Tungee's Gold
The idea for this
novel came from an old slave tale, "The Legend of Ebo
landing." I first heard the story at Savanna, Georgia
while doing research and writing a series of
documentaries for PBS television. The human tragedy of
those Africans drowning themselves got my attention
and I followed up by going to the source of the story,
St. Simons Island. I spent my first day on the island
talking to the natives and asking the obvious question
--why? The answer eventually came in the form of a
novel I call Tungee's Gold.
Tungee Cahill escapes
ambush and makes his way to San Francisco where he
deposits the gold and becomes immediate target for
assassination. He is shanghaied that same night and
wakes up onboard the Clipper ship Marcus F. Childs
bound for Liverpool. The MFC is rife with plots from
mutiny and piracy to insurance fraud. Tungee joins
Captain Foster and they halt a bloody takeover of the
ship.
When they reach the
treacherous waters off Cape Horn the MFC is hit with a
keening wind and freezing rain driven up from
Antarctica. But even though the ship bobs and weaves
like a punch-drunk fighter, through forty-foot waves,
she stays upright. Then makes her way around the Cape,
plows into Atlantic waters and up the East Coast of
South America to ST. Katherine's Island. However at
St. Kat scurrilous ship owner issues new orders, and
diverts the MFC to West Africa for another slave run.
Once the Africans are
herded onboard at Bonny Dock, West Africa the ship
heads out into the Atlantic. Chased by warships, the
captain elects to dodge into a heavy storm where winds
whip sheets of rain slash the bodies of men in the
rigging. One hapless sailor lets go the yardarm and
screams as he is lifted by the wind and tossed into
the foaming sea.
After the storm passes
some Africans are allowed to stay on deck. And during
the night Tungee and others watch as the Africans
participate in various rituals and incantations. Could
be voodoo or witchcraft -- but nobody knows for sure.
And when they do find out, it's tool late. A tribal
king called Kumi has inspired a score of his people,
to make the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. When the
slave ship anchors off the Georgia Coast and longboats
begin taking their human cargo ashore Kumi and some of
his followers go over the side without a sound, other
than the rattle of chains, as they slip beneath the
surface of the water. Tungee and the crew struggle to
save as many as they can even as the slave ship
mysteriously goes up in flames.
Tungee is tormented by
the Ebo's action; while at the same he is inspired by
their tenacious will to be free. And it's with that
confidence Tungee returns to San Francisco. In his
attempt to retrieve the gold he dodges an
assassination plot, makes an ally of Inspector Tossi
and is introduced to the beautiful Laura Dubek.
™