1:32 PM on January 20th, 1832

     I am in the process of describing my adventure on Fogo to the junior crew: "When I reached the crater, I stared into the Hades-like abyss and jumped with the ropes around my hands. I went all the way up until a gust pushed me towards Valicia. It was exhilarating! Any questions?"
     "Wasn't it frightening?" asked Enaila, the cook's assistant.
     "It would have been to most people, but I've been around volcanoes all my life," I replied.
     "I think I'll just stay on the ship," said Enaila doubtfully.
     "Why don't you trade with the natives for some cloth so FitzRoy doesn't get angry? He can't go anywhere without his sails—especially after the anchor incident," suggested Valicia.
     I smiled. Matikhara had offered to help with the anchor, but his knots went wrong and the anchor had drifted, requiring full use of the sails—one of his few humiliations. "Good idea! Maybe Matt can lend us some of those coins of his to buy it, since he ruined the anchor," I answered.
     "Sure! I can barter with the natives easily because I know fluent Portuguese! Also, I'll go parachuting first!" the overeager Matikhara offered.
     "Thanks for your help! Maybe if Enaila doesn't want to parachute she can tie the knots for everyone's chute," I suggested—I suggest things too, you know.
     "Wouldn't the parachute stay in the air indefinitely if there were no breezes? Why don't you connect some rope to side flaps on the parachute to steer by pulling on them, like a rudder," suggested Hilot.
     "That might help," I admitted. "Someone might be up there for days!"
     "Can we rig a gun to the parachute to shoot at enemies of Christ?" asked Mr. X. In the past few days he had gone from being war-happy to war-happy in the name of Zeus or whatever god he worships.
     "You could try, but you wouldn't be able to shoot anyone from that height," I answered.
     "Darn!" pouted Mr. X.
    "This meeting now comes to an end. Let Matt buy the sails and ropes, then we go to Fogo," I terminated the meeting.