Monday, 7th March 1666

After the first few hours at sea and away from land, it all became a sameness – the tilt of the ship from the wind, the gentle pitching in the waves and the hiss of water passing the hull. The only changes were the shapes and movements of the clouds and the occasional creaking of the rigging.

The days passed with little change to my routine except for the time of the day when I sat to tutor. As I served supper to Captain one evening, he asked, "Have you made friends among the crew, Boy?"

"Aye, sir. It started the first day when Richard defended me against the taunters and fast turned the situation. He now attends all my tutoring."

Captain tilted his head. "Tutoring?"

"Showing how to chalk the letters and say them. Many said they want to learn to read and write, but only a few come each time – and not always the same ones."

"Possibly because of their watch rotation."

I nodded at the realisation. "Yes, of course. Richard always arranges the time – and Hank and Mik must be on the same watch as he – they are also always there."

"That is very kind of you to teach them."

"As it was kind of you to teach me, sir."

He smiled. "And I relished how quickly and well you took to it. Remember this well, Boy. It is not the lack of noble birth that makes a man less able; it is the lack of opportunity that does – or squandering the opportunity that is given."

"True. I must find a way to include the others who wish to learn."

"How long are your tutoring sessions?"

"Usually no more than an hour. I sense their attention waning beyond that."

"Indeed, it does. Wise to do a bit at a time to keep them interested. You might ask what watches they stand. Offering two sessions each day would include all who wish to learn."

I nodded at the simplicity of this. "I had not stopped to analyse why some I thought were eager do not attend."

With two tutoring sessions each day offering a respite from my duties for Captain, the time passed quickly. Shortly past the noon bells on the eighth day, as I headed forward to fetch Captain's dinner, a cry came from aloft, "Land ho! Fine the starboard bow."

I rushed forward to look but saw nothing. After pondering, I remembered how we saw much farther from up the mast and Captain's explanation that it is from the Earth's curve. Of course. I retraced my steps to the hatch leading down to the cookery.

As I walked aft with the pannier, I saw Captain on the quarterdeck talking with the watch officer. Yes, with the land, he needs to give instructions. Will he be delayed up there? Should I go up and ask? No, he is busy.

I re-entered the great cabin and set the pannier on the table in the pantry, and while I pondered, Captain descended the stairs and said. "Come here, Boy, and I will show you some more navigation."

"Aye, sir. But your dinner will cool."

"This will take but a minute."

When I joined him at the tall table, he had spread a chart atop it, and he tapped a finger on it. "We are here, approaching the island of Madeira from the east."

I nodded. "The land the lookout reported." I examined the crooked line and the small pencilled script. "We almost missed it. But it shows we turned west here on the sixth of March."

"Aye, Boy. Well observed. Because we cannot accurately determine longitude, we sail to the latitude we want, then turn and sail along it to our destination. This turn was reckoned from the evening star sight a day and a half past."

"What if we turn the wrong way looking for the island?"

Captain chuckled and pointed. "That is the reason we aim far to one side – so we know which way to turn. With the drift of the currents and winds, if we sailed directly toward its position on the chart and we miss it, we would not know which way to turn."

"Aha! So, why are we going there?"

"Primarily to determine our position, making it safer to continue onward. Also we will anchor to replenish our water and to take on fresh meat, fish, vegetables and fruit."

"Oh! Did we not stow enough, sir?"

"Well enough, Boy. But the fresh provisions will be a relief from the dried and the salted. Also, it is wise to take on water whenever possible."

I nodded, then turned to point. "Your dinner cools, sir."

Mid-afternoon, we came to anchor off a city rimming a wide embayment and climbing the steep hills beyond – the first mountains I ever did see. Funchal, Captain called the city, explaining it is part of Portugal. It was then I realised I must spend more time studying the maps.

Two days later, I stood on the quarterdeck while we passed among a long series of islands, which Captain called Islas Canarias and told me they belong to Spain. Then, pointing to the highest mountain, he said, "That one stands over twelve thousand feet tall."

"Two sea miles." I tried to imagine the distance and stand it on end while I examined the mountain. "Is the white up there like the cliffs at Dover?"

He chuckled. "Nay, Boy. It is snow."

"Snow? How can this be? It is so hot here. And up there, it is even closer to the sun."

"Though it is hot down here, up there at more than twelve thousand feet, it is far colder, and snow remains into the spring."

"Oh! Why is this, sir? Is it not hotter closer to the sun?"

"Nay, Boy. The higher one goes, the thinner the air and the less there is to hold the heat. On some mountains, it remains the entire year – always white-topped. But here, because we are approaching the Tropics, this snow melts by early spring and does not return until autumn."

"How have you learnt all this, sir?"

"By observing, questioning, reading and analysing, exactly as you are doing."

"But I know so little in comparison."

"You know more than I did at your age."

"Oh!" This warmed me. "That offers me great encouragement, sir."

"And your eagerness to learn offers me even more."