Captain Elias Blackburn

Captain Elias Blackburn was the captain of the Stormrake. It became ensnared in Saragoss in 738 BC. Captain Blackburn wrote about his experiences in the shi's log (extracts below), which was found in 749 BC. The fate of the captain is note known, although it is not likely to be good.

Text extracts from ship's log:

• Describing the teeth of dire eels, which were made into sewing needles:
  

5.1.738 Visit frm 2 wndring slimerakes, offered var. goods incl. muckboots (for wlking on sea-slime), hrbs claimd to be med., also sewing needles fr sails, clothes. These dserv some mntion; length of a finger, shrper than our stl needles. Sppsdly made from eel's teeth. Eels mst be imprsv herabouts.

• Describing the work of dire barracuda on the fishing line:
  

6.13.738 Hve bn fishing to + stores of food. Cont. difficulties w/finding line for task. Perford brought line w/whch claims t.hve caught sharks, but when put out w/bait (lst of beef, too gone w/wrms fr eating), line cut thr. as if w/knife. Whtevr is done there has teeth.

• Describing an encounter with a kelp angler:
  

6.16.738 Almst lost D tday to bizrr thing. Srt of amb. seawd whc puts out feelrs to ctch food. D was struck of one & ws draggd below, but Mr S cut "line" w/hs clsp knf, savd him. (Mch sawing necess., crttr v. tough in skn.) Chased thing away w/noise, hrpn.

1st mt. said (& I agree) smthing wrng w/a place whr plants fish for men.

• Describing an encounter with a monstrous crab:
  

7.10.738 Caught and killed crab today, feast for all hands. At one time we mt. have scrupled to eat a creat. wh. had made itself fat on dead men's flesh (inc. pr Bartree, Ez. rest him), but no longer; esp. as so many have been tempted (& mr than tempted, in truth) to make the exp. of eating men's flesh direct. Measured the beast as four cubits across the shell.