Reborn As a Pirate

This is the San Carlos Fortress...

Set sail from the camp, the Cangqing Dewdrop traveled 13 kilometers up the river bank, and soon saw the destination of his trip, Fort San Carlos, on the north bank of the San Juan River.

Unlike the fortresses in the mature development areas of Europe and the Caribbean, San Carlos looks more like a militarized settlement.

It is built on the land angle between the north bank of the San Juan River and the east bank of Lake Nicaragua. It has an irregular fan shape and covers an area of ​​about two to three square kilometers.

The fortress is surrounded by a solid wall of seven or eight meters high made of thick logs, with a maximum width of 10 meters. There are towering thatched-roofed watchtowers on the wall, and a limited number of soldiers and a dozen artillery pieces are scattered here and there.

The artillery and soldiers are mainly arranged on the north and east walls facing the river. Obviously, the Spaniards also know that the main threat to the San Carlos Fortress can only come from the San Juan River.

San Carlos is also a trade hub connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean.

The Panama Canal in this era is still a dream. Adventurers will go around the vast South America and take ships from the Strait of Magellan or the Drake Passage to and from the two oceans.

And more businessmen who follow the rules will only choose safe channels. That is, land in Managua on the Pacific coast, transport 15 kilometers by land, and then board a boat in Granada, cross Lake Nicaragua, enter the San Juan River from San Carlos, and enter the Caribbean Sea along the water.

This is the most convenient passage between the two oceans in the world today.

Being at the key point, San Carlos naturally takes into account the functions of the tax card.

It has a suspension bridge-like water gate at the mouth of the San Juan River. All merchants entering and leaving Lake Nicaragua must register and pay taxes at the Fortress Port Authority. According to the benchmark price and tax table provided by Spain, compare the category and nationality, and pay 1.5 to 5 points.

In all fairness, this tax rate is more conscientious than the current general trade tax of 10-15 points, but setting up tax cards is an act of hindering commerce and trade, and has long been disdained by all maritime powers.

Spain still regards this as a treasure. Apart from the well-known fact that the Spaniards are smarter than the people on the earth, the only reason is probably that Great Spain has its own national conditions.

There are two piers in San Carlos. The lakeside pier is in the city and is the main pier of the fortress. The riverside pier is one kilometer away from the city wall. There are only three symbolic 20-meter plank roads. nothing.

The Cangqing Dewdrop slowly moored into the No. 2 plank road by the river,

Feeling the slight tremor coming from the bow of the ship touching the embankment, Lorraine lazily stretched her waist.

Let's go, let's see the arrogance of the Iberian road bandits.

...

San Carlos dives into the action.

As a compromise action to reconcile the conflict between Nelson and Spencer, Lorraine did not actually have a clear goal this time.

Take a walk in the city, stay for a while, scout the number and firepower of the defenders, and if possible, carry out some sabotage actions within his ability, from breaking the city opening? Cooperating from inside to outside to assassinating officers?

Therefore, Lorraine paid more attention to obedience and competence when selecting his entourage.

There are twenty-three members of the Blue Dew's crew, besides Heina, Leif, Daniel, Freemani and Barto? There are also eight native sailors who are responsible for pretending to be slaves? A strong young man named Drogo Khal leads , Ten of what nationality? Except Drake stormtroopers without British, equipped with short guns, swords and daggers? No sailor's knife.

Is not carrying a sailor knife to conceal the identity of a sailor? Similarly, Lorraine's main weapon has also been changed from a double knife to an umbrella sword.

However, Spanish gentlemen do not have the etiquette of carrying umbrellas when they go out, and the umbrella sword can only be carried by Freemani who is an incarnation of a servant. Lorraine also has a gem-encrusted thin sword on Lorraine's waist, which is a spoil of war for Spencer.

Different from the rapier sword? The extremely gorgeous swift sword? The slender sword is more similar to the officer's sword. Its simple style, capable of stabbing and chopping, was loved by the holy Roman and Prussian nobles who advocated masculinity, and it was also a common accessory on Spanish gentlemen.

The ship came to a standstill and the deck was lowered.

Leaving the mess of the native sailors tidying up the deck? Lorraine, who put on a tuxedo, led his entourage to step on the not-so-solid pier embankment.

Ding……

An octagonal gold coin fell steadily into the pilot's arms, shaking the pilot's eyes.

Generous young master!

Beautiful semaphore? Sir. Lorraine spoke proficient and precise Spanish, I heard that San Carlos is a paradise in the rainforest? But I didn't expect the paradise to be so deserted...

You must have overlooked the rainy season. The pilot showed his white teeth, It will rain heavily next month? The volume of the San Juan River will double? Six months after that? San Carlos is the bustling city heaven.

I came early?

I'm afraid so.

As is the general rule elsewhere, dockside pilots tend to be the most vocal and cheapest tipsters.

They are know-it-alls in the city, and they know many things that you will know sooner or later if you just ask, and through their mouths is the easiest way to know a place.

Lorraine soon learned that San Carlos was a military city.

There are only a small number of civilians in the city. The main body of the garrison is the two companies of the Nicaraguan Colonial Army, configured with grenadiers, and another battalion (fifth company) of the permanent militia, configured in lines. In addition, there is an army named San Carlos The Brigantine frigate, with 120 sailors, is moored at the only water tank at the lakeside pier.

There are eight twelve-pound medium-sized coastal defense guns on the city wall, which are old-style cannons. Four of them are arranged on the south wall facing the river, and the remaining four are arranged in pairs on the east and west walls, facing the rainforest and Lake Nicaragua.

The commander of the garrison in the city is Antonio de Torresias, Baron, Colonel, who is also the commander of the local militia battalion. He has his own manor and slaves on the island of Zapatra in Lake Nicaragua. He is the only one in the city. master.

But his authority cannot command the army of the whole city, whether it is the San Carlos or the grenadiers from Grenada are his collaborators rather than subordinates.

Major Francisco de Mara, the captain of the Carlos, is the nephew of Admiral Mara of the Garrison Formation in Grenada, and Colonel Gonzalo de Ovie, the commander of the Grenadier Corps, is the brother-in-law of Major General Hawthorne, Governor of Nicaragua. , In terms of background and connections, Commander Torresias is not someone who can be easily manipulated.

In addition to the family disputes among these big shots, Lorraine also knows that the best risotto in the fortress is the lake fresh risotto at Titiari restaurant, and the only hotel in the fortress is Aunt Potuani's [New Cadiz Hotel] , her daughter Potuyani is the oiran of the fortress, romantic and enthusiastic, she needs to pay one octagonal gold coin for a night's sleep, but it is definitely worth the money...

While the pilot was chattering, Barto completed the port registration, Freemany rented a carriage, Leif volunteered to be the driver, Lorraine interrupted the pilot at the right time, nodded with a smile, and drove towards the fort .

Watching the smoke and dust of the carriage drift away, the registrar of the Port Authority walked up to the pilot.

This season, there are not many rich and powerful lords like this, let alone from the river...

The pilot blew out the octagonal gold coin and put it in his ear to listen quietly.

Whatever! The guard will change in three days, Miss Potuani, here I come!

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