William Brand

Captain Brand was not content to simply watch things unfold anymore than anyone else was. He had joined the deck mob employed at the rails rallied there to bring the cutter's cargo aboard ship. No man looked at or spoke of the Lucy as a lost ship, for there was portent and weight in too much talk, so misgivings were self absorbed. For the moment, William was just another able body amidships following his own orders as they came through Jim. Mister Warren was orchestrating the whole crew with the quick rapidity of combat requirements but with no less calm then a dock boss on an afternoon. For now, everything was ferrying, lifting, hauling and stowing. They might have been at anchor, but for the threat of more rain on approach. This was a time of orders and order, but for one sneak-thief who pocketed a penny or two while others worked. He slipped among the swinging, but empty hammocks and pilfered a coin here, and a trinket there, careful not to take so much that they might be noticed. Smiling to think how he might drift so quietly away at Trinidad and home again. His humble ransacking done, he slipped among the rank and file of the decks unchecked by any man.

Yay! Cheered me up at the end of a very long day.

It doesn't make him look lazy. It makes him look devoted, or even obsessed. Working, eating and now sleeping aboard the Luna.

Tease. Best of luck in making the event.

And if you can get it fresh during the growing season there...

Everyone should have a breakfast from Jerusalem at least once. Lot's of fresh vegetables, fruit and cheeses.

I've been her for almost seven years and should see another seven unless Stynky turns off the lights.

Ouch. You'll be missed, but I'll take as many pictures as I can, so you won't miss everything.

We're with the military groups near the gate, but I don't know who will be there Thursday. I would like the Mercury set up in a circle open on one side or an open square if possible, with all tents facing into the middle for a shared fire, so once Darrell or someone else from the fort shows you the spot, try to imagine the best setup towards whatever avenue we face. I don't remember the table, but I'm sure we could use it. Thank you. I'll make sure we get some boxes. Someone else will have to answer that. I don't know who's bringing what for cooking.

Ohhh very nice. Grand work, Bo, and thank you. I managed to pick up a little, portable writing desk and this will fit with some of my new chart stuff perfectly.

Let me know the price on those as well. Anything to help you with travel money and fill up a few gaps in my kit.

Well, feel free to make more of that style. I'd love choices and I'll probably take a pair. Do you think you could fabricate a pair of dividers for use on a map? Styles vary, so I'm just looking for function over form.

Sorry, but I've wanted a striker for ever so long and that's the one I like. Bo, will you be making any more worms and strikers?

Save aside the topmost 'striker' for me and let me know the price. I'll have to ponder on the linstock.

The picture doesn't do it justice.

This is an excerpt from a piece written by James Johnson. Unfortunately, the article did not contain citations. "Some of the Caribbean Pirates seemed genuinely concerned about religion. Few people realise that Captain William Kidd was the son of a Scottish missionary and donated a significant portion of his profits to found the Trinity Church in New York. He felt he was blessed by God and should return what he had been given. Captain "Black" Bart Roberts wore a red waist coat and a gold chain with a diamond studded cross. He established a code as to how everybody should be treated and was adamantly opposed to slavery, feeling that God created all men as equals. God, or some one, certainly looked after him as he officially sunk 479 ships in less than 19 months, more than any three other pirates combined! He said he lived a short but happy life. Even the feared Franois L'Ollonais, the pirate who reportedly ate a beating, bleeding, human heart wanted the blessings of God. He went to Martinique and persuaded a Catholic priest to come on board and bless the crew. Unfortunately, one crew member wasn't impressed and interrupted the service, causing L'Ollonais to pull out a pistol and shoot the crew member, throwing the body overboard, threatening to send anybody else to meet their maker, and asking the priest to pardon the interruption."

Light? Innocent? Understatements for effect.

There are some obvious objects, like jugs, ship's rigging, etc. Typical of a maritime painting. The white object in the foreground is most likely a 'bale' of textiles or soft goods. The rest appear to be passenger trunks and shipping trunks more than any true sea chests. I like the barrels. They have a very interesting cross timber on the ends that you don't see that often in paintings of this kind.

I think people were fired after the Vasa. People most certainly were fired. A ship is a machine of so many variables. Having poured over my share of draughts over the years I have learned just how vulnerable a ship is to leaks. There are simply too many pieces all pinned together. The keel alone is made up of so many separate parts, that the failure of any one piece can cause cascading problems throughout the whole ship. The swelling and contracting of wood on a ship creates exponential issues once weight and wear become factors at sea. Take for instance the Batavia that was said to carry 180 feet of Scandinavian pine for her mainmast. That's over 15 tons of wood resting on the keel. Pick the wrong piece of wood for the mast step and 'so long, ship'. When you begin to consider the sheer numbers involved and the many different tangible forces working for, with and against a ship, travel by sea becomes quite a gamble. Insurance brokers in Europe certainly thought so. It's ever so important to know the shipwright before and a good carpenter ever after. This is why it's important for re-enactors to know that they can't feasibly play a crew of 1710, sailing a ship of 1650. You don't brave the sea in an antique. You trade up and you trade often.

Aye. They preyed on Spanish wagon trains and their grog was watered down a bit...having been only...water.

Well, in the event that you want to be pickled or brined, there is a copper tub in Christine's old room.

I'll send a lad to fetch a suitable reed to act as straw and we'll lay down a bale or two to catch you once you've finished your drink.

I know, I know. I'm an anomaly, but it can't hurt to ask from time to time.

Raise a glass!

Upon request.