⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵. . . "Tour of the Gulf of Aden". . . (cont.)
[Last time...]
“What’s that?!” One of the guards asked nervously.
His commanding officer didn’t answer. His eyes were glued to the tall, dark shadow floating menacingly, a quarter of a mile off in the bay. Suddenly, there were bright orange flashes of light in the far off shadows…one, two…six, seven…ten and twelve!!
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[On the Arabian Dhow, five miles north-west of Seychelles…]
It wasn’t the tiny patch of land to the south-east that grabbed Asif’s attention so much as the sound of heavy guns, echoing far, far off in the distance…
“Asif Sir! What is that?!” Abdul said as jumped up and ran to the starboard rail of the small poop deck, “Thunder?! But the stars are bright?!”
“That’s not thunder Abdul…” Asif said as he gazed far off into the early evening sky, “Those are the guns of a warship…”
“Guns?! Warship?! Oh I have the luck of a three-legged donkey!” Abdul cursed himself as he breathed heavily, “We have not even spotted the Scottish warship yet and he is firing his guns?!!”
“Those guns are not firing on us Abdul. The Scottish Captain is attacking the King of Seychelles...” Asif said with a calm resolve.
“Attacking King Radwan?! But why?! If Radwan dies, the Jinn will surely kill us all!!” Abdul said hysterically.
Asif did not reply. His mind was preoccupied with the flow of events and he carefully weighed all of his options…
[Back at the palace grounds…]
Thirteen-fourteen….fifteen-sixteen…seventeen-eighteen – a full broadside! Suddenly the firing stopped. The far western guard tower of the palace was collapsing into rubble before their very eyes! Large blocks of stone flew through the air and landed haphazardly about the palace lawn. Smaller bits and pieces of the palace stone flew even farther and Commander Galligan turned away and shielded his eyes…
“Watch yoorselves! Cowre yer heids!" He commanded as small stones and shattered rock fell all about them and even into the water of the bay beyond, “Move back! Back ta th’ boat!”
The group quickly ran to the longboat where Seaman- Ordinary Seaman Errislravenhill stood at guard.
“If ye needs me I'd be polishin' me Flintlock!” She called out as the group ran in and huddled all about the longboat.
“Braw job Errislravenhill!” Galligan said as he put his arm over her face to shield her from the debri, “Ye may need 'att Flintlock afair thes is ower!"
Almost as soon as it started, the violence was over and the last loose pieces of what was left of the west guard tower fell to the lawn below! The scene was one of widespread destruction, the lawn now covered with large and small broken blocks of stone and there amongst it all, were the palace guards, running towards the main gate! One lone guard however, was not running as his head was dashed by a large block of stone, thirty feet away from the tower. Galligan stepped out from the group and walked a ways towards the scene…
Petty Officer- Caulker Ickied turned to Seaman- Quarter Gunner Ilipino, “It sure is guid tae hav auld Commander Galligan back!”
“Aye it is!” Ilipino replied as he wiped the dust out of his eyes.
Galligan walked further west, towards the palace. There were no signs of the palace guards now as he approached the limp body of the fallen soldier…
“Sard! Whit a sight! Puir dobber…” He said quietly as he unfolded his neck scarf and placed it over the crushed skull of the guard, “Nae a guid day fur palace security…"
⛵ ⛵ ⛵ ⛵
"Thaur is nae wall, whatever its thickness 'att guns wulnae destroy in only a puckle o' volleys. Althoogh castles aur nae immediately made obsolete by cannon, they's use an' importance oan th' battlefield is rapidly declinin'!
Insteid o' majestic towers an' merlons, th' walls o' new fortresses uir thick, angled, an' sloped, while towers uir becomin' low an' stout; increasin' use is also made o' earth an' bricks in breastworks an' redoobts. These new defences uir knoon as Bastion forts, efter their characteristic shape which attempts tae force onie advance towards it directly intae th' firin' line o' its guns. (Th' palace walls of Seychelles hav none, bad idea thaur! )
Bastion forts uir quickly replacin' castles in Europe, an', those in th' colonies as weel. But unfortunately fur King Radwan, his palace is auld architecture an' sae forth". - Keptin
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"Confused? Ascared? Seasick? Need a private chat with the Captain?" - joshua.slane@aol.com
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