The Capsina: An Historical NovelBenson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
History
The Capsina: An Historical Novel
Benson, E. F. (Edward Frederic)
Greece -- History -- War of Independence, 1821-1829 -- Fiction
In a few minutes the _Revenge_ was all alive, though silent and
soft-footed, making ready, as a cat makes ready for its spring. A boat
had put off for Kanaris's ship with Mitsos in it, who was to explain
what their tactics were to be. All that they could be certain of was to
take the _Revenge_ in between the land and the Turks, for they would
get the breeze first, while Kanaris waited outside to stop them if they
would not engage but tried to escape across the gulf. If they stood
their ground he was to close in on them.
Mitsos was back again in less than twenty minutes, but already the jib,
halyards, and upper and lower yards had been set, in case the wind came
down on them, as so often happened in that narrow sea, in a squall;
the men were all at their posts, the cutlasses and muskets were laid
out in depots on the deck, if it came to a hand-to-hand fight, and
the Capsina was on the bridge. Dimitri, who was a kind of first mate,
being directly under Mitsos and the Capsina, was standing with her,
and even as Mitsos joined them there came through the still thick mist
the shiver of a sigh, and the jib flapped once and again. Then from
down the gulf, without further warning, the squall was upon them; in
a moment the mist was rent and torn to a thousand eddying fragments,
the _Revenge_ heeled slowly over to the wind and began to make way. For
a short minute sea and land were as clear as in a picture; they saw
Turkish ships lying half a mile off, to the northeast, at the mouth of
the bay, and next moment the rain fell like a sheet. But that glimpse
had been enough; there was room and to spare to pass between the nearer
headland and the ships, and the Capsina pointed without speaking,
and Dimitri roared his order to the men at the tiller. The _Revenge_
trembled and struggled like a thing alive; once the tiller broke from
the two men who held it, and she sheered off straight into the wind
again; but next moment they had it fastened down and they tacked off
northeast, and for a minute the rain ceased as suddenly as it had
begun, and the ship threshed on through the ruffled water, gathering
speed.
The men were ready at the guns, but the order had been not to fire
till they were broadside. Already they could see a stir and bustle on
the nearest Turk, and sailors were putting up the jib, as if to run
out to sea. Then it seemed they sighted the _Revenge_ bearing down
on them, and they hesitated a moment, and presently after Mitsos saw
two or three ports being opened. But they were too late; by this time
the _Revenge_ was broadside, and all three batteries poured a deluge
of shot into her, slipped past her like a swan, and fired again as
she crossed their bows, leaving the three Turks, as the Capsina had
intended, between her and Kanaris.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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