User:Jack Pistol/Z-Story3

My First Trade 

It was customary for boys to find a job, even just a small part time one, when they reached twelve years of age. So when I hit that milestone I took a job as a store clerk’s assistant. He was a cunning man, especially in business, and taught me a few tricks. Although working with him was fun, I was much more fascinated by trades involved with the sea and so I was reassigned to be the dock master’s assistant.

I was at work at the docks everyday and thoroughly enjoyed it. Since I was working there, I noticed all the traffic of warships in and out the harbor. There was clear evidence that many of them engaged in battle and it soon became clear that our island was warring with other inhabitants of the Caribbean. I started noticing fewer ships returning after leaving and those that did were aflame or severely damaged. We were losing the war. We had the man-power and the soldiers had the training, but, as my master put it, “not the general to lead them”.

With fewer soldiers returning to their respective homes, families or lonely barracks, many able youngsters such as myself were put to work on the warships. We had no part in the battles, but served as powder monkeys or swabs. I served as a powder monkey aboard the HMS Loyalty, captained by James Thorn. The HMS Loyalty was a war frigate with slight modifications for a greater advantage in war. It was famed for the green tint that its hull had, which became even more visible in the moonlight. Not a soul had a clue what caused the tint because it had no algae, seaweed or barnacles and the wood wasn’t rotten.