All aboard for the Transcribe premiere production, the cruise of the Paul Parrot, that thrilling story of the days of the whalers and adventure on the high seas. This is the story of Johnny Robbins and Sue Grange, a boy and girl who sail away on the good ship Paul Parrot on a whaling cruise that turned out to be a search for a diamond mine. With them are Captain Dalton, master of the ship, and Old Dickon, the one-legged sailor who takes care of the ship's mascot, Paul Parrot himself. Ezra Grange, Sue's brother, who as the owner of the ship, is the man who is responsible for the treasure hunt, and other members of the crew. As we pick up the thread of adventure, it is the year 1860. The Paul Parrot is heading homeward and has stopped for water and provisions at the lonely group of islands called Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic. Johnny, Sue, Dickon, Captain Dalton, Ezra Grange, and several of the crew have just come ashore on the beach of Tristan, the main island of the group, and are standing on the beach looking toward the tiny settlement. This is the most beautiful island I've ever seen. Oh, that gigantic mountain that rises out of the center. Why that looks like snow on the top. Highland snow it is. It's a monster mountain for sure. Like she's almost 8,000 feet high. Oh, those are the cutest little houses down there. I'm surprised anyone would live so far away from anything else in the world. Alas, it's about the lonesomest settlement in the world, all right. Ships don't often call here, and after all, the whole island's only 20 square miles, and it's 1,500 miles away from the nearest settlement. Look Captain, here comes some of the inhabitants out to meet us. You're sure they're friendly? Oh, blow me down Mr. Grange, of course they're friendly. They're a mixed race to be sure, but as kind of people as you could expect to meet. See Captain, this must be the leader coming forward to meet us. Peculiar looking old chap. And there's others behind him, and children too. Oh, just think, they never have to worry about going to school way out here in the middle of the ocean. That's me to a yard on lad. You know, now, that's no way to be talking at 8. Why the day'll come when you'll be sorry as spoke, so blinkin' mean about school. Johnny don't like school. Johnny don't like school. Stow it, stow it, stow it, Paul Parrott, you bloomin' pelican. Well, here's the old fella now. Ahoy mate, Captain Dalton of the Whaler, Paul Parrott speaking, out of New Bedford. You're putting in for water and a brief spell before sailing home. Ah, welcome to Tristan de Cunha, sir. Welcome all of you. My name's Cotton, sir, governor of the island, sir, in the name of Great Britain for who I served many years in the Royal Navy, on a man o' war, sir. And this is my wife. Well, bless me, it's young ones. You must come down to the house and let me fix a bite for the young ones and a meal for all you gentlemen. Of course, of course. You must all come with me and have a spot of cheer. This is very kind of you, Mr. Cotton. By the way, Grange is my name, owner of the Paul Parrott. I hear from the captain here that your island is often visited by ships. Oh, well, to tell you the truth, sir, we've seen enough in the last 10 years or so, sir. You see, Yankee whalers like yourself are bound in these seas, knowing that whales pass you in these waters. Ah, but this year, well, sir, I'm surprised to see you put in so boldly in these treblous times. Don't you know, sir, that the Confederate cruisers have been using these islands as a base to attack Yankee shipping? Confederate cruisers? Vast, man, I don't know what you're talking about. You don't know, sir, that the United States of America has split in two parts? Overhaven, not having slaves, sir? Strike me, mate. You can't mean our country's at war with itself. It's true. The South has split from the rest of the country and is calling itself an independent nation, the Confederacy it is. Oh, Ezra, that's awful. How could Americans ever fight each other? Well, Sue, my dear, men sometimes do strange things when they're angry. We don't know much about this fighting, but if there's a war between the states, it looks like trouble for shipping. Ah, you're right there, sir. And the Confederates' gunboats are always down here and Tristan to capture Yankee whalers. So that's what you meant when you spoke of our boldness, Mr. Cotton. We saw no warships, though, near the islands. Ah, you were fortunate indeed, sir. We'll be glad to have you as long as you may care to stay, sir. It's only fair to warn you what might happen if a cruiser sails into the passage and finds your vessel anchored out there. Captain, I think we'd better set sail from here as soon as we can. I've asked Mr. Grange. We've faced trouble before and we can do it again. But we'll not waste time. There's no use looking for squalls when they ain't around. We'll stow in some casks of water then, Mr. Cotton, look over the ship for any repairs we need and in a couple of days we'll hoist anchor. A vest. What was that? Captain Dawson, Captain Dawson, it's a full rigged vessel sailing toward the island fighting cannon. And the Pope heard us out there right in its path. What if it's a warship? Easy there, me hearties. We'll hold to. It's flying o' colors. All we can do is stand our ground and hope if she does attack our ship out there, our men on board will be ready for her. Rock! All hands, ahoy! Dirty weather ahead! Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! Rock! The ten minutes have gone by and there's been no firing. What do you make of it, Dickon? Well, lash me to the skipper, sir. I don't know, I don't. But you dropped anchor out there and it looks to me like the man in the bar of this boat that's come on the shore might be a skipper. Johnny, it can't be a warship. The captain's not dressed in naval uniform. But I wonder why it was firing that cannon then. Hey, Cotton, you white-bearded forpals, what's the blooming idea of letting that other vessel anchor out there in the bay just where I always put in with the Afrikaner? But please, sir, Captain Kosh, sir. I didn't expect you back so soon, sir. I didn't think there'd be any harm. Ah, stir it. You know, that's the most sheltered spot in the harbor where they always want to drop anchor. Well, there's Captain Kosh, whoever you may be. It's my ship you're referring to. And I'm so sorry I ran into your private slice of the harbor. However, as I saw no sign in the bay saying, this space reserved for the Afrikaner, I don't rightly see that you've got anything to say about it. Well, a sea lawyer, are you? You better keep a civil tongue in your head. For best, Mr. Kosh, I may be no sea lawyer, but I know enough to smell something amiss in the wind when a merchant captain, for so I take you to be, fires cannons on entering a port as deserted as this. Now, suppose you state your business civilly to Mr. Cotton here, or you may regret your unusual methods. Rawr! Tell them, Skipper! Lay on with the ropes in! Quiet, quiet, quiet, you blustered chicken face! Well, playin' protector, eh? If it's any of your business, I'm Captain Kosh of the Foremaster Afrikaner out of New Orleans to Cape Town with cotton and trading goods. And we've stopped here for provisions. And if it's any further of your business, any skipper who knows the seas knows enough to carry cannons for protection in treacherous times like these. Are you satisfied, Mr. Sea Lawyer? Aye, your story sounds fair, but I'm not your judge. I'm Captain Dalton of the Whaler Pal Parrot, homeward bound for New Bedford with a full cargo. A full cargo, Mr. Dalton? Aye. Your ship's ridin' high in the waters for one with a full cargo whale oil, if I know anything about it. If asked, Mr. Kosh, you don't know anything about it, and there's no reason why you should. Ah, let's end this argument and transact our business as we should. There are certain courtesies of the seas. Captain, there's them skippers who don't have enough sense to know the courtesies of the seas. Rawr! Blasted pirate! Blasted pirate! Rawr! That's enough, Dickon. We didn't ask for your opinion. You shouldn't have said that. There's no use getting the other captain angrier. Oh, I can't help it, lad, that I can't. I can tell a sea-going bully when I sights one, and he's one of them. You may lay to that. All right, we'll have done with it. I get first choice of all the provisions as usual, Mr. Cotton. Oh, but sir, maybe Captain Dalton here... The best, Mr. Kosh. I made port here first. But even then, I'm willing to give you equal choice. But first choice of provisions you'll not have. And why not? He knows I'll pay well for them when I reach Cape Town in return. Well, why not pay now? Trade from your cargo. These folks can use cotton or other supplies better than your credit, which means less than nothing in this end of the world. Yeah, still interfering, eh? I suppose you can pay for all the provisions you want in cash. We certainly can, and more handsomely than you with all your bullying talk. Oh, you can, eh? It looks funny to me, Captain Dalton. A whale out there by the looks of a Kerry's little whale oil, it is fixed to pay any price. Maybe you picked up a pirate treasure chest, eh? Of course, it ain't none of my business. Right, right, it ain't none of your business. Looks like the blooming parrot knows you pretty well after all, Captain Kosh. Hang the blooming bird. Very well, I'll have to agree with you. But you're lucky to share a lake with Captain Kosh. Let's get the dealing over with. Aye, aye, for in the day we'll weigh and anchor ourselves, and then we're homeward bound. Well, Mr. Grange, looks like everything's shaping up fine now that we're leaving. There'll only be smooth sailing ahead. You may lay to that. Yes, Captain, I'm certainly happy that we're on the last part of our journey. And above all, we've seen no trace here at Tristan of what we feared most, a southern gunboat. Avast, Mr. Grange, you know how stories grow with the telling. I'll wager you we'll never see a warship all the way back to port. Here we are at the ship. Come on, come on, you two youngsters, up the ladder with your Johnny and Sue. Come on, I'll give you a boost. Here we go. Raise the whale boat to the davits, Mr. Buscarra. Step lively, men. Stand by the way anchor. Mr. Wainwright, send hands aloft to put on full sail. What a spanking foot wind to make the most out of. Avast, Avast, lash me to a yard on. Captain Dalton, Captain Dalton, look after a moment. That blink and swap gawsh has put an old canvas on his ship. Well blow me down, Dick, and what of it? We knew that the Afrikaner expected to leave today too. Aye, sir, we did that. But if you'll remember, Captain, he's bound for Cape Town, ain't he? Aye, so he is, and what of it, man? Well, sir, if he's bound for South Africa and we're heading north when you're Bedford, so help me, Captain. Why is he tacking about and following us? What? Blow me down. He is swinging about. Oh, Dickon, you don't suppose he's going to give us any trouble? Well, Miss Sue, I can't say what's in the windlass. All I know is when the skipper of a merchantman arms his vessel with heavy guns and goes about bullying poor settlers, and then he changes his course to follow a ship. He's more likely to be a bloomin' privateer than a merchant skipper, he is. A privateer, is he? Well blow me down, mates, with a seaworthy craft like the Pall Parrot. We'll show him our heels in short time. Ahoy, hoi, Stanker! Ahoy, hoi, sailor then! C'mon, he's a pirate! He's a bloody pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! C'mon, he's a pirate! Why has Captain Karsh completely turned his ship around to follow the Pall Parrot? Those heavy cannons on the Africana do look suspicious. Is Karsh really a privateer? And what will he do if he catches the Pall Parrot? Will he find the priceless diamonds on board? Maybe our friends can out-distance him, but it'll be a thrilling race if they do. Whatever happens, we know it'll be exciting, so don't miss the next Transcribed Adventure in the cruise of the Pall Parrot. And until then, this is your Pall Parrot announcer, Dave Ward, saying goodbye.
