Children's Antics

Dear stupid Barney has been nothing but trouble since he and Mariella met.  They have scuttled all over this blasted ship together wreaking havoc and angering the crew.  Many of the crew were deeply upset when they learned there was a woman on board, and Barney named himself her personal body guard.  Not that she needs it, the men fear her father more than death.  Barney can’t seem to keep himself from showing off and we’ve had to fish him out of the water three times because of it.  After the third, Captain told him if he fell in again he’d have to find a way to climb back in on his own.  The two children are never alone together; Captain has made sure of that.  And Barney somehow maintains his duties.  Their antics are beginning to wear me out.

We’ve had some significant trouble with our navigation instruments of late.  The stars and the compass disagree by eleven degrees.  We can find no explanation.  Perhaps the girl really is bad luck.

R. Dawson

Cabin Boy's Log: Barney Meets Mariella

I met capms dotter for proper tuday.  She be luvlier then any gurl I ever seen and she be ful of fire.  Ifn the capm don tos me overbored as he keeps fretning, I beleev Maryela and me will be havin grand advenchers together.  She tol me she luvs nuffin more than advenchers.  I fink thas why she be sailin wif merchint ships, cuz no pirate ship be takin her on, bein a woman and all.  Misser Johns say women be bad luck on the water, but nuffin bad aint happin to us yet.  I fink she be the best luck we ever did have on the Bane.

Barney

Captain's Log, First Mate's Log: Mariella Appears

Two days since we took our last ship.  The weather continues fine though there be little wind.  Mariella will likely be the death of me, God love her.

A. Penn

Our dear Mariella Penn has made her entrance into the public eye.  Captain kept her safely hidden for almost two days before she escaped.  She somehow climbed out through one of the windows and up over the stern and onto the poop deck.  Johns was faithfully standing his post at the wheel, but he is likely our most superstitious crewman.  When he saw her he took such a fright that he jumped ship.  We had a proper struggle getting him back on deck.  Captain threatened to leave him in the water and sail away without him, giving Mr. Durkus the station of pilot.  Johns consented and returned to the helm, but I have no doubts that this is not our last incident involving the captain’s daughter.  Barney nearly fell to his death when he saw her.  Luckily climbs like a monkey.  Being inquisitive, he calls it.  He caught himself in the ratlines before he met his end on the deck.

At least the weather continues agreeable. 

R. Dawson

Captain's Log: The Girl's Mother

Having a woman on board is creating difficulties.  The crewmen are terribly superstitious.  I worry about their reaction when they find out.  Mariella informs me she was trying to get home to London to her mother, Marie Tamm.  I remember Marie well.

A. Penn

Cabin Boy's Log: There Be a Gurl

Ther is a gurl on this boat!  I jus know it!  I kin here her voice in capms cabin.  Misser Dawson say I be too inquizative for me own good.  I don know what that means, ezakly, but I think it means I be a good climber and I be jus that.  As soon as I suspect there be a gurl on the Bane I climb down outside capms window and by neptoons beard there is a gurl in there.  I want to ask Misser Dawson about her, but I have this feelin that he don want to be talkin about her.  They be hidin her for a reason, says I.  I jus need a little more infermashun before I ask him.

But I will meet this gurl before we take to port next.  Mark me words.

Barney

First Mate's Log: New Crew Member

We left the target ship this morning.  We took much of her cargo of wool and left behind what we didn’t have room for.  Captain Penn is very particular about his rum, so we left the rations on their ship and took only the captain’s private stash.  This was easily the strangest attack of my career.  I knew the first mate when I was a cabin boy twenty years ago.  He was a rigger back then.  On a related note, the captain met his long-lost fifteen-year-old daughter, Mariella.  She looks just like her father, there’s no mistaking the resemblance.  Captain Penn practically kidnapped her off that ship; we still haven’t worked out what she was doing with them.  Somehow we distracted the entire crew while he smuggled her into his cabin.  He just couldn’t leave her with that “band of swarthy cutthroats.”  I pointed out to him that those cutthroats are manning a merchant vessel and we are, in fact, pirates.  He chose to ignore that detail.

I can’t imagine how this could possibly end well.  I worry most about Barney; when he learns there’s a woman on board, he’ll be useless until we drop her off somewhere. 

R. Dawson

Captain's Log, Cabin Boy's Log: the Other Ship

We’ve taken the ship.  Opposing crew lost three men, we lost none.  Opposing crew with fifteen wounded, we have seven.  Cargo successfully transferred to the Bane.  A small matter of business remains, which will be dealt with in the morning.  A rotating watch of ten men guard the prisoners. 

A. Penn

Capm finely let me out of his cabin but he says if I so much as be thinkin abou goin ta the othur ship I be shark bait.   I aint got no shinin to go to the othur ship anyhow.  I jus wanna be in the crows nest.  Capm is bein awful meen I cant figer out wats got inta him.

Barney

Cabin Boy's Log: Locked Up

My life is so hard.  Capm lokt me in his cabin wile the croo is takin a ship.  He says if I stay in heer like a good lad til they be done I can stop helpin in the gally.  I cin heer the canons and the yellin and the ship be rokin with evry canon fire.  I hate being traped in heer.  I borded a ship before and took the capm’s hat even.  But Capm say this one be too danjerus.  A ship is a ship, says I.  They all be danjerus.  We be pirates, by thunder.  Its all danjerus. 

Tomorrow I will be back in the crows nest.  I ges I will jus lie heer on the flore and lissen to evry one else havin all the fun.

Barney