Kathleen Of The Outer Banks

by Capt. Gardner Martin Kelley

  Chapter 12

  Dancing in The Moonlight

  There were a bunch of tourists outside of “Dirty Dicks.” While Cappi was a little curious, (he had heard of this place) it was in his way of thinking, “No place for a lady.” They avoided the long line and came again upon clothing and craft stores. He urged her to buy another one of the dancing skirts. There were no bugs to his thoughts. He knew that if she had a new skirt she would be bound to show it off. A repeat performance of last night would not hurt his young blood feelings. She bought enough that packages filled his arms. A restaurant that a sign outside professed to serving American food was their next stop.

  The sun was getting low when a small carnival was seen. Cappi was loaded with bags and bundles. He could not pass up this chance however to show his girl new things.

  He stowed the goods with the Ferris wheel tender and bought tickets. Svenska squealed first with fear then with delight. The wheel stopped with their seats the highest. “It’s like being on top of the world,” she said. He kissed her, there on top of the world. The wheel started to turn. “I feel at the top when I have you. We will have each other and sail on forever,” he said. She hugged him close as they moved to the Hobby Horse rides. “Round and round they go.” She tossed wooden rings, but with no wins. A carriage with two grey horses was hailed.

  Cappi talked to the driver of the horses while Svenska retrieved her bundles from the Ferris wheel tender, she gave him a tip. The driver was promised a tip if he rode them back to the wharf by a certain route. Svenska wanted to stop and buy fruits that would please the old men. With two sacks of fruit loaded the driver drove along towards the waterfront.

  He turned into a cobble stone street. It was darkened most of its length by real big high green trees. There were large double doors, thrown open wide in most cases. The openings showed a bed and dresser. The dresser had a large wash bowl with a water pitcher sitting inside and that was all to be seen. The women were blacks, mulattoes and a few white or light Hispanic. They were exploiting their wares to passing men. Some men did not pass, they went inside and the big doors closed. Svenska saw all this as the horses waited for loiterers or walkers to make room for the team.

  It was like a breath of fresh air to enter another street. The wharf and schooner was a welcome relief to Svenska. She had just seen what could happen to girls and women that misbehaved. She did not know whether to love her man more for the silent warning or to resent the implication. Could this happen to her? She looked forward to where the marlin spike was in the foremast. She decided that she deserved the trip through the red light district. What a day of adventure and fun. She kissed her man.

  The sacks of fruit and Svenska’s clothing purchases were aboard the schooner. The team driver went off happy with his tip.

  The Captain of the “LIZZIE MAE” looked his ship over. His dependable crew had not used the sail covers. They had been stowed away. With the holds empty the sails were loosened. The crew was telling him that the schooner was ready to depart Havana. The yawl boat was in place at the stern. The captain wasted no time going below. He was well fed and loved. “Let’s go,” he shouted happily. “You are a damn fine crew.”

  The captain steered and the yawl boat chugged along. Off Moro Castle a breeze allowed the yawl to be hoisted to her nest in the davits and the sails raised and set. Svenska watched Havana and a happy day drop astern. She had fun and adventure with her man today. The sights that she had seen today in the red light district, she would see for many days to come. Her man loved her; she knew for sure, he could have sold her into this life of bitter slavery if he had no love for her. She must always in the future remember this. She promised herself that she would do her very best to give him and his crew only love and affection. The men loved to see her dance. Well, hang on to those hats my lover and friends. I will dance for you.

  Cappi was surprised at the many large boats and steamships. Not only were many docked at wharves, as many more were anchored. Lights of several moving in or out of the harbor were seen. Although the schooner was a sail boat, the yawl astern with power, called for the running lights of a ship under power. Judd had tended to this.

  After the yawl was aboard, only lights of a ship under sail was maintained. The wind was a gentle breeze from the east and with a bright moon shown over the schooner’s deck and the smooth ocean.

  Cappi watched as Svenska swayed to imaginary music. He said, “Take the wheel. I will go forward to speak to the men.” All three of the old men were seated just to the starboard side of the forecastle hatch, which was open to the slightly cooler night air.

  The Captain said, “Judd, my wife wants music. If you will play your fiddle she will dance for us.” He turned and went back to his wheel watch. The men were smart enough to realize that if he walked forward with his request that they were being told to stay forward.

  Judd could be heard tuning the instrument as the Captain reclaimed the wheel. “The course is two seventy, sir,” said a saucy voice. “Two seventy it is. Now dance to your heart’s content. I have arranged for the music.” He and the men forward watched. She followed the mood of the music from Judd’s fiddle.

  He started off with slow tunes to let her warm up. She glided across the deck much as if in a graceful waltz. The tone of the fiddle changed as the master fiddler led her dancing to greater heights.

  The night was warm. She grabbed a handkerchief from Cappi’s pocket to wipe the perspiration from her forehead and face. “Take off the blouse it’s too hot for it,” he said. “Are you sure?” she inclined her head toward the men forward. “Their old eyes are not that good. It will be all right in the moonlight.” It was true the old men could not see well from so far, but they saw her movements as the garment was pulled up over her head. Judd’s fiddle did not miss a note as the music went to a faster and livelier tune. Svenska twirled and danced round and round faster and faster. She ended with a split that she did not know that she could do.

  The men forward could not see the pretty mounds well but Cappi could. It was as if he had never seen her before. He tapped the bell once for Chips, his relief to come take the wheel. The dancing girl slipped below. Her man followed as soon as Chips took over the watch. Chips heard what to him was music coming from the cabin.

  The wind had freshened; if it held, Montoya’s harbor would be reached by nightfall. Svenska awoke with sunshine showing through the skylight. She stretched to touch her toes, she felt wonderful she decided. Her man had gone from her bunk, but he had been there most of the night. Duty or breakfast had called him. She combed her long white hair and poised before her mirror to wash and dress. She decided that the dancing had not only amused the men it had tightened her leg and tummy muscles. It was good exercise for her.

  Emery filled her coffee mug and placed biscuits and jellies on the table then went out the door. He always was the quiet one with her.

  On the deck for a turn at steering, she saw that the men were busy; very busy with holly stone and scrub brushes. The water for this operation was provided by drop buckets of sea water. Judd looked up from his work, “We can’t make it slippery, but we can sure make it smooth for you.”

  Svenska only then realized that the scrubbing was their way of saying thank you and it was her dance floor being smoothed. Cappi was not alone in her life. All of them were her men, her heart sang.

  She heard Chips say, “Captain sir, I would like to put that spike back in the tool box. It might fall to the deck and a wave float it into a scupper and overboard.” The captain chuckled, “Yes, Chips it’s time for it to go.” He found it hard to envision the two pound steel spike floating into a scupper, but that was a good enough reason to agree with the old ship carpenter.

  The gear was stowed as the schooner passed the harbor to turn into the wind. Cappi allowed for the fore-way and caught the slight breeze close under the high bluff. It was enough to give steerage. The schooner was tied
up before dark and all was snug aboard.

  There was good news and more good news. Montoya had negotiated a new contract for his molasses. A sugar company in New York had agreed to buy all he could supply. The other thing was that he had purchased a truck with a crane. “It is not large but will be sufficient to help load much faster,” he said.

  Cappi had been sort of dreading the trip into cold New England waters after time here in the warmer weather, especially with fall here, and winter not far behind. The trip only as far as New York would return the schooner quicker to the warm blue water. Chips overheard the talk between the Captain and Montoya. His old bones did not care for the freezing cold of the northern waters and neither did his old shipmates. “Yes! This is a happy ship,” he mused.

  Chapter 13

  New York City

  The loading went much faster with the crane on the wharf. It lowered its load down to just clear of the deck. The booms were set and guyed over the holds. When the load was in the right position the hook on the boom took over the weight and lowered it into the hold. The crane was already away for another load.

  The men were all busy loading the goods and securing it in place. Svenska prepared the noon meal and made some cool drinks. The men ate there meal and hurried back to work. Svenska swam with the bathers and at high tide they all dove from the ships starboard rail. This side was out of the way of the workers. Svenska dove a few times from her high stand at the urging of the youngsters. Cappi wanted to stop it but was proud of her perfect swan dives and she certainly cleared the rail with plenty of room to spare.

  On the second day long before dark the loading was finished. The schooner could be on her way except that the tide was low and she was fast aground. It had taken only eighteen hours to load. The captain logged this in his log book and also for the future the tide would be taken into consideration along with the now established load time. After all the notes were taken there was nothing else to do but to wait on the tide to come in. So for now the men rested.

  In about six hours the schooner floated off the bottom. The yawl boat pushed the schooner clear of all the obstacles. Soon the sails were set. With the yawl aboard it was time to rest again from the labor of loading and stowing. The westerly breeze let all but the wheelman do just that. Svenska sensing that the old men and even her strong young man were tired. She decided on steering the vessel, it was not a night for dancing.

  She went to the cabin and her bunk after eight bells. Cappi would not be down until four hours later and another eight bells. The wind held fair through the night and the next day. That evening with everyone rested the schooner was becalmed on a sea of warm blue water.

  A large passenger ship headed for Nassau, Bahamas cruised by too close for comfort. With no wind to maintain steerage to turn about or head into the wake, the schooner rocked and rocked, the high masts were helping the roll in the waves. Through his long telescope Cappi read the name of the passenger ship. He entered the incident in the ship log. He would not bother to report the negligent handling of the big ship. The Steamboat Commission Inspectors were already favoring steamboats over sailboats in their decisions.

  The music from the passenger ships orchestra was heard plainly. It set the mood for Svenska as she sat restless in the sun. She did not move from her seat at this time. She waited till the sun dropped and the air cooled.

  She declined Cappi’s call to go to the galley as she preferred to stay on deck. The older men ate then went forward to sit or stretch out there. Cappi came to sit beside her. It must have been an hour later that she began to pace back and forth, back and forth to the memory of the music from the passed ship.

  Judd must have sensed her mood. Soon the sound of his fiddle was heard. Judd brought her man to her with contra sounds that required a partner. When the swinging was over Cappi rested near the wheel.

  The moon was not as bright as when she had last danced. Now it was lower and behind her from the crew, they could see her better. She danced for over an hour. Judd played on and on with wild sounding tunes she had never heard before. He told her later, “Tis from the winds that blow across the wild moors of Scotland that the sounds are from. My grandfather taught them to me.”

  For now her figure showed as a beautiful silhouette, it reminded the old men of their long ago youth and fond memories. A breeze caressed her cheek and then the wind rattled the sails. She jumped to steer the schooner and the men hauled in on the sheets to set the sails. “Course northeast,” sang out the Captain. The dancing and memories were over for now they had a ship to sail. Fourteen days later of sailing the Ambrose Lightship was seen.

  The early morning fog was burning off with the sun. The pilot boat was about to return into the harbor. The pilot had just been picked from an outbound freighter. He saw the schooner’s request for a pilot by the flag it was displaying. The pilot had the dory rowers put him aboard the schooner instead of the auxiliary sailing pilot schooner. Fair tide helped to get the “LIZZIE MAE” above lower bay and to an anchorage spot. With the change of tide and little wind the headway was about stopped. The pilot was an understanding man. Besides he had another outgoing freighter and more money to make. The schooner would be allowed to anchor to wait for another fair tide or wind. He pointed out on the chart where the sugar plant was located. The Captain paid the pilot and thanked him.

  Svenska went to her stand in the rigging to look around, she watched as the pilot was rowed to the big pilot boat. She shouted to Cappi and pointed to three schooners tied together and anchored closer inshore. There was just enough wind to close slowly on the vessels.

  The captain used his loud hailer to shout to anyone aboard the three anchored vessels. “Hello to the schooners, permission to lay alongside?” Two men appeared at the rail. “Come alongside and welcome. We will even furnish the lines,” was the answer. Lines were passed from the higher sided schooner, for Cappi to tie up too.

  There was no wind to move the sails so only the jibs were dropped at this time. “Come aboard and visit, come aboard.” Svenska looking down from her viewpoint saw that the two men were as old as Judd and Emery. Of course there was no one as old as Chips. The frequent glances at her showed that she was included in the invitation. A two plank gangway was placed between the two schooners on top of the rails. Judd was first across as he had recognized an old shipmate. It turned out that Chips knew the sailorman too, though he had never shipped with him. Emery sat and listened but was not much for talking.

  Svenska with Cappi at her side walked around the larger schooner. “Looks like she is being stripped for what can be sold, the rest will just sink here,” Cappi said, “I would like to have another donkey engine; sure would make raising the sails and loading easier.” “Make me an offer; I need to get rid of what I can.” The old skipper had come to visit with the two and had overheard. “I don’t expect to get many offers. Tell you what I will do. I see that your yawl boat is so old that it has a naphtha engine. You buy my gasoline powered yawl boat at my low price and I will give you the donkey engine. Both gasoline engines run well.” It took very little dickering for the Captain’s to come to an agreement. Five, full five gallon cans of gas were included in the deal.

  The deal on the yawl over, the three joined the others and just visited. The Captain of the “LIZZIE MAE” figured that there would be no great amount of food aboard a vessel about to be abandoned. He suggested that all go aboard his ship. The talks could continue and a meal and drinks would be provided. All agreed that this was a good idea. They prepared the “LIZZIE MAE’S” galley table. There was plenty of room. In the old days before steamers there were six men to each watch. Chips with the permission of the Captain brought up part of a keg of his private stock of rum. Meanwhile Emery had started up his fire. The last of his supply of eggs and huge slices of ham were being cooked. Not to be outdone and before the rum appeared, Svenska had served cool orange and pineapple drinks. The men all praised Svenska an
d Cappi with a special good word for Emery as the cook. She offered to help the cook clean up the galley. He shooed her out with a pleasant, “No you go visit and I can do it.”

  There were mugs of rum in sight as Judd warmed up his fiddle. She sat quietly and listened to the songs. She made no moves to dance. Judd sensed that she was thinking, two are strangers not my men, I will dance for my men only. “It was a nice get together, good night to all,” she said and went aft to the cabin and her bunk.

  There was no wind the next morning, with the use of the new and more powerful yawl boat in mind, the Captain ordered the sails lowered and furled. The sail covers were soon in place to keep them dry and clean.

  Cappi with the help of Judd and Chips went to work at getting the new donkey unbolted from its resting place. It had to be installed just as solid as before, when is was aboard the “LIZZIE MAE”. It was some chore to turn the fastening bolts from through the deck beams. Chips had a big monkey wrench of ancient vintage. It was just the thing for this job. Once the bolts were free the donkey and parts were carried aboard. Chips drilled new holes with an old hand auger.

  The captain left the installing to the old ship carpenter. Captain Donovan said, “Captain Kelley look around, anything you see is for sale. You will appreciate your new yawl. It can be tied off alongside not under the stern. The rudder is extra-large and the long tiller allows one man to handle the steering, throttle and gear shift. Sometimes when a hard turn is required the wheel of the ship is used. Most times it is not necessary.”

  The two Captains entered the wheel house. Cappi had a list of things he wanted to buy. Snatch blocks, any new cordage aboard. There was no doubt that this was the right time and place to buy. There was a shot gun in a glass covered case on a bulkhead. It was bought case and all.

  The cook had several times remarked on how well a fat goose would be to eat. Geese during their migration often flew close by the schooner. Svenska told of how the folks on the Outer Banks ate loons. “A loon is better than a turkey,” was often said. The thought of eating a loon made Cappi’s stomach cringe. The thought of a stuffed goose along with fruit and yams was another story. He expected to make good use of the shot gun.