2/12/16
“Arr. So ye and yer troop be seekin’ passage in me ship, eh?”
“Yes, Captain. I was told you’re the only one with a ship large enough for us all. We’re refugees, you see. When we first started out it was just my wife and I plus a few friends, but as we traveled others joined us and our group kept growing. So then, now that our common experience has united us, we’d like to stay together until we make it to a new home.”
“Ah, a large mug of ale. Most kind; I thank ye. Aye, the Lady Dagger is configured to carry a large contingent of passengers. So, just how many are ye?”
“About two hundred, I think.”
(Cough, sputter.) “Two hundred! (Ahem.) Preparations fer that many takes quite a bit of plannin’. But I’m sure we can be ready by next season.”
“When will that be?”
“About three months.”
“Months?!”
“Aye. Tis already the end of fair weather fer the crossing. Soon foul weather will make it too dangerous to sail.”
“But we were hoping to make the trip now.”
“Arr. Tis always the case. Well it might kin be done. But to get everything in a rush will cost extra.”
“I’ll go around to the others and collect as much as I can. But we’re not rich people, you know.”
“Nay, of course not. I feared as much. Then ye’d best make sure they understand this will be a bargain passage, not a luxury cruise. So it’s simple rations fer the lot of ye. And ye all will have to help with the work when called on.”
“Yes sir, Captain Cyrus. Anything you say. Thank you, thank you so much.”
“Good day, to ye.”
Jonathan rushed back to where his fellow travelers were staying and relayed the news. Then once everyone had hurried away to prepare for the voyage, he found a secluded spot overlooking the harbor and thought back on how he had reached this point.
His homeland once was a virtual utopia. In his prime, their ruler had been a benevolent leader who encouraged free thinking and promoted a progressive society. But with age he grew tired, and his ministers began giving bad advice. Thus the society declined.
Then outside powers began campaigning to seize control. Two or three major forays were repulsed; but each attack left the homeland weakened further. At last the end came. A crowd of invaders, with designs on the destruction of everything good, succeeded in capturing the Capital and stripping power from the ruler and his council.
Despite the new dictator’s assurances that everything would continue as before, it was soon clear this wouldn’t be the case. His true interest was to despoil every asset and leave only a barren wasteland.
Jonathan recalled the day he rushed home and called for his wife. “Honey! Where are you?”
“We’re in the parlor,” came her voice from the other end of the house.
“Mindy, we have to leave in a hurry,” he blurted as he ran down the hallway. He came to an abrupt halt at the door. “Oh, hello. Nice to see you all. Pardon my interruption, but we must get packed.”
“Packed?” asked Mindy. “Where are we going?”
“We have to leave the country while we still can. The dictator is already showing his hand, and it may not be long before people get trapped here.”
The three ladies visiting Mindy looked alarmed as well, but Mindy spoke first. “What’s he done?”
“He’s shut down Craftsman Square; he’s closed the theater, the galleries, and even the college; and he’s forbidden any more assemblies in the public auditorium. The only places left open are the mines and the mills. It seems he wants to turn us all into nothing more than menial drudges.”
“Oh, no! What can we do?”
“We’re going to pack as much as we can gather overnight, then head out first thing in the morning. And I suggest you other ladies talk to your families and consider doing the same.”
“In the morning?!” wailed Mindy. “But we’ll have to leave almost everything behind! Besides, where will we go?”
“It can’t be helped,” said Jonathan. “If we wait too long we may not be able to leave at all. We just have to make a new home somewhere else.”
“Okay. Girls, I guess this is goodbye. I’ll write you once we find a place.”
Mindy’s three guests were eager to leave by this time, so she and Jonathan immediately began packing what each felt was most essential. It didn’t take long to fill the wagon plus form a large pile beside it. They then sorted still further till they were down to only two large trunks each.
Late in the evening they were finally finished. Jonathan blinked back his tears as Mindy cried aloud. “We’re leaving behind so much. So many treasures, so many memories.”
Jonathan’s eye was drawn to a glint in the heap of discarded items so he picked it up. It was a trophy from his first art contest. His lips tightened as his arm lowered and the award dropped from his fingers.
The next morning the two of them closed the front door for the last time then turned bravely to their departure. Jonathan’s expression changed to surprise as he spotted a half-dozen families waiting on the roadway, each with their own heavily laded wagon or cart. Mindy waved excitedly at her friends. Apparently they’d be traveling en masse to a new home.
They had scarcely begun the trip when other dispossessed citizens observed their flight and rushed to join them. Word quickly spread and soon they had grown to a large host — artisans, skilled craftsmen, philosophers, educators, and entertainers of all types.
One morning after they had been on the road about a week Jonathan was just about to start the day’s journey when two ladies of the company came to him with a problem. One of the newcomers had engaged an argument with one of the earlier-joining members, and unable to resolve it they brought it to Jonathan. It seemed that by common consent Jonathan was the recognized leader of the group; perhaps because he was the one to organize this pilgrimage.
“I was making soup last night when she came up and started working beside me, and she was doing it the wrong way!” said Gretchen.
“She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” answered Melita. “Soup is soup, there is no wrong way to make it. All that matters is how it tastes when you’re done.”
Jonathan sat patiently and listened as both told the long versions of their of their stories. Then, as the morning wore on and news of the mediation spread, several more members of the company came forward looking for Jonathan to hear their problems too.
Unfortunately, by the time everyone’s issues had been resolved it was too late to start out that day and they had to stay another night at that same encampment.
He quickly realized that this new burden of addressing matters unrelated to leading the journey would slow their progress markedly. So he organized a cadre of assistants to divide some of the growing responsibilities.
At length they arrived at this port town, eager to start the final leg of their trek. A quick negotiation with the captain of an outdated ship and much hectic rushing for outfitting found them finally ready to leave for a new world.
The first month at sea was uneventful apart from a bit of seasickness as people grew accustomed to the motion, followed by several cases of cabin fever due to tight quarters and limited activity. Then one evening just at sunset the lookout spotted two items of concern on opposite horizons.
Far to the west was a line of dark clouds foretelling heavy weather. The captain grew apprehensive and directed the helmsman to change course and steer wide of it. But approaching from the east was a ship whose flag and banners troubled the captain nearly as much as the storm. He spoke under his breath as he addressed his first mate, Elias, but Jonathan felt sure he heard the word “pirates”.
Thus it was that as darkness fell there also came an oppressiveness which pervaded the ship. The fear on the faces of the sailors was quickly transmitted to the passengers. What little talking there was, was carried out in hurried whispers and hushed tones.
Dawn didn’t arrive. Only the bell for morning watch indicated it was daytime. So thick was the overcast that lanterns were kept lit throughout the decks. The dimness and increasing roll of the ship told they had been overtaken by the storm. Even so, the gloomy light was sufficient to see that the tracking ship was less than a mile astern, its Jolly Roger grinning aloft.
Captain Cyrus took the gamble of ordering more sails, and Elias rushed to carry it out despite the risk of running fully rigged in heavy winds. For a short time they pulled away from their pursuers, but this ceased once the pirate captain also hoisted more sail.
The stalking continued throughout the day, the winds growing stronger and the pirates drawing closer. By mid-afternoon the ship was near enough for the cutthroats on board to wave threatening gestures at the fleeing sailors.
Jonathan was watching from the rear deck when he heard Captain Cyrus say to Elias, “If only we could do something to make them break off. But I’ve heard tales of that captain, and he never relents once he sets his sights on a target.” These remarks sparked a memory in Jonathan and he turned to the captain with a proposal.
“Captain Cyrus, I overheard what you just said and I think I can help. One of the men in my group is an excellent shot with a long rifle. We could ask him to come up for a look, and see if he can pick off their captain. Without a leader, maybe they’ll give up.”
A short time later the marksman had his rifle braced against the taffrail and was sighting the figure on the opposing ship. He carefully allowed for the rolling of the ship and the force of the wind. Jonathan, the captain and the first mate all held their breath as the marksman pulled the trigger. They saw the pirate captain straighten for a moment, then fall sideways over the railing and into the sea.
The pirates who had been beside their captain ran to the rail and gazed down. A moment later one of them took a long look at the fleeing ship, then began shouting orders. It seemed he was the first mate. The hearts of the men on the Lady Dagger fell as the pirates hoisted a cannon from below decks and wheeled it forward. It was soon followed by cannon balls and kegs of gunpowder.
Once the pirates appeared ready to fire, Elias asked, “Shouldn’t you move to a safer location, Cap’n?”
“Nay, t’won’t be necessary,” answered Captain Cyrus. “Both ships be rollin’ too much. They’ll never be able to hit — ”
Jonathan and Elias watched in horror as the captain’s body flew off the deck and followed a cannonball into the waves. Their shock was broken by the sound of faint cheering from the tailing ship. Elias ran to give directions to the helmsman while Jonathan called to the marksman to fire again.
The rifleman aimed toward the cluster of pirates around the cannon, but his focus shifted to the kegs of gunpowder behind them. Then praying that the impact of the slug would be sufficient, he let loose a round. Almost instantly a tremendous explosion erupted on the forward deck of the pirate ship.
The ship’s momentum drove the gaping hole at her prow deep into a swell and flooded her lower decks with seawater. Tension from the abrupt stop that followed snapped the mainmast, bringing down its rigging to finish the wreck.
Moments later the Lady Dagger shuddered sharply as she crested a swell then dropped into the trough behind it.
“Strike the main sails!” called out Elias, who was acting as captain. “There’s no need to tear ourselves apart now that we’re not being chased.”
The ship slowed as the sails were furled, and Elias looked back toward the pirates. A number of men were still alive and struggling to stay afloat as the sea rapidly broke apart their ship. He looked toward Jonathan and their eyes met. Jonathan nodded.
“Come about,” bellowed Elias to the crew. “And prepare to take up survivors.”
The faces of the men clinging to flotsam brightened as the Lady Dagger came abreast. Elias leaned over the railing and called down to them.
“Avast! Ye dogs. Afore we bring you aboard, you’ll be giving your weapons to the sea. All of them! And you’ll be giving us your oath to raise no hand against any of us.”
The rescue went quickly despite the churning waves and intensifying wind gusts. Then although they were again under way, Elias knew they were still in great danger. The gale broke on them in full fury.
The ship pitched and rolled with such violence that the passengers were compelled to sit on the floor and brace their backs against the walls. Some used lengths of rope and tied themselves to bulkheads. Even the sailors who occasionally came below could scarcely keep from falling as they walked.
Sometime after midnight Elias came to Jonathan with a plea for help. “Jonathan, your landlubbers need to take turns manning the bilge pumps. The ship’s seams are leaking so badly the only way we’ll stay afloat is to work the pumps constantly. But I need all my experienced sailors on deck and in the riggings. Even the pirates are doing their share to keep us alive. Every able hand must pitch in.”
Fortunately, by daybreak the worst of the storm had passed. The wind and rain had lessened, and the clouds were breaking up enough to see bits of clear sky between them.
“Land ho!” called the helmsman. “Cap’n Elias, an island dead ahead.”
Elias ran to the upper deck and gazed forward. “Steer for it and put in wherever you find a place. Run us onto a beach if there’s no other choice. The ship can’t stay afloat much longer.”
In short order a natural bay was discovered and the ship was run aground and debarked. Every man, woman and child gave thanks, each to their own deity and in their own way. Soon enough came talk of how to set up a village and begin building homes.
The helmsman who had steered them to safety spoke first. “We need someone to organize our efforts so we don’t work at cross purposes.”
He was answered by the marksman. “What about Jonathan? He’s been a good leader ever since we started out.”
“Thank you,” said Jonathan, blushing slightly. “But perhaps Elias should be considered. He is the acting captain, after all.”
Elias stood up and shook his head. “No. I may have filled that role in the regular captain’s absence, but whatever authority I had ended once we all came ashore. I agree with the others, it should be you, Jonathan.”
Before Jonathan could speak again the entire company erupted in applause and cheers. Seeing he couldn’t fight it he relented. He then called for a banquet with a large share of their remaining stores. Eventually they were all well fed, overflowing with rum and beer, and regaling each other with songs.
Jonathan looked across the crowd at Elias and called out, “Just where are we anyway?”
“I don’t know,” Elias answered with a bit of concern. “It’s not on the maps. But then this part of the sea isn’t well charted. The nearest I can figure is we’re somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle. And you know, if’n it hasn’t been discovered before, we’re free to name it. So what say you, Jonathan?”
“Me? Well, I’m not ready to name the entire island just yet, but I think we can at least name this place we’ve landed.” Jonathan stood up and raised his mug. “I christen it after the noble lady which gave her all to bring us safely to land. From henceforth this place shall be called Dagger Bay.”
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