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The masts and smokestacks diminished by this transformation appeared to belong to other smaller boats. Each of these merchant and peaceful steamers carried a quickfirer at the stern in order to protect itself from the submarine corsairs. England and France had mobilized their tramp ships and were beginning to supply them with means of defense.
These were the commanders of "chaluteros," little ocean fishing steamers armed with a quickfirer, which had come into the Mediterranean to pursue the submersible. They wore oilskins and tarpaulins, just like the North Sea fishermen, smacking of fuel and tempestuous water.
Against that we had two 47-inch named respectively Lady Ann and Bloody Mary four naval 12-pounders, thirty-six field-guns, the two remaining mountain guns, an old 64-pounder, and a 3-inch quickfirer these two on Cæsar's Camp in charge of the Durban Naval Volunteers two old howitzers, and two Maxim-Nordenfeldts taken at Krugersdorp in the Jameson raid, and retaken at Elandslaagte, fifty pieces in all.
They became visible at a turn of the road, and after firing a few shots with their carbines turned tail and fled. The French dragoons gave chase, across some fields and round the edge of a quiet wood. Suddenly at this point the Uhlans reined in their horses and out of the wood came the sudden shattering fire of a German quickfirer.
We are going to carry a quickfirer at the stern, wireless installation, a crew of men from the naval reserves, everything necessary to defend ourselves. We shall make our voyages without hunting for the enemy, carrying freight as before; but if the enemy comes out to attack us, it will find some one who will answer."
The sailors' champagne, like their shells, is being saved for Christmas, but there was no stint of it to drink the Prince's health withal. And then the Royal salute bang on bang on bang twenty-one shotted guns, as quick as the quickfirer can fire, plump into the enemy. That finished it. What with the guns and the cheering, each Boer commando must have thought the next was pounded to mincemeat.
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