[Michael Mash]

“…Septiember Anno Domini 1669…”

Excerpts from “El Comunicado” sent to Radék de la Sol de Santa Crúz de Brazil…


I hope my friend, this letter finds you well and prosperous.

Since we departed Olinda, and after the first shipment of your cannons was purchased by the esteemed admiral Michiel Adriaenszoon de Ruyter during our visit, our trusted metalúrgico, Dominic De La Armas De Hierro informed me it would be necessary to travel to Vera Cruz, on the coast of New Spain to secure additional supplies of iron ores to make more guns for Neptune. And . . . so I agreed.

Crossing the Sea of New Spain, we encountered no pirates and no huracán.
As the Barlovento Armada was stationed at Vera Cruz for some years, for additional defense against pirates, we were confident of a safe arrival.

We sailed into the harbor of Vera Cruz under the shadow of the great Castle Fortress of San Juan de Ulúa. After disembarking, Dominic seemed to know where he was going through the dark dusty streets, so I followed till we stopped in front of a building with a sign above the door that read:

Casa De Metales – Entrar a su propio riesgo.

Before he could knock on the door, I grabbed Dominic by the shoulder and said with some alarm:

“Wait . . . are you certain we should enter such a place?” Dominic replied: “Yes, yes Senhor Miguél . . . it will be fine. This is where we will get the necessary materials.”

Dominic knocked several times before a tiny hunched-over woman answered the door. In a low raspy voice, barely audible the woman whispered:

“I am Maritza . . . the housekeeper . . . please enter Senhores.”

The room was dimly lit and contained many Dutch artifacts, pottery and other such objects. Maritza directed us to sit at a large oak table in the center of the main room, before she disappeared into the rear of the building.

Before long, from a corridor to the right, came a huge bear-like man, with a long light-colored beard, tall wide brimmed hat and two Ornate Double Barrel Elephant Pistoles hanging at his sides. Taking a seat on the opposite side of the table, he gave us a long piercing look. Then in a deep resonating voice he said: "I be Nikolaas Van Hoorn ………. Here in Vera Cruz they call me Klaas El Sucio Traficante De Metales".

“So strangers . . . speak up . . . who are you?”

“I am Miguél De Nevado Norte, and this is my associate, Dominic De La Armas De Hierro” I replied.

He put his hand on one of his elephant pistoles, shaking his head, and said: “Arrrr . . . I aint never heard of you! . . . god help you . . . I don’t do business with strangers! Why you be lookin for my ore rocks damm you?”

I cautiously replied: “We are making many various armaments for the galleon being built by Radék de la Sol de Santa Crúz de Brazil at Olinda for the Spanish Queen Consort Mariana of Austria” …….

Suddenly he interrupted and jumped out of his chair and roared: “Arrrrr . . . Har Har Har . . . now you be talkin sense stranger . . . I know Radék de la Sol. We all know Radék de la Sol !!!”

With that he turned toward the room in the back and called out: “Maritza . . . Maritza . . . bring out some of Radek’s rum for me and the two strangers. Perhaps we be makin a deal. The strangers want to give us some of the King's gold for some of our iron rocks.”

I don’t know where he got your rum, but praise the saints for that. It required half the night and near a barrel of rum, but we finally made a deal for a load of iron ores. Now the work on your guns will continue. ( . . . and indeed it is generally known that Radek’s Rum trades widely on the black market . . . beneath the noses of the Spanish authorities!)

Later I said to Dominic: “I did not know we were coming to Vera Cruz to do business with a Pirate!!! Had I known” . . . “No, no Senhor Miguél,” he replied. “That man is not a pirate, but rather, a buccaneer.”

Siempre tu viejo aliado,
Miguél De Nevado Norte



………………tbc……………..


( Note: The difference between Pirates and Buccaneers has long since been forgotten by historians. As the Pirates at that time were considered blood thirsty raiders. Although the Buccaneers were interested in making money, and not inclined to raid. However, they were also known for doing business with Pirates and funding pirate operations, as long as it put gold in their pockets. )