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[Last time...]
No screaming could be heard at that distance but screaming and frantic crying out there had to be...
“Fair enaw ta say th' Keptin got mah message," Galligan said quietly as he watched the terrible scene unfold, “Puir buggers..."
[On-board the Silverton…]
The battle was fierce but short. In the distance, glowing in the sparkling moonlit sea, burned the wreckage of the Grand Bank schooner. By now, almost every man on board was up topside, viewing the spectacle…
“Yo-Ho!” Seaman- Able Seaman Tuna yelled out from the nest, “Longboat comin' in aff uir starboard stern!"
“Cockpit Mate- Midshipman’s Mate Fisky!” The Captain yelled anxiously.
“Aye Sairrr?!”
“Make ready th' winches an' throw doon th' rope ladders!" The Captain instructed as he ran to the starboard side of the bridge and gazed down into the dark night sea. His hands gripped the rail tight and sweat beaded his forehead.
There, a hundred yards out, the heavily laddened longboat quickly cut waters for the Silverton. All able men worked hard on the oars and in the faint glow of the moonlight, the Captain thought he saw a tall, familiar figure at the rudder…
"Furl mah sails! Can it really be heem?!" He whispered under his breath as Fisky busily called out the commands to prepare to bring the boat in.
[Near the Grand Bank schooner…]
The screaming grew faint as the fire and the sea consumed most of the ill-fated crew. Clinging to the wreckage became near impossible as the flames engulfed everything in sight. One by one, the forsaken sailors went under the deep, all except…one.
Pulling strong through the night waters at a measured pace, one lone man swam for shore. A quarter mile of dark sea separated him from the shore of Comoros Island. Anger and spite filled his mind, but also…fear. Now there was no Grand Bank schooner, no crew and no friend ashore on the tiny, isolated atoll...
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"Aldabra is th' world's second-largest coral atoll. (Weel ‘att’s intrestin!) It is situated in th' Aldabra group of islands in th' Indian brine, nears th' ooter islands of th' Seychelles (Weel ahh knows ‘att!)
Historically, th' nam Aldabra was Al-hadra ur Al-khadra (Blatch! Makes up yer minds!), given by Arab seafarers fur th’ atoll’s harsh, sun-baked environment an’ so forth. Thes nam was included in th' Portuguesar maps of th' 16th century (Bloody slavers!). It was visited by Portuguesar navigators in 1511 (lost probly…) Th' islands waur awreddy knoon ta th' Persians an' Arabs, from whom they got their nam. The islain is famous fur its abundance of giant Aldabra turtles…(Turtles?! Weel they’s turtles everywheres…) - Cap'n
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"Ever want ta jist leave aw yer problems an' troobles behin' an' sail th' high seas in search ay hodden silver an' adventure? Weel ye can do jist 'att by joinin' th' crew of th' mighty 'Silverton', a 36 gin frigate of th' Royal Scottish Navy, reit haur oan steems-it an' so forth!"- Keptin
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"If you’re enjoying mah adventure toor,
consider ‘Up-Voting’ mah blog!" –Cap’n
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"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need a private chat with the Captain?" - joshua.slane@aol.com
Reference: Pictures frae www.freeimages.com, www.pexels.com, pixabay.com, steemit.com an’ www.google.com/maps