Their Lordships Request: A Harry Heron Adventure (85 page)

***

             
It
was
perhaps
as
well
that
Eamon
Barclay
was
ashore
two
days
later
for
an
incident
in
his
absence
involving
several
of
the
men
in
his
Division
would
have
ended
in
several
hangings
if
he
had
been
present.
As
it
was,
several
of
his
men
were
found
drunk
and
had
to
be
punished.

             
"
The
liquor
is
the
least
of
it,
"
Lieutenant
Bell
reported
to
the
Captain.
"
Some
of
the
men
are
in
a
state
of
serious
malcontent.
It
will
not
take
much
to
push
some
of
the
more
hot
headed
into
some
rash
act.
I
suggest
we
find
some
employment
for
them
which
will
disperse
the
crew
and
give
them
some
diversion.
"

             
"
I
agree,
"
Captain
Blackwood
said.
"
In
fact
I
have
this
very
day
received
a
request
from
Governor
King
for
the
survey
of
the
great
estuary
North
of
here
to
be
undertaken
as
soon
as
possible.
I
propose
to
send
Mister
Rae
with
Midshipmen
Bowles
and
Heron
to
undertake
this
work.
They
will
require
the
use
of
both
launches
and
the
barge.
With
Mister
Barclay,
Mister
Beasley
and
Mister
Rogers
all
ashore
on
different
tasks
and
with
parties
of
our
people
to
support
them
that
will
go
some
way
toward
easing
the
pressures
on
board.
At
least
we
do
not
have
to
concern
ourselves
with
Mister
Barclay
possibly
inflaming
things
here.
"

***

             
The
Captain
might
have
been
less
sanguine
in
his
assessment
if
he
had
been
privy
to
a
conversation
taking
place
at
that
very
moment
between
Midshipman
Barclay
and
an
officer
of
the
New
South
Wales
Corps.

             
"
You
damned
navy
fellows
have
made
things
difficult
for
a
man
to
obtain
a
good
return
on
his
investments.
"
The
Rum
Corps
officer
complained
over
a
jar
in
what
passed
for
the
officers
'
mess
at
the
site
of
the
battery.
"
The
Governor
refuses
to
allow
us
to
make
full
use
of
the
convicts
and
tries
to
restrict
our
control
of
supplies
to
the
ships
and
the
town.
How
does
he
think
any
of
us
will
make
a
profit
on
our
outlay?
"

             
"
Aye,
I
can
well
see
that.
"
Barclay
sympathised.
"
Our
Captain
does
not
believe
in
driving
our
men
either
and
considers
any
attempt
to
instil
respect
for
their
betters
an
abuse.
"
He
sipped
his
drink
and
swatted
the
flies
from
his
face
lethargically.
"
I
cannot
see
why
any
of
you
fellows
would
take
a
posting
here
at
all
–
unless
of
course,
there
was
some
reward
to
be
gained.
"

             
"
A
man
of
some
perception,
"
his
companion
said.
"
You
are
in
the
right
of
it.
There
is
money
to
be
made
here
my
friend
–
but
only
if
you
are
willing
to
venture
an
outlay
on
a
cargo
or
two
and
lay
claim
to
land.
And
you
need
to
have
gangs
of
these
scum
indentured
to
work
it
for
you.
"
He
studied
Barclay
for
a
moment.
"
You
could
apply
yourself
if
you
are
interested
–
I
know
my
Colonel
would
be
willing
to
entertain
some
additional
capital
in
a
venture
he
is
planning.
In
fact
it
might
pay
you
to
register
a
land
claim
of
your
own.
You
can
always
appoint
a
proctor
to
work
it
for
you
and
send
any
profit
to
you
in
London.
"

             
"
Now
you
interest
me,
"
Barclay
replied.
At
the
age
of
twenty-five
and
with
his
prospects
for
promotion
looking
ever
more
remote
thanks
to
the
antipathy
of
his
Captain
and
officers,
Barclay
had
begun
to
consider
an
alternative
future.
He
had
some
capital
stashed
away
in
his
chest.
A
small
part
of
it
had
been
used
to
create
the
intended
trap
for
Ferghal,
his
father
having
entrusted
it
to
him
with
orders
to
use
it
to
secure
a
part
of
a
cargo
in
India
if
opportunity
arose.
Or,
if
opportunity
offered,
to
venture
it
on
some
other
profitable
enterprise.
"
Let
us
discuss
this
further,
but
not
here.
"
He
became
wary
and
said,
"
I
shall
need
to
know
how
one
goes
about
this
in
good
order.
If
I
do
venture
some
small
sum
on
a
land
grant,
how
will
I
know
who
to
trust
with
its
management
or
the
returns
from
it?
"