CHAPTER TWELVE
The big French ship of the line came out of Cadiz Roads with almost pathetic slowness. The wind soon dropped away to random zephyrs, so that her sails, in billowing curves when she got under way, flattened to hanging curtains of canvas by the time she was abreast of where the Calypso had been hove-to.
Ramage had seized the opportunity before the breeze went light to get out to seaward, deciding not to risk being trapped in the bay by the French and Spanish frigates he knew were anchored in Cadiz.
He watched as the Frenchman slowly steered northwards for Rota (at times turning round completely as she lost the wind and was at the mercy of the current) and then saw a second ship get under way and start struggling to get out of the Roads.
The first ship was the Algésiras, which his list showed him was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Charles de Magon. When the second ship finally cleared the entrance and then lost the wind for several minutes, turning like a languid dancer, Ramage saw that the name carved across her transom (and heavily gilded: enough to catch the eye at this distance as it glinted in the sun) was the Achille.
Although he was making for a position due north of the Castillo de San Sebastián, Ramage's last glimpse into Cadiz Roads showed him that a French frigate (the Hermione, he guessed) had managed to weigh and set sail, but almost immediately must have lost the wind because now her boats were towing her out, hard work against what was now a flood tide.
With the wind falling away and the young flood beginning to carry him out of position, Ramage ordered the Calypso to anchor, and the best bower splashed down into four fathoms just short of the El Banquete shoal, a mile north-west of the Castillo. The Spaniards had never opened fire from the castle, but if they started now the Calypso might be in trouble: with no wind and having to weigh anchor, the young flood might carry her on to Punta del Nao, a vicious-looking rocky peninsula just north-east of the castle.
But the castle guns remained quiet and the Calypso swung at anchor, watching the Algésiras, Achille and Hermione (eventually Orsini had read the name on her stern) struggle up towards Rota, revolving like sunflowers as they lost a puff.
As the men at alternate guns were allowed to go below for a meal and Southwick went through the daily ritual of taking a noon sight (although it was easy enough to take a bearing of the castle, and a vertical sextant angle would give the distance for those unable to estimate it) Ramage watched the Euryalus and Sirius drift, becalmed.
Well, Ramage commented to Southwick, today the wind was being neutraclass="underline" it becalmed the Combined Fleet and it becalmed Lord Nelson - although, fifty miles out to the west, the weather might well be different.
But, Ramage wondered, what would Lord Nelson be doing: would he pay any attention to Perez's report about the Mediterranean and steer south, anticipating that (when he got out of Cadiz) Villeneuve would make for the Strait, or would he steer north to intercept the Combined Fleet on the assumption it was making for the English Channel?
"I'm glad I'm not His Lordship," Southwick said, apparently thinking on the same lines as Ramage. "Go north or go south . . . from fifty miles out he's got to rely on us frigates, but he's got to make a start now, and that means he has to guess. Like putting all your money on the turn of a card."
"Yes, betting on whether it'll turn up red or black."
"Yes, not odds for a sensible man."
"His Lordship has no choice," Ramage said.
Southwick pointed to the end of Punta del Nao. Another ship of the line, all sail set but with every inch of canvas hanging slackly, was being towed out by its boats. Curious, Ramage reflected, how a little wind made a ship graceful and lively, and yet a calm reduced her to a clumsy and sluggish hulk, at the mercy of sweating men in boats pulling on oars . . .
Soon they read her name, the Neptune. She was followed by another, the Héros.
"Four French ships of the line and a French frigate," Aitken commented. "Does that mean the Spanish are staying at home?"
"The first French out were probably the last to arrive," Ramage said. "Anyway, that French rear-admiral has set a good example."
The sun passed its zenith and began the slow dip towards the west. Southwick, filling in the master's log, started a new day at noon. Although the civil day began at midnight and by civil time it was still Saturday, by nautical time Sunday began at noon. Southwick filled in the Calypso's position, the wind ("round the compass and frequent calms") and drew a line in the columns for "course" and "speed".
"Two more ships coming out, both 74s and both French," Orsini reported. "Having a race," he added sarcastically. "The boats are making half a knot, with double-banked oars."
Southwick took off his hat and with a characteristic gesture ran his hand through his flowing white hair. "They must be pulling against the full flood by now," he said. "Just needs two ships to get alongside each other and lock yards, and we'll see some fun."
Aitken gestured to the Algésiras and the Achille, still less than a couple of miles away in their tedious attempt to get up to Rota. "Not much of a day for sailing; better to anchor and give the men a 'make and mend' day."
"They've been 'making and mending' for months," Southwick growled. "No cloth for making and nothing left needing mending."
"The nearest is the Argonaute, sir," Orsini reported. "I'll have the name of the other one in a moment, as soon as the bearing changes ... Ah yes, the . . ." he spelled out the name letter by letter, and then said: "Yes, the Duguay-Trouin, whoever he was."
"Another two for the log," Ramage said to Southwick. "Make sure you spell them right."
"Names are going to be a problem," Southwick growled. "We've got a Neptune and so have the French, while the Dons have a Neptuno. We have an Achille, so have the French. And there's a British and a French Swiftsure. And apart from the same names, the French have the Berwick, which sounds British, and we have the Spartiate, Tonnant and Belleisle, which sound French."
"The French captured the Berwick. But Lord Bridport took the Belleisle ten years ago. The Tonnant and the Spartiate were taken by Lord Nelson in '98," Ramage pointed out.
"That's what I mean," Southwick complained, "it's all very confusing."
Ramage smiled. "Don't forget the Ville de Paris was built at Chatham!"
"And there comes another, a Spaniard!"Orsini yelled excitedly. "That's six French ships of the line and a French frigate out before a Don gets his jibboom past the Mole!"
"Hush," Ramage said in a sepulchral voice, "they are a peace-loving people and tomorrow is Sunday - for the people on shore, anyway."
For the remainder of the afternoon Ramage and the Calypsos watched for the rest of the Combined Fleet to get out of Cadiz, but the easterly breeze did not freshen enough to give the big ships steerage way. Two more French frigates managed to get out, towing with boats. The Themis and the Rhin struggled to catch every whiffle of wind so that they could follow Rear-Admiral Magon, trying to get across Cadiz Bay and reach the safety of Rota.
At nightfall, Ramage gave the order to weigh again and patrol close off the end of the Mole in case a breeze allowed more ships to sneak out. Rockets and portfires were brought out ready to signal to the Euryalus should enough wind spring up and the rest of the Combined Fleet decide to make a dash for it in the darkness.