Before the Mast

KELLY TOIBIN

1. Tell me something about your family - what do you think about them, your fondest memory of them and how has been your relationship with them?

I grew up with a large family. My mum, brothers and sisters, and I all lived with my uncle and his family. I never really knew my father, and when I started working with him at the shipyards, we still didn’t get close. I learned he was a slave, so I wasn’t allowed to associate with him much, less I wanted to go home with him by mistake. I always loved working in the shipyards with my uncle though. I get on well with my siblings and terribly miss my sister. I still remember the loads of trouble Cian and me would get in when we were little ones. We used to go climbing a lot, around the shipyards and some of the trees, though I could never make it very high on trees. I miss those days, when I had more time to play games between work.

Then there’s my own family. My wife and my daughter. Our son didn’t live but for a few moments. I’m grateful Blair ever survived after how ill she was after his birth. I adore her, and as much as I enjoy being out at sea, I do count the days it’s been since I last saw her. She’s the one what taught me as much as I know about reading. I’m sure our daughter’s going to be the sharpest girl her age on Bermuda.

2. What is the one thing you would like to be remembered for after your death?

I just want to be remembered as a good man, if remembered at all. It seems you only hear of the villains in the world—Pirates, barbarians, Campbell. I s’pose I’d rather go not remembered if that’s the other option.

3. How do you spend your free time?

I love a good card game, but if the sun is down and the sky is clear, you’ll likely find me up on deck staring at the sky. I can name most of the constellations up there.

4. What do you find most appealing in a man? Least? But in a woman?

Honesty in a man, especially a fellow sailor. I give you my trust, and I hope for the same in return. Can’t stand a man what lies to make himself better or to avoid what’s coming to him. Least appealing are the selfish sorts. The ones have more than their share and don’t give to those less fortunate simply because it’s theirs. Where’s the harm in giving? There ain’t none.

Women are the most caring people I’ve ever known. They’re the ones when you go ashore that want to make sure you don’t leave again without a whole night’s rest and a full stomach. They’re more thoughtful, have better compassion. But they’re a lot more vain than the men I work with. The rich ones are the worst about it, but I ain’t never met a woman what didn’t fuss about her hair or dresses at some point.

5. What are you proudest of?

My daughter, Abi. I know I’ve not yet met her, but I’m us she’s the most perfect child back home and can’t wait ‘til I’ve gone back for a stay.

6. Which are your goals in life?

Right now, my biggest goal is earning a living to send back home to Blair and Abi. I know my brother is looking after them both in my absence, but I’ve got to be sure they’re alright. I’d love to one day be a carpenter of a ship, and not just the mate. It’d be nice to run my own shipyard, but a man of my heritage has little chance of that, and I love the sea too much to give her up.

7. What is your favorite possession? Why?

I’ve got a rosary that’s been with me nearly my whole life. My mum gave it to me when I was a wee one, and I couldn’t tell you the last time I took it off. It’s one thing I’d never trade.

8. What do you think of the war going on in the Caribbean?

Can’t say I’m a fan, considering its a war, and sailing under an English letter of marque ain’t something I fancy much. I’ll look on the bright side though. I hear Bermuda’s never been better off. Their location has more English ships making stops between here and the homeland, and I’ve heard the shipyards have been kept busy through it. Silver lining in anything if you look close enough, ain’t there?

9. What do you hope and what do you fear for the future?

I hope to continue sailing, though in calmer waters where you don’t have to fear another ship by flags alone—or lack thereof. However, I fear the inevitable. This will never happen. Someone will always be at war with someone else. There will always be pirates out there. I just hope their greed doesn’t destroy the lives built here.

10. What do you think your greatest weakness is?

I’m not so good at writing and reading. I hate trying half the time and always end up asking for help if my mates ain’t too busy. I tend to give up on things too easily when no one’s around to push me.

11. Have you ever been involved in a scandal? A duel, a gossip?

I try to stay out of trouble. There was once I got mistaken for a slave at the docks when I was younger, but it was cleared up rather quick. My uncle said the man was just looking for free labor without taking out three pence to just try to buy me. S’pose I’m lucky he was cheap, and I was in the right company at the time.

12. When have you been the happiest and why?

I tend to go ashore near Kingston a lot, so there’s a post there that holds letters for me. I think the happiest I’d been in a while was getting a letter from Blair that Abi was born and both in good health. After Kieran’s death, I was worried the minute I heard she was pregnant again. It was relieving and celebratory news. Don’t think I’ve ever drank as much in my life!

13. What is the thing that has frightened you the most?

Recently, that hurricane. Not only was I nearly certain I might die, and my mates as well, but I have no idea how Bermuda is faring from it. If they were even hit, my family could be in trouble in some way, and I’m stuck out here trying to fix a damaged ship that’s not even suitable to sail out of a cove yet! I just hope the next time I find myself in Kingston, there’s a letter waiting for me from Blair that everything’s alright.

There was also the time when I was about eight or nine that I was sure I’d lose my leg. I had been playing in the shipyard with Cian and caught a large splinter in my foot while climbing around. My uncle was the one who put it in my head they’d have to chop my foot off! Didn’t think he was joking until my aunt got the thing out and the wound bandaged minutes later.

14. What is the fondest childhood memory you have?

The first time my uncle took me to work with him. I had played in the shipyards for years before that with Cian, and had always had an interest in the sloops. It wasn’t until I actually had permission to climb about them and earn a few pence for it that it became much more exciting. I was small, so I could easily climb through holes, run between workers, and the like without getting in the way. I mostly just fetched ropes and tools at the beginning, but as I got stronger, I got to work more with the sails and later actually helping to build the ships from the skeleton up!

My uncle took each of my brothers to seek jobs at the shipyard at one time or another, so I know it’s nothing special, but I stuck with it. Ill never forget how great it was to get paid doing something I loved. I nearly thought about turning it down, and if we didn’t need the money I would have. Allowing me to work with the sloops was payment enough for me at that time.

15. What do you like most about being a privateer and what you dislike the most? Why and why have you choosen this profession?

There’s a lot more freedom aboard the Shark than I’ve had with merchant ships in the past, yet they’re not a ragtag group of blood thirsty pirates either who’ll kill any bloke what comes aboard maybe with change in his pocket. I’ve heard navy ships have much stricter captain’s, and I believe it from some of the men I’ve met ashore who sail with naval ships. I suppose I just love how differently it’s ran. Never on a ship I sailed with before would a captain ask for any sailor’s opinion on matters. I’m not a fan that we’re at the British Navy’s beck and call. I know the letter of marque is what gives us the freedom I like so much, but if my uncle found out I was working in some way for the navy, he’d likely disown me in a minute.

I love sailing, and I love traveling. It’s why I got into contracting with merchant ships to begin with. However, the war slowed trade down. At least in Bermuda I had heard that they were mostly just building ships now. That was nice, but not the life for me. I got a bit desperate for work, I admit, when in Kingston, that I was happy to sign up for work on any honest ship that would have me.

16. What does Dino do that annoys you?

She’s lazy and procrastinates. She’s too easily distracted also. It’s annoying. If I had to work with her, I couldn’t bear it. Just trying to hold her interest for longer than five minutes to get something done is an almost unbearable task.

17. What characteristic of Dino’s do you wish you had?

Wish I was as quick a learner. Or just as eager to learn. The thought of schooling bores me unless I see a use for it right then. Dino just goes to the library and grabs any random book from the nonfiction section and learns it. Always has a conversation starter at least.

18. How do you imagine Dino would fare in your life?

Dino knows her way around carpentry and stage rigging, but she wouldn’t last a day in my shoes. Even if she knew more, she’s too much afraid of ships and the open ocean to not kill herself with panic alone! And she’s a terrible climber, wouldn’t make it two feet up a mast.

Click on the photo to read the whole Chronicle!

boatporn:I think this is the old Pride of Baltimore.

“Shipmates! Whom are you trying to kill? The one who has been feeding us when our acting captain didn’t give a damn that we were starving?” another topman voiced loudly, and a chorus approved him, while the master gunner gave Black a piece of his mind, receiving all kind of approvals afterwards.

„Who knows if he hasn’t robbed us of a part of the latest prize, the one he had divided? And the money he is saving with no careening and tormenting this poor lad instead, only because he speaks too little English in order to complain, where does it go?” other accusations started flying.

As they got caught in the loud blowing up of steam, they didn’t pay anymore attention to Kevin, who ran to the bow and signalled the brig to approach them. On his way, he saw the powder monkeys bringing several weapons to the sailors. Only one spark was missing to really start the mutiny. And Black was mad enough to light it. Soon…

He hoped he had gambled well on Sharky.

The acting captain was blinking in disbelief when half of the ship crew got to his throat – well, the master gunner litterally, and the others with their flying accusations, most of them untrue. This hurted more than the damn knife. He had only one life, and he preferred it taken by an enemy, not by a shipmate, but still, his life was only the one at sea since he had lost everything in the damn fire…

”Did I eat more than you? We are not on a damn Navy ship where the captain and the officers have their own pantry, you have seen everything. I know we are hungrier than usual, but once arrived in Nassau, things will change. Damn cannonball falling where it shouldn’t have! And the quartermaster might stand witness of my probity as regards the shares!”

Of course he could stand witness, if not recently wounded in the battle. Unfortunately, now he was too feverish to do it. As concerns the careening, well, this was a bit different, he had made some savings indeed… but was it so unusual? Of course he wouldn’t admit it openly… and surely the quartermaster and captain Ashton had theirs too.

Cutlasses were drawn and the accusations few all over, but Robert Black’s heart started beating differently when other men voiced in his favour. Of course this was mutiny and drawing the weapon against a superior onboard, and they would pay…

Under the public pressure, the Irishman backed off, taking his weapon from the man’s throat, not without a last accusation:

”As long as the officers don’t have a better food than the last cabin boy or powder monkey, your accusations can’t stand! I am in charge over the ship and its crew, not over the bad luck following us!” he steamed, but in the next moment he received a fist in his face, sending him flying .

”Bloody Irishman, you’ll pay for it!” he grumbled.

Kevin and Neil were both worried about Sharky, each one for his own reason. If Neil knew that his friend could dive and stay enough time under water, his too long absence made him worry for his life and his health. What if he hadn’t tied him loose enough, and he couldn’t free himself properly? Yes, he was no more tied to the keelhauling rope, but still… what if something went wrong?

Meanwhile, hell went loose aboard. Not that he regretted one moment his fellow countryman’s move at Black’s throat, the bastard fully deserved it, and he had the nerve to protest that as long as he didn’t eat anything else than the others… but how could they know about the money, if he didn’t hide any from them? And such disinterest on his crewmates… was inqualifiable. Jack Kildare was right, if they wanted a Navy life, they would have remained in the Navy.

A boy was giving weapons, and he got a cutlass too, which he took by instinct, while still following with big eyes the position of those who dessisted the mutiny.

”Yes, it is against the articles indeed, but his behaviour of a slave – driver isn’t against the articles? We are all free men!” he bursted.

In the meantime, Kevin was worried about Sharky too, but his concern was a more calculated one. What if he was wrong and the critter got killed in the process? Had he gambled on the wrong card? He hoped the man got angry enough to kill the first mate… but it seemed the killing one was the master gunner. And what were their damn crewmates from the prize ship doing? Why weren’t they joining them as per the signals made?

Much to his dismay, Kildare didn’t get through with his threat, contenting himself only to punch the man, who had told them that he wasn’t responsible for anything else than the ship. Well, Kevin had another opinion about this matter.

”Yes, indeed, you aren’t in charge of the bad luck… You are our bad luck! Something like this had never happened when Captain Ashton was with us,” Kevin said, while still giving a hand to the unlucky acting captain to help him get up.

Irrespective who would win, nobody could say that Kevin had done anything against that specific side. He had taken his precautions in this matter.

That very moment, the pirates in the brig started singing and stomping… of course they had an idea what was happening there. Mutinies had happened aboard pirate ships too. The prisoners were still only a few. What if…? He might try this thing too. If not Sharky, then the pirates might kill Black… but this was still riskier.

Neil breathed alleviated when he saw Sharky getting aboard, close to the place where he was:

”I am glad to see you again!” he smiled at his friend. ”Your delay was worrying me.”

Kevin didn’t notice him, neither the others who were caught in the unrest.

Robert Black had his pride in tatters when the crazy Irishman’s punch got him packed over the coils, and the men kept yelling at him and calling him slave-driver and other related names. While trying to get up again, the acting captain had heard the pirates, and his mood got worse. Now, after his own crew, the prisoners tried to mutiny too! What kind of mad ship was he commanding, after all?

The boatswain’s mate gave him a helping hand, but once back on his feet, Black had to endure his accusations too… that he was the back luck of the ship. He knew what it meant – if the superstitious sailors got convinced of it, he would lose their respect completely. Not that he was far from it…

He hadn’t noticed the signals to the other ship, which was doing its manoeuvres to approach „Fate’s Hand”, but he noticed how Sharky had appeared, free, aboard. It was his prerrogative of an acting captain to protest at the way his boatswain and the people he had chosen had performed the keelhauling:

”I have only idiots on my ship! You have carried on the punishment incorrectly, it should be done again properly, nothing to tear the rope!” he told to Kevin Price. ”And your mother is bad luck, not me, who am sailing for almost as long as you are!” he bursted again, red of rage.

”You do it correctly if you want to! And I am not as idiot as not to recognise the bad luck guy when I see one!” Kevin answered.

In that very moment, a piercing, deadly harpoon found its way between the two of them, who were now both standing close to the main mast, and nailed the ill-fated acting captain of the „Fate’s Hand” to the mast. Sharky’s aim had been accurate, and blood stained Mr. Black’s clothes. He had still the eyes wide open in disbelief, and the accusing, order-barking and scolding mouth silenced forever.

The mutineers ovationed. The Oriental man had done what they had wished for and never got the nerve to actually do it.

”Thank you, Sharky, you have avenged us all!” one of them said.

Neil was also thinking about an avenging banshee, or rather more a sluagh. He was the only one who actually knew what to expect, because he had heard from Sharky what he had done to the Spaniard who had crossed him. But he didn’t want the scene to turn into something worse than it had already happened..

”Sharky, you have avenged us all. Nobody has to be next. We are your friends and we don’t hold it against you. You did what we have been too coward to do,” he admitted on a friendly tone.

Against better judgement, he admired the man who had taken a clear stance when everybody else, including himself, somehow broken after the years in the Navy, hadn’t. And now, he was feeling easier, as if a big rock had been taken out of his heart.

Kevin looked at the scene, smirking lightly. Yes, he had made the right choice when being on the Oriental man’s side, he had done a good job and nobody could have said, a few minutes before, that he had been involved in any way.

”The one who had ordered your punishment is dead. We are the ones who made everything possible that you survived it, so nobody is your enemy here,” he tried to reason with the topman.

Then, looking at the corpse nailed on the mast, and at the men men who had stated before they were on the late first mate’s side, he asked them simply and matter-of-factly:

”What should we do with him? Who is willing to take the deceased from here and sew him into the hammock?”

artissimo:Swallow Book 5

II. Keelhauling

The acting captain was already steaming angry when that little critter, more of a monkey than a man, came and brazenly asked him why he needed him.

”You are slacking with the removing of barnacles, the ship is slower than a snail!” he snapped. ”You are losing precious time bringing the barnacles up to the cook… no more eating barnacles! The feast is over, go back to work! And if the boatswain’s mate is unable to supervise you that you are properly doing your duty, I will do it since now on, making sure that all the barnacles are removed quickly and that we arrive safely to Nassau with our prize! Go back to work, NOW!” he yelled.

”Damn, these Asian monkeys, exactly like the Negro slaves, know only of yelling and menaces in order to keep working,” he thought.

In his broken English, Sharky had explained professionally and logically about the difference in the two ships’ construction, with the related advantages and disadvantages of draft dimensions and displacement. But Robert Black was too angry now to see the man’s obvious reason, and Doc’s intervention, recommending him to take care and warning him about hell and „grinding this crew into the ground and the entire ship with it” added oil to the fire.

”Everybody got allied against me now? That’s mutiny, and it is punished by the articles! Doc, with all respect, step out of this mess! And I’ll make this lot of rabble to obey if you don’t encourage their defiance!”

His authority was challenged by his own men… unthinkable! The acting captain was already red with fury and trembling. He took a deep breath and, seeing that the sailor was still refusing to dive, explaining that it was too dangerous, he bursted out:

”This is insubordination, on top of criminal negligence and whatever you have done up to now. Price, tie him up, gather a bunch of men to the ropes and keelhaul him, to be an example for everybody!”

He didn’t have to ask the quartermaster – who was conveniently on the other ship – to approve the punishment. He wanted it here and now, to be an example for all the crew, and nobody ever to dare disobeying an order.

”Rogers, pipe all hands on deck… to witness the punishment!” he turned to the other boatswain’s mate.

Seeing that Price was still hesitating, Robert Black shouted:

”Damn, bossun’s mate, do your job or keep him company under the barnacles’ caress, you choose!”

Both Neil and Kevin shuddered, in their own way, when they heard about keelhauling – Kevin more, as he had been directly threatened to join the convicted in his punishment. They knew what it meant. If Neil had only met one man who had been keelhauled and had nasty scars to show, on his wrists, arms and back, Kevin, in his thirty years at sea, had seen a couple of times how it was done… and he had heard stories about enough men who died eaten by sharks or drowned in such circumstances.

Neil wasn’t worried about Sharky drowning, because he definitely could dive… but more scars besides the ones the damn Spaniards had inflicted to him? And what if he dies of fever after these new wounds? Or, if bleeding, what if the sharks come while he is tied and unable to defend himself? And, first and utmost, WHY? He had done nothing wrong… Was Black as black-hearted as the Spaniards, or even worse?

He threw Kevin a troubled gaze, almost asking for his help, and the man winked to him. He was definitely up to something.

…How could the Welshman not feign obedience when he saw that the devil had taken the first mate’s mind? But in his so many years with the privateers, Kevin had never seen such a blatant infringement of the articles directly from the acting captain. And if he got taught a lesson or not… the boatswain’s mate didn’t care anymore. An old seaman can take only as much offence and injustice as he already got. This was the proverbial straw breaking the camel’s back! Besides, the young foreigner had made his point clear, it was no negligence, it was only Black’s delirious madness!

He asked for three men’s help to immobilize Sharky, one of them being specifically Neil, who came, thinking again about the previous wink. One of the sailors stripped the unfortunate victim of clothing, while others passed a rope under the ship, from port to starboard. While he tied the topman’s hands, he made sure to slip his own sailor’s knife into Sharky’s right hand, then he checked the rope, asking Neil to tie his feet together.

Everything was done on purpose. Neither the hand binding, nor the feet were tight, by contrary, they would allow Sharky to move once thrown into the water. And what could a man do with a knife and with a heart thirsty for revenge, it was to be seen. Certainly the blood – anybody’s blood – wouldn’t be on the boatswain mate’s hands, he had washed up like Pilat in the Bible.

”Now the fate’s hand be with the ship and her crew!” the Welshman prayed silently, in his own way.

Just when he thought the matter would be settled once for good and everybody would return to their duties without any more comments, the master gunner had the nerve to confront him.

”Kildare, see your own guns and gunners, I had nothing to say about your skills and business, so don’t interfere in mine! You did damn well helping us to catch the brig as a prize, but please back off when it doesn’t concern you! Who the hell are you to tell me how to run my ship and how daft can a monkey man be?” he said, on a less yelling tone than before, but still red in the face and on the brink of apoplexy.

The last thing he needed was the doctor’s insult that it was an “idiocy” and the crazy Irishman’s attempt to undermine his authority. When the master gunner tried to intervene with the boatswain’s mate and the others who were tying Sharky, asking them to let him loose, Black couldn’t take it anymore.

”I am sure you aren’t willing to join him under the keel!” he stepped closer to the master gunner. ”This is the punishment for insubordination and rebellious attitude… and who doesn’t carry out my orders immediately will have the same fate!” he warned the men who were finishing the preparations to toss the topman overboard.

He didn’t care about the men’s rage. Without discipline properly enforced, chaos was starting to reign aboard. And this couldn’t be tolerated!

Obviously the devil had taken the first mate’s mind, there was no other explanation to what was happening. And the poor innocent victim, with his little knowledge of English… what could he understand from all the commotion? His trusting dark eyes were breaking Neil’s heart. At least the carpenter’s mate hoped Kevin had really something up.

When Neil had approached to tie his legs, as instructed, he noticed Kevin’s quick move and the loose hand ties, understanding exactly why he had been chosen and what was expected from him.

When the other Irishman he respected, the master gunner, approached them, asking them to cut Sharky loose, Neil was the first one who would have wanted to, but Black’s explosion of rage and subsequent threats had curbed his intention. Well, if he remembered well Sharky’s words from some time ago, he had killed a Spanish first mate with a harpoon. Maybe he had something for this crazy one too, because he had overpassed any limit!

Kevin had selected the men meant to haul the man out and pull him, to be sure that no one betrays when they feel the rope getting loose. There was always the possibility that the rope would snap while rubbing against the keel, so nobody would suspect any foul play in this respect. They tossed poor Sharky overboard with more attention than others would have done it, and not before Neil whispered to him a sort of encouragement, accompanied by a brief handshake:

”I know you can resist now, Sharky, and you see that he is no better than the other first mate you have told me about…”

He hoped this was what Kevin had been thinking too.

”Don’t pull too fast, boys!” the boatswain’s mate said, but then the acting captain intervened immediately:

”Price, why are you twisting my orders? Pull him out quickly enough to survive! I don’t want him dead, who would do his job both in the rigging and under the hull otherwise?”

If a keelhauling victim who wasn’t in Sharky’s more advantageous situation now was pulled too slowly, he would drown, but if he was pulled too quickly, he would undoubtedly hit the barnacles-covered keel, being severely cut, which might attract sharks. And this last part was exactly what Kevin and the others were trying to avoid.

The boatswain’s mate had piped all hands on deck, and while Sharky got tossed overboard, the acting captain took a deep breath and said loudly:

”This is for everybody to see and learn! Who doesn’t obey orders and doesn’t want to do his duties properly, will share this man’s fate and be keelhauled! We are in wartime, and criminal negligence is as harshly punished as rebellious disobedience.”

Who did they think they were… all of them, to stand against him? He took another deep breath, as the fury had clouded both his mind and his vision, and focused on those who were pulling the man under the keel. They were doing their job properly, as far as he could see, even if one of them had thrown a puzzled glance to the boatswain’s mate, who had nodded approvingly. Probably that one was doing it for the first time, he thought.

”He will be right ready for you, Doc, when pulled out. You may coddle him as much as you want, but only until tomorrow morning, when I want him working again!” he said on the same determined tone, looking then forward, to the brig with which „Fate’s Hand” was supposed to keep the pace… and it wasn’t.

Soon Robert Black found himself with the crazy Irishman’s dagger at his throat, and having to bear his insults.

What was worse, when the master gunner started to list his complaints – starting with the hunger and the Navy-like treatments – was the chorus of cursing approvals he received, or even other similar interventions, and only a few were siding with him.

When Doc had admonested Kildare that he shouldn’t behave like a pirate either, the acting captain got his bearings and answered on his usual, defiant tone:

”You are all mad to behave like this! Strong discipline didn’t harm anyone, by contrary, it has made the ship to function properly. And starving… all of us are, I am not to blame that the damn swallow of a pirate brig is worth its name and has almost raked us.”

Then, at his threat that anyone else might be keelhauled for these insufferable offences, Doc pointed that the ship needed him and his skills in order to save the wounded and those who got ill because of malnutrition, while Doc didn’t need this particular ship. But would he find another ship to employ him after being made to obey a captain’s orders? His temper and his blood pressure rose anew, and he barely succeeded to yell:

”I don’t need anyone of you! You need me to sail this ship to Nassau and bring you the prize, to keep order aboard and not let chaos intervene! And if you behave like unruly pirates, like unruly pirates you’ll be punished!”

He had never expected his men to turn against him.

Kevin started to worry when he pulled and pulled and still felt Sharky’s weight. Was this man as stupid as some believed him to be? He didn’t believe it, but if he had a knife in his hand and he didn’t free himself up with it…

His worries suddenly dissipated when he felt the rope light-weighted in his hand. The man on the other side turned to him with a puzzled look and asked:

”What the hell…?”

”Nothing wrong, keep doing your duty!” the boatswain’s mate answered on an even, professional tone, but exactly then the master gunner turned to him, asking to pull Sharky back and having his dagger at Black’s neck.

”Too late, lad!” he thought, but he answered instead, submissively: ”Right away!”, after which he feigned pulling him out.

”The rope has snapped, cut by barnacles, it seems!” he looked helplessly.

The old fox was good at looking innocent when needed…

harvestheart:Sailing the Ocean Blue

Meet Jay Smithe, the privateer captain, played by Ren and having Russell Crowe as playby! Click on the photo to learn about his election…

Jay stood with the others, and eyes turned to look at him.

Dressed as usual in his fine blue jacket with gold thread he already looked a captain, but till now that had always just been his ‘colourful vibrant ways’, it was different now they were all assessing him for his worth.

He hadn’t thought to be a Captain, quite the opposite, he liked his own world of instruments and maps, of time keeping and order, but he also knew his ‘wayward side’ of gambling and drink could get him into serious trouble, and as Captain, that trouble would rub off on the ship he manned.

He was nervous, but also excited; to be a Captain would give him strong bargaining power with the men he owed money too, after all what better capital than a ship!

Jay looked back at those gazing at him, and smiled at some he knew better, lifting his eyebrows with a telling smile. His own choice would have been Price, after all, the men trusted the man, and Jay would have no problems taking orders from him, but Price had no wish to stand, and Jay had no objections to it, infact as it was spoken outloudly now, he found he actually hoped to be voted in.

(Source: whiskerbaskets)

star-cunning:Now that is a turned-on face if ever I saw one.

Click on the photo to meet the privateer Edmund Walker, played by Izotz, having as playby Paul Bettany!

An interesting character, with flaws which make him more real and closer to us, and with a tumultuous past - a friend worth having aboard the “Twilight Shark”!

Click on the photo to meet Jay, the privateer sailing master and soon to be captain of the “Twilight Shark”. He has as playby Russell Crowe, and he is played by Ren.

Herebelow is the link to the election thread, ongoing:

http://z7.invisionfree.com/BeforeTheMast/index.php?showtopic=3036

(Source: tuulikki)