The last buccaneer : or, The trustees of Mrs A.

On a damp winter afternoon in 1708, a schoolmaster in Bristol meets his old school‑friend Brandon Pomfrett, now a clerk in his uncle’s warehouse. Both are restless, craving adventure, when a rough sailor with a glittering ruby ring blocks their path. He asks for directions to the Burning Bush, a notorious tavern, and Pomfrett, intrigued by the ring, offers to guide them. Their walk down a narrow alley brings them into the low‑lit tavern, heavy with the scent of rum and smoke.

Inside, they are met by John Gamaliel, a gaunt former seaman turned merchant, whose hooked nose and crooked fingers betray a life at sea. He immediately points to a mysterious bottle, urging Pomfrett and the schoolmaster to inspect it, hinting at a hidden transaction. Suspicion rises as the sailor’s motives and Gamaliel’s “curiosity of the sea” intertwine, suggesting a scheme that could drag the friends into dangerous waters. The encounter sets the stage for a reluctant partnership that may carry them far beyond Bristol’s narrow streets.