected but the damage would be
broadened and doubled. 'Smash it in 'em, lads!' he bawled. Yet in the wildness
of the battle Kydd felt a serenity, the calm of a dedicated ferocity that he
knew would take him through anything.}