The Pillars of Hercules
The Pillars of Hercules are about to be seen. Our ship will pass through the stretch of Gibraltar..!! The Captain announced to his passengers now gathered on deck; all had come to see the old Pillars of Hercules. They saw the distant passage between Spain and Morocco; a sea passage of only a few miles. “The distance between the two countries is about ten miles only to be exact. Spain has two cities surrounded by Moroccan land on Africa,“ the Captain said.
The Captain was standing behind his helm, speaking over a loud horn for the passengers to hear him well and he said again, "the legend of the Romans says that Hercules traveled to climb the mountain of Atlas. Instead, he climbed a great mountain connecting the Mediterranean with the Atlantic sea.
“Hercules didn't find a passage from one sea to the other. He used then his superhuman strength. He smashed through the mountain with one fist.
“The hard rock broke into thousands of thousands of pebbles. All sank into the oceans making the sands. The large hole his fist made up is the passage we see now. “We call it nowadays the Gibraltar passage or Pillars of Hercules. Below the passage is Africa," he told the passengers on deck.
“On one side they saw Spain. The land of kings Ferdinand and queen Isabela who sent Columbus to discover America”.
Then, the ship went slowly towards Spain seeking the passage of Gibraltar. On the opposite side, Morocco is the grand Moorish kingdom that extended to Spain also for a thousand years,“ the Captain said. Peter stood near the rail for some time, his eyes fixed on the land on either side. He imagined for a second the Moorish ships. All ships on their way to invade Spain.
Then, he imagined the Spanish warriors on their horses and the two sides ready for their battle and on the grand rock of Gibraltar the little Fatima girl, a brave girl from Portugal and the ship moved slowly on the warm waters of the Mediterranean Ocean.
The Captain called the port of Nador in Morocco his next stop. They would anchor there just after dinner time. Their ship would stay on their waters that night and depart the next day. Dinner came and the Carnerhill family joined the Captain's table again. Peter had a thousand and one questions for the Captain.
Would the Moorish people be their friends? Would the children play English games? Would they travel on their camels? Peter wanted to hear it all now and got ready for dinner time. When dinner time came up, he put his hand in the air asking permission from the Captain to speak and he said, " Captain Williamsmore, would you be there all the time? My mother and I and my sister Sarah had never been around at the Moroccan land?
"Oh, but of course, do not fear Peter and Sarah, he said. Moroccans are our friends indeed. They will chant and dance welcoming us. In fact, they will celebrate late into the night. Our ship will arrive with goods for the people from the markets of England. There is nothing to fear. We’re going to be amongst friends.
We all sleep aboard and tomorrow we depart again from the port of Nador. Our next port is after Morocco is going to be in Tunisia. Then our destination port of Alexandria, in Egypt,” the Captain said. Peter turned to his sister Sarah and whispered.
“We’re going to hear their music and see magicians in Tunisia's port..! Wow...he said looking at Sarah. He imagined children feeding their animals. He imagined flocks of lambs and roaming milking goats. What an adventure this is, he told himself. He went to bed, but not wanting to sleep, not wanting to close his eyes and miss the fun. The moon’s light entered through the little oval window on his bedside. Peter daydreamed about Tunisia and Egypt and Africa being a general, and captain and pirate in each of his dreams.
Early in the morning they went to the deck again and saw Moroccan land. The sun was softly warm when Peter heard the distant chants. The voice filled the air and his ears as well. He turned to his mom and asked about the man chanting.
"He is a faithful of God calling all to morning praying. Our churches have their bells to call to praying, here a man remind others to pray too," his mother explained.
"Oh, I can't wait to see it all," Peer said to Sarah.
"Can't wait either and see father too, "she said.
Sometime later, they went down from the ship to the grounds of the port. They found themselves roaming around in the Moroccan market. Many passengers have walked down to enjoy the plates of freshly Moroccan fruits. Colorful tables served with coconuts and sweetened figs. Others with walnuts and rice packed in little finger-like treats.
Many sweets ready to eat and everything Peter had imagined in his mind was there and more. Mountains of spices, some red, some yellow, some green and some brown piled like volcanoes, Peter told for Sarah and they giggled.
"Wow...all this food. Nobody can eat so much,” Sarah said.
There were silvery smelly fish and orange crabs of large legs moving. Red shrimp and mushy squid everywhere in baskets ready for everybody to take away.
Also, a flock of furry lambs stood in the middle of the street; some quiet, some fidgeting and wanting to flee the care of a man. At the distance, a tall tower rose into the air. A man with his arms up sang again. Peter's eyes went to the man for a moment, then, he explored large heads of turnips and the yellow lemons next to coconuts and mangoes too. He touched the wrinkled prunes and onions the size of large snowballs.
Then, a camel cry was heard all the market. Overburdened by the heavyweight on its back, a camel had fallen to the ground refusing to get up and carry its load. It looked old and tired, Peter noticed and then its owner pulled a rope tied to the camel's snout and shouted impatiently. He tried to get the animal to its feet, but the camel didn't get stand up.
The man beat the camel with is a wooden stick on the snout and then its rump. Behind the large camel, an agitated calf cried alarmingly. Peter and his family walked closer to the animal on the ground and stood near.
"Get up you dirty lazy camel! Get up now..! You old beast! Good for nothing you old camel..! I'll give you the stick one more time! Get up or I’ll put you to the grill, you good for nothing! I’m going to make you, meat for the market! Get up you lazy camel!
The man shouted upset and whipped the camel with his stick again and again. The camel got the punishment on its rump; it cried aloud and also the baby camel behind its mom. Peter's heart ached to watch the man’s cruelty. The man hit the camel again; this time on its snout very hard. Sarah protested hanging to her mother's hand. "Oh, mom! Why he’s punishing the camel," Sarah said saddened. "You’re bad, man! She yelled at the man a few feet from them. Peter behind her sister, grabbed a large onion and pitched it across the air. The onion landed on the man's nose and he fell to the ground. Then, the man got up to his feet and turned around irate.
He was looking for his attacker, his face angry, but Peter stood by her mother and sister. He had grabbed two more onions ready to pitch them against the cruel man.
"You coward..! Do not hit the camel..! Peter screamed at the man as he stood from the dirt. The man walked to Peter, the man holding a wood stick and ready to hit the child. But then, the Captain came from behind the man and he stopped the man by grabbing his hand and ordered to stop his attack.
“Here,” the Captain said, “here some coins. These children didn't mean to hurt you but to stop you from punishing your old camel. Take two coins. Take one for your bleeding nose. The other if you stop hurting the animal and go, "the Captain said firmly to the man.
The man returned to his camel and pulled the large camel from the rope around its snout. The animal stood under the heavyweight of its back and walked tiredly. Then, the man dragged the animal and left. Walking behind the large camel was a small baby camel. It went out running behind its mother as the man and his camels disappeared into the market. The people standing moved still gazing at Peter. The Captain stood with his mother and Sarah.
"You're brave. The two of you were and kind too. I'm proud to be your Captain. Please take a coin for the onion thrown to that man, "the Captain said to the merchant owner of the onions.
"No thanks. Here is a fresh juicy orange; one for the boy of brave spirit. Here, one for his kindness and one for her kindness too.“
The merchant said smiling at Peter and Sarah giving them oranges. Minutes later, the Captain and his passengers entered a hostel just near and rested there from the sun. They ordered lemonades and waited under the shade of the canopy above them.
"You’ve done what others might have not done. You defended the camel from an unkind man. Camels are diligent and strong, but also get tired when very old.
Now,“ the Captain said, ”you are free to visit the market for two hours.” ‘We’re going to depart again for Tunisia. Tomorrow we’re going to be in Alexandria port of Egypt.”
An hour or so later, Captain called all passengers aboard the Castle One. Peter and Sarah climbed up the ramp to the ship. They both wanted to be number one on the deck and minutes later they were aboard again.
The next port of Tunisia was in Peter's head when they stood by the rail to say goodbye to the Moroccan children below.
“Goodbye, goodbye, “both Peter and Sarah said pushing their hands up in the air.
“Goodbye, goodbye.! many children yelled smiling. All running as the ship moved away. The Tunisian port one day away then comes Alexandria,” Peter said excitedly to Sarah and both smiled.