Tide of War (25 page)

“You have made a thorough search among the dead?”

Something in the Governor's tone suggested that he would not have been devastated had their quarry been discovered among this silent community.

“I would not say
thorough,
Your Excellency, as they are scattered over a wide area, which is why I would be greatly obliged if your men were to continue the search after our departure. I would not like to think of him lying wounded in the swamp at night, a prey to whatever monsters lurk there.”

“No,” agreed the Governor, but again there was something in his tone that indicated to Nathan that the prospect would not overly disturb him. “No, we must certainly avoid that eventuality.”

He spoke a few sentences in Spanish to the fort commandant, whose quarters they had appropriated, and the officer left the room, hopefully to relay Nathan's request as it had been stated.

“Is it possible that Your Excellency is acquainted with Mr. Imlay?”

“Oh we are not acquainted as such. But his name became familiar to us over the course of time—more familiar, indeed, than we might have wished. It first arose in connection with a plot to seize the territory for the United States with the assistance of a small army of frontiersmen from Kentucky and Tennessee.” He observed Nathan's expression with interest. “I surmise you were not aware of this.”

“Believe me, Excellency, I was not.”

“I am relieved to hear it. Else I might have feared you nourished similar ambitions on behalf of King George. Imlay is entirely mercenary, I believe, in his pursuit of employment and quite uncommitted in his loyalties. Did you say he was your guide?”

Before Nathan could reply, there was a knock upon the door and two of the Governor's African servants, or slaves, entered bearing
trays with refreshment. Whatever the state of its powder and shot the fort did not appear to be short of food and drink. There was cold fowl, a large pie, bread and butter, several cheeses, a pineapple and other exotic fruits, lemon water and wine.

Carondelet raised his glass. “Your very good health, sir. I am in your debt. The fort must surely have fallen and New Orleans left at the mercy of these dogs. Who knows but that the French may have been celebrating the conquest of a new empire in the West, though I suppose they would not have called it that. I believe they use the word ‘liberate' when they plunder a man of his birthright. So to you, the English and King George.”

He took a delicate sip and contemplated the glass. “There are those in Cuba—and in Spain—who would die before drinking to such an heretic. And would have me shot for proposing it, no doubt. I suppose you have heard that the English alliance is not popular among certain of my associates who would prefer an agreement with the French, being more disposed to tolerate the atheist pig than the Protestant swine. Your pardon but it is their words that I use …”

Nathan granted his pardon and conceded that he had heard a similar report.

“Doubtless it formed a part of Imlay's advice on the local situation,” remarked the Governor with a sly grin. “You need not answer that. Indeed it was ignoble of me as a host to propose it. A captain must needs take advice from many unsavoury quarters.”

“Forgive me, your Excellency, but I own I am somewhat disturbed by your suspicions where Mr. Imlay is concerned. I have been given no cause to doubt his loyalty to the coalition against the Revolutionary government in Paris.”

This was by no means true but it drew a satisfactory response.

“Pah. Imlay's loyalty is first and foremost to himself, I believe. And then to those of his inclination in the United States. The crowned heads of Spain and England, of Prussia and Austria do not in the least engage his loyalties or his sympathies, believe me, though perhaps you know him better than I.”

“I know him only as well as any of my officers,” Nathan temporised, “but he has never revealed any hostility to the King of Spain. And as I assured you I knew nothing of his past activities in this region, other than as an adventurer and geographer.”

“Oh, adventurer he certainly is, that I don't deny. An adventurer, a freebooter, a pirate … well, I will not become agitated whilst indulging the appetite, it is not good for the digestion I am assured.”

“Nor would I wish it, Excellency, but I would welcome an account of this conspiracy you mentioned, when you are at liberty to indulge me.”

“Oh, that is not at all disagreeable for it failed entirely in its objective. Indeed, the affair was of such an embarrassment to the Federal government they sought to arrest the leading conspirators for treason. General Washington, I believe, was apoplectic, though whether it was at the nature of the enterprise or its ignominious failure I cannot say. Imlay, with other of the rogues, was forced to flee from United States jurisdiction—into East Florida, initially, where he offered his services to the Spanish authorities as a spy.”

Nathan confessed himself astonished. This was an exaggeration. Nothing Imlay did could have astonished him. But he was alarmed at the extent of Imlay's previous activities. He wondered if Colonel Hollis had known of them when he had briefed him at the Admiralty.

“ Well, given that he had but recently attempted to expel Spanish authority from the region it was certainly impudent,” the governor agreed, “but it is an impudent profession—that of spy—and, as I believe I mentioned, one is forced to take advice from many unsavoury quarters. So my colleagues in East Florida availed themselves of the offer and he became a servant of the King of Spain. He was entered in the rolls as Agent number 37, with the code name Gilberto. Which reveals a certain lack of imagination among those who recruited him I agree but they are sometimes surprisingly inept. I am probably being indiscreet but one should know a little of the history of one's servants, I believe, for fear of further betrayal and it is quite possible he may survive the creatures of the swamp. With which he has much in common. Let me help you to a little of this excellent
pie—it is composed of pigeon breasts. The passenger pigeon is the name used by the English colonists, I believe, and though a common enough bird is quite delicious when cooked with the right herbs.”

Nathan allowed his plate to be replenished but his mind, for once, was not on his food. “Forgive me, Your Excellency, for pressing you on this subject but is it possible that you think Imlay is now working for the French?”

The Governor considered for a moment. “It is entirely possible,” he conceded. “Our most recent information was that he has been residing in Paris for some years.” He shot Nathan a look but receiving no reply continued. “However, he may be acting entirely on his own initiative. You know something of American settlement in the region?”

Nathan admitted he did not.

“Well, let me enlighten you. It began with those former soldiers to whom, as a reward for their services in the War of Independence, were granted the uncultivated lands of Kentucky and of the southern bank of the Ohio. This vast territory, which twenty years ago was uninhabited, already comprises fifty thousand men capable of bearing arms and is increasing at the rate of more than ten thousand emigrants a year.

“This restless population, driving the Indian tribes before them, seeks to possess the entire region between the Ohio and the Mississippi while demanding with menaces the right of free navigation to the Gulf.” Despite his earlier concern for the digestive system the governor was continuing his discourse with increasing passion, knife and fork clenched in his fists like weapons and the pigeon pie helpless before him. “And do you think this will be sufficient for them? No, sir, for their roving spirit acknowledges no obstacle or impediment, whether of peoples or physical barriers. A rifle and a little cornmeal in a bag is sufficient for an American wandering alone in the woods for a month.

“Our masters in Europe are preoccupied with the menace of Revolution in France but I tell you, sir, it is nothing to the menace of these interlopers for they are a new breed possessed of an
independence, a notion of their own …
righteousness
… that brooks no dissent, no opposition, no obstacle to their progress. Unless they be stopped at their present frontiers they will advance westward to the Pacific, southward into Mexico and, indeed, northward into British Canada. And after that, sir, well, the world may look out for itself. And that is all I have to say on the subject.” He stabbed a pigeon breast with his fork and ate it with belligerence.

Nathan did not care to start him off again but it had occurred to him that Imlay may have sought the shelter and support of these prodigies—if any were in the immediate vicinity.

The Governor shook his head. “They have not yet penetrated so far south and show no desire at present to live in a bog. I think it is far more likely, if he is alive, that he is with the Cajuns. He speaks the language and he has worked with them before. Indeed it may have been that they were expecting him.”

“How could that be?”

Carondelet shrugged: “It would be interesting to put the question to Imlay,” he remarked evasively, “if we are fortunate enough to apprehend him.”

“We have no evidence that Imlay has betrayed us,” Nathan replied cautiously. “Or intends to do so. At present I am merely concerned for his safety. He is in the service of His Britannic Majesty and I would not wish him to suffer for any previous misdeeds while on Spanish territory.”

“Oh my dear sir, I said put the question to him, not put him to the question. I am not a member of the Inquisition. Please, your glass is empty and the bottle beside you.”

Nathan demurred. “Forgive me, but it is time I was on my way. We must get back to the
Unicorn
before nightfall. And then there is the
Virginie
to be found.”

“Ah yes, the
Virginie.
Whose virtues have been most generously distributed among these Cajun sons of whores. Their big guns came from her, you know, and most of the gunners.”

“So I believe. And I am told by Señor Escavar that she is now off
the Delta, some one hundred miles to the south.”

“So we are informed. However, as the channels of the Delta have no more than thirteen or fourteen feet of water we need hardly be concerned that a frigate of that size may come upon us by way of the river.”

“I confess I was more concerned with coming upon
her.”

“ Well, I wish you joy of the venture, though I had hoped I might prevail upon you to leave your marines here until I can bring up more of my own forces from New Orleans.”

“I am afraid that would seriously weaken my own force. But now that the rebels have fled—and you are in possession of all their guns, powder and shot …”

“This is true,” nodded the Governor with as near cheerful an expression as his lugubrious features would allow. The guns had already been dragged into the fort and the mortars alone would be a sufficient deterrence to any future attack.

“ Well.” He dabbed at his lips with the white napkin on his lap and rose from the table. “I will be most fulsome in my report to Madrid and I trust it will be relayed to your own superiors in London. Who knows but that it may be the beginning of a greater understanding between our two nations, a greater willingness to combine our operations.”

The Governor appeared ready to commence upon a long speech of farewell but he was interrupted by a servant with a message for Nathan. One of his officers desired to speak with him on a matter of some urgency.

It was Tully.

“I have been speaking with one of the prisoners,” he told Nathan. “One of the gunners landed by the
Virginie.
He is a Channel Islander by the name of Tierney. Robin Tierney. A fisherman from Jersey. He says he and his shipmates were taken by the
Virginie
on an earlier cruise and forced into the French service. But he insists he has always been a true subject of King George and is anxious to serve on the
Unicorn.”

“Well, if you think he is trustworthy, we need every man we can get. In fact—”

“I am sorry to interrupt you, sir, but he also has news of the
Virginie.
There were over a score of her men came ashore with the guns and about the same number of marines. He says she was to wait for them off the Chandeleur Islands—not the Delta as we were informed.”

“The Chandeleurs?” Nathan felt a knife turn in his stomach. He had a clear mental picture of the Chandeleurs from the chart drawn by Des Barres. They curved in a long chain parallel with the coast of Louisiana and the northernmost of them was barely twenty miles from where they had left the
Unicorn.

T
HERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG
with the sea. Even among the shallows of Lake Borgne they felt it, a sluggish swell that seemed to come from nowhere, for there was scarcely a breath of wind and otherwise the sea appeared perfectly calm, and Nathan could see no white horses out in the bay. But still they felt it, that restless heave as if some giant reptile was moving in its sleep, stretching into wakefulness. Nathan could feel the heat rising from its back, an oppressive sweltering heat that distorted the air around them, cutting visibility to a few hundred yards. The sky was opaque, more bronze than blue, a vast metallic shield diffusing the light of an invisible sun. There was a storm brewing. They all knew it. Nathan felt the urgency in the silent rowers. He did not have to exhort them to pull. They pulled for all their worth and even those that were resting, and should have been slumped in an exhausted heap, were wide awake, staring towards the unnatural haze shrouding the western end of Ship Island where they had left the
Unicorn.

A haze that was suddenly shot through with flashing light. And close upon its heels, the drum roll of thunder. But it was not the expected storm. With startling suddenness the curtain parted as if blown away and they saw not one but two ships, and the orange
flames stabbing through the smoke as they pounded each other with their broadsides, and the rippling roar of their cannon rolled back to them across the sullen sea.