Moores Island Part 2

The storm was a small squall. The wind whipped up to 25mph and lasted only 15 minutes. The rain coming down, though, was quite heavy. The crew had prepared the ship for the storm ahead of time so there were empty barrels fastened to the masts to catch the rainwater. After the squall was over, Vincent went to see how Valerie had fared. The storm had tossed her belongings askew and she was putting things right. After helping her they went above deck to see how the ship had weathered the squall. The lateen sail had been torn and the crew was taking it down to be repaired for it enabled the ship to maneuver easily.

" Papa", said Valerie, "I think I'll go below and see if the cook needs any help with dinner".

"Allright, Val, but don't bother him if he's busy, ok?",replied Vincent. "I'm going to talk to the captain and see if there is any more I can learn about our island"

The captain was in his quarters going over some maps of the area when Vincent knocked. As he entered Vincent asked "Captain, what do you know about my little island?"

The captain replied," The island is fairly small with plenty of trees and other vegetation. You have a high cliff on the windward side to signal a passing ship, should you have any problems. Most ships in the area will detour to check out a plume of smoke once they know you're there. You should have plenty of space to plant a garden from what I've seen in passing. The lee side of the island has a wide, sandy beach and the southern end is deep enough where the pier is I don't think we will have any problems landing and unloading your things. I haven't seen anything that might be dangerous aside from a few plants you shoud stay away from."

Vincent was silent as he mulled over this information then said "Valerie and I have researched all we could about the plant life in the area, so we should be safe enough on that point. She is really excited about having her own island to explore."

While Vincent and the captain were discussing the island, Valerie had found the galley and was sitting on a crate talking to Rusty, the cook.

"Rusty, do you need any help", asked Valerie. "I know how to do lots of things"

Rusty, so named for his rusty voice, told her "If'n ye ken how ta peel 'taters that'll be the best help ta me, miss."

He showed Valerie what to do and turned back to the meal he was fixing. Meat was usually scarce on a ship but when Vincent bought the supplies he included the crew in his calculations which Rusty thought was a blessing. Obviously Vincent was well off if fresh, not salted, meat was readily available. Rusty figured Vincent wanted to keep the crew happy in order to get his house built in only one week. While cutting up the meat for the stew pot Rusty would glance over at Valerie now and then to make sure she stayed on task. They worked in relative silence, Valerie concentrating on peeling potatoes per her instruction and Rusty musing over his own thoughts on the upcoming island.

When Valerie was finished Rusty had her put the potatoes in the pot he had meat boiling in and said, " Now, miss, I got no more fer ye ta do so scurry on til the bell sounds." With a nod he sent her on her way.

She had been warned about how slick the deck was so Valerie had doffed her more conventional shoes for the rugged deck shoes one of the crew had proffered when she and her father had come aboard. She stepped out on deck after leaving the galley and marveled at the clear, blue sky. She could see a smudge in the distance to the starboard, or right hand, side of the ship. It was one of a few small islands they had to pass to get to Moore's Island.

Valerie found a spot to sit and daydream on the deck where she wouldn't be in the way while the crew went about their various tasks. Vincent had told her that they would be planing a garden on the island and she knew what seeds they were carrying. Her papa warned her that the garden would be mostly her responsibility so she was planning , in her mind, what to plant and where. She was happy her father had trusted her with the task. Trust went both ways and Valerie knew she could ask her father for help, should it be needed.

The bell rang for the evening meal and both father and daughter headed for the galley. The crew would eat in shifts to ensure that someone was on duty at all times. Between bites, Vincent shared what he learned from the captain with his daughter.

" The captain told me we're running fast and that he might drop one of the sails down so that we don't reach the island in the night, This trip was to be about 3 days but with the higher winds from the storm we could reach it a bit sooner", he told Valerie.

After the meal, Valerie volunteered to clean the dishes and help with serving the rest of the crew while Vincent went back to his cabin to write in his diary the events of the day.

Life on the ship was mostly routine for the next two days with Valerie finding things she could do to occupy her time, either with Rusty or daydreaming about her garden, and Vincent planning things in his diary and taking care of the livestock.

On the morning of the third day at sea one of the crew, up in the crow's nest, spotted the island in the distance. "Land, Ho!" he cried out. Vincent and Valerie rushed to the deck to see what their island looked like. As the ship got closer details were more visible. They could see the beach and the high hill where they could light a beacon fire. Closer and closer they sailed. Excitement shuddered through the people on the ship. Eagerly anticipating firm soil, father and daughter watched as the island loomed ahead. The captain was barking orders and the crew scurried to do his bidding. They tacked into the harbor and, with sails furled,eased to the pier. Some of the crew leaped to the pier to moor the ship while others brought the gangplank and set it down between the ship and pier.

The captain, standing to one side of the gangplank, motioning father and daughter forward. "Here is your new home", he said with a flourishing wave of his hand and doffing his hat at the young lady. Valerie laughed and ran lighly down to the pier while her father shook the captains hand. She walked down the beach while the crew set about unloading the cargo.

Quickly, pens were assembled for the animals by the crew and a ramp was lowered to the hold to offload them onto the island. The crew then brought their hammocks from the ship and hung them from various trees. While working on land most of them preferred to sleep there as well. Rusty brought his pots and pans to cook over an open fire.

Valerie, wandering down the beach, watched crabs scuttle about and looked for seashells. She knew that the crew could unload better without her being in the way. Collecting a few shells and some smooth rocks she turned and looked toward the trees. She knew better than to venture into the forest without her father but she could look at it. She identified the coconut trees easily but most were unfamiliar to her. She noticed a sweetness in the air from the flowers growing nearby. In the sand, at her feet, she noticed a depression. Looking around she noticed a lot of dips in the wet sand.

She approached Rusty and asked about the dips she saw in the sand. Rusty told her they were where clams could be found. He said she could dig some up for their meal if she chose. He handed her a bucket to put then in and a small shovel to use. He told her to never dig all she could find in one area so that there would always be more to find later on in the year.

While Valerie was digging clams, Vincent and the crew were building the foundation for the house. Plans had been discussed and nearby rock was utilized for construction. Wheelbarrows were used to transport the rock and mud was used for the mortar. Posts were set into the ground for support then surrounded by the rocks for more stability and chinked with the mud. Some of the crew had been assigned to cut down trees and the sounds of the axes startled a flock of birds.The only wood brought was to be used for the flooring. It took several hours to get the posts and rocks into place and the men were sweating heavily when a break was called.

Valerie brought a bucket of water to the men and they drank greedily then went back to work. A fresh water spring had been found near the other side of the pier. The flooring went up fairly quickly with so many hands helping out. Logs were brought out of the thick forest to be used the next day for the walls. Rusty had made dinner and rang the bell to end the workday.

For most of the crew, the day ended on a high note with the foundation and floor already assembled. Someone brought out an harmonica and the mournful sounds drifted on the still night air. The nightly breeze sighed through the trees and set a few hammocks swaying. Valerie and her father had made pallets on the floor of their new house and both slept soundly. Two men had been posted as a night watch should any wild animals present themselves.

The first night on the island passed in silence.