Chapter 28 - Page 2

favorable positions, they answered
the purpose of the seamen sufficiently well. The carronades were placed
_en barbette_; but a falling of the surface of the rock enabled the men
to cover even their heads, by stepping back a few feet. The danger would
be much the greatest to those whose duty it would be to reload.

The surgeon, Carlo Giuntotardi, and Ghita, were established in a cavity
of the rocks, perfectly protected against missiles, so long as the enemy
continued on the side next the land, and yet within fifty feet of the
battery. Here the former made the usual bloody-looking if not
bloody-minded preparations for applying tourniquets and for amputating,
all unheeded, however, by his two companions, both of whom were lost to
the scene around them in devout prayer.

Just as these several dispositions were completed, Ithuel, who ever kept
an eye to windward, called out to Raoul, and inquired if it might not
be well to run the yards up to the mast-heads, as they would be more out
of the way in their places aloft than littering the decks. There was no
possible objection to the measure, it being a dead calm, and both the
lugger and the felucca swayed their yards into their places, the sails
being bent, and hanging in the brails. This is the ordinary state of
craft of the latter rig, though not always that of luggers; and the
Granite-man, mindful that his own gear was down, in consequence of
having been lowered by her former owners previously to the capture,
bethought him of the expediency of getting everything ready for a run.
He wished the lugger to be in an equal state of preparation, it being
plain enough that two to be pursued would embarrass the English, in a
chase, twice as much as one. This was the reason of his suggestion; and
he felt happier for seeing it attended to.

On the other side, all preliminary difficulties had been disposed of.
Captain Sir Frederick Dashwood was in command, and Lieutenants
Winchester and Griffin, after a few open protestations, certain
grimaces, and divers secret curses, were fain to submit. The discussion,
however, had produced one result, not altogether unfavorable to the
Proserpines. Cuffe sent four of her boats against the enemy, while he
restricted the Terpsichore to two, including her gig, and the Ringdove
to two. Each ship sent her launch, as a matter of course, with a
twelve-pound boat-gun on its grating. Winchester was in that of the
Proserpine; Mr. Stothard, the second of the other frigate, was in the
Terpsichore's; and McBean, as of right, commanded the Ringdove's.
Griffin was in the first cutter of his own ship, and Clinch had charge
of the second. The third was headed by Strand, whose call was to have
precedence on the occasion. The other boats had