The Delfe Treasure

21. Southward

Aldrick leafed through the chart portfolio in the broad, shallow drawer of the waist-high table, scanning the inked titles. Finding the one he wanted, he pulled it out, unfolded it and laid it atop the chart table.

Then tapping a finger near its upper right corner, he said to Elizabeth, "We are off the chart here, but this is the mouth of the Channel which leads us between England and France to the Great Western Ocean."

She examined the chart, then pointing to the islands in the lower left corner, she said, "And here are the Bahamas Islands."

"Yes, and what route would you choose to get us there?"

"From what you said a while ago up top, not the direct one. Is this to ensure we do not run into the Western Islands?" She placed a finger on them. "They appear to be almost directly in the way."

"No, but they would be a good navigational check to confirm a ship's position one-third of the way into its passage. But, there is a better way." He tapped his finger on Madiera and the Canary Islands. "These serve well for that same purpose."

"But so far out of the way. Fully four points, half a right-angle wrong."

"Remember I had mentioned ocean currents when we spoke about tidal ones? There is a vast gyre in the Western Ocean which circulates down the coasts of Europe and Africa to about the northern Tropic by which time it has bent to flow westward to the Caribbean Islands." He ran his finger in a circular path while he described. "Then it continues up the east coast of North America and back across here to Europe."

Elizabeth nodded. "And the winds? You had mentioned there are prevailing winds."

"These are another reason to follow the current. Near the Tropic, the winds blow strong and steadily westward from the coast of Africa all the way to Jamaica, the Bahamas and Florida." He tapped the middle of the chart. "But here in the centre of the ocean, there are only occasional winds, and when they blow, they are light and confused. Wise navigators avoid this region."

"Like a trap for the unaware."

"We must hope Roberts and his crew were unaware of this."

"Or that the ignorance of some prevailed above the superior knowledge of others." She winked at him.

He chuckled. "As you have told me I do with you."

"You seldom do now — now that you are aware." She pointed to the Canary Islands. "These are close to the same latitude as the Bahamas. We can fix our position on them, then sail to the latitude of our destination and follow it westward."

"Precisely! This is the safety about which I spoke."

At Sea — Monday, 17th August 1733

As morning twilight neared on the third Monday in August, Aldrick stood at the taffrail with Franklin, each with a sextant pre-set while they waited for the northern horizon to appear. When the line had clarified, both sighted on Polaris, adjusting their instruments to bring the star and the horizon together in the mirrors.

"A clear line this morning," Aldrick said as he looked at the reading.

"Aye, Sir. An easy sight." Franklin read the Nonius scale on his sextant. "I have thirty-three, twenty-one, twenty-seven."

"And I have thirty-three, twenty-one, twenty-nine. Great shooting, Mister Franklin. With the correction for dip, we still have an hour and more before we raise Porto Sancto if we are east. Six hours to see Madiera if we are west."

"Thank you, Sir. I have two hands aloft."

"Report if you do not sight land by seven bells. I will be below."

"Aye, Sir. I am pleased we are doing this in daylight. Far better than in the dark."

"Particularly with all sails set and a stiff following wind."

Two minutes later, as Aldrick arrived in the night cabin, he found the bed empty. He rushed out into the great cabin, and after a cursory search, he called, "Elizabeth?"

"In here," She replied from the privy closet. "You woke me as you rose."

"I am sorry." 

"No, I am thankful you did; otherwise both I and the bed sheet would have been messier. I am visited by them again, and with all that has been happening, I had forgotten the days." 

"How may I assist?" 

"I am fine now. I scrambled to stitch together some flannel pieces." She laughed. "I had brought along a few yards of it, but I had not done anything further. I am now plugged and have almost finished washing. I love having the water buckets and the basin in here." 

Aldrick laughed. "You should love them; that was your idea."

The following day — Tuesday, 18th August 1733

Shortly past seven bells of the morning watch on Tuesday, one of the lookouts shouted from aloft, "Land ho! Fine of the port bow."

"Very good, lad," Charles shouted up from the quarterdeck. Then with a confirming glance at the chart, he walked aft to the taffrail. "That should be Palma, Sir, if our DR is true."

"And if it is not true?"

"The only other reasonable possibility at this latitude is Teneriff. But that would mean a steering error of two points to port since yesterday morning."

"And is that error possible?"

"It is, Sir. But highly unlikely." He paused to think. "Also, if it is Teneriff on our port bow, we would have raised Palma earlier on our starboard."

Aldrick smiled. "Exactly! It is always wise to pose questions such as these, both to ourselves and to others. We will have Palma and Fero through much of the day. Let us ensure the chart is filled with visual fixes. Pass that on to Mister Wilson when he relieves you. I shall be below."

"Aye, Sir."

When Aldrick descended the semicircular ladder into the great cabin, he saw Elizabeth sitting in the central chair, facing the stern windows. As he approached her, he said, "I am sorry, Beth. I had to be up top for the landfall. Remember, it is not the sea which is dangerous; it is the land."

"I am well aware of that. You need not explain all your movements. Nor excuse them." She set her sewing on the next chair and rose to kiss him.

After a long, passionate embrace, he asked, "Have you breakfasted?"

"I told James I would await your arrival."

"There was no need to have waited."

"I prefer to eat with you." They merged again in a passionate kiss. 

When their lips separated, he nodded to her sewing on the chair. "What are you creating?"

"I have begun stitching mice, and I will now use our time apart to add to my hoard. The maids have always made them for me, and I had not thought." 

"Mice?"

She bent and picked up a wad of flannel by its string. "Like this. With the tail, it resembles a mouse."

He lifted the cloth piece from her hands and examined it. Then glancing down her front, he said, "And this is the dangling string I see when you tell me I must instead lick." 

She tilted her head toward the night cabin. "And you may do that now, if you wish. We can both exercise our mouths before we breakfast."