William Brand

Unplug. Go see some local oddity or curiousity you've heard about but never seen. Take the family and just go. Get away from us for awhile and stand under the sun. It is good to unplug. I spent a lot of time offline last week just spring cleaning around the house and sorting old pictures and looking up old friends. It was refreshing.

Hello Harry, I don't know if you want to handle this directly, but the Pyracy Pub home page has a little ad for PIP that still shows the 2005 dates for PIP. -William

The two men looked unperturbed by the interruption and William took the offered list from Miss McDonough. He and Dorian perused the contents, and when both men reached the bottom of the list, they began to nod. "Thank you, Miss McDonough." William said, reading down the list second time. The list is concise and I believe you have covered all matters as they pertain to the 'Dog's rigging. Give no thought to the Heron or Maastricht for the present, but show yourself to Mister Pew to discuss what he might require for the marines by way of clothing. The matter of uniforms might not be realized for a few days yet, but Mister Pew will give you his thoughts on the matter so that the two of you might come to an agreement on the look and requirements of uniforms." She curtsied again and looked pleased with herself as she moved to speak with Mister Pew amidships. "Now...the matter of the Apollo goods..." William began, pressing a thumb and forefinger together through the bottom of his beard. "Four four-pounders ta begin with..." Mister Lasseter offered, turning to the subject of the salvage at once. "Aye. Inform Mister Youngblood that he can begin the sale of the cannon at his leisure." William said, then amended. "And see that he gets coin for them. The crew will want more of it by week's end." Dorian's eyes wandered to the lass-filled boat for the third or fourth time and William answered his earlier question. "No ladies aboard but our own. Let the lads palaver at the rail, but they must wait to spend their coin in turn ashore." "Aye, Cap'n." Dorian said bemused, for one of the able seamen leaned out so far at the rail that he threatened to overturn himself or the frigate. "I leave the other trifles of the Apollo to you, Dorian. See what coin you might get for them for our immediate needs. Once we have the whole of our crew, previous and new, gathered here aboard the 'Dog, we shall allow the recent Dutch recruits to separate their personal affects from the gotten goods before we go to market with the rest. As for the Ilex fortune and some of the Maastricht's more precious items...we'll be required to go ashore to search out better markets for those goods, so some of them might wait aboard the 'Dog under guard. You and I will see to their disposal where we may." "It'll be a fine accounting when all's done." Dorian remarked, and he looked anxious to delve into the trade and purchase that came with ports. William liked the look on his face, for it spoke of all the Quartermaster's previous accountings. Since his arrival, the 'Dog's ledgers had become illuminated manuscripts of efficiency and prudence. William called for his Steward and sent her again with orders to the cook. He told her to inform Mister Gage that he was to 'Run the pantry dry' during their stay, for William meant to carry no spoiled or hardened foods to Trinidad if he could help it. All would be replenished here at Fort Royal. "I shall go ashore as soon as Mister Pew organizes a shore party of marines to come in escort. I shall learn where and how we might dispose of the Dutch and English prisoners. Perhaps we might be free of them by nightfall, though I expect some quantity of paperwork might be in order before they go." ~Larboard Watch on Duty~

William went out with the officers and had just ascended the quarterdeck when the watches cried out, "Ahoy the deck! Smallboats on approach!" William went to the rail and took up a glass to watch three small boats inching towards their position. Two of the boats were filled with a mix of men and boys, and by the looks of some of the men aboard, it would probably be traders come to see what goods were to be had. It was not uncommon for slave ships and merchant ships to anchor offshore and let the tradesmen come to them and barter on the open water, so William was not surprised. However, the third boat made his eyebrows go up a bit, for it was filled with its fair share of 'fyne women' already demonstrating their 'wares' even at a distance. There were a few raucous cheers and calls from amidships, and William sent down a good humored, but steadying remark or two. "That whoever shall be found...seducing any boy or woman not of the said Company aboard ship...", Mister Warren said from his place along the rail, and William smiled, still watching the merchants approach. He sent for the Quartermaster.

My compliments, Captain Midnight. A very nice rig.

I wish I could be to that party, Miss Ashcombe. I really do. I love a good birthday bash.

Aye, I've read that one a few times. A very well written thesis on the matter of Jamaican Sloops. I also like the title... INSTITUTIONALIZED PIRACY AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE JAMAICA SLOOP, 1630-1743

Some random pictures from the past few years... A solid rocket booster test... Abandoned train car... Me sleeping it off in Central Park...

I try to shoot pictures of the cat as often as possible. He's pretty tolerant of me.

A Red Wake Rum... Parrot Bay mixed with a shot of Vanilla Monin and topped with a nice splash of Grendadine...all over the rocks. Only my enemies have experienced the drink beyond the metaphor.

Beautiful cursed ship which I covet...

My brother in-law worked for a prop company that made mechanical fish and animals for movies, such as Deep Blue Sea, The Perfect Storm and Free Willy.

Ahhh, sorry. I was thinking an open thread. I forgot about the one vote option for true polls. On a similar, but altogether different note... Once a name is chosen, I would like to begin working on the draughts for the sloop. Sloops of several varieties were being made between 1710 an 1720. The Jamaican Sloops, Bermuda sloops, and the English cutters, which are as much like sloops as can be had, apart from a different shape in hull design. The Jamaican sloops underwent several changes in hull design from year to year, with the English experimenting in the shape of hulls for the purpose of testing maneuverability. By 1711, they had weeded out some very unstable designs and sloop building was fast becoming an art form. I would like to base the design on elements found on sloops between 1710 and 1717. My biggest question is this...Do we want a one mast or two mast sloop? The Jamaican sloop Ferret was built in 1711 as a one mast sloop, but later converted to a two mast sloop sometime after 1715. So we could say that our sloop was a one mast sloop which was refitted for two, or we could stick with one mast. It doesn't matter much either way, but from a rendering perspective I'll need to know before I start. Thoughts? Examples: One mast... Two masts...

I like the idea of a few pirates making mead in the tropics.

Give everyone who has voted a chance to vote again on the final three, but no pub poll. That might start the whole process over...

I guess that's a yes on the suggestion, so... Solstice Morning Star Dart

A good idea, Patrick. Silkie just offered the same thing in chat, but you beat her to it. I know we said no more names, but I ran across this by accident... tropic c.1391, "either of the two circles in the celestial sphere which describe the northernmost and southernmost points of the ecliptic," from L.L. tropicus "of or pertaining to the solstice" (as a noun, "one of the tropics"), from L. tropicus "pertaining to a turn," from Gk. tropikos "of or pertaining to a turn or change, or to the solstice" (as a noun, "the solstice"), from trope "a turning" (see trope). The notion is of the point at which the sun "turns back" after reaching its northernmost or southernmost point in the sky. Extended 1527 to the corresponding latitudes on the earth's surface (23 degrees 28 minutes north and south); meaning "region between these parallels" is from 1837. Tropical "hot and lush like the climate of the tropics" is first attested 1834. I'm not suggesting tropic or tropocus. I'm suggesting Solstice.

William nodded. "Aye, thirteen or fourteen, but ask for eighteen on the shilling. You may be a Master-at-Arms, but the tradesmen will only see an English born pirate, so do not let them bid you below twelve. Some of those pistols and muskets might fetch upwards of two pounds or more." "And some no more than 10 shillings." Petee added. "Aye." Dorian agreed. "My lads will put some polish into 'em." Preston said, unconcerned. "We'll have coin by tomorrow evening, Cap'n." "Excellent, Mister Pew." William said, standing up. "I have business ashore, gentlemen. We must rid ourselves of the Maastricht and her prisoners."

I've tallied that votes and the only repeats are as follows: Antelope (5) Crow(5) Dart (3) Lucy (2) Morning Star (2) Now, even if we drop the last three (Dart, Lucy and Morning Star) we have the difficult task of naming the ship either Antelope or Crow, and some of you have voiced a dislike for Antelope, and some of you have voiced a dislike for Crow. Do we need to throw in new names?

No worries, mate. If I don't see you before PIP, I'll see you there. Of course, I'm a shutter bug, so there will be no shortage of pictures after.

You've been added. Coincidently, is there a picture of you somewhere?

How very interesting. Do you know if they kept honey bees on any of the islands of the Caribbean during the GAoP?

mmm...

The Master Gunner made no objection to having one or two ships. He had given little thought to the Heron since the battle some days before. He did however voice his concerns that the Watch Dog was short of good gunners. He understood the added firepower that a second ship would bring, but he drank and spoke only of the 'Dog. "Why not auction the Watch Dog and transfer all hands to the Heron?" Mister Badger asked. This raised a few eyebrows and Mister Badger explained, "This frigate is much older. She's already once seen one refitting that we know of and a half dozen careenings by the look of her." "I like her too much." William returned. "You favor this ward room." Mister Pew corrected and William tried not to smile and failed. "Aye. True." "I favor this ward room." Petee added with emphasis to a murmur of laughter, and William was reminded that he was not the only one nominated to fill Captain William's post when he died. "We shall dine here more often after Martinique, I assure you." William said, refreshing one or two glasses. "Either way," Mister Badger continued, "I don't mind the company of two ships, provided the elephant is gone." "Metaphors aside, Mister Badger, does Maastricht mean 'elephant'?" Petee asked, packing a pipe for a smoke topside. William was already shaking his head, having visited the town of Maastricht himself, and knowing the word, but Mister Badger explained his repetition of the name. "The Maastricht was 'Witte Oliphant' before the war." "Really...?" William said surprised, for he had known another ship by the same name some years before, though it had been a smaller vessel. Mister Badger nodded. "Never a more fitting name for such a lumbering thing." "Well, Gentlemen, if we are agreed that the Heron might be retained, then we will wait to call a vote concerning the Heron's future once all are gathered again in one place." There were nods and a few 'Ayes' followed by a pause in the conversation. William took the opportunity to return to matters discussed several days before on the subject of marines. "Mister Pew." "Aye, sah?" "Do you remember that we discussed uniforms for the marines?" "Aye, sah." Mister Pew returned promptly, for he had hoped to cover this subject before landfall. He was quite enthusiastic on the subject, though he was uncertain ho popular uniforms would be among the marines themselves. He could have not have known then how many of the marines had discussed this very subject privately among themselves, for it was agreed among most of them, if not all, that uniforms would make a fine impression among the throngs ashore, and many of them hoped to make a personal impression or two. "I would like uniforms for them, if it might not take shares away from any." "We shall keep all of the small arms from the Maastricht. This way we might find among those, and ours aboard, the best pistols. We shall keep all of the best pistols for ourselves and sell the bulk of the bad for coin in which to buy uniforms. In this way, we might improve the armory, and buy coats for the marines." William turned to the Master Gunner and added. "And the gunnery crews." Mister Youngblood nodded gratefully. William continued. "If done properly, I believe few aboard can argue the trade. Anyone who disagrees with this, may choose for himself or herself a good pistol from among the finest to be kept or sold. What say you?"

Every once in awhile there is a food request that makes me stare blankly into the abyss. This is one of those moments. Salted lard over rye toast with a chaser of liver dumpling soup...wow.