Pirate Treasure of Cocos Island

[John in Andalucia]

Aha, Jim lad!! - I read today of the latest attempt under way to discover the lost treasure of Cocos Island. You can read more on the link below. Has anyone here ever visited Cocos Island? I think a story like this would bring out the "metal detector" in any of us!

http://www.dailymail...ure-island.html

[Walter John]

Hi John, I thought this may have been a cue for us to write another tale...

[John in Andalucia]

Aye, Wal! It does indeed sound like a tale of mystery and adventure! I can't promise anything, but if you feel inspired..

[Walter John]

As I turned the yoal around the south headland of Cocos island, the wind dropped to a whisper, the tide had turned and the fog had lifted, otherwise everything else was the same as it was minutes earlier. I figured it was mid morning, so Captain Blandenberry, my old comrade in arms and legs, would be waiting for me at the dock. I edged closer and closer until finally, I was closer than I was before. I could see a large cargo ship pulling away from the harbour, those sails were struggling for a full billowed stretch into the Southern Atlantic, it seemed the whole world this day was moving in slow motion. How things would soon change dramatically, not even kid snowball, the albino miniature schnauzer that has followed me from the ends of the earth could forsee how the events of the next few days, would see things change dramatically. Even the most impossible parts of this story nearly actually happened.

"Ahoy Captain", I yelled, as I saw him brush past a beautiful young lady, knocking her scratchy well travelled suitcase into the harbour. I dove into the water, even as my boat moved to the pier, the captain threw a line, I threw the schnauser, everything was happening so fast, I saved the lady's luggage from drowning and climbed the ladder and handed it to her, then she slapped me in the face, back and forth, stinging me from ear to ear, I was fortunate to have my face in that position. When my mind eventually cleared, I held the lady by the shoulders and starred into those same pretty eyes I had seen a year ago in Port Lagencaulis. Yes, it was that girl, whatsisname, the damselle in distress I chose to leave behind, you know, from part one of this story..

to be continued....

[Walter John]

Okay, so part one wasn't published, I'll have to explain. I was once a member of the crew of the Naughtyless, a ship sailed by Captain Fortescue Blandenberry, the legendary soldier priest, come machine gunner, come goat herder, come-a, come-a down, doobie doo down down. Our ship was clean from head to foot, which is more than I can say for Blandenberry. Talk about a wolf in schnauser's clothing. You see we traded in the East, what we stole from the West, and vice versa. To cut a long story short and to pieces, we sailed into Port Lagencaulis one dark and steamy summer's evening, when the moon was in pergatory. We needed food and water for our voyage East, and some rest and a little parlay and rum for the men who had earnt a rest. I left the men that night at the Crab and Shovel and wound my way along cobbled stoned streets till I arrived at a house with a lantern out front. I couldn't see the front door, then I realised the lantern was out back. I walked around to the front of the house and knocked on the door. The door opened drowsily, a slither of orange light bled onto my shoes. An angelic voice spoke in hushed tones of slowly falling leaves of Autumn, in Summer, she said, "What you doin' boy !, come in outta dat rain, you'll catch your death". As I crept inside, I had not the heart to tell her that no rain was falling, it was clear out, the only thing to fall that night were her tears. I made her laugh so much she wept in convulsions. Wept in convulsions, how things would soon change dramatically.

to be continued....

[Walter John]

She offered some wine and some dry clothes, I told her my clothes weren't wet, she said she didn't mind, I said I'd like another glass of wine. I woke up sometime before seven o'clock the next morning. At some time through the night I must have promised her this and promised her that, I was a cad, a sly cad, ahem.. On realising my ship was set to sail at half the hour, in Port Lagencaulis they only came in halves, I told her I had to rush off and that whatever I may have said to her during the night, I'm sorry but I may never see her again, she was furious, I was fast. I sped down the street to the docks and hauled my bod aboard the vessel. Blandeberry was not happy, out of 17 men who left the ship the previous evening to cavort and cut loose, 19 had returned.

As the Naughtyless slipped away, I could see the woman I had only met the night before running down the pier screaming something about a bar stool, or was it bar stead, I couldn't make out what she was saying, I just looked at her and wondered what may have been, will never be, for the sea is my spouse and I her servant, and as I stood next to my captain and waved fare thee well, I noticed someone brush past her, knocking her into the water. "An affair that ended with a splash hey son", said Blandeberry.

Next stop, a new Port, a new discovery..

to be continued....

[John in Andalucia]

"I had not the heart to tell her" - you old romantic, Wal

I just read the Wikipedia entry for Cocos Island. Seeing as it is uninhabited I doubt anyone here has been there, after asking that question earlier.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Cocos_Island

Edited August 8, 2012 by John in Andalucia

[Ken Johnson]

She offered some wine and some dry clothes, I told her my clothes weren't wet, she said she didn't mind, I said I'd like another glass of wine. I woke up sometime before seven o'clock the next morning. At some time through the night I must have promised her this and promised her that, I was a cad, a sly cad, ahem.. On realising my ship was set to sail at half the hour, in Port Lagencaulis they only came in halves, I told her I had to rush off and that whatever I may have said to her during the night, I'm sorry but I may never see her again, she was furious, I was fast. I sped down the street to the docks and hauled my bod aboard the vessel. Blandeberry was not happy, out of 17 men who left the ship the previous evening to cavort and cut loose, 19 had returned.

As the Naughtyless slipped away, I could see the woman I had only met the night before running down the pier screaming something about a bar stool, or was it bar stead, I couldn't make out what she was saying, I just looked at her and wondered what may have been, will never be, for the sea is my spouse and I her servant, and as I stood next to my captain and waved fare thee well, I noticed someone brush past her, knocking her into the water. "An affair that ended with a splash hey son", said Blandeberry.

Next stop, a new Port, a new discovery..

to be continued....

[sur4z]

"...what I didn't see was her older brother, the infamous pirate Greybeard, was also standiing on the dock and he fished her out of the water saying to her he would avenge her virtue and immediately set out to enlist a crew to man his ship The Queens Revenge.

Having plied enough men with the Devils Virtue, rum, he set sail with a stiffening breeze...the chase was on!

[Ken Johnson]

"...what I didn't see was her older brother, the infamous pirate Greybeard, was also standiing on the dock and he fished her out of the water saying to her he would avenge her virtue and immediately set out to enlist a crew to man his ship The Queens Revenge.

Having plied enough men with the Devils Virtue, rum, he set sail with a stiffening breeze...the chase was on!

Oh boy, here we go!

[sur4z]

"...The Queens Revenge gleemed in the sunlight as she set out with a full crew (slightly hungover)...she also carried 20 barrels of rum fearing this might be long chase. The nefrarious pirate Greybeard (whose real name was Edward Cheech) was a tall man with a long beard that covered most of his face and extended down to his waste...but he tied the beard up in pigtails and secured each with a pink ribbon. He wore a bandolier over his shoulders with three braces of pistols. Rumor had it he would se..t fire to his rum with gun powder, then drink it. The crew was naturally afraid of Greybeard but knew that it still was the unwritten code of pirates to divide evenly any booty..."

to be continued...

[Walter John]

Meanwhile, far up ahead, the Naugthyless bouncing along merrily towards their first trading point of Thorny Cove on the island of Kalamess. Here ships had to anchor off coast and row in on gudgers with their booty to trade with the local villagers. "Poor Wal" they called me, owing to the fact I give away all my belongings and riches I might gather, aye, I'm an idiot. My real name I never knew, I was orphaned and taken in by a blind pirate named "Everything's Black" and he along with his three beautiful young sisters showed me a thing or two, man, was I lucky to be an orphan. I became an expert at seamanship, and what's wrong with a little skullduggerry, aye, never hurt me no sir. EB bred miniature schnauser dogs and on leaving his bonds later in my life, he handed me an albino puppy, a cute thing I called "Kid Snowball".

The girl I left behind I hear you ask ? well I had forgotten her name until one night on the Naughtyless, Dioon, the ships second mate was in the chat room one misty evening gabbling on about some cranky pirate who chased down any man who would ever touch his daughter. He described her house as having a front lantern out back. "Oh no", I mumbled to myself in trembling spittle. I'm a gonna, to be sure. Her name was Agapantha, no wonder I forgot it.

I had to get those fears out of mind, I had a job to do. I and 3 others rowed into the cove that afternoon with four barrels of rum, six bags of potatoes and Kid Snowball. As we settled the gudger on the beach, we tied her up to a single coconut tree, we only had one rope, otherwise we might have tied her up to two coconut trees. King Larry was there to greet us, he wasn't a king as such, just someone who took charge of trade affairs and so everyone dubbed him with a regal title. We bartered and lied to each other until the deals were settled. A strange wind blew in, that's the funny thing about winds. I felt a forboding, it was like a warning of some kind, my feet itched, my dog itched, I just knew one thing, we had to leave quickly and so we did..as it turns out, we got out off that island just in time

to be continued..

[Walter John]

Dear listeners, I just wanted to clarify some things in this story in case you are confused like I am. The girl in the story was indeed Greybeard's sister and not his daughter. Dioon was drunk when he was chatting and nearly always got his facts wrong, so blame Dioon.

[Walter John]

Having stored our trade in the hold, I urged Blandenberry to put the ship to sail immediately. I told him I had a feeling in my water, and that we must sail off urgently less something evil befall us. He looked at me crookedly, then he stood up straighter. "Okay Poor Wal, I trust you like no other, it's out to sea and on to fairer waters we venture, aye aye", he stammered. "Aye aye", I replied. "Aye for an Aye", he responded. "And a Schnauser for a Schnauser", I finished. We both laughed a jolly spirited pirates cackle as we swigged on our rum, aye, and we both jigged a jig and sang "Hot wind in the sail and rum in the gullet, I don't fish here, for I only catch mullet".

The ship sailed off into the fading sunset, due West, towards the coastline of Lahtanya. Minutes after our departure, a volcanoe erupted back on Kalamess island, this would not be the first premonition of mine that involved danger and escape, no sir, there would be another time where fate and the sea would be intertwined into a tangle web of cahoots and flim flam, of mish and mash, of purpose, ponder and potash.

After two weeks at sea, I heard the call, "Land Ho", at last, we had made it to the wondrous lands of Lahtanya..

to be continued

[Walter John]

As we souped and dobbled closer to the coast, I thought I could see something in the water a hundred yards ahead of us and an equal number of yards from the beach, I wasn't certain on that, I'm not good with numbers you see. Yes it was something floating towards us, it was a shipwreck of a man, hanging on to some flotsam and a bottle of balsamic vinegar. Dioon threw out a rope for the sorry soul even though he was still a hundreds away, "You idiot Dioon", I yelled, "wait till we're much closer". Finally, a piece of person was dragged up onto the ship's deck. He was dishevelled and dismayed, disjointed, dis way and dat and just plain thin, like a fish out of water. One of the men called out to him, he opened his eyes and smiled, said his name was Johansson, Blandenberry named him "Skinny Johansson", and so our crew of nineteen loose sailors at sea became 20. We landed on the beach without further incident. How I wish the next day would be the same, but nay, which is the opposite to aye, oh ya, nay it twas, and for the love of Michael, it was to be an adventure only ever lived by those who never get to set out on journeys as this, thus far and thouse, oh aye..

to be continued...........

[sur4z]

"...Greybeard knew the ship he was after, the Naugthyless, and he knew of its captain, Ole' Blandenberry, but he didn't know who the louse was...but he was going to find out and make things right (or wrong). The Queens Revenge had been at sea for two weeks with no glimse of the Naugthyless. Where was she? Had he guessed wrong? He was sailing west because he knew Ole' Brandenberry and crew plundered in the east and bartered in the west and visa versa (a modern day Marco Polo). Then suddenly (after two weeks) Greybeard spied a burgee flying high on the mast of a ship on the horizon. Was this the Naugthyless? Was this the moment of truth? He ordered the quartermaster to fill his mug with rum and set course to avenge his sister, Agapantha's virtue. The fight was on!

With canons exposed and fuses in hand the Queens Revenge pulled parallel to the ship in question. Greybeard called out for the ship to surrender or be fired upon, then boarded, but there was no answer. Were they afraid or just hiding? He called out again and again no answer. So he drew his ship near and grappled the two together. Warily his men boarded this ship with all sails set but no crew anywhere. Was this a "ghost" ship? After thorough inspection, nary a man or shnauzer was to be found but a foot locker of someone named Johanson was found. In it was a map...a very curious map and on the map there was a large "X".

to be continued

[John in Andalucia]

[Kim]

The night before Greybeard’s encounter with the empty ship, his mind had been restless as a butterfly, and so he rolled out of his hammock with the middle watch, to pace the quarter deck and let his mind settle. Old Three Fingers Jack manned the watch, leaning heavily against the mast on the forecastle deck and humming tunelessly. There was a three quarter moon in the sky, but clouds obscured its radiance. Still, a faint sheen was cast upon the water, and Greybeard tuned his senses to the sound and feel of his ship. He could feel the pull of the light breeze upon the full and taut sails, and knew the first mate at the wheel was having an easy time of it, with only the softest swell from a following sea. The sharp smell of salt water mixed with the bitter tar of the deck filled his nostrils. He could hear the soft rush of the ship’s sides slicing through the cold water, and forsooth! He thought he heard a high voice singing. He looked toward the forecastle, but Old Three Fingers Jack’s low hum was not to be heard at this distance, and he stepped to the railing to admire the effervescence of the wake in the pale moonlight.

But a cold shock shook his bones as he peered into the wake. What his eyes beheld his mind could not accept; a pale silver green form beneath the water, keeping pace with the ship. The silvery form darted nimbly inside and outside the wake, its precise form hidden by the bright bubbling sea foam, and the faint high-voiced melody seemed to emanate from the water. Greybeard closed his eyes tightly, then looked again, and sure it was still there, and it made a small, quick splash. “What fish is this that sings?” he wondered, full well knowing, and feeling a sense of dread as his mind answered, “This is no fish, Greybeard.” At that very moment , a swell rose and the slant of the water became as a pane of clear glass, and Greybeard was struck with the sight of a silvery female form with long white hair floating and streaming behind her, but her extremities were not human. She propelled herself forward with a muscled and scale-covered caudal fin, and the sight made the hair on the back of his neck stiffen. Greybeard knew the tales. He knew what dangers could befall a man who would listen to the song of the sea sirens. He knew the meaning of the appearance, here, tonight, before his own eyes, of this powerful mermaid, and for the first time in his life, he knew what it was like to feel fear in his heart. Just then, at that very instant, her bright eyes met his, and she smiled a cold, green, and watery smile. Then the moon came out from behind a cloud, the light reflected on the water, and she was gone.

[sur4z]

"...Graybeard blinked his eyes rapidly with the hope he was just imagining those watery green eyes...it had to be the rum he thought to himself; but what about the singing?...must be just the sound of the vibration of the lines or from the stress of chasing 'Ole Blandenberry and that louse who did that to his sister, Agapantha. Doing what any sea faring man would do, Graybeard chose to disregard the siren as a bad dream. His thoughts then turned to the map he recovered from Johansson's foot locker on that ghost ship. His mind was working in overdrive...should he give up the chase since its been two weeks and no sighting of the Naugthyless? Or should push on a little longer though he was running out of rum. He might have to put in somewhere to replenish his stock. He pulled out the map to see where it might lead.

to be continuesd...

[John in Andalucia]

Greybeard/Graybeard T-Shirts - $10.95 while stocks last!!!

[Walter John]

Meanwhile on the island of Lahtanya......

After trekking inland for 2 hours the landing crew of 5 men, a dog and a parrot, were still only 20 feet from the shore. This is a world record for slowness. Blandenberry knew from previous voyages that a very wealthy and prosperous trade were to be gained about a mile inland. As the island is only half a mile across, the party would drown unless Poor Wal took control. Thus he did whilst the captain went back to the ship to bring the rest of the crew to shore for some rest and sandcastle competitions. Skinny Johansson had fully recovered by now and he too went ashore with the captain and remainder of the crew. He told the captain he might know of a short cut to the village where rumour had it that pots of gold were laying there waiting to be taken. Blandenberry told Skinny to run after the others and give some assistance with directions, thus he did.

Paving a way through the thick island vines proved more than arduous than first appeared, even the second time it appeared, it was still arduous, arghh!! and aye !!!. They made it to a clearing of soft grass and the party sat down and rested awhile in the shade of a Gnolgoolga tree. "My father first discovered this tree" , said Skinny Johansson just arriving on the scene. "What are you doing here", asked Poor Wal, "The captain sent me, besides, I think I might know a way to the village of the zombias", retorted SJ, as he was dubbed by PW, as he was dubbed by SJ, arghh!! and aye !!!.

We had to move, the sun was low in the east and so were our bellys, we must find food fast, Kid Snowball ate all our rations, and so the trade party moved on and passing massive stands of bamboo, they brushed past some Brugmansia, "watch out, don't touch it", cried SJ, "It's Angel Trumpet, it can turn a person into a zombie, oh aye".

Just what I didn't want, the men were now on edge, nervous after hearing further tales of zombie terror by our skinny friend, and so we pushed on along some winding animal made dirt tracks through a rain forest of rain forest trees, funny that. A little farther along we started hearing some strange noises, odd gurgling sounds off into stands of palm trees, not coconut palm trees but something more slender but just as tall, and these stood erect not bent like the palm trees we were used to seeing on islands. I was in lead and held up my right hand for us to stop, nobody did and I was bowled over, even the dog ran across my fallen body, for what the rest had seen was a pile of fruit stacked up against one of the thin palm trees, even though the fruit was all green, the men were ravenous and ran to grab a feed...

to be continued..

[Walter John]

Dear listeners, the soundtrack to this story is now available in the foyer of the chat room.

[bubba]

As the events with Greybeard unfolded, young Jacques Rousseau awoke with a startling thought. Mankind is born free but everywhere lives in chains. Like the third of the three in Plato's cave, he had seen the true light. No more scholastic philosophy. The open seas and the lure of piracy were now his destiny. The Cocos Islands beckoned.

[Walter John]

Back on Lahtanya

"Limes !", someone exclaimed, "just lousy limes, stacked and ready". Yes indeed, I had heard of this, the natives would gather limes and the nuts of lennen palms, and the leaves of piper vines and they would concoct a concoction of sorts to chew in order to work longer hours. This fruit would not satisfy us at all, we must search further, maybe the villagers would have food, maybe, if we ever find the village. We ventured further inland, travelling on foot, after an hour or so we switched feet until finally we could see and hear commotion up ahead and from behind some loco bushes up on a rise, we could see the village. We could just make out the villagers all clustered together as we looked down from our hidden position, we could see them but they couldn't see us. We held back from annoucing our arrival as some strange ritual dances were being carried out in a centre circle between some of the bamboo huts. The people looked dazed with eyes rolling around their sockets, chanting mumbled words through drooling mouths of amber wallow and gazing up at the clouds. It was an eerie sight and I was regretting being here. We had to leave this crazed scene. Just as I was about to whisper to our party to head back, Kid Snowball yelped and ran through our canopy and down the slope to the center of the maddening circle of zombies.

Meanwhile back on the beach, Blandenberry and the rest of the crew made their way back to ship, just as another ship appeared on the horizon....a ship carrying a very special cargo.....

to be continued..

[John in Andalucia]

On-board buffet! All you can eat - $8.99!!!

[Ken Johnson]

As the events with Greybeard unfolded, young Jacques Rousseau awoke with a startling thought. Mankind is born free but everywhere lives in chains. Like the third of the three in Plato's cave, he had seen the true light. No more scholastic philosophy. The open seas and the lure of piracy were now his destiny. The Cocos Islands beckoned.

Johansson is expecting Jack.

[John in Andalucia]

Alas, there was little time for finger buffets, no, for something far more prophetic glistened on the horizon. A ship indeed, but not as we know it. It was a ship that to most men's eyes, appeared to cover great distance with such speed as to defy nature. Before long, it was but a mile or thereabouts, off Blandenberry's port bow; a shimmering, grey apparition with seemingly nobody on deck. How could this be? Blandenberry's eyes squinted with curiosity at the ethereal sight moving closer to the Naughtyless, having only moments earlier weighed anchor. The sound of music could be heard, but it was unlike anything he could have imagined; a wretched screetching, preceeded by a deep pounding, giving way to the most unholy voice that Blandenerry and his men had ever heard:

Back in black,

I hit the sack,

I've been too long I'm glad to be back!

Yes I'm, let loose!

From the noose!

That's kept me hanging about,

I keep looking at the sky,

'Cause it's gettin' me high,

Forget the herse 'cause I'll never die,

I got nine lives!

Cat's eyes!

Usin' every one of them and running wild!!!!

"By the Powers! What the..??" exclaimed Blandenberry, as he hurried aft with his crew.

"At the ready men, and wi' a vengeance!!" he cried.

Yet in a second, the ship was suddenly upon them! Blandenberry's men hesitated, and froze on the spot. An eager buccaneer had lept clean across to the ship, though alas, he seemed to disappear straight through the deck.

"What is this unholy monstrosity!!" yelled Blandenberry. "Show yourself!!"

A figure of a man appeared on deck and spoke:

"Blandenberryyyyyyyyy...!!!!!! Do you not recognise me? Why, it is your father's old friend, Everything's Black!! 'Twas so many years ago. My son is with you?" the voice enquired.

"Who?" replied Blandenberry.

"Why, Poor Wal, and a little schnauser I gave to him as a gift when he was but an infant!"

"Kid Snowball, that be!! Aye!! Kid and his master, Poor Wal, they took leave on Kalamess Island.. didn't return with the rest of the men, that's for sure!!"

"Then you must go back for them!" bellowed the ghostly apparition. "They are in mortal danger! Zombies rule the island of Kalamess, but that is not all, for a great battle is about to commence! Greybeard is after you, and without Poor Wal and the little dog, you will all perish! The treasure you so dearly pursue will be your reward, but take care of the little albino! That is all!!

In a flash the ship vanished, and with it, the eager, young bucanneer who had given his life so valiantly without hesitation, now descended into Davey Jones' Locker. But was that really the case?

"Capn' sir, we've lost a man!" cried one of the mates.

"Aye, lad!!??"

"Yes sir! Skinny Johansson!!"

[Walter John]

It happens every 7th leap year on a Friday, the Aurora Borassus had crossed the dateline yet again and confused mens minds and caused communication breakdowns for 24 hours. What men spoke, aye, t'werent worth a dubloon in an iceberg and as for poltergeists, zombies and lauderflooms, well they were affected far worse, and some people say they can end up turning on themselves in betwitchery. Aye!!! and Arrghh!!!, dis truth be told, right here , right now... And so it was that the pirate ghost which entered the Naughtyless that day had his facts all twisted like a knot on the dreadlocks of a Calypso banshee. Skinny Johansson was with Poor Wal on the island of Lahtanya at that moment, but not for long as a pack of madmen were now in full zombie stare, looking straight at PWs landing party, time to move boys, time to take your leave...

[John in Andalucia]

"That wasn't Skinny!" cried another mate. "He be still on Kalamess, wit Poor Wal. That was Four Fingers Freddy - lost his grip, sir!"

"Barrghh!!" bellowed Blandenberry.

[Walter John]

"Quick boy, come, come", screamed Wal, "The guy in the hat did something wrong boy, run, run", and as the kid scampered and leapt into his arms, the crew turned and ran as fast as they could whilst over 40 crazed natives began the chase, Skinny led the way along the same path that brought them to this "Hell's End". Past the limes and the lennens, around the bamboo stands, the ship's party bolted....what they hadn't realised was that the natives had stopped chasing after only a few minutes, they were totally stalled in a euphoric stupor, and even forgot who or what they were chasing. After a mile or so the sailors began to slow until finally they halted, within a circle of golden cane palm trees. They listened for the zombie natives, nothing, not a sound, in fact, it was so quiet, it felt wrong. There should have been something, but no, no birds, no insects, no noise whatsoever. "What was that", whispered old Harry. "Shush", I said, "keep still and stay low", or "keep low and stay still", I can't remember which.

We all heard it then, more frightening than any chasing mob of zombies. A low bloodcurdling rumble of a wild cat's growl was heard. Harry sighed ever so quietly, "The leopard hunts in Dypsis". Then, as if on cue, Kid Snowball made a dash for an opening in the palm circle and from close by, just to the right of my left shoulder, or was it left of my right shoulder, either way, a spotted cat charged, knocking me to my knocking knees and bounded after the Kid. The group used this opportunity to scamper off into the brush, and on hearing the oceans waves, headed back towards the beach. Only I ran in the direction of the leopard, of all the dumb things I had done so far in this story, this was the dumbest. It was Kid Snowball I ran for, I didn't care much for the leopard. After a few minutes I found the kid shivering in fear and exhaustion, the big cat had moved on to look for larger prey it seems. I picked up my dog carefully and held him close to my heart, and then I began to sob. I had stood on a stick and the pain was bringing tears to my eyes. I sat down to catch my breath and extract the splinter.

I thought about the crew, I thought about the ship, I thought about Agapantha, then I thought about that night. I thought I better get up and find the others, but I never did. I never made it back to the Naughtyless that day and never sailed on her again, my fate was in the hands of another ship, with a different crew with different motives......

end of part one...

[John in Andalucia]

In the meantime, readers might like to download a scanned copy of the 1902 publication by James Otis entitled, "The Treasure Of Cocos Island".

http://www.princeofp...ocos Island.pdf

[John in Andalucia]

Here also, a little more clarification on the latest expedition to Cocos Island, reported in the "Costa Rica Star":

http://news.co.cr/shaun-whitehead-leads-cocos-island-treasure-hunt-seeking-160-million-of-gold-and-jewels/12114/

[Walter John]

Thanks John and thanks for allowing a bit of fun to the thread. If someone wants to take up the story, why not consider a new thread...

[sur4z]

,,,just as Graybeard was about to abandon the chase, he saw sea birds. This must mean that land is near. he was out of rum so he decided to follow the birds to this uncharted land.Seeing now the peaks of the mountains off in the distance he saw something else...a sailing ship...it was the Naughtyless. What a stroke of luck! Now he could avenge his sister's virtue. Yelling for the men to go to general quarters, he open the canon ports (all 40) and distributed soaked fuses to the gunners. Drawing near, Graybeard didn't once ask for Ole Brandenberry to surrender but opened fire and immediately cut the main mast in half rendering the ship hapless. Graybeard then grappled the ships together and set out to find the louse and the captain. He found Ole Blandenberry and immediately captured him. After tying him to main mast of the Queens Revenge, Graybeard ordered the Naughtyless sunk (the crew was given time to jump into the ocean). As the last trace of the Naughtyless slipped below the waves, Graybeard began to interrogate Ole Blandenberry who broke down and confessed he left Poor Wal, who was the louse Graybeard sought, on the island because he heard and feared the zombies. Graybeard feared nothing (he dismissed the siren sighting as a bad dream) and ordered navigator to set course for the island.

to be continued...