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SHARPE’S Trek
Richard Sharpe and the
Battle of Saldanha Bay
This is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
SHARPE’S TREK. Copyright © 2024 by Paul Kaster
Sharpe’s Trek is for
Christian Parkinson, host of the Redcoat Military History podcast and a resident of South Africa
And
Bernard Cornwell who brought Richard Sharpe into our world.
Chapter 4
August 10, 1796
DAY 4
Grotto Bay
It did rain. But stopped before dawn. The men had collected water with their hats and refilled all the sections water bottles. Sergeant Bickerstaff saw Sharpe’s men and requested Ensign Fitzgerald to instruct the rest of the company to collect water too. Fitzgerald looked at Sharpe’s men, then gave Bickerstaff permission.
Hakeswill started to yell at Bickerstaff when he told section one, but stopped with Fitzgerald joined them both.
“Sergeant Hakeswill. We have a good man there in Sharpe. Good soldier, eh?”
Hakeswill’s face turns crimson and his face twitches uncontrollably. He chokes out.
“As you say, sir. Good soldier.”
Bickerstaff is standing behind Hakeswill. He has to stifle a laugh because he knows how much Hakeswill hated to compliment Sharpe.”
Fitzgerald continues. “See to the men, sergeants. Wet night for us all.”
After Fitzgerald leaves, Hakeswill sputters out. “Sharpe. Good soldier, my arse, Bickerstaff. We know good soldiers. Sharpe not one. Sharpe is trouble. Trouble he is.”
Bickerstaff remains silent as Hakeswill seethes about Sharpe. Hakeswill finishes and goes to find Hughes. Bickerstaff watches then subtly goes to see Sharpe.
“Well done Sharpe. You do well looking our for the lads. Fitzgerald took notice. Told Hakeswill that you are a good soldier. He almost choked agreeing with Fitzgerald. Then he stormed about you.”
Sharpe waits to see what Bickerstaff will say next.
“Sharpe, I agree with Fitzgerald. Keep doing what you are doing. You have promise. But watch out for Hakeswill. He hates you. And, he plays dirty.”
“Thank you, sergeant. And I will, watch over the men and watch our for Hakeswill.”
Bickerstaff pats him on the shoulder then leaves to join section four.
Tom can’t resist. “So, you have promise, Dick.” He smiles.
“Shut your gob, Tom. Time to sleep, eh?”
As Sharpe tries to sleep, he thinks about what Bickerstaff has said. But, more he thinks about a hot mug of tea in the morning.
Sharpe rose before the sun. Palin is also awake.
“Palin, find us something to burn to make tea.”
Palin rolls up his kit, then cautiously moves into the brush to find branches of the scrub bushes that they use to make a fire.
Sharpe hears him scream then sees Palin run back to them.
“Christ, Dick! Thought I was grabbing a branch. Damn thing tried to bite me. Bit this branch instead of me. Are there serpents here?”
“Don’t know, use care, just in case.”
“Let’s get the fire started. Who’s got the kettle?
“Wilkinson.”
“Get, it. Time for a mug, eh?
Sharpe has heard of serpents but never seen one.
Palin, gets the fire started and the kettle to boil.
Sharpe is ready for a mug any time. Before he can get one, he sees Hakeswill coming his way.
“Sharpe, who gave you permission to light a fire?”
“No permission, sergeant. Saw fires in companies ahead. Thought we could. Mug o’ tea, sergeant?”
Hakeswill looks to the other companies and sees fires. He knows that unless prohibited, the morning ritual includes tea.
“Own section has tea.”
Sharpe decides to ask Hakeswill about serpents.
“Sergeant?”
“What now Sharpe? Can’t make tea yourself?”
“Tea’s find sergeant. Are there serpents hereabouts?”
“Serpents? Serpents? Here? Had serpents in the American colonies nasty things deadly things. Serpents here? Not good.”
“Officers know, then?”
“No need to bother officers, Sharpe.”
“Palin thinks that a serpent tried to bite him. Showed me marks in a branch. Holes about one inch apart. Some kind of liquid in the holes.”
“Sounds like the serpents in colonies. Serpents. Nasty creatures. Poison kill a man quickly.”
“We ask the officers? Can’t have men going into the bush. Bad if serpents bite them, eh?”
“Ask the officers Sharpe, if you must.”
As Hakeswill turns to go, Sharpe adds. “Sergeant, may want to keep clear of the scrub until we learn about the serpents, eh?”
“Bugger off, Sharpe.”
Sharpe smiles. He’s ready for tea. It will be an exciting day.
The men are ready, when Sharpe goes for his tea. Tom led getting them fed and ready to stand to. He saved a mug of tea and a biscuit for Sharpe.
“Thank you, Tom.”
“Section three, stand to.”
Hakeswill here’s the command and yells at section one to stand to as well. Sections two and four quickly follow.
Hughes, his officers and sergeants review the men.
“Sergeant Hakeswill, we will follow the other companies. Colonel says that we go slower today. Wet ground not good for the artillery and supply carts.”
“Sir, slower, sir. Wet roads, sir. Follow the others ”
The column moved off later than the first days. Craig is worried that the carts weren’t ready. They did eventually move.
About two hours after they started, Sharpe saw what looked like a house to the land side of the road. It is only the second house that they had seen since they left Cape Town. He thought he saw some people at the house.
“Maybe they know about serpents.”
“Sergeant Hakeswill?!!”
“Who’s callin’ me. No talkin’”
“Sergeant Hakeswill?!! Private Sharpe, sergeant. Permission to go to that house to ask about serpents, sergeant?”
Hughes had heard Sharpe’s request. He rides back to Sharpe. Hakeswill joins him.
“Sharpe, what’s this about serpents?”
Hakeswill interrupts.
“Sharpe asked about serpents, sir. Palin thought a serpent tried to bite him.”
“Serpents, Sharpe?”
“Exactly as sergeant Hakeswill says, sir.”
Hughes pauses.
“No word about serpents. Good to know for the force if there are.”
He looks to the house. Then at Sharpe. He weighs whether Sharpe is likely to desert before answering.
“Go ask the locals, there. Return to us to report after. Be quick about it.”
“Yes, sir.” Sharpe nods at Hughes and Hakeswill. With his musket at slope, he doubletimes to the house.
Although he has been aboard ship for a while, he is able to doubletime the several hundred yards to the house. As he closes on it, a man comes out with a musket in his hands.
“Halt. Kom niet dicterbij.”
Sharpe doesn’t know what was said other than halt. When the regiment was in the Netherlands, he had heard a few words of Dutch used.
“Hallo. Speak English?”
“Nee.”
Sharpe searches his memory to recall what was said by the Dutch medical help.
“Kan helpen me?”
The man looks at him.
“Kan helpen me?”
“Hoe?”
Sharpe thinks that he asked how.
“Serpents here?”
The man doesn’t answer.
Sharpe points to the brush. Then he puts his arm on the ground. He moves his arm along the surface as he imagines a serpent would move.
The man watches him then he says. “Slangen, hier?
Sharpe laughs because he had heard the Dutch refer to their male members a ‘slangen’. He points to his crotch, then to the ground and makes the motion with his arm.
The man understands and laughs. He points to his crotch too. He points to the brush.
“Ja, slangen hier en daar.”
Sharpe scratches his head to remember good and bad. He asks “Slangen goet or schlecht?”
The man says “Heel schlecht.” He makes a motion like he is choking, then pretends to fall to the ground.
Sharpe nods. “Dank”
The man nods at him and watches Sharpe go.
By the time he has returned to the column, he is three regiments behind his. A colonel mounted on his horse sees him coming and rides out to investigate.
“Soldier, who are you?”
“Sharpe, sir. 33rd light company.”
“What were you doing Sharpe?”
“Sir, asking about serpents?”
“Serpents, Sharpe?”
“Sir, yes one of my men was nearly bitten by a serpent. Asked local if serpents here can kill.”
The colonel listens with interest. “And, what did you learn Sharpe.”
“Sir, local told me that serpents can kill.”
The colonel thinks about it. “And, how did you learn this? Do you speak local?”
“Sir, locals speak Dutch, Three years ago we were at Boxtel. Learned some Dutch words.”
“Thank you for that information. I’m Colonel Champagne. This is the 80th. Please be so kind to tell the force between us and your battalion about the serpents. I’ll pass the word to the rear, although I’m sure our general knows about the serpents.”
“Sir, tell the force ahead. Return to my battalion. Aye.”
“Good, on your way Sharpe.”
Sharpe salutes then double times towards the front of the column. As he reaches each company commander, he stops to tell them about the dangerous serpents.
By the time he returns to his company, he is tired and thirsty. Hughes sees him approach.
“Welcome back, Sharpe. What did you learn?”
“Sir, local told me that serpents can kill. Colonel Champagne asked me to tell all the units between us. Did.”
“Sergeant Hakeswill.”
“Sir!”
“Send a man to the front of the battalion to tell of these deadly serpents.”
“Sir, send a man. Deadly serpents. Sir!”
“And, sergeant Hakeswill, see that Sharpe gets an extra rum ration for his effort.”
Hakeswill grinds his teeth and twitches.
“Extra rum ration. Sharpe. Sir!”
Hughes rides back to the head of the company as it continues to march.
Section three has come up to Hakeswill and Sharpe.
“Sergeant, good to know about the serpents, eh?”
“Hakeswill says nothing. He turns to go back to section one.
Sharpe falls in next to Tom.
“You look tired Dick.”
“Tired, yes. Happy too. Know about the deadly serpents. Earned and extra rum. Care to share?”
“Extra rum. Aye.”
The column marched on for the fourth day.
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