Corruption in San Juan

Happy new year, fellow Sailor!!

As I return to the Colony, from my little cottage in the inner-land, I reopen my tavern at the sunset. The gentle sun of the Caribbean has toasted its walls during all the weeks I've spent away from the harbour, away from the sea rats and the stories from other sea.

But the man I met tonite could be said to be a brave son of the devil. Flying Spanish colours, landing in a British Colony requires a good amount of guts. I first saw the Barque ("El pico del mar" was the name), docked in the harbour and I was stranged. I first thought it could be a capture from a boarding and that the pirate captain might have forgot to remove the flag... but no.

In the night, a tall, dark-haired young man, who had to be a spaniard, for his jacket was the Costa Guarda's, entered the Tavern. Not that the hour was the best: the place was utterly empty... but the young man came with "friends", his men, that quickly, and loudly, ordered rhum.

-"¡CANTINERO! ¿Donde está mi bebida?" I had become unused to the squilling of the sailors, no matter where they came from. Among them, I saw a familiar face. It was Smitty!! That snake was now on a spanish ship... I couldn't believe my eyes.

-" Smitty, ye sneaky worm! Come over yer taverneer!", me shouts.

The man smiled and approached his captain. -"Look, Cap'tn. He bes the Taverneer. The best in all da seas". The Spaniard smiled and they both approached me at the bar.

-"Buenas noches, tavernero. Smitty le conoce, por lo que veo". I nod. me no likes to speak a language I am barely able to mumble, but yes, I reply in spanish -"Así es. Venía mucho por aquí, cuando andaba sin barca".

The man didn't replied, but raised a large purse that brought my attention. -"Cuando tenga su parte de este botín, vendrá a verle muchos días". I was satisfied. I like keeping my customers, specially a drunkey like Smitty close...

Then I engaged my regarding client into a conversation about his trips, that took some rhum shots to begin. -"¿De dónde viene? Cuenteme..."

The man, maybe because of the rhum, laughed and say -"San Juan! Jaja.... Emboscamos a un galeón de la flota del tesoro. Habíamos estado en el puerto unos días antes y sabíamos que ese, en concreto, llevaba joyas en sus bodegas...". I was really Impressed. That ugly Spaniard had it over a galleon with THAT DARNED BOAT. I let my astonishment come over me...

But the Spaniard laughed, shaking his head and revealing some golden earing on his left ear. -"Lo mejor fue que les engañamos. Les dimos una carta falsa de Don Álvaro de Bazán, Marqués de Santa Cruz y Capitán General de Galeras con órden de zarpar antes del amanecer... les emboscamos en las vecindades de la Isla de la Culebra... y como era de noche, ni nos vieron venir..."

I was so damm angry that I fainted indifference and changed the subject... -"Ya, ya... Un plan genial... ¿Cómo andan las cosas en San Juan?". The man understood my reflection and followed the game. -"Humm... tan corruptos como siempre... el cabildo de la isla anda revolucionado con el Gobernador por el cobro de un impuesto al comercio"

-"Ciudad rica, Gobernador avaro", I replied He nodded, in laughs... -"Sí, sí.... pagar uno de cada cien maravedíes más los impuestos, es algo que los mercaderes no están tan dispuestos a hacer... el nuevo gobernador tendrá problemas...".

-"Sus problemas. El resto nos alegraremos de que los fuertes no estén tan atentos al mar, no?" I asked. He nodded again, laughing and then drinking...

The night was spent in good conversations, sea chanteys from the Spanish renegades and the man divided the rich plunder before leaving. The feast continued until the sun rising... I returned to my bed in the Colony, exhausted...