Castaway (eBook)

John Horne (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
356 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-3178-1137-2 (ISBN)

Infos

Set in the year 1831, Edward Tostig is a young merchant seaman whose ship is attacked by pirates. The attempt at boarding becomes a firefight, then a slaughter as the pirates invade the ship and decimate the crew. During the melee on deck, Edward is hurled bodily into the sea, left to drown. Instead he finds an island the following day, where he will remain for the next eighteen months. His faith in God and his eventual rescue fill his waking hours as he adapts to his adopted home on the island. A parallel story tells of the beautiful Hilda Crowley, a young woman coming of age in Hampshire, England. This is a seemingly unrelated narrative until later in the book when it is revealed that her destiny will entwine with Edward's, in the next addition to this series, Homecoming. A third thread of storyline follows Albert Skellar, a shipmate of Edward's who survives the pirate attack and makes his way back to England with Edward's stow box of his belongings. Albert seeks out Edward's family on a farm near Droxford and brings Edward's belongings home, believing that his friend had perished in the sea. Edward meanwhile, is beset with a toothache which festers badly and becomes life threatening. He allows his anger and frustration to spill over and rants at God for not hearing his prayers for rescue. He further calls out to any power of this world or beyond who might hear him? A passing Demon DOES hear him, stops to speak with him and ultimately offers him a way out, which involves selling his soul to the Devil to fix his jaw and get him off the island. Edward is cured of his dental issues and picked up by a British warship after Satan sets the island ablaze, the smoke drawing their attention. He gets a ride back to a port near his home as the storyline feeds into the next book. All he had to do was to agree to bear the curse that the Devil included as a part of the bargain; seven generations of his offspring will be held in thrall to the Family Plan.

John Horne is an information technology professional in San Diego, California. Though he has dabbled in writing for many years, 'The Castaway' is his debut novel. His works stem from a desire to tell a story, conceived on a fantasy theme that will carry the tale over to subsequent novels as this multi-generational saga continues. His stories involve characters in real-world situations interwoven with angels, demons, magic, and sorcery in a layered narrative, following an expanding family over generations. Intrigue, humor, and drama with a backdrop of historically accurate social backgrounds fill the pages. John dedicates this book to his family and friends since they insisted he continue his dream of publishing a book by saying, 'If you don't do this, you will forever wish that you had...'

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In May of 1831 a British sailing ship has delivered its cargo of fine English furniture to the island of Jamaica for the Walker West India Company, and is returning homeward with a load of raw sugar, molasses and rum. One of the shipmates aboard this vessel, the Arthur Hoyt - is Ship's Mate Edward Tostig, on his third seagoing voyage and just turned 22 years of age in March of that year. Their ship is pursued and captured by a crew of pirates, seeking a Spanish Galleon transporting some of the treasure that the Spaniards had extracted from their explorations in Central America. The British ship happened to pass through at the time that the pirates were expecting to see the Galleon, attracting their attention by trying to run instead of submitting to a boarding. Thinking that the Brits have something to hide by running, not heeling to surrender - the pirates give chase. The inexperienced English Captain orders armed resistance, which takes the pirates by surprise. A fight ensues, which becomes a bloodbath, during which Edward is knocked unconscious and then thrown overboard. Edward revives after hitting the water and struggles to the surface, only to watch as the two ships, grappled together continue to sail west and disappear - leaving him alone in the open sea. He finds himself challenged and begins to swim, west with the current in search of an island or some passing ship. He maintains his calm and manages to find a plank of wood in the water, blown off the Arthur Hoyt by cannon fire. Edward uses this to float upon and take rest from swimming, alternating both through the night. The following day, Edward spies green treetops in the distance, then swims to the island where he will spend the following eighteen months. He begins to explore, finding fresh water, some food and rudimentary shelter. The scene shifts to Edward's shipmate and best friend, Albert Skellar, aboard the Arthur Hoyt as the fight winds down. Albert is able to hide from the pirates, and in so doing becomes the sole surviving crew member after the pirates plunder the rum and ship's stores for food, and the ship is cast adrift. Albert is rescued alive a week later by a British warship and returned to George Town on Exuma. Albert signs on with another merchant ship as crew and is returned to England where he reunites with his family. He brings along Edward's stow box with his personal belongings. Next we meet the Crowley's, Martin and Nell, in Hampshire, England where they have raised their family. Martin is a successful businessman, and he and his wife have three lovely grown daughters, two of which have married and moved away - leaving Hilda. She is 21 years old and keen on having a career in nursing, while her mother insists that she find herself a husband and get married, which Hilda is in no hurry to do. The storyline follows all three threads, while Edward is exploring his island, Albert is making contact with Edward's family on the farm in Droxford, Hampshire north of Portsmouth. He travels to meet with them and has a memorable visit, relating the events of the voyage on the Arthur Hoyt which culminated with their Edward being thrown into the sea. Meanwhile, Hilda contests her mother's wishes by accepting an employment in the nearby hospital where she pursues her vocation in nursing. On the island, Edward comes down with a toothache which becomes a serious abscess which affects his sleeping and eating. After weeks of agony he grows angry at God for ignoring his prayers, asking for help from "e;any power of this Earth or beyond"e;, and he is heard by a demon. This minion appears before Edward and arranges for Edward to meet with his master Satan to barter his soul for a rescue. A scene follows where the Devil appears and an agreement is struck - Edward gets his jaw fixed and is rescued by a British Warship - while agreeing to a "e;Family Plan"e; proposed by the Devil as a condition of the bargain - and sets the stage for the rest of the story.

Textauszug

Chapter 1

Personal Journal of Edward Tostig, Ship’s Mate Third Class

We are on our fifth day at sea since setting out from Kingston, Jamaica on May the sixth, year of Our Lord 1831. We are making north by northwest under full sail following the shipping channel on our way bound homeward for England. The trade wind has been steady since the ship cleared the Windward Passage yesterday and now is prevailing in our favour. The crew is in high spirits as the weather is fair and the ship is making good speed for being fully loaded. We will make Boston in about two weeks to re-provision before making the Atlantic crossing home.

Edward put away his ink bottle and dip pen, being careful to cap the inkwell properly. He placed these back into the box he kept on the deck below his hammock. He set down his notebook on top of the box with the page left open to air, allowing that morning’s entry to dry. Edward had held duty on the overnight and was about to stretch out for some rest and to eat the apple he had brought up from the ship’s stores, as he slept better with a little something in his belly. There was still fruit available this early into the journey, and he preferred this to the hardtack and dried provisions that would sustain the crew after the fresh stuff ran out. He took a small bite and savored it as he began to unlace his boots, looking forward to some rest. Just then, a familiar face popped through the hatchway just up from the racks.

“Edward!”

He looked up. “Skelly! What’s doing?”

Edward’s friend and shipmate Albert Skellar was hanging his head down into the compartment from the deck above. He said, “You might want to keep those boots on and come have a look at this for yourself!”

Skelly appeared to be fairly excited. Edward shrugged and replied, “A look at what? I’m done, mate — I’ve been up all night and I just want to turn in and let you lads run the ship for a while.”

Skelly frowned, then pressed again: “I’m telling you, this may be something big! We’ve got company out here — there’s another ship coming up on our backside!”

Edward considered this. It was not that unusual to see another ship out on the sea while underway, but there was something of an edge in Skelly’s tone that sounded serious.

“Captain Jefferies is out on the back rail with Norton and they’re havin’ a look with the spyglass.”

Edward re-laced his boots and took a bigger bite from his apple. “… all right… I’ll come back up… ”

Since her arrival east of the Inaguas islands two days previously, in the area where the charted shipping channel began — the pirate vessel Ghost Wind was lying in wait for the Spanish ship. The buccaneer crew had a man on the inside at the Port of Santo Domingo where the treasure ship stopped for provisions before continuing the voyage home to Spain. The ship was carrying back a sizeable amount of the gold, silver and precious items plundered from the Spaniards’ conquests in the Americas. The pirates were told when to expect the vessel to sail, but they did not know that this ship — a thirty-five cannon galleon named the Señora de la Rosa — had been delayed by a day at the last moment before she was to set sail. This meant that the English Brigantine Arthur Hoyt, transporting a cargo of raw sugar home from Jamaica, unwittingly found itself in the approximate location where the pirates expected to ambush the Spanish ship, entering the charted shipping lane and bound northwest through the Caribbean.

During planning sessions over the last two days the pirates decided that the best way to approach the treasure ship was to avoid her broadside guns and overtake her from behind. The Ghost Wind was a brigantine and not built for speed; she was, however, not weighted down into the water with a heavy cargo. The approach from the rear made sense because the more wind you can get into your sails, the greater your speed and maneuverability — coming at their quarry from behind would rob the Spaniards of their wind, once the pirates drew near. This also minimized the number of cannons that could be brought to bear unless they turned, and if they did so, they would lose even more wind.

That morning the pirate ship would allow the Spaniards’ ship to pass, then would get in behind her and chase her down. Over the next hour they would swing out toward the islands to their southwest, then circle to the east, behind the treasure ship… and begin to close in.

As they sailed in pursuit, pirate Captain Clive Gainey ordered that the British flag be hoisted, which would hopefully buy them some time amid the confusion. Boat Master Roland Marlowe was meanwhile looking through the spyglass and studying the ship that they were pursuing. He brought it down with a look of consternation, and turned to the Captain.

“He said, we’re chasing the wrong ship. That thing before us is a brigantine, flying British colors.”

Clive took the spyglass to have a look for himself. A moment later he also looked puzzled.

“Clever people, these Spaniards. They must have switched ships on us to throw us off.”

Roland was stunned. “You can’t be serious… That boat in front of us is a Limey brig! We’re chasing the wrong ship!”

Captain Paul Jeffries was a stocky-built fellow of forty-three years of age, balding and rather sensitive about it; seldom ever seen without his hat on. He had been summoned by the watch to the aft deck above the house. At this moment, he was standing at the rail with his first mate, Tim Norton, while they were observing the distant ship following them. The Captain passed the spyglass to Norton.

“They’re flying the Union Jack” he said, sounding unconvinced.

Tim Norton now took a look through the glass at the vessel to their stern, about a half-mile or better away. “That may mean that they are just another ship on the path of the trade route.” Tim shifted against the handrail and observed, “The ship’s not heavy drafted. They aren’t laden with much load, standing so far out of the water as she is.”

The Captain nodded. “That’s the part that concerns me. A merchant heading north should be transporting materials and be riding heavier. That looks to be another brig… It’s not a ship of the line.”

Tim handed the glass back. “She’s also plotted straight on behind us, which is odd.”

Ships normally would not tack on a following course in line behind another vessel except when the seas were challenging or when navigating obstacles. This morning was sunny with medium wind, and the boats were on an open ocean. Norton was still gazing toward the following ship.

“So what is she doing on this path?”

Paul turned to face him. “I believe that we should endeavor to find out. Have the helm come to due west, in course with the wind. If our companion changes to follow us, we will know we are being pursued and this is no happenstance.”

Tim said the word that was on both of their minds: “Pirates.”

“Very possibly; yes.”

Pirate Captain Clive had another look through his spyglass and said, “Yes, that does look like a brigantine, and she is showing the Union Jack. What better disguise could you possibly create to send your treasure back to Spain? Any pirates out there will be looking for a galleon, not a brig! It’s a very clever ruse — and this boat is right on schedule, just when we expected to see it. Now you tell me that this isn’t the boat we want, we should allow it to sail on, unchecked and unmolested? On the chance that I am right, I believe we should have a closer look at your Limey brig.”

Boat Master Roland was caught without words for a moment then said, “You would try to believe that the treasure that we’re after will be found in that boat…? The Spaniards aren’t going to load their plunder of the Americas onto an ill-defended brigantine just as a ploy of misdirection! The true treasure ship could be along at any time, and you want to go chase what clearly is not our quarry on the insane supposition that it’s a clever disguise to slip past us with? You’re mad, Clive! That’s the wrong boat!”

Just at that moment a sailor shouted out, “She’s turning! She’s running downwind!”

Clive regarded Roland and said, “Their captain wants to test our mettle and see if we will follow them on.” He looked to Malachi and shouted, “Strike down the British rag and run up our standard! Once they see that, they will heel-to for boarding. We will see what sort of cargo is being moved aboard your brigantine.” He paused. “Of course, if they continue to run, we’ll know that they’ve got something to hide. Let’s find out what they want to do, shall we? If this is truly the wrong ship, they can give up a few things we might need and be on their way, while we return to our hunt.”

Roland was unimpressed and said, “It is a waste of our time and imperils our crew, should something happen. We should quit this chase now and resume looking for the galleon.”

“Duly...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 28.8.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Fantasy
• ISBN-13: 979-8-3178-1137-2 / 9798317811372