Mutiny

_{A storm of applause greeted Parker as he moved forward to take his place. It went on and on, and Kydd could see the emotion of the moment tugging at him.}

_{He spoke fine words: the triumph of right, true brotherhood, loyal hearts. When he finished, William Davis, mutineer captain of Sandwich, stepped forward, and, in an unaffected, manly voice, sang:}

Old Neptune made haste, to the Nore he did come,

To waken his sons who had slept far too long.

They heard him, 'tis true, the lion boldly roused

Their brethren at Spithead their cause did espouse;

Each swore to the King for ever to be true

But one and all tyrants would strive to subdue . . .

_{But Kydd knew the best was to come. From the fore hatchway tripped a line of women in gala array, dresses swirling, ribbons whirling, to form a line of chorus.}

_{The girl who took position in the front was his Kitty.}

_{She blew him a kiss, assumed a roguish pout and, dancing bawdily, began the age-old ditty of the sailor's Polclass="underline"}

Don't you see the ships a-coming?

Don't you see them in full sail?

Don't you see the ships a-coming

With the prices at their tail!

Oh! my little rolling sailor,

Oh! my little rolling he;

I do love a jolly sailor,

Blithe and merry might he be!

_{To general merriment and the mortification of the soldiers who had accepted invitations, Kitty launched into the second verse:}

Sailors, they get all the money,

Soldiers they get none but brass;

I do love a jolly sailor,

Soldiers they may kiss my arse!

Oh! my little rolling sailor,

Oh! my little rolling he;

I do love a jolly sailor,

Soldiers may be damned for me!

_{A lump formed in Kydd's throat; this was what it was to be among the fellowship of the sea, the precious warmth of shared dangers and ocean mysteries, pride in fine sea skills and a handsome ship - there was no other life conceivable.}

_{With this nightmare over and a Royal Pardon, he could take back his rank and place in the navy — perhaps with Kitty...}

_{'Lord Spencer, you know General Grey.' In Pitt's cabinet rooms the First Lord of the Admiralty bowed politely to the senior field officer commanding land forces in the south.}

_{'Mr Pitt is unavoidably delayed, I fear, First Lord.' Windham took Spencer's cloak and ushered him to a seat next to Grey.}

_{'Not surprised,' murmured the Duke of Portland. 'Fox did promise that he would make this the speech of his life against his government. An' I saw Sheridan in his cups as usual — he'll be there to stir it along, you can be sure.'}

_{The table buzzed with desultory conversation until the door flew open and Pitt entered, his face even paler than usual. 'My apologies, gentlemen.'}

_{'Er, how went it, William?' Dundas could be forgiven the familiarity.}

_{'Crushed. Obliteration. We shall see little of Fox and the opposition from now forward.'}

_{'The votes?'}

_{'I didn't stay for the division.' Pitt seemed energised by the recent clash, and picked up his papers. 'This mutiny. We must act. That is why I have called you to this place. Developments. My lord?'}

_{Spencer took up the thread. 'Er, we received an impertinent demand from the chief mutineer that my own good self — and my board! — should take carriage for Sheerness to wait on them, for God's sake. They have ceased speaking through their admiral and say they will not listen unless they hear it from us.'}

_{'That's as may be, sir. I would have thought it more to the point that not a great deal above a dozen miles from this room we have anchored a ship-of-the-line of five dozen guns flying the red flag with perfect impunity.' He glanced at Grey and went on acidly, 'And how boatloads of armed mutineers were able to pull past the hottest fire from Tilbury fort to get at these upstream ships without a scratch escapes me. The noise of the guns alone caused panic and terror in east London, last seen under De Ruyter.'}

_{The general glowered. Pitt ignored him and pressed on: 'No, gentlemen, these are desperate men. They're also clever. They ensure their force is undiminished by deploying force to prevent the loyalists regaining control. They show no desire for reconciliation and are no doubt ready to do anything.'}

_{Pitt broke off to cough wretchedly into a handkerchief. The table waited watchfully while he gulped some port, then resumed hoarsely, 'And we got ominous news this morning. Every available Thames pilot has been rounded up and is being held prisoner by the mutineers! I need not remind the landlubbers among us that the shoals of the estuary are among the worst in the civilised world — the implications of this move are therefore quite clear: the mutineers are holding their ships in readiness to deliver them up across the Channel to the Netherlands perhaps, or even France.'}

_{'They wouldn't dare!' Spencer said, aghast.}

_{Pitt spared him a withering look and continued: 'I have summoned the House to an all-night sitting this night — following our meeting,' he added significantly. 'I'm exercised as to what I shall tell them . ..'}

_{Unexpectedly, it was Grey who spoke first. 'Har-rumph. May I take it, sir, that we must end this farce at once? Precipitate, right? Then you've only the one choice. Close with the buggers and finish 'em now, and be damned to the caterwauling of the press.'}

_{'And just what is it you propose, General?' Pitt said silkily.}

_{'Like this.' He would get a fair hearing — his first combat was with Wolfe on the plains above Quebec nearly forty years before. 'We act with resolution and despatch. We have infantry at Gravesend, reinforced by artillery from Woolwich. They combine with the Tilbury artillery across the water to cover the approaches to London. The Warwicks are at Chelmsford, they move down to mass around the crossing at Purfleet. I can do more, but I need m' adjutant and maps. Now, sir, how reliable is your North Sea fleet? Hey?'}

_{'Admiral Duncan sees no reason to doubt other than they will do their duty when called upon, sir,' said Spencer, frostily.}

_{'Then this is what happens. You an' your board take coach to Sheerness. Let 'em know you're coming, calm 'em down. When you're there talkin' your North Sea ships sweep in from seaward an' take 'em, while I get together what troops I can an' go in from the land. Hey?'}

_{Spencer wiped his forehead. 'Are you seriously proposing that we resolve this matter in a public battle between our own ships right outside our own capital?'}

 

_{'I do! If necessary. They, of course, may well desire to capitulate on seein' our force.'}

_{Pitt leaned forward. 'I like it. Any objections?' He looked about the table.}

_{'Sir, if you'll forgive—'}

_{'Mr Windham?'}

_{"The country at large may well laud your decisive action. But do you not feel that the more, er, clamorous of the radicals may object?'}

_{'Pah! The saintly and ancient Tom Paine himself is in France this minute, lecturing the Jacobins on the conduct of their revolution, he's a broken reed. Godwin is lying low for the sake of his wife Mary Wollstonecraft, Cobbett is safely away in America writing some damn-awful paper called the Porcupine or some such — and Fox, well, after today he's vowed to leave the Commons for ever, if we can believe it.}