It goes north for a while, and then it stops being a river you can ride in. There are rocks. Big ones. The water falls over them.
Alright, Mosco, be honest with me. Where does this river actually end up?
Slidkalniņš: 2
Past the rocks there are more rocks. Then hills. I've never met anyone who found China by going up a river.
Yes, but past the rocks! Does it keep going? Because if it connects to the western sea, I've just found England's shortcut to China and I'll be very famous.
Slidkalniņš: 3
I'm marking it "possible passage west, unconfirmed." That way if it's true, I said it first.
So you're writing down a thing you don't know, and other Englishmen are going to read it and believe you.
That is exactly how maps work, yes.
Slidkalniņš: 4
It's paint. You wash it, grind it, put it on your face. It's good paint and people trade for it.
Let's talk about this. Your people dig it out of the ground, it shines, it's heavy. Is it silver?
Slidkalniņš: 5
I sailed four thousand miles, nearly died of a stingray, and named an entire island "Limbo." For face paint.
You should try some. You've looked tired since the stingray.
Slidkalniņš: 6
That's Nacotchtank. They trade with everybody, and I mean everybody. If you show up asking for directions to China, they will absolutely still sell you something.
Fine. Forget the silver. There's supposed to be a huge trading town way up where the river splits. everyone downriver keeps mentioning it.
Slidkalniņš: 7
This is where I get off.
What? We're not finished! I need someone who knows the river!
Captain, I don't work for you. I've been steering because otherwise you'd be an armed Englishman entering somebody else's town uninvited, which is not a great idea.
Slidkalniņš: 8
You're the one with the notebook. You'll write whatever you want anyway.