hero tales from american history-第11部分

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ttention　altogether　out　of　proportion　to　the　force　of　the　combatants　or　the　actual　damage　done。　For　one　hundred　and　fifty　years　the　English　ships　of　war　had　failed　to　find　fit　rivals　in　those　of　any　other　European　power；　although　they　had　been　matched　against　each　in　turn；　and　when　the　unknown　navy　of　the　new　nation　growing　up　across　the　Atlantic　did　what　no　European　navy　had　ever　been　able　to　do；　not　only　the　English　and　Americans；　but　the　people　of　Continental　Europe　as　well；　regarded　the　feat　as　important　out　of　all　proportion　to　the　material　aspects　of　the　case。　The　Americans　first　proved　that　the　English　could　be　beaten　at　their　own　game　on　the　sea。　They　did　what　the　huge　fleets　of　France；　Spain；　and　Holland　had　failed　to　do；　and　the　great　modern　writers　on　naval　warfare　in　Continental　Europe…　…men　like　Jurien　de　la　Gravierehave　paid　the　same　attention　to　these　contests　of　frigates　and　sloops　that　they　give　to　whole　fleet　actions　of　other　wars。

Among　the　famous　ships　of　the　Americans　in　this　war　were　two　named　the　Wasp。　The　first　was　an　eighteen…gun　ship…sloop；　which　at　the　very　outset　of　the　war　captured　a　British　brig…sloop　of　twenty　guns；　after　an　engagement　in　which　the　British　fought　with　great　gallantry；　but　were　knocked　to　Pieces；　while　the　Americans　escaped　comparatively　unscathed。　Immediately　afterward　a　British　seventy…four　captured　the　victor。　In　memory　of　her　the　Americans　gave　the　same　name　to　one　of　the　new　sloops　they　were　building。　These　sloops　were　stoutly　made；　speedy　vessels　which　in　strength　and　swiftness　compared　favorably　with　any　ships　of　their　class　in　any　other　navy　of　the　day；　for　the　American　shipwrights　were　already　as　famous　as　the　American　gunners　and　seamen。　The　new　Wasp；　like　her　sister　ships；　carried　twenty…two　guns　and　a　crew　of　one　hundred　and　seventy　men；　and　was　ship…rigged。　Twenty　of　her　guns　were　32…pound　carronades；　while　for　bow…chasers　she　had　two　〃long　Toms。〃　It　was　in　the　year　1814　that　the　Wasp　sailed　from　the　United　States　to　prey　on　the　navy　and　commerce　of　Great　Britain。　Her　commander　was　a　gallant　South　Carolinian　named　Captain　Johnson　Blakeley。　Her　crew　were　nearly　all　native　Americans；　and　were　an　exceptionally　fine　set　of　men。　Instead　of　staying　near　the　American　coasts　or　of　sailing　the　high　seas；　the　Wasp　at　once　headed　boldly　for　the　English　Channel；　to　carry　the　war　to　the　very　doors　of　the　enemy。

At　that　time　the　English　fleets　had　destroyed　the　navies　of　every　other　power　of　Europe；　and　had　obtained　such　complete　supremacy　over　the　French　that　the　French　fleets　were　kept　in　port。　Off　these　ports　lay　the　great　squadrons　of　the　English　ships　of　the　line；　never；　in　gale　or　in　calm；　relaxing　their　watch　upon　the　rival　war…ships　of　the　French　emperor。　So　close　was　the　blockade　of　the　French　ports；　and　so　hopeless　were　the　French　of　making　headway　in　battle　with　their　antagonists；　that　not　only　the　great　French　three…deckers　and　two…deckers；　but　their　frigates　and　sloops　as　well；　lay　harmless　in　their　harbors；　and　the　English　ships　patroled　the　seas　unchecked　in　every　direction。　A　few　French　privateers　still　slipped　out　now　and　then；　and　the　far　bolder　and　more　formidable　American　privateersmen　drove　hither　and　thither　across　the　ocean　in　their　swift　schooners　and　brigantines；　and　harried　the　English　commerce　without　mercy。

The　Wasp　proceeded　at　once　to　cruise　in　the　English　Channel　and　off　the　coasts　of　England；　France；　and　Spain。　Here　the　water　was　traversed　continually　by　English　fleets　and　squadrons　and　single　ships　of　war；　which　were　sometimes　covoying　detachments　of　troops　for　Wellington's　Peninsular　army；　sometimes　guarding　fleets　of　merchant　vessels　bound　homeward；　and　sometimes　merely　cruising　for　foes。　It　was　this　spot；　right　in　the　teeth　of　the　British　naval　power；　that　the　Wasp　chose　for　her　cruising　ground。　Hither　and　thither　she　sailed　through　the　narrow　seas；　capturing　and　destroying　the　merchantmen；　and　by　the　seamanship　of　her　crew　and　the　skill　and　vigilance　of　her　commander；　escaping　the　pursuit　of　frigate　and　ship　of　the　line。　Before　she　had　been　long　on　the　ground；　one　June　morning；　while　in　chase　of　a　couple　of　merchant　ships；　she　spied　a　sloop　of　war；　the　British　brig　Reindeer；　of　eighteen　guns　and　a　hundred　and　twenty　men。　The　Reindeer　was　a　weaker　ship　than　the　Wasp；　her　guns　were　lighter；　and　her　men　fewer；　but　her　commander；　Captain　Manners；　was　one　of　the　most　gallant　men　in　the　splendid　British　navy；　and　he　promptly　took　up　the　gage　of　battle　which　the　Wasp　threw　down。

The　day　was　calm　and　nearly　still；　only　a　light　wind　stirred　across　the　sea。　At　one　o'clock　the　Wasp's　drum　beat　to　quarters；　and　the　sailors　and　marines　gathered　at　their　appointed　posts。　The　drum　of　the　Reindeer　responded　to　the　challenge；　and　with　her　sails　reduced　to　fighting　trim；　her　guns　run　out；　and　every　man　ready；　she　came　down　upon　the　Yankee　ship。　On　her　forecastle　she　had　rigged　a　light　carronade；　and　coming　up　from　behind；　she　five　times　discharged　this　pointblank　into　the　American　sloop；　then　in　the　light　air　the　latter　luffed　round；　firing　her　guns　as　they　bore；　and　the　two　ships　engaged　yard…arm　to　yard…arm。　The　guns　leaped　and　thundered　as　the　grimy　gunners　hurled　them　out　to　fire　and　back　again　to　load；　working　like　demons。　For　a　few　minutes　the　cannonade　was　tremendous；　and　the　men　in　the　tops　could　hardly　see　the　decks　for　the　wreck　of　flying　splinters。　Then　the　vessels　ground　together；　and　through　the　open　ports　the　rival　gunners　hewed；　hacked；　and　thrust　at　one　another；　while　the　black　smoke　curled　up　from　between　the　hulls。　The　English　were　suffering　terribly。　Captain　Manners　himself　was　wounded；　and　realizing　that　he　was　doomed　to　defeat　unless　by　some　desperate　effort　he　could　avert　it；　he　gave　the　signal　to　board。　At　the　call　the　boarders　gathered；　naked　to　the　waist；　black　with　powder　and　spattered　with　blood；　cutlas　and　pistol　in　hand。　But　the　Americans　were　ready。　Their　marines　were　drawn　up　on　deck；　the　pikemen　stood　behind　the　bulwarks；　and　the　officers　watched；　cool　and　alert；　every　movement　of　the　foe。　Then　the　British　sea…dogs　tumbled　aboard；　only　to　perish　by　shot　or　steel。　The　combatants　slashed　and　stabbed　with　savage　fury；　and　the　assailants　were　driven　back。　Manners　sprang　to　their　head　to　lead　them　again　himself；　when　a　ball　fired　by　one　of　the　sailors　in　the　American　tops　crashed　through　his　skull；　and　he　fell；　sword　in　hand；　with　his　face　to　the　foe；　dying　as　honorable　a　death　as　ever　a　brave　man　died　in　fighting　against　odds　for　the　flag　of　his　country。　As　he　fell　the　American　officers　passed　the　word　to　board。　With　wild　cheers　the　fighting　sailormen　sprang　forward；　sweeping　the　wreck　of　the　British　force　before　them；　and　in　a　minute　the　Reindeer　was　in　their　possession。　All　of　her　officers；　and　nearly　two　thirds　of　the　crew；　were　killed　or　wounded；　but　they　had　proved　themselves　as　skilful　as　they　were　brave；　and　twenty…six　of　the　Americans　had　been　killed　or　wounded。

The　Wasp　set　fire　to　her　prize；　and　after　retiring　to　a　French　port　to　refit；　came　out　again　to　cruise。　For　some　time　she　met　no　antagonist　of　her　own　size　with　which　to　wage　war；　and　she　had　to　exercise　the　sharpest　vigilance　to　escape　capture。　Late　one　September　afternoon；　when　she　could　see　ships　of　war　all　around　her；　she　selected　one　which　was　isolated　from　the　others；　and　decided　to　run　alongside　her　and　try　to　sink　her　after　nightfall。　Accordingly　she　set　her　sails　in　pursuit；　and　drew　steadily　toward　her　antagonist；　a　big　eighteen…gun　brig；　the　Avon；　a　ship　more　powerful　than　the　Reindeer。　The　Avon　kept　signaling　to　two　other　British　war　vessels　which　were　in　sightone　an　eighteen…gun　brig　and　the　other　a　twenty…gun　ship；　they　were　so　close　that　the　Wasp　was　afraid　they　would　interfere　before　the　combat　could　be　ended。　Nevertheless；　Blakeley　persevered；　and　made　his　attack　with　equal　skill　and　daring。　It　was　after　dark　when　he　ran　alongside　his　opponent；　and　they　began　forthwith　to　exchange　furious　broadsides。　As　the　ships　plunged　and　wallowed　in　the　seas；　the　Americans　could　see　the　clusters　of　topmen　in　the　rigging　of　their　opponent；　but　they　knew　nothing　of　the　vessel's　name　or　of　her　force；　save　only　so　far　as　they　felt　it。　The　firing　was　fast　and　furious；　but　the　British　shot　with　bad　aim；　while　the　skilled　American　gunners　hulled　their　opponent　at　almost　every　discharge。　In　a　very　few　minutes　the　Avon　was　in　a　sinking　condition；　and　she　struck　her　flag　and　cried　for　quarter；　having　lost　forty　or　fifty　men；　while　but　three　of　the　Americans　had　fallen。　Before　the　Wasp　could　take　possession　of　her　opponent；　however；　the　two　war　vessels　to　which　the　Avon　had　been　signaling　came　up。　One　of　them　fired　at　the　Wasp；　and　as　the　latter　could　not　fight　two　new　foes；　she　ran　off　easily　before　the　wind。　Neither　of　her　new　antagonists　followed　her；　devoting　themselves　to　picking　up　the　crew　of　the　sinking　Avon。

　It　would　be　hard　to　find　a　braver　feat　more　skilfully　performed　than　this；　for　Captain　Blakeley；　with　hostile　foes　all　round　him；　had　closed　with　and　sunk　one　antagonist　not　greatly　his　inferior　in　force；　suffering　hardly　any　loss　himself；　while　two　of　her　friends　were　coming　to　her　help。

Both　before　and　after　this　the　Wasp　cruised　hither　and　thither　making　prizes。　Once　she　came　across　a　convoy　of　ships　bearing　arms　and　munitions　to　Wellington's　army；　under　the　care　of　a　great　two…decker。　Hovering　about；　the　swift　sloop　evaded　the　two…decker's　movements；　and　actually　cut　out　and　captured　one　of　the　transports　she　was　guarding；　making　her　escape　unharmed。　Then　she　sailed　for　the　high　seas。　She　made　several　other　prizes；　and　on　October　9　spoke　a　Swedish　brig。

This　was　the　last　that　was　ever　heard　of　the　gallant　Wasp。　She　never　again　appeared；　and　no　trace　of　any　of　those　aboard　her　was　ever　found。　Whether　she　was　wrecked　on　some　desert　coast；　whether　she　foundered　in　some　furious　gale；　or　what　befell　her　none　ever　knew。　All　that　is　certain　is　that　she　perished；　and　that　all　on　board　her　met　death　in　some　one　of　the　myriad　forms　in　which　it　must　always　be　faced　by　those　who　go　down　to　the　sea　in　ships；　and　when　she　sank　there　sank　one　of　the　most　gallant　ships　of　the　American　navy；　with。　as　brave　a　captain　and　crew　as　ever　sailed　from　any　port　of　the　New　Wor