The next morning, Ana and Gibbs did as they were bid and were up at cock's
crow to meet Jack. Having nothing else I desired to do in this hellish
town, I decided to follow them.
It was a cool, clear morning, with the cloudless sky promising heat later. We found Jack in a small bay someway off from Tortuga's main harbour. He was shouting and waving at the Black Pearl, which seemed to be heading straight for the beach.
"Shouldn't we be alarmed?" I whispered to Ana
"Nah, just watch."
Soon the Pearl ran ashore, with a great grinding of wood on sand. Suddenly the whole of the tiny beach was ablaze with activity. Ropes were thrown over the Pearl, which the crew began to haul against, bringing the whole ship down onto its left side. It was a formidable sight to see the great masts swing out of their position, bisecting the skyline and topple like trees to the ground. The bustle of activity and noise stopped abruptly as the Black Pearl collapsed on its side with a great and fearsome thud, spraying up sand in a spluttering wave.
Now the ship was lying completely on its side, looking forlorn and abandoned as some ancient shipwreck. Tony, the ships carpenter and one of the few of the crew from Hispaniola to have passed his thirtieth year, walked slowly round the ship, here and there tapping a board or pulling at some piece of sea debris. The rest of the crew stood respectfully aside, waiting for his orders. It was clear it was going to be a long day.
And it was, I discovered the ships hull needed to be completely cleared of seaweed and barnacles – this to be done with burning in some places. Then any rotten or damaged boards needed to be replaced. After this the gaps between the boards had to be shored up with oakum and pitch before the whole hull was sealed with a mixture of tallow, oil and brimstone. I had no idea a ship needed so much maintenance and watched with a kind of wonder as the crew crawled over the hull like ants, working to remove the rubbish it had collected while at sea.
The sun grew high and hot overhead and I was persuaded to fetch first flagons of water and later grog for the sailors. My feet were burnt by the hot sand and I felt dizzy from the heat and for a while I sat in the shade of the deck, drinking heavily of the water I had fetched.
"Slow down love," I looked up into a familiar pair of laughing brown eyes "Where's the fire?"
"In my belly!" I replied as Jack sat down next to me, rolling one of his rings between his hands. It was the silver one with a large, smooth dark jewel set in it. He slipped it onto his finger and slowly closed his hand into a fist.
"Yer've changed a lot since I first met yer." He began slowly. I shrugged "Yer were all airs an' graces an' now yer runnin' around, barefoot an' tanned as a slave – like a regular pirate's scullery."
"I beg your pardon Captain Sparrow." I began, smiling - but he waved away my objection, staring out to the sea beyond the bay. "D'yer reckon it's easy fer people to change, Cathy? 'Cause I've bin thinkin'..."
"You have to do what your heart tells you." I replied, before realising I'd even thought the words. I looked up at him and with a sudden ache of misgiving and guilt; realised what my heart was telling me.
"Aye." He glanced over at me, for a moment catching my eye. I tried to turn away but he reached up and put his hand to my cheek. "But whot if yer don't trust yer 'eart no more?"
He kissed me slowly and I could feel his hands tremble. Why was it always like this? A moment of closeness, the kissing and just when I began to believe I understood him... Despite his foolish and lawless behaviour I couldn't help but see a good man in Jack. When so many I had met in my time were false he was true to himself to the last. As we kissed under the fading heat and light of the sun I felt my faith in society and etiquette fall away. Here, miles away from home life seemed so much simpler; the food, drink, rules were plain and practical and I believe I had come to enjoy it.
"yer've got all of yer life ahead o' yer Cathy, an' I've got it all be'ind me." He spoke in a low voice as we pulled apart "But I dunno if I'm cut out fer this pirating lark fer much longer, an'..."
"Cap'n Sparrer Tony sez... oh, blimey! Sorry Cap'n..." It was Billy out off breath, cap in hand and backing away apologetically.
"It's alright Bill, me lad." Jack spoke with a groan as he stood and I realised the moment had, as usual, passed. "Take me to 'im an' we'll 'ave this bitch back in the water where she belongs in no time." He slapped the overhanging mast fondly and swaggered away across the beach.
Soon the crew were pulling on the ropes and the Pearl began to rise from the sand. I backed away, determined not to let them see my face, red and brimming with tears.
It was a cool, clear morning, with the cloudless sky promising heat later. We found Jack in a small bay someway off from Tortuga's main harbour. He was shouting and waving at the Black Pearl, which seemed to be heading straight for the beach.
"Shouldn't we be alarmed?" I whispered to Ana
"Nah, just watch."
Soon the Pearl ran ashore, with a great grinding of wood on sand. Suddenly the whole of the tiny beach was ablaze with activity. Ropes were thrown over the Pearl, which the crew began to haul against, bringing the whole ship down onto its left side. It was a formidable sight to see the great masts swing out of their position, bisecting the skyline and topple like trees to the ground. The bustle of activity and noise stopped abruptly as the Black Pearl collapsed on its side with a great and fearsome thud, spraying up sand in a spluttering wave.
Now the ship was lying completely on its side, looking forlorn and abandoned as some ancient shipwreck. Tony, the ships carpenter and one of the few of the crew from Hispaniola to have passed his thirtieth year, walked slowly round the ship, here and there tapping a board or pulling at some piece of sea debris. The rest of the crew stood respectfully aside, waiting for his orders. It was clear it was going to be a long day.
And it was, I discovered the ships hull needed to be completely cleared of seaweed and barnacles – this to be done with burning in some places. Then any rotten or damaged boards needed to be replaced. After this the gaps between the boards had to be shored up with oakum and pitch before the whole hull was sealed with a mixture of tallow, oil and brimstone. I had no idea a ship needed so much maintenance and watched with a kind of wonder as the crew crawled over the hull like ants, working to remove the rubbish it had collected while at sea.
The sun grew high and hot overhead and I was persuaded to fetch first flagons of water and later grog for the sailors. My feet were burnt by the hot sand and I felt dizzy from the heat and for a while I sat in the shade of the deck, drinking heavily of the water I had fetched.
"Slow down love," I looked up into a familiar pair of laughing brown eyes "Where's the fire?"
"In my belly!" I replied as Jack sat down next to me, rolling one of his rings between his hands. It was the silver one with a large, smooth dark jewel set in it. He slipped it onto his finger and slowly closed his hand into a fist.
"Yer've changed a lot since I first met yer." He began slowly. I shrugged "Yer were all airs an' graces an' now yer runnin' around, barefoot an' tanned as a slave – like a regular pirate's scullery."
"I beg your pardon Captain Sparrow." I began, smiling - but he waved away my objection, staring out to the sea beyond the bay. "D'yer reckon it's easy fer people to change, Cathy? 'Cause I've bin thinkin'..."
"You have to do what your heart tells you." I replied, before realising I'd even thought the words. I looked up at him and with a sudden ache of misgiving and guilt; realised what my heart was telling me.
"Aye." He glanced over at me, for a moment catching my eye. I tried to turn away but he reached up and put his hand to my cheek. "But whot if yer don't trust yer 'eart no more?"
He kissed me slowly and I could feel his hands tremble. Why was it always like this? A moment of closeness, the kissing and just when I began to believe I understood him... Despite his foolish and lawless behaviour I couldn't help but see a good man in Jack. When so many I had met in my time were false he was true to himself to the last. As we kissed under the fading heat and light of the sun I felt my faith in society and etiquette fall away. Here, miles away from home life seemed so much simpler; the food, drink, rules were plain and practical and I believe I had come to enjoy it.
"yer've got all of yer life ahead o' yer Cathy, an' I've got it all be'ind me." He spoke in a low voice as we pulled apart "But I dunno if I'm cut out fer this pirating lark fer much longer, an'..."
"Cap'n Sparrer Tony sez... oh, blimey! Sorry Cap'n..." It was Billy out off breath, cap in hand and backing away apologetically.
"It's alright Bill, me lad." Jack spoke with a groan as he stood and I realised the moment had, as usual, passed. "Take me to 'im an' we'll 'ave this bitch back in the water where she belongs in no time." He slapped the overhanging mast fondly and swaggered away across the beach.
Soon the crew were pulling on the ropes and the Pearl began to rise from the sand. I backed away, determined not to let them see my face, red and brimming with tears.