The event had indeed occurred too late to be of any avail to the garrison. To attempt making a sortie would now have been madness, for, bad marksmen as were the negroes, the whole party might have been shot down even before they could have reached any available shelter.
Cudjoe’s success—for he must have seen the overseer fall by his bullet—encouraged his followers, and now, shrieking, leaping, and brandishing their weapons, they rushed forward. In vain the lieutenant charged his men not to throw a shot away; the greater number in their eagerness fired, forgetting that they had no fresh charges, and when they felt for their cartridges to reload, they found that their ammunition was expended. The enemy thus almost with impunity reached the walls.
Several of the remaining shots were fired at Cudjoe. He seemed to bear a charmed life, or rather the wonderful leaps and bounds he made amid his companions prevented the defenders of the house, none of whom were over good marksmen, from taking a steady aim at him. Like a swarm of ants about to devour some creature of the forest, the blacks surrounded the house, and began to lift the ladders and place them against the walls.
The lieutenant now ordered the party he had told off for that purpose to go up on the roof to force back the ladders, to hurl down the stones, and to defend it to the last.
Desperate, indeed, had now become the condition of the devoted inmates of Bellevue.
Chapter Seventeen.
The Champion sails from Port Royal—In search of enemies—Chases a pirate, which escapes—Returns to the north coast of Jamaica—Norman Foley hears of the insurrection—Finds some murdered whites—Dreadful scene at Fort Maria—The ship proceeds along the coast—A white man seen making a signal from the shore—A boat sent to bring him off—Pursued by blacks—Rescued—Proves to be Archie Sandys—Gives an account of the attack on Bellevue—A conflagration—Signals seen—An expedition under Norman Foley sent on shore—The rebels put to flight—The garrison of Bellevue relieved—Meeting of Norman and Ellen—Major Malcolm and a strong force arrive—The Champion sails—Signs of a coming gale.
When Gerald wrote the last letter his father and Norah had received, the Champion was on the point of sailing from Port Royal harbour, on a cruise between Jamaica and Cuba, with directions to look out for any of the enemy’s privateers or smaller vessels of war, or should she come in sight of any squadron of larger ships, to watch their movements, and to return to port with an account of their whereabouts. Captain Olding also received orders to visit the northern coast of the island, and ascertain if the reports which had just arrived of the unquiet state of the slaves had any foundation in truth; but he was not to waste time on the coast, as the former part of his orders was considered of by far the greatest importance. Still his second lieutenant very naturally hoped that he might obtain an opportunity of paying his promised visit to Miss Ferris, and Gerald expected that he might get a run on shore, and perhaps spend a pleasant day with his friends. He had inquired, when at Mr Twigg’s office in Kingston, about the Ouzel Galley. The anxiety he had naturally felt when he heard of the hurricane had been relieved on his being assured that a search had been made for her along the coast, and that not the slightest trace of her could be discovered. He therefore hoped that the next packet would bring the account of her safe arrival at Waterford, and that he might before long meet Owen again at Kingston.