⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵...(Tour of "High Island")...
[Last times...]
“No. And not colonist either.” One of the warriors assured.
“They must be from the great canoe we have seen downstream of de Orleans.” The Chief said quietly as he thought, “The great canoe must have something valuable in her for them to be entering the French city.”
“Shall we follow the strangers' canoes into town?”
“No. We will not make our presence known just yet. Gather the warriors in the longhouse. I will not let the great canoe pass!”
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[On-board the Silverton, later that night...]
Too sleepy to fish any longer, Boy Tipper wound up jade hook and minnow and got up off the forecastle deck and dusted himself off…
“Come oan Doug, let's gang tae scratcher. Night Sairrrs!" He said drowsily as he trudged off.
“Guid night loon. Sleep tight, dornt lit th' scratcher bugs bite!" Petty Officer – Coxswain Andofzara replied with a smile.
Tipper fiddled with his fishing pole and hooked his line into the cork handle as he stepped off the forecastle steps and onto the main deck. Dog ‘Doug’, wistfully followed him as he made his was along the portside rail.
Suddenly Doug stopped in his tracks, holding his nose to the air and emitting a low, menacing growl!
“Och, come oan Doug! Ahh’m tay wabbit tae play games now…" Tipper said as he reached down to grab Doug’s collar and lead him on.
But the big bulldog was not to be budged as he growled even louder, wafting his nose from side to side and showing his teeth.
“Blye me yoo're an ornery cuss tonight mucker! What's th' matter with ye?" Tipper said as he cocked his head and bent down to look at the dog.
Suddenly, out of no where, a strong arm groped over the rail and caught the boy by his arm!
“Hey! What's thes?! Tipper blurted as he spun himself around towards the rail!
Before he could realize what had happened he found himself falling headlong into the river, in a deadly, vice-like grasp of an unseen enemy! Dog ‘Doug’ was growling and barking in deep bellowing agitation as he stood on his hind legs and stretched his head far over the rail. The ruckus caught the ear of Seaman- Gunsmith Endrikdegrote who was on watch at the starboard rail. He turned and quickly walked across the main deck..
“Thaur noo dug, whit is it?!" He said as he instinctively put his hand on the stock of his musket.
Just then, Andofzara came jogging down the steps to see what the commotion was…
“What's goin’ oan?! Where's th' loon Tipper?!" He called out.
“Huvnae seen heem. But th' dug was growlin' an' barkin' loch he'd seen th' Brine Witch herself!" Endrikdegrote replied uneasily.
“Look!” Junior Petty Officer - Carpenter's Mate Aissez-faire yelled from the forecastle, “A canoe wi' fife men headin' fur shair fest!"
Instinctively, Endrikdegrote cocked back the hammer on his musket and threw it to his shoulder!
“Nae! Dornt shoot! They might hav th' loon!" Andofzara yelled as he lunged forward, grabbing the barrel of the musket and pushing it skyward!
“Whit dae we dae Sairrr?!" Aissez-faire yelled as he ran down the steps and onto the main deck.
“Go down to the bunkroom and check the boy’s bed!”
“Aye Sairrr!”
As Aissez-faire disappeared down the galley stairs, Andofzara breathed heavily as he grabbed the portside rail with an iron grip…
“God damned those savages! Comin' reit up tae th' Silverton withoot a soond!” He cursed.
“Laird help me if they've got th' loon!” Endrikdegrote lamented as he watched the canoe quickly disappear into the darkness...“It was mah watch..."
⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵
Vocab fur lainlubbers:
afair (before)
avast (stop what you're doing)
ben (through)
canty (happy)
canny (careful)
enaw (enough)
fa (who)
gey (very)
hiner (hope)
hodden (cheap, common)
keek (look, swatch)
lain (land)
mucker (mate)
mukker (friend)
nae (no)
onie (any)
puir (poor)
radge (dangerous)
sleekit (sly)
strange (strong)
two bells into First Watch (9:00pm)
uir (our)
whit (what)
yin (one)
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"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need a private chat with the Captain?" - Skelp th' 'Reply' button!"
References: Pictures from: www.freeimages.com, www.pexels.com, pixabay.com, steemit.com an’ www.google.com/maps. Data loosely interpretted froms: Wikipedia, an' sometimes finely crafted reit from th' author's extensiff personal experience an' such.
Might be a good move NOT to shoot and let them go unharmed as it may be considered an act of a 'Civilized' people by my experience, as th' Bluudy Raven, and may weight well with the Chief's counsel that our Captain is just as a man of peace as a Warrior. Stay alert Endrikdegrote, but make sure they know, that we also know, but won't fire unless necessary.
"Wise cooncil Lass!" -Keptin