Tall Ship Stories

Lancashire Witch
The true-life events of the snow brig Lancashire Witch (c.1740-1782) are the basis of the following illustrated short story. Rather than telling this story in the third person I decided the story would be more fun narrated in the first person from the perspective of the ship’s spirit (Lancashire Witch). In addition, I have Lancashire Witch retell her story not in plain English but using a ‘bastardized’ version of old sailor jargon and Lancashire phrases to color her yarn. By bastardized I mean that she is using the meanings of the words in a fashion more suitable for the ship’s perspective, but not necessarily true to the interpretation of the words.

Introduction
By the mid-nineteenth century, the sea was swarming with ships bearing witch names. There were Sea Witches, Water Witches, Amber Witches, Witches of the Waves and Cheshire Witches. Some went on to fame and glory like the good ol’ Cutty Sark, but when I began my career, I was alone in the vanguard. There was hardly another witch at sea. Thar’ nobbut me, the Lancashire Witch. My name was like first draw from a tarot deck I was to foreshadow the future of all ships with a witch name. Stay but a moment and be enchanted by my yarn. As I reveal how fate did not vail my entrusted vanguard to anything less than an exceptional finish.

The 1st Witch Named Ship
When I first made my appearance in the annals of the sea (around 1740) it was not long after his majesty’s government had official change it’s stance towards witchcraft. My practice was officially changed to a felony from a capital crime (Act of Witchcraft Suppression 1735). However, the reprieve was like a carriage wedding on wheelbarrow fittings. Provincial sentiments still ran high against witchcraft and suspected individuals were treated like downright reasty loblolly. They were, on occasion, given a good lambasting wit do-lally stick. The poor souls had to endure the rounds of the galley from growlers spitting out insults from their grub-traps. To these simpletons I was nothing but a mullycrushed dossy. Into this era, I arrived...