The Archangel of a Black Feather. Al Crown

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       Disclaimer

      This novel is a work of fiction intertwined with truth. Characters, names, locations, events, associations, occupations, and occurrences are the product of the author’s fantasy or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual characters, living or dead, incidents or places is totally coincidental.

       Historical Facts

      In 1513 Spanish explorers were the first Europeans to reach the West Coast of North America, on the Pacific Coast of the Panama Isthmus. This part of the world was considered by Europeans to be the most distant place in the world.

      They sailed at the beginning for Cape Horn in South America, and north all the way up to British Columbia, a trip that took more than six months. The English were discouraged at first because of the dangerous and difficult route, and only the Spanish Empire made regular visits, establishing settlements and ports.

      The year 1795 determined a change in the colonial history of the Pacific Northwest. After three hundred years of Spanish domain, authorized by the papal bull of 1493, the British Empire finally took over, thanks to the conventions signed in 1790, 1793 and 1794.

      Spain at last gave up its claims that it alone could establish settlements in the Pacific Northwest.

       The Curse of the Oak Island Treasure

      In 1795 three teenagers walking on the island stepped in a hole, discover- ing the famous mysterious money-pit treasure. From that day, the story has been written in countless books and illustrations, and in time assumed the emblem of a fearful haunted case.

      It was a story of gluttony and controversy, overlapping researchers, explorers, and corporations of all kinds, lasting for more than 200 years…

       PART I

      In the secret of universal silence, the Earth is merged into the emptiness of the spiritual cosmic air, flying continuously in the essence of the perpetual creation. No ground or material stability seems longer lasting than our mere existence. All is shrouded around our unborn life, waiting for the everlasting resurrection of the cosmos, where all stars, galaxies and planets are dying in time.

       Al Crown

      CHAPTER I

       The Expedition

      PART I

      Captain George Vancouver (1757-1798) was a British officer of the Royal Navy, in charge of the famous expedition of 1791-95 (Vancouver Island, Vancouver British Columbia and Washington

      State were named after him). He had with him a second officer, English Captain Sir Edward Clark, who like him, came to Settle in an area originally claimed by Spain, but never occupied.

      After passing what are today California, Oregon, and Washington State, they entered the Strait of Juan de Fuca and then the Rosario Strait, leaving Vancouver Island on their left…reaching Vancouver west coast. The ship penetrated the inlet, proceeding between Bowen and Bowyer Island.

      The officers landed with their frigates on the coast of the future Vancouver. It was almost springtime, and the crew was admiring the astonishing landscape. A glassy undisturbed ocean was sleeping, shrouded in the bay mirror, reflecting luxuriant mountains enriched with vegetation.

      The cliff side soared steeply to the sky, under which were white peaks still covered with snow. Crew members began unloading on land, while a fresh drizzle was falling silently between the tender clouds. It was almost Sunset when Clark fetched his monocular, scanning the mountains above the hills…he pulled a map beneath his shoulder.

      “This is where our task begins, the map is clear…one cannot mistake such a beautiful unique place for another. I always imagined this bay in my dreams to be like this, no other way,” commented a flabbergasted officer, replacing the monocular in the leather sheath.

      He glanced precisely at the map and whispered to his lieutenant: “Tomorrow morning we will calculate the precise coordinates of our point. Judging from the mountains inclination it will not be easy to reach. We will use our local scouts, as Captain George Vancouver suggested, they are friendly with us now.”

      “Yes, Captain,” asserted the other young officer, fetching the map from Clark while organizing the sailors’ activity.

      Natives came to assist the settlers, as they did with George Vancouver’s crew, while others were busy working, taking all the materials out of the ship before night. Clark noticed the feeble purplish sunset, after some clouds moved over. The rays were darting toward the mountains to the northwest. He began running closer to the shore, to have a better view of the western part of the mountains. The man was looking for something, and it was at that moment that he felt like a cold blade gored inside his backbone, as if an obscure darkness…was emerging from the woods.

      He felt a desolated seclusion, a lost feeling of solitude.

      “Everything is alright! Did you see something up the hills, Sir?” Exclaimed the lieutenant staring at his commander from the lower side of the ship. Clark remained with his serious look glued to the mountains replying, “Just a sensation, the landscape is breathtaking, don’t you think?” The officer promptly replied, “Indeed Sir, unique!” The expedition was sponsored by the English Anglican church and the Catholics as well. Some members of the Catholic and Anglican clergy were onboard, and while Captain Vancouver continued with the frigate up north, Clark remained focused on his personal mission.

      Clark questioned his officer while descending the wooden steps: “Would you have preferred being with Captain Vancouver rather than here, officer? Vancouver is exploring the northwest coast, as we all know.” The officer answered cautiously, “I am delighted to serve with you, Sir! We have an important mission to accomplish here.”

      An important personality had sailed with the English, an influential figure of the Roman Curia, Cardinal Pietro Ravello, a descendant of the first Ravello to be ordered in 1600. He paid a large sum of money to accomplish his delicate mission, a wealth he took from his family treasures, stashed in a Vatican vault.

      Ravello was sponsoring the education of his two nephews living in Rome, who were worried about France. Napoleon Bonaparte was challenging the Roman Catholics’ delicate missions… and for this reason he was protecting his family titles, hazing however the real purpose of his expedition.

      The cardinal said to the clerics, “We are all here to accomplish the will of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Our faith is once again united at this very place. No evil will divide us, dear brothers, as long we keep our hope in God. We were summoned to be part of this ordeal, bound by the symbol of the holy cross. May the Lord bless this forgotten land and our struggle,” raising his arms wide open.

      The Captain was told of an old curse to be broken up the mountains, created by the first Spanish colonists in the seventeenth century, which brought diseases, plagues, and death upon aboriginals.

      The Church felt responsible, deciding to end the mischief, attempting numerous times since the first expedition of 1610. “Your help will not be forgotten Captain, as will your compensation. This mission we are perform- ing will be remembered for centuries. You are a man of faith! That is why you were chosen,” expressed Ravello directing his gaze toward Clark.

      “Your eminence, I was told this intricate feat would be a perilous one, not that I fear darkness or solitude, but my crew is…”

      Ravello interrupted, placing his right hand upon the officer’s shoulder, “Trust