csf.mrmidshipmanhornblower-第47章
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hod of watering the unfortunate cattle in the lighter。 Half Caroline's hold space was filled with water barrels and fodder； but it was an awkward business getting water down to the lighter with pump and hose； and the poor brutes down there surged about uncontrollably at the prospect of water。 Hornblower saw the lighter heel and almost capsize； one of his men…luckily one who could swim…went hastily overboard from the lighter to avoid being crushed to death。
'Hell；' said Hornblower again； and that was by no means the last time。
Without any skilled advice he was having to learn the business of managing livestock at sea； each moment brought its lessons。 A naval officer on active service indeed found himself engaged on strange duties。 It was well after dark before Hornblower called a halt to the labours of his men； and it was before dawn that he roused them up to work again。 It was still early in the morning that the last of the grain sacks was stowed away and Hornblower had to face the operation of swaying up the cattle from the lighter。 After their night down there； with little water and less food； they were in no mood to be trifled with； but it was easier at first while they were crowded together。 A bellyband was slipped round the nearest； the tackle hooked on； and the animal was swayed up； lowered to the deck through an opening in the gangways； and herded into one of the stalls with ease。 The seamen； shouting and waving their shirts； thought it was great fun； but they were not sure when the next one； released from its bellyband； went on the rampage and chased them about the deck； threatening death with its horns； until it wandered into its stall where the bar could be promptly dropped to shut it in。 Hornblower； looking at the sun rising rapidly in the east； did not think it fun at all。
And the emptier the lighter became； the more room the cattle had to rush about in it； to capture each one so as to put a bellyband on it was a desperate adventure。 Nor were those half…wild bullocks soothed by the sight of their panions being successively hauled bellowing into the air over their heads。 Before the day was half done Hornblower's men were as weary as if they had fought a battle； and there was not one of them who would not gladly have quitted this novel employment in exchange for some normal seaman's duty like going aloft to reef topsails on a stormy night。 As soon as Hornblower had the notion of dividing the interior of the lighter up into sections with barricades of stout spars the work became easier； but it took time； and before it was done the cattle had already suffered a couple of casualties…weaker members of the herd crushed underfoot in the course of the wild rushes about the lighter。
And there was a distraction when a boat came out from the shore； with swarthy Moors at the oars and the Treasurer in the stern。 Hornblower left Tapling to negotiate…apparently the Bey at least had not been so frightened of the plague as to forget to ask for his money。 All Hornblower insisted upon was that the boat should keep well to leeward； and the money was floated off to it headed up in an empty rum…puncheon。 Night found not more than half the cattle in the stalls on board； with Hornblower worrying about feeding and watering them； and snatching at hints diplomatically won from those members of his crew who had had bucolic experience。 But the earliest dawn saw him driving his men to work again； and deriving a momentary satisfaction from the sight of Tapling having to leap for his life to the gangway out of reach of a maddened bullock which was charging about the deck and refusing to enter a stall。 And by the time the last animal was safely packed in Hornblower was faced with another problem…that of dealing with what one of the men elegantly termed 'mucking out'。 Fodder…water…mucking out； that deck…load of cattle seemed to promise enough work in itself to keep his eighteen men busy； without any thought of the needs of handling the ship。
But there were advantages about the men being kept busy； as Hornblower grimly decided； there had not been a single mention of plague since the work began。 The anchorage where the Caroline lay was exposed to north…easterly winds； and it was necessary that he should take her out to sea before such a wind should blow。 He mustered his men to divide them into watches； he was the only navigator； so that he had to appoint the coxswain and the under…coxswain； Jordan； as officers of the watch。 Someone volunteered as cook； and Hornblower； running his eye over his assembled pany； appointed Tapling as cook's mate。 Tapling opened his mouth to protest； but there was that in Hornblower's expression which cut the protest short。 There was no bos'n； no carpenter…no surgeon either； as Hornblower pointed out to himself gloomily。 But on the other hand if the need for a doctor should arise it would； he hoped； be mercifully brief。
'Port watch； loose the jibs and main tops'l；' ordered Hornblower。 'Starboard watch； man the capstan。'
So began that voyage of H。M。 transport brig Caroline which became legendary （thanks to the highly coloured accounts retailed by the crew during innumerable dog…watches in later missions） throughout the King's navy。 The Caroline spent her three weeks of quarantine in homeless wanderings about the western Mediterranean。 It was necessary that she should keep close up to the Straits； for fear lest the westerlies and the prevailing inward set of the current should take her out of reach of Gibraltar when the time came； so she beat about between the coasts of Spain and Africa trailing behind her a growing farmyard stench。 The Caroline was a worn…out ship； with any sort of sea running she leaked like a sieve； and there were always hands at work on the pumps； either pumping her out or pumping sea water on to her deck to clean it or pumping up fresh water for the cattle。
Her top hamper made her almost unmanageable in a fresh breeze； her deck seams leaked； of course； when she worked； allowing a constant drip of unspeakable filth down below。 The one consolation was in the supply of fresh meat…a modity some of Hornblower's men had not tasted for three months。 Hornblower recklessly sacrificed a bullock a day； for in that Mediterranean climate meat could not be kept sweet。 So his men feasted on steaks and fresh tongues； there were plenty of men on board who had never in their whole lives before eaten a beef steak。
But fresh water was the trouble…it was a greater anxiety to Hornblower than even it was to the average ship's captain； for the cattle were always thirsty； twice Hornblower had to land a raiding party at dawn on the coast of Spain； seize a fishing village； and fill his water casks in the local stream。
It was a dangerous adventure； and the second landing revealed the danger； for while the Caroline was trying to claw off the land again a Spanish guarda…costa lugger came gliding round the point with all sail set。 Maxwell saw her first； but Hornblower saw her before he could report her presence。
'Very well； Maxwell；' said Hornblower； trying to sound posed。
He turned his glass upon her。 She was no more than three miles off； a trifle to windward； and the Caroline was embayed； cut off by the land from all chance of escape。 The lugger could go three feet to her two； while the Caroline's clumsy superstructure prevented her from lying nearer than eight points to the wind。 As Hornblower gazed； the accumulated irritation of the past seventeen days boiled over。 He was furious with fate for having thrust this ridiculous mission on him。 He hated the Caroline and her clumsiness and her stinks and her cargo。 He raged against the destiny which had caught him in this hopeless position。
'Hell！' said Hornblower； actually stamping his feet on the upper gangway in his anger。 'Hell and damnation！'
He was dancing with rage； he observed with some curiosity。 But with his fighting madness at the boil there was no chance of his yielding without a struggle； and his mental convulsions resulted in his producing a scheme for action。 How many men of a crew did a Spanish guarda…costa carry？ Twenty？ That would be an outside figure…those luggers were only intended to act against petty smugglers。 And with surprise on
