Brasyl

“Sweeps! Sweeps!” Acunha roared as the house appeared out of the ripppling mist. The coxswain and his mates lashed still-drowsing oarsmen awake with knouts as the floating house spun ponderously on its pontoon and drifted past within a biscuit-toss of the Fé em Deus. Behind it was the second object Qui

“Larboard sweeps!” Captain Acunha shouted, ru

From the forward deck Luis Qui

“Hello the village!” Luis Qui

“Raise anchors!” Acunha shouted. Windlass catchpawls rattled over capstans. The anchors rose from the water, gray and slimy with river silt. “Sweeps! Starboard side. On my command.” The drum beat; the oars rose and dipped; Fé em Deus turned on the steel waters. “All pull.”

The slaves strained to their oars. Fé em Deus dashed forward, gaining on the house that Qui

“Again lads, let’s have you.”

A final effort and Fé em Deus drew alongside. Qui

Qui

“What is it, what happened my daughter?” Qui

“Leave her, Father,” Acunha ordered. “Bid Dr. Falcon come over from the ship.”

Falcon was helped over the narrow water between the two vessels.

’’I’m a geographer, not a physician,” he muttered, but yet knelt down beside the sister. “Get back get back, give the woman some air, let her see the light.” After a brief examination he drew Qui

“A botfly egg,” Acunha said.

“Indeed sir. Her burns are infested with them; infested, some have already hatched. From that we may deduce that the town was set to the torch not less than three days ago.”

“God and Jesus, they will eat her alive.” Acunha crossed himself, kissed his two fingers.

“I fear there is very little we can do save make her comfortable and easy. Captain, there is an herbal simple I have seen used in Belém do Pará; acculico it is called, a stimulant herb but with a potency for analgesia. I believe it would ease this woman’s suffering.”

Captain Acunha dipped his head in acknowledgment.

“The galley master keeps a supply in his sabretache. It puts a wondrous spark in the slaves’ stamina.”

“Good good. A few balls should suffice. Now, we must move her. Gently, gently.” A hammock slung from a bamboo pole negotiated the postulant as tenderly as they could over to Fé em Deus , but she still screamed and wept at every jolt and rub of her exposed tissue against the weave of the fabric. The slaves carried her to an awning on the aft deck. Falcon administered the leaf and in time soothed the woman’s ravings to a dull, relentless mad burble.

Qui

This was a judgment , Luis Qui

The altar was strewn with lumps of rain-softened excrement. Qui

The Fallen Cross. The permit for Just War.

The postulant would not tolerate Qui