Sunday, 30th August 1733

The last Sunday in August dawned clear as Elizabeth glided westward through small wind waves. The swell from the storm had now all but disappeared, so the ship had little motion except forward under the steady press of the following wind in her sails.

The morning twilight sight of the North Star had placed her latitude at twenty-one forty-six eleven, and by DR, her longitude was reckoned to be about seventy-five ten. Aldrick plotted the estimated position on the chart; then he drew the line of position of the anchorage.  

After reading the notes on the back of the sketch to refresh his memory, he uncovered the voice tube and blew the whistle.

The reply came within seconds, "Officer of the Watch, Sir."

"Continue due west."

"Aye, Sir. Due west."

Aldrick covered the funnel; then he turned to Elizabeth. "The directions are to approach from the west on twenty-two twelve, then when the rightmost hill bears east-northeast, steer on it."

"How far from here?"

"We do not know." He pointed to Mira por Vos and the Jumettas. "What we do know is that these are charted incorrectly. We have confirmed this many times over the years."

"Will we run into them?"

"Our lookouts will ensure not." He ran his finger along the anchorage latitude. "Bolton shows it as lying between seventy-five and seventy-six west of London. We will sail due west to seventy-six before we steer north to find twenty-two twelve. Make the DR easier."

Elizabeth picked up the dividers and measured on the longitude scale. "A little over fifty miles. Less than five hours, then north for two more."

"If the wind continues. Doing it this way takes us close to twenty-two twelve when the sun crosses our meridian, enabling us to determine our latitude close to the approach line."

"Wise. And still six hours of daylight remaining from then."

"Yes, and we will likely need it all. Unless the wind shifts, our course will be into it, needing a long series of tacks."

She nodded as she snaked her hand to the front. "Like we did coming out the channel between England and France. Back and forth, back and forth."

"Exactly. I assume the good water is wide enough for that here. With the prevailing winds, Bolton would have had to approach into them."

"I still do not understand why you trust his drawing and his figures. As a convicted pirate conniving to be set free, his information may be no better than that which places the Caicos..." She waved her hand over the chart. "All of these so far out of position." 

"He was a highly respected naval officer and navigator before he turned foul. I know his family, and they are honourable. I trust him on this. Besides, it is his only way to prevent being branded and transported." 

Elizabeth was about to speak when six bells sounded, then nodding to the night cabin, she asked, "Shall we go play until breakfast?"

<><><>

At five bells of the forenoon watch, Aldrick turned to the Master. "Standby to brace the yards around, Mister Moore, as we come starboard."

"Aye, Sir. Ready when you are."

"Very good. Let us begin. Mister Franklin, come slowly starboard to north, keeping the sails filled."

"Aye, Sir. Slow starboard to north. Follow sails."

Aldrick watched as yards were heaved in to port, the starboard sheets eased and the port ones drawn taught. Once the square sails were set and drawing, the Master called adjustments to the jib, staysail and mizzen sheets, and within five minutes, Elizabeth had settled on her new course. "Excellent, Mister Moore. You may stand-down the afternoon watch."

"Thank you, Sir."

"When we have come to speed and have a logline reading, I will give you a closer estimate on our turn to east."

"Aye, Sir."

Elizabeth moved swiftly northward with a stiff southwesterly breeze now in her starboard quarter, the taff line showing above eleven knots. After Aldrick had calculated the time to reach the approach latitude, he turned to Franklin and said, "Come a point to Starboard to stem the drift of the wind."

"Aye, Sir. Starboard to north-by-east."

The breeze remained steady through the forenoon watch and into the afternoon. As Elizabeth and Charles announced merpass, Aldrick called for a new half-hour glass to be turned. Then after the sights had been reduced, he calculated forty minutes before the turn to east and warned the timekeepers to have a fresh ten-minute glass ready.

The half-hour glass was about half run when a cry came from aloft the foremast, "Pale water ahead, Sir."

"Thank you, Lad," Charles shouted in reply.

Aldrick strode across the quarterdeck to the starboard mainmast shrouds and swung himself around and onto the ratlings, quickly ascending to the topsail yard. After surveying the scene, he shouted down. "Prepare to come east."

"Aye, Sir," sounded in unison from Charles and the Master as Aldrick quickly descended to the quarterdeck.

"A line of shoals tending east-west. About four miles ahead." He raised his arm and swung it. "Looks dark all the way to starboard. Come east now. Mister Charles, follow the sails around. Mister Moore, when you are ready."

"Aye, Sir, east," was chorused by the two.

The breeze had remained fresh and steady out of the southeast, and after Elizabeth had come around up into the wind, the best course she could make was east-by-north. Two lookouts were now posted on the platform above the topmast spreaders of both the mainmast and the fore.

When the first stable logline showed a little past nine knots, Aldrick plotted, explaining to Charles and Elizabeth. "We altered a good twenty minutes early, about four miles. We are now steering a point north of east, so using the rule of one-in-five, a point will take us twenty miles, more than two hours, to offset this distance to the line of shoals. We may need only a few tacks, if any."

A few minutes after five bells had sounded, an excited cry came from aloft the mainmast. "Land ho! Fine a port, Sir,"

Charles shouted a reply, "Thank you, Lad. How far the shoal edge now?"

"Two cables. Maybe a bit more."

"Thank you, Lad."

"Pinch the wind half a point, Mister Charles. See if we can spare a tack. I shall be aloft."

"Aye, Sir. Starboard to east, half north."

Aldrick again climbed the ratlings to the mainmast topsail yard, and he breathed a huge sigh as he identified the two hills from the sketch. Then he smiled at the two young hands beside him. "That is where your grandfather, great-grandfather wrecked fifty-four years ago." 

"But the gold's not there no more. The talk below is Roberts beat us to it. I heer'd he sailed in March. He's there and long gone." 

Aldrick nodded. "Yes, he sailed five months before us. But remember, it has taken us eighteen voyages to find this place. Would you expect him to happen upon it on his first attempt?"

"In the public house 'long the embankment the night afore we sailed. I heer'd he had a map to the treasure."

"What of else did you hear?"

"Plenty, Sir. But my father says 'tis not good ta spread stories. I should'na told you." 

"Aye, but it may help the ship. If you wish to share some of it with me, see the Coxswain, and he will bring you to me in private." He pointed off the port bow. "But now, our task is to keep off the shoals. They show clear here. Keep an eye peeled for other shallows ahead and fine a port." 

"Aye, Sir."

Aldrick closely examined the waters ahead and the land growing above the horizon, then satisfied, he descended to the quarterdeck, asking Charles, "What speed?"

"Slowed to just shy of seven, Sir, with the pinching."

"Fine. Maintain course. This will save us having to tack and tack back."

"Aye, Sir."

Well into the second sandglass after the beginning of the first dog, the westernmost hill bore east-northeast, and Aldrick told Wilson to come port and steer on it. Elizabeth picked up way as the wind moved aft, and she was soon making above eight knots directly toward land.

The western sky reddened as they approached, square sails furled and only the jibs and spanker drawing. Then after being reduced to outer jib alone, Elizabeth ghosted into the centre of the anchorage.

Aldrick ordered the anchor let go to one shackle, and as the cable paid out, a bright flash came from ashore, followed by a sharp crack and its echoes among the low hills. Then water splashed close off the port bow. 

"Man the swivels and chasers. Load shot bags. Hold fire until ordered. All hands below except those required." When he finished his orders, Aldrick turned to Elizabeth and pointed toward the ladder coaming.