The Nemisis I gave up. Tis too much a ship for my crew. I have no need to for such a monster. So on the way back from France I took a Dutch Pinnace and renamed her Nemisis II. She is a fast, bluff, and manuverable ship of 24 guns. With 40 hands we can sail her true to any course. And she draws only 10 feet so that we can take her to many'a port and stream that would wreak a larger craft.
Of course we had to take her and that was a nasty business. She was headed to the Texel Roadstead but we had the weather gauge and had a sloop of 8 guns. We over took her and tired to put her crew ashore in terrible winds. They foundered in sight of the headlands and all were lost. Twas a terrible thing to behold, all those men crying out, and we with our stern to them.
Their ship is a fine vessal indeed. Stout and of high quality. The Dutch shipbuilders are have a well deserved reputation as master craftsman. We spent the crossing, with mostly good weather, taking down the bulkheads and streamlinging her as best we could.
I hope Captain Fyre has fair winds with the old Nemisis. She is a fine grand battle boat. But this little Pinnace is a crafty, fearsome, and quick sea bird. There is something about each vessel I have stood upon. From the old Providence to this ship. Each has a spirit, as it were, and each a personality. A captain's hands upon the wheel of any ship need to love her lest he lose her. And like all women, each is unique.
