Thursday, 22 March 2018

Words on Wednesday Portsmouth 1765.

The following words are used for this dated story

                             Portsmouth England 1765.

     It was to become an exciting day for young Jimmy Hornblower. The arrival of the famous captain Bastardo (Junior) and his Three mast frigate of forty guns the Santa da devil. Jimmy had his mind set on a seafaring career and was intent on securing a job on this famous ship a former Portuguese ship captured by the Infamous Capt Bastardo Senior a Spanish pirate of Murderous disposition.
     Captain Barsrardo (junior) was the Illegitimate son of his father and lady Emily Dearborn of Barnwell in Hampshire Who Capt Bastardo had captured during a raid on Hamilton in Bermuda.some forty years ago. When lady Emily became with child the Captain Bastardo put ashore the wailing mother and soon to be born child. Who was rescued by a British man of war and landed in England, Where the now present Captain  Horatio Da Bastardo lived with his mother until the call of the sea sent him in search for his infamous father for whom he had murderous intent. However, it wasn't to be as he discovered that his father had been caught at last by a British man of war and was duly hanged at the yardarm as a result of his previous skulduggery.
    Back in England, the sale of the Bastardo Senior's goods and chattels plus his ship was given to his ex-defacto wife and son who now captained this stalwart ship.
    The present Captain Bastardo the 2nd so to speak was of great wile and wit and a successful privateer sanctioned by the British Crown, he was a pleasant person but strong-willed in the perception of his calling. and tolerant of the needs of his crew who adored him.
    It was a bright sunny day on this spring day in May most of the ship's crew were ashore already They all had great wealth to spend after a successful pillaging tour of the Carribean  A jovial  Captain Bastardo (Jun) eyed the young man who was showing great interest in the configuration of his ship. " Ahoy there" shouts the Captain Dost thou want a job young man".
Jimmy say's  It is a possibility sir' " Well then come aboard and ill give you a feed if you are hungry,' Thankee kindly Sir, that I will".
    The captain summoned the ships Cook - a Jaundiced looking Oriental man with a large nose and protruding teeth. See here boy say's the Captain, this be the 'Yeller feller with the big smeller, dunno his real name just call him Big smeller. Jimmy stared in awe of the chinaman the likes of he had never seen before.
    After a sumptuous meal, Jimmy asks the captain If he would train him to become ships master like himself, It is what I always wanted to say's Jimmy.  Yes to be sure we need new blood to Captain the ships to defeat those dissident New Englanders in the American Colonies. Jimmy was now convinced it was his destiny to become a crew member of this ship.
       While signing on as a crew member, Jimmy seeing the Captain was in jovial mood asks him 'Sir how did you acquire your wooden arm and leg? Ah, Jim, me lad; both went on the same day during a fight with a French man of war near banana bay Grenada but I survived with the help given by my loyal crew.
    So now if that is all  I want you to go home and tell your family about your new career. Not quite all sir say's Jimmy, I would like to know how you lost your right eye'. Ah Jim me lad that was a really bad day,. I must blame a hungry seagull for its loss. You see I had just come from the hospital and I had just bought some Whelks and Cockles from the vendor by the dockyard gate I was enjoying eating them on the way to the ship and as I stepped onto the ship's gangway this darn seagull  Pooped straight into my eye- That was the day I had that hook fitted to my arm at  the hospital.
      Now off you go tell your Mother of your new future.
 Jimmy became  The legendary Captain Hornblower RN.

VEST. Daily Gaggle. Back soon.



Elephant's Child said...

A very different use of the words. Thank you.
And I hope that he lived a long and successful life - and kept rather more of his bits than Captain Barstardo the Second.

Vest said...

E C. Thank you, There are a few typos but I can put that down to burning more than the midnight oil. Only six hours sleep last night

only slightly confused said...

One never knows where the words will the the high seas. I wonder why they call them 'high'.

Lee said...

Jonathan Livingston Seagull struck again! There is no stopping him!

A good story, Vest...being tired served you well, it get some more sleep, laddie! :)

Vest said...

Only slightly confused. High sea? Probably the result of a poetical rendering by a long forgotten scribe and copied by others.

Vest said...

Lee.I am back on deck to finish correcting most of the typos from when I fell asleep at the Helm. It wasn't the high seas but low energy. Thank you for your Kind approval.

River said...

So many Pirates seem to lose their eye on the same day they get a hook, very careless of them (she says with tongue in cheek).

Vest said...

River. It is rare to envisage a pirate without some part of his personality has gone missing in action.There are still a few isolated communities in sth west Britain whose dialects sound like that of pirates Arh Arh
