Cat on a Hot Copper Roof

Hans sat on the crudely made wooden bench outside of the mining crew cabin. The air was almost warm now that early summer had arrived and he was glad to indulge in a few minutes of sun-bathing after all the spring rain-storms.
“Somebody is a wee bit hung-over now.”
Hans looked-up at the miner. “No, I am just tired and maybe a little bit sick.”
“Sick and tired of this place I’ll bet!” the man laughed, not unkindly.
“I thought everything would be good when we found the copper veins. The men would be busy working but instead they are more unhappy than before.”
“Don’t worry. We are just bored. There’s next to nothing to do here. No saloons, no brothels, not even a general store nearby. It’s not so strange that a few of the men have been wandering off. Let them have  their bit of fun where they can.”
“What kind of fun is this?”asked Hans. “You just now said that there is nothing to do here.”
“Oh, ya know. Just a bit of slap-and-tickle with some local gals.”
Hans squinted. “There aren’t any local gals in this area. Just us. That’s one reason why the professor picked it, to be discrete.”
The other man laughed, “Ya know what I mean! Some of these redskin gals are hot stuff.”
Now Hans was becoming concerned. “Do not tell me that there are native women sneaking into this camp. That is not possible when it is so crowded here. I would see them.”
“Naw, some of the fellas just sorta run across them in the woods. They run wild here, ya know, just like the deer. They ain’t even half-civilized or nuthin’, just runnin’ wild.
“That is not good,” responded Hans. “Not good at all. It is a shame that these men do not have wives and families to keep them happy when they are not working. But it is not good to run wild in the woods like an animal.”
He sighed. What sort of mischief were they up to now? Back in Amsterdam he had signed-up for an adventure or so he thought at the time. This job had all the earmarks of a nightmare.
He excused himself to his companion and headed up the path to the professor’s tent. As usual he waited at the entrance until invited to enter.
“Herr Doktor? I mean, sir? There are some things we must talk about. About the mining and how long it is taking.”
Fortunately the geologist was in a good humour. He even waved his hand towards the coffee pot simmering on the stove and invited Hans to take a cup.
“So vat shall ve talk about today, Hans? Are the men behaving badly again?”
“No sir, they are working hard. I just wonder sometimes what to do with them when they are not working. It is good for them to be busy and not fighting or getting into trouble.”
“I vould tink they would be all tired, no? After working hard all day?”
“I thought so as well. And most of them are but now I think I must look more closely.” Hans sighed yet again.
“And you thought this vould be an adventure where you vould travel and see ze wilderness, ja?”
Hans nodded sheepishly.
“You are a young man. There is plenty of time for adventures. Now ve mine the copper, now ve make ze money, ja? Later ve have ze fun.”

Little Red

The two women gathered at the Charleston Airship Docks promptly at 4 am were both grumpy and half asleep.
“Wonder where the Captain is.” grumbled Tira. She looked around and noticed that someone else was missing. “What about Harry, our beloved navigator?”
“I wonder where the navigator is,” answered Kennia. “Wonder if he fell so soundly asleep that he just plain forgot about us.
Then Captain Willie sauntered up to them with a bit of a grin just waiting to bust out. “I have a little surprise for y’all. We’re gettin’ a new navigator on this trip. And this one is, ahem, different.
“How different?” demanded Tira.
“Just wait and see,” he smirked. “She’ll be along any minute now.”
“She? Ain’t you startin’ to fee1 outnumbered?” teased Kennia. But the Captain just chuckled to himself.
Captain Willie replied evasively, “oh, I talked to headquarters. That’s why we’re gettin’ a new navigator. One that’s better.”
“We can only hope,” muttered Tira.
“Now, now.”
“Sounds like an interesting trip already,” grumbled Tira. “You know how I feel about surprises, especially when I ain’t even all awake.”
“Oh, you’ll like this one. I promise!”
“Now I am gettin’ worried too,” Said Kennia. “Who or what have you dug-up this time?”
“Let’s get some tea and biscuits while we wait” suggested Captain Willie. “It’s on the company’s tab  anyway.
“And they make some damn fine chicken biscuits here. I could use a couple. I didn’t want to wake my sister and her family by messin’ about in the pantry.” said Tira.
“I don’t see how you can even think about food at this hour of the morning,” replied Kennia.
“A little bit hung-over are we?” asked the Captain.

They had just settled down at a small table with their food when the door opened and in walked a tiny little woman.
“Howdy y’all! You must be the crew of the Sandflea, right? My name is Rose Chavous, but everyone calls me Little Red.”
Little Red was skinny with a large quantity of red hair piled up on the top of her head. Her most notable feature, the hair was piled higher than was currently fashionable. A pair of hair sticks did their best to contain the main mass but there was a fringe of small tendrils making a stealthy escape.  

And once more into the breach dear Meta!

The sad fact is that I have written most of the next chapters but haven't had the strength to finalize and post them. Between my thyroid problem, online activism and the Swedish electoral politics, I am strained and exhausted. And now we will have a new national election in March thanks to SD, a racist party (that is similar to the EDL or BNP in the UK). I promise that I have NOT forgotten y'all and more is on the way though!!! 

Meta post

I have been AWOL* for 3 months now due to the pressures of Swedish politics (our elections were mid-Sept) as well as doing online advocacy. The next few chapters are in rough draft form and one will go up in the next 2-3 days!

Meanwhile, dear readers, why not read about Professor Thaddeus Lowe's real-life 1861 balloon ride? Professor Lowe’s 1861 Balloon Voyage to Union, S.C.

(the above picture has been attributed to several different sources so for the moment I will leave it without attribution. Anyone who has solid evidence please contact me!)


*Absent WithOut Leave

The South Carolina Low Country

Hunting Island, a barrier island east of Beaufort on the S.C. coast.

In The Kitchen Episode 2 - Ugali na Tomato Gravy

Ugali is one of many names for cornmeal porridge, a coarsely ground mixture of corn (also called  maize) and either water or milk. It is a favorite food in many African countries as well as in the Caribean and many North American food cultures. 

Hot tin roof on a summer's day

Before Hans could reach the professor’s tent there was a hair-raising shriek emitted from it. “Eureka! I haf found it! I haf found where to dig for the copper!”
Hans began to run up the path. The old man’s timing could not be better! With useful work to do the men should settle down. At least he hoped so since he really didn’t have any intention of shooting at anyone, let alone hitting him. Hans laughed in relief!

“Herr professor! Herr professor! Is it true? We can start with the mining now?”
The professor grunted smugly. “You seemed to be in need of some, shall we say, assistance, so I came to your aid.”
Hans looked puzzled.
“Ja, I put my head out of the tent more often than you think.

“Yes! I am so happy now. The men are more and more unruly. But now there is some useful work to be done. Now they will be busy and not have time for the mischief!”

“Indeed.” He peered over his glasses at the younger man. “Yes, it is high time that we started.” He pointed at the geological survey maps spread over the camp-desk before him. “Here und here. I knew the copper veins must be here. I know for certain now.  Here they shall start the digging. Then we must store the ore until we can send it to a smelter. That will not be easy. Hmmm.” He lapsed into silence.
Hans nodded in assent.
“Hans, soon we must speak with our friends in Virginia.”
“Sir, isn’t this a little bit too soon?”
“It vill take some time to set-up so, no. And we are behind schedule as it iz. They will be expecting some answers soon.
“Yes sir!” Hans nodded.

********************************

Meanwhile in Charleston, the Captain and his crew drank their ginger beer and the discussion returned to their original topic. Mike opined that the French must be behind the suspected mining operation but Captain Willie disagreed.
“What good would that do them? It is too far away from their remaining strongholds. They would have to ship it on barges down river to the Mississippi river and then down to New Orleans.”
“Maybe through Shawnee territory?”
“I don’t think so. You know how they feel about folks passing through their lands without permission. And I don’t see them giving permission any time soon.”
“What about shipping the ore upriver to the Great Lakes area?” asked Tira. “There’s ore smelters there already.”
“Pardon me, Miss Tira, for contradictin’ a lady. But what would be the point of running mines this far south?”
“I don’t know,” said the Captain. “And I don’t want to speculate. Let’s just get out there and find-out.” He turned to Kennia, “Be sure and bring lots of the dynamite you cooked-up. I expect we’re gonna need it!”