Pirate's Wife: The Diary

1910
April 7

I just hate being a princess. I see the peasant girls pretending to be me. They dress up in sack cloth pretending it is a long purple robe, place a tin can on their head as if it were a crown, and hold a stick in the hand like a scepter. I see it every cursed day. I sit on my window just looking and wishing I were them – free. I want to swim in the lakes, eat apples till I burst, feed the goats and chase the chickens. Instead, I’m stuck with lady lessons or sewing draperies with the other maidens while listening to them gossip. I’m turning sixteen tomorrow, so I know my father will be trying to marry me off to some pathetic being of a man. I just hate being a princess.

April 8th

There will be a great feast for my birthday or should I say auction day. My father has invited ten ‘nobles’ to the feast. Although I am the one to marry one of these beings, I do not have the option of choosing. Curses! He, of course, will choose one who reeks of wealth, no matter how dumb, old or ugly. Why can’t I just marry an explorer or a pirate? They find valuable items when they sail about the sea. Yes! It is perfect! I will get to travel around the world and be away from my father, and my father will get a percentage of the riches we find on our voyages. All I have to do is find a pirate or explorer and convince my father in letting me marry the man I find. And if that doesn’t work, I will just run away, get married, sail the seas, and get riches and my father will get nothing. Lovely!

April 11th

I have found the perfect pirate for my husband! His name is Jack. He is a very handsome man with long, black hair. He skin looks as if it has been painted with the sun and his eyes with the bright, blue sky. He says he just returned from a voyage to the South, and plans to go to the West this time. I have also told my father the compromise and he agreed! How could I have thought he would say no to something he would be profiting on? What a greedy man. I can’t help but wonder how Mum puts up with him. My father says he will go to the pirate and give me up to him for marriage and will inform the pirate of the percentage of riches found will belong to him. I hope he doesn’t demand too much and scare Jack away. After all, he is a pirate.

April 12th

My father has finally visited Jack to give him my hand in marriage, and Jack accepted. Oh, I’m so excited to sail to the West. We will be leaving in a month’s time. So I must start to prepare. I guess I must read up on pirate life. I must ask Jack to teach me how to say ‘land ho!’ and ‘aargh!’.






June 5th

Today, Jack went out to fetch a crew for our voyage, while I stayed at home making final preparations and saying my farewells to the rest of the family. Jack, will be picking me up at noon so we can board the ship. Oh, I am so excited! I will no longer be a miserable princess, but the wife of a pirate.

June 7th

We have been at sea for about two days now. So far everything has been going wonderfully. However, the crew Jack has hired I am not quite fond of. They have no manners what so ever; they are dirty, they smell, their mouths have no teeth that aren’t rotten, and their language is as dirty as a swine’s cage. I can’t believe I have to be around them for God-knows-how-long. Curses! Is this the life of a pirate’s wife?

June 12th

I have never in my life worked so hard. This ship is so huge, and I have to mop it every cursed day. I don’t even have time to write as much as I used to. I wonder how Father and Mum are doing.

October 2nd

I have finally found you. I can’t believe I could have misplaced a book and not find it for four months. I hope no one was hiding it from me and reading my written thoughts. The voyage has gotten terribly devastating. Food and water is running awfully low. I am getting very scared. Four months and no land has been spotted. I hope we find land before our provisions run out. Jack is starting to get angry quicker than usual. The crew is getting restless and vicious; some have even died of sickness. I think I overheard a conversation between two of them plotting to kill Jack if we don’t land soon. What if they plan to kill me also? Maybe we will find land tomorrow. God, please let us find land tomorrow. I beg you.

October 3rd

Thank heavens! God has answered my prayers! We have finally found land and we should be able to anchor the ship by noon. So many thoughts are running through my mind. What kind of people are there? Are there any people at all? Will the land be fertile or desert? I don’t know what to expect. This is so much suspense to take in at one time.

October 4th

So far, we have not encountered any civilization on the island. Fortunately, the land is very fertile. The land’s fruits are bigger than I have ever seen. I saw a grapevine with grapes as big as my fists. There are plants and fruits of all kinds, some I know some I do not. I saw this plant that actually ate a fly! It was frightening yet fascinating. I haven’t seen that many animals, only a few rabbits here and there. The climate changes depending on where you are on the island. On the shore it is quite cool and lovely, but when you go deeper into the heart of the island it gets very humid. Jack says they have good lumber here, better than we have back at home. He also said we have to get started on building temporary shelters in case we might have to leave. If not, we would stay here permanently. The good thing is that even though it is close to winter, it is not the least bit cold. I can absolutely get used to that.

October 6th
The most thrilling thing happened to me today. I have actually met some of the people that live here. They don’t speak any English, so it was quite hard saying anything to them. They go about topless covering only their lower bodies. There are more men then women though. The people have such a lovely complexion. It is as if they were baked golden. Their hair is long and black, but isn’t groomed that very well. When they saw me they were quite frightened of me, but then they started to examine me as if I were some young goat being sold. They circled around me a few times saying phrases to each other. It made me a little uncomfortable but I was so intrigued by their curiosity. There is no sign of any sort of government or organization. I wonder how they keep order among themselves?

October 9th
I met the chief of the natives today. He doesn’t seem to be the kind of person that is very friendly. He also isn’t as curious about us like his people are. I don’t believe he wants us here mingling on his island, either. I feel he is just waiting for the right time in which to deport us or simply kill us all. God help us.

October 20th

There seems to be some tension among the natives and our crew. I found out that some of the crew members are sneaking in the natives’ camp and sleeping with the women. I am very disturbed at this. If the men continue this, the chief will surely kill us. Jack has got to keep his men under control. I cannot bear the thought of them killing us. Luckily, I have made companions with some of the native women. They have taught me so many things, and sometimes I feel they are smarter than the men. I’m glad I have made these companions. With all that’s happening, they could be my net if I fall. Bless them.

November 1st

The chief has found out what some of the men were doing! They have killed all of them, including Jack. My heart is troubled and I have lost my appetite. I am afraid. I must leave this place at once. I have told my female companions about it and they have agreed to help me. Some of them are even willing to accompany me on my voyage back home to England. We will be loading our ship with enough food to get back. How I miss my family.

1912


January 29th

It has been a shorter journey back home than it was to leave and that I must thank God for. During the journey, I have taught the women English so that they can be my subjects when I return to my royal position. I have heard that my father died of sickness and Mum has grown too old to rule, so she has given her position to me. Oh, how I am thankful for this adventure, no matter the hardships I faced. It is utterly worth more than riches. I left as a princess, became a pirate’s wife, and now I return as a queen.
Cappy