Issac took his pipe out of his mouth and looked at it, sighing.

"I really miss this. I miss the smell of the smoke and the taste of the tobacco.

We tried to grow our own tobacco, but had little luck. It was barely a smokable product."

"Ise don't like peoples smokin' in my 'ouse anyway," Nanny Dove smirked.

Matty leaned on Bill's shoulder and patted his chest.

"Not a word, my love. Not worth the effort."

Bill agreed and immediately turned his attention back to Issac.

"So things got fucked up, you were saying?"

"It was early May, when we pulled into the harbour of St. John's on the east side of the New Found Land. We were only a week or so from Boston, but the weather seemed to be changing so the Captain, a Captain Fredricks, decided that we should put into port. It would also give us a chance to get off the ship and stretch our sea legs and for the crew to replenish the water and other supplies. And at that point a few extra days longer was no real effort on our part. We felt we were safe and well on our way to Boston.

About half of the adults left the ship and went into town, while the others stayed at dock with the children and to keep an eye on our personal belongings. We spent a wonderful day in the town, but upon arrival back at the Emily Rose, things seemed to have taken a slight turn.

We were informed that Captain Fredricks had taken sick suddenly and had to remain in St. John's. There was never any mention as to what actually befell him, but it must have been contagious because his subordinates were also replaced."

"So there was a whole new crew?" Matty wondered, as she hurried to the kitchen to get us a beer.

Issac nodded.

"The Cartwell Merchant Company did have a representative in the port of St. John's, so at first I felt no reason to question the change and in all honesty the new Captain and his ranking crew seemed to be a quite agreeable group of people.

We spent one more day in port, although the Captain, a fellow by the name of Landers, would not allow anyone to leave the ship.

He said we had to stay aboard for fear of catching the illness that had befallen the former Captain Fredricks.

Again, there was no reason to doubt the Captain, as illness during that time could spread very quickly and the outcome was far less than pleasant if you did fall sick.

We set sail the next morning, May 9, 1798 for what should have been a short trip to the port of Boston.

But just two days into the sail, I realized that something was not right. Instead of setting to the open seas and heading south west, the Emily Rose was hugging the shoreline and heading directly west."

"Dey bes 'şailin' to da west coast of da province den," Nanny Rose interjected.

"Deys be takin' another course."

"Dat bes right Matilda," Issac laughed.

Nanny Dove stopped rocking and knitting and stared at Issac.

"Youse be sounding' like Willam dere when 'e bes tryin' to sound like a Newf. Youse best stick to what youse is, Poppy."

Issac looked at Matty and Bill.

"Is she always like this?"

The two nodded.

"Actually," Matty added, "she seems to be on her best behaviour today."

"This is her best behaviour?" Issac laughed.

"I would mot like to be in the presence of her at her worst."

Nanny Dove went back to rocking and knitting.

"Youse ass'oles bes as funny as 'emorrhoids. Da whole lot of youse."

"So what happened next?"

"Well, Matty, I decided that it was time to talk to Captain Landers. Not only to find out why he was hugging the coastline, but to inquire as to why we had not seen him at all since leaving St. Johns."

Bill was a little confused.

"But wouldn't he be following the original travel route, as you gave to the Cartwell Merchant Company? If that were true, then the hugging of the shoreline should not have raised any questions."

"Very observant William, but I failed to mention that once I was aware that we were going to the port of St. John's, I spoke to Captain Fredricks and informed him of our plan to continue to Boston, rather than homestead in a large bay, Founded by Captain James Cook, along the west coast of the New Found Land."

"Bay of Islands?" Bill wondered aloud.

Issac nodded. 

"I believe that is what the ended up naming it. The town of Corner Brook is there now, as I have heard. It may have been a different name if we had indeed ventured up the bay and settled there."

"Mights 'ave been a bitter plan den what 'appened," Nanny Dove sputtered.

"Least it bes a lot more protected den dis place ever were."

"I have to agree with you Matilda, but unfortunately fate did not dictate such."

Issac put his pipe in his jacket pocket and began to pace, as he continued.

"So, as I was saying, I was a little concerned that we were staying close to the shoreline. The south-east shoreline is very rugged and prone to weather changes very quickly, so the threat of being washed upon the rocks was a very real one.

When I was allowed entry to the Captain's quarters, I was shocked. Captain Landers and his immediate staff were sitting around the cabin, obviously drunk. This was discerning enough, but what was even more unusual was the fact that a mere deckhand, a scruffy, smelly man by the name of Webster was sitting in the Captain's chair and, by all accounts, seemed to be the leader of the group of sailors.

I addressed my concerns to the so called Captain Landers, but it was Webster who spoke.

He informed me that there had been a change of plan and that he was indeed taking us to what we knew as Captain Cook's Bay, as was the original plan. There, we would be put to shore and left to our own accord.

Well, needless to say, I was a little more than put off by such an idea and I strongly disagreed with the change in plans. I informed him that I would be lodging a formal complaint to the Cartwell Merchant Company, as soon as I could, to which Webster laughed and replied ...

'Jest where does you expect to be finding a company representative in the wilds of the New Found Land?'

He and the others found that terrible amusing.

I then did a very stupid thing."

Nanny Dove laughed.

"Did youse threaten 'e?"

Issac stopped pacing and stared at Nanny Dove, sighing.

"Youse did? Youse idiot."

She laughed even harder.

"Youse threatened sailors on da 'igh sea. Youse? A farmer?"

Issac walked back to us.

"It was not my finest moment, I admit."

"What did you say to them?" Bill wondered.

Issac sighed.

"I told him that if my request remained unattended, as Elder of the County of Tuckamore, I would have to assume control and Captaincy of the Emily Rose."

Nanny Dove was nearly in hysterics.

"Youse couldn't possibly been dat stupid?"