|
October 9th,
1635.
After burning
Santa Marta to tha ground, I sets me black 'eart on gaining control
'o a good strategic port someplace.
Back in Tortuga
I heard a traveller from Vera Cruz talkin' 'bout tha numerous rich
ports over in tha Gulf 'o Mexico an' I was wantin' ta try me hand at
harassing tha Spanish shippin' lanes between Havana and Tampico.
Now normally
I'd stay clear 'o them waters on tha account dat the easterly winds
in them parts aint too kind ta seafarers. 'Appen I's heard
many a harrowing tale 'o unwary pirates like meself being forced ta
eat thar own crews, no less!
Ye see, me
hearties, when the east winds blow, yer journey back from the Gulf
can last many a long month and if'n ye don't carry enough grub 'n
grog fer yer shipmates, yer likely ta suffer a plague 'o scurvy, get
voted out by yer miserable mates, or end up having ta serve some 'o
'em up fer lunch!
Anyhow, tha
lure 'o dem tavern rumours I heard back in Tort were too much fer ol'
Coggy ta pass up, so I pulls out me chart 'n takes a look. Fer
those that aint familiar to the region I's talkin' about, I'll
explain a little here fer ye;
Tha Yucatan
peninsula lies no more than a couple 'o weeks sailing from Havana,
'an on that thar peninsula thar be a small Spanish town by tha name
'o Sisal. Tis no more than a small fishin' village wit a few
banana 'n sugar plantations surrounding it. But never the
less, tha place be situated right on tha coast an' the Spaniards
frequently used it ta restock thar food provisions after a long 'n
arduous journey out 'o the Gulf, before heading northeast ta Havana,
or runnin' wit the winds down ta Puerto Bello.
So, after
talkin' it over wit a couple 'o me officers, we decided ta head on
over to that lil' town 'n capture it fer our own needs. From
there I'd be able ta strike a reign 'o terror deep inta tha Gulf an'
maybe even plan an expedition ta Vera Cruz. I'd heard rumours
dat tha treasury in Vera Cruz be one 'o the richest 'o the region!
Anyhow, it
wasn't long 'afore we'd set sail. On our way, I decides ta
take a lil' detour 'n head north to pay a visit to the treasury in
Florida Keys. Dis tiny coastal town aint worth spit, but I
thought I'd better keep me crew 'appy by plundering it's meagre
riches an' also stockin' up on our dwindling food supplies by
raiding a few warehouses 'n farms.
|
|
And after a
quick quick pilligin' 'o tha town, we soon storms the lil' fort 'n
ransacks the church, emptied the treasury, 'n blew up tha Gov'nors
house with him still inside it.
Finally, on our
way back to the ships, we burns a few houses down and hangs a couple
'o filthy peasants we found hidin' in a field.
Wasn't long
before we were heading southwest toward Sisal once more.
|
|
And five weeks
after leaving Santa Marta, me lookout informs me that our long and
uneventful journey is almost over. Fer on tha horizon, the
good fella announced he'd spotted tha lil' Spanish town 'o Sisal dat
would be me gateway to tha riches of tha Mexican Gulf...
Cap'n Cognito,
9th day 'o October, 1635.
|