Ocean Without End (12 page)
Authors: Kelly Gardiner
He sprinted out of the cabin and up onto the deck, shouting, âAll hands on deck! Get those lubbers back on board. Sound the bell! Ready to make sail.'
Hussein, however, had not moved. He waited a minute or two until the noise from above died down, and then spoke to me gently.
âIn a few days I will be sailing to Santa Lucia.' He held up his hand before I could even get any words out. âNo, Lily, I cannot take you with me. I travel on an old fishing boat.'
âBut I've sailed all over these seas with just my little brother, in a much smaller boat.'
âHave you indeed?' he asked, one eyebrow slightly raised. âNothing would surprise me. But you do me too much credit. I wasn't worried about your safety, but my own. Your presence would make me far too conspicuous.'
âOh, I see.' I paced the cabin, from the narrow door to the window and back. Before me, to the north, spread the endless ocean.
âBut if you need me to convey a message to anyone, I would be happy to do so.'
Happiness tore at my heart. Funny how it does that â how you can get so happy it actually hurts.
âReally? Anyone?'
âAnybody at all. It's the least I can do, in return for you bringing me this map â although I also have some more practical payment at hand.'
He untied an old brown purse from his belt and threw it on the table. It made a lovely clinking sound.
âIt was gold that you requested, wasn't it? Not quite as much as Carlo's ransom, but enough to share around. Now write your note, and I'll be on deck when you're ready. But don't take too long.'
Pirate gold, and well-earned, too, even if I did say so myself. I pushed it aside for a moment and sat, alone now, in the dark cabin, scribbling as fast as I could. When I'd finished, I rolled up the paper and tied it with one of the bookmark ribbons from Mister Black's books. By the time I reached the deck, the crew had gathered and swung into action, and
Hussein was standing in the bows, watching the horizon.
âHere,' I said. âYou promise to deliver it?'
âI promise.' He took the letter from me and turned it over to read the name I had scrawled on the front.
âIt's halfway up the hill, above Battery Point,' I said, âjust a tiny house, on the left.'
He smiled down at me. âDon't worry, I'll find it.' He smoothed my letter between his fingers and tucked it inside his robe, beside the precious map of underground Valletta.
As we edged out of the bay to seek an offshore breeze, Hussein stayed in the bow, looking out to sea and sometimes glancing up into the sails approvingly. I was proud of this ship, proud of the boys who handled her so nimbly, of Jem and his mastery of the sails. I was pleased that the haughty Hussein was seeing the boys at their best, heaving together on the sheets, laughing and singing at their work â Max at the tiller straining to bring the
Mermaid
around, Jem with his eyes on the sails, the currents, and the invisible wind.
I climbed high up the mast after we hauled tight the mainsail â stayed aloft and gazed around, along the bay and deserted beaches, up along the dry headlands, and across the heaving ocean. I had to admit then, for the first time, that I was also proud of myself for being a part of this crew. I had a mighty sword, a purse of gold, and a place in a ship.
There was a cheer from the deck, so I glanced around, surprised. Brasher had finally finished his needlework: above me, from the top of the mast,
streamed our new pennant, red with gold edging, and instead of a fearsome skeleton or grinning skull, there fluttered a beautiful golden mermaid.
I climbed down. There was work to do. My feet hit the deck with a thump. Max scowled. He'd told me off a thousand times for dropping the last yard down the rigging, but I always forgot, and the sound of my landing always woke whichever poor soul had just got to sleep in a hammock below deck. Today I just grinned.
âCyg!' Jem called. âSet the course. What say we drop Hussein around near M
arr, and then make our way to Sicily?'
âSicily?' Francesco and Ricardo were beside themselves with glee.
âSounds good to me,' Miller nodded. He clambered up the ropes to go on watch. He had the best eyes of us all. Miller could tell you not only the shape of a distant sail, but the kind of ship she was, the port she sailed from, and probably the name of the captain's daughter.
Sicily was a long way from Santa Lucia. But I had made my choice.
So had Carlo. âI too will leave the ship at Marr,' he said, quietly.
âBut your father?'
âIf the French are really coming, my father will need me.' He smiled, but sadly. âEven if he does not feel it.'
Jem touched Carlo lightly on the shoulder. âI reckon it's best. You'll have your work before you, fighting off old Napoleon.'
âFighting off old nappy-on,' Brasher snorted. âWhoever heard of such a thing?'
But as the boys around us sniggered, Miller's cry from the mast sounded out loud and clear.
âSail ho!'
âWhere away?' asked Jem.
âSail ho!' Miller called again.
âWe heard you,' shouted Brasher.
âSail ho! And sail ⦠oh my God!' Miller cried.
âWhat is it?' shouted Jem.
Miller simply pointed. We all wrestled for the telescope.
Jem peered through it for a moment, then handed it to me and ran to speak with Hussein. I put the glass to my eye. There, ranged all along the horizon, were sails, hundreds of them. An entire navy.
The French fleet.
âAll hands!' Jem shouted from the bow. âMake sail!'
He raced the length of the deck.
âSet a new course, Cyg. Hussein wants to be taken direct to the Knights in the White Tower, to give the alarm. Then we'd better get the blazes out of here.'
So the
Mermaid
, with her red and gold pennant flying, all canvas spread, and an Irish Turk standing in the bow, rounded the headland and fired all her cannon to warn the people of a tiny island that their destiny was on the horizon.
So was ours. But that's another story.
Dear Mama,
I am alive and unharmed (mostly), although I did accidentally get kidnapped by pirates. I hope you haven't been too worried. I miss you both so much it hurts me inside, and I've cried through the night, just like you, I'm sure.
I'm on a fine new ship now. I wish Lucas could see her, under full sail in a stiff breeze. I'm the navigator, one of the crew, so they don't treat me badly any more. I've met men who know of my father â which means he may be alive somewhere. I have sworn to find out the truth, then you won't despair any longer.
You were wrong about one thing, Mama. Pirates are not just pirates. Sometimes they are sailors who can't make a living any other way. They are not always evil, just poor and desperate. The men I sail with are like that, and I am safe enough now. They look after me and I look after them.
So you must not fret. I will stay a while longer on the Mermaid, to see if I can make our fortunes somehow. One fine day I will return to you, with some gold in my pocket, and you will marvel at my adventures. We will laugh, and you will stroke my hair, and I will never leave you again.
Who knows? I may even bring my father home with me.
I long for that day.
Your loving daughter,
Lil
Abeam:
Beside a ship, side on â for example, another ship drawing up next to you.
About ship:
An order to change direction or come about. âReady about' means everyone needs to get ready to change the angle of the sails.
Admiral:
The most senior commanding officer of the Navy, appointed by the Admiralty. The next in rank is a Vice-Admiral, followed by a Rear Admiral. Any sort of admiral may be in command of a fleet and hoist his pennant in a flagship.
Admiralty:
The British government ministry in charge of the Royal Navy.
Aft:
Towards the stern or back end of the ship
Aloft:
Above. To âgo aloft', you climb up the ratlines to set sails, watch for other ships, or repair rigging.
Articles of War:
Official rules governing conduct on all British Navy ships.
Astern:
Behind the ship.
Avast:
An order to stop doing what you're doing (rowing or hauling).
Aweigh:
The anchor is clear of the water (âAnchors aweigh' means the anchor
is weighed or clear and the ship can sail on).
Ballast:
Rocks, iron or even cargo loaded onto a ship to keep it stable.
Barbary Coast:
The North African states of Tunis, Tripoli and Algiers, which by 1798 were part of the Muslim Ottoman Empire. These cities supported fleets of corsairs to attack the ships of Christian countries such as France, Spain and England, just as the galleys of the Knights of Malta attacked those of the Barbary States.
Bastion:
Part of a fort or castle that sticks out from the walls, allowing guns to be fired along the wall.
Batten down:
Close all deck hatches and secure gear in bad weather.
Beam:
Across the middle or the widest part of a ship.
Beating:
Zigzagging so the ship can move forward against the wind.
Becalmed:
Unable to move because there isn't any wind.
Belay:
An order to stop hauling, or make fast. A belaying pin is a carved spike around which lines are tied or made fast.
Bilge:
The hollow section inside the lower part of the ship or boat (and the smelly water that collects in it).
Biscuit:
Same as
Hardtack
.
Blunderbuss:
A gun with a short, wide barrel, almost trumpet-shaped, handy for boarding ships.
Bonu
:
Good morning (in Maltese).
Bonswa
:
Good evening (in Maltese).
Booty:
Loot, like cargo, weapons and any treasure or goods found on a ship. Ships taken by pirates were usually sold off, and the proceeds were included in the booty. Every pirate in the crew (or their family, if the pirate had died in the battle) was given a share.
Bosun:
(short for âboatswain') The senior crew member in charge of organising the crew on deck and their equipment.
Bow:
The front or forward end of a ship.
Bowsprit:
A pole pointing out almost horizontal from the bow to carry spritsails.
Braces:
On a square-rigged ship like
Gisella
, the braces are cables pulled so that the square sails twist around on the mast.
Brigantine:
A ship with at least two masts, square sails on the foremast, but fore-and-aft sails on the mainmast. It's a square-rigged ship, but has triangular sails as well, so it can sail in different directions.
Gisella
is a brigantine.
Broadside:
All the cannon on one side of the ship firing at once.
Bulkheads:
Walls inside a ship (not part of the hull), some of which can be removed easily to make room for battle or cargo.
Cannonade:
A blast of continuous gunfire.
Capstan:
A barrel-shaped winch with handles, to lift the heavy anchor.
Carronade:
A powerful, squat-barrelled cannon.
Chart:
A map of the coast and seas, including shoals, rocks and other dangers.
Clear for action:
The order to get ready for battle. The crew clears the deck of any loose or spare equipment, runs out the cannon and lashes them, gets gunpowder and cannonballs ready, and makes sure the ship is in fighting order.
Close-hauled:
Sailing as close as possible to the wind.
Come about:
Turn the ship or boat into or across the wind.
Compass:
An instrument with a magnetised needle or pointer that always points north.
Corsair:
A pirate licensed to attack other ships,
like those of the Barbary States, or sailing from Malta under the protection of the Knights. English and American corsairs like Sir Francis Drake were usually called âprivateers' and they carried a âletter of marque' to prove they were allowed to attack other ships.
Course:
The sailing direction set by the navigator or captain. The course is named so the ship sails towards one of the points of the compass, for example, southwest.
Cutlass:
A sturdy, heavy-bladed sword with a rounded knuckle-guard, used by sailors and pirates.
Dey:
The Ottoman governor of Algiers. Each of the major Barbary States was independently ruled.
Dory:
A light, narrow sailing and rowing boat. Lucas and Lily's dory, the
Swallow
, has two masts.
Downwind:
Away from the wind.
El Capitán
:
Captain (in Spanish).
Fathom:
A measurement of depth, equal to six feet (or roughly two metres).
Figurehead:
A carved statue on the prow of a ship. The
Mermaid
, naturally, has a mermaid figurehead.
Flagship:
The ship in a fleet which carries its commanding admiral. The flagship flies a pennant to show other ships that the admiral is on board.
Fleet:
A group of more than ten warships.
Flotilla:
A small group of warships.
Fore-and-aft rig:
Triangular sails rigged along the ship (not across it, like a square-rig).
Foremast:
The mast forward or in front of the mainmast.
Foresail:
The largest sail on the foremast.
Forward:
Towards the bow or front of the ship (opposite of aft). Pronounced âforrard'.
Frigate:
A warship with three masts and a bowsprit, a raised quarterdeck, and 24â38 guns along one gun deck.
Gaff-rig:
A fore-and-aft sail mounted on a light pole at the top.
Galley:
The elegant, oar-driven warships of the great naval fleets of Barbary, Venice and Malta, often powered by slaves. The galley is also the name of a ship's kitchen, usually not much more than a fireplace and a couple of cauldrons.
Gibbet:
Gallows where the bodies of people executed for crimes of piracy were left chained and hanging above the water, as a warning to other pirates.
Guinea:
A British coin, worth 21 shillings. (Guinea is also the name of the country in west Africa where the gold to make the coins was mined.)
Gun ports:
Holes in the side of a ship through which the cannon fire. Gun ports have a flap over them to keep the water out when the guns aren't being used.
Gunwales:
The rim around a ship or boat, like a handrail. Pronounced âgunnells'.
Halyard:
The rope used to raise or lower a sail.
Hands:
Crew members, especially those who actually work the sails. âAll hands on deck' means that every available crew member is needed to help out.
Hardtack:
Dry, solid ship's biscuit made of flour. On long voyages, especially on navy ships, hardtack was the only staple food, and became infested with weevils (grubs).
Hawser:
A short rope or cable, often used for securing cannon.
Heave to:
Stop a ship. Once she's stopped, she is âhove to'.
Helm:
The steering. âHelm's a-lee' means you have brought the rudder right around, when you are changing tack or coming about.
Hold:
The cargo or storage area below decks (on a big ship, the hold is several levels down).
Holystones:
Sandstone blocks, about the size of a Bible, used to grind away dirt from the deck.
Hull:
The planking that makes up the body of a ship.
Idlers:
Crew members who are not part of the watch, such as carpenters and sail-makers.
Isola
:
Island (in Italian).
Iva
:
Yes (in Maltese).
Jib:
Small triangular sail at the bow of a yacht or ship.
Knights of Malta:
The Sovereign and Military Order of the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem ruled Malta from 1530 to 1798.
Knots:
Measurement of a ship's speed: 1 knot equals 1 nautical mile per hour.
Larboard:
The left-hand side of a ship or boat, as you look forward (known later as âport').
Lateen sail:
Large, squarish sail hung from a pole from the mainmast. A lateen sail runs along the ship, from the mainmast to the stern.
League:
A measurement of distance, equal to three nautical miles.
Lee:
The side of a ship or boat away from the wind.
Letter of marque:
Officially known as a âletter of marque and reprisal', this was an official government letter authorising a captain to âsubdue, seize and take armed' any ships owned by countries who were enemies. It was government-approved piracy. See
Corsair
.
Line:
The ropes used to haul sails into position.
Log:
The book in which the captain or navigator writes the ship's position and progress. A log is also a lump of wood dropped over the side of the ship and then hauled back in after the ship has sailed past it, to measure a ship's speed by the number of knots in the rope.
Lubbers:
People who live on land, or who are not used to sailing.
Mainmast:
The central and tallest mast on any ship. If there is more than one mast, in front of the mainmast is the foremast, and behind it is the mizzenmast.
Make fast:
Tie off or secure a rope.
Maltese:
The language of Malta.
Mast:
The tall poles that stick up from the deck of a ship and hold the sails. The poles horizontal across the mast are the yards. A sailing ship may have up to six masts â the
Mermaid
has one mast;
Gisella
has two.
Mer
ba
:
Hello (in Maltese).
Mizzenmast:
The smaller mast at the rear of a ship.
Navigator:
The navigator on a ship figures out and records the ship's position, estimates the speed of the ship and the distance to be covered, and sets the course. In 1798 navigators used a compass, charts of known coastlines and waters, a sextant or quadrant, and mathematics to help determine the ship's position.
Ottoman Empire:
One of the largest and longest-lasting empires ever to rule around the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, it rose out of Turkey and existed from 1281 to 1923. At its greatest, it ruled an area of nearly 12 million square kilometres. From 1517, when it conquered Palestine and Egypt, and the Holy City of Mecca, it was an Islamic state.
The Sultan or ruler of the Empire was also the Caliph or official guardian of Islam. The later Crusades were fought by European states against the Ottoman Empire. See
Barbary Coast
.