William Brand

You are employing lies and the arts of deception to attend a pirate festival...? I like the cut of your jib, man. I don't often buy the drinks for them which are meant to buy the rounds for us, but for you I'll make an exception.

I just ate a very nice apple. mmmm...

^ Beaches...hhmmm. I live in the northern Rockies. The beaches are scarce and more along the lines of lake shores and river banks. < I miss the sea. I see it to infrequently. V Favorite spread of beach...?

Florida, you say? Excellent. Welcome aboard... ...and as a pirate recruiter of the Pirates in Paradise Festival in Key West, may I take this opportunity to invite you to the festival in late November?

July 29, 1704 - St. Louis William and John McGinty made their way through the bright streets of many a merchant row searching out the proper place to sell the Ilex goods. The Captain and Marine passed more than one tempting shop, and more than one more tempting tavern. They passed milliners, tanners, coopers, cobblers, liveries, blacksmiths, bakeries and even a spice shop. William made special note of the spice shop for later. The degree of wealth and prosperity increase by neighborhood and architecture until they stood before a jeweler's shop. It sat half in sun, half in shadow, nestled comfortable under the bows of a very large tree. The sign was lavishly embellished with a carved border of intertwined links, which glinted brightly enough that they might have been gilded. The image in the center showed a wise, thoughtful looking man caught up in the craft of fashioning a crown set with jewels. They entered into the cool but amply lit workroom at the front of the shop. "Bonjour, Messieurs." said a large man who sat in a large, comfortable chair immediately to the left of the door. He was a large man, who had an imposing stature even while seated. He did not smile exactly, thought his face made a kind of formal attempt, and William guessed by the pistol in his belt and the too obvious blunderbuss across his knee, that this man was not the jeweler. More than likely he was a paid man in the employ of the shop to keep 'light fingers' from being tempted. William nodded and returned a genuine smile, for it pleased him that the place was all business and propriety. Such a shop carried promise of clean and precise affairs that would make this easier for him. "Bonjour, Messieurs." came a second, more feminine greeting from the curtain which separated the front of the shop from the living and working spaces beyond. William returned her greeting as well and with a smile more genuine than he had given to the seated man, for here was a woman of surpassing beauty. She was young, perhaps some ten years younger than William. She was dressed in a dress the color of butter cream and her neck was adorned by the trappings of the trade. "Bon après-midi, Mlle." William said, calling upon his gift with bows and hats for the second time that day. "Vous me pardonnerez, mais parlez anglais ?" "Yes. I am able to speak anglais." she returned, her face pleasant, but otherwise unreadable. "Excellent." William said, smiling. "Mister McGinty, you may wait outside." "Aye, Sah." McGinty returned, snapping off a salute, and William was pleased for the additional formality, for it painted him in a light which belied a higher station. The marine strode out into the sun and William made a formal introduction of himself and his purpose. "I am William Brand, Captain of the frigate Watch Dog, traveling under the grace and marque of his Excellency, Gouverneur Louis-Claude Garavaque." She curtsied and William took the occasion to bow a second time, careful to pause between his decent and ascent. "My name is Adélaïde Molyneux, daughter to Monsieur Thibault Molyneaux, the owner and your host." "I may linger here awhile yet." William thought. ~Starboard Watches on duty~

I am vitally interested in the the printed wares. Are these being sold through Reconstructing History or through a partner?

Excellent. This seems to be 'the year' for me. I have handmade items coming to me from all parts of the globe. Many from my fellow pirates. The kit grows and grows.

Welcome aboard and may the stay be a long and pleasant one. Of course...pleasant for a pirate might be "screaming masses of merchant sailors diving into the sea as you burn their ship to the waterline", because 'pleasant' is such a relative term.

July 29, 1704 - At Martinigue Murin was the last to arrive at the boat. She did not arrive at a hurried pace. She came casually down the lane in a way which belied the night and day she had enjoyed ashore. Free of cares or appointments. She came in the company of a local woman who bid her farewell in the crowd, but remained hard by as Murin was assisted down into the boat by a hand from Robert Thatcher. Like Murin, everyone in the boat wore a smile, each of them for different reasons. Mister Morgan was smiling the wide grin of a man who has enjoyed a great deal in a short amount of time and he was still humming some lingering tune from the previous night. Styles bore a somewhat self deprecating smile as he blotted the last of the blood away from a skinned knee, grateful that his musket was undamaged from the fall. Ate wore the most interesting of all the smiles and seemed to be lost in thoughts of satisfaction demanded and paid for. Murin smiled in the common and carefree way of an elevated woman. Thoughtful. Reflective. Content. She was still smiling this smile when the boat pulled away from the shore side docks. She traded waves with Jenny ashore.

Welcome aboard, Fayma.

Welcome aboard. You are officially added to the roster.

^ I'm as young as I ever was. In fact I coul...THUD. < ZZzzzzzzz...zzz.z.zz.zzzzzzzzzzz V How...ssss...whuh?

Enfilade. Best. Word. Ever.

^ Supposing you meant to say or instead of and I'll say Dancing in the rain. < The hottest weather I ever experienced was along the Nile. 125 degrees with over 80 percent humidity. You could swim standing still. V What is the coldest weather you have experienced?

I'm getting anxious for mine. Money is set aside... Must. Have. Pirate. Things.

^ Antique stores. Art stores. Specialty stores. Lumber mills. Home improvement stores. Weapon shops. I could go on. < We are celebrating April Fools this year with a huge April Fools dinner at our house. All the trimmings. V What is the hottest weather you have ever experienced?

^ I was awake for the last two, but asleep for my wisdom teeth and tonsils. I'm glad I was asleep for my wisdom teeth and tonsils. < We were at a fabric store sale last night and we lost control. V what is the highest fever you've ever had?

How are the first few coming along?

I am resurrecting this thread for the purpose of asking about lanterns, specifically ship lanterns (i.e. horn pane, glass, pierced, etc.) Most of this thread covers lights sources such as open flames (i.e., candles, oil lamps, etc.), but I need ship lantern sources. Any assistance would be appreciated.

I may buy only one pierced lantern I think. As for the thread regarding lighting, most of it covers lights sources such as open flames (i.e., candles, oil lamps, etc.) while I need horn pane lanterns and glass lanterns from the period to look as if we brought them off of the Mercury. Any sources would be helpful and I am placing this question in the lamps and lighting thread.

July 27, 1704 - At Martinique Just after seven bells of the Forenoon Watch With the seventh bell come and gone, many a sailor could be seen hurrying back to the docks. The longboat was rapidly filling with members of the Starboard Watch intent on getting back to the 'Dog by noon. Already, most of the Heron crew was lined up and seated in the St. Kitt, with only Callie Moore and Christopher Tucker unaccounted for. William noted several sailors flying by the door of the Inn, as did Captain Lasseter. William ordered everyone under his immediate charge up from the table and invited the rest to join him in witnessing the mad sprints of the stragglers. They poured out of the inn into the daylight, taking some bottles with them as the went and tipping the innkeeper handsomely. Maeve O'Treasaigh parted company with them amidst several compliments from both Captains and a mix of varied farewells. She turned off onto a street which would bring her to her shop again. The rest continued down the main avenue towards the docks. As they made their way down to shore, several sailors passed the Captains and search party at a sprint. Each of them made a point to acknowledge their respective Captain, and sometimes both. Alder Wenge proceeded them by some 200 yards, walking along the sides of the street in the apparent act of examining the trees. William had a moment to wonder if the carpenter's shore leave had been entirely encompassed with an inspection of materials. Mister Warren passed their small group in a wagon which carried Nathan Bly, Paul Mooney, Sealegs Constance, and Geoffery Wayne. They all saluted in their fashion as they approached and passed. Jim Warren had news for Captain Brand, so he asked the driver to stop in very respectable French, but the driver ignored him altogether, so he shrugged and said, "Sorry, Cap'n Brand. Cap'n Lsseter. Mister Youngblood sends his respects. He has taken Mister Tucker and Morrell, as well as Mister Monahan to carry out the business of selling the Apollo guns!" Jim Warren made as if to leap out of the wagon, but William shook his head. "Very well, Mister Warren!" he yelled back, for the wagon was moving away down the lane. He looked at Dorian, and his fellow Captain only nodded, having expected this. "Aye, Sah!" Mister Warren returned. The wagon continued, as did the slow moving band of captains and marines. When William and the rest reached shore, they found the longboat gone across the water, and a brimming jollywatt preparing to shove off. Added to Mister Warren's company were Callie Moore, Tjaak Cuylemburch, and Lukas Stoir. Robert Thatcher was standing with musket slung over his shoulder alongside Miss Tribbiani and the new stray boy. Misters Morgan, McGinty and Styles appeared from a narrow lane down the docks at a dead run. They did not look frightened into haste, but urgent nonetheless. They were laughing and trying not to laugh as they ran, anxious to reach the last of the boats before it departed. Jerrod Styles was running so badly that he got caught up in his own musket and sling and tripped head over heels, blooding his ear, lip and one knee. This did not lessen the laughter of the other two running ahead of him, and only Mister Morgan went back again to help him up. McGinty came up huffing and out of breath. "hhheehhh...sa...hhh...Cap'n." he managed, then acknowledged a few of the rest by rank in a similar airless fashion before going down to the Heron's small boat. Mister Morgan brought along a limping Styles who was visited with some embarrassing looks from the party standing there. Mister Pew just shook his head long and slow and muttered, "If you you've damaged that musket, Miiister Styles..." "Sorry, sah..." Pew just shook his head again. "You can join him the boat, Mister Pew, if you've a mind to." William said, also shaking his head at the McGinty. "Mister Franklin will be coming ashore for his leave. We'll rest the search party for the time being and look for the rat later. You may all take your rest ashore or on the 'Dog and Heron, as you wish." "Aye, Sah." William looked at Luc and Jean. "Mister Doublet. Mister..." "Otkupschikov." the Russian said slowly. "Thank you. Mister Otkupschikov. You are both welcome aboard the 'Dog or Heron. You need not sign aboard at present unless you wish to. We shall be here perhaps a week. Perhaps more. You may sign aboard anytime before we leave." They each thanked William in their own language, mindful to do so to Captain Lasseter as well, for neither of them seemed certain who they would be sailing under for the present. Ate Triest came up to the group then, and no one had seen him approach in the crowds of the docks. The young seamen looked moody, and given the recent beating that was apparent in his countenance and clothing, he had a right to be. One eye was half closed with swelling and his lip was badly bruised. He leaned and favored his ribs on one side, but still managed to carry enough defiance with him as he walked that no one who looked at him could be sure he wasn't the victor of whatever calamity had befallen him. "Mister Triest." William called, and Triest saluted back. "How is it with you?" William asked. Ate Triest tried and failed to explain in his limited English and he eventually fell back on his native language. Between the two languages it was plain that Triest had "Fed them their teeth" and he left it at that. He was rewarded with some appreciative and understanding nods and no one made further inquiries. He went down into the last of the small boats which waited for those still not returned from shore leave. Still, with the arrival of Mister Triest, William couldn't be sure who was left ashore of the Starboard Watches, and with Alan Woodington about to go on leave, he called up John McGuinty out of the boat again to go with him on his many errands. He bid the shore party farewell for the present and admonished his fellow Captain not to fight alone the next time. A short conversation passed between both captains and William learned that Dorian was 'spent out' of all his coin. He lent Dorian his own purse. "I'll have more than enough when I am done today." William insisted, patting the first of the three bags of specie to be sold ashore for shares, and with that, he went to turn good fortune of Ilex's misfortune. ~Larboard Watches on Duty

I had wondered, as I've never used one. Thank you Cascabel. And thank you, Michael. I shall delve into that thread.

I'm considering some lanterns for the encampment. This one is high on my list as a reproduction piece. Thoughts...?

July 29, 1704 - At Martinique Seven bells of the Forenoon Watch The meal was welcomed by all, but William found more comfort in the company. His mood had improved ever since landing ashore to find that the search party was well and that Dorian had survived his own brush with danger. Even his concern that Tawny might still be abroad was overshadowed by the introduction of possible recruits, so he let the conversation go where it may. ~Larboard Watches on Duty~