Captain’s Tale

Yes, don’t worry. I know that Jaquette translates to ‘Jacket.’ But I just came up with the name out of sheer boredom. Hey, it’s what you get from watching too many pirate movies! ;)

The fog band rolled on along the shore of South America. It was an unnatural fog, at which couldn’t be compared with any in the past 20 years. Out of the looming behemoth rowed a dingy. Aboard were 6 men, Frenchmen of all people. Their ship had been sunk by the English, these were the soul survivors. As they rowed toward the dark shoreline, one man stood up, dressed in a dark long coat, with a 3 pointed hat, like those of the English. He wore dark mustache on his chin, more like a goatee. His face was thin, his dark hair drawing a light to his face. His eye squinted in the fog, trying to locate the shore line. The man’s name was Captain Francis Jaquette.

He was an able bodied captain, a privateer in the French navy. The king of France had given him a ship, which Jaquette christened ‘St. Louis‘ after the feast of the saint which the ship was given him. The king of France had given his personal approval for Jaquette to sail the known seas, to the very ends of the Americas, in order to raid the English settlements and shipping routes. Earlier that same month, when journey across the cold Atlantic ocean, they came upon a English Merchant vessel, they took it with ease, and since on board there were women and children, traveling to their husbands and fathers in the English colonies, Jaquette allowed them passage, that is, after disarming the vessel after several shots. He was a good man, and leader, beloved by his men. This enabled him to sail anywhere, without the fear of mutiny. Eventually arriving in the Gulf of Mexico, he proceeded to attack another English vessel, but it was well armed with its hidden cannons. The fight was fierce, and lasted into the night. It was then that Jaquette and the remaining 5 men boarded the dingy, and sailed from the burning, ‘St. Louis.’

The men rowed tirelessly, even the Captain did his share, until they had escaped the clutches of the ruthless English. They had very little food, and barely any water. But they sailed on for three long days at sea. Finally, they had reached a fog bank. Jaquette didn’t know much about the South American continent, but he knew that the Spaniards were settled there, and that they could get supplies from the Spanish, who would be glad to assist those who were enemies of the hated English. The fog was also a sign that land was near, and the cry of gulls grew louder with every few feet they rowed. At last Captain Jaquette saw the dark outline of the shore. And commanded his ‘crew’ to head towards it.

When they reached the beach, Jaquette was the first man to leap from the dingy, wading through the breaking waves. He stepped onto the deserted beach, turning to help his men drag the boat ashore. After they had done so, the Captain recommended that they give a prayer of thanks to God and the Blessed Virgin for sparing their lives from the English. The Captain knelt, and the other followed his lead. Jaquette pulled out his rosaries, and led his men through each mystery. When they were finished Jaquette stood up. He ordered 4 of the men to fetch some firewood, while he and the other who remained, Louis Montey, stayed on the beach to guard the dingy. The captain headed towards the dingy, and beckoned Louis to follow. Having reached the boat, Captain Jaquette reached into a hidden pocket within his jacket, and pulled out an old and weather worn map. He unrolled it onto the seat of the boat, and pulled out a compass. “Judging from out last known position,” he looked over the map, “I would say that we are here,” the captain pointed his index finger to the Northern coast of Yucatan. Jaquette had no writing instrument with him, so he simply rubbed tip of his finger on the hammer of his pistol, collecting a sediment of burnt powder on his finger nail. He then made a small, firm ‘X’ on the spot where he had assumed they landed.

Having done so, Jaquette then rolled up the map, placing it back into the pocket of his over coat. After about fifteen minutes, the rest of the small crew returned carrying with them some firewood. Jaquette then ordered the men to build a large fire, hoping to attract a ship or some nearby Spanish, (They were on the Spanish Main, and didn’t have much to fear from the English.) Jaquette order a shift of a watch, he nobly volunteered himself to go first. Soon they had a pleasant fire going, and the men quickly fell into a deep sleep, tired from the long shifts of rowing. Jaquette sat by the fire, is pistol cocked and ready for anything which may come. But he also felt the long weariness of sleep approach. He fought to stay awake, but slowly fell into a deep slumber.

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