Diary Entry 4 -- May 19, 1778

I believe my luck may make a turn for the better very soon. William, the dock hand I met in Carrickfergus, strolled into the very same pub in which I drown my sorrows nightly. He immediately approached me, almost as if he knew where to find me when he needed me. He had come to follow up on the business we had previously dealt with together, the same business that ultimately ruined my life, or so I thought. I am unsure that I should have trusted him, but at this point, I honestly have nothing else to lose. 

Before I stray too far into the specifics of this visit, perhaps I should explain the origin of our deal. While at the harbor in Carrickfergus, William told me of this wealthy family, the Darlings. He carried on and on about the kind of business this family conducted. Largely, they made their wealth from illegal black market deals. They would ship varying quantities of goods, weapons, tools, and slaves to anybody that had the money to pay. William told me of a job soon to be carried out by the Darling family, but this job was special, he said. According to William, this job paid enough to feed a man for ten lifetimes. The Darlings hired William to find a sailor that knew the sea better than the sailor knew himself.

After telling me of these details, William escorted me to a nearby pub to meet a representative of the Darling family. The man we met was very tall and slender, and finely dressed in a clearly expensive garment. He looked down past his long, pointed nose at me and asked William if I was the sailor he was asked to acquire. He explained the job, but did not go into great detail. He spoke of the ship I would use, a large merchant vessel known as the Encounter. He gave very specific directions of how to arrive at my destination, but strangely, he did not give me the name of the port. The representative said, and I quote, "You will embark on your journey from London. You will travel in no specific direction at no specific speed. You will not stray from your original bearings. You will know when you have reached your destination. Have I made myself clear?" I had never heard such foolish orders in all my life, but for the amount of money this job was worth, I wouldn't dare turn it down. The representative instructed William to fetch me when it came time to embark. 

It would appear that time has come. William sought me out tonight with news that we embark in three days, and that I am to meet him tomorrow so that we may travel to London together. I asked him about the strange nature of this job, of the bizarre instructions the representative had given me, but William sternly said that we both must follow orders exactly as they are given. He was not being particularly informative. I did, however, manage to get one piece of information from William before he departed on his way. I explained to him that if we are to work together, I should at least know his full name. He rose from his seat, outstretched his hand to shake mine, and uttered the words "William Smee."