Ramage #18 - Ramage & the Dido by Dudley Pope

Author:Dudley Pope [Pope, Dudley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Great Britain, Historical, War & Military, Ship Captains, Napoleonic Wars; 1800-1815, Ramage; Nicholas (Fictitious Character), Martinique, Women Slaves
ISBN: 9781590130247
Google: Y3BLPgAACAAJ
Amazon: 1590130243
Publisher: Fontana Press
Published: 1989-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

As he examined the great kidney-shaped bay, memories came flooding back to Ramage. Nothing had changed at Fort Royal, up in the north-west corner. The cathedral stood in the centre of the town and Fort St Louis still sat four-square on the peninsula to the east. Further eastward the seventy-four was at anchor in the Baie du Carénage, with the frigate half a mile to seaward, swinging just clear of the big shoal in front of the fort.

'That seventy-four seems snug enough,' Southwick grunted, putting down his telescope. 'Doesn't look as if she goes to sea very often. They need boats to tow her into that berth: she could never sail in, not with the prevailing wind.'

'She only needs to sail when a convoy is expected,' Ramage reminded him. 'The frigate probably does all the routine patrolling - she's anchored well out.'

Even as he spoke, an idea was growing in Ramage's mind. The frigate was anchored well clear - what was that channel called? Ah yes, the Passe du Carénage, and to the west of her was the Banc du Fort St Louis.

'I wonder what they're thinking over there,' Aitken speculated. 'They probably haven't seen a British seventy-four off here for many months.'

'Well, that frigate never sailed to chase off the Scourge, so I don't expect they'll get very excited about us,' Ramage said.

'A pity,' Southwick commented. 'I can't see how we'll ever lure her out.'

'We might be able to catch her if she sails to escort a convoy,' Ramage said.

Southwick gave one of his familiar sniffs, this time indicating doubt. 'They probably only get a couple of convoys a year, maybe not even that many, so we might have a long wait.'

'Better than blockading Brest in the winter,' Aitken commented. 'A gale once a week in the winter, with snow as well. Frozen ropes, clothes wet for weeks on end ... no I'd rather blockade Fort Royal!'

Ramage, who knew he had not the patience to blockade anywhere for long, thought about his original idea. Already the thought of sailing up and down the coast, or waiting off Diamond Rock for the Scourge to make a signal that the French were sailing, was beginning to pall.

But for a day or two, he would let the French settle down again: the Scourge would continue her watch on Fort Royal while the Dido went back to waiting close to Diamond Rock.

He thought of the row of mountains lining the coast down as far as Diamond Rock. It was almost like coming home again, because he could remember the names of most of them. Once past Cap Salomon, there was Morne La Plaine with another one behind it whose name he had forgotten, then Morne Macabou, followed by Morne Jacqueline, jutting out to sea, and then the highest of them all, Morne Larcher, which formed Pointe du Diamant.

Splendid mountains, all of them, but cutting off the Trade winds as effectively as a door, unless for a change there was a bit of south in them.

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