CHAPTER V.
Our young adventurer had ascertained that the Tiger, the British frigate of which we have already spoken, lay at anchor in a little harbor of Long Island, toward the western extremity of the sound. He had conferred with several companions of his own age, and with some friends of his father, who were still older, and they had signified their willingness to aid him in any effort for his father’s release in which he was willing to lead them.
His present design was to muster these men, and set forth upon an attempt to destroy the vessel we have already mentioned, and, if possible, seize upon the commander. If this attempt, on farther examination, should not seem to be feasible, an effort to seize upon some other British officer, of which there were several stationed upon the western part of Long Island, was to be made.
Proceeding to the house of an active and energetic friend, young Joinly communicated his design, and the two, separately proceeding to the several houses of their proposed companions, rallied about thirty of them by the time the sun had risen. Most of them were young men, though several of them were of mature years. One of them was the owner of a small sloop; and, entering this, the whole party dropped down the river.
The celerity with which their preparations were made is explained by considering that in these times the knapsack and the firelock were ready at a moment’s call. The other necessary equipments and provisions were easily supplied. Nearly every man on board was familiar with the sea, and knew every rock, current, or shoal along the shore. They soon spread their sails, and, hugging the land, proceeded westward upon their chivalrous expedition.
In the space of three or four days they had reached the shores of Greenwich. They then crossed over by night to the opposite shore of Long Island, in the vicinity of the Tiger. Running up into a little shallow bay, sheltered by pine trees, they came to anchor. As soon as the morning approached, they despatched several of the men to reconnoitre. These returned toward evening of the following day, and brought the information that the Tiger was lying, at the distance of about four miles, at anchor in a small bay.
On the shore was a little village, and in the vicinity were the houses of several respectable farmers. One of these houses, apart from the rest, was occupied by the principal officers of the ship, who were indulging on shore in feasting and drinking. The resolution was soon adopted by the adventurers to take speedy advantage of this state of things to put their scheme in execution. In about a week their preparations were made, and they only waited for a dark and tempestuous night to make the attempt.
In about ten days the desired storm arrived. It was late in the autumn, and one of those chilly, north-easterly storms common to our climate had set in. The plot of our little band was a singular one. They had with them an ingenious mechanic, by the name of Bushnell, who had been long engaged in preparing machinery, something like that of a clock, by which he could ignite powder under water at any given time. His experiments had proved at least partially successful, and rumors of some scheme for blowing up the British ships at New York, by this machinery, had got into circulation. The British were excessively alarmed, and swept the water around their vessels, both night and day, to intercept any infernal engine that might be stealing upon them.
Bushnell’s plan, on the present occasion, was to approach the vessel in the darkness of the night, and, under cover of the storm, to attach a small skiff, laden with several barrels of gunpowder, to the side of the vessel—to connect the machinery with this, and leave it to explode. The rest of the men were to be upon the shore, and, in the confusion which they expected to follow, to make sure of the commander of the vessel. The arrangements were duly made early in the evening, and about nine o’clock Bushnell and two companions set off for the ship.
The night was excessively dark, and the wind, blowing a gale, swept with a deafening roar through the rigging. Everything favored the enterprise. Unseen and unheard, the conspirators stole over the short chopping waves of the bay, and, sheltered beneath the projecting stern of the massy hulk, took their measures with deliberation.