“Silver Adventures”- Captain Joshua Slane –05NO19- ‘No place like home!’

⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵...(Toor of ???)...

[Last time...]

“Any new toor suggestion froms th' crew tadays Galligan?" The Captain asked as he scanned the Milky Way above their heads.
“Noot a one Sairrr…”
“Hmmm…att's a bad omen..." The Captain replied quietly as he stoked his pipe red-hot.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[Port of Elgol, Skye...near the wharf...]

“Yo! Ho! Port Elgol!” Seaman Tuna’s deep voice rang out from the nest.

“Bring doon th' mainsails- jibs an' forward sheets steady an' taught! Ready th' moorin' lines!” The Captain called out from the bridge as the sunrise lit-up the village of Elgol like a fairytale mirage.

Commander Galligan pulled on the big wheel and corrected their approach…

“Lit them knows we're haur with a powder shot from th' baw!" The Captain yelled as he folded his arms and smiled as the first of the villagers began to run down to the wharf.

“Aye-aye Sairrr!” Cockpit Mate Ollingthunder answered as he turned and directed the men to prime up the nine-pounder on the bow and set the wick, “Ready Sairrr!”

“Light her aff!” The Captain barked as he stood tall on the bridge.

The deep report of the cannon echoed through the tall hills and narrow valleys of Elgol and in minutes, people came rushing out of their houses, hailing the big ship and some waving their hats in the air!

“Six hunnert an' forty-fife days at brine!" Galligan called out with a grin.

“Aye, one year, 9 months, an' seven days, uir longest toor oan record!”
“We’ll noot forget th’ ‘Toor of th’ Gulf of Aden!’” Acting Lieutenant Ickied said as he looked out over the starboard rail at the gathering townspeople.

"Nae we willnae!" Acting Lieutenant Errislravenhill agreed with a wide smile.

As the big warship neared the wharf, shore boats rowed out, carrying messenger lines from the wharf. The crew grabbed the lines and pulled the hawsers to bring the ship to dock. The ships bell rang furiously as Boy Tipper jumped and jangled on its rope, laughing and calling out! The Captain smiled as he watched the familiar sight.

In twenty minutes the big vessel was safely secured and gangways were lowered as the crew began the task of carrying up all of their personal belongings in bags and forming lines on the main deck. It was payday, and no one dared leave the ship without their tour-due of four silver ounces each.

While Warrant Officer Warrant Yprecious penciled the ledger book, The Captain handed out the four silver coins to each man with a handshake and a good word…

“Braw job mate!”
“Fine duty mucker!”

Commander Galligan held the silver chest steady on the head of a barrel. Paying the crew after a long tour was a satisfying and also sad event. Many would not return, but for those that did, there would stories of adventure and danger for all the new seaman who came aboard!

There was crying and laughter on the dock as the townspeople slowly sought out and found their loved ones, husbands, sons and an a few wives and daughters. The Captain glanced slowly through the crowd until he found what he was looking for, the beautiful and loyal wife... Sally May.

Galligan’s eyes were roaming the dock as well and soon spotted Elspeth, jumping and waving in the rear of the crowd. He smiled and exhaled the sigh of a man who felt relieved and satisfied that all was well in the world.

But there were also tears as some learned that their husbands or sons had not returned and perhaps were laid to rest in some foreign land, far from the hearts and minds of Scotland.

In due time the last seaman was paid and walked down the gangway with his heavy bags. The Captain then paid the officers and one by one they left the ship, saluting as they stepped out onto the wharf. Then it was just the Captain, Galligan and Tipper as they made their way to the ramp. The wharf-hands were quickly unloading the ship’s cargo and Navy guards arrived to carefully unload and secure its precious chests of silver.

On the wharf Sally May stood smiling along with Elspeth as the men came down and Tipper ran forward, giving Sally the hug of her life. The two couples embraced without speaking and tears welled–up in the women’s eyes. Coming home was always an overwhelming event and sometimes a bit too much for some.

While the Captain, Sally May and Tipper took the road fork to the north towards their cottage, Galligan and Elspeth took the fork south to theirs…

“Come up tomorrow evenin’ fur supper an' a review of uir ship's report!" The Captain yelled back.

“We will Sairrr! Ahh've noot had Sally's highlain stew in almost two years!" Galligan said with a laugh as Elspeth smiled and on held tight to his shoulders as he carried her 'piggy-back' style along the road.

Tipper skipped happily down the narrow road leading o the north-east shore of the harbor and the Captain’s home. Dog ‘Doug’ rambled along beside him as they went.

“Mammy, can dug ‘Doug’ sleep oan th' rug in mah room tonight?” Tipper asked with a pleading smile.

Sally turned and smiled as she answered, “Aye, he’s yoo’re crew, he belangs with yoo!”

Tipper yelled in glee and took off running ahead towards their cottage with ‘Doug’ in close pursuit. The Captain turned and gazed at Sally, holding her about the waist…

“Ahh’d be an auld brine clam if Ahh didnae tell ye... 'att ye look mair bonnie efter each an' every toor!" He said softly in her ear.
“Och Joshua!” She replied softly as their lips touched in a warm kiss.

The sun was bright and the birds sang from the trees as the tall grasses of Elgol swayed this way and that in the morning’s breeze...

⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵

Ship’s Log: Toor of th’ “Gulf of Aden”

Elgol, Scotland – 29 of January, 1718
Inisbofin, Ireland - 09 of February, 1718
Ardoilean, Ireland - 28 of March, 1718
Tenerife, Canary Islands – 27 of April, 1718
Praia, Santiago Island, Cape Verde – 15 of May, 1718
Galinhas Island, Guinea Bissau - 26 of May, 1718
Toliara, Madagascar – 15 of June, 1718
Bassas Islain, Indian Ocean – 01 of Julie, 1718
Pemba, Mozambique – 11 of Decembers, 1718
Comoros Islain, Indian Ocean – 02 of Januar, 1719
Aldabra Islain, Indian Ocean – 04 of February, 1719
Desroches Islain, Indian Ocean – 22 of February, 1719
Seychelles, Indian Ocean – 11 of March, 1719
Darsah Islain – 06 of May, 1719
Socotra Islain – 16 of May, 1719
City ay Aden – 02 Julie, 1719
Pemba Islain, Tanzania – 13 of Augist, 1719
Monrovia, Liberia – 14 of October, 1719
Elgol, Scotland – 05 of November, 1719

(645) Days at Sea!

"Ahh'd likes ta take a moments ta thenk an auld crew mucker fur suggestin' thes toor, though we've nae heard from 'er in in a puckle of years...

She was a braw sailor an' a steady hand!" 😉 -Keptin

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Toor suggestions so far:

Kragerø, Norway
Djibouti, Africars
Diego Garcia Islain, India Ocean

"There'll be nae new toor withoot at leest fife suggestions!" Test not yoor Keptin!"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need a private chat with the Captain?" - joshua.slane@aol.com

References

Pictures from: www.freeimages.com, www.pexels.com, pixabay.com, steemit.com an’ www.google.com/maps. Data loosely interpretted froms: Wikipedia, an' sometimes finely crafted reit from th' author's extensiff personal experience an' such.