Prologue

Summary

• John Blackthorne is the English pilot-major of the last remaining ship (Erasmus) in an expeditionary force sent from the Netherlands, now struggling to survive an onslaught by a fierce storm.
• The mission of his fleet was to attack Spanish and Portuguese interests in the New World, establish Dutch trading concessions, discover new islands, claim territories, and return home within three years.
• The Protestant Dutch have long been at war with Catholic Spain, trying to break free from Spanish control, with England being their ally against Spain.
• Blackthorne's ship is barely operational with almost no food or water left, and many of the crew are sick or dying from scurvy, including the Captain-General.
• The ship is caught in a ferocious storm, and Blackthorne steers with determination, thriving on the challenge of sailing uncharted seas.
• Blackthorne has been training for this moment his whole life, with the dream of safely navigating through the unknown and returning to riches and a peaceful life at home.
• During a grim moment on deck, Third Mate Hendrik Specz confronts Blackthorne about their dire situation and the promise of finding land, the Japans.
• However, Hendrik is weak and ill, revealing his envy towards Blackthorne’s resilience and position, along with the potential for future conflict between the Dutch and the English.
• Blackthorne believes in his training and abilities, recalling lessons from his past about the importance of having a rutter — a sea manual — for navigation.
• He also reflects on the secretive nature of navigation charts, his strict apprenticeship, and the lure of seafaring life.
• Back in his cabin, Blackthorne eats a rotten apple to stave off scurvy and eyes his bunk longingly but resists the tempting thought of sleep.
• A cry from the lookout alerts Blackthorne to a nearby reef; the urgency mounts as the ship nears destruction against the rocky outcrops.
• Blackthorne leads the desperate efforts to steer the ship away from danger, while the crew struggles amidst the chaos of the storm.
• Despite odds stacking against them, the ship narrowly escapes wrecking on the reef and finds its way into a bay, momentarily safe from the storm’s wrath.