Pirate Latitudes

by Michael Crichton

In 1665, Captain Charles Hunter is hired as a privateer by the Governor of Jamaica, Sir James Almont, to lead an expedition to the island fortress of Matanceros. It is there that a galleon, supposedly containing treasures untold, is awaiting protection for safe travel across the Atlantic, back to Spain. Almont is excited about the possibility of reward in this venture, though his secretary, Mr. Robert Hacklett, is less than enthusiastic and calls Hunter a pirate.

Hunter gathers his crew in Port Royal, Jamaica and sets sail to capture the ship in its own harbor. Mere days into the journey, their ship, the Cassandra, is captured by a Spanish warship commanded by none other than Cazalla, the infamous Spaniard who commands Matanceros. After a daring escape from their cell, Hunter and his crew reboard their ship and continue on their way before Cazalla can retaliate.

Upon their arrival at Matanceros, Hunter, Black Eye, Lazue, Sanson, and the Moor all make their way behind the fortress. Encountering high cliffs, rough jungle foliage, and deadly animals, the crew comes to see that Cazalla has docked under the suspicion that Hunter is still on his way to the island. The privateers manage to make their way around the village and the soldiers occupying it long enough to set their traps. After a short duel between Hunter and Cazalla, the traps are sprung, and a cut to the throat kills Cazalla. The Cassandra appears, and the crew takes their captain, his shipmates, and the galleon out to sea.

After a few days, the treasure inside the galleon, El Trinidad, is accounted for, but Hunter refuses to split the treasure between the two ships, not trusting Sanson. Soon afterward, Hunter discovers he is being pursued by the warship commanded by Bosquet, Cazalla's second-in-command. Hunter is chased to Monkey Bay, where he narrowly evades capture with the aid of Lazue's keen eyesight. The sun's glare on the ocean renders the warship unable to follow. Here, Hunter waits a few days, until the crew spy an impending hurricane. Now they divide the treasure between the two ships, in case one sinks in the storm and all is lost. Using Don Diego's genius, they arm their cannons and aim for a mere two defensive shots. Upon their departure, however, the warship has disappeared.

While celebrating their surprise escape, they see – a few miles out to sea – the warship quickly approaching their stern. With Hunter aboard, El Trinidad sustains massive damage from cannon fire. The aimed cannons fire upon the warship, merely damaging it with the first shot and seeming to miss entirely with the second. However, after a moment of inactivity, Hunter realizes the second shot actually landed a devastating blow, and the attacking ship explodes and sinks rapidly. Moments later, there is little evidence of the warship.

Victory evades the two ships, however, as rain and storm begin. The El Trinidad and the Cassandra, helmed by Sanson, are separated by fierce winds and strong currents. After the storm abates, Hunter finds El Trinidad beached on a strange island. A few hours later, they see the island is inhabited by cannibal natives, who nearly capture Governor Almont's niece. On their way back to Port Royal, the crew suffers yet another misfortune when a Kraken attacks their ship. After the beast has killed many and damaged the vessel, Hunter manages to mortally injure it. Their path to Port Royal is finally clear.

Upon the crew's arrival, a courier informs them that Almont is gravely sick, and Hacklett has taken charge as governor. Hunter is arrested and put to trial, at which Sanson betrays his captain and lies to the court. Hunter is sentenced to be placed in prison and then hanged. With the aid of Almont (who was being held prisoner by Hacklett), Hunter is sprung from prison and kills the men who sentenced him, save for the judge, who pardons Hunter. Hacklett is shot in the groin, and Sanson sends word that he alone knows where the other half of the treasure is. Hunter turns the man's own crossbow against him, killing Sanson, and throws his body overboard letting the sharks eat his body, and is never able to find Sanson's treasure.