“It would be madness to do that,” he remarked. “You cannot cope with a line-of-battle ship alone, independent of two frigates, each of which is a match for the Liffy.”
It was soon seen that our captain had no intention of striking his flag without striking very hard first at the enemy. The strangers appeared to have a stronger breeze than filled our sails, and were coming up hand over hand with us. Still we might get the wind, and run into an English harbour. It was the first time the Liffy ever had to run, and we didn’t like it. I asked Nettleship what he thought about the matter.
“We shall have a tough fight, at all events; but if we can save our spars, I don’t think, notwithstanding, the enemy will take us.”
This was the general feeling of all on board.
We had sighted Nevis, when two other ships were made out to the south-east. Presently several more appeared in that direction. It was a question, however, whether they were friends or foes. Had we been certain that they were friends, we should have stood towards them, but our captain was unwilling to run the risk of finding that he had made a mistake. A look-out was kept on them from aloft; and before long they were pronounced to be enemies. I saw by the looks of our captain that he didn’t like it, though he tried to appear as confident as usual. The rest of the officers kept up their spirits.
It was very evident that we were now in a difficult position. The line-of-battle ship was the closest; the two frigates, one to the north of us, the other some way to the south of her; while the new enemies we had discovered prevented us escaping in the opposite direction. Our only hope was to knock away some of the spars of the line-of-battle ship, and then fight our way past the two frigates. The line-of-battle ship was rapidly approaching. A single broadside, should we be exposed to it, would almost sink us.
Every preparation had been made for fighting; and not a man flinched from his gun. The officers were at their stations; the powder-monkeys seated on their tubs; the surgeons below, preparing for the wounded; and we, the younger midshipmen, ready for any duty we might be called on to perform.
At length a puff of smoke was seen issuing from the line-of-battle ship. The shot fell close to our counter.
“That was fired from her forecastle,” observed Nettleship, “from a long gun, too. It will play Old Harry with us if well served, before we can return the compliment.”
A second shot quickly followed, and struck the hammock-nettings on the starboard side, knocking several overboard.