( 701 > 



THE RED TARTANE; 



A TALE OP THE SPANISH COAST IN 1700. 



(Concluded.) 



CHAPTER IV. 



As the boat containing the unhappy Jago and the ten seamen gra- 

 dually receded from the lugger, the active imagination of the lieutenant 

 conjured up with tenfold horror the fearful reception so maliciously 

 described by the gunner, and every instant he expected to receive a 

 sudden discharge of cannon and musketry from the still silent Tar- 

 tane. The boat, notwithstanding, continued to approach without in- 

 terruption, and in a few minutes was alongside, but in so doing she 

 unfortunately touched so rudely as to cause some little noise ; and 

 Jago, remembering this was the time when the masked guns were to 

 be discharged, cried in a low voice, but loud enough for every man 

 to hear, "Kneel, my friends, or we are lost," an order the boat's crew 

 at once obeyed ; and seeing their commander throw himself down 

 in the bottom of the boat, they were not slow in following his ex- 

 ample. Still, however, the same silence continued, and nothing could 

 be heard or seen, but the solitary light that burned in the cabin. 

 Jago, somewhat reassured, raised his head, and perceiving neither 

 tromblons evases nor masked ports, assumed an air of martial ardour, 

 and courageously ascended the vessel's side, the men being actually 

 astonished at the valour of their commander. On gaining the deck, 

 the only objects to be discerned were torn sails, shattered yards, &c., 

 the wrecks of the vessel's rigging, scattered in the utmost disorder 

 every thing, in short, combining to show that the Tartane had suffered 

 most severely from the gale. Perceiving no appearance of resistance, 

 Jago and his men boldly advanced towards the helm, until they were 

 suddenly alarmed by a movement below, followed by a loud crashing, 

 as if part of the bulkheads dividing the cabin from the centre of the 

 vessel had been forced in. Alarm immediately seized upon the boarders, 

 and two or three retreated so hastily as to capsize the lieutenant down 

 the main hatchway ; quickly regaining his legs, the astonished Jago 

 discovered at one glance the cause of their alarm ; for a moment he 

 was irresolute, then advancing rapidly he extinguished the light, and 

 called loudly on his followers to descend, or fire down the after-hatch- 

 way. The seamen prudently preferred the latter ; and, after dis- 

 charging their carbines into the cabin, precipitately retreated to the 

 boat. The victorious Jago soon after came on deck, battened down 

 the hatches firmly, and then rejoined them, ordering the seamen at 

 once to pull for the lugger, whose commander and crew were by this 

 time extremely anxious to learn the event of the expedition. 



Scarcely had the valiant lieutenant returned on board, than he 

 gave, with the most consummate impudence, all the details of a most 

 sanguinary combat, which he averred he had maintained with the 

 Gitano, assuring the Captain at the conclusion he was either dead or 

 hors de combat. Massareo, who was well aware of his lieutenant's 

 cowardice, heard with astonishment this story of his bravery, in which 



M.M. No, 108. 4 X 



