Abandoned - Fish & Ships - Story 19 NWS

[Abandoned]

Chapter 15


  Conniel, the single male who came to Fish & Ships at the same time Elizabela did, wanted to be a boat builder and he had an idea.  Elmerson the fisherman who lived in the cabin between the two boat builders, saw Conniel talking with the boat builders and with Dayle several times.  The idea was to build a merchant ship like they had out west where he originally migrated from.  The ship was much larger than a riverboat and faster because it had sails.  It could be used to pick up the special deliveries to the Depot like the depot barges did.  The fresh fruit would get to the Depot and thus to the customers a lot sooner.  It would relieve some of the boatmen from having to backtrack because of the perishable fruit.  Dayle made the suggestion to the authorities at Riverboat Depot the last time he was there and he got the go-ahead to build such a ship.  Conniel became our 3rd boat builder.

  Dayle also discovered that the Depot had built a small mooring jetty for the riverboats, so both he and Elizabela went together to deliver 2 of the riverboats to the Depot.  They returned in late summer with Malisha, the seed merchant, who was on her way to nearby Seed & Feed.





  It was snowing in late autumn when Lenardo, the general good merchant, came with our order of wool, fruit jam, oat cookies, and goat cheese.  He also had regular cheese but most of what we traded for the last time he was here was still in the market.  This order of goat cheese disappeared as quickly as the first, folks here liked the goat cheese better.  Lenardo was happy to get our wild honey, he had several orders for it.

  Our tailor was glad to get the wood for warm coats even though our supply of coats was good at the time.  She hoped she had enough flax for the linen sails she was working on for the new boat.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 16




  Winter passed; the crab and fishing boats and the jetty workers came in for the winter and went out again in spring.  There had been many days in early spring above freezing when all 3 boat builders were out working on the new ship, even the town's builders help.  There were no buildings to be built, we did not as yet need any more houses.  We only had 28 homes for 51 families but there were many young singles ages 9, 10, and 12 years old still living at home.  Our oldest daughter, Emeryleigh, was 10 that year and the nearby twins were 9.  Glorin's brother, Dayle, was 12 and still living by the lighthouse with the family he came with from Riverboat Depot.  We all thought he and Elizabela would someday get together; they spent so much time together with the boats.  Everyone was surprised when Elizabela at age 15 moved out of her jetty house and into the cabin with boat builder Conniel who was 28.





  The new ship, a barque it was called, was finished in early summer of that 8th year.  It was a beautiful ship.  Elizabela got to go on the test run with Conniel and Dayle but could not go on the delivery run to Riverboat Depot with Dayle because she gave birth to a baby boy, she and Conniel named Carris.  Boat builder, Rowens, went with Dayle instead; the new ship needed 2 boatmen.  The problem of not enough boatmen still remained; most of the riverboats we made remained moored at the jetties, here and at the Depot.

[Abandoned]

Chapter 17


 There's not more I can tell you, eager explorer.  We have no complaints about the river boatmen; they do a fine job.  The supply boat was here promptly from Riverboat Depot after we arrived.   I think the villagers are glad we came.  We managed to fit right in and preserve the quaintness of a fishing village; the lighthouse just added to it. 







  We know the villagers like the smoke fish and the fish n chips.  The food and fish market is the place to go for food and for visits with neighbors.  I think we did a good job here at Fish & Ships providing a variety of foods.  We could use more fruit besides berries.  The fruit jam and goat cheese that the river boatmen bring are well liked; oh, and the oat cookies are our favorites, there just are never enough of them.  We hope with more riverboats; there will soon be more boatmen and more fresh fruit and grain products.  We aren't skilled at processing or baking with grain ourselves, but we can build boats.  If you're ever in need of a new houseboat, eager explorer, let us know.





  So, on this summer day, I will say farewell and wish you safe travels.  I packed up some fish and chips for you to take along with you, and some oat cookies.  Enjoy what's left of summer.

The End