Dead Reckoning by C. Northcote Parkinson

Author:C. Northcote, Parkinson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781590136225
Publisher: McBooks Press, Inc.
Published: 2003-10-01T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

BOURBON

JANUARY 7th 1810

Simm’s Bay

My dearest Fiona—We have had Christmas at the Cape and I think myself that we had earned it. First, we have occupied the little island of Rodriguez, which offers little but water and is occupied by two French families which are not on speaking terms with each other or with us. It is at Rodriguez that we mean to assemble our armada for the conquest of the French islands. A large army is to be embarked in India but even this impressive force is ordered to move cautiously, conquering Bourbon first, which is very poorly defended, and then going on to invade Mauritius itself.

You will rightly guess that I am to play the central role in the coming drama. In point of fact, my vital contribution is already made. I told the Commodore where to land, at the right distance from Port Louis, the island’s capital. I then made a little raid—but I described it, I think, in a previous letter—at a place about the same distance from Port Louis but in the opposite direction (so as to avoid drawing attention to the actual landing place—what think you of that for cunning?). I was thus able to give the Commodore a good idea of the time it would take the French to arrive on the scene. I also told him that we need not worry about the French National Guard (or Militia), the members of which, as we had found, would run away if we said, “Boo!” to them. I told him, finally, that the force required is about a quarter of what is now assigned to the task.

Having done all this, I expected to be sent home and given a peerage. At the least, I supposed that I should lead the invasion fleet to the chosen beach. But there is no such gratitude in the world. I was told, kindly but firmly, that the beach must be surveyed by experts in cartography and that the actual landing will be planned by specialists in conjunct warfare, the key men to be sent from England. In actual fact, the Commodore thanked me very nicely and seems to think well of me. You must remember meeting him at Portsmouth—Josias Rowley of the Raisonable.

In reading my last letter you may have wondered what the French men-of-war were doing while I was ashore on their territory, chasing off their militiamen and admiring the wild flowers. Well, they had dwindled at that time to nearly nothing. Recently, however, the Emperor (or Boney) has reinforced his squadron at Mauritius with four frigates of the largest class. These form the Division Hamelin, the Venus (44), the Manche, the Bellone, and Caroline (all of 40 guns). The arrival of Commodore Hamelin has changed the situation overnight, his frigates being more than a match for most of ours. Our 38-gun frigates are outgunned by the Venus, if not by the others, and as for the poor old Laura, any one of these French monsters could have her for breakfast.

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