by Bob Kranich
The Cayman Turtle Schooner, (Part 14, Excerpt 81)
This is a story, titled The Cayman Turtle Schooner. This story will tell about the forming and history of the Cayman Islands, the green sea turtle’s habits and life style, the building of a dugout canoe, and then a schooner, and lastly about the historic two-masted turtle schooner, A. M. Adams. They have sold their turtles in Key West. But now are approached by a person leading some fighters that want to go to Cuba to help in the revolution against the Spanish.
“Well go ahead Sir, state your business,” Parker said. “I’m Captain Parker, and this is my First Mate Thomas.”
“Captain Parker, I’m Major Endrique Monce. I represent Carlos Manuel de C’espedes who is at this time fighting to free the Cuban people from the Spanish enslavers! This is my associate, Sergeant Salizar. We saw your fine schooner dock at the turtle crawls yesterday. Sir, what we propose, is to hire you, your crew, and your fine boat. We have men who wish to go to Cuba to fight with Carlos Manuel de C’espedes to free Cuba. We just need for you to go slightly out of your way up the Keys to “No Name Key” and pick up our volunteers, and their equipment, and transport them to the south side of Cuba.”
Parker was taken aback, “Sir I don’t know what to say. We hadn’t planned on this. We need to return to the Cayman Islands.”
“Captain, I appeal to your good honor, your sympathy, and the decency to free enslaved people. I beg you, Sir!”
“I would have to ask my men. They would all have to agree.”
“Sir, it wouldn’t be any more than one day out of your way. I’m sure you’re heading back around the western side of Cuba. I will pay you very well per man you transport. “
“What do you think, Thomas? Men?”
Thomas questioned, “First, where do we pick up the men and equipment? Where do we drop off, and what’s he paying? We don’t like the Spanish government any more than he does.”
“Gentlemen, first, ‘No Name Key’ is where the men are camped out. It is about a half day’s sailing up the Keys. You turn up the Spanish Channel at Bahia Honda. We will load just as soon as you arrive. Drop-off is the middle south side of Cuba, at Trinidad. It’s below the mountain range. There is a good beach for landing. I will pay three silver pieces per man at loading and three at our destination. That will be six times twenty-five which equals one hundred and fifty pieces of silver. What do you say? Do it for Cuba! Please gentlemen, I beg of you.”
“Thomas said, “It looks like a filibuster* to me. I’m in, Captain, depending on your decision.”
The others said, “Us too!”
Parker looked at his crew. They were all shaking their heads yes.
“Ok, we’ll do it. When will you two men be ready?”
“Sir, Captain, men, thank you, thank you.”
They both picked up their bags, and the Major said, “We go with you now, Captain.”
The turtle boat rowed back out to the schooner with its full load of eight men.
“Thomas, just as soon as we get on board have the men weigh anchor and get this boat on board. While they are doing that we’ll check the charts.”
“Aye aye, Sir!”
“Major Monce, you and Sergeant Salizar may put your belongings by that hatch over there. Stay close, in case Thomas and I have any questions.”
“Yes, Captain Parker.”
Thomas and Parker laid out the chart for the Keys area. “Look Captain, it’s about forty miles to the main Bahia Honda channel, but we could shave off some time by cutting through here at the Spanish Harbor.”
“Major Monce, what do you know about the approaches to No Name Key? Can we go through the Spanish Harbor?”
Sergeant Salizar answered before the Major could answer, “Sir, if I may, I know.”
“Yes, go on Sergeant,” Monce answered.
“Si, Captain Parker, we came out that way on our way to Key West.”
“Ok, Sergeant, if you will keep a sharp eye for any landmarks we should begin our turn on or near four hours,” Parker answered.
The men already had all the main sails up, and they headed out leaving the Key West harbor.
Parker commanded, “Thomas, just as soon as we pass the southern most point, bear east-northeast. Have one of the men take soundings, and one heave the log. Also, if the wind is good we’ll do with full sails.”
“Aye aye, Sir.”
Parker thought, I’m getting use to this captaining.
“Eight knots, Sir,” the man on the line sung out.
“Very good, Benji,” Parker answered.
Parker looked about. It was a balmy sunny morning, and a good breeze was carrying them along briskly. He noticed the water here was a beautiful turquoise color. There were a lot of sea birds. Cormorants, gulls, and pelicans were flying along searching the waves for their food. The shoreline was sometimes sandy and sometimes coral. All along the shore just back of the dunes there were coconut and other palm trees.
“Captain Parker!” Sergeant Salizar hollered as he pointed. “When we get to the end of those Keys we turn up that channel, this side of the far Key.”
“Thank you, Sergeant. What do you think, Thomas.”
“Well, Captain, it agrees with my plot.”
“We best take it a little cautious, Thomas,” Parker recommended.
Thomas yelled out, “We’re going in here, men. Benji, on the lead line. George, keep a sharp lookout off the front!”
They came around the key and kept to the center of the channel on a due north bearing.
“Major Monce called out, “Captain Parker, straight on. I see the camp,” as he pointed towards the island.
“Thomas, we’ll go in as far as we can. There’s no waves here like on the Atlantic,” as they headed towards a small beach amongst the mangroves.
“It’s getting shallow, Captain!” Benji called out.
“Very well, drop sails, drop anchor,” Parker concurred.
“Major Monce, you two, myself and three of my men will take the two boats in. How much equipment do you have?”
“Captain Parker, each man has a bag of personal items, and we have three canvas tents, cooking gear, food and two crates, if I may add, of rifles, Sir.”
The two boats rode up on the sand. Captain Monce and the Sergeant went hurriedly up the beach. They shook hands with a couple of the men. Then they could be heard giving orders. The twenty-five men were scurrying about. The three tents came down, and men came over to the boats carrying all sorts of items.
Parker took note, the Cuban freedom fighters looked like they were from all walks of life. There were dignified men in wrinkled suits, now carrying their jackets. Some men were just in trousers, barebacked. At least half of them looked Cuban, but the others were Anglo.
From The Author:
My second full-length book , Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers is composed of 336 pages. There are 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages. It is fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors I made roaming around Key West after I finished my 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West. (See book or Don Browne’s SouthWest Florida Online News records, A Walk Across Florida.) As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys, and the Caribbean. These stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969. bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich
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