French Naval Ships Appear
Elise Boissonneau • Chapter 15
Captain Peanut Butter will tell his account of what occurred after being taken captive by the pirate Henry Jennings.
I had been sailing for two days onboard Jenning’s ship, Bersheba. During that time, I had received four lashings. My torturer was patient. He knew we had a month or better before we reached Jamaica and needed to keep me alive. So I only receive a couple of lashings each time.
After my most recent lashing, I was lying on the deck, waiting for the pain to subside. My wrists and ankles were chained together.
A voice cried out, “Ships, stern!”
I struggled to my feet and saw them. Three frigates flying the French flag. The French navy ships had spotted us and were pursuing. These were heavily armed warships sailing under full sail. It was unlikely we would outrun them.
Jennings yelled out orders. We headed for The Falcon while Lock’s ship, The Sea Monster, headed for us. All three ships eventually came to a side-by-side formation and were moored together.
Meanwhile, the navy ships were approaching ever closer. The crews from all three ships began transferring kegs of gunpowder to Bersheba while moving anything valuable to the other two ships.
During the scramble to vacate Bersheba, a huge pirate grabbed me by the arm and dragged me to the ship railing. He picked me up and threw me onboard The Falcon. I rolled away from the railing and managed to get to my feet. Everyone was rushing around, and I was able to make it to the opposite railing unnoticed.
Then the crew tied off Bersheba’s wheel and lit several long fuses leading to the kegs of gunpowder. Everyone quickly scrambled onto The Flacon and The Sea Monster, the mooring ropes were cut, and the two ships sailed off in different directions.
Once the mooring ropes were cut, I threw myself overboard. I knew I might drown, be killed by the explosion, or captured by the French navy. But those all seemed like better options than weeks of daily torture leading to an eventual hanging.
Someone shouted, “Man, overboard! It’s Peanut Butter!” Jennings ran to the railing and shot at me with a musket. He missed. There was no turning back. Jennings had to watch me bob in the water while The Falcon sailed away. I kicked desperately with my still-chained feet trying to get some distance between myself and Bersheba.
The three naval frigates split off to chase one pirate ship each. As the center frigate neared Bersheba, it exploded into a shower of flames and shattered timber. The frigate tried to steer away from the wreckage but was unable to make the turn in time. It crashed into the burning remains of Bersheba and sustained significant damage to its hull. Flaming pieces of timber rained down on the frigate, starting several fires. The shock of the impact sent several sailors overboard.
The frigate began taking on water. It would likely sink. The frigate chasing The Falcon broke off its chase and returned to rescue the sailors on the damaged frigate and in the water. The frigate chasing The Sea Monster continued its pursuit, but The Sea Monster proved to be a faster ship, and eventually, the frigate returned.
Meanwhile, I was pulled out of the water by French sailors. When they saw I was in chains, they took me to the Captain, who said, “What do we have here? Chain him to a mast until I have time to question him.”
I spent the next few hours chained to a mast while sailors transferred what they could from the damaged frigate before it sunk. The three naval Captains met onboard the other ship to decide their next course of action. It was unlikely they would pursue the pirate ships. They were too far gone by now. I assumed we would be returning to France. Which would likely mean my execution unless I could convince them I wasn’t a pirate. I was not above a bit of fiction if it kept me alive and breathing.
Once things settled down, a short, muscular man approached me and said, “I am Captain Durand. Who are you, and why are you in chains?”
“I am Pierre Babin, a merchant shipper from Paris. My ship was captured by pirates, and I was placed in chains. When I saw the opportunity, I jumped overboard, hoping you would recuse me.”
“Where is your crew?”
“Sadly, the pirates killed them all and threw them into the sea.”
“Why did they allow you to live?”
“I promised them gold in Jamaica if they didn’t kill me.”
Durand looked at me for a second, then continued his interrogation.
“What is your ship’s name?”
“The Doux Rêve.”
“I accompany all French ships crossing the ocean. I have never heard of this ship. You are lying.”
“It is the very ship that exploded.”
“Liar,” Captain Durand shouted. He turned to the sailors surrounding us and said, “He is a pirate. Throw him back where you found him.”
“Wait!” I shouted. “It is true. I am a pirate. In truth, I am Captain Peanut Butter, Captain of The Jellyfish. No doubt your King would like to witness the death of the pirate Captain who has raided so many of his ships.”
Durand held my gaze and eventually said, “Put him in a cell.” Then he walked away. I was taken below deck and placed in a cage.
It looks like "I promise them gold" could use a "d" (unless Captain PB is affecting a dialect). : )