Aug 19, 1530 hours. HMCS Rainbow, Bella Bella.
The
Rainbow sat in the middle of the Inside Passage Channel, in the stretch known as Lama Passage. In places the pass narrowed to scarcely 200 yards wide. To the west lay the Heiltsuk reserve town of New Bella Bella, with its European style houses, and tall white church. Brown could pick out a school, firehall, hospital, and post office among its buildings. To the south was the old Hudson’s Bay Company Fort McLoughlin, and old Heiltsuk settlement of ‘
Qélc, mostly abandoned, dilapidated, and being reclaimed by the forest. Across the water on Denny Island was a cannery, with all the usual attendant vessels and structures. The CPR freighter
Otter was tied up at the cannery wharf, loading palettes of canned fish with her cargo derricks. Only a few wisps of high cloud interrupted the blue of the sky. The sun beat down on the ships and the harbour.
Hose surveyed the scene. “My orders are to proceed to Prince Rupert,” he said. “But I also wish to get a damage report and witness interviews from Ocean Falls. The
Otter here is headed up to deliver supplies to Ocean Falls after she loads all this fish. I am going to detach you, Sub Lieutenant, to Ocean Falls. You can rejoin us somehow as we head back south again."
“Yes, Sir!” replied Brown.
"Or depending on how things go," Hose continued sardonically, "this might be your miraculous survival story of how you escaped from the
Rainbow just in time.”
Brown gathered his things, preparing to transfer to the
Otter. A fish boat approached Rainbow from the town. Three Heilsuk fishermen operated the boat, wearing bandanas or wide brim hats against the bright sun. Two men in Fisheries Protection uniforms were granted permission to come aboard.
“Fisheries Officers Rowland Mees and Harold Aslet reporting sir,” the taller officer said to Hose.”
“So you saw the German raiders, this is true?” asked Hose.
“Indeed sir, they almost ran over top of us,” answered the shorter one.
“And you can identify the ships?” asked Brown.
“
Nürnberg and
Princess Charlotte, sir. Names painted right on the sterns, they were,” said the shorter man.
“And what armament could you see?” asked Brown.
“The
Nürnberg looked like cruiser, guns everywhere. The
Charlotte had two guns on her stern, and some machineguns up higher,” said the smaller man again. “We couldn’t see any armament forward.” The two men looked at each other in a way that Brown could not decipher.
“And where did the German ships go?” asked Brown.
“Straight south down Fitz Hugh Sound, as far as we could see.” Answered the taller officer. “ We were occupied trying to keep the Kingfisher afloat.”
“What is the state of your vessel?” asked Hose.
“The
Kingfisher’s engine is getting a quick overhaul now, after being submerged. The mechanics said it should be ready to run in six hours or so,” replied the taller officer.
“We have brought a machinegun to arm your launch. We should transfer that now. We will be leaving shortly,” said Hose.
Brown noticed that the smaller man rubbed his hands together and made a whistle of pleasure at this piece of information.
“Am I to understand that the armament will be in the custody of the militia, and operated by them?” asked the taller officer.
“Yes. That is correct. The crew will accompany you now back to town.,” said Hose. Now the taller man looked pleased, and the smaller man disappointed.
The Rainbow’s crew helped manhandle a machinegun down into the fish boat that brought the fisheries officers. The officers followed, then the militia gunners, carrying the ammunition. The Heiltsuk fishermen helped them stow their load. Brown climbed down into the Rainbow’s yawl, and strong backs pulled the boat towards the moored
Otter. The afternoon sun was hot, and Brown’s cheeks felt chapped. The harbour of Bella Bella wrapped around him like a vast bowl lined with tall trees, cone shaped hills, and more distant mountains stepping away, to the edge of visibility, each range paler and paler until they merged with the sky.
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