Conquest

Renzi turned, his wistful expression almost comical. ‘Should ever I desire a perfect zoo of ethnical curiosities then Africa . . . The humble savage, he must learn not only how to secure his daily bread – or should it be taro or similar? – but to lie down in amity with the lion and crocodile that may be contemplating his devouring.’

They began pacing together companionably. ‘And these savages from the dark interior, what of their pride, their hopes, when encountering strangers from another world? What can they—’

‘Easily enough answered by those who know the Caribbean, my friend,’ Kydd interrupted cynically. ‘They’re taken up as slaves and need not fear for their prospects.’

‘None the less, I should take joy to see them at their native pleasures,’ Renzi said huffily.

‘Excepting for this you must step ashore, old fellow, and that will not be possible unless we first persuade the Dutch to part with their possession, which I’m tolerably certain they’ll resent.’

Renzi gave a half-smile.

Eight bells dinged from the belfry forward signifying the relief of the watch-on-deck. The men of the first dog- watch waited while Curzon went through hand-over with the off-going Bowden. The quartermaster then took his slate and the mate-of-the-watch went with his men to the bitts, ready for the inevitable sail-trimming.

After things had settled down, Kydd and Renzi resumed their pacing, a broad sunset developing astern while the line of land ahead turned dusky and mysterious.

‘Touching on the Dutch, Nicholas, don’t you think it perverse o’ them to fall in with the French? I’d not think Bonaparte a fit bedfellow for any.’

‘Faute de mieux, old trout. They are situated much too close to the revolutionary storm to think to remain neutral, while if they ally with Napoleon he will desist from seizing the country. That’s not to say they’re independent – not at all. They must suffer a foreign army of protection and immense interference in their affairs. But this they deem preferable.’

‘So as allies o’ the French it puts ’em as enemies to us. They fight like tigers let loose, and I’ll confide to you, Nicholas, I have my qualms about our enterprise.’ To Kydd, the fraught battle with the Dutch at Camperdown in 1797 had been on a par for bloody brutality with Trafalgar.

‘Just so. And considering the strategics I’ll not be surprised to hear they’ve reinforced their vital waypoint to the east at the Cape – or the French, distrusting them, have sent their own forces.’

They paced along, silent for a space. Then Kydd said quietly, ‘They’ve much to be proud on, Nicholas – a century or so ago they had a navy and trade to conjure with before we rudely gathered it all in from them. And now t’ be brought so low . . .’

‘It’s not the Dutch people we oppose, only their present government – the Batavian Republic as is controlled by Napoleon. I suspect the ordinary people have their views. Or not – recollect that the country is riven between the republicans, who applauded the French Revolution, and the Orangists, who want nothing more than a restoration of the monarchy. How deep does this go?’

Any further musing was cut short by the appearance of Midshipman Calloway, who had been dispatched by Lieutenant Gilbey to inform the captain that gun crews were closed up for drill and inspection.

This was Kydd’s invariable practice: the guns in the forward half of the gun-deck were manned on both sides and practice would then take place, starboard against larboard. The winners would have the satisfaction of looking on lazily while the losers were obliged to go through their motions once more, this time to ribald encouragement.

Later in the evening Kydd and Renzi relaxed in his cabin, admiring the last of the sunset. ‘A singular continent, Africa,’ Renzi said expansively. ‘Egypt and an ocean of desert in the north, the prehistoric darkness of equatorial forests in the centre and – and whatever we will find in the south. Elephants, giraffes and quantities of snakes, I’ve heard.’

Kydd grimaced. ‘Did you hear of Mungo Park’s explorations to Timbuktu at all? Sent by Sir Joseph Banks to go up some river and after two years came back with aught but his horse, a compass and a tale as would put any fo’c’sleman t’ the blush.’

‘Yes, I did read something of it,’ Renzi murmured, aware that the account of the adventure had been put out by John Murray, the publisher who had turned down his own tome. ‘And he was given another perilous exploration and is now vanished from the ken of civilisation.’

He put down his glass. ‘But what sights he must have seen! Giant waterfalls, grand mountains – wild beasts unknown to civilised man, tribes of pygmy savages—’

Kydd chuckled. ‘As if you would wish to get lost with the poor wight among all those cannibals and such.’ The look he received in response made the smile fade from his face.

As they closed with the coast, tensions increased. These were unknown waters to all aboard – Kydd had rounded the Cape several times but always at a respectful distance; the grand sea route to the Indies was a relatively narrow band of waters some dozen miles offshore to the south. If the French were at large they’d be there. With their numbers and force, they had nothing to fear from the British and everything to gain by straddling the shipping lanes.

This was where L’Aurore would venture in her sweep eastward, a week’s sail around against the wind and current, then a fast week or less back. They had the advantage that a large squadron would be easier to spot and their own rapid retreat would be put down to reasons other than scouting for an invading force.

The sailing master knocked softly at the great cabin and entered.

‘Ah, Mr Kendall – you’re not so familiar with African waters, I hear,’ Kydd said.

‘No, sir,’ he replied levelly, ‘but I’ve good enough charts ’n’ rutters. They did a fine piece o’ work afore in the surveying hereabouts.’

‘Good. Shall you now tell me your understanding of these parts?’

Kendall said gravely, ‘Why, sir, I c’n do that in one. This is not y’r northern seas, English Channel an’ similar. This here is all ruled b’ the oceans.’