Summary “The shore of luck”
Peter Blood takes on board his ship four Spaniards, shipwrecked. One of them is don Ilario de Saavedra, the new governor of Hispaniola, who arrived in the New World to assist the Marquise Riconete in the capture of Captain Blood. In spite of this circumstance, Blad provides medical assistance to the Spaniard and delivers him to the Spanish port of Santo Domingo. Going ashore, Don Ilario decides to allow the Corsair ship to repair and stock up fresh water on a small deserted island located at the entrance to the bay. Pirates do not have time to finish the repairs, as the squadron of Marquis Riconeet is approaching Espanola. Captain Blood, taking advantage of the advantageous strategic position of the island, blocks the mouth of the Dragon (the entrance to the harbor of Santo Domingo). The Marquis of Riconete is compelled to give guarantees to the Bloodguard, and his ships drop anchor in the port of Santo Domingo. Despite these promises, the former governor of Santo Domingo and the Marquess
Peter Blood finds out that the Spanish settlement of Cartagena was looted by a pirate pretending to be Blood. However, two Spanish treasure ships managed to escape from the sea brigands and get to Puerto Rico. Blood decides to resort to cunning and capture these ships with values. He arrives in the city of San Juan de Puerto Rico, introducing himself to the governor as Don Pedro Encarnado, the messenger of Admiral Riconee. Blood transmits to the Governor – Don Sebastian
Chevalier de Sentozh arrives on Tortuga with an order from the French minister, in which the Governor of Tortuga d’Ogeron is ordered to stop the trade with pirates and filibusters. The governor tries to explain to the messenger that such an order will not only ruin his colony, but also prevent the filibusters from restraining the aggression of Spain. Chevalier de Sentozh does not believe that Spain, which does not wage war with France, may pose a threat to French ships and colonies. After the messenger’s departure, d’Ogeron tells Blood about an order to restrict the activities of pirates. Blood is seriously concerned about both the possible loss of benefits, and the prospects that the Spaniards will receive if the filibusters disappear. The captain promises the governor to take another attempt to convince the chevalier. Blood arranges a demonstration: “Maria Gloriosa” under the guise of a Spanish ship attacked by the ship on which floats de Sentozh and his wife, and Arabella provides timely assistance to the French. Having convinced by their own example that the Spaniards really show aggression towards neutral ships, and filibusters are interfering with Spanish hegemony in the Caribbean Sea, the Chevalier de Sentozh cancels his orders.
Nathaniel Hagthorpe asks Captain Blood to help release his brother Tom Hagthorpe, who has been in slavery for more than two years. Tom was bought by Colonel Bishop, but a little later it was bought back by Sir James Court, the governor of the base Nevis because of the whim of his quarreling wife, who was interested in Tom. However, when the young man rejected the mistress’s love claims, he again found himself on the plantations. Blood takes Jeffrey Court, the cousin of Sir James Court, hostage, intending to exchange it for Tom. Blood arrives on Nevis, first incognito, but then announces his name and says openly that he will let Geoffrey go if the governor agrees to release Tom Hagthorpe, otherwise Geoffrey will be hanged on the yard. However, Sir James unexpectedly refuses such a deal and insists on hanging Tom, not caring at the same time about the fate of his cousin. It turns out that between Lady Court and Jeffrey was a novel, which Sir James recognized. Blood offers a different solution – he agrees to take Geoffrey away from Nevis and inspire him to not look for more meetings with Lady Court, and in return, Sir James will release Tom. The Governor agrees with such a proposal, Blood together with Tom return to the ship, and Geoffrey Court, apparently, leaves the West Indies.
Blood learns that the governor and the mayor of the Spanish port of Havana actually robbed the captain of the English merchant ship, using a loophole in the laws, and later tried to sink his ship. The English captain, Tom Walker, managed to escape on the captured Spanish karak. Deciding that such an act should not go unpunished, Blood organizes a hoax. He resides in Havana and informs the governor that he is in captivity is the cardinal-archbishop don Ignacio de la Fuente, whose arrival the Spaniards waited from day to day. Cardinal depicts the disguised Iberville, and the retinue – sailors, but the deception remains unnoticed. Blood demands the governor to return to Captain Walker the money that was taken from him and, in addition, to pay a ransom for the freedom of the archbishop to one hundred thousand ducats. The alleged cardinal is interested in the incident with Captain Walker, and, having learned the details, sharply condemns the governor and the mayor for fraud. Under the pretext that his landing in Havana threatens the governor with a court and, possibly, the death penalty, Iberwil states that he will not go ashore in this port. The deception was discovered only two weeks later, when a real cardinal arrived in Havana.
Being in the Spanish settlement of Rio de la Acha, Blood becomes a witness of the attack of three Spaniards on the Englishman. The cause of the collision was a girl. Blood gets into a fight, forcing the Spaniards to retreat. It turns out that the Englishman George Ferfax and Spaniard Isabela are a couple in love, and the attackers of Ferfax were the girl’s brother and his friends. Blood, along with the wounded Ferfax and Isabela, boarded the “Heron” – the ship of Ferfax, which was consistent with the plans of Blood, who sought to leave the Spanish possessions. Blood asked the Englishman in gratitude for the help rendered to bring him to Tortuga. This carelessly expressed desire allowed Fairfax to guess that on his ship is the wanted filibuster Peter Blood. Ferfax decides to give Blood to the Marquis of Riconet for a reward, Isabela objects to such an act in relation to the person who saved them. They quarrel, and Fairfax orders to lock the girl in the cabin, and Blood in the hold. However, the pirate warns of the actions of Fairfax and, threatening the skipper, makes you change your course and swim back to Rio de la Acha. Blood and Isabela landed on the shore, the girl returned to her family, and Blood to the neutral island of Curacao.
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