Wreck of the Marie Jenny

by Mikel Classen

I was sitting in Shutey’s bar in Calumet, Michigan when this old man comes up and starts talking to me. He said his name was Captain Jack Talbot and he had a story to tell. “I’ve never told anyone this, but I have to get it off my chest before I die. I’d be obliged if you’d let me bend an ear so that I might rest easier in my grave. It’ll be a restless slumber as it is.”

I told him “Alright.” and ordered another ale as I could tell that the tale might be long. There was also a sense of urgency in the old Captain’s voice that told me that this was of a grave importance to him.

CAPTAIN JACK’S TALE:

It was 1871. I captained a schooner named the Marie Jenny. We sailed out of the Keweenaw Peninsula hauling copper ore to Sault Sainte Marie. We had a reputation for being fast and efficient and I knew Lake Superior better’n anyone. We’d just arrived back in port for another load. I went to the shipping office to get the particulars on our next shipment where I was informed there’d be none this time around. I was to ship out immediately for Iron Bay with my holds empty. There I was to meet privately with a Mr. Peter White, a local speculator who apparently had interest in virtually everything in the area. I was to dock at Marquette where he would enlighten me as to the nature of our cargo and its destination. I was also informed that I was to tell no one of our destination and we should depart in the middle of the night.

Of course this struck me as odd but orders are orders and they are always for a reason. I rounded up my crew to get them back to the Marie Jenny before dusk which was no easy task. They had of course scattered among the saloons as soon as we had docked. Most grumbled disappointed, but they all returned being a crew of unwavering loyalty and depth of character.

We set sail well after midnight as it tends not to get dark until late during the fair months. By morning we had rounded the Keweenaw and were well on our way to the Huron Mountains. By the light of the next morning we navigated our way through the treacherous rock outcrops of Iron Bay into the docks of Marquette. Then it was a small town but growing quickly due to the discovery of iron to the west.

No sooner had we tied up at the dock when a messenger came telling me that Mr. White wanted to see me at his private residence. His home sat perched on a ridge overlooking Marquette harbor. The building itself was impressive, made out of large sandstone blocks, trimmed in wood from the area. Its size was overwhelming, but then I was used to a schooner cabin as a home.

The messenger led me into the varnished and polished house and guided me to Mr. White’s study where, the man himself waited impatiently. As I walked in he seemed to have been pacing. The messenger announced me and immediately retreated and closed the doors to the study. Mr. White invited me to take a seat and he wasted no time getting to matters at hand. He had a reputation as a no nonsense businessman.

“Captain Talbot,” He began, “I’m told you’re a man of integrity and unimpeachable character. A man that can be trusted to do a job and keep it to himself. I’m also told that you have one of the fastest and finest ships on Superior, is that correct?”

“Yes sir, it is.” I answered wondering where all of this was going.

“What I’m about to tell you can never leave this room, is that agreeable?”

I nodded.

He reached into his waistcoat pocket and rolled some stones out onto the top of his desk. They flashed in the light and I knew immediately what they were. Gold nuggets!

“I’m currently president of the bank here and one of our companies that we finance has, shall we say, come into a discovery. So far we’ve managed to keep it a secret, but I don’t know how long that will be possible. I want you and your ship to carry a shipment of this to the Soo. So far we’ve managed to secretly smelt around 2000 pounds. If you agree to this, it’ll be loaded up in crates marked iron. I’ve several dockhands hired and waiting. They’ve been informed that it is pig iron bars so they won’t look too closely. If word of this got out, I suspect your voyage might be short lived.”

“I’m certain that you’re right. A fortune like this might inspire some serious cutthroating. Mr. White, I have a fine crew, one that I stake my life on everytime I sail, but this puts them in a danger that the copper never did. A cargo like this could easily inspire piracy.”

“Captain, all I can say is that, I’ve made every possible precaution. The rest is up to you. I can assure you, that when you complete this voyage, you’ll never have to make another. You and your crew will be paid handsomely for your risks.”

I leaned back in the chair and thought about it for a minute. White’s reputation was impeccable and I believed him when he said that everything possible had been done to maintain the secrecy of the voyage. “Alright, I’ll take your cargo. Send word to get it aboard. I’d like to sail as quickly as possible.”

He smiled through his thick beard. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He leaned over the desk and stretched out his hand. I took it with pleasure and felt the iron grip. It was then I truly knew him to be a man of his word and honest. A lot can be told from the grip of a handshake.

I rose to head back to the Marie Jennie. I was nervous about this and I wasn’t afraid to admit it. The only problem was who could I admit it too? I was sworn to secrecy.

I arrived back at the dock and reboarded my ship. I went straight to my first mate, Angus Stewart, a Scot of unfailing nerve. I’d seen him singing into the teeth of the worst gales Lake Superior could muster. He smiled through his red beard, “Cap’n, what’re yer orders?”

“We load shortly and we set sail as soon as we’re stowed and secure. I want no time wasted, but make sure everything’s shipshape and tight.”

“Aye Cap’n.” Angus set to supervising the loading. It wasn’t long and the wagons arrived with crates marked “Iron.” Angus shouted to his men and the ropes began squeaking and squealing as the crates were raised off the carts and then lowered into the holds. The crew knew their positions and their duties and the loading went quickly. Then I saw it. I cursed under my breath. I hoped none of the dock-hands saw it too.

A board on the side of one of the crates had broken and was hanging loose. I knew if I shouted, it would only draw attention to it and to my horror, I could see the edges of the ingots, their color clearly visible. Then too, Angus saw. He looked up at me and quickly replaced the board. He made sure that was the next crate loaded. Again he looked back at me, though he didn’t say anything I knew he understood everything.

I studied the dock, but I couldn’t be sure if anyone had seen or not, but then, how long that board had been loose, was a mystery. Angus came up “They’re stowed Cap’n.”

“Angus, double the watch and make sure the men are close to their guns. We may need them.”

He nodded, “Aye Cap’n, we’ll keep a sharp eye.”

“Cast off, set sails, the sooner we’re under way, the sooner we’re done with this.”

It was dusk when we cast off. The gold was secured in the hold and I had every member of the crew with eyes to the water in all directions. We weren’t going to be taken by surprise just in case someone had gotten wind of our secret.

The Lake Superior breeze filled our sails and I felt the familiar roll of the deck as the Marie Jenny went full speed into the east leaving the Iron Bay behind. She was a fast ship and could make good time to the Sault, but looking aft, behind me, I could see trouble brewing. Not of the kind I had been expecting, but the kind that spelled the demise of so many of my fellow sailors. The western sky was black and rolling, a mean summer storm was coming. We steered due east, all the while I called orders to the men to keep her full with the wind and maintain an eye on the horizon. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that that board on the crate of gold had been deliberately broken to see what the contents really were.

Angus came up hurriedly “Cap’n, tha’ storm is moving fast and we can’t weather it out here in the open.”

“I know that. If we make full wind, we should be able to hit the lee of Grand Island and ride it out in the bay there. We just need to round the north point. Keep the men on those sails, but don’t let down your guard on the watch either. I’ve a feeling this storm ain’t the only trouble brewing.”

“Aye, I think yer right on that, Cap’n.” I hoped I wasn’t.

The Marie Jenny plowed ahead with the storm chasing us hard. We could hear the thunder rumbling to our aft and the waves of Superior had started to build, the prow now splashing the deck as my Marie broke through the waves. The men scrambled but they all knew their jobs. This wasn’t our first time scrambling for shelter and it certainly wouldn’t be our last. I had the best crew and the best ship on the Lake.

Ahead in the twilight I could see it looming, the north cliffs of Grand Island. We just needed to get around the point into the bay the Indians called Trout. The bay was lined with cliffs and we would be protected from the wind and the waves. It also wasn’t where another ship would expect us to go. Most Captains would sail straight for the harbor of Munising, just beyond William’s Landing into the shelter there. If by chance someone was chasing us, we might lose them this way.

I shouted over the wind, “Douse all lights.” I wanted us to disappear into the dark. We’d sailed this section of Superior so many times that we all knew it in our sleep.

One of the men on watch came running up. “Captain Jack, there’s lights aft, I think we have a shadow.” I brought up my eyeglass and watched our rear horizon. Then I saw it. It was only a flash, but it was enough, ships lights!. We were being chased. I only hope my ruse would work. With our lights gone, they could only guess which direction we took.

The roar of the waves crashing on the rock cliffs suddenly died as we entered Trout Bay. The storm was still there but the quiet calm of the water made it feel like we’d sailed into another world. “Angus!” I shouted. He came running up quickly. “Bring her about and drop anchor. I want us to face the mouth of the bay. If our shadow figures out where we’ve gone, I want us ready to sail out before they can come about. Keep all lights doused. I don’t want them spotting us if they sail by the bay either. Double the watch and keep them armed. We sail as soon as this blows over.”

“Aye Aye Cap’n” Angus went off to carry out the orders. I went off to my cabin.

That night, as I lay in my bunk, the thunder rolled like I’ve never before heard it. It would go on and on, seemingly endless and then when it finally would fade out another would start and then roll and roll and roll. It echoed inside those cliffs and boomed with an intensity that could be felt. It was a thrilling storm. I got little sleep, but I didn’t mind.

I must have dosed because I woke with a start. Everything was quiet. Someone was pounding at my door. I rolled out of the bunk. It was Angus. “I think it’s over Cap’n. We’re starting to see stars overhead.”

“What’s the time Angus?”

“4:00 a.m. Cap’n.”

“Get the men up and ready to sail. We might be able to get a start with what little darkness there’s left.” I followed Angus up on deck and could see a slight glow on the horizon even at this early hour. We’d have to move to get past the east channel before we were spotted by our shadow which was probably anchored in Munising Bay with a clear view to the cliffs of the Pictured Rocks.

“Weigh anchor, set sail.” I shouted to the crew. The light breeze caught our mainsails and the Marie Jenny once again began cutting through the water in the predawn.

We passed the east channel in the twilight of morning and the watch never caught sight of our shadow from the night before. Maybe we had outfoxed them. I quietly smiled as we entered the dreaded shoreline of the Pictured Rocks, the Castle off to our starboard. The sun came up in the east, hot and blazing. The wind died. The sails went slack.

I cursed under my breath. We were dead in the water, though the current was still carrying us in the right direction, just not very quickly. At least if the other ship were still in pursuit, they’d have the same problems, unless… “Damn!” I swore. “Keep an eye forward.” I shouted to the man on watch. “I am Captain Jack, but it looks like we’re heading for a fog bank.”

“Angus” I shouted. “Put Peterson forward with his rifle.” Peterson was the best shot among us. I didn’t like the way this was going and I had a bad feeling in my guts.

We entered the fog with all hands on deck, eyes straining through the mist to see anything moving that might be another ship. We were well along the cliffs nearing the Grand Portal. Once we got around it hopefully we’d be able to pick up a shift in the breeze and get back under way.

A slight breeze moved the fog and I could see the portal for a moment and there was…something else. I only caught a glimpse, It looked like a bow behind the Portal. I couldn’t be sure, but I wasn’t taking any chances. “Hard to the larboard,” I told the helmsman, Dupre. He cranked the wheel sending us out into Lake Superior, away from the Portal. It was slow moving without a wind, but we made way just the same.

“Peterson, look sharp to the starboard. Keep that rifle ready.”

Past the Portal I saw movement in the mist. I had been right. Our shadow had been hiding behind Grand Portal. Somehow they’d gotten ahead of us and were waiting. Now they were going to try and wreck us on the rocks and then salvage the gold. The mist got thick again and I lost sight of her. At least now I knew for sure. They were there and they were after us. So much for White’s secret shipment.

Suddenly, out of the fog, to the larboard came the ship. It was on a course to ram us, sending us towards the rocky shore. Dupre cranked hard on helm, but she was slow to respond. “Peterson,” I shouted, “Their helmsman.”

He took the shot and pitted the cherry. Their helmsman dropped like a stone pulling the wheel with him causing the wrecker to turn sharp. Their Captain scrambled to grab the wheel but the ships were sideways to each other. Something fell next to me.

Angus suddenly appeared next to me on a dead run picking up what had fell. It was a stick of dynamite! He threw it overboard aft and it exploded as it hit the water. Another landed on the deck and Peterson grabbed and threw it back. This one blew as it hit the deck of the wrecker bringing down its main mast. She sailed away from us crippled and slow.

Out of nowhere the wind picked up and suddenly our sails billowed. Dupre looked at me “Capitaine Jacques, The wheel doesn’t move. Our rudder is jammed.” The Marie Jenny was picking up speed and we had no steering. We were heading due east, but we needed to drop anchor and fix the rudder. That was when I heard the other crack. The one that sent shivers up my back. We were in no position for this, another storm.

Dupre and I grabbed the wheel and strained trying to free it. It wouldn’t move. When Angus had thrown the dynamite over the stern, the explosion had somehow damaged the rudder. Angus came up to lend a hand but even with the three of us, we had no luck.

The wind was picking up fast and the deck started to heave. More cracks and thunder danced overhead and I knew we were in for a big one. I looked forward watching the bow rise higher and higher only to fall into the ever deepening troughs as the swells surged tossing the Marie Jenny harder and harder.

Water splashed over the bow soaking the men on the forward deck, all the while the three of us wrestled with the wheel first turning it one way and then the other hoping and praying we’d free it up. I shouted to Angus and Dupre over the ever increasing cacophony of the storm to keep trying, I was going below to see if I could see what was jamming the rudder.

I went below deck. Holding on as the ship pitched and tossed. I made my way down the short stair and into my cabin. I flung open one of the windows in the stern and leaned out. The Marie Jenny went down into a swell and the water almost came into the window and then just as quickly it was on its way back up. My timing would have to be perfect as I climbed halfway out and hung myself out the window to the waist. As the stern peaked the swell I could see the explosion had forced the rudder into the hull wedging itself into broken boards.

I pulled myself back in as the ship dropped into another swell, some water following me in this time. There would be no repairing the rudder, at least not in this storm. There was the problem of the broken hull boards as well, we certainly were taking on water in the holds. Again I cursed under my breath.

I fought my way back to the deck and then back up to Dupre and Angus. “Give it up, it’s not going to come free.” The wind had shifted to the north and the swells were beginning to batter the ship from the side. The deck was starting to tip back and forth. “Angus, have the men rope themselves to something. If this keeps getting worse, I don’t want anyone getting washed overboard.”

We were sailing fast, out of control on an unchangable course. I pulled up my eyeglass to see if I could tell our position. Everything had gotten dark, along with the tossing and the rain and spray, I couldn’t make out any details. Then, a quick flash of lightening and I caught a glimpse of shore. We were little more than a mile off and we were past the cliffs. Tall trees covered the shoreline. Another flash and I saw the mouth of a river, a sick feeling filled my gut, dread overwhelmed me.

The Marie Jenny raced ahead fighting the squall valiantly. She rose and fell all the while tossing and pitching. Maybe, I thought, just maybe. She might be going fast enough, if she didn’t draft too deep, if we were on the top of a trough we’d ride over. I said nothing to the men, I’d have my answers soon enough.

Inside I was angry, there was a fury rising within me that only Superior’s wrath was going to quell. My instincts had told me not to take this cargo and I had ignored them. Now…

The Marie Jenny rose up on the swell and again fell deep into the trough, I heard the sickening crunch. My world fell apart. She rose again, only to fall once more amidships, my Marie broke her back. We’d hit Big Sable Point, the sandstone reef that ran six foot underwater, two miles north into Superior. The river I’d seen was the Hurricane which told me we were heading for Big Sable. Big Sable had been the end to many that had sailed before and now it was the end of my Marie Jenny and possibly to all of us.

I saw Angus coming towards me slipping on the deck as the ship rolled to its side. The look on his face told me he understood that we were done for. “Every Man overboard, swim for shore. Make sure they’re cut loose and swim for it. Save yourself man.”

The order was given and I saw them going over the side. Some voluntarily some not, simply swept away by the waves pounding the stranded and quickly disintegrating ship. I could hear it snapping and cracking amid the roar of the storm. The sickness and sadness of it all I resigned myself to. Of course I would stay with my dying Marie Jenny. It was my duty. I felt an inner calmness as I held onto the ship’s wheel while Superior battered me, trying to shake me loose. I was a rock in my position and my resolve. Captains go down with their ships, that’s what we do.

I knew many of the men wouldn’t make it, they would never be able to reach shore with the churning and boiling that was going on around us. Then, through the spray and the mist, I saw Angus, he was still aboard. He came at me across what was left of the deck. He had that look in his eye and that grin, god, he was going to do something that most men would consider, not well thought out.

“Get overboard.” I shouted and then he leaped, only not over the side. Instead it was towards me catching me about the waist. The momentum took us both over the side and we plunged into Superior together.

I came up spitting, sputtering and cursing. “What the hell… Angus..” I could feel him behind me trying to pull me towards the shore in that chaotic water. I yelled, “I’m supposed..” I got a mouthful of water. “to go with the ship!” I went under for a second and came up choking. “What’s the matter with you.” I screamed while hacking water out of my throat. He kept pulling and ignoring me which was making me angrier. Between the waves and the deluge I could see the Marie Jenny breaking up. I should’ve been aboard with her. I should’ve went down. I had lost everything, my ship, my cargo, and my crew was drowning around me, going down with my ship was all I had left.

I struggled to get away from Angus so I could drown in peace, get it over with, but his grip was like iron. Finally I gave up and let him have his way. I didn’t want him, Angus, the loyalist man I ever knew to die too.

Through it all we reached shore, alive! I don’t know how he did it, but he did. Most men couldn’t have pulled themselves through a sea like that, but he had pulled two through it, successfully. We laid there on the shore for awhile catching our breaths, retching the water we’d swallowed. It was a long time before we moved, exhaustion getting the better of us.

After we’d rested and regained our breath, I looked at him, I needed my answers. “Why? Why didn’t you let me go down out there?”

He spit out his answer through gritted teeth. “Men died out there. Men we’ve sailed with, good men, the best and they’re dead. Capn, there’s an unbalanced account here and it’s up to us to settle it.”

Angus had a hard look in his eye that I’d never seen before. It gave me a chill. Angus was angry to the bone and he wanted a reckoning. I understood. I looked out into Superior where my ship had been. My ship, my crew, my reputation all at the bottom of Superior. Angus was right, there were accounts to be settled here. “Alright Angus, I’m with you.”

First I decided to get a fire going. If one is smart, even in a storm dry wood can be found. Using the bow and stick method we got our first flames and then a decent fire to get through the night. I hoped that if there were others that had survived the storm, they’d see the flame and reunite with us. Three others joined us eventually. Sadly, the rest had perished. Dupre, Peterson, and Williams shivered around the fire, silent.

It was a long night, none of us actually slept. We were angry and sad, mourning our companions and in stark disbelief of the suddenness of our situation. The remnants of the storm swirled around us and it ended just before dawn. With the light we began moving, working the stiffness and the wet out of our bones.

We had no provisions and we were hungry, but fortunately, our situation could have been worse. About ten miles away was Grand Marais harbor. We knew there was a trading post there and we’d be able to get some food and drink, then we’d try to decide on our next move. As the sun rose we began our trek along the shoreline. Above us was the Grand Sable, the giant sand cliffs that announce the entrance to the Grand Marais.

It quickly got hot, though with Superior beside us the want of water was not an issue. The day progressed on, our walking was slow going, the sand and piles of round rock hindering us. The fish flies covered our legs. Angus and I kept the lead. We spoke little, determined to make the harbor and then plans. Towards dusk we reached the end of the sand cliffs and again the woods began which was the landmark for the west end of the harbor.

We would have to cut through the woods and then skirt around the bay to the east end where the trading post stood. In the distance we could hear the whine of a saw singing. The saw mill, the only thing that was on the west end, was working. Angus and I led the way through the woods and around the mill. As we once again reached the shore and the south side of the bay, a surprise waited for us.

I grabbed Angus and pulled him back into the shrubbery. “Stay down, I don’t want them to see us.” I motioned for the men behind me to get down and hidden.

“It’s them ain’t it Cap’n.” Angus whispered.

“Yea.” Floating in the center of the harbor was the wrecker, the ship that had attacked us and sent my Marie Jenny to the bottom. As I thought about it, their anchorage made sense. A remote harbor with a sawmill at the end. Perfect place to get a new mast cut without too many questions and too much notice. Of course the storm was convenient as an excuse for damage.

“Men, back into the woods.” I ordered. We moved back into the wooded covering and formed a small circle. We’d unintentionally discovered these villains and I intended to take advantage of our luck. Since they were making repairs, they’d be laying to for a couple of days.

“Listen men, we’ve been pushed and we’ve been pushed hard. Their mistake is that we survived. I’ve a plan that’ll even things, but it’s killin’ that it’ll be about, are you with me men?

Dupre spoke up first. “Capitain Jacques, tis a matter of honour weth me. Our comrades lost, our ship. I do this. If I were the only one left alive, my path would be the same.”

Peterson, next “Captain, I don’t like this kind of business, but we’ve sailed together too many years not to sail with you now.”

Williams, “If it’s vengeance we’re after, then so be it, I’m all for it, in the name of our brothers.

Angus smiled. He had been ready since he dove off the sinking ship.

Our advantage was surprise. I was certain that they figured we were dead, long drowned by the storm. My only consolation was that I knew the Marie Jenny went down far enough offshore they’d never be able to recover the cargo of gold. I looked at the men. “First thing we have to do is get some food and provisions. We’ll make our way to the trading post, but we stay hidden. I don’t want that crew to know we’re here. I have a plan. If we stick to it, we can settle some accounts,” I looked right at Angus when I said it. “and in the process we might be able find out who was behind it all.”

Angus spoke up.” Cap’n I know you kept this one close to the vest, but I think we deserve to know exactly what happened back in Marquette.”

I related the conversation that I had had with Peter White and how he had assured me that his security was impeccable and right up until now I still believe that he truly thought that. Somewhere in his midst there was a rat that he was unaware of. Someone who was in cahoots with the ship and crew that was now anchored in front of us. The only way to find out was to get the name or names from someone in the crew.

We trailed through the woods until we reached the creek across from the trading post. A small boat was beached there, a shore party from the ship no doubt picking up some supplies to take back to the crew. I had the men stay hidden while we waited for them to leave. Our impatience was driven by gnawing hunger that had set in heavily.

Fortunately we didn’t have long to wait. A group of men came out of the trading post and began loading supplies into the boat. My blood boiled at the sight of them. I wanted to cut their throats right then, but I knew that wouldn’t do. We wouldn’t be able to get them all.

We waited quietly while they rowed back out to the anchored ship. Angus and I decided that we would be the ones to go into the trading post to get food and the supplies we’d need for the days ahead.

We slipped through the door hoping to create as little visibility to the harbor as possible. Angus looked at the proprietor and grinned. “Angus you old dog.”

“Angus is that you?” he replied and came out and the two clasped hands in a handshake that only true friends exchange.

“Angus you old sea-rat what have you been doing all these years”

“Couldn’t live without the deck of a ship under me. What got you way up here?”

“Remember Barbeau from Mackinaw?”

“Peter, yea.”

“He sent me over here to run this post for him. He’s got himself into business, big over in the Soo. Been expanding all over Superior.”

I stood and looked at the two, a bit at a loss.

“Cap’n Jack, this is an old friend of mine from Mackinaw, Angus MacDonald.”

“Always happy to meet a friend of Angus’.” I replied and continued. “What do you know about that ship anchored in your bay?”

“Not much. This is the first time they’ve been here. They said that they were laying to to repair storm damage. I will say they’re going to be going at it pretty hard tonight. They bought a lot of whiskey.” I thought about this information and smiled to myself. They were going to make it easy for us. This fell into my plans better than I hoped.

“Angus,” I began and got two replies.

“Cap’n?”

“Yes sir.”

Well, I wasn’t used to that. “MacDonald, we need provisions for a few days, but they need to be light, packable. We need some long-bladed knives, we’ll be heading across country. Things can get thick this time of year. Angus…Stewart, Get everything together. I’m going to take some food back to the men and let them know. We’ll meet you out back to pick everything up.”

MacDonald gave me some jerky, dried fruit and some fresh milk from the cow he kept behind the trading post.

I left and went back to the rest of the crew. They were waiting back in the woods, impatiently, hungry and chewed heavily by the bugs. I passed out the food and fresh milk. It wasn’t long and I could see the life come back into their faces.

As soon as we were done, we roused ourselves and met Angus with the rest of our provisions out back of the trading post. “I talked with MacDonald and he insists we were never here. Hasn’t seen me in years, figures I’ve drowned by now.”

I looked at him and grinned, “It’s good to have friends in remote places. Get this gear stowed and we’ll get ready to settle some of those accounts. I don’t think we’ll find a better time.”

Angus grinned back, “Aye Cap’n.” I could see that Scottish blood of his was hot and ready for the work ahead.

Using the woods for cover we back-tracked around the bay until we were as close to the wrecker ship as we could get on the shore and still stay under cover. We cached our provisions and packs keeping only the long bladed knives we’d gotten from MacDonald and settled in to wait for the darkness to set in.

We could hear the laughing and shouting coming from the ship. They had obviously wasted no time in dipping into their supply of grog. I was hoping, no, counting on a hard drinking night for the crew. I had explained my plan to the rest of the crew.

Waiting there in the darkness, the mosquitos feasted. In the distance the yells and occasional gunshots continued on through the night. It was only towards dawn that silence again filled the bay. Still we waited. We wanted them in a sound drunk sleep. By the time the scum realized it would be too late.

Just before dawn I roused the men. It was time. We waded into the bay silent and careful. The water reflected the blackness of the night. Then we were swimming. Soon we’d reached the anchor-line. As we climbed aboard, the men were like silent wraiths. Silent wraiths with long gleaming knives.

Two men were loudly snoring, one on a roll of rope and the other on a pile of nets. It was good to have men on watch you could count on. Glad they hadn’t tried to sign on with me. The mistake would cost them…dearly.

I motioned to Angus and Dupre to move in and silence the watchmen. They moved along the rail until they were alongside the sleeping men. They laid their knives across their throats and whispered in their ears as their eyes fluttered open from the feel of the cold steel. Angus and Dupre were quick. The words I told each of my men to say were out and their throats cut before they could utter a sound. The three of us regrouped. I cut a long length of rope from the pile under the dead watchman and coiled it around my shoulder.

The men spread out and headed below deck. I went astern to the Captain’s Cabin. As I suspected, the door was unlocked. Luck still being with me, the hinges squeaked, but didn’t wake the soundly sleeping Captain. On the floor, a large empty bottle lay on its side. I creeped forward expecting for him to wake at any moment. He didn’t.

I reached the hammock and uncoiled the rope. As he slept I tied him. Through some miracle, though I believe I should never have succeeded, I got him secure, wrapped up in his hammock. His eyes fluttered open as I laid the knife across his throat. The cold steel always does it.

I slapped him across the face to wake him up. Both his eyes opened this time and he growled. I pressed the blade harder, causing a thin trickle of blood. Slowly he began to realize his full plight, completely bound.

“What do you want?” he whispered. I felt his throat bounce against the blade.

“You don’t recognize me do you? He slowly moved his head back and forth in a “NO,” afraid the motion would send my blade deeper. “I’m the Captain of the Marie Jenny. I didn’t die with my ship, but most of my men did. I want answers. Who told you about our cargo? Who’s behind you?”

“ Go to Hell” He spat. I reached out and with a quick stroke of my blade I held his ear in my hand.

“Ever see one from this point of view. Funny looking things aren’t they.” His eyes got big. And he choked “no.” I whittled on him for several minutes, digging deeper all the time. A piece here, a piece there, a close up view of a toe. Finally he talked. He told me everything. He told me the name of the traitor. Then I stuffed a cloth in his mouth.

Though I had done some horrible things to him, things that would haunt me all my days, my vengeance was not complete. I cut down his hammock and he slammed to the floor. I took a length of rope and tied it to a beam in the cabin, the other end around the wrecker captain’s neck. I eased him feet first out the closest cabin window. Carefully he was eased down until the rope was taut. I made sure he didn’t drop, I wanted him to strangle slowly.

I watched for a moment as he jerked and twisted at the end. I looked off at the horizon, in memorium to my lost crew “Rest better men.” The rope squeaked as only good rope can as it tighted with his movements. Out the window I could see dawn was coming up. We had to move. My men were just outside the cabin as I emerged. All four were there, alive.

“Angus?”

“It went well Cap’n, just as we planned. Not a one woke. Quick and Quiet.”

“And the words?”

“Some realized. You could see it in their face.”

“It’s good they should die with the last words they hear is the name of their crime: Marie Jenny. Lets go men. The dawn’s not far off and we need to be far away from here.”

We made short work of getting overboard and swimming to shore. I looked back across the bay. The ship floated in the quiet of the morning, silhouetted on the horizon, the captain hanging suspended from the stern, now quiet and unmoving. I knew when the killing was found out, sailors, being the superstitious lot they are, would never crew her again. The ship would be useless.

We loaded up our packs and started heading west, west back to Marquette. The information I had led me there to Peter White.

 

Peter White had a quirk. He liked to leave his doors and windows open for the breeze. It was easy for me to slip into his study and wait for him in the dark. It wasn’t long and he came through the door, followed by his courier, the agent that executed Mr. White’s business. White said a few words and he was gone on another errand.

He walked over to his desk and I revealed myself from the shadows. He gasped and then “Talbot?”

“Yes, it’s me.”

“You look like hell, man.”

“That’s where I’ve been and back.”

“The ship, the gold?”

“Mr. White someone knew. We were attacked off from Pictured Rocks and were run onto Big Sable reef.”

“The men?”

“Besides me there are four left. The rest are dead.”

“Grand Marais, was that you?”

“News travels fast.”

“Faster than a man on foot in the woods.”

“We found the wrecker ship that attacked us and killed my men. I also found the name of your traitor.”

White’s eyes flashed. He reddened in the face from anger. “What do you mean traitor?”

“We were shadowed from the moment we left Marquette. One of the crates was broken into before we loaded it. Though you assured me things were secure on your end, they obviously weren’t. The Captain gave up the name before he died. Gold makes men do things they wouldn’t usually do.”

“Who is it?” He spat.

“He just left here, Comstock, your aide. The captain gave up that he had approached him in one of the waterfront saloons and told him about the gold. The pair struck a deal where the gold would be divided up between the crew and Comstock, of course Comstock getting a larger share than the rest. The captain told me that he never had any intention of giving Comstock anything. Now the gold’s at the bottom of Superior deep enough where nobody can reach it, lost.”

“Comstock,” He bellowed. “I’ll fire that son of a whore.”

“No don’t. I don’t want him suspicious. My men want him.”

“I’m sorry how things went, Talbot.” He stood up and went to the wall of the study. “I know this won’t fix anything, but it’s all I can do.” He opened a safe that was behind a wood panel and brought out five large bags. They were filled with gold. “Give one of these to each of your men. It will help them start over. After that business in Grand Marais, you can’t stay around here. As far as I‘m concerned, you and your crew are dead at the bottom of Superior.”

“Suits me.” I turned to leave. “I can’t say it’s been nice knowing you.”

I slipped into the night and caught up to Angus. “Did you see him leave?”

“Yea, Peterson and Williams are following him. Dupre is following them in case they get spotted, he can take over and throw off suspicion.”

“Let’s head for the rendevous.”

Angus and I went to the waterfront and waited near the ore dock. It wasn’t long and Dupre showed up. “Have we got him?” I asked.

“Peterson and Williams are watching him in a saloon on the next street. He’s putting down the whiskey plenty hard.”

“Let’s get set.” I said. Dupre led us to the saloon. The back of the building was dark. I told Dupre to go inside and contact Williams and Peterson. I didn’t dare, Comstock would recognize me. I wanted Dupre, Williams and Peterson to follow him out when he was done drinking and usher him to the back of the building. I knew Dupre would persuade him with a knife blade against his ribs.

It was at least two hours before we heard shuffling feet coming towards the back of the saloon. It was his men and Comstock. Comstock shuffled along in front, pushed and coaxed by Dupre from behind. Williams and Peterson each had a grip on an arm. Angus and I stepped out and Comstock saw my face. In it was his doom.

We pulled him behind the saloon. A cloth was stuffed into his mouth for silence. The next day Comstock was found with most of his bones broken. He had been stabbed twelve times which coincidentally was the number of men from my crew lost in Superior. That wasn’t what got people talking. It was the rumor that a name was carved into Comstock’s forehead, a woman’s name.

White denied knowing anything about it and his reputation held him in good stead. The five of us left Marquette that night. Williams went to work logging near Munising, He had family there. Peterson decided he wanted to go back to Grand Marais to work in the sawmill we’d seen there. Angus and Dupre went to the Soo to look up the old acquaintance MacDonald had told him about. I went to Wisconsin and worked different jobs. Eventually I wandered back to Lake Superior and the Keweenaw, deciding that was where I would stay until I died.

 

“I’ve lived my life and death stands near. Now I can die with this tale off from my chest. I’ve borne my shame and guilt in silence all these years and now, there it is. I thank-you young man.” Tears had welled up in his eyes as he shook my hand. He turned and walked out the door. I sat in silence thinking about the tale the old man had told me. The bartender came up and snickered at me. “The old ones they can tell you some stories can’t they?”