Grantville Gazette-Volume XVI by Paula Goodlett & Eric Flint

Author:Paula Goodlett & Eric Flint [Goodlett, Paula & Flint, Eric]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Baen Books
Published: 2011-04-10T22:00:00+00:00

Providence Island, May 1634

The three peaks of Providence Island slowly rose out of the haze. David's ships picked their way cautiously through the reefs and shoals that surrounded the island, with the shallow draft Hoop as their advance guard. The leadsman of the Walvis was hoarse by the time they entered the harbor.

The English gave them a guarded welcome. They were Puritans, suspicious of royal intentions, and hostile to the Catholic powers, Spain in particular. The news of the Battle of Dunkirk, and the Treaty of Ostend, had not been well received. Still, Charles had not yet made any announcement of an intent to hand Providence Island over to the Spanish, and the islanders were determined to keep their heads down and hope the king would recognize the dangers of a Spanish alliance.

That said, they felt no need to engage in outright hostilities with the Dutch, let alone a Dutch-crewed ship flying the Swedish flag. At least until a specific royal command forced them into war.

Several Dutchmen, Abraham and Samuel Blauveldt in particular, had been intimately involved in the founding and maintenance of the colony, and Abraham was on hand to greet David.

David mentioned the roving Spanish squadron to Abraham Blauveldt, and he and David agreed that they should sail out together for mutual protection. "You collect your rubber," said Abraham, "and I will pick up some tortoiseshell from the Miskitos. It sells pretty well."

The coast of Nicaragua was 150 miles west of Providence Island, and the coastal region was dominated by the Miskito Indians. The Blauveldts, and the English of Providence Island, had quickly made friends with them. It helped that they had a common enemy. In the Miskito-English pidgin, the worst thing one could possibly say about someone was that he is a "Spanish Spaniard."

"By the way, Abraham, I almost forgot to show you. Look here." David pointed at Bluefields, perhaps eighty miles north of the mouth of the San Juan River. "This town was named after you. Really."

Abraham Blauveldt smiled. "That's worth celebrating. Where's the schnapps?"

* * *

The English ship's carpenter decided to stay with the Walvis. "I'd like to see those rubber trees of yours. And I would even more like to have a chance to pay back the Spanish for what they did to the White Swan. You're gunning for the Dagoes, aren't ye?"

"Yes, indeed. And of course, they're gunning for us."

* * *

The final addition to their crew was the least likely: a preacher, Samuel Rishworth. He had approached Philip to find out the up-timers' views on the issue of slavery. What he heard pleased him, and he explained why.

Providence Island had started importing slaves the year before. Rishworth's views on the matter had gotten him in trouble with the local authorities. First, he preached against slave-owning. But the company insisted that slavery was lawful for those who were "strangers to Christianity."

Rishworth shrugged. "So God's will was clear to me; I needed to preach the Gospel to the slaves. And tell them that if they became Christian, they could insist on their freedom.

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