All these we had on board as stores, cleverly collected by Sir William in the case of the Royal dockyard falling into the hands of traitors. The lazzaroni had no such dread of our taking stores as they had of our taking their King. Indeed, since they looked to us as their best friends, they were glad to see us getting into trim; and all classes in Naples, even the overt or skulking sympathisers of the French, expected no less than that we should be taking in all manner of supplies. The gold, and the diamonds, and the works of art, therefore, which had been introduced into the Embassy with much laboured secrecy, were carted down to our boats with such a strong force of sailors and marines as precluded anything like complete concealment, though it was managed at night, so that the nature of the packages might pass as alleged. The presence of the Admiral, too, at such a time, was so natural, that he shifted from the Embassy on board his flagship without awaking distrust in the large number of people, who could not outstay the departure of the British ships. Matters were now fast approaching the crisis.
Chapter XX.—How the Vanguard took the Royal Family to Palermo in the greatest Storm The Admiral ever knew.
MOST Secret.
“Three barges and the small cutter of the Alcmena, armed with cutlasses only, to be at the Victoria at half-past seven o’clock precisely. Only one barge to be at the wharf, the others to lay on their oars at the outside of the rocks—the small barge of the Vanguard to be at the wharf. The above boats to be on board the Alcmena before seven o’clock, under the direction of Captain Hope. Grapnells to be in the boats.
“All the other boats of the Vanguard and Alcmena to be armed with cutlasses, and the launches with carronades to assemble on board the Vanguard, under the direction of Captain Hardy, and to put off from her at half-past eight o’clock precisely, to row half-way towards the Mola Figlio. These boats to have four or six soldiers in them.
“In case assistance is wanted by me, false fires will be burnt.
“Nelson.
“The Alcmena to be ready to slip in the night, if necessary.”
At half-past eight three barges, with the Admiral and Captain Hope of the Alcmena, landed at a corner of the Arsenal at the point where the opening of the secret passage debouched. The Admiral himself went into the Palace, brought out the whole Royal Family, put them into the boats, and at half-past nine they were all safely on board the Vanguard. Immediate notice was then given to all British merchants that their persons would be received on board every and any ship of the squadron. Their effects of value had before been embarked in the three English transports which were partly unloaded, all the condemned provisions having been thrown overboard to make room for their effects. Sir William Hamilton had also hired two vessels for the accommodation of the French emigrants, which had been provisioned by our victuallers.
They came out of the underground passage from the Palace to the little port of the Arsenal almost unnoticed—which, as it turned out, was most fortunate, for very large assemblies of people were in commotion, and several persons were killed, and the body of one, an Austrian of General Mack’s, dragged by the legs to the Palace. The mob by the 20th even, were very unruly, and plainly had suspicions; for they gathered in front of the Palace insisting that the Royal Family should not leave Naples. However, they were pacified by the King and Queen appearing from time to time on the balcony and speaking to them. Mack had sent word on the 18th that he saw no prospect of stopping the progress of the French, and entreating “their Majesties to think of retiring from Naples with their august families as expeditiously as possible.” It was the leaking out of this which had so enraged the mob and lost the poor fellow his life.
I saw Donna Rusidda steal an approving glance at Will, who stood under the lamps, commanding a guard of more than honour, drawn up on the quay, and as fine as you please in his cocked hat and silk stockings and white breeches, that fitted like skin, lace ruffles, and smart blue frock coat turned back with white, and gold buttons. Will did not see her: he never saw any one when he was on duty except the force under his command and the enemy. He stood there the very picture of English firmness. He was assisting at a flight, and in his heart he despised the Neapolitan Court, and everything that appertained to it, except a certain dark-eyed damsel who was perfectly ready to coquet with him in the midst of this very trying scene. And a very trying scene it was; and I was hoping that he had on the dress he had worn with her at Caserta, for there was quite enough sea on to give the boats a good shaking and splashing, though nothing for ships such as the Vanguard.
The Royal party were for the most part most woe-begone. Like true Southerners, the ladies of them at any rate were mighty poor sailors, and counted on being ill before they reached the ship’s side. And probably nothing would have persuaded them to trust themselves on boats on such a day, though the wind was no more than fresh, except that they looked every instant for the French or a rebel army to loom out of the darkness—a consummation which I dare swear the most of our men devoutly hoped, for retreats were not to their taste, but if a better appearance could be put on it by its being effected in the teeth of a hostile force, it would be a victory of a sort.
But there was no such luck, and the utmost they had to dread was a wetting.
Donna Rusidda, being a Sicilian, and accustomed to sail from Palermo on visits to her uncle or the Court, was, as it proved, a first-rate sailor. I think Will had an inkling of this, for he took mighty good care that she should not go in the barge with him; and, had she been as the other ladies, she would have been at once prostrate and a proper object for his attentions.