Edward Hamilton of the Royal Navy – the Caribbean Voyage

Now a captain Edward Hamilton is in command of the frigate Siren in the Caribbean

1805, Caribbean Sea

Lt. James Wray touched his hat as he came up the ladder and approached the solitary figure standing near the taffrail along the stern. Captain Edward Hamilton returned the salute but kept his expression neutral.

“I’ve been with the surgeon, sir –” Wray began.

“And?” Hamilton asked impatiently.

“Two sir. Two dead and six wounded.” Wray handed the Captain a sheet of paper with a list of names. “Also, Mr. Thiele is not healing well, sir, and the surgeon –“

“Yes. Thank you, Mr. Wray.” Hamilton looked at the paper for a moment. “Send Mr. Owen down to check the plugs for the shot holes. Have the split braces rove before other repairs, I want to get underway as soon as possible.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Wray turned and bellowed orders and a trio of sailors climbed quickly and fearlessly up the ratlines strung between the shrouds and began to pull in lines snapped apart by iron cannonballs.

“Deck!” Came a shout from the lookout aloft the main mast. “A boat sir, to larboard!”

“Glass,” Captain Hamilton snapped. He took the telescope from the sailing master and scanned out along the direction horizon. “Mr. Wray have the quarter boat cleared away. I see two…no, three survivors. Take a full crew and bring them back.”

“Aye aye, sir”

“Mr. Caruthers gather a boat crew, and take the bow,” Lt. Wray ordered. The quarter boat was lowered into the water. Six sailors went over the side to man the oars, followed by two marines and Midshipman Caruthers. Lieutenant Wray climbed in last and sat back in the stern sheets.

“Shove off!” Wray shouted. The quarter boat was soon gliding over the water, moving away from the ship towards the other small boat that moved listlessly in the waves. Two figures were huddled in the stern, both clutching gowns, now ripped and soaking wet. At the bow a soldier with a blue jacket with a pistol in one hand was slumped over the gunwale.

Captain Hamilton stood along the quarterdeck, his hands behind his back, looking up from time to time at the men working in the rigging and down on deck. He was well aware of the returning quarter boat with two survivors but waited patiently for Wray to climb onboard and report.

“Two women, sir,” Wray said. “One is Spanish and the other may be English. There was a Spanish soldier but he was dead. We saw no one else in the water, sir.”

“Thank you, Mr. Wray.” Hamilton glanced over as the second woman was helped on board. Both were soaking wet and clinging to blankets given them by the sailors of the quarter boat.

“All right you men, clear off!” Wray shouted, dispersing the groups of sailors who stopped to stare.

“Mr. Wray, these are prisoners from an belligerent vessel.” Hamilton said loudly. “They are to be treated as such.”

“Yes, sir.” Wray turned. “Mr. Caruthers take those blankets from the prisoners and bind their hands!”

“Aye, aye sir!” Caruthers said, enthusiastically. He took two small lengths of rope and tied them around the wrists of the women after pulling their arms behind their backs.

Hamilton slowly walked down the ladder to the quarter deck, turned and went down to his cabin. Wray pointed and the two women, one fuming red, followed the Captain. Wray waited for them to step inside. Hamilton had taken off his cocked hat and stood looking out the great window at the blue Caribbean.

“That will be all, Mr. Wray.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Wray said, closing the door.

“You barbarous Englisher!” shouted a dark haired woman with a Spanish accent. “You will stop this at once! Even you must know that I am to be treated me with the dignity of my birthright!”

Captain Hamilton slowly turned and looked at her. “And what is your birthright, madam?”

“I am Yolanda de l’Aigle y Covarrubias, Marquesa de Ledigos!” She shouted, as if it was obvious who she was. “And you senor have attacked a ship of His Most Catholic Majesty! This is piracy and you will hang!”

“I believe my information is more current, madam, and allow me to be the first to tell you that as of December 12, 1804 your Most Catholic Majesty has been at war with His Britannic Majesty.”

The Marquesa stared for a moment, “War? I don’t believe this. You are a liar!”

“This news hardly comes as a surprise considering the aid Spain has been giving Napoleon’s fleet. Whether coerced or not that has made your country an enemy of mine. As for your opinion of me, madam, that is of no account.”

“Excuse me, sir” said the other woman. She had light reddish hair, a light complexion, and an English accent with a trace of Spanish on some words.

“And you are some noblewoman too, I take it?” Hamilton asked sarcastically.

“No, sir. I am Elizabeth Tinsley, sir. In the service of the Marquesa.” She looked nervously at the Marquesa and then added, “Thank you for saving us, sir. When Capitan Araoz put us in the boat I thought all was lost.”

“You are most welcome, Miss Tinsley. I am Captain Edward Hamilton and you are now aboard the frigate Siren.”

“Untie my hands!” the Marquesa shouted, followed by a string of Spanish insults.

Hamilton went to his desk and picked up a dirk. He brought it close to the Spanish noblewoman. She sputtered, her eyes wide with sudden fear. Hamilton reached for a handful of her gown and tore into it with the dirk, slicing up and then down and pulling it open. He did the same to her undergarments and soon the Marquesa’s olive skinned body was displayed from her breasts down to the top of the dark triangular patch between her legs.

“Please, sir!” Elizabeth said. Hamilton glared at the Englishwoman and she quieted herself. He then ran his hand down the Marquesa’s body. She was an attractive woman in her late 30s, her breasts were still firm. The Spanish woman began to shake.

“Sir, I beg of you! You are gentleman!” The Marquesa pleaded.

“And here I thought I was a pirate,” Hamilton smiled and then yelled. “Steward!” The door to the cabin opened and a sailor stepped inside. He seemed nonplussed by the two women, both with their hands bound, and one with her breasts exposed.

“Send my compliments to Mr. Wray, ask if he might join me in my cabin,” the Captain Hamilton said.

“Aye aye, sir,” the steward replied.

Lieutenant Wray knocked and stepped inside. “Yes, sir. You wished to see me?”

“Mr. Wray you can have this one,” he took hold of the Marquesa by her shoulders and turned her around to face the Lieutenant. “Keep her bound in your cabin until your watch is over. And when you are finished with her she is to be shared with the wardroom.”

“Aye aye, sir. Thank you sir!” Wray stepped forward and took hold of the Marquesa by the arm. She began to beg in Spanish but he ignored her, dragging her out of the Captain’s cabin.

Hamilton turned to Elizabeth Tinsley as soon as the door was closed. He indicated for her to turn around and then cut the ropes free with the dirk. Hamilton stepped over to his desk and sat down, his eyes glued to her. “I can see the switch marks on your back,” Hamilton said. “Courtesy of the Marquesa, I take it.”

“Yes. Yes, sir.” Her face turned red. “My mistress is very strict.”

“Hmm. Well, let me see how much damage she has caused. Take off the dress.”

“Sir?”

“You heard the order, and it was an order. Take off the dress now or you will be punished by me.” Elizabeth nodded and slowly pulled the gown apart, much of it already ripped and torn. She placed it on the deck and put her hands to her sides, her face, beet red, looking down at his shoes.

“Turn around.”

“Yes, sir,” she said quietly, slowly turning around and showing him the dozen switch marks on her back, some fresh and others faded.

“Tell me, how did you come into the service of this woman?”

“I was a child sir, with my parents on a ship from Portsmouth bound for Jamaica when it was taken by a Spanish privateer and brought to San Veran. My parents died of yellow fever soon after and I was left a penniless orphan. I was working in a mill until I was sixteen, sir. The supervisor gave me to the family of the Marquesa and they gave me to her. I have been with her for five years, sir.”

“Gave you? Hmm, it sounds like they were treating you as a piece of property.”

Elizabeth nodded, slowly. “It is all I know, sir.”

“I am afraid that is not going to change,” Hamilton said.

“Sir? I don’t understand, is this not an English ship?”

“There was a… disagreement… and we will not be returning to England.”

“Can I ask then, sir, where this ship is going?”

“No you may not.” Hamilton stood up and walked closer. “There are now ten women on this ship. Six serve before the mast –” Elizabeth gasped.

“That means they serve the crew. One serves the midshipmen who berth in the gun room and now two will serve the officers of the wardroom. You, of course, will now serve me.”

“Yes, sir.” Hamilton put his hand on her chin and held her face up.

“You’re a pretty one. You will serve well and you will obey me in everything.”

“Yes, sir… yes… yes, master. It is all I know.”

“Mmm, good.” Hamilton caressed her breasts. “On your knees, slave.” Elizabeth obeyed, falling down and reaching for his trousers. She undid his belt and buttons and pulled them down just enough for his hard cock to slip free. She put one hand on his shaft, gripping tightly and then placed her mouth along the tip.

“Yes… oh you are very well trained.” Elizabeth slowly moved her mouth down his shaft, feeling it slip into the back of her throat. Then she began sucking, her cheeks pulled inward as her tongue slid over the hard shaft in her mouth. Hamilton put his hands on her head, feeling her bob back and forth. It didn’t take long for her to taste the precum. He pressed her in harder and she let go, allowing herself to be moved back and forth as he fucked her face.

She waited and then heard a slight moan as the cum poured into her throat. She sucked harder, swallowing it up, even as dribbles fell down her chin. Captain Hamilton adjusted his pants and then pulled her over to a corner near his narrow cot. There was a set of metal shackles hanging from one beam and he placed them over her wrists, locking them into place and putting the key in his pocket. She sat down on a pile of old canvas her hands above her in chains.

“You will wait here, slave.”

“Yes, master.” Hamilton took a moment to adjust his cocked hat and then went up on deck.

“She’s a feisty one, sir,” Lt. Wray said with a laugh. “She bit Mr. Caruthers.”

“Punishment for such an infraction is your decision, the Marquesa is your property.”

“Yes, sir, and thank you sir.” Hamilton walked back and forth along the rail, looking out to the sea. Wray waited, his expression slowly turning grim.

“Are we ready Mr. Wray?”

“Yes, sir,” Wray said, soberly. He yelled out, “All hands!” The bosun’s whistle piped the men onto the deck. The four midshipmen lined up along the larboard gunwale while the half dozen marines came to attention on the other. From the forward hatch four bundles were passed up and taken to the side of the ship where they were placed on planks. Each contained the remains of a sailor killed in the recent gun battle sewn up into a bag made of spare canvas with a pair of iron cannon balls.

Hamilton walked to the front of the quarterdeck and looked out at the men. He took off his hat, and the officers and midshipmen did the same.

“The Admiralty instructs us to take the bodies of our comrades killed during an action and heave them overboard at once. It is an efficient, if cold blooded, practice.” Hamilton said in a loud, steady voice. “And one that I will not permit on this ship. We have all been in action before, far too many times, and seen far too many friends passed out a gun port into the unforgiving sea. No more. These men, our comrades, died for us. Not for King and country, but for us. All of us. They have not died in vain. I promise you that. We will find a new home.”

There was a silence. “Commend these brave men to the deep,” Hamilton said, quietly.

The drummer pounded out a tattoo as the marines snapped to present arms. The planks were tipped and the bodies slid down and into the water. Captain Hamilton put his hat back on as did the rest of the officers and midshipmen. “You may dismiss the watch, Mr. Wray. Set the courses and tops’ls, and I’d be obliged if you set course southwest by west.”

“Southwest by west. Aye aye, sir.” Wray said. He turned to the crew. “Clear the decks, men! Hands aloft! Man the braces.” Hamilton stood back by the taffrail and watched as the main sails and topsails were set and the yards shifted to catch the light breeze. The Siren heeled over as the ship changed course, cutting across the wide ocean swells, and making the deck rise and fall in a corkscrew fashion.

“Pardon, sir,” Wray said as he approached the Captain.

“Yes, Mr. Wray.”

“Her highness there said she was sailing from San Veran. If I may, sir, that appears to be our destination.”

“Your intuition is correct, James. But first we will stop along the smaller island of Navida.”

“Navida, sir?”

“We can collect fresh water there.” Hamilton walked toward the ladder and down towards his cabin.

“Yes, sir.” Hamilton took off his hat as he entered the cabin and sat down at his small wooden desk. He reached into a tall pile of logbooks and papers and pulled out a chart, setting weights to hold it open. He looked at the chart carefully and only slowly glanced up at the woman chained near his cot.

“You lived in the town of San Veran?” Hamilton asked Elizabeth.

“No, sir. I mean, no master. The Marquesa lived in an estate a few miles above the harbor. I would stay there. I was kept in her room. Sometimes I was allowed to go down to the town.” Hamilton stood up and walked over to the pale young woman. He sat down next to her, reaching out for her breasts,

“Kept in her room?”

“Yes, master. The Marquesa liked to… to… she had me touch her and…”

“That’s all right. Now, tell me more about the town.”

##

The next morning, after shaving and getting dressed, he had breakfast with his slave. He had unchained her for that, and she sat nervously next to him, picking at the unappetizing food. He caressed her head and stood up. He hesitated and then opened his sea chest and gave her a shirt.

“You can come up on deck, slave. There is a chill in the air.”

“Yes, master,” she took the shirt and put it on, it was much too large and covered the top of her Starzbet thighs, and then followed him as he went up on deck.

The crew and other officers glanced at her from time to time, but otherwise ignored her. Elizabeth stayed in the back, near the taffrail. Hamilton walked back and forth along the quarterdeck, alone in his thoughts. A half hour later Wray came up on deck. “That one is a real hellion, sir,” Wray said.

“Yes, Mr. Wray. I gathered that from the sounds last night.”

“My pardon, sir. She tried to bite Mr. Beady, sir, and he didn’t take too kindly to that.”

“Yes.” Hamilton looked towards the horizon just off the ship’s bow.

“Deck!” cried a sailor from the maintop. “Land ho! One point off the starboard bow!”

“Glass,” Hamilton said. Wray handed him a telescope.

“Navida, sir?”

“Yes. There is a beach along the eastern end of the island. We’ll anchor there and send the boats ashore. We’ll lay in with just tops’ls. Now… take us on the other tack, if you please, Mr. Wray.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Hamilton collapsed the telescope as Lieutenant Wray ordered the sailing master to shift the wheel. The bosun’s whistle soon sounded and men took hold of lines on the deck while others went aloft to haul in the main sails on the ships three masts.

“Master, please, may I speak?”

Hamilton turned slowly around. “Yes?”

“I have heard of Navida, master. The fishermen of San Veran spoke of it as an evil place. It is said to have cannibals!”

“Those fishermen didn’t have thirty six 24-pounders,” Wray said, his gaze locked on the men moving the sails.

“I am worried, master.” Hamilton didn’t reply. He watched the sails and the wind and the sea as the Siren cut through the water towards the small island.

##

An hour later the ship was anchored a few hundred yards off the small island. A trace of wooden enclosures and fishing equipment littered the beach, including two small boats. Several islanders pushed one of the boats into the water and set a small lateen sail. “Elizabeth,” Hamilton said. “Go down to the cabin and rest.”

“Yes, master.” She quickly hurried down the ladder and into the cabin.

“They don’t look like cannibals to me, sir,” Wray said, with a slight laugh.

“Well, one never knows, but that would be exceptionally unlikely. We’ll find a mixture of Indian, Black African and Spanish peasant blood.”

“Should I have Sergeant Beady bring the marines on deck, sir?”

“No. Have them load their muskets but stay out of sight. Load the port carronade but be discrete about it.”

“Aye aye, sir.” The small sailing craft moved closer and then one of the islanders shouted out, in Spanish. Hamilton answered, pausing to remember the right words.

“We want water, nothing else.” He shouted down.

“Yes, senor. We will help you, it is an honor. But we are a poor village.”

“Mr. Wray,” Hamilton said to the Lieutenant. “Have the Marquesa brought up on deck.”

“Aye aye, sir.”

“I have a gift!” Hamilton shouted down to the boat. Midshipman Caruthers dragged the naked Spanish noblewoman to the deck and pushed her close to the gunwale for the men in the boat to see.

“No! No!” the Marquesa shouted at the Captain.

“Mr. Wray, have both quarter boats cleared away and filled with empty casks.” Hamilton then shouted down in Spanish. “When we have what we need you can take your gift.”

“Aye aye sir.”

##

Three hours later the boats had returned from their second trip and the filled casks were being hoisted up and placed in the ship’s hold. Two of the islanders had come aboard the Siren soon after the deal was made. They took turns holding the Marquesa while the other one played with her breasts and explored her cunt. At first the noblewoman had kicked and screamed, but they simply held her tight. After a half hour she had given up resisting and just let them touch her everywhere.

“Compliments of Mr. Wray,” Midshipman Caruthers said to the Captain. “The last of the casts are being laid down and made ready, sir.”

“Thank you, Mr. Caruthers.” Hamilton turned to the Spanish Islanders and told them they could leave with their gift. The Marquesa panicked for a moment as they pulled her to the side. One of the men growled at her and she nodded and climbed over. The two men still in the boat caught her and pulled her back as their compatriots climbed down as well.

“Deck!” came a cry from above. “Sail ho!” Hamilton had the telescope and looked out. He saw nothing.

“Masthead! What is she?” he shouted up.

“I’m not sure, sir! She’s hull down! I see one sail!”

Wray bounded up the ladder to the quarterdeck, breathing heavily. “Another Spanish sloop, sir?”

“Or the Intrepid sailing straight at us.” He closed the telescope and turned for the ladder, saying, as he went down, “Weigh anchor as soon as the boats are hauled in. If that vessel gets any closer let me know at once.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Hamilton stepped into his cabin and took a deep breath. He placed his hat on the desk and then sat back on his cot and pulled Elizabeth close.

“Master?”

“Yes, slave? Are you wondering about the Marquesa?”

“Yes, master. What will they do with her?”

“They will ransom her back to her family. Eventually.” Elizabeth Tinsley put her hand on his chest and she rested in his arms. Hamilton smiled and closed his eyes.

“Master?”

“Yes, slave?”

“I heard the shouts about another ship. Is there going to be another battle. I’m… I’m frightened, master.”

“There is a ship after us, yes, the Intrepid, a 60-gun sail-of-the-line. I know her Captain, a tyrant named Davies. He’d come us at full sail. So yes if he catches us there will be battle and we’d be seriously outgunned. But my ship is faster than his ship and I don’t plan to give him that chance.”

“Thank you, master.”

“Now I wish to rest, slave.”

“Yes, master.” Elizabeth lifted her head to look at him and he slowly opened his eyes.

“So many questions, slave,” he said with a smile.

“Yes, master. Are you going to… I hope… please don’t trade me.”

“Ah, well, you certainly would make me rich if I sold you at a slave house along the corsair coast.”

“Oh, please master, no!”

Hamilton laughed. “Those places are along the North African coast in the Mediterranean. The whole coast of France and Spain is under watch by the English fleets now, and the Mediterranean is almost an English lake. I just spent two month slipping away from all that I have no intention of going back.”

“Thank you, master. I want to stay with you.”

“You will stay with me, slave.” He kissed her forehead. “You do remind me of the most valuable slaves in the harem of the Bey of Tunis. James and I were sent there back in ’98 when Boney was in Egypt. We were supposed to help the Bey develop a more modern navy.” Hamilton laughed. “That didn’t work. But we had plenty of time to see the sights of that place, and to a acquire a taste for certain aspects of that barbarous culture.”

“Oh?”

“We were allowed access to some of the harem. And then I bought a young Italian woman who’d been taken by Corsairs. I had to sell her before we left for England, of course, but I very much enjoyed having my own personal sex slave.”

Hamilton sat up slowly, one hand on Elizabeth’s hair, pulling her head back slightly. He pressed his lips to her neck and kissed her hard. “Oh… oh, master.”

Hamilton stood up, he took off his jacket and waistcoat. The he reached down and lifted her up to her feet and pushed her against the desk. The weights and chart were pushed to the deck as he forced her to lean forward and stretched her hands out over it. Hamilton spread her legs and caressed her ass. Then he spanked her, hard.

“Ah! Have I displeased you master?” she cried out.

He spanked her again. “No, slave, you have not. I am not punishing you. I am simply enjoying your body.”

“Yes, master.” He spanked her hard again and again until her ass took on a warm shade of red. Then he undid his pants and pressed the tip of his cock to her slit. Elizabeth jumped when she felt his cock moving slowly up and down the outside of her pussy. She was wet, her body responding to both his touch and his control over her. He pressed forward and slid his cock into her. She felt his cock pressing into her, expanding her, and she pressed her muscles to tighten around his shaft. He fucked her harder, holding her around the waist as he pushed her back and forth against the table with each thrust. Elizabeth worked to keep her body moving in tandem with him, the feeling of pleasure rising in her. He pressed in hard and moaned slightly as his cum filled her cunt.

“I am not going to sell you or trade you, slave.”

“Thank you, master. I want to please you.”

“Now… on your knees and clean my cock.”

“Yes, master!” He stepped back and allowed her to rise from the table. She knelt before him and leaned forward, her tongue sliding over his cock as she cleaned him.

##

The next day, just before dusk, the Siren came within sight of the town of San Veran. “I see two sloops of war, sir,” Lieutenant Wray said as he looked through the telescope. “One is the vessel we saw off Navida. The yards of the other aren’t crossed yet, but they seem to have tried to raise them.”

“This war came as a surprise to these people. That will work in our favor.” Hamilton took the telescope from Wray and scanned the island. The harbor of San Veran was small, not more than a slight indentation in the coast with a low spit of land. There was a low fortified wall that extended around the harbor, warehouses and customs building to a round blockhouse on the western end built atop a small, rocky hill. Behind the harbor, on another hill a few miles inland, it was just possible to see the estate of the Marqués. Most of the actual town was on the east, outside of the fortifications.

“They’ve definitely seen us, sir,” Wray said.

“Yes, I’m counting on that.” Hamilton put the telescope down and looked at Wray with a mischievous smile. “Let’s say you are the local Don, Mr. Wray, war has just broken out and suddenly you see an English frigate. What would you expect?”

“Well, sir, knowing how eager the English are for prizes I would worry most about having my sloops cut out of the harbor. Or, if the English Captain was bold, I’d fear an assault on the round house.”

“Exactly. Now, just to make sure our friends have the same impression, we’re going to go closer in. Prepare to wear ship and come about.”

“Wear ship. Aye aye, sir.” The shrill of the bosun’s whistle brought more hands on deck and the sails were shifted and the wheel turned to bring the ship on a course taking it closer towards the fortified roundhouse.

“Clear for action, sir?” Wray asked.

“No. They’ve spent the last year firing the guns for salutes and to scare off the occasional privateer. Their gunnery is going to be poor, though I’m not going to wait long enough to give them practice. Raise the colors, Mr. Wray, if you please.”

The British naval ensign soon flew from a mizzen backstay as the ship cut across the waters on a course that would take it well within range of the Spanish guns. “I’d like to take some precautions, sir,” Wray asked.

“Very well.”

“Man the pumps, wet down the sail! Hang butts of water to the stays! Pipe the larboard hammocks down, and each man place a shot in them!”

The men moved back and forth across the ship as Siren glided closer to towards the fortifications. Wray directed the men to load the cannons on the side of the ship facing the town.

“You may run out the guns, Mr. Wray.”

“Aye aye, sir!”

There were shouts from each gun crew as a loud rumble as the heavy trucks were pulled forward and the muzzles extended through open gunports.

A dark puff from the stone tower was followed a moment later by a dull rumble and then a splash several hundred yards away from the ship. More puffs followed and more splashes, some closer, but none less than five hundred yards away.

“You’re right about their gunnery, sir.” Wray said.

There was a commotion on the quarterdeck as Elizabeth, wearing only the shirt he had given her, came running up the ladder. “Master, I’m frightened.”

Hamilton turned as a wider splash landed a hundred yards away from an iron ball skipping across the water. There was a loud whistle and a halyard a few feet above the Captain’s head parted.

“Elizabeth! Get back to the cabin, now!” She nodded and ran back down.

“Mr. Wray,” Hamilton said. “At your convenience, you may fire.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Wray shouted down. “Take aim now men! Ready the first platoon! Fire! Second Platoon! Fire!”

The ship heeled as one group of nine heavy cannon went off almost at once, followed by the second group. A great cloud of black, acrid smoke passed over the deck but quickly dispersed. A moment later there were a few splashes in the water under the block house, several clouds of shattered stone from the hill, and a few clouds of darker dust from shot hitting along the stone walls of the blockhouse.

“Not bad for such long range, sir.”

“Hmm. Well, we’ve made our point, I think, Mr. Wray. Three points larboard, if you please, and take us out of range.”

“Three points larboard. Aye aye, sir.” There were more puffs from the fortress and more splashes, but none came close to the Siren.

##

After dinner Lt. Wray and Midshipmen Caruthers joined the Captain in his cabin. Elizabeth sat on the cot, quietly.

“Our friends will be expecting something at dawn. We’ll launch both quarter boats at six bells in the first watch. That is late enough for the inns to be filled, but dark enough for our purposes. I’ll take one boat and Mr. Caruthers you will lead the second.”

“Sir –” Wray started.

“No, James, you will stay on board. If I am right the garrison will remain inside the harbor walls and they will treat an incursion into the town as a feint. If I am wrong, well, then we shall need your assistance to maintain the ruse. If there appears to be excessive gunfire at our landing point or if we are delayed past two hours you are to bring the ship closer and fire upon the harbor.”

“Aye aye, sir.” It was an hour before midnight when the two boats began to row quietly towards the quay before the town. Hamilton sat in the stern sheets of one boat, Caruthers in the other.

“Easy,” Hamilton said, quietly. The oars were pulled in and the boat glided slowly against the empty quay. A sailor leapt out and tied a line to secure it. Twenty yards away Caruthers boat was doing the same.

“Mr. Caruthers take four Starzbet Giriş men and secure two fishing boats. All the others are with me.”

“Aye aye, sir.” The Inn was lit with a roaring fire and numerous candles. Several men were clustered around two tables, while a trio of prostitutes and a barmaid weaved in and out. Hamilton stepped in a cocked pistol in his hand

“I am taking possession of this place for the King of England,” he said in English. A large, bulky sailor stood up, spit and walked closer. Hamilton aimed and shot him, coolly tucking that pistol back in his belt and pulling out a second. The man went down, screaming and clutching his shoulder. The others stood up as three marines with loaded muskets and two sailors stepped inside behind Hamilton. The islanders panicked and begged for their lives. Behind the bar was a hatch that opened to a small cellar. Hamilton pointed to it with the barrel of his pistol and the men slowly moved and climbed down.

“Should we barricade it, sir?” one of the marines asked.

“That’s part of the wine store down there. I don’t think we need to worry about these men.” One of the sailors stepped forward and took hold of a barmaid. The other women were pulled back as well. Once the men were below the sailors brought out small lines with large knots. They tied them around the mouths of the women as gags and then used longer, heavier rope to bind their hands behind their backs. More rope was placed loosely around their necks, connecting them in groups of two and three.

One of the marines brought out another barmaid from a back room, and five more prostitutes were dragged down from the upper levels. A few men followed out, yelling in Spanish, but one sight of the muskets sent them running back into the rooms.

The ten captives were dragged out into the street as Caruthers came running up. “Three fishing boats secured and ready to shove off, sir,” the midshipman reported.

“Good work, Mr. Caruthers. Take these down and put them in one of the fishing boats. Tie their ankles and then have two men take the boat out to the ship.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Caruthers and two marines pushed and dragged the ten women down to the nearby quay. Hamilton reloaded his pistol and they pushed on. There were many shouts although only a few shots fired. Throughout the town the alarm was being sounded, but there was no sign of the militia and no one else was eager to fight against an English landing party. Eight women were taken in the second inn, six in a third, and twenty five from the small debtor’s prison. Five more were taken as they walked along the streets. Only younger, pretty women were abducted, the rest were left behind.

The women were distributed among the quarter boats and the small fishing boats and taken back to the Siren and locked below in the dark cable tier. The men heaved on the capstan and the anchor was slowly brought up and secured.

##

When dawn came the ship was out of sight of San Veran. Hamilton ordered the new captives brought on deck. “We have done well, men,” Hamilton said to the crew. “You will each be able to have one and there will be a few spares.”

There was some laughter. The woman, most of whom only spoke Spanish, were huddled together, their hands still bound and their clothes torn and in more than a few cases ripped open to reveal breasts and thighs.

“We must maintain absolute discipline.” Hamilton continued. “The Intrepid is near. She has travelled across the ocean looking for us and she is not going to stop looking just because we have hauled in a fine catch. Know that the women will be distributed fairly. Some will have to wait until their watch is over before they can enjoy their new slaves. I want no trouble, you will all get your prize. Remember you will have the rest of your life to enjoy these slaves once we are clear of our pursuer. We are close to our goal, we cannot now descend into anarchy.”

“Very good, sir,” Wray said.

Hamilton looked over the huddled, captive women. “You are now the property of the men of this ship,” he said, in Spanish. “You will not be ransomed and you will not be returned.” There were shouts and cries.

“You are slaves. You will obey or you will be punished.” Several women had fallen to their knees in tears and most huddled in fear, but several shouted angrily.

“Mr. Wray *********** that one,” Hamilton pointed to one of the angry women in front.

Wray directed a pair of sailors to grab hold of the dark haired beauty. She kicked and fought as they dragged her towards the stern. The rope binding her hands was cut, but her wrists were taken and quickly tied to a line that had been through over a yardarm. With a tremendous cry of ‘heave’ five other sailors pulled and the women was lifted off her feet, hanging by her wrists, slowly twisting.

“Please, please, I beg you!” The bound woman shouted at Hamilton.

“Mr. Owen,” Wray ordered. “You may begin.”

“Aye aye, sir,” replied the coxswain, an older sailor, well-tanned and muscular. Owen walked closer to the bound women and with one yank pulled off her dress. She screamed. He stepped back and opened a small bag, pulling out his cat o’ nine tails.

“How many sir?” Owen asked.

“Six, Mr. Owen.” Hamilton said, adding in Spanish. “Six lashes for disobedience. The same punishment any of you will receive.”

“Aye aye, sir,” Owen said. The coxswain drew back and snapped the cat across the slave’s back. She screamed and kicked her feet. She rotated around to face him and the second lash fell on her breasts. The other women drew back in fear, pressing against some of the sailors at the bow. The third and fourth lashes fell hard on the dangling woman’s body.

“Please, please, I will obey!” she pleaded. She merely groaned at as the fifth and sixth lash spread fire across her naked body. The men holding the other end of the line lowered it and she was quickly untied. Her wrists were retied and she was pushed back with the rest.

“Mr. Wray,” the Captain said, loudly. “After the crew is dismissed you will *********** five to serve yourself and the other wardroom officers. Then Mr. Caruthers will *********** four to serve the gunroom. The remaining slaves, both new and our existing ones, will be divided into two groups of twenty three and one group of six. The small group will go to the marines, the others will be apportioned to the men of each division on the basis of random chance.”

“Three cheers for the Captain!” yelled one of the sailors. Hamilton listened to the cheers, his expression unchanged.

“Have the one who was flogged sent down to the surgeon,” he said quietly to Wray. “Have her rest there until I ask to have her sent to my cabin.”

“Aye aye, sir.”

“Now you may dismiss the men and then, if you please, set the main courses. Make the division of the slaves after that is completed.”

“Set the main courses. Aye aye, sir.” Hamilton stood back along the taffrail, his hands behind his back, looking as imperturbable as was expected of an English sea captain. On the deck Wray was wading into the group of captives, ***********ing a few and pulling them out. The purser and one marine guided them below deck to the wardroom. Midshipman Caruthers was next, pulling out the share for the gunroom, and he went with two other midshipman to take his prizes below. Then Wray, Sergeant Beady of the marines and Owen split the remainder into three groups.

“Deck!” came a cry from above. “Sail ho! Abaft the beam, sir!”

Hamilton grabbed the telescope from the sailing master and looked out. A single white object was just visible over the horizon.

“Damn,” he said to himself. “Mr. Wray secure those women below!”

“Aye aye, sir!” Wray yelled. He pressed them down, losing all sense of the two individual groups to be divided among the crew. He ordered Owen to make sure they were confined and then walked quickly back to the Captain.

“The Intrepid, sir?”

“I think so, Mr. Wray. Take the glass and go up to the top and see if it is her.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Wray took the telescope, collapsed it into his pocket and climbed the nearest shroud to the maintop. He wrapped his arm around a line and then looked carefully with the telescope. Then he climbed down quickly.

“It looks like Intrepid, sir. Definitely not a frigate and too small for a 74. And she’s definitely seen us, she’s close hauled and pulling on us with plain sail.” Hamilton looked out at the clouds along horizon and then at the water.

“Set the stays’ls and bring the braces hard round, put us one point starboard.”

“We can outrun her, sir, all things equal. We’ve been two years at sea and Intrepid came down from Portsmouth, so it’s going to be a hard race.”

“Carry out my orders, please, Mr. Wray.”

“Aye aye, sir.”

“Damn,” Hamilton said to himself as he watched the approaching ship on the horizon. Hamilton went down to his cabin. He took off his hat and jacket and began to pull out charts. Elizabeth looked fearful, even when he glanced at her and forced a smile. He opened one chart and then another and another.

“Damn.”

“Master?”

“Not now!” Hamilton snapped. He pulled out a chart of the eastern coast of Central America and used his compass to make several measurements. He brought out a quill and paper and made some calculations. A few minutes later he looked up at his slave. “What is the problem Elizabeth?”

“I am scared, master.”

“There is nothing to be frightened off.”

“There is a ship after us, master. I can hear the men above. Why are they after –” Elizabeth went quiet and looked down. “I’m sorry, master.”

“No, that is a reasonable concern.” Hamilton stood up and walked over to the cot. He sat down next to her. “There was a mutiny and I took command. The Royal Navy takes a rather dim view of mutiny.”

“Yes, master.” Hamilton paused, still looking at her, before saying quietly, “The Siren sailed from Portsmouth in 1803 under the command of a pompous fool named Samuel Seward. We served for over a year in the Bay of Biscay keeping watch on French ports. It was hard work, close to shore, and poorly known shores at that. Twice we ran aground on sandbars while under fire from shore batteries. But she’s a good ship, with a good crew and we made it off.”

“Yes, master.” Hamilton stood up and began to pace, talking more to himself than Elizabeth.

“Seward was a thief and a liar. In dispatches he mentioned his toadies who stayed onboard and ignored those of us who did the real work. One of the worst of his bunch was Jepson the purser, they worked together and cheated us out of pay and sold supplies and then….”

Hamilton paused. Elizabeth listened carefully. “James, who was the second lieutenant, back then, caught Jepson blatantly forging the ships books. There was an argument that went before the Captain. Jepson was a hot tempered man and finally struck out with his cane. I’ve known James Wray for fifteen years and he is a fine officer, always cool headed under fire. But this, in front of a Captain who did nothing, it was too much. He lashed out and struck Jepson, knocking him down.”

“Oh!”

“The Captain had James put in irons. He was to have him hanged the next morning under various provisions in the Articles of War. I couldn’t let that stand and so I took the ship. We hailed a dispatch boat and put Seward, Jepson and their cronies into it and sent them to Gibraltar. There was no other choice for us, so we left the coast of France and crossed the Atlantic. I promised the men I would find them wives and a place to settle. I wanted somewhere in the Pacific, but now… now, I don’t think that is possible.”

“I’m sorry, master. Is there no place we can go?”

Hamilton smiled and put on his cocked hat and jacket. “I believe so.”

##

On deck, Hamilton looked at the sky and then back to where the Intrepid was pacing them. “Two points larboard, Mr. Wray, if you please, and haul in the stays’ls.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Wray hesitated before giving the orders. “If I may, sir, there are storm clouds on that horizon, I fear we would be heading into a squall.”

Hamilton smiled slightly. “Carry out my orders, Mr. Wray.” Wray bellowed orders, the bosun’s whistle shrieked and men went aloft and to the lines. The Siren changed direction moving towards the fast approaching storm, the Intrepid matching the change a few minutes later. The larger ship, now two miles distance, was slowly falling behind.

“Did you ever meet Davies?” Hamilton asked as he looked back at the Intrepid through the telescope.

“No, sir.”

“He models himself after Nelson. Constantly taking risks.” Hamilton smiled and handed the telescope to Wray. “But Captain Davies is no Nelson.”

“She’s laying on full sail, sir! She’ll headreach us for sure.”

“If you would, Mr. Wray, haul in the mains’ls and double reef the tops’ls.”

“Aye aye, sir.” The Siren began to slow as the storm front closed in. The Intrepid, with all sails billowing began to rapidly close. The sea began to churn and the Siren rolled up and down in the heavy seas as the squall hit with a vast sudden torrent of water and wind.

“Send someone below to make sure the captives are secure!” Hamilton yelled to Wray, the shrieking of the wind and the pounding of the waves making it almost impossible to hear.

Wray nodded and slowly moved to one of the midshipmen who carefully made his way below on the heaving decks.

The squall soon engulfed the Intrepid, now visible only intermittently through the haze of the rain. The other ship shifted and rolled with the heavy seas, the pressure from the sails adding more stresses. Hamilton looked up at the masts and rigging of his own ship, the ropes vibrating rapidly, the topsails straining under the powerful wind.

The squall passed as quickly as it came. “Set the main courses and t’gallants, Mr. Wray, and then loose the reefs from the tops’ls.” The men, soaked to the bone, worked hard and more sails quickly filled on the yards of the Siren.

Hamilton watched carefully through the telescope at the storm front as it passed over the Intrepid.

“You’re no Nelson, Davies,” Hamilton said. “He’s lost his main heads’l, it’s blown to tatters, and the fore topgallant yard has snapped. I was hoping for more, but it’s enough to make him heave to.”

“Our course, sir?”

“Same course. At sunset we’ll turn west.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Have the one that was flogged sent to my cabin.” Wray acknowledged the order as Hamilton made his way downstairs.

“Let me help you, master!” Elizabeth said, taking his soaking wet cocked hat, jacket and waistcoat.

“Thank you, slave.” He leaned in and kissed her. Starzbet Güncel Giriş There was a knock on the door. A midshipmen opened the door, touched his hat and then pushed inside an olive skinned beauty. The Spanish slave had a wide bandage around her torso and her hands were bound in front of her. Otherwise she was naked.

“Ah, I remember you,” Hamilton said, in Spanish. “You were walking down the harbor street with some man.”

“My husband!” she spit out.

“Well, he ran very fast as I recall. Now, what is your name?”

“Teresa Montes Vallejo de Arroyo.”

“Teresa, I like that. Well, Teresa this is Elizabeth, she is also my slave.”

“I am not your slave!” Teresa yelled. Hamilton took hold of the ropes around Teresa’s hands and pulled her forward. He looked closely in her eyes and then pushed her down to the deck on her hands and knees.

“Go to the sea chest and bring out my cane,” he said to Elizabeth.

“Yes, master.” She obeyed and then handed him a rattan cane. Hamilton swung the cane and felt it smack hard against Teresa’s ass. She cried and tried to crawl away, but he pulled her back by the hair and then swung the cane again and again.

“Please, please!” the Spanish woman cried.

“You are a slave.”

“Yes, yes, I am a slave.” She fell to her side, crying.

“Elizabeth, sit on the cot and keep your feet on the deck.”

“Yes, master.”

Hamilton crouched down and pulled Teresa up to her knees. “You will call me master.”

“Yes, yes, master. Please don’t punish me anymore.”

“I won’t if you obey.” He pushed Teresa towards Elizabeth. “Put your tongue to her pussy.”

“Oh!” cried Elizabeth in surprise.

“Please, no, why do you do this?” Teresa pleaded.

Hamilton smacked her ass with the cane. “I do it because I can. I do it because I have spent twenty years in the service of duty and it’s brought me nothing but ruin! So now I am taking what I want! You are my slave! Obey me!”

“Yes, yes, master,” she cried as she crawled forward and slowly moved her head towards Elizabeth’s cunt. The English slave pressed her hips forward to meet her tongue, a cautious smile on her face.

Hamilton stepped over and looked down. “I want to see you working that cunt, slave, do it or you will be punished!”

Teresa nodded and pressed in more, her tongue sliding up and down Elizabeth’s mound, moving over her clit back and forth. Hamilton crouched down next to her and slipped his left hand under her to cup her breasts as they moved back and forth underneath her with the ship’s roll. Elizabeth had her hands out to the sides, holding the blanket on the cot as she began to breath faster.

“Keep going with that tongue, slave,” Hamilton moved his right hand over Teresa’s ass, causing her to jump from the tender spots left by the cane, until his fingers were sliding down the outside of her slit. Moving slowly back and forth around the outside of her labial folds and then down between them he found a physical response. Teresa, despite her humiliation and fear, was wet.

Hamilton moved behind her, dropping his pants he pressed his cock against her pussy. “Please, please!”

He slapped her ass. “Keep licking slave! And you will address me with respect.”

“Yes, yes, master,” Teresa said, placing her head back between the other slave’s legs. Elizabeth was leaning down so that her hips were nearly horizontal. She reached over and grabbed Teresa’s head and kept her close, forcing her to press her tongue against the English slave’s cunt.

“In, in, in,” Elizabeth muttered.

Hamilton slapped Teresa’s ass again. “Put that tongue in her cunt, now, slave.” Teresa complied, tasting a woman for the first time as Hamilton pressed his cock in slowly and began to fuck her. Soon the Spanish beauty, on her hands and knees with her wrists still bound, was caught between the two; Hamilton pressing her back and forth as he fucked her and Elizabeth holding her head tightly against her cunt. Elizabeth began to moan and her feet twisted about she closed in on orgasm.

“Good slave…. keep going.”

Hamilton pressed in harder, his hips slamming into Teresa’s ass as his fingers held tightly to her waist. Elizabeth moaned and shook as the pleasure peaked. She looked down at Teresa and smiled broadly and kept pushing the new slave’s head into her cunt. Hamilton felt the tightness around his cock and the feeling of bliss shifted through his body and his cum was filling Teresa’s cunt.

Hamilton pulled back and then stood up. “Both of you, on your knees. You will clean my cock.”

“Yes, master,” Elizabeth said right away, pushing Teresa back and climbing down to the deck. She was soon licking and sucking along his glistening cock.

“Save some for the new slave,” Hamilton said with a laugh.

Slowly, Teresa moved into position and tentatively slipped the tip of his cock into her mouth. Then, copying Elizabeth, the pulled back and let her tongue run over the shaft.

“Enough.” Hamilton pulled up his pants. “Elizabeth, sit on the cot. Teresa, you will go back to your hands and knees, put your face to the deck and keep your ass up.”

“Yes, master,” Elizabeth said.

“Yes, master,” Teresa said weakly.

Hamilton picked up the cane and moved into position.

“You will always acknowledge orders and address me properly,” he said, swinging the cane down hard on Teresa’s already sore ass.

“Yes, master!”

“You will obey orders instantly, without complaint.” Hamilton swung the cane down hard again and then a second time.

“Yes yes master I am sorry master please master!”

“Stand up.” Teresa complied quickly, her cheeks stained with tears. Hamilton untied the knot around her wrists and then dragged her into the corner with the shackles. He snapped them around her wrists and told her to sit down on the spare canvas.

Hamilton calmly sat down at his desk and inspected his logs and the charts. Neither slave dared to speak. Elizabeth sat back reading the novel “The Castle of Otranto” while Teresa had only downcast eyes, her hands above her head in chains. The only sound was the familiar groaning of the wooden ship as it rolled with the waves, punctuated by the occasional shout from the deck above them.

##

An hour later Hamilton was back on deck. It was nearly sunset. “Mr. Caruthers,” Hamilton said. “Send my compliments to Mr. Wray and ask if he might join me on deck.”

“Aye aye, sir.” The midshipman disappeared below decks. A few minutes later both he and Lieutenant Wray were standing next to the Captain.

“I’m sorry, sir,” Wray said. “At least half of the new slaves are seasick. Several of the slaves have not been obeying and I ordered a few smacks of the cane.”

“Good.”

“I thought the lessons we learned in Tunis would apply, sir, and it was a public punishment. That should help stamp out any problems, if not, we’ll add more.”

Hamilton nodded. “Any indication of the Intrepid?”

“None, since the squall, sir.”

“Set course west by south, if you please, Mr. Wray.”

“West by south. Aye aye, sir.”

“West by south. Aye, sir.” The sailing master repeated. The sailors worked the braces and the yards shifted as the wheel turned and the Siren changed course. Hamilton then gave Caruthers a task that sent him forward and then stepped closer to Wray.

“There are a series of islands off the coast of British Honduras –” Hamilton said quietly.

“British, sir!”

“Don’t worry the hand of King George is very light. I am making for Rose’s Key. It is an inhospitable place, too small for permanent inhabitants, but the ship can be brought close and supplies taken by boat and hidden just off the beach. Once the danger of the Intrepid is past it will be possible to go to either an English speaking or Spanish colony. Each man can make up his own mind.”

“I see, sir. If I may, the Intrepid will not give up lightly.”

“I believe your watch is over, Mr. Wray. Thank you for coming back on deck, I wanted to keep you appraised of the course.”

“Yes, sir.” Wray waited a moment then touched his hat and returned below decks. Hamilton stood back by the taffrail as the night took over. There were muffled sounds from below decks, but standing on the stern of his ship all he cared about was the twang of the lines as the shifted in the wind, and the rhythmic slapping of the waves against the wood as the ship moved across the water.

##

Three days of easy sailing brought the Siren to anchor off Rose’s Key, a small island not more than a mile across at the widest. The crew began the task of bringing out supplies — gun power and muskets were first — and shifting them down to the quarter boats and from there taking them to the island.

“It is imperative that there be no clear traces on the beach,” Hamilton said, watching the progress with his telescope.

“Yes, sir,” Wray said, wiping his brow. “Hicks dropped a cask of nails and its causing one hell of damn problem.”

“Get some of the women to pick them up from the beach. It might be useful to give them something to do.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Wray walked back, taking charge of the loading of one of the boats with barrels of fresh water and food and seven women.

“Mr. Caruthers!” Hamilton called out.

“Yes, sir,” the midshipman replied.

Hamilton handed him a key. “There is a Spanish slave in my cabin. You may have her.”

“Oh! Aye, sir! Thank you sir!” Caruthers ran down below, pausing briefly to ask permission to enter the Captain’s cabin. He smiled broadly when it was given and a moment later he was bringing out Teresa wearing only a scrap of a shirt. The Spanish slave was rubbing her wrists but followed meekly. The midshipman didn’t speak Spanish, but it was clear what he wanted and without hesitation Teresa climbed over the gunwale into the boat.

##

Wray stood on the quarterdeck with the Captain as he returned for the final trip. “The carpenter’s mate has made some stocks for the troublesome slaves, and we’ve stalked out an area where we can keep them fenced in. I’m having gags made as well. I wouldn’t want to Intrepid to hear them bellowing if she comes close.”

“Excellent. Supplies?”

“We have enough food and water for two weeks, sire, and plenty of power and musket shot, spare canvas and wood and nails,” he told Hamilton. “I think that should be good enough for us.”

“I don’t want to risk having the ship here longer. Two fishing vessels have already seen us and Davies can’t be far from here.”

“I understand, sir. The only one’s on board now are yourself, your Elizabeth, Mr. Owen, two other hands and myself, sir.”

“Very good. We’ll all work together to square away the main courses. The men can take Elizabeth into the boat and then I want you and Owen to cut the anchor cable and go down yourself before she drifts too far.”

“I see, sir. The Intrepid, though, she is bound to board her and find her empty.”

“No, she won’t. The wind and currents are pressing out to sea, the only task is to guide her through the sandbars into open water. Not a difficult task, but one that requires a man at the wheel. I will take that task.”

Wray looked at the Captain for a moment. “I won’t permit this, sir! I was the one who struck Mr. Jepson if anyone is to suffer for that it should be me!”

“James. I am a naval officer and not a farmer. My order is irrevocable.” He put his hand on Wray’s shoulder. “Take care of Elizabeth. She is yours.” Wray looked around and then nodded slowly.

It took ten minutes for them to sheet the main sails. The ship at once began to shift on the anchor cable, prompting Hamilton to insist that they hurry with the anchor cable. Owen and Wray cut through it quickly and then hurried over the side to the boat.

Hamilton stood along the quarterdeck and watched. Elizabeth had screamed as they had taken her. She cried out now. “Please, master, don’t leave me!” Hamilton remained impassive. He touched his hat and the salute was returned by Wray. The men then went to the oars and began to pull for the shore. Hamilton turned and looked back across the Caribbean. The blue water and blue sky merged seamlessly. It was a fine day.

There was a loud splash. “You stupid woman!” Wray shouted. Hamilton went to the side. Elizabeth had jumped from the boat and was swimming towards the Siren.

“You must go back!” He shouted to her.

“No, no master!” Hamilton looked over at Wray, he was turning the boat around. Hamilton waved him off as Elizabeth crawled through a gun port that had been left open to ease the loading of the boats. Wray turned the boat back towards the key and then took off his hat and waved. Hamilton stood and watched.

Elizabeth came on deck a minute later with a blanket wrapped around her. “You devotion is truly touching,” he said to her. “But I don’t think you understand –“

“I understand, master.” Hamilton nodded and moved to the wheel, keeping the ship between a pair of low keys as it slowly made its way back to deeper water. Elizabeth stayed with him as they walked back and forth on the quarterdeck. Once the ship had cleared the coast the wheel could be locked off, but, still, Hamilton wanted to remain on deck.

##

Three hours later the Intrepid began to bear down on them. “I was hoping for more time,” Hamilton said, watching the larger ship close rapidly.

“It’s all right master.” Hamilton put the telescope down and smiled at her. He put his hat on her head.

“You’re in command, Miss Tinsley.”

“Aye aye, master,” she giggled. He went below decks and made everything ready.

“Will we fire a cannon?” she asked when he returned.

“No. I want them closer. Captain Davies will think the men are all skylarking and that the ship is ripe for a boarding.” The bow chasers on the Intrepid fired. Splashes landed a hundred yards away. The Intrepid closed to a few hundred yards and began to turn. Hamilton took Elizabeth’s hand and walked her down to the cabin. They lay on the cot as the first broadside slammed into the ship. Sharp cracks and splinters filled the air, as an extended crash came from a heavy mast falling down on the deck, but the cabin itself was untouched.

“Master, I have been so happy. I just wanted someone to take care of me.”

“I’ll take care of you, my love. I will.” The slow match Hamilton had set earlier reached the Siren’s powder magazine. In a single tremendous explosion the ship was destroyed down to the waterline. Bits of wood and rope and canvas filled the air and landed about the water as the remnant of the hull slipped under the water.

Captain Davies of H.M.S. Intrepid reported that his ship’s “excellent gunnery” and the “incompetence and inattention” of a drunken, mutinous crew had caused an open flame to be knocked over and ignite the Siren’s magazine. He was confident the mutinous officers and crew of the Siren had been dealt with.