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THE RED TARTANE; 



A TALE OF THE SPANISH COAST IN 1760. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE guarda-costas followed the example of the Tartane by tacking 

 and bearing up for the point as speedily as possible certain that the 

 Gitano could not have made much way on them. The Spaniards 

 were anxious to have their chase again in sight, and gazed eagerly 

 along the coast as it gradually opened to their view ; but when at 

 length they beheld the Tartane close under the rocky shore, nothing 

 could exceed the astonishment both of officers and men she had 

 made at least twice the distance the most liberal imagination had 

 allowed her. The seamen regarded her with wonder and distrust, 

 attributing to supernatural aid her rapid progress ; and -the officers, 

 unable to account for it in a more rational way, were strongly in- 

 clined to the same opinion, it being evident to all that without other 

 than her apparent resources, it could not have been accomplished. 



The Tartane, indeed, possessed a great superiority over the lug- 

 gers in point of sailing ; and the officers, who scrutinized her with 

 the glass, declared she rode higher in the water and made greater 

 ^way than she did before doubling the point ; but even allowing the 

 inference to be correct, that she had actually thrown overboard the 

 heavier part of her cargo, still even that would by no means have 

 enabled her to traverse so vast a space. 



The lugger that had received the rover's fire, or " The Shrine of 

 San Josef" as she was called, now exchanged signals during several 

 minutes with " The Benediction of our Lady" (the second lugger), 

 after which the helm was put up, and both stood off shore, with the 

 hope of intercepting the Tartane ere she cleared the land, and for 

 nearly half an hour the three vessels continued to maintain their 

 present course, their relative positions changing in some degree in 

 favour of the luggers, as, while they held on thus, they were steadily 

 getting more to seaward of their chase. The rover was not long 

 in perceiving this important advantage ; putting his helm a-port, and 

 hauling aft . the sheets, he stood boldly across the bows of the 

 Spaniards, until the Shrine of San Josef was scarce a mile distant. 



The wind continued to blow a gentle breeze from the east; never- 

 theless it was extremely difficult for the Tartane to clear the land ere 

 her superior enemy would intercept her, and on the near approach of 

 the luggers she was compelled to resume her former course, the 

 Spaniards still maintaining the advantage of being to seaward, but in 

 a much less degree than before. 



But, however rapidly she now gained upon the guarda-costas, sea- 

 room had become too important to permit her long to continue this 

 course, and the manoeuvre already described was repeated this time 

 with complete success ; for though the Shrine of San Josef was suffi- 

 ciently near to use her guns, the attempt to bring them to bear would 

 have occupied too much time, as the Tartane, having now gained an 

 offing, was standing boldly out to sea. 



