Chapter Two

November 24th, 1907

      A wonderful thing has happened. Today, while I was walking along the bridge, a dove landed on my shoulder. I can only take this as a good omen. I have named her Felicitas, which is an ancient Latin name meaning “wealth” and “fortune.”
      I have kept Felicitas in a cage in my cabin. There she remains a constant reminder of what awaits me at the crest of my journey.

      I have heard some… grumblings from the crew regarding our food supply. My first mate, Erick, brought these concerns to me. Apparently, the crew has done a count and found that we will not have enough food to last us the entire journey.
      I’m in mixed spirits about this. For one, I have to wonder why my crew would doubt my original assessment. And should they even be snooping around the food stores at that? I suppose it is time to do my captain’s duty and ensure that everyone knows their place. I cannot tolerate insubordination at this point.
      On the other hand, I am filled with doubt. This is my first voyage and, as such, I cannot be absolutely sure that my initial assessment was true. However, I must be sure not to show any of this doubt, lest it lead to a decline in the morale of my crew.

      I visited the food stores myself to find that our supply has depleted at a rate greater than I had previously thought, which concerns me. I can only assume that crew members are sneaking midnight snacks and such without permission. I should talk to the cook about this. Of course, if the problem continues, then I shall call for Erick to bring forth the whip. I had wanted to try and make the entire voyage without invoking punishment, beyond the standard equator-hazing, but if worse comes to worse, I will not hesitate to give 10 lashes, for the sake of the voyage. My crew must understand how their actions affect the entire crew and, although I am a bit queasy of such a brutal task, I am ready to perform the duties of my position.

      I asked for advice from Erick on the subject. He is a good first mate and I would trust him with my life. He said that, as Captain, I should speak to the crew on the subject. As he told me this, however, I can’t help but notice a hint of uneasiness in his voice. I’m not sure what this means, but I fear that my most trusted crew member may not return that trust toward me.
      He told me if the problem of missing food gets too bad, we are not far from the coast of Africa, and could possibly make a slight detour. But, there is that hesitation and uneasiness in voice again. I am not sure if that is the right thing to do.

      I told him that I would pray on the subject and get back to him with my answer. However, after Felicitas landed on my shoulder, the answer is clear: God will provide. These three words carry with them the promise of success.
      As I said earlier, I don’t believe in Divine Providence, but I do believe God has ordained this voyage to be a success. And I believe Felicitas is proof of that.
      I go now to inform the crew of my decision.

Sincerely,
Capt. Edmund M. Hogglesforth