Chapter Nineteen.
A Foolhardy Adventure.
Short time after this, a melancholy event occurred, which cast a gloom over the entire fleet.
The siege was not progressing to the admiral’s satisfaction; the garrison showed no sign of yielding; and our chief became anxious to learn something with regard to the condition of things within the walls of Bastia.
The moment that this desire became known, a host of volunteers stepped forward, with offers to do their best to make their way inside and gain the required information. Admiral Hood, however, felt very reluctant to allow any of these volunteers to expose themselves to so great a risk; particularly as it turned out, when questioned, that not one of them had been able to devise a really practicable and promising scheme.
The least unpromising idea of them all, was that suggested by Lieutenant Carré Tupper, of the flag-ship; which was, that he should endeavour to effect a landing inside the chain of defences, and, penetrating into the town, gain all the information he could; and trust to his good fortune for the means of getting off to the ship again. This plan seemed all the more feasible, from the fact that he spoke the French language with the ease and fluency of a Parisian.
After much consideration, therefore, the admiral accepted this gallant young officer’s offer, and gave his consent to the experiment.
A disguise was accordingly prepared under Lieutenant Tupper’s own supervision; and on the first favourable night the experiment was tried.
It was perfectly calm, with an overcast sky and no moon, when he stood, dressed in his disguise, in the gangway of the “Victory,” receiving from the admiral his last instructions; and many a hearty hand-shake, and many a fervent “Success attend you, my dear fellow,” did he receive before passing down the lofty side of the 100-gun ship, into the pinnace which, with muffled oars and a crew armed to the teeth, awaited him at the foot of the side-ladder.