'Bowen was worrying about your medical treatment, sir. That ball still in your arm . . .'
'You can report the evidence of your own eyes,' Ramage said, lie can inspect the ball tomorrow - the doctor removes it this afternoon. In the meantime it hurts, I can tell you that much.'
Two weeks later to the day Ramage climbed down into a boat, wearing a hat for the first time over the large scar on his scalp, and sat back as Jackson gave the orders which sent the boat surging towards the ship of the line which had just anchored a hundred yards to seaward of where the Delft had blown up.
Fifteen minutes after that he was on board the Queen, reporting to Admiral Foxe-Foote, whose first words were a complaint, not a greeting: "I expected to receive a written report, Ramage, and all I get is a verbal report from your first lieutenant'
'I trust you received the instrument of surrender for this island, sir, and the former Governor.'
'Yes, yes,' Foxe-Foote said impatiently. 'Now, what about those privateers. Young Aitken tells me there are only nine left. And I hope the wreckage of this damned Dutch frigate hasn't blocked the harbour. The channel's narrow enough as it is.'
The area has been buoyed, sir.'
'I should think so. An enemy frigate and a schooner lost. Not a penn'orth of prize money; thousands of guineas just sunk. Bad business, Ramage; no forethought, that's your trouble. Oh yes, a convoy came in two days before I sailed, and some young woman was asking about you. She had a foreign name."
Ramage looked blankly at Aitken, who was standing behind the Admiral. The Scotsman winked.
'A name like Volterra, sir?' Ramage asked.
'Yes, that was it. Miss Volterra. You know her?'
'I know a Marchesa di Volterra, sir.'
'Marchesa? Why, is she related to the lady that rules Volterra?'
'Yes, sir. In fact she is the lady.'
'Good heavens I Why - well, had I known, my wife would ..."
'I am sure the Marchesa is quite comfortable, sir,' Ramage said politely, watching the Admiral's face as he realized that this 'Miss Volterra' not only had her own kingdom, but probably had enough influence in London to make or break admirals on distant stations. 'Now, sir, about those nine privateers . . .'
AUTHOR'S POSTSCRIPT
The fourth edition of Steele's Naval Chronologist of the Late War was published in London in 1806, and on page 100, under the heading 'Colonies, Settlements &c, captured from the enemy', is the following brief reference:
The island of Curacao, in the West Indies, D[utch]: surrendered after having claimed the protection of his Britannic Majesty, to the Nereide, 36, Capt F. Watkins, September 12, 1800.
William James, in his Naval History of Great Britain, Volume III, gives more details:
On the 11th of September, while the British 12 - pounder 36 - gun frigate Nereide . . . was cruising off the port of Amsterdam, in the island of Curacao, the Dutch inhabitants of the latter, tired out with the enormities of the band of 1500 republican ruffians that were in possession of the west end of the island, sent off a deputation to claim the protection of England. On the 13th the capitulation surrendering the island . . . was signed . . . The vessels, large and small, lying in the harbour of Amsterdam, numbering 44; but no ships of war were among them.
The rest of the story is told by the redoubtable James, who recorded the whole war in great detail. The island was subsequently returned to the Dutch, and Amsterdam's name was later changed to Willemstad.
D. P.
Yacht Ramage
EnglishHarbour
Antigua
West Indies