Voyage of the Caribbean Siren

"There is a ship after us, yes, the Intrepid, a 60-gun sail-of-the-line. I know her Captain, a tyrant named Davies. He'd come us at full sail. So yes, if he catches us there will be battle and we'd be seriously outgunned. But my ship is faster than his ship and I don't plan to give him that chance."

"Thank you, master."

"Now I wish to rest, slave."

"Yes, master."

Elizabeth lifted her head to look at him and he slowly opened his eyes.

"So many questions, slave," he said with a smile.

"Yes, master. Are you going to... I hope... please don't trade me."

"Ah, well, you certainly would make me rich if I sold you at a slave house along the corsair coast."

"Oh, please master, no!"

Hamilton laughed. "Those places are along the North African coast in the Mediterranean. The whole coast of France and Spain is under watch by the English fleets now, and the Mediterranean is almost an English lake. I just spent two month slipping away from all that I have no intention of going back."

"Thank you, master. I want to stay with you."

"You will stay with me, slave." He kissed her forehead. "You do remind me of the most valuable slaves in the harem of the Bey of Tunis. James and I were sent there back in '98 when Boney was in Egypt. We were supposed to help the Bey develop a more modern navy." Hamilton laughed. "That didn't work. But we had plenty of time to see the sights of that place, and to a acquire a taste for certain aspects of that barbarous culture."

"Oh?"

"We were allowed access to some of the harem. And then I bought a young Italian woman who'd been taken by Corsairs. I had to sell her before we left for England, of course, but I very much enjoyed having my own personal sex slave."

Hamilton sat up slowly, one hand on Elizabeth's hair, pulling her head back slightly. He pressed his lips to her neck and kissed her hard.

"Oh... oh, master."

Hamilton stood up, he took off his jacket and waistcoat. The he reached down and lifted her up to her feet and pushed her against the desk. The weights and chart were pushed to the deck as he forced her to lean forward and stretched her hands out over it. Hamilton spread her legs and caressed her ass. Then he spanked her, hard.

"Ah! Have I displeased you master?" she cried out.

He spanked her again. "No, slave, you have not. I am not punishing you. I am simply enjoying your body."

"Yes, master."

He spanked her hard again and again until her ass took on a warm shade of red. Then he undid his pants and pressed the tip of his cock to her slit. Elizabeth jumped when she felt his cock moving slowly up and down the outside of her pussy. She was wet, her body responding to both his touch and his control over her. He pressed forward and slid his cock into her. She felt his cock pressing into her, expanding her, and she pressed her muscles to tighten around his shaft. He fucked her harder, holding her around the waist as he pushed her back and forth against the table with each thrust. Elizabeth worked to keep her body moving in tandem with him, the feeling of pleasure rising in her. He pressed in hard and moaned slightly as his cum filled her cunt.

"I am not going to sell you or trade you, slave."

"Thank you, master. I want to please you."

"Now... on your knees and clean my cock."

"Yes, master!"

He stepped back and allowed her to rise from the table. She knelt before him and leaned forward, her tongue sliding over his cock as she cleaned him.

##

The next day, just before dusk, the Siren came within sight of the town of San Veran.

"I see two sloops of war, sir," Lieutenant Wray said as he looked through the telescope. "One is the vessel we saw off Navida. The yards of the other aren't crossed yet, but they seem to have tried to raise them."

"This war came as a surprise to these people. That will work in our favor."

Hamilton took the telescope from Wray and scanned the island. The harbor of San Veran was small, not more than a slight indentation in the coast with a low spit of land. There was a low fortified wall that extended around the harbor, warehouses and customs building to a round blockhouse on the western end built atop a small, rocky hill. Behind the harbor, on another hill a few miles inland, it was just possible to see the estate of the Marqués. Most of the actual town was on the east, outside of the fortifications.

"They've definitely seen us, sir," Wray said.

"Yes, I'm counting on that." Hamilton put the telescope down and looked at Wray with a mischievous smile. "Let's say you are the local Don, Mr. Wray, war has just broken out and suddenly you see an English frigate. What would you expect?"

"Well, sir, knowing how eager the English are for prizes I would worry most about having my sloops cut out of the harbor. Or, if the English Captain was bold, I'd fear an assault on the round house."

"Exactly. Now, just to make sure our friends have the same impression, we're going to go closer in. Prepare to wear ship and come about."

"Wear ship. Aye aye, sir."

The shrill of the bosun's whistle brought more hands on deck and the sails were shifted and the wheel turned to bring the ship on a course taking it closer towards the fortified roundhouse.

"Clear for action, sir?" Wray asked.

"No. They've spent the last year firing the guns for salutes and to scare off the occasional privateer. Their gunnery is going to be poor, though I'm not going to wait long enough to give them practice. Raise the colors, Mr. Wray, if you please."

The British naval ensign soon flew from a mizzen backstay as the ship cut across the waters on a course that would take it well within range of the Spanish guns.

"I'd like to take some precautions, sir," Wray asked.

"Very well."

"Man the pumps, wet down the sail! Hang butts of water to the stays! Pipe the larboard hammocks down, and each man place a shot in them!"

The men moved back and forth across the ship as Siren glided closer to towards the fortifications. Wray directed the men to load the cannons on the side of the ship facing the town.

"You may run out the guns, Mr. Wray."

"Aye aye, sir!"

There were shouts from each gun crew as a loud rumble as the heavy trucks were pulled forward and the muzzles extended through open gunports.

A dark puff from the stone tower was followed a moment later by a dull rumble and then a splash several hundred yards away from the ship. More puffs followed and more splashes, some closer, but none less than five hundred yards away.

"You're right about their gunnery, sir." Wray said.

There was a commotion on the quarterdeck as Elizabeth, wearing only the shirt he had given her, came running up the ladder.

"Master, I'm frightened."

Hamilton turned as a wider splash landed a hundred yards away from an iron ball skipping across the water. There was a loud whistle and a halyard a few feet above the Captain's head parted.

"Elizabeth! Get back to the cabin, now!"

She nodded and ran back down.

"Mr. Wray," Hamilton said. "At your convenience, you may fire."

"Aye aye, sir." Wray shouted down. "Take aim now men! Ready the first platoon! Fire! Second Platoon! Fire!"

The ship heeled as one group of nine heavy cannon went off almost at once, followed by the second group. A great cloud of black, acrid smoke passed over the deck but quickly dispersed. A moment later there were a few splashes in the water under the block house, several clouds of shattered stone from the hill, and a few clouds of darker dust from shot hitting along the stone walls of the blockhouse.

"Not bad for such long range, sir."

"Hmm. Well, we've made our point, I think, Mr. Wray. Three points larboard, if you please, and take us out of range."

"Three points larboard. Aye aye, sir."

There were more puffs from the fortress and more splashes, but none came close to the Siren.

##

After dinner Lt. Wray and Midshipmen Caruthers joined the Captain in his cabin. Elizabeth sat on the cot, quietly.

"Our friends will be expecting something at dawn. We'll launch both quarter boats at six bells in the first watch. That is late enough for the inns to be filled, but dark enough for our purposes. I'll take one boat and Mr. Caruthers you will lead the second."

"Sir --" Wray started.

"No, James, you will stay on board. If I am right the garrison will remain inside the harbor walls and they will treat an incursion into the town as a feint. If I am wrong, well, then we shall need your assistance to maintain the ruse. If there appears to be excessive gunfire at our landing point or if we are delayed past two hours you are to bring the ship closer and fire upon the harbor."

"Aye aye, sir."

It was an hour before midnight when the two boats began to row quietly towards the quay before the town. Hamilton sat in the sternsheets of one boat, Caruthers in the other.

"Easy," Hamilton said, quietly.

The oars were pulled in and the boat glided slowly against the empty quay. A sailor leapt out and tied a line to secure it. Twenty yards away Caruthers boat was doing the same.

"Mr. Caruthers take four men and secure two fishing boats. All the others are with me."

"Aye aye, sir."

The Inn was lit with a roaring fire and numerous candles. Several men were clustered around two tables, while a trio of prostitutes and a barmaid weaved in and out. Hamilton stepped in a cocked pistol in his hand

"I am taking possession of this place for the King of England," he said in English.

A large, bulky sailor stood up, spit and walked closer. Hamilton aimed and shot him, coolly tucking that pistol back in his belt and pulling out a second. The man went down, screaming and clutching his shoulder. The others stood up as three marines with loaded muskets and two sailors stepped inside behind Hamilton. The islanders panicked and begged for their lives. Behind the bar was a hatch that opened to a small cellar. Hamilton pointed to it with the barrel of his pistol and the men slowly moved and climbed down.

"Should we barricade it, sir?" one of the marines asked.

"That's part of the wine store down there. I don't think we need to worry about these men."

One of the sailors stepped forward and took hold of a barmaid. The other women were pulled back as well. Once the men were below the sailors brought out small lines with large knots. They tied them around the mouths of the women as gags and then used longer, heavier rope to bind their hands behind their backs. More rope was placed loosely around their necks, connecting them in groups of two and three.

One of the marines brought out another barmaid from a back room, and five more prostitutes were dragged down from the upper levels. A few men followed out, yelling in Spanish, but one sight of the muskets sent them running back into the rooms.

The ten captives were dragged out into the street as Caruthers came running up.

"Three fishing boats secured and ready to shove off, sir," the midshipman reported.

"Good work, Mr. Caruthers. Take these down and put them in one of the fishing boats. Tie their ankles and then have two men take the boat out to the ship."

"Aye aye, sir."

Caruthers and two marines pushed and dragged the ten women down to the nearby quay. Hamilton reloaded his pistol and they pushed on. There were many shouts although only a few shots fired. Throughout the town the alarm was being sounded, but there was no sign of the militia and no one else was eager to fight against an English landing party. Eight women were taken in the second inn, six in a third, and twenty five from the small debtor's prison. Five more were taken as they walked along the streets. Only younger, pretty women were abducted, the rest were left behind.

The women were distributed among the quarter boats and the small fishing boats and taken back to the Siren and locked below in the dark cable tier. The men heaved on the capstan and the anchor was slowly brought up and secured.

##

When dawn came the ship was out of sight of San Veran. Hamilton ordered the new captives brought on deck.

"We have done well, men," Hamilton said to the crew. "You will each be able to have one and there will be a few spares."

There was some laughter. The woman, most of whom only spoke Spanish, were huddled together, their hands still bound and their clothes torn and in more than a few cases ripped open to reveal breasts and thighs.

"We must maintain absolute discipline." Hamilton continued. "The Intrepid is near. She has travelled across the ocean looking for us and she is not going to stop looking just because we have hauled in a fine catch. Know that the women will be distributed fairly. Some will have to wait until their watch is over before they can enjoy their new slaves. I want no trouble, you will all get your prize. Remember you will have the rest of your life to enjoy these slaves once we are clear of our pursuer. We are close to our goal, we cannot now descend into anarchy."

"Very good, sir," Wray said.

Hamilton looked over the huddled, captive women. "You are now the property of the men of this ship," he said, in Spanish. "You will not be ransomed and you will not be returned."

There were shouts and cries.

"You are slaves. You will obey or you will be punished."

Several women had fallen to their knees in tears and most huddled in fear, but several shouted angrily.

"Mr. Wray select that one," Hamilton pointed to one of the angry women in front.

Wray directed a pair of sailors to grab hold of the dark haired beauty. She kicked and fought as they dragged her towards the stern. The rope binding her hands was cut, but her wrists were taken and quickly tied to a line that had been through over a yardarm. With a tremendous cry of 'heave' five other sailors pulled and the women was lifted off her feet, hanging by her wrists, slowly twisting.

"Please, please, I beg you!" The bound woman shouted at Hamilton.

"Mr. Owen," Wray ordered. "You may begin."

"Aye aye, sir," replied the coxswain, an older sailor, well tanned and muscular.

Owen walked closer to the bound women and with one yank pulled off her dress. She screamed. He stepped back and opened a small bag, pulling out his cat o' nine tails.

"How many sir?" Owen asked.

"Six, Mr. Owen." Hamilton said, adding in Spanish. "Six lashes for disobedience. The same punishment any of you will receive."

"Aye aye, sir," Owen said.

The coxswain drew back and snapped the cat across the slave's back. She screamed and kicked her feet. She rotated around to face him and the second lash fell on her breasts. The other women drew back in fear, pressing against some of the sailors at the bow. The third and forth lashes fell hard on the dangling woman's body.

"Please, please, I will obey!" she pleaded.

She merely groaned at as the fifth and sixth lash spread fire across her naked body. The men holding the other end of the line lowered it and she was quickly untied. Her wrists were retied and she was pushed back with the rest.

"Mr. Wray," the Captain said, loudly. "After the crew is dismissed you will select five to serve yourself and the other wardroom officers. Then Mr. Caruthers will select four to serve the gunroom. The remaining slaves, both new and our existing ones, will be divided into two groups of twenty three and one group of six. The small group will go to the marines, the others will be apportioned to the men of each division on the basis of random chance."

"Three cheers for the Captain!" yelled one of the sailors.

Hamilton listened to the cheers, his expression unchanged.

"Have the one who was flogged sent down to the surgeon," he said quietly to Wray. "Have her rest there until I ask to have her sent to my cabin."

"Aye aye, sir."

"Now you may dismiss the men and then, if you please, set the main courses. Make the division of the slaves after that is completed."

"Set the main courses. Aye aye, sir."

Hamilton stood back along the taffrail, his hands behind his back, looking as imperturbable as was expected of an English sea captain. On the deck Wray was wading into the group of captives, selecting a few and pulling them out. The purser and one marine guided them below deck to the wardroom. Midshipman Caruthers was next, pulling out the share for the gunroom, and he went with two other midshipman to take his prizes below. Then Wray, Sergeant Beady of the marines and Owen split the remainder into three groups.

"Deck!" came a cry from above. "Sail ho! Abaft the beam, sir!"

Hamilton grabbed the telescope from the sailing master and looked out. A single white object was just visible over the horizon.

"Damn," he said to himself. "Mr. Wray secure those women below!"

"Aye aye, sir!" Wray yelled. He pressed them down, losing all sense of the two individual groups to be divided among the crew. He ordered Owen to make sure they were confined and then walked quickly back to the Captain.

"The Intrepid, sir?"

"I think so, Mr. Wray. Take the glass and go up to the top and see if it is her."

"Aye aye, sir."

Wray took the telescope, collapsed it into his pocket and climbed the nearest shroud to the maintop. He wrapped his arm around a line and then looked carefully with the telescope. Then he climbed down quickly.

"It looks like Intrepid, sir. Definitely not a frigate and too small for a 74. And she's definitely seen us, she's close hauled and pulling on us with plain sail."

Hamilton looked out at the clouds along horizon and then at the water.

"Set the stays'ls and bring the braces hard round, put us one point starboard."

"We can outrun her, sir, all things equal. We've been two years at sea and Intrepid came down from Portsmouth, so it's going to be a hard race."

"Carry out my orders, please, Mr. Wray."

"Aye aye, sir."

"Damn," Hamilton said to himself as he watched the approaching ship on the horizon.

Hamilton went down to his cabin. He took off his hat and jacket and began to pull out charts. Elizabeth looked fearful, even when he glanced at her and forced a smile. He opened one chart and then another and another.

"Damn."

"Master?"

"Not now!" Hamilton snapped. He pulled out a chart of the eastern coast of Central America and used his compass to make several measurements. He brought out a quill and paper and made some calculations. A few minutes later he looked up at his slave.

"What is the problem Elizabeth?"

"I am scared, master."

"There is nothing to be frightened off."

"There is a ship after us, master. I can hear the men above. Why are they after --" Elizabeth went quiet and looked down. "I'm sorry, master."

"No, that is a reasonable concern." Hamilton stood up and walked over to the cot. He sat down next to her. "There was a mutiny and I took command. The Royal Navy takes a rather dim view of mutiny."

"Yes, master."

Hamilton paused, still looking at her, before saying quietly, "The Siren sailed from Portsmouth in 1803 under the command of a pompous fool named Samuel Seward. We served for over a year in the Bay of Biscay keeping watch on French ports. It was hard work, close to shore, and poorly known shores at that. Twice we ran aground on sandbars while under fire from shore batteries. But she's a good ship, with a good crew and we made it off."

"Yes, master."

Hamilton stood up and began to pace, talking more to himself than Elizabeth. "Seward was a thief and a liar. In dispatches he mentioned his toadies who stayed onboard and ignored those of us who did the real work. One of the worst of his bunch was Jepson the purser, they worked together and cheated us out of pay and sold supplies and then...."

Hamilton paused. Elizabeth listened carefully.

"James, who was the second lieutenant, back then, caught Jepson blatantly forging the ships books. There was an argument that went before the Captain. Jepson was a hot tempered man and finally struck out with his cane. I've known James Wray for fifteen years and he is a fine officer, always cool headed under fire. But this, in front of a Captain who did nothing, it was too much. He lashed out and struck Jepson, knocking him down."