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Date Posted: 18:42:55 01/27/02 Sun
Author: Vito
Subject: Chapter. 4
In reply to: Vito 's message, "Of Guns and Canvas" on 14:11:55 01/22/02 Tue

The lookout stared hard across the clear miles of sea spreading out on all sides. Spectre was sailing along at a fine rate, and fairly clear on the starboard bow were the sails of a ship. They were square, which meant possibly American, and they were small. This meant a small American ship, possibly a merchantmen or schooner sailing west northwest towards the Asian trade routes.

Arbator came on deck with a happy gleam in his eye, and without waiting for a report from James he called up to the lookout: “HOW SHE LOOK?”

The top-man replied: “Small square-rigged ship, possibly American schooner or merchant heading west northwest, sir!”

The Captain was immensely pleased, and he turned to the master, telling him to put the Spectre on a course to cut the American off. When Mr. Marshall left, Arbator turned and told James: “Get the guns loaded and run out, if the American tries to run we’ll have to bang ‘er up badly to stop her.”

James nodded, and he went over to where the gunner (the chief of the guns) was standing, measuring a slight blemish upon one of the guns muzzles. “Mr. Daniels,” he said, “shot and run-out the guns, get gun crews to their stations.”

“Yes sir,” the gunner said and loader he cried “GUN CREWS, MAN YOUR GUNS!”
The men ran to their stations, some as the loaders, the pointers or the swabbers. Whatever the job they were ready and eager to follow their captain and his officers into battle. They swabbed (cleaned the guns), loaded (placed the cannonballs inside the muzzles), shot (prepared the gunpowder), primed (poured the gunpowder into the firing mechanism) and finally, ran them out of their gun ports so that all twelve of the guns were pointed out, spikes upon the back of a behemoth.

The ship to their starboard was indeed an American, but as the Spectre approached she turned, sent up all sails, and began to fly along away from the surprised Spectres.
Damn it, Arbator thought, she’s trying to run!

She was indeed trying to run. With an amazing spread of sails she was already half a mile to the Spectre’s side, who hadn’t even begun her turn yet. The captain said to the gunner: “put a shot in her stern, make it a good one.”

This Mr. Daniels did. He chose his best gunners, and they gathered around one of the cannons facing the fleeing American. The gun was already loaded and run out, and using crowbars and handspikes they jostled the heavy gun ever so slightly to the left, then to the right, and when he was convinced that it was perfect the gunner yelled FIRE!

One of the chosen gunners placed the burning fuse hard against the gunpowder and the guns muzzle exploded with a shattering BANG. The gun leapt six feet back, and the gunners eagerly peered through the smoke to see the fall of their shot.

There was a momentary wailing as the eighteen-pound ball of metal screamed across the water at a thousand feet per second, and suddenly a fountain of flying pieces of wood and splinters shot up on the fleeing ship’s deck.

The Spectre erupted in cheers, and the gunners were slapped on the back and shoulders by their shipmates. “An excellent shot Mr. Daniels,” John said with little conviction, since the ship fired upon had not stopped and surrendered as he’d hoped it would.

“Shall we try another?” the gunner asked eagerly.

“No, they had their chance, now we will take them by force. Mr. Daniels, the men may fire at their judgment.” The Captain said coldly.

This was much more satisfying then having the ship just lean to and surrender. The men were confident, happy brothers who aimed their guns with a terrifying accuracy. The first broadside was a rippling roar that shook the whole ship, and plumbs of water flew up all around the American. Three of the balls struck the deck, another two hit the side, while the remaining seven threw up whitewater all along the American’s sides.

The American ship countered this by sending up more sails. It was a signal of determination. The chase was on.

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