Chapter 13: MAGIC

The cargo ship, Stormy Petrel, was due to leave Bristol for Casablanca but departure had been delayed by several days due to a prolonged spell of bad weather. Now the weather had cleared Captain Oliver, a slim man of medium height with grey hair, was watching the loading of the galley supplies when he noticed a paper bag that had been left lying beside the gangway unattended. As he turned to the dock official beside him, the bag moved!

“What is in that bag” he asked.

“I don’t know. I didn’t notice it before. I don’t know who left it there. It might be a bomb!” the man exclaimed.

What a lot of rot!!
Captain Oliver approached the bag, reached down and as he touched it, it wriggled.
Well then.... bags are inanimate and can not wriggle so.......
First Mate George was a tall, slim, brown haired young Scotsman who loved animals. Seeing the Captain move over to something on the dock he came down the gangway and stood watching as he opened the bag and there within was a little, black, bedraggled kitten staring up at them.
Various members of the crew gathered round them but no-one knew how long the bag and its contents had been there or who had abandoned it. The men in charge of loading the ship all assured the Captain and the First Mate that the bag and therefore the kitten had suddenly appeared beside the gang way...
“Just like magic!”

George looked at his captain and said
“I’ll take care of it sir.”
So, because of the way it had suddenly appeared and the fact the kitten was all black, probably about twelve weeks old and as they discovered, male, the general agreement amongst the officers and crew was to name him ‘Magic’.
Besides which every sailor knows it’s lucky to have a ship’s cat on board when sailing the high seas and naming the kitten ‘Magic’ might bring even more luck.
Sailors are, in general, a very superstitious lot.

So, Magic was taken on board to the first mate’s quarters where George dried him and made him comfortable, the cook was dispatched to purchase the necessary supplies for having a kitten on board and the following morning everything was stored, the derricks and hatches secured and the Stormy Petrel finally took to sea.
Life on board ship was a new and exciting experience for Magic. He learnt very quickly where, and more to the point when, food was served and became good friends with the cook, particularly after he found a mouse hiding in the
stores, but he spent long periods asleep in George’s cabin during the day and the nights he spent curled up in either the captain’s cabin or the first mate’s depending on which was off duty.

The officers decided to confine the kitten’s movements to their quarters and the galley because he was small and likely to become lost if allowed to wander all over the ship until he had become accustomed to life on board but he still found a lot to investigate.
George spent one morning searching everywhere for the little critter only to find him curled up sound asleep in a draw where he kept his socks!
Then, on another occasion, the Captain found him sitting on his white jacket, and as Magic was all black and losing his kitten fluff as the adult fur grew, the result was not happy and neither was the Captain it must be said.
Magic was confined to quarters (in other words he was put into George’s cabin for the rest of the day) and the Boson spent a number of hours getting all the fluff off the Captain’s jacket.

For the first part of the journey the ship ploughed through rough seas, the remnants of the storm but finally after several days, the waves settled and the ship was set full steam towards the Moroccan port of Casablanca and Magic was allowed the run of the ship which was possibly not a good move but it kept everyone on their toes!

Kittens will be kittens and curiosity is second nature to them. On one occasion the kitten was found balancing rather precariously on top of a bottle of grouse whiskey in the Officer’s bar and on another occasion Magic was accidentally locked in the larder and only discovered when the cook went to the stores to fetch some flour to make fresh bread.
And then late one afternoon the kitten discovered the bridge and he sat on the window sill for hours watching the motion of the sea and the gulls that flew over the sea and the ship, landed on the mast or the derricks and then took off to circle around again.
Finally he drew tired of just watching all this activity and feeling hungry again, the little kitten jumped down from the window and went in search of the cook in the galley to demand food to be served now!
As the light faded and night drew close Captain Oliver stood on the bridge of the ship looking out the window at a calm sea.

“Time for a last look at what’s happening outside before I go down to dinner” he said to Martin the Second Mate but as he opened the door to the bridge deck a bird came barrelling in, flapping its wings in his face and clutching his jacket with its talons.

“What the hell…. . .” he exclaimed

Flapping on past the captain the bird landed awkwardly on a small table sometimes used for charts and lay panting, obviously too weak to move. George moved over and looked down at it before he gently straightened its wings and checked it for injuries.

“Well, well, this is a rare sight so far out at sea that’s for sure. It’s an Osprey and it's only young! I would say the bird is on its maiden migration to Africa but it’s way off-course. They catch fish but Ospreys generally don’t eat while flying so he’s both exhausted and staving... poor thing!”

Captain Oliver turned to the Second Mate standing by the wheel and said

“Go and see if the cook has any fresh fish in the galley Martin.”

Martin came back with the cook who had a fresh haddock which he promptly cut into small pieces and George gently pushed a piece towards the Osprey.

Slowly Ossie opened his eyes, focused on the piece of fish then swallowed it. More pieces were offered and gradually, as he ate, Ossie became more aware of his surroundings and the men standing around the table on which he lay.

Luckily for him, he had been unharmed when his siblings were stolen and Ossie's only other encounters with humans had been while he was watched by harmless fishermen or gentle and kind folk, like Old Tom, unlike other Osprey who had been trapped or shot at, so he accepted the kindness of the men around him without feeling too distraught in the unfamiliar surroundings in which he found himself.

After he had managed to eat most of the fish, albeit slowly, Ossie dozed for a while and the men moved about the bridge quietly. A little while later he woke and the rest of the fish was presented and was consumed.

Then, as he was feeling a bit livelier he proceeded to hop around the chart table and over the instrument panel towards an open window, watched with amusement tinged with concern by the officers. If the bird flew out now in its weakened state, it would fall to the sea below and die. Ossie sat on the window sill and looked out at the darkening sky and then back into the room.

Captain Oliver sent an urgent message to the galley for more pieces of fresh fish and when the cook arrived he was accompanied by the Chief Engineer, Benson and both men watched in amazement as the wild bird stepped back from the window onto one of the computer consoles.

As George placed the fish on the chart table Ossie looked at the fish and at the man holding it for some time then decided he would stay in this strange room for a while longer so he half flapped, half hopped over to the chart table where he slowly ate the pieces one at a time.

The men on the bridge breathed a collective sigh of relief as the bird ate the fish. If they could keep up a supply of fresh fish this wild, beautiful bird would gain regain strength and be able to continue its journey to Africa. When he finally couldn't eat another scrap, Ossie folded his wings, squatted down on the table and went to sleep.

Then both Captain Oliver and George left the bridge for dinner and a rest leaving Martin on watch. As the ship ploughed through the calm sea towards the African continent, the rest of the crew, having been told of the arrival of the Osprey, decided to do a spot of fishing the next morning and Ossie slept while the officers on the bridge went about their tasks with quiet efficiency, all the time keeping watch over the exhausted bird on the chart table.

Ossie woke early the next morning feeling hungry and far more curious of his surroundings. Stretching his wings to their fullest extent took up a substantial amount of space and he cocked his head to one side and eyed George, who stood looking out of the window to the bow of the ship. The cook arrived on the bridge with a freshly caught fish and presented to Ossie but holding the fish in one claw while standing on the other leg took all of the bird’s remaining strength and he dropped the fish.

Looking up quickly to see if anyone was going to take it from him, he then stood on the fish and quickly got stuck into it, but he was far from well and it took sometime for him to complete the meal.

Captain Oliver arrived on the bridge from the chart room and moved over to where the young Osprey was finishing the last bit of his meal. The Captain stood holding some maps and looking down at the bird on the chart table he said:

“I want to check our co-ordinates on these maps and I need the table you are sitting on so when you are finished perhaps you will move a bit to allow me to open the charts.”

Ossie sat and looked at him.

George spoke;

“The bird is still not fully recovered from his ordeal and he knows we have given him fish. Perhaps, if I put my arm close to the table he will move. As a kid I watched my uncle do a bit of falconry and he told me that Ospreys were used in the old days to catch fish while falcons were trained to catch birds. He is young and shy but not afraid of us.”

George moved close to the table while pulling the sleeve of his jacket down over his hand and making a fist, he held his arm low in front of the Osprey.

Ossie watched the man closely. Although there was no fish being offered he was not frightened, he just watched. George spoke quietly;

“Come on Ossie my lad, the Captain needs the table and your navigation skills are suspect so let’s get you where you can see the maps too shall we?”

Ossie looked at the arm now resting on the table just in front of him and then stared intently into George's eyes. He saw nothing but kindness there and so, much to everyone's amazement, he slowly and carefully stepped onto the proffered arm, gripped tightly and allowed himself to be lifted off the table.

George straightened up and moved slowly away from the table all the while looking at the bird on his arm. He felt an immense sense of wonder and joy. To hold a wild Osprey like this was fantastic and the fact that such a bird had allowed itself to be so close to humans was surprising.

Martin spoke quietly,

“Just look how his feathers stick up at the back of his head almost like a punk hairdo and he wears a brown mask. He is certainly a striking bird. I’ve never even been close to a bird of prey before and I must say to be so up close and personal to an Osprey is incredible.”

Captain Oliver looked at his first mate and the Osprey and, moving slowly so as not to spook the bird, he spread the maps on the chart table and proceeded to mark out the ship's co-ordinates.

Speaking out loud to the young bird on his first mate's arm and using the pen in his hand as a pointer he said

“Right then young one, this is where we are now and this is where we want to go, Casablanca Port in Morocco on the coast of Africa. How much further you want to go I don't know but you need to fine tune your direction finder or you’ll end up either drowning in the ocean somewhere or dying of heat exposure over the desert.”

George spoke quietly “I blame the parents myself.”

Martin asked “How so?”

“Here is a young bird whose mother left for Africa just after he learnt to fly and his father followed soon after, leaving him home alone. And there was no-one to tell him that his instinct was out of date, coming as it does from his ancestors who flew from Scandinavia to Africa and therefore flying west in the old days would lead to Europe. But his parents re-located to Scotland where flying west leads straight out to the Atlantic Ocean. No wonder his navigation skills are dodgy at best and at worst... suicidal!”

During this conversation, Ossie looked around the bridge and then down at the maps on the table. After a long scrutiny of the captain and the maps spread on the table, Ossie half flew and half flapped from George's arm, landed on the wheel and proceeded to investigate the computer consoles in front of him.

Then, to everyone’s amazement, the bird flapped over towards the captain, tentatively stepped onto his arm, walked up to his shoulder to perch momentarily and stare at the captain who stared back at the bird in amazement then neither moved as each gazed thoughtfully at the other. None of the men on the bridge moved or spoke; they all watched this wild bird and the captain silently assessing each other.

Just then Chief Engineer, Benson entered the bridge and Ossie flapped his wings in distress, almost losing his balance and digging his talons into the captain's shoulder in his efforts to hang on.

Ouch!!

Benson, however, had just caught a large fish which he offered to the young Osprey and to the captain's relief; Ossie took the fish and just managed to hold it in one talon as he flew a bit out of kilter towards the chart table. George swept the maps off just in time and Ossie landed heavily on to the table where once he regained his breath he began to consume his meal, every now and then lifting his head and gazing around the bridge to make sure that no one was going to take his fish away.

When he had finished Ossie began to groom his feathers, the first time he had felt well enough to do it properly since he had crash landed on the ship. Once he was completely satisfied that all of his feathers were in order, he folded his wings and, having made himself comfortable he went to sleep while the captain carefully removed the remains of the fish and threw them out an open window into the sea for the gulls to fight over.

Magic slipped though the door onto the bridge. He had the run of the ship now and had already investigated the whole ship including the engine room (but he wasn’t overly fussed on the amount of noise the machinery generated) the galley, where he had complete domination over the cook, and the bridge.

He was a mischievous little kitten and was held in affection by the captain and officers, particularly First Mate George who was firmly wrapped round his small paw, and as is the way with kittens, he was very curious. Magic saw the bird sitting on the chart table and, although it was much bigger than him, he was determined to get as close as possible to see what kind of creature it really was.

No-one noticed the kitten slip through the door, nor did anyone see him jump up to the window ledge close to the chart table. Slowly he proceeded to creep ever so carefully towards the sleeping bird. Putting one paw forward at a time, with infinite care he very gently stepped on to the far end of the chart table, every sense alert to the slightest movement.

Ossie opened his eyes and stared at the kitten.

Magic got such a fright he leapt vertically two feet up off the table, every hair standing on end. What goes up however must come down and as he came down he completely missed the table and carried on straight down to the floor, just as if he was in a lift.

The acrobatic leap and subsequent disappearance of the little animal was a surprise to the Osprey so he shuffled across the table and leant over to peer at the kitten sitting on the floor.

Magic had the hump about his ignominious decent and promptly hissed back at the staring bird. The officers had just caught sight of Magic before his decent and they all laughed which annoyed him even more and he stalked out of the bridge with his tail ram rod straight in the air, the epitome of injured pride and offended dignity.

Later that afternoon the cook came to the bridge with a large tuna fish for Ossie which he promptly took with a grateful peeping cry. This was definitely the largest fish he had received since his crash and although it still took a considerable amount of time for the bird to consume the meal, Ossie knew his appetite was improving and his strength was slowly returning. Everyone could see the improvement and it was obvious that the young osprey would survive his terrible ordeal much to relief of everyone onboard the Stormy Petrel.

Chapter 14: STORM

The sun sank slowly over the ocean, leaving a blaze of golden light dancing on the water then Captain Oliver and First Mate George left the bridge to attend dinner in the Officers Dinning Room and Ossie was left to sleep under the watchful gaze of Martin on watch.
The next morning, just as George returned to the bridge, Ossie woke to a beautiful sunrise and, feeling stronger he decided to stretch his wings and fly. Looking around the bridge he saw an open door and he headed straight for it. Standing for a short time on the bridge deck as he looked about him he then launched himself into the air.
What a pleasure it was to feel the warm air blowing through his feathers again. Soaring over the ship he watched several men throwing fishing lines into the sea. He had seen Old Tom and others do the same back in the glen in Scotland so he hovered above the ship waiting.
Suddenly, one of the men reeled in a large fish and Ossie saw another just below the surface. With a quick swoop he dived down, snatched it from the water and holding it tightly in his talons he flew up onto the top of the forward derrick.
This proved to be a big mistake however, because suddenly he found himself mobbed by greedy gulls, almost as big as himself. Mantling his wings to make himself look bigger made the gulls back off for a bit but then they attacked again, trying to grab his fish. Ossie was not fit enough to fight them all so he looked towards the bridge where he could see the captain watching.

Suddenly he took off and keeping a tight hold of the fish Ossie headed straight for an open door leading onto the bridge closely followed by several gulls. Captain Oliver and his officers watched the fight with dismay and when Ossie half folded his wings and flew through the door, Martin jumped behind and shut it too quickly for the attacking gulls. Several gulls flew head first into the shut door and landed in a heap on the stairs where they lay stunned for a short while before they picked themselves up and flew off.

George stood looking at the bird with concern as Ossie landed awkwardly on a computer consol and spoke at length about his attempt to fly when he still had not recovered fully. Ossie looked up at him then he hopped on the chart table with his fish clutched firmly in one claw. He shook himself to rearrange his feathers and then proceeded to eat his dinner but he kept one eye on the windows, watching for any marauding gulls attempting to gain access. When he had finished he began preening his feathers and then settled for a snooze.

Magic came through the door onto the bridge and he was still very curious about this creature that had the interest of all the men on board. This was after all his ship and he wanted to be sure this strange bird was aware of that fact.
Curiosity is second nature to a kitten but they are also born opportunists and Magic could see the tail end of Ossie’s fish hanging over the edge of the table and he was partial to a bit of fish himself. Once again he jumped up to the window ledge and proceeded to creep softly and carefully towards the table. The Captain turned from the window and watched, ready to grab the kitten if he got too close to the Osprey.

Magic reached the chart table, but this time he didn’t jump when Ossie opened his eyes instead he froze, not moving a hair, willing the bird to close his eyes again so he could reach the fish. Ossie, however, continued to watch the kitten, so Magic put a brave face on it and stretched his neck so he just reach the fish with his mouth. His plan of grab it and run was flawed however, as Ossie still had a firm grip of it in his talons so when Magic reached for it, Ossie held on and immediately the kitten became motionless, fish in mouth and eyes fixed on the bird who stared just as intently back.

The men were also quite still, not really sure of the best course of action. What they were witnessing was unprecedented and one and all were afraid any sudden movement would precipitate a disaster and the tension amongst the men was palpable. The Osprey was a bird of prey and could kill a small animal like Magic very easily.

However, Ossie was curious about the kitten and did not move as Magic finally tugged a tiny bit of fish free and without moving anything but his mouth, ate it. Ossie had eaten almost all of the fish anyway and already felt quite full so he just sat and watched as the kitten ate another small portion, and another.

Magic had also eaten earlier so he was not particularly hungry either, so he left the fish on the table and jumped up onto a window sill in front of the wheel, where he promptly started to wash himself.
Slowly the men relaxed, laughing and joking about what they had all witnessed. However the Captain took the kitten to task for annoying the sick bird and putting his own life at risk. Magic however, turned a deaf ear and continued to wash himself. Only when he was satisfied did he stretch out with his back to the room in general, the bird in particular, and promptly went to sleep.

Having a wild bird and a young cat on board was proving to be very entertaining but as the ship ploughed on through slightly choppy seas the officers kept a wary eye on both cat and bird just so there would not be anything else untoward happening on the bridge that day.
That evening as the sun sank into the western sea the last rays reflected off a few clouds low on the eastern horizon. Night followed swiftly after, as it does in the tropics but the weather forecast predicted some rough seas the following day and Captain Oliver ordered a slight change of course hoping to avoid the bad weather.

The following afternoon, still several days out of the port of Casablanca, George stood looking at large clouds that were massing together higher and higher even as he watched. Not a good sign. The morning’s forecast had warned of a storm with gale force winds developing west of their current position but it was becoming obvious the storm front extended further than predicted and that they were heading towards some very nasty weather. The Captain gave George the order to batten down the hatches and watched as the crew hurried around the forehead deck strapping down the derricks and lifeboats.

The Boson told the cook to prepare the galley for bad weather ahead and to supply the bridge with coffee and sandwiches while he checked all the portholes were closed tightly before the storm hit. Seeing that George had everything under control Captain Oliver phoned Benson in the engine room to tell him of the force twelve gales ahead and to order engines on slow.
The cook brought flasks of coffee and sandwiches to the men on the bridge. He also brought a fish for Ossie who sat on the chart table watching all the activity as the officers on the bridge gave orders and crewmen hurried about their tasks on the deck below. Finally the Stormy Petrel was prepared for some very bad weather ahead.

The winds rapidly grew stronger as clouds filled the sky and turned very dark and ominous while the sea became choppy with waves beginning to crest and white foam whipped across the murky water in every direction. Ossie was initially not bothered by the increased motion of the ship but he was not keen on facing a bad storm after his experience in the Irish Sea, particularly as he was still recovering his strength so he settled on the table and watched the deteriorating weather through the windows. The fish the cook had brought him was lying abandoned as he had no appetite so George came over and spoke to the nervous bird.

“Don’t worry young one, I’ll put your dinner away safe till after the storm is over, ok?” Ossie watched as George wrapped the fish and put it with his flask of coffee in the box below the window then the bird turned and looked out at the rising seas.

Magic was also on the bridge that afternoon and he sat on the window sill watching as the storm drew close and the skies turned dark but he fled across the computers towards the chart table when a lightening bolt streaked down from the broiling sky followed immediately by an almighty crack of thunder.
Ossie abruptly moved to the corner of the chart table and put his back and tail hard up against the back board. He was very unhappy with the worsening conditions and when the kitten landed on the table with every hair on end and tail fluffed up, desperate for a place to hide Ossie made a peeping cry. As Magic turned towards him, the young Osprey put out one wing leaving a space for the kitten to crawl into beside him.

Both Captain Oliver and George watched amazed as Magic dived for cover under Ossie’s wing and the two snuggled close as another crack of thunder rent the air.
As a pair they made odd bedfellows indeed but huddled together for comfort and warmth both animals could only watch as the ship took the storm head on.

Huge waves crested and then crashed over the bow and the ship shuddered down the backs of each wave and wallowed in the troughs that followed while wind whipped spray and heavy rain reduced visibility to only a few meters. Captain Oliver peered through the gloom at the cresting waves hoping the cargo in the hold wouldn’t shift with the pitching and rolling caused by the wild seas. No-one spoke, each man on the bridge was intent on the battle between the ship beneath their feet and Mother Nature in an ugly mood.

The ship rolled and shuddered as the waves pounded across her bows but she ploughed gamely on through the dim light. Not for nothing was she named the Stormy Petrel. Although the ship was getting on in years, with a touch of rust here and there on her sides, her hull was sound, her engines were good and the men still had faith in her ability to win through despite the atrocious conditions. Besides, they had luck on their side, a little black cat called Magic, even if he was hiding from the storm under the wing of a large predatory bird, which in itself was remarkable!

And their luck held good. All that afternoon the ship battled the storm and as afternoon light vanished behind the storm clouds and night descended the captain and first mate left the darkness of the bridge for a brief rest, there would be no sleep for anyone that night, leaving Martin as officer on first watch. George took over from Martin and then Captain Oliver returned for his turn on watch and still the Stormy Petrel battled her way through the storm.
But when the light of dawn broke the darkness the winds gradually lessened and although the rain continued to pelt down, the waves did not crash across the bows with as much force and the strain on the engines slowly eased. Officers and crew alike breathed a sigh of relief while Magic and Ossie finally relaxed their vigil.

George offered Ossie his fish from the night before and the bird took the fish and started eating. He stopped and looked at the little kitten that had shared his vigil and then looked down at the fish, inviting Magic to share his meal as well. So, rather than leave the bridge in search of food, Magic squatted beside the young Osprey and both shared a fine fish breakfast and then they fell asleep together on the table for a few hours until hunger pangs sent Magic off to the galley to demand a second breakfast and the cook brought a fish for Ossie.

When the storm clouds finally lifted later that afternoon Ossie knew his strength had returned and he no longer wanted to be inside the ship. He decided it was time to stretch his wings and fly so out the window he went and circled the ship’s wake looking for fish. Captain Oliver had his chart table for his maps again because instead of returning to the bridge the young Osprey sat on the forward derrick for while before he spent the night perched on the bridge roof.

The following morning when George looked around for the Osprey he spotted him hovering above the waves to the rear of the vessel intent on a fish being reeled in by one of the crew. As the fish was hauled on deck the man took the hook out of its mouth and flung it high straight towards the hovering Osprey who caught it mid air, gave a cry of delight and flew up to the bridge roof to eat it.
One gull skulked nearby but Ossie was having none of it and spread his wings threatening to fight, he might share a bit of fish with the ship’s kitten but certainly not a greedy gull. The gull backed off and waited to see if the Osprey would leave any scraps. Since it was a big tuna fish, Ossie couldn't eat all of it so when he had enough he flew to the derrick and the gull had some decent leftovers after all.

The Stormy Petrel steamed ahead and two days later as the sun slowly sank to the west there low on the eastern horizon was the coast of Africa.
The next morning as the ship dropped anchor off the Port of Casablanca, Ossie knew the time had come for him to leave and continue his journey south. For one last time he sat on the bridge deck looking in at Magic who sat in the window staring back. Magic gave a meow and Ossie replied with a peeping cry. Then looking at the officers on the bridge and the crew on the boat below for one last time Ossie gave another cry before he launched himself from the bridge deck.

Standing on the bridge Captain Oliver and the officers watched as the young bird took off and flew around the ship once then headed inland for the Sahara Desert.
Martin was the first to break the silence

“I hope that bird has a safe journey from now on but he has a long way to go and most of the way is over arid desert. I hate to think that he might not make it, particularly since we rescued him from certain death in the ocean.

“Aye,” replied George, “It has been a real eye opener to say the least. We all had a wonderful opportunity to observe a bird of prey up close and personal, so to speak and Magic had the courage to get to know the Osprey very well. No-one would believe that a bird of prey and a little black cat could become friends. And to think that once he had recovered from his ordeal a wild bird would stay with humans, and cat, of his own accord is remarkable. I really wish him well. In fact I think I will go up to Scotland and visit my grandfather at Xmas. He lives in the highlands and spends his time fishing at a nearby loch. I know he would really like to hear the story.”

Captain Oliver spoke pensively,
What I have written in the ship’s log book about the bird and it’s time onboard will certainly make entertaining reading for someone in the future. Oh well, let’s order the pilot to take us in to port so we can unload.”

George replied “Right Sir.”




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