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[Last time...]
“Drop the sail cloth! Hold your arms up high, all of you!” Asif ordered as he too slowly raised his arms and stared hard at the slow approach of the big frigate.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[On the Silverton…]
From the forward forecastle, the voice of Boy- Andofzara rang out…
“They's surrenderin' Sairrr! They's aw got they’s hans up!" he called out to Petty Officer- Coxswain Ickied.
“So they is!” Ickied confirmed as he stepped up on the port rail and gazed across the lagoon, “Fisky Sairrr! They’s surrenderin’!”
Hearing the news, Fisky relayed the word to the Captain…
“Ahh thooght a wee bit o’ iron conversation woods brin' them aroond!" He said as he turned towards Commander Galligan, “Take fife good men an' a longboat an' brin' 'att Dhow alongside!”
“Aye Sairrr!”
Leaving the bridge, Galligan called out the names of five men…
"Petty Officer- Coxswain Ickied, Seaman- Carpenter’s Crew Evsup,
Seamen Landsman –Inoy, Ehey an’ Agpielover! Man-up a longboat an' make ready tae shove aff! Muskets an' swords!"
The crew scurried into action and in a moment the six men were down into the water and pulling hard for the Arabian Dhow…
[On the Dhow…]
“Abdul, quickly, drop the bag of silver over the starboard side!” Asif ordered.
“Two hundred ounces of silver?! Into the lagoon sir?!” Abdul questioned.
“The water is shallow here and we know the spot! If those Scottish infidels find it, we’ll lose it all!”
“Aye Sir!”
And with that, Abdul pulled the heavy black bag out from under the bulkhead and casually slid it over the side of the Dhow, opposite to the Silverton. With a slight splash, it quickly went to the bottom, some twelve feet below.
“Here they come! No more moving…hands in the air!” Asif ordered his men.
[On the Silverton…]
Things were as exciting as they could get on-board, and Boy Tipper wasn’t going to miss any of it! He quickly climbed the foremast ratlines with his scope, hoping to get a better view. Securing his legs in the webbing, he slid open his scope and bore down on the Dhow. Two men seemed to be at the stern, one tall and one shorter and stockier. Suddenly, the shorter man pulled up a small bag from his feet and carefully held it outside his right leg. Tipper watched with great curiosity as the bag slipped over the backside gunwhale of the Dhow and into the lagoon!
“Glory Bee! The skully swins ur dumpin’ booty!” He whispered excitedly to himself, “Ahh've got tae teel th' Keptin!"
Like a Patas monkey, Tipper scurried down the ratlines and jumped onto the forecastle deck, racing for the stairs!
[In the longboat…]
“Ickied, Evsup! Git yer muskets up an' levelled! We cannae troost these rogues!” Galligan barked as he eyed the Dhow carefully.
“Aye Sairrr!” “Aye, aye!”
As the longboat drew closer to the Dhow, the shapes and expressions of the Arab traders became visible…
“Ahh dornt think Ahh've ever seen an Arabian!" Inoy said quietly as he pulled on his oar.
“Weel yoo'll see plenty o’ them taday mucker, up-close an' friendly like!" Agpielover said.
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"Ratlines, pronoonced "rattlin's" (what did Ahh jist say?!), ur lengths o' thin line tied atween th' shroods o' a sailin' ship tae form a ladder. Foond oan aw squaur rigged ships, whose crews might gang aloft tae stow th' squaur sails, they also appear oan larger fore-and-aft rigged vessels tae aid in repairs aloft ur conduct a look-oot from above. Lower coorses in a ratline ur aftin made o' slats o' wood (battens) fur support whaur th' distance atween shroods is greatest. These wooden boards ur called rat-boards. Knots hav' bin tied in ratlines at leest as early as th' first quarter ay th' last century. Noo git yer skinny arses up thaur an' have a look aroond!" 😄 -Keptin
"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need a private chat with the Captain?" - joshua.slane@aol.com
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