The jungle watched silently as the ship landed on the beach. The noise of the engines hushed to a whisper as the craft settled into place. The hull loomed vertically, pointing an optimistic finger into space, the void from which it had descended. Slowly, with scarcely a sound, a massive door slid open, and several figures appeared. The leader sniffed the air before breaking into a broad smile.
“Avast there lads! Tis as it was. Better even. The pollution has gone and ‘tis a pleasure to breathe the fine fresh air of Earth,” he said. “We are home”
Slowly, cautiously, his followers trailed out behind him. A curious bunch, they appeared as a wide variety of men, mostly wearing bandanas or scarves around their heads and sporting thigh hugging boots in varying states of disrepair. One of them carried a huge black flag which he thrust deep into the sand. As it unfurled the giant skull grinned sardonically over the notorious crossbones which many aeons ago had brought terror to the small islands of the Caribbean.
“This be the place” the captain cried. "This be the very island where Morgan buried his treasure. Gold doubloons, precious jewels, fancy silks to make us the richest folk in the Outer Colonies. Now heave to and we’ll commence lookin’, so we shall.Tom Oates,fetch ‘ee a few shovels and picks and let’s be at it”
The motley crew gathered together their tools and shuffled away into the trees which marked the onset of the jungle. Soon the party was deep into the undergrowth, cursing as the tough foliage snapped at their faces and hands as they forced their way inland.
Eventually they came upon a clearing, a bright emerald green eye that covered the centre of the island. Before they could move forward, the captain gave a word of caution.
"Steady there mates! Watch out now. This be a swamp so ‘tis. Be careful where you put your feet now. Old Morgan had a mortal fear of water so I say ‘tisn’t too deep, but we take no chances. Some of you start yonder. The rest begin on this side. First man to strike gold gets a bonus.”
The crew moved off to the search in a noisy mime of enthusiasm. For hours they poked high and low through the swamp. Deeper and deeper they probed, until the foul-smelling mud was up to their chins. They resembled living fossils as they became caked in thick, heavy mud. The lack of success, brought mutinous grumblings from the ranks. They were in danger of being buried alive as they sank deeper and deeper. Soon they began to curse and swear as it became obvious that the inner depths of the swamp contained no treasure. Nothing at all. They faced a bleak future.
The captain stirred himself from his comfortable perch from which he had watched them toil and suffer. “I tell ‘ee lads, you’re in too far. I told ‘ee, Morgan was afeared of water. Come back now, and try somewhere else.”
From the ranks of bedraggled men came a dark oath. “If we don’t find the treasure, then ‘tis the black spot as you’ll be getting captain. We’ve come too far to be disappointed now”
The captains words held a note of cheerful pessimism. “Lads ! Lads ! Would I lead you wrong. I know this is the spot. You be searching too far out, that’s all. Come now me boys. One more try. We can do this, Keep a sharp eye out and we’ll be rich.”
Slowly the crew retraced their footsteps. Three more hours they searched, in waist high mud. Then they turned on their captain in a blind fury. They cried out as they shook weary fists or mud clogged spades in his direction. It looked as though the reign of Edward Bones as a pirate chief was over.
“One more time lads. Just one more chance. Look over yonder, where no mortal foot has walked for nigh on eight hundred years. The sward is undisturbed so there’s still a chance that the treasure be lying there.”
Some of the crew snorted in disbelief, thoroughly disheartened by the hours wasted, but nevertheless they moved towards the virgin green mould. The swamp slowly subsided until it only reached to their knees.
Suddenly, a pirate gave a muffled curse of pain as his lower leg struck something solid. With an air of growing excitement, their previous grievances forgotten, they reached below the surface and hauled aloft a great trunk, obviously a treasure chest from some long gone age.

The captain howled with delight.“See lads. It’s just as I told ‘ee all this time.


Booty is only shin deep


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Copyright © 2003 Thomas Vaughan