The Indianman

Seagulls circled above, squawking hungrily and constant shouts of dockworkers sang through Leith, where looming grey clouds shrouded the sky. Geordie strained under his heavy load of crates he was transporting to the warehouse, as cargo was unloaded from the boats. The merchant ships swayed in the wind, their sails billowing. Geordie was particularly excited for today, The Indianman herself which had journeyed from Calcutta all the way to Scotland carrying lucrative, exotic goods including tea, silks, and spices was arriving at the port soon. He looked forward to the ships from India the most because the imports were so rare and unknown. After delivering his cargo he returned to the dock where onlookers were gathered. Pushing his way through the frenzy he recognised the tall, proud bulk of the Indianman with the East India Company flag flying. She slowly glided to a stop at a stone pier and almost immediately a gang plank was lowered onto the cobbles. Geordie was at once sent up to start unloading the cargo from the hold. The sudden choke of spices greeted him in the musty darkness as he reached for a delicate box brimming with lavish cotton, silks, and jewellery. After a long laborious haul to the sheds and back he got hold of a crate filled with tea, nutmeg, pepper, and dried fruit. As he cautiously made his way down the gang plank a tiny flurry of colour escaped from the crate flapping up into the misty sky. A stowaway! Geordie, perplexed by this, lost his balance and wobbled perilously on the thin plank. Trembling, he regained his posture and steadily made his way down onto the pier. A wee, colourful bird sat on a wooden post with an apricot in its beak. Geordie, shaken and surprised, smiled, India had really arrived in Scotland!