Those new skills were helpful when Jon van Weir spent much of the last year monitoring the ship’s construction. Henri Roulfs found it far easier to bond with the likable young man than his sometimes difficult father. Jon’s youthful enthusiasm for the project reignited the spirit of creativity within the middle-age shipbuilder; at times it was the young noble’s input that help drive the innovative design. Jon also became a bridge between Henri Roulfs and his estranged son Gustoff. While the father and son had not united, they were able to communicate through Jon. Gustoff’s knowledge of big guns helped his father design a frame strong enough to carry the weight of the ordinance best suited for the warship.
For Henri initially found himself in a shipbuilder’s quandary. He was given two conflicting goals to overcome during the design process. The first by the father was the requirement that the ship have speed to escape powerful enemy vessels. The second by the son that the ship be dominant enough to confront any adversary met on the high seas. While the son wanted a fighting ship that could slug it out with larger warships, the shipwright knew his father wanted a fast ship able to maneuver out of harm’s way if necessary. By the time the hull was completed the builder was satisfied with the narrow underbody and sleek lines. When he placed the set of three tall masts properly and viewed them being rigged in square and triangular sails, he knew the goals of speed and maneuverability was met.
Henri’s also knew his use of dense oak for the framing and planking made the ship extremely strong. Each gun position was reinforced by a live oak knee that would solidly brace the gun deck for the weight and recoil of even the heaviest guns. Space, rather than any structural weakness, limited the number to five cannons on each side of the ship. Gustoff‘s recommended choice of ten powerful but light-weight bronze cannons met Jon’s criteria and it was on that gun deck that Henri introduced a new revolutionary design. While a second deck for cannons was becoming more commonplace in European warships, the deck usually had small round holes called “ports” which allowed little traverse for cannons. Henry devised a larger rectangular opening for each cannon that allowed gunners more space to aim their cannon. He also developed hinged scuttles on his ports, allowing them to be closed when the ship encountered stormy seas. Henri felt confident he met the requirements of both father and son.
Jon van Weir and Gustoff Roulfs began spending a great deal of time together whenever Jon came to Amsterdam. Gustoff was not quite ready to unite with his family in Rotterdam. The discussions between the two young men ranged far beyond the ship’s cannons. They included every weapon, from the swivel guns on the quarterdeck deck to the best variety of small arms for the crew. A bond developed between the young men. Jon van Weir, the outgoing but guarded aristocrat and Gustoff Roulfs, the excitable burger’s son, became an unlikely dynamic duo. The tall, handsome, well-educated young noble and the stocky, boisterous, illiterate, slightly older burger became a likable winning team. They became true friends and almost brothers. They enjoyed each other’s company and trusted in the other’s judgment. Both had suffered through parental difficulties. Jon felt his father had abandoned him at an early age; Gustoff felt his mother loved him, but never really cared for him. Sometimes they confided these painful feelings with each other. They found they made good decisions collectively and would debate the minutia of an issue until both were satisfied with the result.
Those solid decisions and Henri’s brilliance in designing the forerunner of a frigate, would give them an advantage over enemy vessels they met. They were a team. Jon as captain would decide when to run or fight: Gustoff’s would see to it that their ship’s weapons were used to full advantage. They had faith in the ship’s strength. It would withstand the considerable recoil of the cannons. Those guns would be accurate, powerful, and devastating. They believed they had the power to shatter the hull of any ship and could teach their sailors to use the weapons. Most importantly, Jon recognized that Gustoff would be a good and trustworthy companion on the long voyage to Italy. Both were well aware that their ancestors had shared similar adventures in the past. Each longed for this adventure.
The young captain laid the groundwork for their departure by meeting often with the ship’s key personnel. Without disclosing the destination, he let a few important crew members know it would be a long and difficult journey they might not survive. He often spoke with the entire crew about the weapons because he wanted them to know that this ship was first and foremost a fighting ship. He gave the master the responsibility of purchasing a six month’s supply of food and stores needed for a long voyage. The master and the pilot were told to acquire charts and instruments needed to navigate to the Italian peninsula. He told them he hoped to keep the ship as far away from the hostile shorelines as much as possible. He appointed a seasoned seaman to the Boatswain’s position. The master said the large man had studied painting in Brussels before abandoning his brushes for life on the sea. The new boatswain was told to select a few of the crew’s most trusted sailors to help acquire supplies. Since the master and the new boatswain would have the responsibility of the day-to-day operations aboard, Jon told them he wanted to be immediately informed of any unusual event, no matter how small. He told them he and Gustoff would take direct command in times of danger or uncertainly.
Gustoff was given the additional duties of Master of Arms. It would be his responsibility to mold twenty-five crewmen and twelve soldiers into an effective fighting unit. Gustoff’s experience and extraordinary knowledge of weaponry made him the perfect choice. The crew, aware of his reputation, followed his instructions and learned to load and fire the cannons and the small swivels with proficiency after three weeks of never-ending firing exercises. The controversial German cannons performed flawlessly during the training. Each seaman was also expected to become competent with a pistol or musket. Gustoff saw to it that each became proficient at loading, firing, and rapidly reloading their personal weapon. Knowing the crew enjoyed the pure act of discharging a weapon, Gustoff brilliantly used those almost boyish desires to create marksmen. A silhouetted target of a man was placed on the railing of the ship with each crew member allowed to fire, not until he hit the target, but until the silhouette was missed. Once the target was missed, he returned his weapon to the captain’s cabin and found himself assigned less pleasant duty for the remainder of that day. Being able to hit the target each time became important. Gustoff’s excited voice often reminded the men that their lives may well depend on accuracy. It was clear to all that Gustoff expected them to consistently hit the mark at such a short distance. Eventually every crew member did. Gustoff also had the veteran soldiers teach the less experienced sailors the best way to use other bladed weapons.
Discipline was an important part of Gustoff’s training sessions; the crew needed to instinctively follow commands without question and they soon learn to do just that. The constant boom of the ship’s cannons and the sound of small arms fire on the Zuider Zee disturbed people on land but the loud noises continued until Jon knew the ship and crew were ready for any eventuality. The week before their scheduled departure, life became more peaceful, with everyone concentrating on unloading the cart loads of stores arriving daily. These supplies needed to be stowed properly below deck. It was each crewman’s responsibility to find a place for sleeping that did not interfere with the operation of the ship. (This was a time well before ship’s masters borrowed the idea of hammocks from the Indians in South America.) The presence of a dozen soldiers made the ship crowded and left little space to construct pens for the livestock that provided fresh meat during the journey. Taking fewer animals meant a blander diet on a journey that all knew would be uncomfortable. It would be wet and cold as they made their way through the Atlantic Ocean, and humid and hot when they reached Mediterranean waters.
Abraham’s Youngest Son began the journey as planned, within the darkness of night. There were no grand farewells or the commotion of relatives bidding goodbye. Their mission demanded the
trip begin in secrecy. Appropriately, it began with a quiet prayer before they raised the anchor and slipped out of Amsterdam heading toward the North Sea and the English Channel. When they were midway through the channel, the captain summoned all hands and told them their mission was to deliver the three on-board representatives of the Dutch Republic to Venice. Jon told the crew of the extreme dangers of sailing past France, Portugal, and Spain before reaching the treacherous Straits of Gibraltar. He emphasized that this initial part of their journey would be the least threatening portion of their voyage. Upon reaching the warmer waters of the Mediterranean, they must then run a gauntlet of Spanish, French and Morisco privateers and be prepared at any time to meet the main battle fleets of Spain or the Ottoman Empire somewhere along the way. All surmised that spies had already alerted the Spanish and their French allies of the mission. John told his crew they would survive the journey by using the Stella Maris and the navigator’s instruments to guide them in the general direction. Once they cleared the English Channel, he planned to sail far from any coastline. They would rely on the help of God, good readings at night, and the ship’s compass to navigate their way to the Straits of Gibraltar without detection. Before dismissing them, he reminded each to ask God to bless the ship and its mission. To their astonishment, he also told them that not only Jesus, but all the ancient gods of his homeland would also protect the ship he commanded.
The master proved to be a gifted navigator. His readings of the stars, kept the ship well out of sight of any coastline but always on course. Abraham’s Youngest Son sailed past France and Spain with good wind and fair weather. They sailed so far out to sea that they never encountered another ship, until they came upon a group of startled Portuguese fishing boats off the coast of Portugal. The master had turned a bit prematurely to enter the Strait of Gibraltar. A mistake caused by a few nights of cloudily skies. Though Portugal was technically an ally of Spain, the fishermen willingly gave the Dutch ship its true location near Lisbon. Jon decided to replenish the ship’s depleted stores by confiscating cheese, fish and a few barrels of Portuguese wine from the fishermen, but left the “enemy” fishing fleet in peace.
It was a rainy night as they entered the seventeen mile wide Strait and the storm continued for many days. At one point the high winds forced them within sight of Tangiers on the Moroccan coast but the same foul weather protected them from encountering privateers. Despite, the strong winds, the master was able to turn the ship away from the coastline. The weather changed and they sailed with good wind until another series of storms pushed them again toward the Arabian shoreline off the coast of Algiers. Here, they were confronted by a number of small fast Arab vessels which foolishly began to chase them until they were easily driven off by Jachtschip’s musket and swivel fire. They saw no large ships until they sailed between Sicily and Malta, where they frequently observed tall sails in the distance. To avoid those vessels, Jon was forced to make frequent course adjustments when warships attempted to intercept them. The Jachtschip’s speed foiled all pursuits. They were at sea for many months when they made the final hard right turn into the Ionian Sea. Morale soared as the tired crew could now envision a straight sail past Greece with a clear corridor to Venice. As was sometimes the case in Mediterranean waters, the wind suddenly disappeared. The sea became calm and still and Abraham’s Youngest Son was left drifting somewhere past Sicily.
“A sail!” was the cry from the lookout at the top of the main mast. The sharp-eyed seaman had spotted a single ship on the otherwise empty horizon. At first, Jon had little concern because the other ship would be suffering the same lack of wind, but to be safe he sent the experienced pilot aloft to appraise the distant ship. The pilot scrutinized the ship for a long time before reporting back to the captain. The pilot was concerned; he thought the ship a warship, a Turkish or Spanish galley, which used sails and oars for propulsion. If it were Ottoman, it probably had their Christian slaves rowing at a fierce pace to reach Abraham’s Youngest Son. The Turkish captain would know they were a European ship and that any sailing ship would be all but immobile in the windless calm sea. All galleys had the advantage of mobility when there was little wind. A large galley like this would also have an advantage in firepower. Some carried gigantic cannons capable of firing a fifty pound ball. Jon called the ship to arms. Sailors ran to pick up weapons while the soldiers appeared for the first time in full armor. All ten cannons were quickly primed and loaded with ten pound iron balls. Each soldier and sailor took his assigned battle position. Everyone watched the slowly approaching galley with a growing sense of anxiety.
It soon became apparent it was a large Turkish galley that was closing the distance between them. Jon knew some Turkish galleys carried a crew of four hundred, an array of cannons, and a few hundred of the fierce Janissaries, the greatest Muslim warriors. The galley would try to rake the Son’s main deck with cannon and musket fire before lowering a ramp to unload a screaming hoard of Janissaries on to its deck. These fierce warriors would be armed with spears, swords, knives and guns. They would inevitably overcome his outnumbered crew by sheer numbers alone. With the cannons loaded, Gustoff returned to the quarterdeck. He and Jon began bantering about the weather, a conversation the crew had overheard many times during the journey. It seemed odd that the young officers seemed almost oblivious to the oncoming peril. After a time, Jon ordered the ship’s main sail furled so the launch could be unlashed and lifted into the water. The boatswain and an armed boat crew were ordered into the boat. A line was attached to the launch and the ship’s bowsprit. The main sail was again raised as the ship’s launch attempted to tow the ship away from the on-coming pursuer. The nervous crew knew the best effort of the men in the launch would only, at best, buy additional time. If the wind did not return they were all aware their ship was probably doomed. The galley was rapidly closing the distance between them.
The young officers seemed remarkably cool as everyone began to be able to observe the activity of the Saracens on the galley’s main deck. A group of brightly clad men were lashing small cannon to their bow. This meant they were not carrying larger cannons and certainly none that could fire a fifty pound ball. When the single gun was finally discharged, a small ball fell harmlessly into the sea far behind them, but the distance between the ships was diminishing. Jon and Gustoff knew the real threat would come from a Moorish boarding party. Jon motioned the rowers in the launch to stop rowing. He signaled for them to rest. On their stationary Jachtschip, the crew was fearful, but the Dutch sailors and soldiers seem resigned to make the Moors pay a price for their lives. The blood of countless generations of heroes ran in their veins and all were resigned to accept whatever fate God had ordained for them, but only after one hell of a fight. When the enemy ship was within a hundred yards, Gustoff returned to the gun deck and Jon gave a loud command to the boatswain. The little boat came alive with all eight men pulling their oars vigorously as the little boat began to make a forty-five degree turn moving Abraham’s Youngest Son. With the tow line still attached, the maneuver positioned the starboard side of Abraham’s Youngest Son to face the oncoming menace.
Captain Jon van Weir gave another brisk command, this time to fire. It seemed an eternity before all five starboard guns, which had been individually aimed by Gustoff fired a broadside in unison. A broadside was a tactic that was new to naval warfare and a surprise to the Moors. Gustoff’s volley sent five ten-pound iron cannon balls slamming into the large bow of the approaching galley. The well aimed volley shattered an entire section of the enemy hull around the water line. The Moorish ship pitched upward, rowing ceased, and miraculously the enemy ship began to take on water at its bow. The Dutch crew watched with delight as the Moors attempted to stop the flow by filling the great hole in the hull with anything at hand, including their dead. At Jon’s next command, the launch reversed directions turning one hundred and eighty degrees as the boatswain’s rowers pulled the ship’s port guns into position for another broadside.
That second volley was even more effective and did extensive damage to the same area, spreading devastation among the Moors working to repair the previous damage. Many were shredded into pieces by the balls and splinters from their own wooden hull. That second broadside created an unstoppable flow of sea water. The bow of the ship was becoming slowly submerged and the once powerful galley began to sink. Jon and Gustoff were probably the only persons on the Dutch ship that were not totally surprised by such a rapid demise of such a fierce adversary.
Yet the Moorish captain wasn’t ready to admit defeat despite his sinking ship. He launched two smaller boats as his ship began to submerge. Each was filled with Janissaries in a desperate attempt to board and capture Abraham’s Youngest Son. As they began filling those boats, Gustoff was already having his gun crews reload the port-side cannons. At Jon’s command the crew’s muskets and swivel guns began slaughtering the Saracens in the small boats. Once the cannons were reloaded, Gustoff’s rapid fire sank both boats before they could reach the Dutch ship. At the same time, the galley began to sink. The Moors left most of the Christian slaves chained to their oars to perish. The Moorish captain disappeared along with his ship and most of his slaves beneath the waves. Some slaves did escape; surprisingly, among the survivors, were a number of females, the victims of a recent Moorish slavery expedition in Italy. The women swam as best they could toward the Dutch ship where they were taken on board. Captain Jon ordered the men in the ship’s launch to pick up only manacled men clinging to debris. Corsairs were left in the sea. Whenever a small group of Saracens swam near the ship, they were dispatched with musket fire. Abraham’s Youngest Son rescued ten young women and a dozen male galley slaves. Among the galley slaves were two former English seamen but most were former Venetians sailors. All were overjoyed at their good fortune.
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