neither sails nor rigging could do the Surprise any credit until the bosun and the sailmaker had taken her in hand again, Whewell did not hesitate in coming aboard, nor indeed in breakfasting with the Commodore and his surgeon.
‘Well, sir,’ he said, ‘there she was, lying in front of the old castle, as you said: but there were two armed polacres with her, or rather a polacre and a polacre-settee: both Algerines, I take it.’
‘How many guns did they carry?’
‘It was very difficult to make out, sir, the ports being closed and great heaps of sailcloth and cordage dangling over the sides, but I should say probably twelve for the one and perhaps eight for the other. Nine-pounders, I should imagine, though I cannot assert it. A great many people aboard.’
‘Shore batteries, I dare say?’ Jack was not good at dissembling: Stephen noticed the artificial lightness of his tone, but gazed steadily at the coffee in his coffee-cup.
‘Yes, sir: one at each end of the mole. I did not like to be too busy with my glass, but I thought I could make out six emplacements in each. I could not speak to the nature of the guns.’
‘No, of course not.’ A pause. ‘Mr Whewell, pray help yourself to bacon: it stands at your right hand - the covered dish.’
When Captain Vaux came aboard the pennant-ship in response to a signal he found the great cabin still comfortably scented with bacon, coffee and toast.
‘Good morning, Vaux,’ said the Commodore, offering him a chair. ‘Mr Whewell had just given me his report on Ragusa Vecchio, where that Bonapartist frigate is lying. As you know, she is moored by the mole in front of the old castle. She has been very short of stores and cordage, but now it seems probable that she has been supplied with them by her Algerian friends: there are two of them with her at present, a polacre and a polacre-settee, both armed and mounting perhaps a score of guns between them, nine- or at the most twelve-pounders. There are also two shore-batteries with six gun-emplacements each: how armed I cannot tell. Now if, as it seems probable, she has the cables and hawsers to allow her to put to sea, she is very likely to go off cruising with her Algerian companions: the present situation makes some people think that Napoleon will very soon be restored. So I think we should deal with this frigate at once. We will sail up the coast prepared for action and summon him: if he does not comply, why so much the worse for him. Or conceivably for us: he carries eighteen-pounders. But since today is a banyan day I have ordered beef to be served out instead of the dried peas, as being a better foundation for battle. You might consider of it.’
‘I too shall certainly order beef, sir,’ said Vaux.
‘With this breeze and a steady glass, I believe we should raise Ragusa Vecchio at four or five bells in the afternoon watch. But there is this question of shore-batteries: Mr Whewell reports one at each end of the mole - come and look at the chart. Here we are. He could not tell what guns they mounted, but even nine-pounders intelligently fired - and generally speaking the French artillery is very good - could annoy us in our approach, knocking away spars and even masts. You have your full complement of Marines, I believe?’
‘Yes, sir: under a very capable, experienced officer, Lieutenant Turnbull.’
‘Well, that makes sixty-five between us: and it occurs to me that if we land them here’ - he pointed to a small bay just south of Ragusa Vecchio - ‘they can cross the slight rise to the next beach and take the batteries from behind. The mole will protect them from the frigate’s guns, once they reach it. Let our Marine officers consider the plan and tell us what they think. Your Mr Turnbull is the senior, I believe?’
‘Yes, sir: and he has led some remarkably dashing attacks by land.’
‘Very well: they will turn it over in their minds while we are filling cartridge and rousing out our dreadnought screens. I think we should weigh at about four bells: that will give us plenty of time to have dinner quietly and clear for action with no mad frenzy.’
So little frenzy was there, indeed, that when somewhat before the appointed time Stephen walked aft from the bows, where he had been watching a flight of Dalmatian pelicans, presumably from the Scutari lane, he found Jack Aubrey playing his violin in the cabin - a cabin that was already pretty bare, but by no means really stripped for action.
Jack listened to his account of the pelicans, of the hundreds and hundreds of pelicans and their curious evolutions, no doubt associated with the mating season, and then said, ‘I know little of birds, as you are aware; but let me tell you of a remarkable instance of humanity in our own kind: the Royal Marine officers waited on me to give their opinion of my suggested attack on the shore-batteries. They thought it an excellent scheme - were much pleased with the idea of tearing along under the shelter of the mole - but they proposed that just for this occasion, it being so uncommon hot, their men might be indulged in trousers rather than tight breeches and gaiters, and that they might take off their stocks.’
