8. PIRATES EXECUTE THE VERDICT
Chapter 1
SHIP OF DEATH
As the sailing ship, the Red Ruby, gracefully arced around the headland, approaching the small harbor on the west coast of Africa, the man in the crow’s nest shouted.
“Ship in the harbor!” he bellowed down, leaning over the railing of the crow’s nest for a better view.
The message became a refrain on the busy deck of the Red Ruby, where nearly the entire crew had gathered, expectant and excited. It wasn’t every day that the Red Ruby could take on fresh water, fresh meat, and possibly some green woodland produce, so there would be something different to eat again. Or maybe even a few pieces of game.
For the crew of the Red Ruby, fresh supplies were now desperately needed, as it had been several weeks since this elegant ship had been wandering the oceans in search of pirates. The men were also familiar with this small harbor on the coast, which would later become known as the Gold Coast of Africa. Here, they could always rest and relax.
However, none of the men had expected to find another ship here, least of all the commander, Captain Simon Verbeeck, the scourge of all pirates. When Verbeeck heard the announcement from the man in the crow’s nest, he hurried to the forecastle and looked out over the sea. Even as he ran, he shouted an order for the cannons of the Red Ruby to be made ready. He did not want to be ambushed here by an unknown pirate or a slave ship.
When Verbeeck reached the forecastle, the strange vessel lay open and exposed before him, directly opposite the coast of the small harbor. It lay listing, looking like a duck that had been caught in a storm. From this distance, it looked rather cumbersome. It also lay quite a distance from the beach.
At first glance, Simon Verbeeck saw that the ship had run aground, and it immediately made a peculiar impression on him. It must be an inept crew to run a sailing ship aground here. What made this small harbor so popular with almost all seafarers was the fact that it was so sheltered that it was safe even when the sea was very rough. Simon himself had sailed in here with the greatest ease during stormy weather. The cabin boy came running with the commander’s telescope, and Simon immediately put it to his eye.
Through the telescope, the experienced seafarer saw a sight that did not please him at all. It was now quite clear that the ship had run aground. It lay sharply listing, and it lay much further from the beach than Verbeeck had initially realized. Some of the sails were in shreds.
But what struck Simon the most was that there was no life on the still deck. And did it not seem to him that he saw something hanging in the rigging and over the crossbeams? Could they be corpses? When Verbeeck finally turned away, he knew there was something amiss with this stranded vessel. A peculiar feeling came over him as he walked back and ordered his helmsman to sail towards the strange vessel. However, he again ordered his men to prepare the cannons and ordered a number of others to arm themselves and be ready to board.
The tall, dark man with his jet-black beard, who had declared relentless war on all pirates and brigands of the sea, knew well enough how quickly and unexpectedly the sea could deliver a surprise. He was not about to be caught off guard. He was always alert and careful, because he knew how many men of the sea were on his trail because he was so merciless towards all criminals on the ocean.
Simon Verbeeck himself stood by the helmsman, indicating to him exactly how to steer. In a flash, everything on deck was ready. The cannons were loaded, and the gunners stood ready with their torches to fire if necessary. The rest of the crew had armed themselves, and th
