Dead Reckoning by Parkinson C. Northcote Read Free Book Online Page A

more formidable than a frigate. He appointed a junior officer to observe the enemy’s fire through a powerful telescope. “Vignot,” he said, “you will report at once when you have evidence either way.” When the Tourville opened fire, however, at extreme range, there was nothing to report because the British guns were still silent. Another broadside roared out, making the deck shudder beneath his feet, but Vignot could see nothing but the splashes made by the French shot, mostly falling short. There was a pause of five minutes while the two ships converged and the range lessened. Then Peynier decided to try again, his next broadside doing some little damage but still without eliciting a reply. Peynier knew very well what his opponent’s plan would be. The first broadside was always the most carefully aimed and the most effective and the British were seldom willing to waste it at long range. But there was surely no merchantman in the world so disciplined as to hold its fire for ten minutes? Their opponent was not merely a man-of-war but one commanded by a resolute disciplinarian; this was, surely, obvious. There was no response from the British for another five minutes. At last, watching intently, Vignot could see the flashes from the British gun-muzzles—flashes visible on both decks, followed by billowing smoke and followed again by the thunder of the cannon. He reported at once to Captain Peynier. “There are flashes visible on the enemy’s lower deck.” Peynier repeated this information to the Commodore. “That settles my first problem,” he replied. “I shall not close the range any further. Continue the action.” This order was obeyed but the nervous Peynier actually kept further awaywith the result that his next broadside fell short again. There was no important damage on either side, at least none visible, but the Tourville was hit three or four times, two seamen being wounded. No guns were fired from the Indiamen which were still placidly heading southward in close formation.
    If the Tourville was handled with excessive caution, the Charente went into action with every sign of confidence. Captain Audenet half expected the Indiamen to tack in succession or even tack together, coming to the rescue of the lame duck. But she was apparently left to her fate and the French frigate headed so as to cross her bows. It was the classic situation of the snake and the rabbit. It is true that the Indiaman altered course in time to avoid the enfilade but this might well have been inadvertent, the result of mere panic. Coming down on his prey, Audenet was almost shocked to see all the evidence of ill-discipline and ignorance. The Indiaman opened fire at long range but her guns were fired singly and at long intervals. Through his telescope the French captain could see a group of men hurrying from one gun to another. Half the cannon were not even manned and the shots fired all went high and wide. As for the sails and rigging, there was a bird’s nest appearance, the foresail partly furled and a stay-sail apparently collapsed across the after-hatch. Some ladies were seen on the quarter-deck and were, with difficulty, made to go below—one reappearing later in apparent hysterics. Some civilian passengers surrounded the captain, urging him, no doubt, to surrender. A distracted-looking officer was apparently trying to quell a mutiny with drawn sword and one mutineer seemed to be trying to strike the ensign. Other seamen on the forecastle seemed to be drunk. Captain Audenet decided that the prize was already his and that he wanted to have her undamaged. He ceased fire, therefore, and tacked so as to take up a positionacross his victim’s bows. This time he succeeded and was rather amused to see the Indiaman’s foresail come partly down with a run and flap uselessly in a tangle with the fore-staysail. He gave orders for lowering the boats and boarding the prize and