From the Notes of Miss Alice Gordon:
23.May.1870
Finally we are on our way. My new acquaintances finished bringing up and securing a sunken boat yesterday. I did not know that they were into salvage. I wonder if any records are left from the doomed crew. I wonder what they were looking for and why they were here. This was a very strange boat. All enclosed. I wonder how people were able to breathe and stay afloat. I must ask someone about this strange machine. Mayhap the little one with all the energy would be willing to tell me about it.
After setting Pappa up in his cabin and reminding him that he really needs some rest, I joined the group in their Hindi and fighting lessons. Hindi is such a different language. It is closest to the Arabic that I know, but there are more differences. Pappa’s work has kept us mostly in Europe and the Middle Eastern countries. I’m afraid that I know almost nothing about India. I shall have to rectify this situation if I am to spend any time among my new acquaintances. I also observed with interest as Mr. Salmalin worked with Miss Chigwigeon on Kali worship. They began on prayers this morning. It is interesting how religions all have their similarities as well as their differences. I wonder if there is paper material in the similarities between religions. I must talk to Pappa about it.
I believe that I have much work to do in setting Pappa’s notes in order. The ship’s motion distracts Pappa so that he never can work properly at sea. Besides, after such a strenuous mission as we have just endured, I would rather that he let the ship’s gentle motion encourage him in sleep. I shall just have to work harder to ensure that all his notes are in order. That way he won’t feel that his rest time was a waste. He is always grumpy when we are in the city and wishes to spend as little time actually writing the paper as necessary. I wonder where his next job will send us?
Even though I shall be quite busy (what with transcribing Pappa’s note’s into something legible and spending time with my new friends), I do believe that our time before we return to London shall be quite refreshing. I always did love being at sea…
24.May.1870
Today, we arrived in Port Praia. Sir Cosmo was kind enough to escort us into the market place. I had to keep a sharp eye on Pappa to make sure he didn’t wander from the group. As much as both of would have liked to understand the parent cultures that make up this vibrant city, I understood that we were in port only long enough to take on more coal. Still I would have liked to thoroughly explore the city with Pappa. Mayhap if we are ever in the area again we can make a further study of this marvelous city.
I did, however, enjoy the marketplace very much. I spend so much time out in the field with Pappa that I hardly ever get the chance to shop--to really wander through the market place and just browse. I hardly ever actually buy anything, because most of it would be thoroughly impractical in the field. Still, I occasionally wish that some of the pretty trinkets could go home with me.
26.May.1870
All continues quiet. The lessons are going well. I believe that I understand the grammar and basic structure of the language quite well. Now all that I have to do is learn the vocabulary that will make me able to converse. The teachers are very willing to give me lists of words to learn, and I think that I shall quickly catch up to the other students.
Pappa’s notes are also nearly completely legible. He should be able to start on his paper as soon as we reach London. I wonder how long we shall stay this time. I also wonder where we shall lodge. When Pappa started spending so much time in the field, he sold his house. Ever since, we have either rented lodgings or stayed with our close friends, the Kelseys. I believe that we shall have to rent this time because Mr. and Mrs. Kelsey have taken their daughter to Paris for the year. I shall be sad that we missed them. Jenny is the closest that I have to a sibling and it was always nice to spend our time in the city with her family.
27.May.1870
Today we passed by the Channel Islands. I remember our time spent
in these quaint islands. They are so remote that they still follow
ancient customs. Take their language. From all that I could
tell, it is called Guernesiais. It is similar to French dialect
(a remnant of their Norman history) but not written and hard to
figure out. Even though they are under British rule, they still
keep to their Norman heritage. I also remember our trip to Brittany
(the French coast near the Channel Islands). I loved finding
the Celtic ties in this far off land. I almost felt at home in
the land of my mother’s distant cousins. The music was also
both similar and different from the Gaelic songs my mother taught
me as a small child. Hopefully we shall someday return to the
Brittany and islands.
Seeing the Islands does tell me that we are close to home. This is a marvelously fast ship. Our travel out to the Island of Korr took weeks, whereas the return trip has been merely days. It is amazing the things that technology gives us….
28.May.1870
We pulled into Harwich this morning. There is the usual unloading of the ship before we are really allowed to leave. Sir Cosmo left to send telegrams to London. It appears that the entire group (including the survivors of our party) is to return to London for a debriefing. I don’t believe that I have ever been part of a debriefing before. Sir Cosmo found out that we do not yet have lodgings in the city and most graciously offered us the use of his home as long as we are in the City. It will be nice to stay in a pleasant place where I know people. As Pappa is usually very busy, I am often left to my own ends. When we are not staying with the Kelseys, I try to fill up the time before our next journey. I love to visit the bazaars and markets, but there are many places that are closed to a young woman with no escort or chaperone. I think that by staying with our new friends, I will not find this stay lonely.
Finally we disembarked and headed for the train station. As Dr. Wilson stepped off the docks, those in the group who have supernatural powers made a large fuss. I didn’t understand exactly why, but I was not impressed when Dr. Wilson shot at a large raven that had taken off and flown away at our approach. Granted, the thing did not die after the explosion (oddly, it turned into a flock of crows), but he needs to learn that one cannot just fire rockets at will. It was bad enough down in the caverns below Korr. Here, there are live people who could be hurt by his rockets… I shall definitely have to have a talk with him on the subject…
We are now on the train to London. I love riding the train. Aside from all the soot and such, I love to watch the familiar scenery peacefully roll by. We shall be in London soon. Oh, one other thing, Miss Sinclair purchased a paper at the station. A few minutes ago, she pointed out a story on a series of murders in Stepney. Even though Stepney has some very unsavory neighborhoods, these murders appear to be out of the normal for the area. I wonder what will become of it…
28.May.1870
Teatime
We arrived in London in good time. A genteel looking man greeted us at the station and was introduced as Graves, the household butler. Another man by the name Sir Phillip Bond--most of the party seemed very unhappy to see him—descended on us as soon as we got off the train. Sir Cosmo went with him, and we were then ushered into the strangest carriages that I have ever seen. They move without horses! And they make a lot of noise. I shall have to look at these later when things have settled down.
After we arrived at Mayfair (and such a lovely house it is), were introduced to the staff (there appear to be some additions to the household new to the rest of the party). A rather large stack of mail was handed about to various members who then retired to catch up on their correspondence. I shall have to write Jenny and ask how her stay in Paris is going. I believe that Pappa will write to his solicitors and have them forward our letters here for the duration. I must remind him of that responsibility. While everyone was involved, Pappa and I were shown to our rooms. The situation here is very nice. Pappa will have his own study where he can hole himself up. Graves has assured me that he will have food brought up when Pappa forgets to come down for meals. I know how he can be when he is writing his paper. After everyone was settled, everyone seemed to have errands. I heard that Miss Sinclair was going to the British Museum Reading Room and instantly attached myself to her party. I love the library here and so very rarely get to go! What a treat it was. Mr. Ramsey was there wanting to read the same articles that Miss Sinclair was interested in—the ones on the Stepney murders. It seems that a relic stolen from the church of St. Eglantine is somehow involved with the case. After promising to bring me back to the library at some point, the three of us decided to visit the church. Before we could leave the Reading Room, we met up with Mr. and Mrs. Cuthbert who decided to join us. On our way, we exchanged information.
The following is information taken from members of the Party and the Sexton of the church. I learned that we are after information on an ancient bronze sword. Apparently, it dates back to one of the first Christian kings. His father had converted to Christianity and forced his kingdom to do likewise (why is it that so much violence is done in the name of a loving deity…). When the old king died, his body was stolen, cut up, and buried in the four quarters of the kingdom as per the old pagan practice. The young king went on a witch hunt to find the thief. When it was discovered that his own mother was the culprit, he ordered her burned at the stake. She cursed him to be forever known as a murderer of unprotected women. He accepted it saying that as long as there were unrepentant women, he would gladly be God’s executioner. Later I learned that anytime the sword has disappeared, there have been murders of sinful women in the area. Anyway, as time passed, there came to be a plague in the area now known as Essex. A young girl named Eglantine had a dream that the Virgin Mary gave her a bleeding cross and told her that anyone who looked on it would be saved. She and some followers went to search for the cross. Meanwhile, the young king wondered if his move away from old beliefs could be behind the plague. He was in the middle of a pagan ritual when Eglantine and her followers found him (they assumed it was Satan worship…). During the resulting fray, (again, notice the violence involved with religion), the king ended up killing himself with the sword. Eglantine realized that the hilt of the sword looked like a bleeding cross. She mounted it in a piece of wood and paraded around the country. As the story goes, all who saw the sword were healed of the plague. I personally think that it was more belief than anything, but who am I to say… I wonder how many people have studied this information. Maybe Pappa knows more about it. I shall have to ask him.
The church was a very old building that has been renovated several times. However, many of the older bits are still there. It is an interesting building in its own right. I guess that Mrs. Cuthbert and Mr. Ramsay wished to perform some magick on the sword, so Miss Sinclair and I asked the Sexton to show us around. He was very informative as to the building styles and the paintings on the wall, as well as the history of the sword (as told above). It was all very interesting. We also found out that the last person to see the sword was an American who gave a donation to the church. What a long way for a pilgrimage… It seems that the reliquary was only jimmied open with a knife. Nothing else seemed to be missing.
On our way back to the house, Mrs. Cuthbert and Mr. Ramsey told us that the end of their vision had shown an American looking man taking the sword. Another person in high quality English dress then materialized. They seemed to go their separate ways.
28.May.1870
later
Shortly after tea, Mr. McGregor (a policeman who appears to be tailing a man that is tailing Dr. Wilson—this party can be so confusing sometimes!) came in and told us that the American was down the street and ready to attack the house. There was a general rush outside toward the carriage house (although I don’t think anyone was actually planning on going anywhere). Outsidetwo men were fighting: Salmalin and another who was shouting in Hindi. Something about the garden next door. I’m not sure exactly what happened next, as it seems to have been supernatural and I didn’t understand most of it. I guess Edward was alone in the stable. Luckily, he is all right. But the household is in quite a tizzy… Soon after, Miss Whitnell introduced us all to a Miss Brody that has been hiding in the stables. I wonder why? It seems as if the household is getting ready to rush off somewhere. I thought this would be a peaceful recovery period. I guess we are in for a long night.
Proceed to Much Unloading to be Done
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