Captain Blood: His Odyssey

The men attacking Bridgetown are Spanish privateers led by Don Diego de Espinosa y Valdez, who seeks revenge for losing treasure to pirates and to the Pride of Devon. Don Diego and his men seek to rob and wreck Bridgetown, which are unlawful acts—thus the Spanish gentlemen behave like pirates. Don Diego’s brother, Admiral Don Miguel, would have forbidden this had he known Don Diego’s intentions.

Don Diego demands ransom from Governor Steed while his men plunder the town. Blood ventures to town to investigate. What he witnesses is so appalling, that the narrator refuses to describe it. Blood bumps into an English girl, Mary Traill, who is running from a drunken Spaniard. Blood handily dispatches the assailant with a sword. He takes Mary to Colonel Bishop’s house, where he urges Arabella and Mary to go to Speightstown, where they’ll be safe. Mary swears she’ll never forget what Blood did for her as she rides away with Arabella.

Blood and his fellow convicts board the Spanish ship, Cinco Llagas, and seize control. They next overtake a party of Spaniards returning from Bridgetown, securely lock away the prisoners, and don clothing and armor left onboard. Don Diego returns to the ship with his son Esteban the next morning. The moment he boards, the crew knocks him unconscious and takes him to his cabin. Bridgetown residents watch the remaining Spaniards row back to their ship when cannons from Cinco Llagas fire at them. The English flag returns to the mainmast.

Colonel Bishop boards Cinco Llagas to meet Bridgetown’s saviors, only to find the convicts dressed in Spanish garb and standing in straight files. Blood, appareled like a Spanish gentleman, addresses Bishop with his most condescending tone. Bishop says he’ll send a report to King James, who might reduce their sentences, but this makes the men scoff. Blood reminds Bishop that, had the Spaniards not arrived when they did, Pitt would probably be dead, and he, Blood, would not be much better. Blood—now identifying as Captain Blood—keeps Bishop hostage to ensure Governor Steed will let the ship leave harbor safely; then, he forces Bishop to jump overboard. Blood’s act of mercy increases Bishop’s hatred.

Don Diego wakes in his cabin disoriented and confused. A man dressed in Don Diego’s best suit enters and checks his vitals before informing him of his circumstances. Blood wishes to be humane toward his captives, yet their presence onboard depletes the ship’s resources, and he fears his only recourse will be to force the Spaniards to jump ship. He asks Don Diego if there’s an alternative solution. Don Diego proposes Blood should set him and his men on the nearest island, but Blood judges this plan unsatisfactory. Blood then offers the resigned Don Diego another option: pledge to help him navigate the ship to Curaçao, since his own navigator, Pitt, is injured from his beating, and he will release the Spanish prisoners upon arrival. Don Diego accepts, though privately he harbors bitter feelings toward the architects of his defeat.

Once Don Diego pledges to navigate a course to Curaçao, he has the liberty to wander the ship and enjoys the privileges he had as captain. Blood and his crew grow to like and respect Don Diego. Pitt goes on deck one night with Blood’s assistance and marks the positions of constellations, which tell him they’re not sailing for Curaçao. Blood, instantly suspicious, informs Don Diego of Pitt’s ominous observation. Don Diego gives an excuse that satisfies Blood, who still harbors fantasies about men’s honor.

Blood realizes the next morning that the ship’s approaching Hispaniola, a Spanish island, and notes a galleon steering to meet them. He confronts Don Diego, who sheds his amiable persona and attempts to strangle Blood; his efforts lead to his imprisonment and provide Blood the chance to form a plan to escape the galleon, the flagship of Don Diego’s brother, Lord Admiral Don Miguel. Blood lashes Don Diego to the mouth of a cannon, shows Don Esteban his father’s predicament, then demands their compliance in exchange for their lives. Should Don Miquel fire at Cinco Llagas, Don Diego’s cannon will be the first to fire back. Don Diego gives no response, so Don Esteban agrees to Blood’s plan to save his father; the other Spanish prisoners follow his example.

Don Miguel greets Captain Blood and Don Esteban on his ship in the company of his officers and a friar. Blood introduces himself as Don Pedro de Sangre in flawless Castilian; he explains Don Diego saved him from Barbados.

Don Esteban says his father couldn’t join them due to a minor wound and accompanying fever after his raid on Barbados. Don Miguel stops him from saying more, since he’s not supposed to tolerate raids on English settlements while England and Spain are on peaceful terms. Yet, Don Miguel accepts the ransom Don Diego squeezed from Governor Steed, as long as no one tells him the origin of the money.

The gentlemen drink wine together before Don Esteban and Blood return to Cinco Llagas. Once they’re onboard, Blood informs Don Esteban that Don Diego is dead, but he doesn’t know what caused his death; Blood discovered it when he spoke to Don Diego last. He kept the fact hidden because, had Don Esteban known, he would not have gone along with the ploy. Don Esteban swears vengeance, but the captain doesn’t let this influence his wish to show mercy. The Spaniards are put on a boat to Hispaniola at dawn and Cinco Llagas sails to Tortuga.