About half-past twelve, the troops were in the boats all ready.
About one, Mr. Vanslyperken had hoisted out his own boats, and they were manned. Mr. Vanslyperken, with his pistols in his belt, and his sword drawn, told Major Lincoln that he was all ready. Major Lincoln, with his spy-glass in his hand, stepped into the boat with Mr. Vanslyperken, and the whole detachment pulled for the shore, and landed in the small cove, where they found the smugglers' boats hoisted up on the rocks, at which the men seemed rejoiced, as they took it for granted that they would find some men to fight with instead of women. The major headed his men, and they commenced a scramble up the rocks and arrived at the foot of the high rock which formed the platform above at the mouth of the cave, when the major cried "Halt!" —a very judicious order, considering that it was impossible to go any further. The soldiers looked about everywhere, but could find no cave, and after an hour's strict search, Major Lincoln and his officers, glad to be rid of the affair, held a consultation, and it was agreed that the troops should be re-embarked. The men were marched down again, very hot from their exertions, and thus the expedition would have ended without bloodshed, had it not been for the incautious behaviour of a woman. That woman was Moggy Salisbury, who, having observed that the troops were re-embarking, took the opportunity, while Sir Robert and all the men were keeping close, to hoist up a certain under-garment to a pole, as if in derision, thus betraying the locality of the cave, and running the risk of sacrificing the whole party in it. This, as it was going up, caught the eye of one of the seamen in the boat, who cried out, "There goes the ensign up to the peak at last."
"Where?" exclaimed the major, pulling out his telescope; "Yes, by heavens! there it is —and there then must be the cave."
Neither Sir Robert nor any of the conspirators were aware of this manoeuvre of Moggy's; for Smallbones, perceiving what she had done, hauled it down again in a minute afterwards. But it had been hoisted, and the major considered it his duty to return; so once more the troop ascended the precipitous path.
Moggy then went into the cave. "They have found us out, sir," said she, "they point to us, and are coming up again. I will stand as sentry. The men won't fire at me, and if they do I don't care."
Sir Robert and Ramsay were in close consultation. It appeared to them that by a bold manoeuvre they would be able to get out of their scrape. The wind had gone down altogether, the sea was as smooth as glass, and there was every appearance of a continued calm.
"If we could manage it —and I think we may —then the sooner the affair is brought to an issue the better."
Moggy had now taken a musket on her shoulder, and was pacing up and down the edge of the flat in imitation of a sentry. She was soon pointed out, and a titter ran through the whole line: at last, as the major approached, she called out,—
"I say, soger, what are you doing here? keep off, or I'll put a bullet in your jacket."
"My good woman," replied the major, while his men laughed, "we do not want to hurt you, but you must surrender."
"Surrender!" cried Moggy, "who talks of surrender? —hoist the colours there."
Up went the chemise to the end of the pole, and Smallbones grinned as he hoisted it.
"My good woman, we must obey our orders."
"And I must obey mine," retorted Moggy. "Turn out the guard there."
All the women now made their appearance, as had been arranged, with muskets on their shoulders, headed by little Lilly, with her drawn sword.
The sight of the child commanding the detachment was hailed with loud cheers and laughter.
"That will do, that will do," cried Sir Robert, fearful for Lilly, "let them come in again."
"They'll not fire first, at all events," cried Moggy; "never fear, sir. Guard, turn in," continued she; upon which Lilly and her squadron then disappeared.
"Upon my honour this is too ridiculous." said Lieutenant Dillon.
"Upon my soul I don't know what is to be done," rejoined the major.
"Moggy, we must commence hostilities somehow or another" cried Sir Robert from within. Smallbones here came out with his musket to release Moggy, and Moggy retired into the cave.
The major, who imagined that there must be a path to the cave on the other side, now advanced with the determination of finding it out, and somehow or another putting an end to this unusual warfare.
"If you please you'll keep back, or I'll fire," cried Smallbones, levelling his musket.
The major went on, heedless of the threat. Smallbones discharged his piece, and the major fell.
"Confound that she-devil! —Are you hurt, major?" cried Lieutenant Dillon.
Another shot was now fired, and the sergeant fell.
"Hell and flames! what must we do?"
But now the whole party of smugglers poured out of the cave, as women, with bonnets on, and commenced a murderous fire upon the troops, who fell in all directions. The captain, who had assumed the command, now attempted to find his way to the other side of the cave, where he had no doubt he should find the entrance, but in so doing the soldiers were exposed to a most galling fire, without being able to return it.
At first, the troops refused to fire again, for that they had to deal with the smugglers' wives, they made certain of: even in the thickest of the smoke there was nothing masculine to be seen; and those troops who were at a greater distance, and who could return the fire, did not. They were rather amused at the character of the women, and not being aware that their comrades were falling so fast, remained inactive. But there is a limit to even gallantry, and as the wounded men were carried past them, their indignation was roused, and, at last, the fire was as warmly returned; but before that took place, one half of the detachment were hors de combat.
All the assistance which they might have received from the covering party of sailors on the beach was neutralised; they did not know how much the soldiers had suffered, and although they fired in pursuance of orders, they would not take any aim.
For some time, the soldiers were forced on to the eastern side of the rock, which, as the reader may recollect, was much more precipitous than the western side, where it was descended from by the ladder. Here they were at the mercy of the conspirators, who, concealed below the masses of the rock on the platform, took unerring aim. The captain had fallen, Lieutenant Dillon was badly wounded and led back to the boats, and the command had devolved upon a young man who had but just joined the regiment, and who was ignorant of anything like military tactics, even if they could have been brought into play upon the service.
"Do you call this fighting with women, Sergeant Tanner?" said one of the men. "I've seen service, but such a murderous fire I was never in. Why, we've lost two-thirds of our men."
"And shall lose them all before we find out the mouth of this cursed cave. The regiment has lost its character for ever, and I don't care how soon a bullet settles my business."
Ramsay now detached a party of the men to fire at the covering party of seamen who were standing by the boats in the cove, and who were unprotected, while his men were concealed behind the masses of rocks. Many fell, wounded or killed; and Vanslyperken, after shifting about from one position to another, ordered the wounded men to be put into his boat, and with two hands he pulled off as he said to procure more ammunition, leaving the remainder of his detachment on shore, to do as well as they could.
"I thought as how this work would be too warm for him," observed Bill Spurey.
"Yes," replied Short, who, at the moment, received a bullet in his thigh, and fell down among the rocks.
The fire upon the seamen continued to be effective. Move from their post they did not, but one after another they sank wounded on the ground. The soldiers, who were now without any one to command them, for those who had forced their way to the western side of the rock, finding that advance or retreat was alike impossible, crawled under the sides of the precipice to retreat from a murderous fire which they could not return. The others were scattered here and there, protecting themselves as well as they could below the masses of stone, and returning the fire of the conspirators surely and desperately. But of the hundred men sent on the expedition, there were not twenty who were not killed or wounded, and nearly the whole detachment of seamen had fallen where they stood.
It was then four o'clock; the few men who remained unhurt were suffering from the extreme heat and exertion, and devoured with thirst. The wounded cried for water. The sea was still, calm, and smooth as a mirror; not a breath of wind blew to cool the fevered brows of the wounded men, and the cutter, with her sails hanging listless, floated about on the glassy water, about a quarter of a mile from the beach.
"Now is our time, Sir Robert."
"Yes, Ramsay —now for one bold dash —off with this woman's gear, my men —buckle on your swords and put pistols in your belts."
In a very short time this order was complied with, and, notwithstanding some of the men were wounded in this day's affair, as well as in the struggle for the deck of the cutter, the three bands from Amsterdam, Portsmouth, and Cherbourg, mustered forty resolute and powerful men.
The ladder was lowered down, and they descended. Sir Robert ordered Jemmy Ducks and Smallbones to remain and haul up the ladder again, and the whole body hastened down to the cove, headed by Sir Robert and. Ramsay, seized the boats, and shoved off for the cutter.
