The Adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow

War Without a Truce

All plans to visit Gabriela had to be postponed. James was occupied entertaining the governors while Admiral Davenport was busy clearing a path so the port could have access in and out. He had to remove the shipwrecks from the entrance of the port one way or another. After much consideration, he decided to make them not to explode and sink to the bottom of the sea. First, he would have his men remove weapons, and any useful parts that could be used in other ships, and then Admiral Davenport invited villagers to remove all they wanted: doors, windows, pieces of furniture, barrels, wood, anything they fancied. They had until two in the afternoon.

Local people worked like termites, the owner of the biggest tavern paid some men to get the figureheads from the ships into the tavern.

At around two o'clock the only thing remaining from the ships were the keels and a few more. Davenport felt generous and offered the men who had ships and were able to tow the wrecks away to grant them ownership of the shipwreck so they could sell the rest of the wood. The first to come with their ship prepared to drag the wrecked ships would get ownership. Only the two obstructing the center of the access to the port were the ships in the worst state but they were also the biggest ones. Soon several ships came to claim their booty. Upon granting the seven ships to the locals, Admiral Davenport gave them three hours to clear the way in and out of the port. He left one of his officers in charge of supervising the work.

He went to inform Duke Nottingham and the governors. James was dissatisfied. He thought that Davenport would explode the ships and clear the way in a little time instead of taking so much time. James elucidated that making the ships explode wasn't an easy task because many wood splints could damage the ships docked in port and if the ships weren't sunk properly they would block the access, this way it was an inexpensive and more practical way of getting rid of the ships. Governor Woodes Rogers acquiesced with Admiral Davenport and supported his judgment.

"Well, it seems we can leave late today or early tomorrow, then." Woodes Rogers said, "Please, let us know as soon as we can part. Some of us might prefer to sail at night, Admiral."

"Be cautious, we don't know who is attacking these ships and when he's going to strike again or if he is going to assail our ships too." Admiral Davenport alerted worriedly.

*****

In town, people could only talk about the profit they made with the misfortune of those poor unfortunate who betrayed their kind.

Gabriela asked Fermin to escort her to Church to talk to the priest, she gave a generous donation and asked him to celebrate a Requiem Mass for the sailors that appeared dead. The priest told her that they would share a common burial site, and Gabriela offered to pay for the tombstone. The priest expressed his concern about not knowing if those men were Catholic. Gabriela wisely suggested he blessed them and proceeded as if they were Catholics, they couldn't let the English claim them as Anglicans and that the Spanish Crown was killing English subjects, but if the Church recognized them as their children, the English could not make such accusations since the Spanish Crown was Catholic.

The priest had no option but to abide by Gabriela's suggestion since she was the niece of the Kings of Spain. Gabriela bid goodbye to the priest and went to visit Mother Superior, María de los Angeles, to see if the orphans needed anything and chat with her for a while.

On her way out of the convent, Gabriela found her father, Don Juan walking with James and some of the governors. They greeted courteously.

"Good morning, gentlemen!"

"Good morning, Señorita Gabriela," Gabriela extended her hand for the men to kiss it, and then she kissed her father coldly.

"What are you doing here, Gabriela?" Don Juan inquired.