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Meanwhile, back at the pier, Dave and Leon spent some time haggling over the trade, including the latest shipment of sheep from Rudi. One of the things that Dave raised was the scrip notes we have been issuing for use among ourselves. He said he had never seen a paper currency before and wondered about whether it could be used elsewhere. I said, "Fat chance that anyone else would honour it. It depends solely on man-hours with a service multiplier depending on the type and quality of the work produced. It is convenient for us to have some sort of equivalent to level the playing field trading among ourselves."
Dave said, "But can't you establish some sort of specie value for your piaster?"
"We've never tried. If you want to take some of your payment in them, we will honour them when presented in person by anyone holding them, but how we could equivalence them to any local currency or specie, I've no idea. You are welcome to set up an account with us, and operate it. Just have a chat with Marta."
"If I was going to settle here after I come ashore, I might well do that, but for now I think I'll stick to trade goods value for value."
"Just as well. I don't think that strangers would take such a thing under any circumstances. We are not an established government, and we have no specie reserve to back this stuff."
Leon and Dave concluded an equitable trade, and we all retired to the cantina for a meal.
At the cantina we found that rack of lamb was the feature for the day, and we all ordered a serving. The meal came with the chard that had been cultivated by Carmencita and wild rice from the nearby lake. A fine sauce was served with the meat. On the way in, I had caught Calvin and asked for a carafe of his new white vintage. It appeared on the table with the main course.
"You do yourselves very well, here", said Dave after the meal.
"Maybe you'd like to try our new sheep's milk cheese for dessert", I put in.
"I might find a crack to put something else in", said the grinning Dave. "I traded for some of that but only had a quick sample. It would be good to have some in such company."
I caught Winnie's eye and when she came over, I ordered the dessert with the new dessert wine that Cal had been making since the early freeze up caught his vines not all harvested last year.
"What is this stuff in the small cups?", Dave asked.
"Dessert wine. We had an accident with the vines last year, and froze some of them. They produced much more sweetness than we expected, so we made this from them. Cal is very bright when it comes to recovery from untoward events in his vinyards."
Dave put the small cup to his lips and sipped. "That is very good and refreshing. Do you always serve it iced like that?"
I beckoned Calvin over. "Cal, I think we owe Dave a little explanation."
"I'm sorry Dave, you are a bit of a guinea pig. We have never served this to outsiders before. It was an experiment, and we don't have very much or I would have offered you a keg in trade."
"Will you be able to make more of it?"
"I don't know. We'll try freezing some of the vines this year and see if the result is the same."
"If you can make this stuff in quantity, I think I know a certain table it could find its way to."
"We'll keep you informed", said Leon.
With that, we saw Dave back aboard, and retired for the night.