Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (76 page)

             
"
Hughes,
Smith
–
get
on
with
your
work,
"
Harry
said
sharply.
"
Your
work
is
here,
not
at
the
foremast
–
pay
attention
now.
"

             
The
man
named
Hughes
shot
Harry
a
grateful
look
and
busied
himself
with
the
task
of
casting
off
the
lashings
on
the
boat.
The
man
next
to
him
muttered,
"
Don
'
t
take
the
Middie
as
soft
–
he
ain
'
t,
but
he
'
ll
give
you
fairness,
not
like
the
other.
"

             
"
I
ain
'
t
taking
him
for
a
fool
neither.
He
'
s
plenty
of
pluck
all
right.
But
that
other
one
–
he
'
ll
meet
an
accident
if
'
n
he
ain
'
t
careful.
"
Hughes
considered
Harry
a
moment.
"
Ain
'
t
Mister
Her
'
n
the
one
persuaded
the
Lieutenant
arter
t
'
corsair
fight
t
'
take
some
'
volunteers
'
from
our
hell
ship?
"

             
"
That
he
be.
Aks
young
Cormac
if
'
n
you
'
ve
a
mind.
Grew
up
in
the
same
part
o
'
Ireland
they
did
–
an
'
the
Mid
dint
hesitate.
"

***

             
The
sun
was
low
in
the
West,
illuminating
the
entrance
to
the
great
natural
harbour
of
Port
Jackson
with
a
golden
path
on
the
water
as
the
Spartan
turned
her
bows
toward
the
gap
in
the
low
cliffs
which
flanked
the
entrance.
The
two
remaining
transports
and
the
laden
trader
followed,
shaping
their
courses
for
the
opening
and
the
harbour
beyond.

             
To
the
First
Lieutenant
Captain
Blackwood
said,
"
The
settlement
was
moved
to
this
harbour
from
Botany
Bay
some
years
ago
–
there
is
no
fresh
water
there,
but
this
harbour
has
better
shelter
and
an
abundance
of
water
and
good
soil.
Put
a
good
man
in
the
chains
as
soon
as
we
pass
the
entrance,
Mister
Wentworth
'
s
chart
says
there
is
foul
ground
to
the
south
flanking
the
main
channel
and
several
islets
between
us
and
the
settlement.
I
do
not
wish
to
be
stranded
in
this
entrance.
"

             
"
Aye,
aye,
sir,
"
Thomas
Bell
responded.
"
This
breeze
should
hold
well
into
the
harbour,
but
if
the
Master
'
s
chart
is
true,
the
channel
runs
southerly
and
then
westerly
which
with
the
wind
in
this
quarter
may
be
difficult.
It
may
be
advisable
for
us
to
lie
too
in
the
bay
just
inside
the
entrance
and
work
our
way
in
with
the
tide
in
the
morning
–
unless
we
can
find
a
local
pilot
to
guide
us
in.
"

             
"
There
is
sense
in
what
you
say,
Thomas.
Very
well,
make
it
so,
signal
the
transports
to
that
effect
and
make
ready
my
gig
to
take
me
to
the
Governor
once
we
are
anchored.
" 

             
Before
the
signal
could
be
hoisted
however,
a
local
lugger
appeared
and
made
straight
for
them
signalling
that
it
carried
a
pilot.
The
passage
through
the
Heads
was
accomplished
without
mishap.

             
"
The
channel
leads
West
South
West
and
then
West
and
a
half
West
Sou
'
West
in
a
dogleg
into
the
inner
harbour,
"
the
pilot,
an
elderly
lieutenant,
told
the
Captain.
The
vista
that
opened
before
them
was
truly
amazing,
though
the
little
cluster
of
buildings
seven
miles
inside
it
hardly
seemed
to
dignify
the
place.
Skirting
several
islets
the
Spartan
finally
dropped
her
great
anchor
in
a
small
bay
near
the
town
and
in
the
lee
of
a
larger
island
apparently
used
as
a
prison.
The
other
ships
continued
further
up
the
harbour,
vanishing
into
another
larger
bay
beyond
the
town.

             
"
Phew,
this
heat
is
stifling,
"
Kit
Tanner
commented
as
he
and
Harry
watched
a
party
rigging
the
awnings
above
the
decks
under
the
direction
of
the
Second
Lieutenant.

             
"
It
is.
"
Harry
tugged
at
his
neckcloth.
"
And
I
think
it
will
show
us
little
relief
now
we
are
sheltered
from
the
sea
breezes.
"