There must be some way
From the notes of Lt. Shadrach
Pellew, Royal Navy:
Captain Matthew Flinders c. 1803.
Captain Matthew Flinders RN (16 March 1774 - 19 July 1814) was one of
the most accomplished navigators and cartographers of his age. In a
career that spanned just over twenty years, he sailed with Captain
William Bligh, circumnavigated Australia and encouraged the use of that
name for the continent, identified and corrected the effect of iron
components and equipment on board wooden ships upon compass readings,
survived shipwreck and disaster only to be imprisoned as a spy, and
wrote the seminal work on Australian exploration: A Voyage To Terra Australis.
Shipwrecked while in command of HMS Cumberland, 17
December, 1803.
False north: geologic feature possessing magnetic field sufficient to
mislead compasses from over ten miles distance. Dangerous fauna and
sometimes hostile natives took toll on crew. Unusual currents and other
magnetic phenomenon thwarted first attempt to leave the island.
1807 Flinders and crew arrive at Mauritius, unaware that France and
England are at war. General De Caen detains Flinders as a prisoner of
war. 1808 la Vénus,
commanded by French Captain Jacques Félix Emmanuel Hamelin, a
personal friend of Flinders (and no friend of De Caen), attempted to
locate the island based on Flinders’ coordinates. Hamelin could not
find the island, though he encounter magnetic compass “difficulties.”
1811 HMS Polyphemous,
under the command of Captain Captain William Pryce Cumby, was ordered
to search for the island described by Flinders. Captain Cumby could
find no island in the region described. He mapped out roughly circular
region some 20 miles in diameter near the designated position where the
ship’s magnetic compass consistently pointed the wrong direction.
Flinders' sketches of different sets of ruined cities on the island
suggest both south asian and middle eastern architectural styles. The
base of one statue is inscribed in Chinese and Sanskrit with:
“Defeat behind him,
Victory before him,
Moon in the right hand,
Sun on the left,
Star in his breast,
Earth at his feet.
“Death his handmaiden,
Destruction his companion,
Dreams are trampled,
Destiny embraced,
Madness and despair to his enemies
All that he desires is his alone.”
Resembles passge from Coptic text describing the ruler of a fabled
island in the Red Sea.
Tom Ayrton, c. 1873.
Tom Ayrton marooned June 1866 on an island he believed to be Tabor
Island. At least some members of the pirate crew that abandoned him
believed he was under a curse which had, among other things, wrought
havoc with their navigation instruments.
Ayrton reports a number of fantastic features of the island which
coincide with Matthew Flinders description of his island. Includes a
description of a group of statues in the Greek style, with inscriptions
in many languages, including a Latin phrase the Ayrton translated as:
“The riders approach. The winds howl.”
Ayrton’s log includes tally of days amounting to twelve years between
his marooning in June 1866 and his rescue in September, 1873.
Shi Guan, Chinese chronicler, 16th
century.
"We sailed for Shanghai. Eight days out from Sunda Kelapa (Indonesia) a
storm overtook us. Afterward the air was sweet and clear. The gate of
the gods straddled the horizon, and through it we could see the island
of lost souls. The fabled statue of its mad king could be seen from
miles away, and the wreck of many ships littered its shores."
Japanese poet, Yogai Yagu:
"The island is called Shinkaro (mriage), but its name is also Doom,
Cursed, and End of Hope. The air is so thick with the souls of the
dead, one becomes intoxicated with your first breath. The (little
people/fairies) who dwell there appear hospitable, but let the immense
statue of their warrior king remind you they are a wicked and
bloodthirsty tribe.
Anonymous japanese author, circa
1750:
"Where water, air, and fire meet,
Where metal loses its way,
There may (wood/living being?) pass the gate,
And enter in to the island called (mirage/dream/illusion)
Where beneath howling winds await the five riders."
Egyptian text, translated 1869:
Beautiful and as sweet-smelling as a flower, yet as deadly as a
scorpion,
With her right hand she gives power, with her she gives left curses
(fate?),
Those she loves (blesses?) will find victory, while the unworthy are
trampled beneath her feet.
Her throne is the island of souls, her chariot chaos,
Her child (children?) creation, her servant the pharoah of the next age.
Captain Cyrus Smith, c. 1873.
U.S. Army captain Cyrus Smith, Smith’s servant Nebuchandnezar, New York
Herald correspondent Gideon Spilett, sailor James Pencroft, Pencroft’s
ward Herbert Brown escaped a Confederate prison outside Richmond,
Virginia, 19 March 1865 by use of an observation balloon, during a
storm. Claim storm blew them to island in western Pacifc (midway
between Japan and Australia-approximately 8,000 miles) by said storm in
only six days.
Upon rescue in September 1873, Smith’s journal indicates castaways
lived on island three years, building more than one permanent
structure, creating a foundry, glassworks, and manufacturing tools and
materials to assist in building a boat with which to return to America.
Received anonymous assistance at various crises. Repelled more than one
assault by pirates.
U.S. Army captain Cyrus Smith, Smith’s and companions marooned on
Lincoln island, journeyed to another island in response to a note in a
bottle (which cryptically warned that their magnetic compass would not
serve them for the final leg of the journey) where they rescued Tom
Ayrton.
Smith’s compass was deflected in vicinity of island. Smith also sighted
the enormous statue and other geological features of the shores of the
island that correspond to Flinder’s description.
During his time on the island Ayrton had encounters which were similar
to Flinders’ experience: pygmy natives, the asian monks of the temple
in the mountains, certain unusual animals, and ruins of more than one
ancient city.
Eventually met mysterious benefactor: elderly Sikh or Hindu man with a
fantastic metal vessel trapped in a cave on northwest shore of island.
Metal vessel matches some descriptions of Nemo’s Nautilus. Elderly man
claimed to be Prince Dakkar of Bundelkund, who adopted the name of Nemo
when he set out on his mission of revenge.
Notes on Will Sparrow
Average height, brown hair (often bound in a scarf), dark complexion,
blue or grey eyes, 30-40 years old.
Claims to be a direct descendant of Captain Jack Sparrow, infamous
pirate who operated primarily in the Carribean in the 1760s and 1770s.
Birthplace unknown, parentage uncertain. Probably mixed race–his rivals
among the Chinese frequently refer to him as half-caste. Has variously
claimed that one grandmother was Nubian, another Chinese of the Canton
region, another Mandarin, another Tahitian, another Amazonian Shuar,
another Ashanti, and yet another Irish. Perhaps spurious claims, but it
is possible he is including great- and great-great-grandmothers in the
list.
Has been the captain of the Jiushi
(Cantonese for “to take advantage of an opportunity”) since at
least 1865. Is believed to have served in several positions previously
aboard ships in the Bohai fleet and the Malabar fleet. Mr Samuel Axe
has been his first mate since at least 1869.
Said to be personally charming. Rumoured to be an accomplished
womanizer. Has been captured on many occasions, but has yet to held
long enough to stand trial. Escapes appear to be due as often as not to
improbably coincidents, captor incompetence, and remarkable luck. Is
described as clever, mad, foolish, and foolhardy. Is only somewhat
better than average at naval tactics, yet manages nearly always to
wrest either victory or an inconclusive retreat from any situation.
When captured, reportedly insists on a receipt or other accounting for
his effects. Always recovers most of his personal effects upon escape.
Review of reports reveal certain items which have appeared again and
again, though not always described precisely the same way: an old
leather tricorn hat, pair of matching antique double-barrel flintlock
pistols, a broken pocket watch, a well-worn cutlass or scimitar, a
compass that does not point north, a pair of broken spectacles, and a
parchment map.
The tricorn is described as battered, somewhat ragged, and marked with
a yellow star. The flintlocks are said to be French cavalry models. The
pocket watch is described as possessing only a second hand, which when
wound ticks irregularly. The cutlass is said to be rather plain wooden
grip, no pommel, and a simple crossguard. The compass has an
intricately carved and enameled lid, but the needle is said to swing
and point at random. The spectacles are antique ivory folding glasses
of the chinese style, one lense broken, the other missing entirely. The
map is drawn on rather thicker than usual parchment, quite worn and
stained, and drawn very crudely so that it is impossible to be certain
what the map depicts.
Isamu reported that Captain Sparrow consulted the compass frequently,
especially in extreme weather. Whenever he wished to retreat to his
hidden harbor, he used the map and compass, with the spectacles tied on
with a ribbon. Isamu also reported that Sparrow enjoyed folding many
papers and similar objects, including the map, into unusual and amusing
shapes.
Notes on Captain Tiberius
Tall, broad shouldered, brown hair, blue eyes, clear complexion, 40-50
years old.
Claims to be half-Scots, half-Italian. Is believed to have begun his
seafaring career in the Austrian Imperial Navy. Became a crewman on the
Black Rock, a merchant ship of questionable repute, approximately 1850.
Probably became acquainted with Quaid O’Flaherty and Sylvester Curry at
that time.
Was elected Captain of the Black
Rock approximately 1858. The Black Rock worked openly as
a privateer in the employ of the Confederate States of America in 1862
and 1863. It is believed to have operated under the auspices of
the Dutch, the French, the Chinese, and the Austrians at various times.
Relationship with Malobar, Bohai, Black Flag, and Yellow Sea pirate and
smuggling groups is unknown. Was rumoured to be romantically involved
with Lai Choi San, also known as the Dragon Lady.
Is known to be a bitter rival of Wu Chang, as his predecessor Chang Pao.
Rivalry with Will Sparrow is said to be somewhat more congenial.
O’Flaherty has been his first mate since shortly after he became
Captain. Curry has been second mate for a similar tenure.
Is rumoured to have captured Sparrow on more than one occasion. After
one such incident, is said to have possessed Sparrow’s map for several
months before Sparrow recovered it.
Notes on Wu Chang
Tall, well built, dark eyes, greying hair (usually shaved), wears long
mustaches and otherwise dresses in a manner which evokes mandarin
styles. Age unknown. Rumoured to be over one hundred years old.
Is said to have served under the Widow Ching in the Cantonese pirate
fleet in the 1810s. Has owned his own ship, the Feng Long (storm dragon)
since 1849. Has been an allied Captain under the Yellow Sea and Black
Flag fleets. Survived the French-English action which effectively
destroyed the Black Flag, though his ship was destroyed. Is believed to
have hidden in Singapore for a year before acquiring a new ship and
asserting dominion over the smugglers and pirates in the region.
Is said to be crafty and unpredictable. Often described as impossible
to defeat.
Announced bounty on Sparrow, his harbour, and his ship early in 1874.
Withdrew the bounties very late the same year, or early next. Is known
to bitterly dislike Sparrow. Is said to have captured Sparrow on more
than one occasion, once while he was a member of the Black Flag.
Antipathy toward Captain Tiberius is said to be even more intense.
Is also rumoured to be either the father of Lai Choi San, or was her
procurer when she worked as a prostitute in Singapore.
Is known for his cruelty and ruthlessness, particularly in his
employment of torturers.
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