An Eye of the Fleet Read Free Page B

pin or eyebolt.
    The seaman made shift for him and Drinkwater looked around. The blue circle of the sea was broken by some two hundred odd white specks as the armada sailed south. In that direction, below the horizon, the advanced frigates reconnoitred. Behind them in three divisions came the dark hulls of the ships of the line, a few of them wearing the yellow gun-strakes that would soon become uniform. In the centre of the middle column
Sandwich
carried Admiral Rodney, the man responsible for all this puissance. Behind the battleships a couple of cutters and a schooner, tenders to the fleet, followed like dogs in the wake of their master. Then in a great mass came the convoy of troopships, storeships, cargo vessels with an escort of four frigates and two sloops of war.
Cyclops
’s station on the inshore bow of the convoy made her the nearest frigate to the rear division of battleships and the most advanced ship of the convoy itself.
    From his elevated position Drinkwater looked out to larboard. Eight or nine leagues distant, slightly dun coloured in the westering sun, the coast of Portugal was clearly visible. Hiseyes raked over the horizon casually and he was about to descend to the deck when his attention was caught by an irregularity. A small speck of white almost abeam of them was set against the backdrop of the coast. He nudged the seaman and pointed.
    â€˜Sail, sir,’ the man responded matter-of-factly.
    â€˜Yes—I’ll hail,’ then in as manly a voice as he could muster: ‘Deck there!’
    Faintly the voice of Keene, the third lieutenant came back, ‘Aye, aye?’
    â€˜Sail eight points to larboard!’ Drinkwater reached for the backstay and began his spectacular hand over hand descent. In the excitement of the strange sail nobody noticed him.
    â€˜Signal from flag, sir,’ said Lieutenant Keene to Captain Hope as Drinkwater came aft.
    â€˜Well?’
    â€˜Our number. Chase.’
    â€˜Acknowledge,’ said the Captain, ‘Mr Keene put the ship before the wind.’
    Drinkwater assisted making up the answering signal as the lieutenant turned to bellow orders through his speaking trumpet. Bosun’s mates chivvied the people and the helm was put up.
Cyclops
swung to the east, the braces rattling through the sheaves as the yards swung round.
    â€˜All sail if you please Mr Keene.’
    â€˜Aye, aye, sir!’ There was enthusiasm in the lieutenant’s voice and a ripple of excitement ran through the ship. Free of the constrictions necessary in keeping station the frigate spread her wings. Clew and bunt-lines were cast off the pins as the topmen spread out along the footropes loosening the canvas. As the master’s mates stationed at the bunt of each sail waved to the deck the order was given to sheet home. The topgallants billowed, collapsed and billowed again as the waisters tallied onto the halliards and the yards rose from the caps.
Cyclops
leaned to the increase of power, the hempen rigging drew tight and the vessel began to tremble gently as she gathered speed. The frigate surged through the dark Atlantic, the white vee of her wake creaming out from under her transom.
    On deck the watch changed and the waist cleared as men, drawn on deck by the excitement, went below again.
    Drinkwater found the captain staring at him. ‘Sir?’ he ventured.
    â€˜Mr, er . . .’
    â€˜Drinkwater, sir.’
    â€˜Ahh. Mr Drinkwater take a glass to the foremasthead and see what you make of her. D’you think you can do that?’
    â€˜Aye, aye, sir.’ Drinkwater took from a rack an exceedingly battered telescope which was provided by a generous Navy Board for the exclusive use of the ship’s ‘young gentlemen’. He started for the foremast rigging.
    It was nearly a quarter of an hour before he returned to the deck. Aware that Hope was testing his ability he had waited until he had something positive to report.
    He