One of Clive's Heroes: A Story of the Fight for IndiaStrang, Herbert
History
One of Clive's Heroes: A Story of the Fight for India
Strang, Herbert
Adventure stories; British -- India -- Juvenile fiction; India -- History -- 18th century -- Juvenile fiction
"Two or three miles south of Bombay, sahib."
"Good. Run up the fore-topsail."
He went to the wheel.
"Thank you, serang. I will relieve you. Go forward and see that the
men crowd on all sail."
The mutiny had been snuffed out; the men went about their work quietly,
with the look of whipped dogs; and barring accidents Desmond knew that
before long he would make Bombay and be safe. With every stitch of
canvas set, the vessel soon showed that she had the heels of her
pursuers. Before she could draw clear, two of them came within range
with their bow-chasers, and their shot whistled around somewhat too
close to be comfortable. But she steadily drew ahead, and ere long it
was seen that the four grabs were being hopelessly outpaced. They kept
up the chase for the best part of an hour, but as they neared the
British port they recognized that they were running into danger and had
the discretion to draw off.
Now that the pursuit was over Desmond ventured to steer due north-east,
and the coast line became more distinctly visible. It was about two
o’clock in the afternoon, judging by the height of the sun, when the
serang, pointing shorewards, said:
"There is Bombay, sahib."
"You are sure?"
"Yes; I know it by the cluster of palmyra trees. No one can mistake
them."
Moment by moment the town and harbour came more clearly into view.
Desmond saw an extensive castle, a flag flying on its pinnacled roof,
set amid a green mass of jungle and cocoa-nut forest, with a few
Portuguese-built houses dotted here and there. In front a narrow
jungle-clad island, called, as he afterwards learnt, Old Woman Island,
stretched like a spit into the sea. To the south of the fort was the
Bunder pier, with the warehouses at the shore end. Southward of these
were the hospital and the doctor’s house overlooking the harbour, while
hard by were the marine yard and the docks ensconced behind the royal
bastion.
Feeling that he had nothing more to fear, Desmond ordered Fuzl Khan to
be cast loose and brought to him. The man wore a look of sullen
surprise, which Desmond cheerfully ignored.
"Now, Fuzl Khan," he said, "we are running into Bombay harbour. You
know the channel?"
The man grunted a surly affirmative.
"Well, you will take the helm, and steer us in to the most convenient
moorings."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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