Disclaimer: see chapter 1
Author's note: 1) Timecheck - it's now about 1683, a couple of years before the movie. 2) Credit for the mad plot in this chapter actually goes to a real life pirate, Captain Davis. His tale, and that of lots of other real pirates, can be found in a tremendous book first published in 1724; written by a mystery man called Captain Charles Johnson, "A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates". A fascinating and absorbing resource. 3) I suppose this is another chapter that doesn't drive the plot forward very much (like the Spanish Navy chapter). Nevertheless, I hope you find it amusing and fun.
----
"So how, exactly, does this work?" MacDougall asked, scratching his head.
Jack adjusted his hat and combed out his beard with his fingers. "We toddle ashore - you, me 'n Deschamps - and let it be known we've a rich cargo to sell. Governor invites us to dinner."
"I got that part, cap'n," MacDougall said, "but I ain't rightly understood the rest of it."
Flashing his first mate a winning grin, Jack clapped him on the shoulder. "It'll all come clear, mate. Just follow me."
"Aye, cap'n." But the Scotsman still looked doubtful, and even dour as the three men descended into one of the Nictaux's boats. The pirates at the oars set up a steady rhythm, and the little boat shot towards the port.
Once ashore, Jack turned to his crew. "You know what to do, lads." The pirates touched their hats, and set about mooring the boat to the quayside. Deschamps and MacDougall, both in their best coats and hats, exchanged mystified glances. But they had known Jack Sparrow for some four years now, through storm and high wind, and there was not much that could surprise them.
The crossing from the East had been without major incident - just the usual round of storms, raids and spots of calm. They had been away from the Caribbean three years, roaming the Eastern islands and the Indian coast, running the gauntlet of the East India Company. Jack had buried ten of his crewmen at sea; some of them the victims of illness and some of them killed in fights. But he had easily replaced them, and the pirates aboard the Nictaux were satisfied with their lot.
On their return to the Caribbean, the ship had made landfall first at one of the smaller, easternmost isles for supplies. Jack decided then to carry out a few more raids before returning the Nictaux to her home port of Tortuga, and he had set a course for Nassau in the Bahamas. Rumour had it that the rule of the British governor there was fast failing - Jack wanted to test the rumour out.
Walking the streets towards the governor's residence certainly seemed to support the talk. The buildings looked shabby, and there were few Marines patrolling. Jack rested one hand on the newly polished hilt of his sword, and looked about him with interest.
"What d'ye think, cap'n?" asked MacDougall in an undertone.
"Hopeful," said Jack. "Aye, very hopeful. Now just stay sharp, and this'll all go perfectly, savvy?"
"Nous savons," Deschamps reassured him.
The little party of pirates arrived at the imposing gates to the governor's large house, set in lush grounds. Jack pushed them open, and they headed towards the main door.
"Nice," said MacDougall, nervously. "Like the time I visited Glamis Castle as a wee lad." He adjusted his hat for the fifth time in as many minutes.
Jack, however, seemed perfectly calm as he strode to the doors and pulled the bell-pull sharply. They waited; within a few minutes footsteps could be heard hurrying to the door, and shortly it swung open.
"May I help you?"
Doffing his hat, Jack beamed at the black-suited butler who had answered the door. "Certainly, my man!" he said, his voice smoothed of accent to such an extent that both Deschamps and MacDougall had to work hard to disguise their astonishment. "I am Captain James Crowe, of the merchant vessel the Nictaux. My officers, Messieurs Deschamps and MacDougall. We have just landed with a rich cargo and are come to pay our respects to the Governor."
"Governor Sutton is in his study," the butler returned, with a slight, impeccably polite bow. "If you would follow me, Captain Crowe, I will show you to the drawing room where he will receive you."
"Much obliged," Jack said.
As they followed the butler into the mansion, Jack turned and gave his companions a grin. He was overjoyed with the success of his modest plan so far, though fooling a mere butler was child's play compared with the task that awaited them; fooling the governor.
The drawing room was ornate and very British, and very stuffy. The butler opened a window, and disappeared to go and find Governor Sutton. Jack chose a chair and carefully sat down, flicking the ends of his coat back over the seat rather than crumple them. His mates fidgeted, neither of them at ease in this environment.
Shortly, the butler returned, holding open the door and announcing: "Governor Stephen Sutton of Nassau."
The governor entered, a tall, florid man in a dandyish dark green coat.
Jack rose, and made a brief, straight-backed bow. "Governor. So kind of you to receive us, sir."
"Not at all, captain," the governor returned, crossing the room and offering his hand to Jack. "Truth be told, it is increasingly seldom a merchant makes safe berth in our harbour."
"Is that so?" Jack raised his eyebrows and feigned surprise.
"It is - please, do sit down - these waters are positively infested with pirates. Infested, I tell you! Did you not encounter any of the bastards on your voyage?"
"No, thankfully." Sitting down, Jack withdrew a folded piece of parchment from his jacket. "We had excellent winds and made the crossing in good time."
"You have come from England, Captain Crowe?" Governor Sutton enquired. Two maids, pretty and demure in blue dresses, arrived and began to serve tea.
Jack took a cup and saucer. "No, from the East Indies, sir. We have a hold packed to the brim, the utter brim, with riches. It has been a most profitable voyage."
Over the rim of his teacup, the governor's eyes gleamed. Jack knew he had hooked the man - it was not just pirates that lusted after treasure.
"Tell me more," said Sutton. So Jack did, laying it on thick, telling the governor about the silks and silver the Nictaux was laden with. And truthfully, she was laden, for the raids had all been fruitful. Jack talked and sipped his tea, whilst the governor listened enthralled and MacDougall and Deschamps loitered in the background and said nothing.
"And you say not all your goods are spoken for, captain?" Governor Sutton asked, when Jack finally stopped speaking.
"Fully a third," Jack said, pulling a number from thin air. He had no intention of selling the governor anything.
The governor licked his lips, a hungry look in his eyes. "I would be interested in seeing some samples," he said. "Perhaps you and your officers would be kind enough to accept an invitation to dine with us this evening, and you could bring me a selection?"
"You are too kind, Governor Sutton," said Jack. "We would be delighted."
"Then it is settled. Shall we say six?"
"Six it is!" Jack agreed. "I look forward to it. Now, do not let us detain you from your work any longer, governor."
They rose, and after cordial farewells, the pirates were shown out by the butler.
Once out of the gates, Jack turned to MacDougall and Deschamps. "Well, I don't want to say 'told ye so'," he said, "but ..."
"Aye, nice work, cap'n," MacDougall said.
The three men returned to their boat, where they found the crewmen waiting. They sprang to their feet and began to untie the little craft from the quayside. Jack and his mates climbed in, and soon all the men were back on board the Nictaux. Turning to his crew, Jack said: "Well?"
"We scouted about a bit, as you said, cap'n," Sim reported. "Town's not well defended. There's a small garrison, like, for the Marines, but there ain't many of them."
"We looked through a winder," added Sim's companion, a young pirate known as Cutlass Mick on account of his sword fighting skills. "They've not got many weapons, neither."
"Excellent," said Jack. "Extra ration o' rum for the four of you. Now, listen up, all!"
The crew gathered, attentive, and listened as Jack outlined the next stage of his plan. There were some mutterings and expressions of doubt, but by dinnertime, everyone aboard the Nictaux knew what they were doing.
Jack went below and rummaged around in his cabin until he found a rather nice velvet coat he had taken off a merchant a few months before. He changed out of the silk coat he had worn for the earlier visit to the governor, tied a clean white cravat around his neck, and strapped a dagger to his forearm before putting on the velvet coat. A floppy, flamboyant hat with a feather completed the ensemble.
He examined himself in the long, cracked mirror propped against the cabin wall, and smoothed down his beard again. It had not taken kindly to being unbraided, and was inclined to curliness. His hair was an easier matter, being pulled back with a length of leather, the various beads concealed moderately well.
Offering his reflection a polite bow, Jack nodded. All was as it should be. He glanced around the cabin, checked he had everything, and went back on deck with a spring in his step.
The three pirates arrived at the governor's mansion in time for dinner, and were shown again into the drawing room where the butler served them glasses of wine. Shortly, Governor Sutton arrived and they went in to dine.
By any standards, the meal would have been good; but compared to recent fare aboard the Nictaux (hard biscuits and salted meat, for the most part), it was ambrosia. Dish after dish of meat and fish and vegetables were brought out, and MacDougall and Deschamps tucked in with gusto. Jack ate heartily too, but kept up his veneer of being a gentleman merchant captain. Expensive imported wine flowed in plentiful quantities, and by dessert Governor Sutton's face was distinctly red.
After dinner, they retired to the governor's study, where Jack laid out small samples of the goods they had plundered. Sutton looked them over carefully, drinking as he did so. The hand on the clock on the wall crept round to eight.
"What do you think?" Jack asked, once the governor had had time to examine the goods.
Sutton looked up. "Excellent, Captain Crowe, simply excellent."
"Glad you approve of the quality," Jack said.
"What would you like for the goods?" Governor Sutton asked.
Jack grinned, and dropped his cultured accent. "You'll show me where the wealth of this town is kept, and hand it over nice and quiet-like without a fuss - savvy?"
Sutton stared, the glass in his hand starting to shake. "I beg your pardon, Crowe?"
"Pardon given," said Jack, cheerfully. "I'm afraid you've just become a victim of those pirates you hate so much, mate. Now, let's have the stuff and you and your little kingdom will escape scot-free. But you'd better hurry. If me and me mates aren't back on board our ship afore nine," he gestured to the clock, "she'll fire on Nassau. It's your choice."
With a gentle thud, Governor Sutton fainted dead away.
Jack prodded the man's unconscious body. "Bloody landlubber," he said. "All right, we'll just find what he has ourselves, and get out of here."
The search was brisk and thorough. The three men emptied drawers and boxes and emerged twenty minutes later, triumphant with a chest of coin - Nassau's main treasury, it seemed - and various other valuable items. At the quayside, they were met by members of Jack's crew who had loaded their boat with muskets taken from the Marines' garrison whilst the guards slept off their own ale-drenched dinner.
A short time later, the Nictaux was slipping smoothly out of Nassau harbour, having successfully liberated the town of half its weaponry and most of its wealth.
"An' all without us firing a shot!" said MacDougall, amazed.
"Welcome back to the Caribbean, mate," Jack said. "We're home."
Author's note: 1) Timecheck - it's now about 1683, a couple of years before the movie. 2) Credit for the mad plot in this chapter actually goes to a real life pirate, Captain Davis. His tale, and that of lots of other real pirates, can be found in a tremendous book first published in 1724; written by a mystery man called Captain Charles Johnson, "A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the Most Notorious Pirates". A fascinating and absorbing resource. 3) I suppose this is another chapter that doesn't drive the plot forward very much (like the Spanish Navy chapter). Nevertheless, I hope you find it amusing and fun.
----
"So how, exactly, does this work?" MacDougall asked, scratching his head.
Jack adjusted his hat and combed out his beard with his fingers. "We toddle ashore - you, me 'n Deschamps - and let it be known we've a rich cargo to sell. Governor invites us to dinner."
"I got that part, cap'n," MacDougall said, "but I ain't rightly understood the rest of it."
Flashing his first mate a winning grin, Jack clapped him on the shoulder. "It'll all come clear, mate. Just follow me."
"Aye, cap'n." But the Scotsman still looked doubtful, and even dour as the three men descended into one of the Nictaux's boats. The pirates at the oars set up a steady rhythm, and the little boat shot towards the port.
Once ashore, Jack turned to his crew. "You know what to do, lads." The pirates touched their hats, and set about mooring the boat to the quayside. Deschamps and MacDougall, both in their best coats and hats, exchanged mystified glances. But they had known Jack Sparrow for some four years now, through storm and high wind, and there was not much that could surprise them.
The crossing from the East had been without major incident - just the usual round of storms, raids and spots of calm. They had been away from the Caribbean three years, roaming the Eastern islands and the Indian coast, running the gauntlet of the East India Company. Jack had buried ten of his crewmen at sea; some of them the victims of illness and some of them killed in fights. But he had easily replaced them, and the pirates aboard the Nictaux were satisfied with their lot.
On their return to the Caribbean, the ship had made landfall first at one of the smaller, easternmost isles for supplies. Jack decided then to carry out a few more raids before returning the Nictaux to her home port of Tortuga, and he had set a course for Nassau in the Bahamas. Rumour had it that the rule of the British governor there was fast failing - Jack wanted to test the rumour out.
Walking the streets towards the governor's residence certainly seemed to support the talk. The buildings looked shabby, and there were few Marines patrolling. Jack rested one hand on the newly polished hilt of his sword, and looked about him with interest.
"What d'ye think, cap'n?" asked MacDougall in an undertone.
"Hopeful," said Jack. "Aye, very hopeful. Now just stay sharp, and this'll all go perfectly, savvy?"
"Nous savons," Deschamps reassured him.
The little party of pirates arrived at the imposing gates to the governor's large house, set in lush grounds. Jack pushed them open, and they headed towards the main door.
"Nice," said MacDougall, nervously. "Like the time I visited Glamis Castle as a wee lad." He adjusted his hat for the fifth time in as many minutes.
Jack, however, seemed perfectly calm as he strode to the doors and pulled the bell-pull sharply. They waited; within a few minutes footsteps could be heard hurrying to the door, and shortly it swung open.
"May I help you?"
Doffing his hat, Jack beamed at the black-suited butler who had answered the door. "Certainly, my man!" he said, his voice smoothed of accent to such an extent that both Deschamps and MacDougall had to work hard to disguise their astonishment. "I am Captain James Crowe, of the merchant vessel the Nictaux. My officers, Messieurs Deschamps and MacDougall. We have just landed with a rich cargo and are come to pay our respects to the Governor."
"Governor Sutton is in his study," the butler returned, with a slight, impeccably polite bow. "If you would follow me, Captain Crowe, I will show you to the drawing room where he will receive you."
"Much obliged," Jack said.
As they followed the butler into the mansion, Jack turned and gave his companions a grin. He was overjoyed with the success of his modest plan so far, though fooling a mere butler was child's play compared with the task that awaited them; fooling the governor.
The drawing room was ornate and very British, and very stuffy. The butler opened a window, and disappeared to go and find Governor Sutton. Jack chose a chair and carefully sat down, flicking the ends of his coat back over the seat rather than crumple them. His mates fidgeted, neither of them at ease in this environment.
Shortly, the butler returned, holding open the door and announcing: "Governor Stephen Sutton of Nassau."
The governor entered, a tall, florid man in a dandyish dark green coat.
Jack rose, and made a brief, straight-backed bow. "Governor. So kind of you to receive us, sir."
"Not at all, captain," the governor returned, crossing the room and offering his hand to Jack. "Truth be told, it is increasingly seldom a merchant makes safe berth in our harbour."
"Is that so?" Jack raised his eyebrows and feigned surprise.
"It is - please, do sit down - these waters are positively infested with pirates. Infested, I tell you! Did you not encounter any of the bastards on your voyage?"
"No, thankfully." Sitting down, Jack withdrew a folded piece of parchment from his jacket. "We had excellent winds and made the crossing in good time."
"You have come from England, Captain Crowe?" Governor Sutton enquired. Two maids, pretty and demure in blue dresses, arrived and began to serve tea.
Jack took a cup and saucer. "No, from the East Indies, sir. We have a hold packed to the brim, the utter brim, with riches. It has been a most profitable voyage."
Over the rim of his teacup, the governor's eyes gleamed. Jack knew he had hooked the man - it was not just pirates that lusted after treasure.
"Tell me more," said Sutton. So Jack did, laying it on thick, telling the governor about the silks and silver the Nictaux was laden with. And truthfully, she was laden, for the raids had all been fruitful. Jack talked and sipped his tea, whilst the governor listened enthralled and MacDougall and Deschamps loitered in the background and said nothing.
"And you say not all your goods are spoken for, captain?" Governor Sutton asked, when Jack finally stopped speaking.
"Fully a third," Jack said, pulling a number from thin air. He had no intention of selling the governor anything.
The governor licked his lips, a hungry look in his eyes. "I would be interested in seeing some samples," he said. "Perhaps you and your officers would be kind enough to accept an invitation to dine with us this evening, and you could bring me a selection?"
"You are too kind, Governor Sutton," said Jack. "We would be delighted."
"Then it is settled. Shall we say six?"
"Six it is!" Jack agreed. "I look forward to it. Now, do not let us detain you from your work any longer, governor."
They rose, and after cordial farewells, the pirates were shown out by the butler.
Once out of the gates, Jack turned to MacDougall and Deschamps. "Well, I don't want to say 'told ye so'," he said, "but ..."
"Aye, nice work, cap'n," MacDougall said.
The three men returned to their boat, where they found the crewmen waiting. They sprang to their feet and began to untie the little craft from the quayside. Jack and his mates climbed in, and soon all the men were back on board the Nictaux. Turning to his crew, Jack said: "Well?"
"We scouted about a bit, as you said, cap'n," Sim reported. "Town's not well defended. There's a small garrison, like, for the Marines, but there ain't many of them."
"We looked through a winder," added Sim's companion, a young pirate known as Cutlass Mick on account of his sword fighting skills. "They've not got many weapons, neither."
"Excellent," said Jack. "Extra ration o' rum for the four of you. Now, listen up, all!"
The crew gathered, attentive, and listened as Jack outlined the next stage of his plan. There were some mutterings and expressions of doubt, but by dinnertime, everyone aboard the Nictaux knew what they were doing.
Jack went below and rummaged around in his cabin until he found a rather nice velvet coat he had taken off a merchant a few months before. He changed out of the silk coat he had worn for the earlier visit to the governor, tied a clean white cravat around his neck, and strapped a dagger to his forearm before putting on the velvet coat. A floppy, flamboyant hat with a feather completed the ensemble.
He examined himself in the long, cracked mirror propped against the cabin wall, and smoothed down his beard again. It had not taken kindly to being unbraided, and was inclined to curliness. His hair was an easier matter, being pulled back with a length of leather, the various beads concealed moderately well.
Offering his reflection a polite bow, Jack nodded. All was as it should be. He glanced around the cabin, checked he had everything, and went back on deck with a spring in his step.
The three pirates arrived at the governor's mansion in time for dinner, and were shown again into the drawing room where the butler served them glasses of wine. Shortly, Governor Sutton arrived and they went in to dine.
By any standards, the meal would have been good; but compared to recent fare aboard the Nictaux (hard biscuits and salted meat, for the most part), it was ambrosia. Dish after dish of meat and fish and vegetables were brought out, and MacDougall and Deschamps tucked in with gusto. Jack ate heartily too, but kept up his veneer of being a gentleman merchant captain. Expensive imported wine flowed in plentiful quantities, and by dessert Governor Sutton's face was distinctly red.
After dinner, they retired to the governor's study, where Jack laid out small samples of the goods they had plundered. Sutton looked them over carefully, drinking as he did so. The hand on the clock on the wall crept round to eight.
"What do you think?" Jack asked, once the governor had had time to examine the goods.
Sutton looked up. "Excellent, Captain Crowe, simply excellent."
"Glad you approve of the quality," Jack said.
"What would you like for the goods?" Governor Sutton asked.
Jack grinned, and dropped his cultured accent. "You'll show me where the wealth of this town is kept, and hand it over nice and quiet-like without a fuss - savvy?"
Sutton stared, the glass in his hand starting to shake. "I beg your pardon, Crowe?"
"Pardon given," said Jack, cheerfully. "I'm afraid you've just become a victim of those pirates you hate so much, mate. Now, let's have the stuff and you and your little kingdom will escape scot-free. But you'd better hurry. If me and me mates aren't back on board our ship afore nine," he gestured to the clock, "she'll fire on Nassau. It's your choice."
With a gentle thud, Governor Sutton fainted dead away.
Jack prodded the man's unconscious body. "Bloody landlubber," he said. "All right, we'll just find what he has ourselves, and get out of here."
The search was brisk and thorough. The three men emptied drawers and boxes and emerged twenty minutes later, triumphant with a chest of coin - Nassau's main treasury, it seemed - and various other valuable items. At the quayside, they were met by members of Jack's crew who had loaded their boat with muskets taken from the Marines' garrison whilst the guards slept off their own ale-drenched dinner.
A short time later, the Nictaux was slipping smoothly out of Nassau harbour, having successfully liberated the town of half its weaponry and most of its wealth.
"An' all without us firing a shot!" said MacDougall, amazed.
"Welcome back to the Caribbean, mate," Jack said. "We're home."