*This is just something I'm toying around with. As some of you might know, I'm trying for a PhD in naval history. As I was reading through captain's logs, sailor's memoirs and admiralty reports, I was thinking to myself "You know what would make this better? If there were zombies in it!"*
From the journal of Robert Stretton, an English merchant-turned-privateer (some would say "pirate") during the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-1654). Stretton's journal was kept in his family's wealthy estate until 1917, when it was auctioned off after all natural male heirs were killed in World War One. It remained buried in the National Maritime Museum's archives until very recently, when it was rediscovered by a history graduate student who was conducting research for his master's thesis. Most of the journal is about the weather, battles, and shipboard conditions, so only the relevant parts are below.
March 14 – Moderate gales, rainy weather. The Taylor nearly founder’d in the storm last night. All hands are in fair health except for a boy who broke several ribs. A wave nearly washed him overboard but instead hurled him into the taffrail. The mainmast is in a weaken’d state and so we have reef’d the sails. We must make repairs or we shall be in dire straits.
March 15 – Small gales, fair weather. We reached an islet that would shield us from any heavy wind. We had been pushed off course but know we are some days out of Elizabeth City Shire [now the Hampton Roads metropolitan coastline]. We immediately dropp'd anchor and mann’d our boats to go ashore, as well as take on fresh water. Many officers and men wish’d to go hunting, for there was divers fowls and deer in the surrounding woods. The other officers and I din’d on a good quarter of venison and potatoes, which are a great rarity to us at sea. Men with experience in the Americas had never seen potatoes this far north, so it must be surmiz’d that other mariners brought the seed or cuttings with them on a previous voyage.
March 16 – Before we came hither, our mainmast had worsen’d. The bottom of the hull also needed scraping. Barnacles grow quickly in these waters and exceedingly slow a ship. The carpenter and his mate went into the woods with a hunting party to find suitable timber. The timber in this country is very good and plentiful, and provides all the necessaries for building and careening ships. The rest of the crew built a camp. The absence of Indians is odd, for there are several nations which dwell in this country. They are often eager to trade and will give victuals or furs in exchange for a simple knife.
March 17 – A day of rest for the crew was order'd while the carpenter repair'd the mainmast. The heavy actions which we had endured over several weeks, along with the exceeding hard labors perform'd when much of our company was reduced to man prizes, had very much fatigued many of them. The ship was made sound again, but not before evening. The captain decided to set sail with the next morning’s tide. However, there is a curious story I must relate.
Earlier this afternoon a hunting party returned in a state of great agitation. They said their foray had begun with much success, and they had shot several deer and a number of fowls. But as they travel'd further the game vanished. They decided to return to the camp when they heard a horrible groan. Thinking they were being stalk'd by a tiger or lion, they drop'd their heaviest kills and ran the full mile back to camp. This was greeted with laughter from the older crew, who knew that such animals do not exist in this country.
But upon hearing their story our gunner’s mate, a Frenchman nam’d Francois Hebert, from Saint-Domingue, took a great fright and advis’d our captain to get underway with much haste. This surpriz’d the whole crew because he had fought with great brav’ry and skill in many actions at sea and on land. We did not think it possible for him to be so afright. The captain assured him that all would be well and that we would part the next morning. Several Negroes from Barbados, normally of good humor and high spirits, quieted and look’d somber. They arm’d themselves with cutlasses and pistols, and no amount of entreaties or orders could compel them to part with their weapons even while in the camp.
March 18 – Strong gales, stormy weather. The conditions do not permit us to set sail, for we are on a lee shore and would surely be dash'd aground. These tremendous winds are much stronger than those we faced several days ago. Francois and the Negroes are much distraught. They are all well liked by the crew and so everybody is worried somewhat.
Two of our Irish crew, O’Neill and Connolly, have gone missing. They are terrible gamblers. Knowing that our captain had forbidden gambling, I suppose they went to a hidden place to play cards or dice. I have begun to worry, though, because they missed their rum ration. Being Irish, they have a natural tendency to always be present when spirits are serv’d.
I myself, with the captain and other officers, held a committee, and publish’d an order, forbidding our officers and men on severe penalties to leave the camp, excepting hunting parties led by an officer.
March 19 – Strong winds. The rain has lessened to a tolerable degree, but the winds still make sailing impossible. I led a group of hunters into an unexplor’d part of the forest, hoping to find a bear or other large game. Francois was ordered to come with us because it was thought the activity would improve his frighten’d demeanor. Instead of finding game, we discover’d the remains of a house. It was a ruin, with only the stone fireplace and chimney standing. After searching the area, we found several skeletons lying in the growth. One of the skulls had been pierced by a musketball, and I know this because it dropped out when I examin’d the bones. The other skulls had been severely crushed by a rock, hammer, or musket butt. But one skull was intact, and the only sign of damage was several marks on one of the limbs. It looked as a creature had bitten it. It was odd that the rest of the bones had been undisturb’d. Beasts often feast on the bodies and scatter the bones over the area.
The carpenter’s mate was in my party, and he said the house’s timbers had not rotted, but been burnt. Other hunters had unearthed a small box that contain’d a number of silver coins. Most was debased French coinage, but others were good English currency. Francois found a set of opened doors that led underground. He refused to venture in, so I took the lantern and went underneath myself. It was a stone cellar, and I saw a good quantity of Madeira, Breton glassware, and Flanders linen. Much of it was rotted or smashed. 'Twas most definitely a smuggler’s cache, since we are not permitted to trade with the Spanish and other rivals who are jealous of our English commerce. I observ’d scratch marks all along the stone walls. The pattern show’d that they were caused by human fingers. I had turn’d around to walk back up the steps when I heard a faint moan from the far end. In the dim light cast by my lantern, I saw a collection of old burlap sacks between two tuns of Norman cider. It was moving slightly, as if something was squirming underneath. I approach’d the pile, unsure of what I’d find. A gust of chill wind came from the entrance and must have blown my scent towards it, for the moanings became louder and much more agitated. Instead of gently swaying, the movements became more violent, like a terrier just before its master lets it attack rats in the arena. There was a growing sense of unease at the back of my mind, but my curiosity got the better of me and I reached for the burlap.
*End of Part 1*
From the journal of Robert Stretton, an English merchant-turned-privateer (some would say "pirate") during the First Anglo-Dutch War (1652-1654). Stretton's journal was kept in his family's wealthy estate until 1917, when it was auctioned off after all natural male heirs were killed in World War One. It remained buried in the National Maritime Museum's archives until very recently, when it was rediscovered by a history graduate student who was conducting research for his master's thesis. Most of the journal is about the weather, battles, and shipboard conditions, so only the relevant parts are below.
March 14 – Moderate gales, rainy weather. The Taylor nearly founder’d in the storm last night. All hands are in fair health except for a boy who broke several ribs. A wave nearly washed him overboard but instead hurled him into the taffrail. The mainmast is in a weaken’d state and so we have reef’d the sails. We must make repairs or we shall be in dire straits.
March 15 – Small gales, fair weather. We reached an islet that would shield us from any heavy wind. We had been pushed off course but know we are some days out of Elizabeth City Shire [now the Hampton Roads metropolitan coastline]. We immediately dropp'd anchor and mann’d our boats to go ashore, as well as take on fresh water. Many officers and men wish’d to go hunting, for there was divers fowls and deer in the surrounding woods. The other officers and I din’d on a good quarter of venison and potatoes, which are a great rarity to us at sea. Men with experience in the Americas had never seen potatoes this far north, so it must be surmiz’d that other mariners brought the seed or cuttings with them on a previous voyage.
March 16 – Before we came hither, our mainmast had worsen’d. The bottom of the hull also needed scraping. Barnacles grow quickly in these waters and exceedingly slow a ship. The carpenter and his mate went into the woods with a hunting party to find suitable timber. The timber in this country is very good and plentiful, and provides all the necessaries for building and careening ships. The rest of the crew built a camp. The absence of Indians is odd, for there are several nations which dwell in this country. They are often eager to trade and will give victuals or furs in exchange for a simple knife.
March 17 – A day of rest for the crew was order'd while the carpenter repair'd the mainmast. The heavy actions which we had endured over several weeks, along with the exceeding hard labors perform'd when much of our company was reduced to man prizes, had very much fatigued many of them. The ship was made sound again, but not before evening. The captain decided to set sail with the next morning’s tide. However, there is a curious story I must relate.
Earlier this afternoon a hunting party returned in a state of great agitation. They said their foray had begun with much success, and they had shot several deer and a number of fowls. But as they travel'd further the game vanished. They decided to return to the camp when they heard a horrible groan. Thinking they were being stalk'd by a tiger or lion, they drop'd their heaviest kills and ran the full mile back to camp. This was greeted with laughter from the older crew, who knew that such animals do not exist in this country.
But upon hearing their story our gunner’s mate, a Frenchman nam’d Francois Hebert, from Saint-Domingue, took a great fright and advis’d our captain to get underway with much haste. This surpriz’d the whole crew because he had fought with great brav’ry and skill in many actions at sea and on land. We did not think it possible for him to be so afright. The captain assured him that all would be well and that we would part the next morning. Several Negroes from Barbados, normally of good humor and high spirits, quieted and look’d somber. They arm’d themselves with cutlasses and pistols, and no amount of entreaties or orders could compel them to part with their weapons even while in the camp.
March 18 – Strong gales, stormy weather. The conditions do not permit us to set sail, for we are on a lee shore and would surely be dash'd aground. These tremendous winds are much stronger than those we faced several days ago. Francois and the Negroes are much distraught. They are all well liked by the crew and so everybody is worried somewhat.
Two of our Irish crew, O’Neill and Connolly, have gone missing. They are terrible gamblers. Knowing that our captain had forbidden gambling, I suppose they went to a hidden place to play cards or dice. I have begun to worry, though, because they missed their rum ration. Being Irish, they have a natural tendency to always be present when spirits are serv’d.
I myself, with the captain and other officers, held a committee, and publish’d an order, forbidding our officers and men on severe penalties to leave the camp, excepting hunting parties led by an officer.
March 19 – Strong winds. The rain has lessened to a tolerable degree, but the winds still make sailing impossible. I led a group of hunters into an unexplor’d part of the forest, hoping to find a bear or other large game. Francois was ordered to come with us because it was thought the activity would improve his frighten’d demeanor. Instead of finding game, we discover’d the remains of a house. It was a ruin, with only the stone fireplace and chimney standing. After searching the area, we found several skeletons lying in the growth. One of the skulls had been pierced by a musketball, and I know this because it dropped out when I examin’d the bones. The other skulls had been severely crushed by a rock, hammer, or musket butt. But one skull was intact, and the only sign of damage was several marks on one of the limbs. It looked as a creature had bitten it. It was odd that the rest of the bones had been undisturb’d. Beasts often feast on the bodies and scatter the bones over the area.
The carpenter’s mate was in my party, and he said the house’s timbers had not rotted, but been burnt. Other hunters had unearthed a small box that contain’d a number of silver coins. Most was debased French coinage, but others were good English currency. Francois found a set of opened doors that led underground. He refused to venture in, so I took the lantern and went underneath myself. It was a stone cellar, and I saw a good quantity of Madeira, Breton glassware, and Flanders linen. Much of it was rotted or smashed. 'Twas most definitely a smuggler’s cache, since we are not permitted to trade with the Spanish and other rivals who are jealous of our English commerce. I observ’d scratch marks all along the stone walls. The pattern show’d that they were caused by human fingers. I had turn’d around to walk back up the steps when I heard a faint moan from the far end. In the dim light cast by my lantern, I saw a collection of old burlap sacks between two tuns of Norman cider. It was moving slightly, as if something was squirming underneath. I approach’d the pile, unsure of what I’d find. A gust of chill wind came from the entrance and must have blown my scent towards it, for the moanings became louder and much more agitated. Instead of gently swaying, the movements became more violent, like a terrier just before its master lets it attack rats in the arena. There was a growing sense of unease at the back of my mind, but my curiosity got the better of me and I reached for the burlap.
*End of Part 1*