Jane Austen's Sailor Brothers - J. H. Hubback (novels for students txt) 📗

Naval matters, though much better than they had been, were by no means in order yet, and great was the difficulty experienced in getting the ship properly equipped. Letter after letter was written by the Captain to “the principal Officers and Commissioners of His Majesty’s Navy” before the ship could be got ready for sea, properly supplied with stores and men. It was not until late in June that they at last got away on convoying duty to the Cape of Good Hope.

The account of Simon’s Bay in the notebook of Francis Austen is interesting, when compared with the state of things now existing at the Cape. After sundry very instructive but entirely nautical directions for sailing in and out, and anchoring, he goes on to make a few remarks respectively on wooding and watering, fortifications and landing-places, trade and shipping and inhabitants, from each of which we give extracts.

“Wood is not to be had here, except by purchase, and is extravagantly dear; nor is there any sort of fuel to be procured.

“Water is plentiful and of an excellent quality; a stream is brought by pipes to the extremity of the wharf, where two boats may fill with hoses at the same time, but as the run of water which supplies it is frequently diverted to other purposes by the inhabitants, it is rather a tedious mode of watering, and better calculated for keeping up the daily consumption after being once completed, than for supplying the wants of a squadron or ship arriving from a voyage.

“The method generally used by the men-of-war is to land their casks on the sandy beach on the N.W. part of the bay, a little to the Westward of the North battery, where there are two or three considerable runs of water down the sides of the mountains, and make wells or dipping-places by sinking half-casks in the sand. In this way, many ships fill their water at the same time without at all interfering with or retarding each other’s progress. The casks so filled must be rafted off, as there is generally too much surf to get them into the boats, and when the South-easters set in strong it is impracticable to get them off at all. The casks may however remain on shore without injury, and being ready filled may be got off when the weather suits. Both watering-places are completely commanded by the batteries as well as by the ships at anchorage.

“The anchorage is protected and commanded by two batteries and a round tower. One on the South-east point of the bay, called the Block-house, on which are three twenty-four-pounders, and a ten-inch mortar. It is elevated about thirty feet above the level of the sea, and commands the whole of the bay, as well as the passage into the westward of the Roman Rocks.

“The round tower is close at the back of, and indeed may be considered as appertaining to the Block-house. It has one twenty-four-pounder mounted on a traversing carriage, and contains very good barracks for fifty or sixty soldiers. The other, called the North Battery, is, as its name bespeaks, on the north side of the bay. It stands on a small rocky point between two sandy bays, on an elevation of twenty or twenty-five feet above the level of the sea, and is mounted with three long eighteen-pounders and two ten-inch mortars. Neither of these works could make much resistance if regularly attacked by sea or land, and are all completely commanded by higher ground in their rear within half cannon-shot. There is besides these another battery called Tucker’s, about halt a mile to the southward of the Block-house, but not in sight from the anchorage; on it are three eighteen-pounders. It was constructed in consequence of a French frigate running into the bay (not knowing it to be in the possession of the English) and getting aground somewhere near that spot. It is however so placed as to be of no use as a defence to the bay, for a ship, or squadron, coming in with hostile intentions need not, except from choice, pass within reach of its guns, and as a military post it is confessedly ntenable, being completely commanded by higher ground behind it.

The only regular landing-place is at the wharf which runs out about fifty yards into the sea, and is very convenient, having always sufficient water to allow of the largest boats when loaded to lie alongside it without taking the ground. In moderate weather, boats may, if required to do so, land in almost any part of the bay, and it is, except where the rocks show themselves, a beach of very fine sand. There is very little trade here, it having been chiefly used whilst in the possession of the Dutch as a kind of halfway house for their ships on their passage both to and from India and China.

“The produce of those countries may however be generally procured, and on reasonable terms, as duties on importation are so moderate that the officers of the East India ships frequently find it worth their while to dispose of their private investments here, rather than carry them to England. There has been a whale fishery lately established by a few individuals in a bay about four miles to the north-east, called Calp’s or Calk’s Bay, which appears to be doing very well, but I imagine could not be very much extended. There is no ship or vessel whatever belonging to the place, and only a few small boats used for the purposes of fishing.

“The arsenal or naval yard is a compact row of storehouses under one roof, and enclosed with a wall and gates, well situated for its purpose, fronting a sandy beach and adjoining the wharf. It contains all the necessary buildings and accommodations as a depot of naval and victualling stores on a small scale, adequate however to the probable wants of any squadron which is ever likely to be stationed there.

“The inhabitants are a mongrel breed, a mixture of many nations, but principally descended from the first Dutch settlers whose language (probably a good deal corrupted both in ideas and pronunciation) is in general use. The Government is now English, but the civil, as well as the criminal jurisprudence is regulated by the colonial laws, as originally established by the Dutch East India Company, somewhat modified and ameliorated by the milder influence of English law. The prevailing religion is Calvinistic, but there are many Lutherans, and some of various sects.”

The contrast between the Cape in 1807 and the Cape in 1905 is so strong that it needs no emphasising.

After calling at Ascension Island and St. Helena, the St. Albans returned to England. The progress of contemporary history may be noted by the news which they received on their way back, which was duly logged:

“By this ship informed of capture of Copenhagen and the cession of the Danish fleet to the English forces under Lord Cathcart and Admiral Gambier.” By January 1 they were back at Spithead, where they remained till the beginning of February, sailing thence, as was so often the custom, under sealed orders. On opening the sealed packet Captain Austen found that he was directed to accompany the convoy to St. Helena.

The following account of the island is interesting when it is remembered that at that time it was an unimportant spot, not yet associated with memories of Napoleon. The note opens with a colossal sentence!

“This island being in the hands of the English East India Company, and used by it merely as a rendezvous for its homeward-bound fleets, where during time of war they are usually met at stated periods by some King’s ship appointed to take them to England, has no trade but such as arises from the sale of those few articles of produce, consisting chiefly in poultry, fruit, and vegetables, which are beyond the consumption of its inhabitants, and a petty traffic carried on by a few shopkeepers, who purchase such articles of India and China goods, as individuals in the Company’s ships may have to dispose of, which they retail to the inhabitants and casual visitors at the island.

“The inhabitants are chiefly English, or of English descent, although there is a considerable number of negroes on the island, which with very few exceptions are the property of individuals or of the Company, slavery being tolerated here. It does not however appear that the slaves are or can be treated with that harshness and despotism which has been so justly attributed to the conduct of the land-holders or their managers in the West India Islands, the laws of the Colony not giving any other power to the master than a right to the labour of his slave. He must, to enforce that right, in case a slave prove refractory, apply to the civil power, he having no right to inflict chastisement at his own discretion. This is a wholesome regulation as far as it goes, but slavery however it may be modified is still slavery, and it is much to be regretted that any trace of it should be found to exist in countries dependent on England, or colonised by her subjects. Every person who is above the rank of a common soldier is in some shape or other a trader. A few acres of ground laid out in meadow, or garden ground, will seldom fail to yield as much produce in the year as would purchase the fee-simple of an equal quantity in England, and this from the extravagant price which the wants of the homeward bound India ships (whose captains and passengers rolling in wealth, and accustomed to profusion, must have supplies cost what they may) enable the islanders to affix to every article they raise. To such an extent had this cause operated, that a couple of acres of potatoes, or a garden of cabbages in a favourable season will provide a decent fortune for a daughter.”

The voyage home was uneventful, retarded by masses of floating gulf weed, which continued very thick indeed for over a week.

By the 30th of June the St. Albans was back again in the Downs. The little stir consequent in the family life is indicated in Jane’s letters, written when she was away from home at Godmersham. “One begins really to expect the St. Albans now, and I wish she may come before Henry goes to Cheltenham, it will be so much more convenient to him. He will be very glad if Frank can come to him in London, as his own time is likely to be very precious, but does not depend on it. I shall not forget Charles next week.” A few days later she writes “I am much obliged to you for writing to me on Thursday, and very glad that I owe the pleasure of hearing from you again so soon to such an agreeable cause; but you will not be surprised, nor perhaps so angry as I should be, to find that Frank’s history had reached me before in a letter from Henry. We are all very happy to hear of his health and safety, he wants nothing but a good prize to be a perfect character. This scheme to the island is an admirable thing for his wife, she will not feel the delay of his return in such variety.” On the 30th: “I give you all joy of Frank’s return, which happens in the true sailor way, just after our being told not to expect him for some weeks. The wind had been very much against him, but I suppose he must be in our neighbourhood now by this time. Fanny is in hourly expectation of him here. Mary’s visit in the