Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (83 page)

             
The
lieutenant
nodded
his
assent
and
the
Captain
continued,
"
While
Mister
Rae
is
thus
engaged,
you,
Mister
Beasley,
will
take
another
party
overland
and
conduct
a
survey
of
the
coast
to
the
south
of
Botany
Bay
itself.
You,
Mister
Rogers,
will
take
a
party
inland
to
a
river
reported
to
the
west
which
we
are
informed
runs
through
a
mountain
chain.
You
will
survey
a
route
both
to
that
river
and
then
of
the
river
itself
as
far
as
you
are
able,
reporting
your
findings
back
to
me.
"
He
hesitated
and
then
said,
"
Both
Mister
Beasley
and
Mister
Rogers
will
have
the
escort
of
a
number
of
your
Marines,
Captain
Kriesler.
The
natives
here
are
not
reported
to
be
violent
toward
us,
but
I
trust
not
our
friends
in
the
New
South
Wales
Corps.
"

***

             
Despite
the
Captain
'
s
precautions
some
of
the
illicit
rum
found
its
way
aboard
and
there
were
several
instances
of
drunken
behaviour
resulting
in
punishment
ranging
from
a
dozen
lashes
to
a
much
more
serious
award
of
three
dozen.
Captain
Blackwood
and
the
First
Lieutenant
were
concerned
at
this
outbreak
of
indiscipline
and
the
rise
in
awards
of
punishment.
Tempers
flared
at
the
least
provocation
among
the
men
and
sometimes
blows
were
exchanged.

             
Into
this
tinderbox
stepped
Mister
Midshipman
Barclay.

             
The
day
had
been
long,
hot
and
filled
with
much
boat
work
besides
the
moving
of
stores
and
the
work
of
repairing
some
rigging
the
Boatswain
and
the
First
Lieutenant
were
convinced
required
it.
Eamon
Barclay
had
driven
his
men
hard,
as
was
his
usual
manner,
and
towards
evening
they
were
tired
and
tempers
were
short.
A
man,
one
of
the
convicts
recruited
after
the
brush
with
the
Corsairs,
tripped
carrying
a
pair
of
buckets
just
filled
with
water
from
overside
and
the
contents
of
one
struck
the
Midshipman,
drenching
him
from
the
thighs
downward.

             
"
Damned
scum.
"
Barclay
snarled,
"
That
was
deliberate!
I
'
ll
see
you
flogged
for
that.
Master
'
s
Mate,
take
his
name.
And
the
rest
of
you,
get
on
with
your
work.
I
'
ll
have
no
slacking
or
mutiny
from
you.
"

             
"
It
was
an
accident,
sir,
"
the
Master
'
s
Mate
responded
carefully.
"
Garstead
tripped
on
the
ring
bolt,
sir.
"

             
"
Taking
his
part
now
are
you?
"
Barclay
'
s
face
was
like
thunder
as
he
rounded
on
the
Master
'
s
Mate.
"
I
'
ll
have
your
rate
for
as
well.
Get
this
mess
cleared
away.
I
'
m
going
to
report
this
to
the
First
Lieutenant
–
then
we
'
ll
see
about
insubordination.
"
He
turned
and
stamped
away,
the
water
draining
from
his
trousers
as
he
progressed.

             
"
Get
this
mess
cleared
up,
"
the
Master
'
s
Mate
snapped.
"
Garstead,
you
clumsy
dolt,
you
'
re
for
it
now.
Pray
that
the
First
takes
a
lenient
line
–
he
don
'
t
like
floggin
'
an
'
Mister
Barclay….
"
He
left
the
sentence
hanging,
realising
he
was
saying
too
much.

             
"
Bleedin
'
bastard,
"
growled
one
of
the
others.
"
He
weren
'
t
so
big
an
'
bold
when
we
'
ad
to
get
the
people
off
'
n
t
'
Maid
in
that
storm
–
but
way
he
tells
it
now
…
"

             
He
stopped
as
the
Master
'
s
Mate
snapped,
"
Shut
yer
gob.
That
'
ll
get
you
a
spell
on
the
gratings
if
'
n
you
'
re
not
careful!
"

***

             
Mister
Barclay
'
s
complaint
put
his
superiors
in
an
awkward
position.
Discipline
had
to
be
upheld
and,
more
importantly,
it
had
to
be
seen
to
be
upheld.
Captain
Blackwood
was
far
from
pleased
when
Thomas
Bell
advised
him
of
the
complaint.

             
"
Damme
Thomas,
"
the
Captain
said.
"
Has
the
fellow
no
sense
at
all?
Garstead
is
young
and
a
good
man
despite
his
conviction.
Tirley,
the
Master
'
s
Mate,
is
an
experienced
and
reliable
man
as
well.
He
is
adamant
it
was
an
accident
and
yet
Mister
Barclay
has
complained
that
he
failed
to
keep
proper
discipline
among
the
men.
The
ship
is
a
tinderbox
as
it
is
with
the
damned
illicit
rum
finding
its
way
aboard.
We
simply
do
not
need
any
further
provocation
–
a
full
third
of
our
people
should
be
serving
sentences
in
this
God
forsaken
place
as
it
is.
"