William Brand

William retired to the ward room and dressed down from his weather gear. He spread a few of the days charts to compare the notations from the logbooks to the maps of La Blanquilla. After a short time he put them away again and settled into the chair at the head of the small table. He placed two olds friends of similar name in front of him, Tyndale and Shakespeare. He was just settling into a play that he had read three times before, when Mister Lasseter knocked and entered the room. They exchanged greetings at the same time, each marking the other by title, then William waved him to an empty chair. "The Bard and the Bible...?" Mister Lasseter inquired as he drew out a chair. His eyebrows were raised with a look of amusement. "Aye." William said with a small smile of his own. "I often mix blasphemy and blessings with my afternoon tea." The Quartermaster nodded, helping himself to cold bread left over from the meal before. "'e daily doth frequent with unrestrained loose companions."* William huffed a little laugh, and marking his place with an unused napkin, he set the books aside. The rain above was quickening again and it ran down the narrow windows behind the wheelhouse. William could just make out Mister Warren on the quarterdeck, but the men beyond in the rigging were a blur. "What have you discovered about our castaways, Mister Lasseter". *From Shakespeare's Richard the II

July 18, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog First Bell of Second Dog Watch "Aye, Mister Lasseter, and thank you. We'll drop anchor here and wait out the night. Hot food and sleep for all hands. See yourself out of those wet clothes." William turned to Mister Pew with alterations on his previous orders. "Mister Pew, six armed men of the watch continuously throughout the night. I want the muskets and pistols traded out and oiled by each retiring watch. Two aloft. Four on the weatherdecks." "Aye, Cap'n." "And, Mister Pew..." "Cap'n?" "Dinner in the Ward Room at the second bell, if you please."

I'm glad the flag is a good draw for the group.

"Aye." William agreed, watching the progress of the longboat crew from beside Mister Pew, his own glass as fogged and as disagreeable. He watched the longboat crew disappear into the cave and come out again, assisting a second survivor down the beachhead. "This is when it will happen...if it should happen", he thought to himself and he noticed that Mister Pew stiffened a little at the shoulders as if he too thought the same, but nothing happened. The island was as abandoned now as it had seemed since their arrival. All about them the world was nothing more than a monochromatic watercolor.

Cooking would be wonderful and my many thanks in advance to those who are trucking out the pots and pans. I can't fly to Florida with crockery, so it's nice to know we'll have a camp of cookware. I'll gladly pitch in a hand at the dishes and the dishes.

July 18, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog Between Three and Four Bells of First Dog Watch William was much relieved to see signs of life ashore, but prudence dictated caution. The solitary individual standing on the white sand might be a diversion for forces laying in wait. William ordered powder to be brought up under the Fo'c'sle deck, if the need should arise to provide covering fire for the longboat crew. Mister Pew was also vigilant and he kept armed men above the deck with the lookouts for extra eyes and extra firepower. Since the last sighting, no more bodies had been seen and almost no significant wreckage was sighted. Most of it had been but small stuff, no pieces longer than a man's arm, but there were a few timbers large enough to speak of a boat of at least one mast. Because the people aboard the Watch Dog were not yet apprised of Mister Lasseter's discoveries, and because the waters around La Blanquilla were filled with all manner of fish, a conjecture had sprung up among the crew and officers that it was a fishing vessel sent here to bring back large quantities of fish to La Margarita's shipyards and ports. William hoped it was so. He did not want to return to La Margarita again so soon with ill news of great losses.

I love the idea of a nine pound shot-put competition. We could do it in the open space between the out wall of the fort and the sea. That way we have more open space and we won't do damage to the sod inside the fort. Also we could measure the distance of each throw with a logline and keep tallies in a logbook. Since we are expecting some twenty people for the camp so far, we will probably need two fire pits, so it would be very easy to have a flint and steel contest for fire starting. We might have a dutch oven recipe contest.

It's been about 18 years for me. A very long time to be parted from that place.

Drat. That puts you as far from me as the Bay Area pirate groups.

I've been offered it many times, but I have never tried it.

Aye. The search continues? How far north are you?

I'm planning on doing prints of some pirate art as a give away unless I think of something more interesting.

William raised his glass and found the place described just beyond the line formed between the Watch Dog, the longboat and the woman. Even in the gloom of the rain, it was easy to make out the bright red cloth she waved at intervals. Her voice was faint, but not completely overcome by the elements and the excitement it carried could not be mistaken. William could not keep back the smile that crossed his face. "Chanault." The quiet shadow who had stood near at hand in silence since coming on deck stepped forward from his chosen place at the rail. "Capitaine." "Please inform the good Doctor that we have survivors."

Where in Portugal were you and when?

You can't go wrong with pears and cheese. I also like dates. I loved sitting on the balcony in Jerusalem and eating dates.

July 18, 1704 - Aboard the Watch Dog Three Bells of the First Dog Watch "Miss Smith." was all that William said at first, distracted by the work of the longboat crew. After a time, he turned from the rail and addressed her. "If we should find survivors, I would have you put off all duties touching the Ward Room and assist in the administering of food and clothing to those brought aboard. I would like you to be at the Doctor's beck and call should she require you. You will report to me as often as you can, but the duty to them will be paramount to all other duties for the present." "Aye, Cap'n." "Of course...if we find none alive, I would like you to see that all those in the longboat have warm fare and warm clothes available upon their return to the ship."

Aye.

Today's Special is a Tuscany Bean Soup.

Aye. Sadly true. How many attendees play musical instruments? I do a very little drumming, but no other period instrument.

Hello, William. I'm in Logan, Utah, which puts me about 20 minutes from the Idaho border. The only group that I have found anywhere near me is a pirate group in name only.

Smell...? lol I'm pitching my tent after you.

"Damn." was all that William managed, as Ciaran confirmed the sighting. Given their own recent losses, he was in no mood to find bodies in need of burying. Meanwhile, Mister Lasseter was altering course to intercept the newly sighted victim. They found a man of maybe some thirty years, bloated past recognition and there were signs that marine life had been at him more than once. His clothing was as discolored as he was and James Whiting had to turn away to keep from spilling his most recent meal. It took an effort for any of them to keep a hold on the body and the empty sockets of his face proved an unpleasant shock to even the strongest constitution. Still, Mister Lasseter rifled through the man's clothing. The discoveries made from the contents of the pockets revealed much. The coins on his person were entirely of British origin, with some coming from ports found in the Caribbean and others from the British Isles. He was also possessed of a snuff box with the name Edward Parker engraved neatly on the lid. Mister Lasseter's face was grim. "Bad fortune, Mister Parker."

July 18, 1704 - Off the Eastern shore of La Blanquilla Two Bells of the First Dog Watch Covered pails of hot coffee and simple fare went up again to the lookouts who were sheltered only by their rain gear and a makeshift oiled tarp. Ciaran and McGinty excepted the food and drink gratefully, each soberly passing their thanks as they returned to scanning the shores and water off La Blanquilla. Siren, aloft in the Foremast, was more open with her gratitude and Patrick lingered with her awhile aloft. He was not often allowed in the rigging and he was enjoying the privilege. Mister Badger was once again given leave to retire and left the deck as drowned as a cat, barefoot and dripping. Mister Warren , who had taken a hand at the wheel only a short while, followed Mister Badger below deck. They both retired to sleep while sleeping could be had. The Captain and Master-at-Arms stood at the rail along the waist, sometimes watching the longboat and sometimes the shore. Mister Pew recommended that the Captain might like his sword or a pistol, but William just stamped the deck and said, "I am standing on a weapon, Mister Pew." Mister Pew smiled a little. "Aye, Cap'n" "I expect no boarders." he said slowly, his mind and eyes on the shoreline. "Aye, Cap'n. No boarders." "Though, I would not mind the rescue of twenty, strong and able seamen to replenish some of our numbers."

July 18, 1704 - Off the Eastern shore of La Blanquilla Between one and two bells of the First Dog Watch During the next hour the longboat was lowered over the side and it moved out ahead of the frigate with Mister Lasseter on the tiller and Robert Thatcher, Louis Morrell, Christopher Tucker and Jerrod Styles on the oars, along with Claude Marchande, Alan Woodington armed and James Whiting as a lookout forward. They proceeded the Watch Dog by nearly 100 yards and about two points of its starboard bow, scanning the water and shoreline as the went. The rain played off a bit, thinning a little as they went. The air was as still as it had been, blowing in from the East as before. Any sound from La Blanquilla was dulled by the rain and carried away from them by the wind, for they had rounded the island on the North and were head almost due South. 'The White One', as the island was called, was reduced to a grey smear by the elements. As expected in this weather, no fires or lines of smoke appeared anywhere. No sign of life at all was seen anywhere ashore. Back on the Watch Dog, William ordered the sounding of the tenth gun just before the second bell of the watch. The roar of 'His Grace' rolled out over the water and the quiet island. This was answered by the swivel gun on the longboat a few minutes later. "Let us hope they don't mistake that for mere thunder." William said aloud to no one in particular, wondering if anyone had made land.

The majority of the tents there were vendors. Just contact Julie and let her know you want to sell there.