Hostile Shores by Dewey Lambdin

Author:Dewey Lambdin [Lambdin, Dewey]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Historical, Action & Adventure, Sea stories
ISBN: 9781250028839
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2013-02-26T10:49:27+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Ships’ Masters sailing from Europe to the West Indies fell down to the latitude of Dominica before turning Due West to ride the Trades, for the towering height of Dominica’s mountains could be seen over sixty miles out to sea on good days, a sure sea-mark, and a merchant captain, even one less-skilled at navigation, could count on spotting them and adjusting his course after determining his position.

So it was with the fleet’s first sight of Table Mountain, and the welcome cries of Land Ho on the 3rd of January 1806. It was much closer to the sea than Dominica’s peaks, and nearly 3,600 feet high, a massive, looming blotch on the horizon which first could be mistaken for the thunderheads of a black-hearted and murdering storm. But, as the ships of the expeditionary force slogged on Nor’easterly with the prevailing Trades abeam, its solidity became apparent, dark blue-grey and streaked with wisps of clouds streaming past its tops. From that point on, even the most in-experienced helmsman on the wheel, or the cox’n at the tiller of a small boat, could steer for it and be sure of an eventual safe landfall.

An hour or two after Table Mountain had been deemed solid and not an apparition, the signal for “Captain(s) Repair On Board” went up HMS Diadem’s halliards, summoning all naval captains to a conference with Commodore Popham aboard his flagship.

* * *

“Ah, welcome back aboard! Will you take a glass, Lewrie?” the ebullient Popham gaily offered as the other officers gathered. Cabin servants were circulating with coin-silver trays of glasses and white wine, and Popham was turned out in his very best uniform, complete with the sash and star of the Order of The Bath, and he gave Lewrie a quizzical look to note that Lewrie’s everyday uniform coat was bare.

“No matter,” Popham poo-pooed. “You remember Sir David Baird, and Brigadier Beresford and their aides? Uhm, good! Allow me to name to you your fellows … gentlemen, I give you Captain Sir Alan Lewrie of the Reliant frigate. Sir Alan, this is my Flag-Captain, Downman. Josias Rowley, of Raisonnable … George Byng, of Belliqueux; Captain Honyman who has the Leda frigate; Ross Donnelly, of the Narcissus … Commander Joseph Edmonds, Acting-Captain of the old Diomede … and Lieutenants William King and James Talbot, of the Espoir and the Encounter, respectively.”

A burble of “Happy to make your acquaintance”, some nods, and the lifting of glasses in welcome followed Popham’s introductions.

“Stout, canny, and adventurous souls, all, I vow,” Popham said in praise, “and each that eager to be at the Dutch and conquer, ha ha! You will all have taken note of the various charts laid out upon my dining table? Let us gather round it and make our plans.”

Happy as a boy with a jam jar! Lewrie thought, noting Popham’s almost playful demeanour, and eager, forceful motions.

“Here, gentlemen, is Robben Island,” Popham said, using a ruler as a pointer. “Though some charts name it Penguin Island. It is not all that high out of the sea, but protects Table Bay from the worst of most blows.

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