Intro
This is the 90th story in the Smallville Series. The story is about another one of the oldest settlements in Smallville's World, older than Samllville itself. East Port is located at the center point along the east coast of the World Map. It is just north of Mapleton (story 89). East Port has been mentioned in several other stories in the past; it is where many of the settlers from the Old Country arrived. It is springtime, the time of new beginnings. The story is being told in approximately year 40 SVT when you, weary traveler, arrive from Mapleton.
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Map picture was edited to look like the ocean.
Map seed # 631035321 CC Water World, Small, Harsh, Disasters Off, Medium-seed (5 Families)
Mods activated for this map and load order are:
Map Changing and Starting Mods: Banished UI Maps, Labor Window, RK Minimized Status, CC Light Rain, Settlers Deco, Kid Deco Tree Spring, Kid Tree Replacer XLight, Maritimes Riffle, Kid New Flora Edit, Family Start
Tweak Mods: Fishing Dock +25%, Hunting, Hunting Season, Increased CC, 1:1 Alternative (Voeille), Ovverride New Outfit, Rock Respawn, Tiny Smoke
Major or Must Have Mods: An Empty Square, Nomads (Kid), override Uneducated, Smallville (sign), Storage Crates, CC Dock Set, Kid Abandoned Places SE, Kid Forest Outpost, Kid Forest Trader, Kid Granny Neighborhood, Kid Granny Park, Kid Native Village, Kid Old Town Ports & Pirates, Kid Workplace Village
Supporting Mods: Kid Bicycle, Kid Deco Animals, Kid Deco People, Kid Ghost Flowers, Kid Market Carts, Kid Market Food, Kid Some Boats, Kid Stagecoach (updated with Stagecoach Inn and deco luggage), Kid Traveling Trader, Kid Washing Mod, Kid WorkShop, Tiny Chopper, Tiny Quarry.
Welcome to East Port, weary traveler. My name is Ardine and my husband is Aryant. I can tell you about the town's history while you decide where you want to go from here.
Chapter 1
Five families with four children came to these shores from a coastal village in the Old Country. They came over on the Maybelle paying their passage by agreeing to build a pier suitable for merchant ships to dock at. This land had many riches that the merchants were interested in; they'd already established some trade with the Natives here and further up the coast. The coastal waters here, however, were rough and choppy; the water near shore was shallow and rocky. The ship anchored some distance from shore leaving the families to wade to shore with their children and supplies. A dock was needed.
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The families stood, cold and wet, in the falling rain watching the ship sail away. They were on a narrow strip of land along the coast with hills and mountains to the west. A short distance along the shore to the north was the wreckage of a ship. They checked it out; if there had been any survivors, they were long gone. Further to the north the settlers could see that a Native hunting party had set up camp near a hunting ground and a stream with a beaver dam. They hoped the Natives were friendly. It was time to get to work.
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Chapter 2
It was spring; the sun felt warm. There were several spring flowering trees blooming and so was the wild apple tree in the hedgerow that the settlers found. It was good to be on solid land; the winter months aboard ship were brutal. When the wind was blowing from across that water, the day was a lot colder. They had to get houses built as soon as possible. They brought plenty of food, tools, and clothes with them so everyone could help with the building process. Resources were gathered and taken to the building sites, and soon there were 2 dock houses and 3 workplace cabins built.
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A school was built by the hedgerow; a girl was 6-years-old and a boy was 5; they would be starting school soon. A workshop for basic tools, clothes, and trade goods was built on one side of the stockpile, and a storage barn on the other. A chicken coop had been built by the house across from the storage barn; in winter the chickens could be moved inside that barn. During the summer the children ran and played outside; wild foods and herbs were gathered. There were 4 newborns by autumn. A hunter was in his tower looking out for deer as well as keeping an eye on the hill and fence opening to the north. There'd been no sign of or trouble with the Natives but the fences added a little sense of security for the settlers. Work on the dock had only just begun but fresh fish were already being caught from the fishing pier.
Chapter 3
By early winter it was miserable for the fisherman or his wife to be out on the fishing pier in the cold rain and northeast wind. They were also having trouble with driftwood snagging their fishing lines and nets but the settlement needed the food.
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The settlers were out of tools. They were still trying to get the supplies from the last cart stored in the barn before it snowed. There were only 3 laborers and they were also trying to gather more wild foods. The settlers' diet consisted of potatoes, venison, fish, and eggs. By winter they harvested apples and berries from the hedgerow, and had gathered mushrooms, onions, roots, and wild oats. They hoped their supplies would last until spring. Luckily, it was not that cold and there was no snow that winter.
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The builder managed to erect a dock fence and small covering to protect the fisherman from the worst of the rain and wind. Next to the fishing pier a driftwood scavenger was built. It would further help block the wind and also prevent the debris in the water from interfering with the fishing. There were large branches and driftwood from shipwrecks that would serve as building logs. The settlement was always short of logs.
Chapter 4
There may not have been any snow that winter but the northeast wind was bitterly cold, and little work got done on the pier until spring. The settlers wanted to have the dock completed before the merchant ship returned. They knew the ship was expected soon when a hunter and trapper arrived from the south with a cart load of furs, hides, and venison. They were from a town called Plimoth to the southwest and they were happy to find a settlement here now where they came to meet the merchant ship.
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A Native from the hunting camp to the north also came with furs and hides. The hunter and trapper were acquainted with the hunting party and spoke a bit of their language. They assured us that the Native came in peace only to trade. What they needed was tools and trade goods like pots and pans but the merchant usually only had food. The settlers were happy to supply the needed items; the smith in the workshop switched from making tools for the workers to making trade goods for the Native. The merchant would get the furs and we would get the food.
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At the same time, a trapper came over the hills from the west; he too had furs and hides to trade. He too expected the merchant ship to arrive at any time.
Chapter 5
Those traders had a short wait before the merchant ship arrived. A few warmer days were all that were needed for the pier to be extended out to deeper waters. The dock itself was still being constructed but it was completed enough to allow the ship to weigh anchor and moor alongside.
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The ship brought 10 adults with 10 children. They were cold, wet, tired, and seasick. They did not want to stay but wanted to get as far away from the water as they could. Yes, weary traveler, they were the founding families of Mapleton; you know their story. They did accept some supplies and some chickens. The trapper went with a couple of the men to get 2 of the mountain goats he had seen by the stream over the hill when he came to town from the west. The families, with their children, chickens, and goats, were soon on their way south to the pass that the hunter and trapper had traveled. The settlers were worried about those families especially when a late spring snow began to fall.
The snow clouds hung over the hills and the mountains but the spring snow did not last long here on the coast. The dock was finished and pier expansion continued.
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@Abandoned :D nice beginning of the story it's great that you added elements of children's everyday life to this story, toys, clothes on a string, cycling for children I'm curious how it will turn out.Regards :)
:) Thanks, taniu
Chapter 6
Time moved quickly for the settlers but work was slow. There were only 3 laborers and just one builder. Logs and firewood were always in short supply. The cold and dampness contributed to a number of coughs and colds and other respiratory illnesses. A small chapel and a cemetery were built by the pass heading west.
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The Maybelle returned to port again to trade with the hunters and trappers and Natives. A passenger ship arrived and dropped off 3 families. They managed to scrape together enough to pay their passage but had little else. After the voyage they were eager to settle and were happy to stay right here where they landed. There were 3 couples with 2 adult and 2 young children. Two dock houses and 1 shanty were built on the piers. One family suggested they grow and gather reeds at the end of the pier; there were already some reeds growing there. There was little firewood to be had and the reeds could be used as fuel. A reed farm was built.
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Chapter 7
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It was another snowy spring when the dock market was finished. It was an open-air market but it was closer for some then going to the storage barn. As soon as the snow stopped, a dock family build a chicken breeder shed in front of their shanty and got some baby chicks from the chicken coop in town. There was no spare worker to be market vendor so the food variety was a little sparse for the dock families; eggs and chicken meat would help.
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A dock workshop was built near the market to make fire bundles from the reeds. The dock shanty took a bit more firewood to heat than the 2 dock houses did. Wood and firewood were an ongoing problem. There were not enough workers to cut trees or gather branches. When there was a spare worker with a little time, that worker scavenged logs, firewood, and a bit of iron from the shipwreck. A few barrels of rum were found and one was immediately put to good use.
Chapter 8
One cold wet spring, a dock herb mender was built by the dock market. A healer would tend anyone who was a bit under the weather. The mender thought more apples would help. Another hedgerow had been found along side of the cemetery not far from the market . The worker from the first hedgerow switched to this new one so more apples and chestnuts would get to the dock market.
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A third hedgerow was discovered behind the chapel on the other side of the cemetery by the pass going west. Another trapper came down that path with furs to trade but the ship did not come. The trapper left his furs at the market and took some food and a few tools and trade good in exchange. A tailor workplace was built to make some warm coats with those furs.
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Looking at that washing line reminds me that I need to do the same - today is Easter Sunday so it can wait until tomorrow. :)
:)
Chapter 9
That became the way trading was done; rather than waiting for the ship, the hunters, trappers, and Natives traded their furs and leather for food at the dock market. When the ship came in, the town traded those furs and leather for food with the trading ship merchants. There was Burrel the company merchant who brought general goods, Louanne the hauler who brought resources, Erne the planter who brought seeds, and Nicolet the greengrocer who brought oats and potatoes and other foods. An overseer's office was built at the end of the dock to keep track of the inventory.
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The ships often brought new settlers but they did not stay in East Port; most headed west. Many stopped at the healer or the new dock herb grower. The market was a necessary stop for needed supplies. The market soon had a vendor to keep it well stocked and there were often chickens and a mountain goat or two to be had. The herb grower was often annoyed when one of the goats nibbled on the herbs growing in her front planter.
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Another shanty was built on the dock for one of the young singles; he would marry soon. A workplace fish smoker was built across from the healer.
Chapter 10
It was year 10 SVT when my family came to East Port on the Maybelle. I was 10 years old and had an older brother. My father said we would stay here. A house was built for us by the overseer's office. I wanted a place of my own; my baby brother was just born and he cried a lot. My mother only agreed as long as my house was built next to theirs. A house for my uncle, aunt, and little cousin was built behind our 2 houses. They came on the ship with us. My dad built a small fishing pier and he was right out there fishing bright and early every morning. I was picking apples, berries, and chestnuts in the nearby hedgerow. My mother would be teacher in the new dock school that was built across from our houses. I never went to school but my mother taught me what she knew.
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My house was small but it didn't matter; I spent all my free time on the dock, usually by the herb grower and market with the chickens and goats. There were a lot of good things to get from the market. The herb grower gave me some flax plants that I planted around my house. The plants had pretty blue flowers. I made a friend at the market; a Native boy who brought furs and hides from his camp to trade. We did not speak the same language but he always made me smile and laugh. He often gave me a rare feather found in the tribes hunting grounds. I would walk that far back with him when he returned to the hunting camp.
Chapter 11
It was a few years later that 2 of the Natives brought us horses from their main camp back in the hills. The hunting here was no good anymore; too many come on the ships. We gave the Natives food and herbs to take back to their main camp. The horses we put temporarily in the cemetery to graze. More fencing was added along with a trough and covering for their food. The Natives packed up their teepees and were gone. My good friend was gone.
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Some settlers were moving too but not far. There were several young singles my age or older that wanted houses of their own, my brother included. They wanted houses with roofs to match the small forest chapel. My brother moved into one of the 3 houses in the new friendly neighborhood that was built south of where I lived. Another young single male moved into the house next to him and a newlywed couple moved into the house across from them. I wondered which of the girls my age would move in with my brother. A shop was built by the houses; they would not have to go all the way to the dock market for supplies.
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Chapter 12
A stable was finally build just south of the forest chapel. The horses were moved from the cemetery to the new stable and pasture. A young man just out of school moved into the stable house to care for the horses.
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My brother married a friend of mine who was my age. She lived in town by the storage barn in the house with the chicken coop. We often met when she took the eggs to the market. After the Natives left she worked at the hunting grounds and when there was a rare feather found, she brought it to me. When she and my brother had their first child, I went often to their house to help her. I got to know their neighbor and married him. Aryant and I had our first child right after the first snow in late autumn. We named our baby girl Adlinettina.
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Both sets of parents were happy to have a new grandchild. My mother, the teacher, thought the town should have a Town Hall to keep records of all the births and other town statistics. Everyone agreed and construction began immediately.
Chapter 13
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The Town Hall was built by the storage barn and stockpile. By spring of year 15, a lot of information was already recorded. The population of East Port was 57, 36 adults, 7 students, and 14 young children. There were 22 families living in 16 homes. There were 4 dock houses, 2 shanties, 2 forest houses, 4 workplace houses, 1 stable house, and 3 neighborhood houses. There were young adults still living at home who would soon want homes and families of their own.
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There were more births to be recorded; 4 more just in our 3 neighborhood houses. A dock fence was built along the waterfront by our houses when the little ones began toddling around. Even though it would be a few years before they were school age, a neighborhood school was built across from the shop. In front of the school, there was a playground with swings, a slide, and a sandbox for the children. There were benches for the parents to sit and watch their children play. And because Nicolet, the greengrocer, came to port with flour, a baker was built around the corner from the school.
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Chapter 14
Yes, life was good in the neighborhood. Mothers could get supplies from an indoor shop out of the wind and rain, and cold and snow. They could take their older children to school and the younger ones to the playground. They could sit in the sun and visit with neighbors before heading to the bakery for a loaf of fresh baked herb bread.
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Life was good on the dock too but very different. Mothers could get the same wide variety of foods but their shop was an open-air market out in the cold wind that blew in off the water. The school was close by but they had to remind the children often not to run on the piers. They had to keep a close eye on the toddlers. They visited with neighbors at the market with the chickens and the goats. They baked their own bread with flour from the market and herbs from the herb grower rather than go across town to the baker.
To help offset the differences, a gazebo was built on one side of the town hall and a fish n chips market BBQ was built on the other side. Nicolet brought more potatoes when he brought the flour.
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Chapter 15
It was a long voyage back and forth from the old country; the merchants did not come as often as we would have liked. Flour, potatoes, oats, or wild oats were brought by either Nicolet or Burrel. It was a relief when Louanne, the resource hauler, came to port and had iron and stone. We were short of both. There was very little surface iron and stone to be found anymore. We took 50 of each from the merchant and immediately began making more tool to have a bigger surplus on hand until the merchant returned with more. The elders of the town did not want to face another tool shortage even though the first one was short lived.
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Some of the stone was used to build a new neighborhood house behind the school for another young couple. The builders pointed out that the more houses built in that area the less area there was in which to cut trees and gather wild foods. There were still logs and a little iron to be salvaged from the shipwreck and the tide continued to bring in wood for the dock driftwood collector to gather. We did rely on the mushrooms, onions, and roots to add variety to our diet; our overall health always dipped a little between visits from the food merchants. It was something to think about.
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Nevertheless, 2 more neighborhood houses were built behind ours for new couples. A third was started but there was not enough stone to finish it. Shortly after a baby was born in one of the houses. Gwendy, the builder who worked on the house, died in childbirth. It was East Port's first death. She was laid to rest in the town cemetery.
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Chapter 16
Time passed and we learned of more deaths from an unexpected source. One day, my sister-in-law next door came over and told me I should go to the dock market; there was someone there I would want to see. I was curious, I did as she suggested. I found my Native friend from years ago who had come to trade furs for food. He had learned to speak my language. We exchange information about our lives now and our families; I had 4 children, he had 5. Life had not been good for the tribe or for many others. He told of floods and draughts and food shortages. He was glad to find me alive and well and he gave me a rare feather before he turned to go.
The following spring many deaths were avoided by the swift actions of a ship's captain. It was late afternoon on a rainy and windy day when the passenger ship was spotted headed rapidly towards the dock with billowed sails. Without a heavy cargo like the merchant ships, these passenger ships could really move. The captain saw the pier and house dead ahead and had just enough time to veer away, but the wind caught the ship again sending it careening into the rocks and shore a short distance from our neighborhood.
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None of the ships passengers or crew were seriously injured. The captain and crew would head back to the old county on the next ship. The passengers decided they would stay with us after being told about the floods, draughts, and food shortages inland. There were 8 of them, 2 couples with 4 adult children.
Chapter 17
The newcomers understood our reasons for not wanting to build into the forest south of the neighborhood so they choose locations for houses carefully.
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A couple with 2 adult children built a dock house between the reed farm and the overseer. An adult daughter wanted a small forest house across from the BBQ; she did not know how to cook. Her parents and brother built a neighborhood house in line with the other 2 on the road not far from where the shipwreck was. At the end of that road by the shore, a lighthouse was built.
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The newcomers brought new ideas with them from the old country and soon there were several bicycles being ridden around town. We needed to widen our roads.
Chapter 18
Others came by ship but did not stay; most headed southwest to Mapleton and then on to Plimoth where the train was being built. A few headed west from here in the direction of Smallville. We put a sign by the west pass.
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It was a good thing we had widen our roads because, in year 33 SVT, a stagecoach came to town. The builder of the coach was from Mapleton and he wanted to make a trade; the coach for 2 horses younger than the ones he had. He planned to build another coach to take migrants from Mapleton to the railroad in Plimoth. If we made the trade, those migrants landing here could take one coach from here to Mapleton and another from Mapleton to Plimoth.
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The trade was made and the man from Mapleton was soon on his way back there with four horses: his 2 old horses and two young ones.
Chapter 19
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A stage office was built across the road from the livery stable. A stagecoach inn was built between the stage office and the neighborhood shop. If the ship bringing migrants arrived late or the weather was bad, the migrants could spend the night at the stagecoach inn. If they had no chickens or goats, they could be on their way to Mapleton in the morning on the stagecoach.
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The townspeople were on the move too; from their parent's houses to houses of their own. Another neighborhood house was built south of the pasture and an old town port house was built next to the stable. Another was built by the lighthouse. A small pier with a dock house and fishing pier were built there too. We needed more fish and our wild foods. There had been longer delays between the arrival of the food merchant ships. Our food supply was critically low.
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Chapter 20
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We were very glad we preserved our forest areas, both south by the neighborhood and north by the Native's hunting ground. Every available laborer was gathering wild foods in one area or the other.
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The Natives' land was much the same as they left it; across the stream only a hunter's workplace was built because we needed food. For the same reason, a fishing pier was built by the hunting grounds where another worker was assigned. Another cabin was built there for the workers.
The south dock was expanded to include 3 more dock houses, a shanty, and a small market. A chicken coop and gatherer's workplace were built there too.
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The only building that intruded into the south forest area was built last year, weary traveler. We were so concerned with our food supply that we were completely taken by surprise by the outbreak of measles. We were totally unprepared. One case quickly turned to 3, then to 6, and finally 9 cases. We needed a hospital but had no other option but to build it in the south forest. The north end of the road that ran past the bakery seemed to be a spot that would do the least damage to the forest area. Nine patients were admitted as soon as the hospital was completed. It was not soon enough to prevent 3 deaths. They joined the builder who died in childbirth and the laborer who died of old age in the town cemetery.
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Chapter 21
So, here we are, weary traveler, in the spring of year 40SVT in East Port. We feared we would have deaths from starvation but lost townspeople to an outbreak of measles instead. East Port now has 155 citizens; 95 adults, 7 students, and 53 young children.
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Our food supply is still critically low but it is spring and our ship has just come in. Another is waiting offshore.
Have a safe journey, weary traveler, to wherever you decide to go next.
The End
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKP4cfU28vM
Turn, Turn, Turn - The Byrds
Went back to the April posts and re-read just to make sure I was all caught :)
:) 8 more are missing, will keep updating when I can.