William Brand

August 2, 1704 - At the Chirurgeon's Shop William bowed low and Paul did the same, though his bow was but a nod from over William's shoulder. "Miss O'Treasaigh." they said together, and she curtsied. "Please, allow me." he said, taking one of two bottles from Paul and passing it to Miss Kildare. "A gift from Oporto." "Thank you, Captain." Briar smiled, accepting the bottle of brandy-wine with an appreciative and appraising examination of the label. She passed it on to Maeve. "Portuguese...?" Maeve remarked with a raised eyebrow. "Aye. Contraband of a grateful nation, Miss O'Treasaigh. It is not what I would describe as...remarkable, but it is sweet after the manner of most port wines." William explained. She nodded and placed it upon the table. "I am grateful to learn that Mister Pew is returned again to your careful ministrations." "He is, sah." she replied. "Your Mister Flint brought him again." "Excellent. And in the care of others I trust...?" William enquired. "Only Miss Tribbiani, who waited here awhile." Briar explained. "A delightful woman, Miss Tribbiani." "Aye." William agreed, and he exchanged a look with Paul on the matter of the others. Paul shrugged a little. "The others are probably just bein' thorough, Sah." "Thorough." William said plainly. "Of every inn and bawdy house..." he added, and Paul smiled a little. "Captain Brand comes bearing gifts." Briar said, returning the conversation at once to the subject of drink and the prospect of conversation. "Please gentlemen..." She gestured to two unoccupied chairs. "Thank you, Miss Kildare, but if you will pardon me, ladies, I would speak with Mister Pew before the hour grows too late. If time permits, I shall gladly share a cup and conversation." He bowed again and Paul nodded. "Miss Kildare. Miss O'Treasaigh."

August 2, 1704 - St. Louis William departed the company of Monsieur Molyneaux at two bells of the Second Dog Watch, and as was his custom to do so, he gave Paul his shares at once and they sought out a place to dine. William had been wont to return to the Watch Dog, but his business ashore had been such that a quick return seemed unnecessary now. Instead, he and Paul took supper at a small, but very comfortable establishment tucked back from the lantern lit streets. Here they discovered officers and gentlemen of several nations, many of them from ships at anchor on the bay. Paul and William chose a removed table and ate over a discussion of marines, England and women. Afterwards, they traveled to the Chirurgeon's with extra fare and spirits, there to cheer up the sequestered patient, Mister Pew. The night was a comfortable one. Though no rain was found in St. Louis, the smell of it was carried there from some place inland, making the night fresh and not too warm. They had been at Martinique just long enough that the smells of the place were now most familiar and William was certain that he would return to the place often if life permitted. Paul even said as much as they arrived at the Chirurgeon's shop. Between three and four bells of Second Dog Watch. ~Starboard Watches on Duty~

If the outlook remains the same, then we should all be quite comfortable. High of 79 degrees and a low of 70. I'll take that over a low of 10.

All of the working parts are very elegant. That's a nice piece.

August 2, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog The business of selling the Maastrict goods continued despite the darkness, though Mister Badger did not like the lateness of the hour. There were not so many strangers aboard that they could not watch them all by lamplight, but even so, one fool was found pocketing an item unpaid for. Mister Badger put him over the side head first with no more warning than a hearty 'Farewell!' as he hoisted the man over the rail by the seat of his pants. There followed a very satisfying splash with French profanity coming immediately before and after. Tudor smiled to hear so little French strung together with so much cursing as the man found his way into the first available boat. Then Eric Franklin pointed an unloaded musket at the man and politely asked him to return his ill gotten goods. Not knowing the nature of the weapon the man was obliged to comply and finding himself in the wrong boat, he was also obliged to swim again. After he was gone the auction of goods continued and bales, crates, boxes, casks, and barrels all made their way over the side into waiting boats as Tudor conducted each merchant aft, there to make their mark in the careful ledgers of the Watch Dog. The Ilex strongbox begin to fill again and it would soon brim with the final shares of their recent adventures. Elsewhere near Fort Royal Turcotte was not happy. He stood at one of three windows in the room with a glass of untouched port, staring out at the Cul du Sac Royal and the few bobbing lights which belied the ships at anchor there. He watched two specific groups of lights. The first set betraying a larger ship and the second a smaller one. He tapped the edge of his glass with the heavy gold ring on his left hand. He often did this without knowing that he did so. It was a tick of impatience that he was unaware of most of the time, though everyone around him was so used to it by now that they had taken to mimicking the tapping when he was not about. Quirion Charron was also there. He sat at the only table in the room shuffling a deck of cards that were so worn that they were now 'marked cards' that could be discerned by their stains alone. He was alone at the table and alone in the room, but for the Lieutenant. He shuffled the cards to take his mind off of the pervasive silence. The Lieutenant was in a mood. "Come and sit, Sah." He offered, and Turcotte answered him with silence. "It can do no good to brood, sah, until we hear from L'Ours." "Thank you, Charron." Turcotte returned impatiently, and he did not turn from the window. Quirion continued shuffling the cards. Turcotte tapped. After a time there came a knock at the door. Quirion might have sighed with relief, but for the Lieutenant's mood. Instead, he stood up casually, going to the door with no more haste than a man quite put out to be bothered at that moment, though he was relieved at the interruption. He was even more relieved to find the very man they had been waiting for standing in the doorway. Quirion ushered him in at once. "What is it, Raul?" the man asked, obviously in a similar mood. He stood just inside the door, and though Quirion offered him a chair, he refused. In fact, though he had only just arrived, he kept his coat and hat and his whole demeanor was that of a man bent on departure. "What do you want of me...Raul?" Lieutenant Raul Turcotte did not like being addressed informally. It goaded him a little to be addressed in just such a way in front of Sergeant Charron. He felt that his rank alone earned him some guaranteed respect. He crossed to the table and set the glass of port down. He gestured to an empty chair, but the man did not move. "What...do...you...want...of...me...Raul?" the man repeated, painfully slow and in a tone most certainly designed to upset the Lieutenant. Before Turcotte could answer, he added. "Have you a quill and ink enough to write with? Shall I transpose my distaste into simple notes of few words? Shall I explain my displeasure at being summoned in this manner? Shall I describe the fragrance and form of that woman whose company I departed not half an hour ago...?" Quirion was not glad to be there. The Lieutenant was in a foul mood to be sure, but to see and hear L'Ours in such a mood was so much worse. L'Ours...The Bear...as many on Martinique and elsewhere called him, was a man of significant weight, both physically and politically. He was not fat, but like a bear he was wide in the shoulders, tall and gruff. He held no true position in this government or any other and he was not of any military rank, but he held influence over a few men of power and many a man owed him enough that his influence was dangerous. He all but growled at Turcotte as he stood in his heavy coat and hat and Quirion would have accepted a stiff drink, a stiff cot somewhere or a stiff boot to the head not to be there just then. "You owe me a favor." Turcotte said with too much vinegar in his voice, as if the owing of favors lent him the greater power. It didn't. Two bells of the Second Dog Watch ~Starboard Watches on Duty~

August 2, 1704 - At the jewelry shop of Monsieur Thibault Molyneaux William sat patiently before Monsieur Thibault Molyneaux while he examined the last of the Ilex Fortune. The jeweler was meticulous to say the least, spending a significant amount of time on each item as it passed through his fingers. He would pause only long enough to make a notation. Then he would return to the small pile to extract another unusual trinket. His face was a practiced mask of gentle dispassion. He never smiled or frowned in any way. He never raised an eyebrow. He never said a word. "Do you play at cards, Monsieur?" William asked quietly. "Non. Je m'occupe du certain, Capitaine." Thibault returned, smiling a little at the question. Adélaïde Molyneux, the daughter of Monsieur Molyneaux, came in at the curtain from the adjacent room and offered William tea. He took it graciously, having always hated tea, for she was a beautiful woman and William was no fool. She smiled but a little, for she was possessed of the same unreadable face as her father. "This one is a...ce qui est le mot...paste." Monsieur Molyneaux said, smiling more than usual. He handed it over to William at once. William excepted it, bemused. "An imposter..." he said, shaking his head. "I shall make a present of it then at an appropriate time." No other fakes were discovered and the appraisals continued for the better part of an hour. The jeweler's hired man came to the doorway to see how the business was going and William and he exchanged their usual nod. Adélaïde appeared again only once more to refresh William's cup, this time offering him sugar, which sweetened his graciousness. Sugar was a luxury he was not often afforded and he made a note to himself to buy a share's worth before leaving port. First bell of Second Dog Watch ~Starboard Watches on Duty~

Would you and your pomegranate like a room?

Would you like a napkin?

Pomegranates are in season. I'm eights years old again in the shadow of Ramat Rachel. Sigh.

The office needs a large nautical painting by one of the Dutch Masters.

Someone always mentions the redheads. Always.

We have an accord.

August 2, 1704 - St. Louis docks Three bells of the First Dog Watch William made a face at the darkening sky and looked about at the small group. He had brought along Ajayi to see Mister Pew. He had also brought Joshua Wellings, Kevin Norman and Klaas Scymmelpenninck to serve him on his errands ashore. These three men were all relatively new to the 'Dog and he meant to test them by this short journey. His motives were two fold, for two of them were not fit enough yet to move the cargo for auction aboard the 'Dog, and he thought the walking would do them some good. "Gentlemen, we have a vagabond crew member about shore and two women who would like to see him returned to their care at once. Mister Norman, you're with Captain Lasseter. Mister Wellings, you'll take Ajayi and search about town. I will take Scymmelpenninck with me. Captain Lasseter and I have business ashore and we will watch for Mister Pew wherever we go. If any of you should find Mister Pew, you shall send him to the chirurgeons forthwith. If you should instead find other wayward boys of the Heron and 'Dog, you may ask them to be on the watch for Mister Pew. I leave you all to your duties as you see fit." "Sah...how shall I know Mister..."Joshua Wellings began. "Pew." William finished. "Sorry, Mister Wellings. Half a moment." William called Paul Mooney out of the Jollywatt to go with him, while he sent Klaas with Joshua and Ajayi. He confirmed several times with the Dutchman that he understood who they were after before he let them go. As they departed, William called after Joshua. "Mind where you go and what you say." He cautioned, looking at Ajayi. Ajayi did not seem to understand this unspoken caution, but a Joshua nodded only a moment after. "I understand, sah." "Thank you, Mister Wellings." William watched them go and then walked a ways with Dorian before the pairs parted for their separate errands ashore. ~Starboard Watches on Duty~

I am very interested in attending next year, so keep us appraised on the ships.

Illustrator, Graphic Designer and Photographer. A suppose the period name would be Limner (artist).

If you wish to ship items to the fort for PIP, you can send them directly to Harry at the fort and he will store them for your use. In order to ship to the fort, you may use the following two methods. If you ship by regular U.S. Mail, then you should send the items to the post office at Key West. U.S. Mail: Fort Zachary Taylor Attention: Harry Smid P.O. Box 6560 Key West, Florida 33041 If you wish to ship directly to the fort you may send packages by UPS to the following address...and trust me...this is the address... UPS: Fort Zachary Taylor Attention: Harry Smid End of Southard Street Through the Truman Annex Key West, Florida 33040 Please mark the packages with your name or group name, so that they may be stored for your use. It wouldn't hurt to make a note about PIP on the package and to let Harry know that they are coming. For any additional questions you can call 305-292-6850.

Whew. I am confirmed on Delta for a whopping $145 and will be arriving on Tuesday the 27th. Harry has graciously offered a place for me to pitch my tent a full day early. PIP in 21...20...19...

Very nice work, Kenneth. I took the liberty of making another version of your image.

The matter wouldn't bother me so much, but money has been tight, despite some wonderful windfalls of late, and if I got the cheaper rate I could play more. I could buy a weapon. I could ride the Wolf more than once. I could eat out at a few choice places. I could buy a round of drinks for my fellow dogs. Arrr.

Thank you. I'm looking at every option. $384 for ticket to Miami. Airport taxes bring it to $421.59. Advance ticket for Grehound is $54, bringing that trip to $475.59. Blast...for 42.51 more I could fly all the way to Key West. I hate Delta.

In order to save a little money I was planning on using my skymiles to soften the expense of my trip to Key West. My wife and I traveled to the Middle East in June and earned enough miles between us for me to fly for about $160 bucks, the cost and fees for transferring a few thousand sky miles. Begin long road of disappointment. I go to get my ticket, only to discover that we have no credited miles for our trip in June. None. Zip. Zero. I have spent the last three days making nothing but phone calls. I have called some departments enough that I have the number memorized. I now know more about the skymiles program than I ever thought possible. All bad. To add insult to injury, three different agents told me I had the sufficient miles to go, but when I finally got everything fixed, they doubled the miles required. Why? No reason which makes sense. Now If I want to fly out I have to fly out on the 29th and lose the first two whole days of the festival and return three days after it's over, or wait for a seat to open up. The only alternative. Buy a regular ticket for over $500. So, I play the lottery for $160, or pay $350+ for a new ticket after three days of work that was Delta's fault to start with. I'm in a mood.

Halloween! Me and the wife. Our own Charlie Brown. Pumpkins! My brother isn't happy. Charlie Brown fleeing from the fat lady (My Nephew).

August 2, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog The jollywatt went out and over the side of the Watch Dog, followed by a crew of rowers. William made one solitary patrol about the weatherdecks, leaving instructions for Tudor as he went. Then he ordered everyone over and down into the waiting small boat, relinquishing command of the frigate to Jacob Badger. Before he could join them, Mister Badger took him aside. "Take the Yoruban, Sah." William looked past Jacob to where Ajayi Abiodun sat at the main mast. The large man looked almost doleful in his boredom. "Captain, 'e's still to wounded too work an' too well to sit about idle. 'e 'as asked after Mister Pew some dozen times. At least in 'is fashion. Why not let 'im go ashore, Cap'n?" William considered the plight of Ajayi. A few days wounded. Idle. Trapped. He nodded and called for the Yoruban. Ajayi jumped up easily enough, demonstrating that he was not bothered by his injuries. William gestured into the boat and Ajayi went over and down at once. William and Jacob exchanged a nod and William joined the crew in the boat, casting off from the frigate. Two bells of the First Dog Watch ~Starboard Watches on Duty~

Robb (Hurricane) sent me an email suggesting that we have all of our registration forms filled out prior to PIP to make the paperwork that much easier on Harry, and it is a good idea. I mentioned it to Captain Sterling, and Sterling has agreed to collect the registration forms for the crew of the Archangel. Anyone else who is heading a crew, please collect the registration forms for your people ahead of time and submit them to the fort. All of you pirates stationed in the careening camp, please send your forms directly to Harry.

August 2, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog William returned to the weather decks, the Ilex fortune in hand once more. His intentions to see it sold ashore that day were quickly running out with the day. Tudor was bound for the Watch Dog once more and the merchants would follow shortly on her heals. "So much left to do." William said to himself as he looked across the bay to the Navarra. She still lay at anchor, though the activity aboard her was more pronounced today. No word had come from that quarter since the dinner and William was beginning to wonder if his suspicions regarding the merchant ship were accurate. Perhaps Capitán Avendano was hedging his bets and selling some of his cargo at Martinique, rather than risk the journey to Trinidad unguarded. "Do you mean to go ashore, Cap'n?" Mister Badger asked at William's elbow and William nodded. "I have some business there that I hope to do with speed. You shall have the handling of the auction, should I not return before the watch is up. Bring up the Maastricht goods in order as you see fit and be stern on the price. The goods should fetch a high market price and we would be acting fairly to demand such." Jacob nodded. "Aye Cap'n. We'll sell it all away." he said, smiling. "Should be enough t' fill coffers an' innkeeper pockets." "Thank you, Mister Badger." William found himself in good spirits again and perhaps it was the work and the necessaries of his position that made him smile a little. He also laughed inside to know what use the men made of their shares ashore. He went to the rail where Lazarus Gage stood prepared to go ashore. He invited the cook to join him in a boat bound first to the Heron and then St. Louis and Lazarus accepted. He also called for Tjaak Cuylemburch and Geoffery Wayne and those men meant for the Heron that were not already brought there, apart from Roundtree and Sandefur who were still doing nightshirt duty at the bow. Tjaak Cuylemburch was glad of the calling meant for him on the cutter and Geoffery Wayne was glad to be returning to the company of his close friend Patrick Godfrey. Both would miss the 'Dog for it's comforts, but the Heron looked very smart in the light of the waning day. "Have the jollywatt swung out, Mister Badger!" William called. "Aye-Aye!" ~Starboard Watches on Duty~