The Third Installment of Thanksgiving And The Huguenots: A Theft at Sea

5-24-1688

Sunday

There was A fight on deck tonight, after it stopped raining. Captain says we all have Cabin Fever. That just goes to say that even the nicest of crews can get rough when their tempers go sour.

Hannah

5-25-1688

Monday

Ben, Leah, and I all had a fight last night. I feel really bad about it. Papa would have been very angry at us. But I think Mary was even more upset than Papa would be. The Captain gave us all jobs to do. Even Rachel and Mary. He said it was because we needed some thing to do, to keep our selves from getting to much Cabin Fever.

There sure are allot of sicknesses you can get at sea.

Today I’m thankful for things to do.

Hannah

5-26-1688

Tuesday

Oh No! Ben has lost the money! And we’ve searched all over our cabin. We don’t know what to do. We haven’t told any one else yet. Well, except the Lord. But he already new we would lose it. Rachel's afraid it’s been stolen, though I don’t know who would take it. Leah said it might be at the bottom of the sea. We think we ought to tell someone but we’re not sure who.

Ben says he knows he had it sunday night for sure. He noticed it first monday night when he lay down.

Oh! I don’t know what what to do. Lord help us!

Hannah

5-27-1688

Wednesday

Well we told the Captain just this morning and so he called out: “All hands on deck!” and everyone came running up. He stood up on the poop deck and told everyone about our loosing the money. and ordered everyone to search the ship until it was found. He did this after he had looked all around our cabin to no avail. So all the sailors went swarming all over the ship. We all looked. for at least two hours. Finally some one found the bag that the money was in. We new it because it had Papa’s initials on it. But it was empty as could be. It was in Mr. Hardy things.

Hannah

5-28-1688

Thursday

Well every ones pretty angry at Mr. Hardy right now. When they asked him where he hid the money at he told us he didn’t know any thing about it. So they chained him up below decks and said they wouldn’t give him any food or water till he told. I’m angry at him, and I’m also kind of worried about him too.

I guess we all look pretty dejected, because everyone is being very nice to us and they all keep saying their going to find the money. The Cook has been especially nice to us he even gave us a little sugar and butter to go on our bread at supper last night.

Every one is still looking.

Today I’m thankful for the Captain.

Hannah

5-29-1688

Friday

Mr. Hardy still will not peep. He claims through his dry lips that he wouldn’t have taken our money if his life depended on it. The Captain finally said to give him some water. I think Rachel must have begged him to. She hates to see any one miserable.

Hannah

5-30-1688

Saturday

Oh! Today has been wonderful for the most part. Our money was found. And no one would have ever guessed where it was! But that is the bothersome part. It was hidden in Cook’s quarters. All right along the inside edge of the bed frame, under the mattress, in pushed into the knot holes! I am pretty mad at him, everyone is. As soon as they let Mr. Hardy go, he walked right up to Cook and hit him and knocked him of his feet!

And so our money was returned to us not a bit of it missing. Captain is trying to decided on a punishment for Cook. he says he’s going to give all this trips pay to us. I don’t much like that idea for some reason. But I do think Cook ought to be punished, though not for our sakes (I’m just glad to have the only money we have in the world back) but other people's, so he doesn’t take theirs. Ah, well. I guess it will be decided eventually.

Today I am thankful for the One who is more precious than all the riches in the world, who we could not survive a second with out.

Hannah

PS: Oh! I forgot to say! Rachel, Mary, Leah, and I have all been given the duty of cooks since Cook is not aloud to.

Hannah

6-1-1688

Monday

Ah, June! Today has been grand.

I’m thankful for that.

Hannah

6-2-1688

Tuesday

Big dark clouds in the west this evening, just before the sun went down. The wind was blowing pretty hard as well. Captain says there’s a storm brewing. Cooked salt pork for supper to day. It was salty. What else is there to say?

Thankful for a seaworthy ship, that’s what.

Hannah

6-3-1688

Wednesday

Rough day at sea.

We’re a very wet tonight as we get in bed and there’s naught we can do about it. The boatswain says the storm isn’t as bad as he’s seen before.

I’m thankful for that.

Hannah

6-4-1688

Thursday

Weather is awful bad.

The ship holds.

Thankful.

H