Drinkwater paused and re-read his epistle with an amused smile. He had invoked every phrase at his command to alert the Governor of the gravity of the reason for Andromeda's presence off Flores. The long alliance of Great Britain and Portugal, which relied upon several treaties, the first of which dated from as far back as 1373, but the most recent of which was that known as the Methuen Treaty of 1707, had been underwritten by the successes of Wellington's Anglo-Portuguese army which had been fighting in the Iberian Peninsula for six years.
He decided he could add little more, other than a courtesy or two, and concluded the letter:
I Regret that my Duty prevents my Calling upon you in Person at this Time, but Trust that you will Afford the Bearer of this Despatch, Lieutenant Jos. Ashton, every Confidence with which you would Honour me.
I am, Sir, your Obedient Servant,
Nathan'l Drinkwater,
Captain, Royal Navy
Ensuring the ink was dry, Drinkwater folded the letter, sealed it and added the superscription. Then he left the cabin, jamming his hat upon his head as he did so.
'Hoist the new colours, if you please,' he ordered as he reached the deck, casting about him. The ship seethed with people; two watches were on deck, as were many of those who might have been below. Upon the quarterdeck the blue and white of the officers contrasted with Hyde's immaculate scarlet, a pretty enough picture with the blue sea and sky as a backdrop astern. Ahead loomed the island, the northern extremity of which, Punta Delgada, was stark against the horizon, while its summit, the Morro Alto, was lost in its streamer of cloud.
Santa Cruz proved a tiny, rock-girt inlet, its few buildings dominated by the baroque tower of the church of Sao Pedro. The tiny habitation was surrounded by the brilliant green of vegetation which refreshed eyes tired of the ocean. This verdure was interspersed by the brilliant colours of a profusion of flowers, the red and yellow of canna lilies, the orange of montbretia and the blue of agapanthus. Amid this almost pastoral scene, a flagstaff bore the blue and white standard of the House of Braganga, a gallant complement to the new red ensign of the senior squadron of the Royal Navy of Great Britain which streamed from Andromeda's peak.
'I've the saluting guns ready, sir,' offered Marlowe.
'Very good, Mr Marlowe. We shall give the Governor seventeen guns. You may commence as soon as we lay the main tops'l against the mast.'
'Aye, aye, sir.'
Drinkwater nodded to Birkbeck. 'You have the con, Mr Birkbeck?'
'Aye, sir.'
'Bring her to off the mole, if you please.'
'Aye, aye, sir'
'Have you seen Ashton?'
'Here, sir.' Drinkwater turned to see the third lieutenant hurriedly pulling a tarpaulin around him. Such was the bustling mood of the morning that even Ashton looked a happier man.
'Ah, Mr Ashton, is the launch ready?'
'Yes sir. We have but to bend on the falls when we heave-to.'
'You are victualled for two days?'
'In accordance with your orders, sir.'
'Very well. Now pay attention. I have here a letter to be passed to the Alcaid, or Governor of the island. Do you ensure that the man to whom you pass this is the senior civil authority at Santa Cruz, do you understand?'
'Yes, sir.' Ashton frowned, taking the letter.
'Is something the matter, Mr Ashton?'
'Sir, with respect, the letter, is it in English?'
'Of course. Why do you ask?'
'Well, sir, I don't wish to sound impertinent, but will these dagoes understand it? I mean,' Ashton added hurriedly, 'I mean the matter is of considerable importance.'
'These dagoes, as you call 'em, Mr Ashton, are Portuguese, the oldest allies of our Sovereign. They have traded with us for years and if the Governor himself does not speak and read English, which I am confident he does, there will be a British vice-consul who will command the language as well as you or I.'
Ashton nodded. 'Very well, sir.'
'Now, I have asked if Bonaparte has arrived on the island, and whether any strange ships have been seen lying off the island. You should press this point particularly and bring me the answer.'
'Aye, aye, sir.'
'Very well. I have provisioned the boat for two days in case anything should miscarry. I shall lie-to hereabouts until you return, but if for any reason you are delayed, keep your men in the boat and ensure the marine sergeant understands that. I don't want British tars running loose among the women and producing a crop of Andromedas and Perseuses nine months hence!'
'I understand, sir.'
'Very well. Good fortune.' Ashton touched the fore-cock of his hat and turned away. 'Mr Birkbeck!' Drinkwater called. 'You may heave her to!'
'Aye, aye, sir!'
'Mr Marlowe! You may commence the salute!'
His Britannic Majesty's frigate Andromeda turned in a lazy circle, her bowsprit describing an arc of some two hundred degrees against the sky as her compass card spun from a heading of south-west by west, through north, to east, her yards swinging in their parrels, as the fore and mizen yards were braced for the port tack and her main mast spars left to fall aback. On the forecastle the battery of stubby carronades barked at precise, five-second intervals, paying respects to the Governor of Flores who, Drinkwater hoped, had been alerted to the presence of a British man-of-war offshore. Each unshotted discharge emitted a grey smoke-ring from which the quick-eyed caught sight of the fragments of wadding whirled into the sea.
As the last gun fell silent, Andromeda lay stopped across the wind and sea. To starboard the sea flattened in the lee thus formed and with the yard and stay tackles hooked on, the falls manned and set tight, the heavy white carvel launch lifted from the chocks. She was already manned and, as the men stamped away with the ropes, she began her slow traverse across the deck with her weight taken on the yard tackles and walked back on the stays.
Drinkwater, having given this operation a swift appraisal, had his glass focused once more upon the flagstaff. His expectations were disappointed, for no reciprocating spurt of yellow flame with its lingering cloud of powder-smoke responded to the British salute. Well, he thought, pocketing the glass, he should not complain, perhaps the place was undefended; it certainly amounted to very little. Moreover, Andromeda was plainly only a private ship and wore nothing at her mastheads but her pendant, and she was a rather old and worn out one, at that!
Echoing his thoughts, the ship trembled as the mass of the laden boat vibrated the stays. This was transmitted to the masts and thus to the keel itself.
'Interesting to sound the well after this,' Drinkwater said to Birkbeck.
'I'm damned if I can find that leak, sir. I've had the linings out, the ceiling lifted and restowed God knows how many tiers of barrels, barricoes and hogsheads. Damn it, you'd think that with the ship more than three-quarters empty of stores the matter would be easy ...'
'Nothing in life is easy, Mr Birkbeck, nothing at all,' Drinkwater said soulfully.
'Except begetting brats and earning a woman's bad opinion!' grumbled Birkbeck.
"Pon my word, Mr Birkbeck, I thought you more of a philosopher than that,' Drinkwater laughed, thinking of his own orders to Ashton regarding the conduct of the boat's crew.