“Miller2 has got his head screwed on the right way,” he said to himself. “He is showing no lights.” Another five minutes and he could dimly make out the outline of the schooner3.
“Misericordia ahoy!” he shouted.
“Ay, ay,” came across the water.
“I am going to put out the fire so that the light won’t show on your sails, and in a minute or two I am going to open fire heavily to cover the rattle4 of the chains. Directly you hear us begin let go the anchor; don’t answer.”
Horace was standing5 by the fire, and he at once scattered7 the brands and threw sand over them. Martyn ran up to the front of the position and shouted, “Open fire!” and the rattle of musketry broke out all round the screen. The Turks, surprised at the sudden din6, and fearing that a sortie was going to be made, replied briskly, and for four or five minutes the fire was maintained. Horace down on the shore heard the rattle of the anchor chain and the creaking of the blocks, followed shortly by the sound of the tackle as the boats were lowered.
“Please muffle8 the oars9, Mr. Miller!” he shouted, and the answering hail came across the water. Twelve of the sailors came down from their posts to assist with the boats, and in three or four minutes there was a slight splash of oars, and the four boats of the schooner ran gently ashore10.
“All well, I hope?” Tom Burdett asked as he jumped out.
“All well, Tom, with the exception of about half a dozen slightly wounded.”
“Thank God!” the boatswain said. “I tell you we felt mighty11 sore at having to run away and leave you just at daybreak this morning, and you can’t tell how glad we were when we caught sight of the fire first and then made out the popping of the guns. Have you got the Greeks out, Mr. Horace?”
“Yes, there are over five hundred of them here.”
“I have got twelve men here, Tom. That will give you four and a helmsman to each boat with what you have got. Has Marco come ashore with you?”
“Yes, Mr. Horace. I thought I might be useful if you had got the Christians13 with you.”
“Yes, that is what I wanted you for, Marco. Now, then,” he said to the women who were clustered behind him, “take your places in the boats. Help them in, lads; there are lots of children among them. You need not be afraid of packing them closely so long as you leave yourselves room to row, for there is not a ripple14 on the water. Father, would you mind going off with the first lot?” he said as Mr. Beveridge came up. “Marco has come ashore to help here, and Mr. Miller does not talk their language. If you take Zaimes with you he can help settle them down as they come on board. Mind, lads, you are to make as little noise as you can. There are six hundred of those Turks lying round us, and if they got a notion of what was going on they would be coming on us like a pack of wolves, and in the dark they would be among us before we knew that they were coming, and your first boatload would be your last. Impress upon the Greeks, father, when they get on board, that not a word must be spoken.”
“Mr. Miller will see to that, sir, no doubt,” the boatswain said. “He has got the whole lot of them down between decks, and he and Bill Scoons have got the deck to themselves.”
The women and children were crowded into the boats, which were first backed stern on shore to allow them to enter. The sailors lifted the children, and wading16 into the water put them in. The smaller boats pushed off as soon as they were filled, and they were back again just after the two larger ones started. The schooner was but a hundred yards away, and so quickly did the work go on that in little more than a quarter of an hour the last batch17 of women and children left the shore. Horace directed Marco to see that the wounded were carefully lifted into the next boat, and to go on board with them; he then ran up to Martyn. The continuous fire had ceased now, but dropping shots were kept up all round the position.
“The last batch has gone on board, Captain Martyn,” he reported.
“Thank God for that, Horace! That is a load off one’s mind. It is a smart piece of work to have got them on board so soon. I did not expect you for some time yet. I have been listening sharply. Of course I heard sounds, but even here they were faint, while the Turks, being twice as far away, can hardly have heard them, and if they did would not have made them out, knowing nothing of what is going on. Now do you and Tarleton go off, one each way, and send every third man down to the boats; but if the third man is a sailor send the next Greek to him. When you get down to the shore go along to the boats and see the men off. As soon as they are in the boats start back again, sending the rest of the Greeks down to the shore. Then when you join me here I shall know that there are only our own men to draw off. Tell them all to keep up a pretty sharp fire when the Greeks have left.”
In a very few minutes they were beside him again. “The boats took the first batch off in one trip, sir,” Tarleton reported, “and they will be back again by the time the last fellows we have sent down get to the shore.”
“We will give them five minutes and then be off.”
“Mr. Miller sent word by the boatswain, sir, that he had got the guns loaded with grape, and blue lights ready, so that if they should at the last moment press you he will sweep the hillside as soon as you bring the men down to the shore.”
“I hope we shall not want it,” Martyn said; “but it is well to be on the safe side. I am sure we don’t want to kill any more of these poor beggars than we can help. Of course they wanted to massacre18 the Christians, but as they know their own people have been massacred in tens of thousands by the Greeks, it is only human nature they should take revenge. Anyhow I am glad there has not been much bloodshed. The only time we got fairly at them was when they first gathered for a charge at that olive grove19, and again when they came down the path to that place where we stopped them. Of course a few fell while we were falling back, but I should say that from forty to fifty would be quite the outside; and likely enough it may not have been half that. It has been a much easier business than I expected. I must say, when we first got into the village and I saw what a crowd of women and children there were there I thought we were going to have a very tough job before we got on board the schooner again. Now I think we can fall back. Go down to the shore again, please, and start the men from that end, so that we can keep on firing from here up to the last moment.”
In a very few minutes the last of the defenders stepped into the boats and rowed off to the ship.
“All safe, Captain Martyn?” Miller’s voice asked as the boats came alongside.
“All safe, Mr. Miller.”
“Then we will give a hearty20 cheer, sir. They will know in a few minutes that you have gone, and it will make no difference. Now, lads, all together.”
And three hearty cheers broke from the English sailors, swelled21 by shouts and yells from the Greeks clustered on deck. As they stepped on to the deck Miller shook hands heartily22 with Martyn, Tarleton, and Horace.
“Thank Heaven you are all back safe again!” he said, “and, as I hear, without the loss of a single life. We have had an anxious time of it, as you may guess, since you have been away. I suppose we may as well get the boats up, sir?”
“Certainly. We sha’n’t want to go ashore again, Miller.” The boatswain’s whistle rang out, the falls were hooked on, and the boats run up to the davits.
“Don’t swing them in at present,” Martyn said. “We want all our room on deck. What have you done about the Greeks, Miller?”
“The cook had a big copper23 of soup ready, and they each had a basin as they came on board. We have given up the whole of the lower deck to the women and children. Our fellows and the men sleep on deck.”
“I thought that was how you would manage, Miller; indeed I don’t see any other way that it could be done.”
“I have got all the scuttles24 open down below,” Miller said, “and the hatchways off, so I think they will manage. It will be pretty close, no doubt, but none of these people are particularly fond of fresh air.”
“You have got supper ready for the men, I hope, Miller. They had something to eat in the village at daybreak, and they have had the biscuits they took with them; but I expect they are all ready for a regular meal. Of course they will have a ration25 of grog all round.”
“I have seen to all that, sir, and Marco came up just before you came alongside, to say that supper would be ready for us in five minutes. How he managed it I don’t know, for he, Mr. Beveridge, and Zaimes have been busy settling the women below ever since they came on board. How did the chief get through it?”
“As well as anyone, except in the climbing. There is a lot more in him than we thought, Miller. I watched him when he was loading and firing, and he was just as cool and quiet as if he was sitting here on the quarter-deck, and what was better, he always fell in with what I suggested without any talk or argument, and if I were asked I should say that he really enjoyed the whole business. I have never seen him look so bright and animated26. Well, I am quite ready for supper; at least I shall be when I have had a wash.”
In a short time the party in the cabin was seated at supper. All were in the highest spirits. Their enterprise had been a complete success in every respect, and they were the more pleased that it had been accomplished27 without the loss of a single life on the part of the crew. The supper was not quite so varied28 as usual, and Marco apologized for its shortcomings.
“There is no occasion to say a word, Marco. It is excellent,” Martyn said. “I don’t know how on earth you have managed it.”
“I had most of it ready before we dropped anchor, Captain Martyn,” he said, “but I went ashore with the boats and have been helping29 with the women until a few minutes ago, so I have not had time to finish the things properly; but I thought you would rather have them so than wait.”
“Much rather, Marco. Now, Miller, let us hear your report. I have not had time to ask you a single question since I came on board. We made you out from the top of the hill twenty-five miles away, with two Turkish frigates30 after you.”
“Yes,” Miller said, “we were as near as possible caught in a trap. It was lucky I had had the anchor buoyed32 and the chain ready to slip. Of course we kept a sharp watch all night; I was on deck half an hour before day began to break, for I knew that that was the dangerous time. It was very dark then.”
“Yes, we know that,” Martyn put in. “We pretty nearly broke our necks scrambling34 along the face of a hill nearly as steep as a wall.”
“Just as the first gleam of daylight came,” Miller went on, “I made out two large craft coming along about a mile and a half from shore. They were not quite abreast35 of us, perhaps half a mile south. You may guess we lost no time in slipping the chain and getting up our head sails. Fortunately there was enough breeze even in here to fill our sails. I knew they could not make us out as yet, lying in here under the shadow of the land, and, indeed, I was half inclined for a moment to lower the sails and trust to their not making us out at all, but as it would soon be light, and no doubt they would be keeping a sharp look-out for us, I saw it wouldn’t do. It was not long before I saw that, though, of course, they had a good deal more wind than we had, we were holding our own with them.
“Ten minutes after we got under weigh they made us out and changed their course, steering36 so as to cut us off before we were clear of the northern point, while I stood a little more out so as to get farther from the shelter of the land and catch a little more breeze. They closed a bit with us, and one of them began to try the distance with his bow-guns, but though we were not quite out of range, the shot went altogether wide of us. I never saw such lubberly shooting. We were better than a mile ahead when we came out beyond the point and got the true wind. As soon as I felt her beginning to walk along I got a couple of sails overboard to deaden her way and stood for the north-west. The Turks got out stun-sails and did their best to come up to us, and as the wind was pretty fresh they walked along faster than I should have given them credit for, and I had to get one of the sails on board again to keep my distance. They fired occasionally, but as I kept them in line they could only bring a couple of bow-chasers to bear.
“I don’t think we altered our distance by a ship’s length for six hours, by which time we were a good thirty miles away from the island, and nearly dead to leeward37; so I thought it was about time to begin to have some amusement. Directly we had started I had got the cook to make a tremendous fire in the galley38, and had put six eighteen-pounder shot in it. I kept coal heaped on, and stuck a couple of extra lengths on to the chimney to make it draw, and by this time the balls were red-hot. We did not begin with them at first, but having got the second sail out of water we luffed a little so as to get the pivot39 to bear, and Tom Burdett sent the first shot smack40 into the frigate31’s fore15-foot. She yawed a bit, and let us have four or five of her forward guns on the starboard side, and this time a couple of shot went through our sails. As I did not want to run any risks I held on till I put another half-mile between us; then I began again with the pivot.
“The boatswain is a capital shot and hulled41 the leading frigate every time. Evidently she did not like it. I expect she had no idea that a craft of this size carried such heavy metal, and she came up into the wind and gave us a broadside. I put the helm down at the same moment as she did and returned the compliment. We trained the guns high, and as good luck would have it one of the shots struck the maintop-mast and down it came bringing the fore and mizzen-topgallant masts down with it. We gave a cheer, and the Greeks yelled like fiends. I had sent the women and children down into the hold, but the men were on deck, and they danced about like lunatics when they saw the top hamper42 of the Turk go over her side. We wore round and gave her the other broadside, then I set the Greeks to work to load the broadside guns, while our fellows went to the pivot again.
“Now was the time to try the red-hot shot while she was lying broadside on to us, and we plumped the whole six into her, one after the other; then we stood off again, for the other frigate had come up and was joining in the game. If we had had a spar knocked out of us it would have been all up, for they each carried something like forty guns. As soon as they got pretty well out of range I hauled my wind and stood south. The first frigate was still in complete confusion. With my glass I could make out the men trying to cut away the wreck43, but it was not long before I saw a thin wreath of smoke rising from her forward hatchway, and presently I saw her ensign half hauled down as a signal of distress44 to her consort45, which at once gave up the chase, which she must have already seen was useless, and bore down to her. Thinking I had done enough, and being in such a stew46 about you all, I left them to settle matters as best they could and began to beat back to the island. When we were five miles away a pillar of smoke was rising from the frigate, and with the glass I could make out boats passing backwards47 and forwards between her and her consort, which was lying-to near her; and the last we could make out of her was that she was in flames from keel to truck.”
“Capital, Miller, that was splendidly done!” Martyn exclaimed. “Fancy a schooner with ten men on board destroying a forty-gun frigate. That was a capital idea of yours of heating the shot.”
“The cook is in a great way,” Miller laughed, “for we pretty well melted the galley, and we shall have to get a fresh one next time we put into port. And now tell me about your share of the day’s work.”
“Well, we have done very well,” Martyn said; “but you have quite taken down any conceit48 we may have felt. I quite envy you.”
“You need not do that, Martyn,” Mr. Beveridge said; “one may be as proud of saving five hundred lives as of destroying a frigate, admirable as the action was. I will tell you about our doings. I have no doubt Martyn will be too modest to do justice to himself. Ah! what is that?” He broke off as he heard the report of a gun, followed by several others.
“The Turks venting49 their dissatisfaction,” Martyn said. “I expected it before this. Of course they heard our cheer, but at the distance they were they may not have made out it came from the water, and I expect they were some time before they crawled forward and found out that our lines were deserted50. We will fire a round of grape over their heads as a hint to them that they had better clear off, and as there is no hope of either plunder51 or blood they will not care about risking their lives for nothing. Will you go up, Mr. Tarleton, and just touch off one of the port guns. Don’t fire in the direction they are shooting from. We only want to frighten and not to hurt them.”
In a couple of minutes the vessel52 quivered as an eighteen-pounder sent its contents rattling53 among the rocks. Tarleton soon rejoined the party, and Mr. Beveridge proceeded to relate to Miller the events of the day.
“The next time I land, Mr. Miller,” he concluded, “I shall take good care to ascertain54 the nature of the ground we have to cross. I have never been accustomed to active exercise, even as a boy I never cared for it; but I could not have believed that human lungs could have failed in their action so completely, or human heart bump as mine did in going up that hill. As for the scramble55 along it in the dark, it was a sort of nightmare. Martyn and Zaimes hauled me along like a helpless bundle. I was only conscious of my feet continually slipping from under me, of grasping at the grass, of having my knees bruised56 against rocks, and of thinking every moment that my coat collar must give way and that I must roll to the bottom of the hill. Zaimes had hold of that, and Martyn of my arm, and I should say that my flesh will be black and blue for weeks. I mentally registered a vow57 that though I was ready to fight for the Greeks I was not ready, and never would again undertake to climb among mountains for them. There is a limit to the endurance of human nature, and the limit was very distinctly passed upon that occasion. Moreover, my dignity as a man suffered. I was humiliated58 at my own helplessness, and was deeply impressed with the thought that my whole life had been a mistake when it resulted in my being hauled along by Zaimes, who is a year or two older than I am, I believe. I made a resolution to practise athletic59 exercises, but I am afraid that, like many other good resolutions, it will be dropped with the memory of that terrible hour.”
“Where are you thinking of landing all these people, Mr. Beveridge?”
“I have not the least idea, Martyn. Where do you think?”
“So that we get rid of them as quickly as possible, sir, it doesn’t matter in the slightest. There is one thing certain, it will be weeks before we shall get the decks white again, and I should say that a thorough fumigation60 of her from stem to stern will be advisable. I don’t suppose the British authorities would be grateful to us if we were to dump them all down in Zante or Corfu, because it is certain they would have to feed the greater portion of them for a considerable time. On the other hand, if you land them at any Greek port there is a very strong risk of their all dying of starvation; the new government have other things to think about.”
“It is very awkward, Captain Martyn, very awkward,” Mr. Beveridge said seriously. “However, it is evident that now we have rescued them they can’t be allowed to starve.”
“There is one thing, father,” Horace put in. “I think that money would be much better laid out in feeding them than in enabling the politicians and the Klephts to spend it in gaudy61 dresses and in keeping bands of armed ruffians round them.”
“Certainly it would, Horace. As to where they had better be landed, I should say that we might give them their choice of say four or five places. It would be much better that they should be divided, as they would in that way be more likely to get employment than if they were all turned out at one place. Some might be landed at some of the Greek islands, some in the Morea, others at Athens, and some, perhaps, in the Ionian Islands, where they would be under the British flag.”
“I think they would be a deal better off there, father, than in Greece or the Greek islands, where at present everyone is thinking of war, and the fields are going out of cultivation62. They certainly would do a great deal better in Corfu, Cephalonia, and the other islands than they would elsewhere; and if they were landed in small batches63 they might find work. I expect most of them have got a little money, and as living is very cheap, if you were to give them a couple of pounds a head it would enable them to live a long time while they are looking for work. Besides, there are committees on those islands for helping refugees; so I do think it would be better to land all those who have no friends in Greece, or any particular wish to go there, in our islands. I should say Zaimes and Marco might go round among them in the morning and ask if any of them have friends in the Greek islands or the mainland, and to put it to the others, that though they can be landed in Greece if they like, they will probably be better off and certainly much more free from anxiety and danger, in the Ionian Isles64.”
“I think that that would be a very good plan,” Mr. Beveridge said. “When are you going to get under sail again, Captain Martyn?”
“As soon as I have finished this cup of coffee, Mr. Beveridge, we will get a boat lowered and find the buoy33 and pick up the anchor Miller slipped this morning. I don’t want to lose that, and the chain. As soon as we have got it on board we will be off. There is not much breeze here after dark, but we may as well get what benefit we can from it. I have no fear of the other Turkish frigate looking in here on her way back; and if she did, now that we have got all our crew on board, I have no doubt we could give a good account of her. But I want to be under weigh. There will be no comfort on board till we have got rid of our passengers. Whereabout do you think the buoy is lying, Miller?”
“I fancy we were anchored a couple of hundred yards or so farther out, and a quarter of a mile astern. You know where you landed last night. You had to march along the beach some little distance before you came to the path on the hills.”
“That is so, Miller. I am afraid we shall have some little trouble in finding it. However, we will have a try. It is just eight bells now, and it won’t be light for another six hours. I don’t want to waste that time if I can help it.”
“Well, I will take one of the gigs, and Tarleton can take the other. We will take some blue lights with us, and I expect we shall soon find it.”
“Very well. Directly you do, hang on to the buoy-rope and get the end of the chain into your gig. Hail me, and send Tarleton back. We will get up her anchor at once, and the gig and the long-boat shall tow the schooner up to you. Then you can pass the end of the chain on board, and we will get it round the capstan and have the anchor up in no time. Now, Mr. Beveridge, if you will take my advice you will turn in at once. You only got a couple of hours’ sleep last night in that orchard65, and have had twenty-four hours’ really hard work.”
“I will take your advice, Martyn;” and Mr. Beveridge touched the hand-bell beside him. “Marco, you must help me to my cabin, for I am so stiff I don’t think I could get out of my chair by myself.”
“We will help you in, sir,” Martyn said; and he and Miller raised Mr. Beveridge from his chair and almost carried him into his cabin. Then they lit their pipes and went on deck.
The buoy was found after a few minutes’ search, and in another ten minutes the schooner was under-weigh and stealing out from the land.
“I will take the watch,” Miller said. “You had better all turn in. I will put a couple of the hands who remained with me at the wheel, and let all the rest lie down. As they will be on deck one can rouse them up in a minute if they are wanted.”
The next day the two Greeks went among the fugitives66 and questioned the heads of each family as to the number of their party, the means they possessed67, and whether they had any friends in Greece. Most of them possessed a little money, the proceeds of their last harvest and vintage, and some eight or ten had sums varying from a hundred to four hundred pounds, besides the jewels of their females, which, in their cases, were of considerable value. Some of the poorer ones had literally68 nothing beyond the clothes in which they stood and a few almost worthless trinkets. There were not half a dozen of the whole number who had friends or connections in Greece. Some thirty of the unmarried men expressed their desire to join the Greek army and fight against the Turks; the rest thankfully embraced the offer of being landed on islands under the protection of the British flag. It took a whole day to ascertain all these particulars, and on the following day the exiles were asked to divide themselves into parties according to the villages from which they came, in order that acquaintances and relations should be landed together.
When this had been done, Zaimes distributed, in the name of Mr. Beveridge, to the head of each family a sum amounting to two pounds for each of its members, except to those whose resources were sufficient to maintain them for a considerable time.
The wind was very light, and it was six days after they weighed anchor before they entered the port of Zante. Another week was spent in landing the fugitives among the Ionian Islands, each party being in proportion to the size of the island and the facilities of obtaining employment there. The gratitude69 of the poor people to Mr. Beveridge, and indeed to all on board the schooner, was very great, but they were all much depressed70 on landing. At first their delight at having escaped with their lives was unbounded. But as the days went on, and the feeling that they had lost all else, were separated for ever from their birthplace and home, and were in future to live among strangers, overwhelmed them.
Mr. Beveridge went a great deal among them, and endeavoured to cheer them with the assurance that the war could not last very long, and that at its termination, whenever that might be, there would certainly be a general amnesty, and that all fugitives would then be permitted to return to their homes. He therefore advised them to keep this always in mind, and to lay by every penny they could spare of their earnings71, so that they would eventually be able to return to Cyprus and resume their former life. When the Misericordia left Cyprus there remained on board only some half a dozen families who had friends in Greece, and the young men who intended to join the Greek army. Never did a vessel undergo a more thorough washing and cleaning up than the schooner on her voyage round to Athens. The deck was scrubbed and holy-stoned twice a day; the lower deck was equally cleaned, and, in addition, the woodwork received two coats of fresh paint, after having been thoroughly72 fumigated73.
“The Greeks may have their virtues,” Martyn remarked to Miller, “but cleanliness on board ship is marked by its absence.”
“There is no doubt about that,” Miller agreed. “I have always heard that a cargo of Mohammedan pilgrims to Mecca was about the most painful experience a sailor could have; but I back the Greeks against them. I don’t think the schooner herself liked it. She seemed to have lost all her liveliness and to be depressed at being turned into a human pig-stye. I don’t believe it was worse between decks when she had a cargo of slaves on board.”
“Mr. Beveridge has just told me,” Martyn said, “that I am to tell the crew that at the next pay he shall give three pounds a head to each man as a reward for their work at Cyprus and the inconveniences they have been since put to.”
“They will appreciate that,” Miller said. “They certainly have been put about a good deal, and they will be pleased at the recognition of it as much as with the money. Besides, the same thing may happen again, and it is a good thing to keep them all in a good humour, especially as at present there hasn’t been any chance whatever of prize-money.”
“What are the next orders, sir?” Martyn asked Mr. Beveridge when they had finished supper.
“There will be nothing particular going on for some time, I should imagine, Captain Martyn. The Turkish army does not seem to be ready to advance, and the Greeks are not troubling themselves to get up an army at all. After the last affair every man made off with the booty he had gathered to his own village; and there, I am afraid, they are all likely to stay till a Turkish army invades them. Athens and Nauplia may hold out for some time longer—for weeks, perhaps, possibly for months. Therefore, for the present I leave it entirely74 with you to cruise where you think best.”
“Then, sir, we will go south. Since we have come out we have not taken a prize worth having; and I think that as prize-money was certainly one of the inducements held out to the sailors when they joined, we might as well try to pick up a few Turkish merchantmen. There is no doubt that the ships from Smyrna and all the Syrian ports, as well as from the islands, keep near land, and that even those bound for Alexandria and the African ports coast round there also. Some of these no doubt carry rich cargoes75, and many will be taking Greek slaves to Alexandria and Tunis; so we shall be carrying out your object by releasing them, as well as picking up some prize-money. I think the men well deserve a little indulgence in this way. Their work has not been altogether pleasant for some time. They have been turned out of their quarters, and have had to sleep under the awning76 forward. I have heard no grumbling77 among them, for I am sure they were glad to do all they could to help the poor creatures we have had on board. Still, they will be glad of a chance of what they would consider legitimate78 business.”
“Very well, Captain Martyn, let it be so. I quite agree with you as to the excellent conduct of the men. They have certainly had a good deal of hardship to put up with, for everything has been very uncomfortable since our visit to Cyprus.”
In a few minutes the boatswain’s whistle was heard, followed by the tramp of the men round the capstan and the stir of getting up sail. Then the watch was set, and the schooner sped along under a gentle breeze towards the south.
For the next two months the Misericordia cruised on the coast of Syria. Scarce a day passed without some vessel being overhauled79. Many of these were small coasters laden80 only with grain or other cargoes of small value. These were permitted to proceed on their way without interference. Of the larger vessels81 some contained mixed cargoes. In the cases where no Greek captives were on board, the valuable portion of the cargo was transferred to the schooner, and the ship was then permitted to proceed on her voyage. Where Greek slaves were found on board, the captain was given the choice of having the vessel burned, or giving a bond for an amount equal to half her estimated value and that of the cargo, signed by himself, the representative of the owners, if there was one on board, and the principal passengers.
These bonds could not, perhaps, have been enforced in any court; but Mr. Beveridge had confidence in the honesty of the Turks, and in every case the amounts were duly forwarded to the agents he named. Seven ships contained valuable cargoes of silks, tobacco, and wine. These were all bound for Alexandria and Tunis, and carried a considerable number of Greek women and children, the survivors82 of massacres83 in towns in Asia Minor84. In these cases the Turks were all placed in their boats within two or three miles of land, and the vessels with prize crews on board were consigned85 to Greeks at Corinth and Athens, who had undertaken to act as Mr. Beveridge’s agents, and who were to dispose of them and their cargoes to Greek merchants.
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defenders
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| n.防御者( defender的名词复数 )；守卫者；保护者；辩护者 | |
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miller
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| n.磨坊主 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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rattle
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| v.飞奔，碰响；激怒；n.碰撞声；拨浪鼓 | |
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5
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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6
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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muffle
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| v.围裹；抑制；发低沉的声音 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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Christians
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| n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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ripple
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| n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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wading
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| （从水、泥等）蹚，走过，跋( wade的现在分词 ) | |
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batch
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| n.一批(组，群)；一批生产量 | |
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massacre
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| n.残杀，大屠杀；v.残杀，集体屠杀 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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heartily
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| adv.衷心地，诚恳地，十分，很 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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scuttles
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| n.天窗( scuttle的名词复数 )v.使船沉没( scuttle的第三人称单数 )；快跑，急走 | |
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ration
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| n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应 | |
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animated
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| adj.生气勃勃的，活跃的，愉快的 | |
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accomplished
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| adj.有才艺的；有造诣的；达到了的 | |
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varied
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| adj.多样的，多变化的 | |
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helping
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| n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的 | |
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frigates
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| n.快速军舰( frigate的名词复数 ) | |
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frigate
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| n.护航舰，大型驱逐舰 | |
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buoyed
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| v.使浮起( buoy的过去式和过去分词 )；支持；为…设浮标；振奋…的精神 | |
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buoy
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| n.浮标；救生圈；v.支持，鼓励 | |
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scrambling
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| v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞 | |
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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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leeward
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| adj.背风的；下风的 | |
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galley
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| n.（飞机或船上的）厨房单层甲板大帆船；军舰舰长用的大划艇； | |
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pivot
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| v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的 | |
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smack
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| vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍 | |
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hulled
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| 有壳的，有船身的 | |
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hamper
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| vt.妨碍，束缚，限制；n.(有盖的)大篮子 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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stew
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| n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑 | |
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backwards
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| adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地 | |
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conceit
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| n.自负，自高自大 | |
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venting
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| 消除； 泄去； 排去； 通风 | |
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deserted
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| adj.荒芜的，荒废的，无人的，被遗弃的 | |
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plunder
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| vt.劫掠财物，掠夺；n.劫掠物，赃物；劫掠 | |
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vessel
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| n.船舶；容器，器皿；管，导管，血管 | |
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rattling
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| adj. 格格作响的, 活泼的, 很好的 adv. 极其, 很, 非常 动词rattle的现在分词 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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scramble
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| v.爬行，攀爬，杂乱蔓延，碎片，片段，废料 | |
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bruised
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| [医]青肿的，瘀紫的 | |
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vow
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| n.誓(言)，誓约；v.起誓，立誓 | |
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humiliated
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| 感到羞愧的 | |
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athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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fumigation
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| n.烟熏，熏蒸；忿恨 | |
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gaudy
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| adj.华而不实的；俗丽的 | |
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62
cultivation
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| n.耕作，培养，栽培（法），养成 | |
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batches
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| 一批( batch的名词复数 )； 一炉； （食物、药物等的）一批生产的量； 成批作业 | |
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isles
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| 岛( isle的名词复数 ) | |
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orchard
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| n.果园，果园里的全部果树，(美俚)棒球场 | |
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fugitives
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| n.亡命者，逃命者( fugitive的名词复数 ) | |
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possessed
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| adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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depressed
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| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
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earnings
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| n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得 | |
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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fumigated
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| v.用化学品熏（某物）消毒( fumigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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cargoes
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| n.（船或飞机装载的）货物( cargo的名词复数 )；大量，重负 | |
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76
awning
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| n.遮阳篷；雨篷 | |
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77
grumbling
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| adj. 喃喃鸣不平的, 出怨言的 | |
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78
legitimate
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| adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法 | |
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overhauled
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| v.彻底检查( overhaul的过去式和过去分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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laden
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| adj.装满了的；充满了的；负了重担的；苦恼的 | |
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81
vessels
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| n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人 | |
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82
survivors
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| 幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 ) | |
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83
massacres
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| 大屠杀( massacre的名词复数 )； 惨败 | |
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84
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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consigned
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| v.把…置于（令人不快的境地）( consign的过去式和过去分词 )；把…托付给；把…托人代售；丟弃 | |
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