Episode 35 - Treasure Island
The morning of the 10th day of March, 1640.
The warm Caribbean sun rose slowly over the remote tropical island. Gentle waves lapped the golden sands as flocks of gulls broke the early morning silence.
Two open launches were beached, and a couple of Spanish corsairs guarded the boats.
The Grey Ghost and Spanish warship had dropped anchor earlier that morning, and 100 crewmen, along with Ol'Man, Cyclone, and the Spanish officers, were now eagerly exploring the small island - looking for the ruins of an old Dutch fort.
"Are yew sure dis 'is tha right place, Ol'Man?" asked Cyclone as she cut a path through the jungle undergrowth with her sword.
"Aye, love, tis tha right place all right," he replied as he scrutinized his part of the treasure map.
"Well where tha bleedin' 'ell is it?" she snapped, "We's been goin' around in circles fer an hour an tha only ting I's got fer me troubles is a bunch 'o mosquito bites"
"Patience, lass, tis 'ere... 'appen I can smell gold 'n dis island reeks 'o it" replied Ol'Man as he folded away the map on recognizing a familiar landmark.
The group of men stopped as Ol'Man motioned for the Spanish marines to cut through a dense part of the undergrowth.
"What is it?" asked the excited Cyclone.
"Tis a statue of some kind," replied Ol'Man, trying to keep his composure, "I recognizes it from me map! I tink we's found it!" he announced.
He quickly brushed his wench aside and excitedly barged his way through the Spaniards. Within moments, he stumbled through the remaining bushes and into a wide open clearing surrounded by the old remains of several buildings.
Meanwhile, aboard the Grim Reaper the pirates had been awake all night. The tiredness in their eyes soon disappeared on seeing their quest drawing to a close - the island they'd sought had been spotted by the lookout and the pirates watched the tiny speck on the horizon grow closer with every passing minute.
"We're less than three hours away, me hearties!" proclaimed Coggy, as the pirates burst into laughter and celebrated with a rum breakfast.
Back in the jungle clearing, Ol'Man and Cyclone embraced each other.
The crew of Spanish corsairs soon got to work on digging up the loot that was marked by a stone statue of a Dutch cavalier on horseback.
"I wonder why those Dutch scabs buried so much loot on dis god-forsaken rock" asked Cyclone, as she scratched her scurvy head.
Ol'Man walked around the statue, and scrutinized it, "Beats me, darlin', but I once heard a rumour - a long time ago - dat a Dutch guild 'o privateers were hoarding all thar ill-gotten gains," explained Ol'Man as he watched the Spaniards stop their digging and heave something large out of the trench.
"Rumour has it that tha guild was gatherin' a force big enough to protect it on it's journey back to the King. Maybe dis is it." he added, as he pointed to the large wooden chests that were being eagerly broken open by the soldiers.
On the Grim Reaper, Coggy took his map out of his pocket and placed it in front of his mates, "Tha Ol'Bastid still has tha other part, but I reckons we can determine tha swags position by these 'ere markings," he said, as he pointed out the symbols on the paper.
"Hmmmm, looks like thars an old ruin surrounding it, Cog" said Moose, as he scrutinized the drawings.
"Aye, me tinks it's some old fortification, probably Dutch 'r French, but tha important ting 'is, it holds 10 million bleedin' peso's - 'n thar all ours!" replied Coggy, as he watched the greed filled faces of his mates look on with interest.
Tew came forward and said, "I'd give up me own share ta 'ave a chance 'o finding tha Ol'Bastid one day, I wants that bugger hanging from me mast so bad, dat I can taste it..."
Morgan gave the Admiral a friendly pat on his back, "Never mind Tew, 'appen wit yer share 'o tha swag, ye can place a bounty so large on tha buggers head, that every swab in tha Caribbean 'ill be lookin' fer him" he said.
Back on the island, the Spanish had finished retrieving the chests and everyone stood in complete silence as they looked on in disbelief. Spread out before their very eyes were outrages amounts of gold coins.
The sunlight shone through trees and the golden reflection of the hoard almost blinded each and every one of them.
Ol'Man gathered his composure, "Right… get this lot back to the ships, 'n be quick 'bout it 'cos those bunch 'o pirate scum 'r expected at anytime." he announced.
Two hours later...
Ol'Man and his wench stood on the beach.
Captain Venganza had finished watching his men hoard the heavy chests aboard his ship.
"Ol'Man, what do you have in store for them?" he asked, as he glanced over to the distant sail on the horizon.
"Well, Cap'n, tis like dis - now dat tha loot is safely aboard yer ship, I wants yew ta sail around to the other side 'o tha island and find yerself a cove or secluded bay, 'n wait fer the signal" explained Ol'Man.
Cyclone peered through the spyglass at the approaching Sloop, "What ever yee'r gonna do, yee'd better do it fast. Those gits 'ill be on us within tha hour" she said.
"So what about you, Ol'Man?" asked Venganza.
"Arrr, it just so happens that I's cookin' up a nice 'lil surprise fer me mates," he replied, with an evil smile across his face.
"I's gonna leave one 'o tha chests 'o treasure, 'ere, on tha beach. Me ship 'ill remain anchored where she be, and I's takin' a hundred 'o yer fine men back to tha fort wit me."
"They'll attack our ship, Ol'Man!" said a concerned Cyclone.
"Aye, lass, no doubt they will. But that's all part 'o me plan. I's sacrificing me ship so's those buggers 'ill fall into me trap" he replied.
Ol'Man turned to Venganza, "When yew hears tha firing start, bring yer Galleon back around this side 'o the island. By tha time ye gets 'ere, me ship will be sunk, but tha pirates will be disembarked onto the island in search 'o tha swag - those buggers will tink they've caught me napping!" he said.
"Hmmm, yer a cunning fellow, Sir" replied Venganza, admiringly.
"Arrr, yew Ol'Divil," added Cyclone as she realised what Ol'Man was thinking.
"Aye, love. But tha best part 'o it is that tha Reaper will be a sitting duck fer 'ol Captain Venganza, 'ere. And when he's dealt wit it - Coggy 'n his mates 'ill be stranded 'ere - at tha mercy 'o me waiting Corsairs." he replied, with a wink.
"I's told tha men ta hide in the ruins 'n wait fer those theiv'n swabs ta get well into tha fort 'afore we cuts 'em ta pieces... yer welcome ta come 'n watch tha show, love." he said.
"Ol'Man, I wouldn't miss it fer tha world!" she replied, with eager anticipation.
Within thirty minutes, Ol'Man's plan had swung into action and the Spanish Galleon, loaded with the treasure was on its way around the island.
Ol'Man had opened up one of the chests of gold and deliberately scattered some of its contents across the beach, hoping to entice his prey in.
Whilst deep in the jungle, a hundred Spanish marines quietly waited...