Tuesday, November 11, 2008

The Scouting Party Returns

11 November …

Good news today! Our officers' scouting party returned from Camp Trafalgar unscathed. The men gave a shout of joy and a salute as the party entered the gates into the compound. After debriefs from both sides were delivered, we talked of the mutual adventures. We also learned of the recent attacks by the lizardmen at Camp Trafalgar. Captain Higgins, Subalterns Landowski and Griggs were all saddened by the loss of Private Allen and were pleased by the naming of the tar pits in his honor. They were also quite surprised the pigeons did not make it back to us, as they had launched all they had - over a dozen of them.

Mr. Griggs commented on what he saw in Camp Trafalgar. It seems the British camp has a landing pad for the Ether Vessels, a freshwater well, eight Armstrong 12 pound breechloading cannons (3 in/76 mm), stone roads and access to Lake Wellington. The camp is also twice the size of our fort and has some civilian personnel living in camp (scientists and map makers).

The officers were quite happy about the progress we have made in their absence; however, they had a huge list of improvements to add to our fort. Maybe it was a bad idea for them to travel to Camp Trafalgar, as our workload has doubled with their ambitious schedule of improvements. Captain Higgins even went so far as to send a message back to Houston aboard the HMS Wales, requesting more engineers and equipment, including two 3” Whitworth-Colt Cannons (12 pound /76mm). We should expect to see the RTS Santa Fe in a few weeks, if not sooner.

Captain Higgins, Mr. Griggs and Mr. Landowski want us to show them the lizardman statue tomorrow, as it might help uncover the mysteries of these barbaric people. This is the first statue to be found of a lizardman anywhere in this hemisphere.

On the construction side of the house, we built eight more base structures. We also started building 4-hole burnouts (we will use tar as an ignition source to burn) and leach fields to replace the slit trenches. Mr. Griggs also looked at the plans for the outer walls, making notations and improvements to our initial design. We also completed a timber barn without walls so we can work on wall sections when the rain is at its worst. The rain was a drizzle most of the day and it was off and on. I am not complaining, as we can at least dig holes and place posts for foundations in drizzle and light rain.

Well it is off to dinner and I will call it a night, as I have a feeling I will need my rest for tomorrow will be a long day.

[Editors Note: The 3” Whitworth-Colt Cannon was a breechloading cannon based on the Whitworth 70mm design. It was manufactured in the Republic of Texas by the Colt Arsenal in Nacogdoches until the improved 3” Santa Fe was produced in 1901.]

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