Chapter 11: The Natives Unite

Three crew members with drawn sabers and menacing looks greeted Jake and Captain Destand as they stepped into the clearing. They didn’t know the stranger and they viewed Destand with suspicion. Jake explained who the old captain was and where he came from. Jake explained how his crew mutinied and decided to maroon him on an island. Jake informed them the captain’s ship was the l ‘ Insurgente and they all knew it was a famous pirate ship. With that information Jake’s crew seemed to hold the old French Captain in much higher regard.

Shortly after the two sailors arrive at the camp, Ben arrived from his vantage point on the mountain. “I need the next two men to come and take their watch on the hill.” He pointed at two of the crew and informed them it was their turn.

When Ben turned to head back up the hill, Jake called after him, “Ben, the men know the way to the top. Why are you going back?”

“Sophia is waiting for me to come and bring her down.”

“So, it’s Sophia now?” Jake laughed as Ben blushed. “Go and fetch your lady friend.”

Jake turned to a couple of his old crew and asked how the pirates were doing. One of the men piped up, “No more have died. The four that made it are asleep now. Merick is fit to be tied since we locked him up with the pirates...”

Destand looked at the sailor talking and then spun around to face Jake. Interrupting the two of them, he asked, “Captain Merick is here? Now?”

“Yes, why?” Jake nodded, surprised by Destand’s question.

“I want to see him,” the French Captain demanded. “I want to see him now! Bring him here.”

Jake considered for a moment explaining to the old captain he was not in charge of the crew, but he decided to hold his tongue. Two of the crew returned dragging Merick with them. One of the crewmen roughly pushed Merick before the old French Captain.

Merick stood defiantly in front of Destand and snarled, “Who are you, and why was I brought out here?”

Merick was still unkempt and unshaven, wearing some torn and filthy clothing Ben had found for him. There was nothing about Merick that could possibly reveal he’d once been the skipper of a warship, except his arrogant attitude. Destand was much taller than Merick and he stood towering over the little disgraced Captain. Before anybody could react, the old French Captain without hesitation, slapped him open-handed across his face as hard as the old captain could manage. The blow knocked the dishonored sailor to the ground. Lying on the ground Merick growled up at Destand, “What was that for, and who the hell are you?”

Due to his anger Destand was breathing through his nose and with each breath his nose whistled. “That is for being a coward,” snarled the old Captain. “If it were in my powers, I would have you shot before sunset. Never,” the French Captain’s voice grew louder, as his body trembled with his anger and he shook a finger at the prone dishonored Captain lying on the ground, “Never in my life have I ever heard of any captain of any ship leaving the command deck when they were under attack. Not even a low-class Spanish dog captain would commit such an atrocity. Had it not been for Captain Beecher, I wonder if you would even still be alive.” Destand ignored Merick’s request for the French Captain to explain who he was.

Merick sneered, “Who is this, Captain Beecher?”

Destand pointed at Jake, and shouted, “That is Captain Beecher, the true captain of The Elizabeth. Not you.”

“We’ll see.” Merick blustered, trying to put on a brave front, but obviously felt humiliated by Destand’s actions.

“Remove him from my sight,” Destand ordered, and two crew members pulled the dishonored Captain up and were ready to take him back to the caves. At that moment one of the fresh lookouts from the mountaintop burst back into the clearing. Out of breath, the crew member gasped, “Canoes, there are little native boats in the bay where he just came from.” The sailor pointed at Destand as he excitedly told the gathered group.

“Do you mean outriggers?” Jake asked. The out of breath man nodded. “How many outriggers are there?” Beecher queried.

“Many, many,” the sailor replied. Jake wondered for a moment if the sailor could count or if there were so many he just couldn’t arrive at an exact count.

Jake pointed at a couple of the sailors and instructed them to come with them. He told the others to keep the pirates and Merick under guard together. When Merick heard Jake’s orders he started to speak. The old French Captain took a step forward and pointed one of his fingers at Merick, as he muttered, “Speak, I dare you!” Merick looked down at the ground, his head hung in disgrace. Destand turned to Beecher and informed him he wanted to return to the beach with him. Jake wondered if the older captain was physically capable of returning to beach but decided to withhold his question. The last thing Beecher would ever do was embarrass the old fellow before Jake’s shipmates.

Jake was pleased to see how quickly the crew moved down to the shore and Destand didn’t seem to be having any difficulty. When they reached the end of the jungle they waited, hidden in the trees. Jake whispered to Destand, “I don’t recognize any of them. Do you?”

“Yes, I’ve seen some of them. They are from a neighboring tribe. They are not really friends with our people; however, I do not believe they are at war with us either.” Jake noticed the French Captain was now including the two of them, as part of the village where they lived.

“Do you think it’s safe to go and see if we can talk to them?” The first mate asked.

“There is only one way to find out. Let’s go.” The two men told everyone to stay hidden, and if necessary, be ready to help them. To make sure they kept the crew safe they slipped through the jungle, and when they finally stepped from the jungle, they were a good distance away. When the natives on the beach saw the two sailors approaching, they brought their spears up and aimed them at the two men.

Jake and Destand held up both hands to show the natives they were unarmed. One of the natives had necklaces like Kekoa and Jake assumed this the leader. The large man with the necklaces came towards the two sailors which confirmed his suspicions. The native Chief spoke, “Who are you?”

Jake felt pleased, and grateful he understood the Chief’s language. He replied, “We are from an island that way,” he pointed towards the island where Destand and he lived. “Pirates attached my ship and I was left to die. This,” Jake motioned towards the French Captain, “is Captain Destand who was left here by the pirates to also die.”

The Chief nodded as well as some of the others from the tribe. The chief spoke, “We have heard of the pale captain who speaks our language.” The Chief extended his finger at Destand. “Some of us have seen him before.” The Chief paused, “How is it you speak our language?” The Chief asked as he pointed at Beecher.

“When my ship was fighting the pirates, I was hurt,” Jake didn’t know the words for ‘shot’, so he substituted the different word. Jake continued, “Kekoa rules the Island where I washed ashore.” When Jake mentioned the Chief’s name, many of the natives nodded again. Jake continued, “Kekoa healed me.” The first mate pulled aside his tattered shirt, and showed the natives his chest and back where the skin was still pink from healing. The new Chief carefully reached out and touched the ugly scar on Jake’s chest. Many of the natives continued to nod and murmured among themselves. They recognized strong medicine when they saw it.

Jake went on to explain, “While I’ve been getting well, I learned some of your words. One of Kekoa’s tribe has taken me for her mate.” The comment about Jake’s mate got the natives talking among themselves again.

“Who is your mate?” The Chief asked.

“Nani.” Jake replied.

The Chief touched his own cheek and asked with a slight sneer, “The one with the evil mark?”

Jake’s voice was cold as he looked the Chief in the eyes. “That is not a mark of evil. Where I come from her mark means big medicine. Her mark means she is different. It means she is special, and a powerful woman with great knowledge. The great spirits have picked Nani to do special things, and she wears the mark to prove her importance to the gods. Nani must only pick a very special mate, and she has honored me with her choice. Because she helped save my life, I have been able to save many of our people.” Jake touched his cheek, as he proclaimed, “The mark shows great powers. Nani has much magic; she sees the future and she can heal.” These comments also kept the native men talking.

Destand stepped up to the group and addressed them. He pointed to Jake, “Some of you know me.” Several natives nodded. Destand continued his speech, “It is true; this man is powerful. This man speaks your language. This man put his hand in the pirate’s water and when they drank, many died, or became very sick. He also knows how to make the big guns on the warships speak. This man has killed many pirates with just one shot, and he has taught several of Kekoa’s men how to do the same thing. Nani touched him and gave him some of her powers when he was hurt. Look what he wears around his neck. Kekoa has given him a sign to show his powers.” Jake lifted the shell from around his neck and showed it to the assembled native men. “This man is to receive your respect.”

The natives were all talking amongst themselves now. Jake turned, and casually murmured to the French Captain, “Don’t you think you are putting it on a bit heavy?”

Destand whispered in return, “You were doing a good job yourself. Besides, these people are very superstitious. You saw what happened to Nani. Now they think she is some sort of high priestess, and since you are her mate, you are a man to respect.”

Jake laughed, “Whatever!”

The Chief nodded and proceeded to tell Jake how the pirates had taken their women and attacked anytime they found the natives fishing in their canoes or outriggers. Destand told the gathered natives how they had blown up an old ship in the bay and how it had killed many of the pirates. The Chief asked Jake if it was true he could touch water and make it evil. Jake nodded his head. Both white men noticed the natives were now standing together in a group, as if they feared the two men.

Jake and Destand explained their plan. “All of your men and the remaining members of The Elizabeth’s crew must hide in the jungle. When the pirate’s ships return, if the pirates drink from the bad water, they will become sick. At that time, we could capture the pirates, and it would be possible to finally be rid of the pirates.”

This news set the native men buzzing. All had stories about the marauders taking family members or even worse, murdering some. The idea that finally it was possible to rid the islands of the pirates excited them. Jake and Destand asked the natives to pull their boats into the jungle and showed them how to hide the boats in case the pirate ships came around this end of the island. Before they started to hide their canoes, the old Chief picked two members of the tribe and told them to go to the island where Kekoa was hiding and bring as many men from that tribe as they could. If it really was possible to finally rid the islands of the pirates, the old Chief wanted enough men to win the battle.

When the natives and crew members reached the caves, one of the crew members who had been on watch came running to the group. He told them there were two ships sailing into the bay. Jake told the natives and his former shipmates they were all going down to the beach to watch and see if the pirates drank any of the poisoned water.