THE GOLDEN SKULL BLACKBEARD'S TREASURE ISLAND JOHN STORM and the ELIZABETH SWAN by JAMESON HUNTER

In 1716 the veteran mercenary, English Teach (Blackbeard) was declared a pirate again, having once been pardoned. He was famous for his thick black beard and fearsome features which terrified sailors when they were being boarded. He lay in wait for ships plying passage to the east coast of the American colonies, then caught in a trap he mercilessly sacked those ships for their cargoes rich in gold, jewels and other artifacts.

Teach soon amassed a fortune in treasure aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, a 40 cannon French built merchant ship, stashing his booty secretly in the Caribbean Islands. Then on the 22nd of November 1718 a British naval taskforce led by Lieutenant Robert Maynard captured and beheaded the troublesome pirate after a bloody battle, but his treasure trove was never found save for a paltry £2,200 worth of sugar, cocoa and cotton. It was though known that he had plundered royal transports and acquired many chests full of the rarest gemstones: diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The US and UK governors were baffled - but they'd killed the only man who could tell them where his fortune was hidden.

Lord Huntington (Hunt), a prominent member of the British Geographical Society, acquires an ancient parchment on the deathbed of a famous explorer. The parchment was handed down through generations, it contains clues to the location of Teach's secret treasure trove on an Island in the Caribbean, said to be guarded by a macabre human spirit manifesting itself as a golden crystal human skull.

One huge obstacle to recovery of this treasure trove is that these islands are newly patrolled by the US and South American navies who are in a tense cold war situation arising from territorial water disputes and fishing rights.

Lord Hunt hires John Storm for his expertise in marine archaeology, as a consultant to the expedition and his amazing solar powered ship, the Elizabeth Swan, for its stealth cloaking ability making the boat invisible to radar - hence able to slip through the military blockade.

They find the Island avoiding contact with any of the Bolivarian Republic's (of Venezuela) warships which might arouse curiosities but despite all efforts to keep the reason for the expedition a secret from the crew, the word is leaked out by a one of Huntington's arch rivals to a corrupt naval officer, who engages a cutthroat gang of mercenaries to steal the treasure and glory for himself.

The treacherous rival gang soon invades the Island intent on getting the treasure for themselves, having first sabotaged the Elizabeth Swan .......

SCENE	–	DESCRIPTION	–	LOCATION
	–		–
Prologue	–	Bermuda triangle shipwrecks mystery	–	51⁰,30’N, 0⁰S
Chapter 1	–	SKY News – Maritime celebrations and Blackbeard pirate lore.	–
Chapter 2	–	EXPEDITION - Lord Hunt’s group acquire funding from geographic society for expedition. Crystal Skull of doom archaeology and alien myth. (Skull curse) Archaeological quest cover for unofficial treasure hunt 'Hispaniola'	–
Chapter 3	–	John Storm (JS) lecture on marine archaeology Mary Rose and Captain Kidd	–
Chapter 4	–	Admiralty endorse Lord Hunt’s mission: 'Hispaniola' secret destination.	–
Chapter 5	–	Hunt hires John Storm for expertise and Elizabeth Swan as portable lab.	–
Chapter 6	–	Secret destination revealed to JS as Crooked Island. (Count Monte Christo)	–
Chapter 7	–	Provisioning and preparations	–
Chapter 8	–	John Long signs on with false credentials as cartographer.	–
Chapter 9	–	Cast off and across the Atlantic to Caribbean Sea, avoiding military	–
Chapter 10	–	Satellite survey Island using latest technology. Pearl Cove; Ruby Mountains	–
Chapter 11	–	Ride storm then suffer solar doldrums	–
Chapter 12	–	SOS distress call and rescue young lad and sister (blue lagoon). Long takes shine to lad.	–
Chapter 13	–	Landing on the Island past military – cannibal rituals evident.	–
Chapter 14	–	Lord Hunt gets caught with secret map previously undisclosed	–
Chapter 15	–	Traitor J Long contacts gang to tell secret destination, steals treasure map.	–
Chapter 16	–	Sky News: Curse mythical golden skull. Green & Charley	–
Chapter 17	–	The group set up base camp in old stockade on island.	–
Chapter 18	–	Long’s gang moor their vessel and sneak up on the treasure seekers	–
Chapter 19	–	Gang sabotage the Swan, disabling communications and drive	–
Chapter 20	–	Gang imprison Toffs group in stockade including the lad and his sister	–
Chapter 21	–	Gang force Storm to decipher the treasure map, using hostage lever	–
Chapter 22	–	Trek through jungle upriver into mountains to find the treasure	–
Chapter 23	–	False alarm as they find WW2 airplane wreckage and skeletons	–
Chapter 24	–	Cave with Gold Skull is shrine, 2 pirates die horribly (Indiana Jones) but treasure is taken to pirates ship. JS escapes	–
Chapter 25	–	Pirate guards get increasingly restless, injure girl, stockade barricade	–
Chapter 26	–	At Stockade John Long saves the lad from being murdered	–
Chapter 27	–	JS is forced to makeshift repair to the Swan since Dan is also a captive	–
Chapter 28	–	Storm does deal with Long in return for amnesty and Dan's release	–
Chapter 29	–	Rescue of crew from remaining pirates, some die others escape island with Lord Hunt as hostage. Curse gets to pirates	–
Chapter 30	–	Storm radios Green for US Navy support	–
Chapter 31	–	Navy sinks pirate vessel, Lord Hunt and pirates rescued - with golden skull	–
Chapter 32	–	Black beard’s treasure goes back to a watery grave	–
Chapter 33	–	Honours from grateful Government and prize money	–
Chapter 34	–	Gold Skull disappears in mysterious circumstances after handover	–
Chapter 35	–	Thieves ship sinks in freak Bermuda weather with loss of hands and skull	–
Epilogue	–	Barbary coast – Tortugas legacy.	–	8⁰ 20’N, 78⁰ W

The right of Jameson Hunter to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright Designs and Patents Act 1988.

In this work of fiction, the characters, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or they are used entirely fictitiously.

This book is sold subject to the conditions that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that which it it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

Papers used by Electrick’s Publishers are natural, recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests. The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

51⁰,30’N, 0⁰ – His mobile chimed the French national anthem, loud and somewhat irritatingly, which reminded Steve Green to take the time to choose another ringtone.

“Ya, that’s why I’m calling you isn’t it. Listen Steve, get me what you can on the Hispaniola project – usual rates plus a bonus if you dig up anything about this curse.”

Now there’s an offer you can’t refuse, he thought. Charley and Steve had been working to expose a local scandal in Florida, but that could wait.

SKY NEWS REPORT: “Good evening, I’m David Steel for the late edition of Sky News at 10:00.” The screen flickered in the airport lounge.

“It was revealed today that the expedition headed by Lord Hunt to the Caribbean includes the search for a mythical treasure said to be made of pure gold. The expedition destination is Crooked Island also know as Skull Island by many local elders. Many of the island rituals include witchcraft and voodoo." ……………………..