Chapter 20: Pronouncements

9 August, 1686 Evening

That night all were in a great bustle getting things stowed in their place, then a little before dawn, the men and women took to the capstan-bars and with Cog directing the setting of sails, soon wind filled all sheets and the Maidens Revenge was promptly on open waters, glorious, her white sails wing-to-wing sailing away from Tortuga.

Over the next two weeks the crew spent the entire time coming to be familiar with one another and battle training. It became apparent that Dancort had followed the sea, and his knowledge made him very useful. Also, he having taken upon himself the duties of ships cook after organizing the ships galley, which was ideally located directly next to his small carpenters shop was much appreciated by everyone.

Cog proved himself to be more than just a capable rigging boatswain. He was a careful, wily, experienced seaman who could be trusted more than a pinch with keeping the sails full. By way of example, and hand signals Cog illustrated for the women the more intricate workings of the principles of sail, and the finer points of rope work. He used his boatswains whistle and the women came to learn which sail task, be it, set, strike, reef, or man the halyards each of the different shrill notes represented and required their attention.

Aba took great care with maintaining and keeping ready the ships guns and other armaments, but he also was a seaman, helping Cog and the women with the sails or any other task requiring his strength. Aba also trained the women as Powder monkey's, showing them how to load the gunpowder cartridges, shot and wadding, and then run out the guns before priming them. He taught them how to aim by gauging the right moment when the ship was "on the roll" before firing, making sure they understood that there would be a delay of up to a second or two between igniting the priming charge and the gun firing.

"The two main principles applied to firing guns at sea," he told them, "is "The Weather Gague" and "Firing on the Roll". If the Maidens Revenge has the weather gague over its opponent, it means she is upwind of them. Also if the enemy is leeward it will have more of its vulnerable hull exposed to us, and smoke will linger over her decks a lot longer. In addition, the guns on the weather, or windward ship are also easier and quicker to run out. Remember, ships always roll at sea, so gauging the right time to fire a ship's guns is very important. If guns are fired on the downward roll the shot will hit the water, and on the upward roll it will fly too high, missing the enemy completely. Two seconds before mid pitch is when to fire."

Aba showed them where, and where not to stand after the cannon was fired because of recoil, and how to inspect for damage after each firing the "Breeching Ropes", which kept the recoiling cannon from careering across the deck. He showed them how to extinguish any burning embers inside the barrel before reloading and running the gun out once again. They trained over and over again until they were able to load, run out, fire, reload, and run out again, every one hundred and twenty seconds.

Scarlet seemed more at home behind the wheel than any other place on the ship. His ability to keep the ship on its true course without effort regardless of wind and sea changes was of an uncommon skill. He also showed the women how to become battle ready which included wetting the decks to provide firmer footing and to reduce the risk of fire, rigging "wet screens", which were heavily watered down sail cloth, over hatches and around all magazines, which vital rigging needed doubling up on, how to lash a few of the crew's hammocks to the rail to create some form of shield against grape and musket fire, and lowering the ship's long and jollyboats and towing them astern before doing battle and then quickly cutting them loose if it were decided the better part of valor was to "cut and run".

"These are no common men we have on board," Constance commented to the other three women as they lay exhausted inside the captain's cabin after yet another long day of training, "at least not when it pertains to understanding combat at sea."

"Indeed," agreed Carmen, "I may think of myself as a sailor, but when it comes to doing battle I am as an infant. Without these men, had we come across any inhospitable ships I fear we would have lost all. I can now fully appreciate our having taken them aboard."

"True, but I never thought there was so much one needed to know or learn," Isabel moaned, "Load a ball, it fires, raise a sail, the ship moves, that was my perception. I declare, my arms and legs are so painful, and I hurt in places I didn't know I had."