westward ho-第93部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



And　lastly；　what　in　the　fight　of　1588；　whereof　more　hereafter；　enabled　the　English　fleet　to　capture；　destroy；　and　scatter　that　Great　Armada；　with　the　loss　（but　not　the　capture）　of　one　pinnace；　and　one　gentleman　of　note？

There　were　more　causes　than　one：　the　first　seems　to　have　lain　in　the　build　of　the　English　ships；　the　second　in　their　superior　gunnery　and　weight　of　metal；　the　third　（without　which　the　first　would　have　been　useless）　in　the　hearts　of　the　English　men。

The　English　ship　was　much　shorter　than　the　Spanish；　and　this　（with　the　rig　of　those　days）　gave　them　an　ease　in　manoeuvring；　which　utterly　confounded　their　Spanish　foes。　　〃The　English　ships　in　the　fight　of　1588；〃　says　Camden；　〃charged　the　enemy　with　marvellous　agility；　and　having　discharged　their　broadsides；　flew　forth　presently　into　the　deep；　and　levelled　their　shot　directly；　without　missing；　at　those　great　ships　of　the　Spaniards；　which　were　altogether　heavy　and　unwieldy。〃　　Moreover；　the　Spanish　fashion；　in　the　West　Indies　at　least；　though　not　in　the　ships　of　the　Great　Armada；　was；　for　the　sake　of　carrying　merchandise；　to　build　their　men…of…war　flush…decked；　or　as　it　was　called　〃race〃　（razes）；　which　left　those　on　deck　exposed　and　open；　while　the　English　fashion　was　to　heighten　the　ship　as　much　as　possible　at　stem　and　stern；　both　by　the　sweep　of　her　lines；　and　also　by　stockades　（〃close　fights　and　cage…works〃）　on　the　poop　and　forecastle；　thus　giving　to　the　men　a　shelter；　which　was　further　increased　by　strong　bulkheads　（〃cobridgeheads〃）　across　the　main…deck　below；　dividing　the　ship　thus　into　a　number　of　separate　forts；　fitted　with　swivels　（〃bases；　fowlers；　and　murderers〃）　and　loopholed　for　musketry　and　arrows。

But　the　great　source　of　superiority　was；　after　all；　in　the　men　themselves。　　The　English　sailor　was　then；　as　now；　a　quite　amphibious　and　all…cunning　animal；　capable　of　turning　his　hand　to　everything；　from　needlework　and　carpentry　to　gunnery　or　hand…to…　hand　blows；　and　he　was；　moreover；　one　of　a　nation；　every　citizen　of　which　was　not　merely　permitted　to　carry　arms；　but　compelled　by　law　to　practise　from　childhood　the　use　of　the　bow；　and　accustomed　to　consider　sword…play　and　quarter…staff　as　a　necessary　part　and　parcel　of　education；　and　the　pastime　of　every　leisure　hour。　　The　〃fiercest　nation　upon　earth；〃　as　they　were　then　called；　and　the　freest　also；　each　man　of　them　fought　for　himself　with　the　self…help　and　self…respect　of　a　Yankee　ranger；　and　once　bidden　to　do　his　work；　was　trusted　to　carry　it　out　by　his　own　wit　as　best　he　could。　In　one　word；　he　was　a　free　man。

The　English　officers；　too；　as　now；　lived　on　terms　of　sympathy　with　their　men　unknown　to　the　Spaniards；　who　raised　between　the　commander　and　the　commanded　absurd　barriers　of　rank　and　blood；　which　forbade　to　his　pride　any　labor　but　that　of　fighting。　　The　English　officers；　on　the　other　hand；　brought　up　to　the　same　athletic　sports；　the　same　martial　exercises；　as　their　men；　were　not　ashamed　to　care　for　them；　to　win　their　friendship；　even　on　emergency　to　consult　their　judgment；　and　used　their　rank；　not　to　differ　from　their　men；　but　to　outvie　them；　not　merely　to　command　and　be　obeyed；　but；　like　Homer's　heroes；　or　the　old　Norse　Vikings；　to　lead　and　be　followed。　　Drake　touched　the　true　mainspring　of　English　success　when　he　once　（in　his　voyage　round　the　world）　indignantly　rebuked　some　coxcomb　gentlemen…adventurers　with〃I　should　like　to　see　the　gentleman　that　will　refuse　to　set　his　hand　to　a　rope。　　I　must　have　the　gentlemen　to　hale　and　draw　with　the　mariners。〃　　But　those　were　days　in　which　her　majesty's　service　was　as　little　overridden　by　absurd　rules　of　seniority；　as　by　that　etiquette　which　is　at　once　the　counterfeit　and　the　ruin　of　true　discipline。　　Under　Elizabeth　and　her　ministers；　a　brave　and　a　shrewd　man　was　certain　of　promotion；　let　his　rank　or　his　age　be　what　they　might；　the　true　honor　of　knighthood　covered　once　and　for　all　any　lowliness　of　birth；　and　the　merchant　service　（in　which　all　the　best　sea…captains；　even　those　of　noble　blood；　were　more　or　less　engaged）　was　then　a　nursery；　not　only　for　seamen；　but　for　warriors；　in　days　when　Spanish　and　Portuguese　traders　（whenever　they　had　a　chance）　got　rid　of　English　competition　by　salvos　of　cannon…shot。

Hence；　as　I　have　said；　that　strong　fellow…feeling　between　officers　and　men；　and　hence　mutinies　（as　Sir　Richard　Hawkins　tells　us）　were　all　but　unknown　in　the　English　ships；　while　in　the　Spanish　they　broke　out　on　every　slight　occasion。　　For　the　Spaniards；　by　some　suicidal　pedantry；　had　allowed　their　navy　to　be　crippled　by　the　same　despotism；　etiquette；　and　official　routine；　by　which　the　whole　nation　was　gradually　frozen　to　death　in　the　course　of　the　next　century　or　two；　forgetting　that；　fifty　years　before；　Cortez；　Pizarro；　and　the　early　Conquistadores　of　America　had　achieved　their　miraculous　triumphs　on　the　exactly　opposite　method　by　that　very　fellow…feeling　between　commander　and　commanded　by　which　the　English　were　now　conquering　them　in　their　turn。

Their　navy　was　organized　on　a　plan　complete　enough；　but　on　one　which　was；　as　the　event　proved；　utterly　fatal　to　their　prowess　and　unanimity；　and　which　made　even　their　courage　and　honor　useless　against　the　assaults　of　free　men。　　〃They　do；　in　their　armadas　at　sea；　divide　themselves　into　three　bodies；　to　wit；　soldiers；　mariners；　and　gunners。　　The　soldiers　and　officers　watch　and　ward　as　if　on　shore；　and　this　is　the　only　duty　they　undergo；　except　cleaning　their　arms；　wherein　they　are　not　over　curious。　　The　gunners　are　exempted　from　all　labor　and　care；　except　about　the　artillery；　and　these　are　either　Almaines；　Flemings；　or　strangers；　for　the　Spaniards　are　but　indifferently　practised　in　this　art。　　The　mariners　are　but　as　slaves　to　the　rest；　to　moil　and　to　toil　day　and　night；　and　those　but　few　and　bad；　and　not　suffered　to　sleep　or　harbor　under　the　decks。　　For　in　fair　or　foul　weather；　in　storms；　sun；　or　rain；　they　must　pass　void　of　covert　or　succor。〃

This　is　the　account　of　one　who　was　long　prisoner　on　board　their　ships；　let　it　explain　itself；　while　I　return　to　my　tale。　　For　the　great　ship　is　now　within　two　musket…shots　of　the　Rose；　with　the　golden　flag　of　Spain　floating　at　her　poop；　and　her　trumpets　are　shouting　defiance　up　the　breeze；　from　a　dozen　brazen　throats；　which　two　or　three　answer　lustily　from　the　Rose；　from　whose　poop　flies　the　flag　of　England；　and　from　her　fore　the　arms　of　Leigh　and　Cary　side　by　side；　and　over　them　the　ship　and　bridge　of　the　good　town　of　Bideford。　　And　then　Amyas　calls：

〃Now；　silence　trumpets；　waits；　play　up！　　'Fortune　my　foe！'　and　God　and　the　Queen　be　with　us！〃

Whereon　（laugh　not；　reader；　for　it　was　the　fashion　of　those　musical　as　well　as　valiant　days）　up　rose　that　noble　old　favorite　of　good　Queen　Bess；　from　cornet　and　sackbut；　fife　and　drum；　while　Parson　Jack；　who　had　taken　his　stand　with　the　musicians　on　the　poop；　worked　away　lustily　at　his　violin；　and　like　Volker　of　the　Nibelungen　Lied。

〃Well　played；　Jack；　thy　elbow　flies　like　a　lamb's　tail；〃　said　Amyas；　forcing　a　jest。

〃It　shall　fly　to　a　better　fiddle…bow　presently；　sir；　an　I　have　the　luck〃

〃Steady；　helm！〃　said　Amyas。　　〃What　is　he　after　now？〃

The　Spaniard；　who　had　been　coming　upon　them　right　down　the　wind　under　a　press　of　sail；　took　in　his　light　canvas。

〃He　don't　know　what　to　make　of　our　waiting　for　him　so　bold；〃　said　the　helmsman。

〃He　does　though；　and　means　to　fight　us；〃　cried　another。　　〃See；　he　is　hauling　up　the　foot　of　his　mainsail；　but　he　wants　to　keep　the　wind　of　us。〃

〃Let　him　try；　then；〃　quoth　Amyas。　　〃Keep　her　closer　still。　　Let　no　one　fire　till　we　are　about。　　Man　the　starboard　guns；　to　starboard；　and　wait；　all　small　arm　men。　　Pass　the　order　down　to　the　gunner；　and　bid　all　fire　high；　and　take　the　rigging。〃

Bang　went　one　of　the　Spaniard's　bow　guns；　and　the　shot　went　wide。　Then　another　and　another；　while　the　men　fidgeted　about；　looking　at　the　priming　of　their　muskets；　and　loosened　their　arrows　in　the　sheaf。

〃Lie　down；　men；　and　sing　a　psalm。　　When　I　want　you；　I'll　call　you。　Closer　still；　if　you　can；　helmsman；　and　we　will　try　a　short　ship　against　a　long　one。　　We　can　sail　two　points　nearer　the　wind　than　he。〃

As　Amyas　had　calculated；　the　Spaniard　would　gladly　enough　have　stood　across　the　Rose's　bows；　but　knowing　the　English　readiness；　dare　not　for　fear　of　being　raked；　so　her　only　plan；　if　she　did　not　intend　to　shoot　past　her　foe　down　to　leeward；　was　to　put　her　head　close　to　the　wind；　and　wait　for　her　on　the　same　tack。

Amyas　laughed　to　himself。　　〃Hold　on　yet　awhile。　　More　ways　of　killing　a　cat　than　choking　her　with　cream。　　Drew；　there；　are　your　men　ready？〃

〃Ay；　ay；　sir！〃　and　on　they　went；　closing　fast　with　the　Spaniard；　till　within　a　pistol…shot。

〃Ready　about！〃　and　about　she　went　like　an　eel；　and　ran　upon　the　opposite　tack　right　under　the　Spaniard's　stern。　　The　Spaniard；　astounded　at　the　quickness　of　the　manoeuvre；　hesitated　a　moment；　and　then　tried　to　get　about　also；　as　his　only　chance；　but　it　was　too　late；　and　while　his　lumbering　length　was　still　hanging　in　the　wind's　eye；　Amyas's　bowsprit　had　all　but　scraped　his　quarter；　and　the　Rose　passed　slowly　across　his　stern　at　ten　yards'　distance。

〃Now；　then！〃　roared　Amyas。　　〃Fire；　and　with　a　will！　　Have　at　her；　archers：　have　at　her；　muskets　all！〃　and