Lisboa. in a narrow and noisy alley in the Alfama district.
The sound of hammers hitting the anvil echoes through the air, mingling with the screams of street vendors and the distant lapping of the port. Close to Mestre Domingos' workshop, Antonio Mendonça, another blacksmith craftsman, is chatting with Maester Domingos at the entrance to his workshop.
Joao and Luis approach
" ... And that's it, with these buyers your problems with the taxfarmer are over"
"yes, and after that, no more work...."
"Ha that's the thing, sometimes customers don't pay, they go to sea and never come back, so we have to support each other, and that's it, I've toruvfound out buyers to you !! "
"And what are they going to do with it? It's a forge..."
"We'll do what we want with it" Joao enters the conversation
"Ha! Speak of the devil! " replied mestre domingos greeting Joao and Luis.
"Nice to meet you, my name is Antonio Mendonça, so you want to buy this building?"
"Yes, it seems so," Luis replied in an amused tone
"How many do you want?"
" 300 cruzados "
And so they began to negotiate.
They agreed on a final price of 250 cruzados, Joao did not want to discuss this building any longer. And began to question mestre antonio about the aftermath.
The master blacksmith explains to him that he is going to build a small workshop in a district further away from the port, and resume his activities.
Mestre Domingos inquires what will happen next, and the small group goes to the notary to formalize their agreement. After making a detour to the brotherhood of merchants of the grey anchor to recover the 250 cruzados, leaving their count at 200 cruzados.
The meeting with the notary takes place in an austere room, lit by the flickering light of candles. The notary, dressed in an austere black robe and traditional headdress, sits behind a large solid wood table, on which rest stacks of handwritten documents and a pewter inkwell.
The heavy bag of cruzados was then dropped off by Luis, underlining the seriousness of the transaction.
The notary takes the parchment and reads aloud, and with all solemnity, the summary content of the agreements of the parties.
Maester Domingos with his certificate of ownership in hand, and Maester Antonio, with a heavy bag of cruzados, about 5.7 kg, headed to the farmer's premises, Maester Domingos gave an appointment later in the day for the continuation of the operation.
Joao and Luis headed to the market to pass the time, and find this "rum".
This early April had a sun flooding the large market near the port of Lisboa, where a sea of colorful stalls and shouts mingled with the salty air coming from the Tagus.
The smells of spices, tropical fruits and freshly caught fish rose above the lively crowd. João and Luís walked the crowded aisles, their eyes and ears on the lookout, for this famous "rhumbouillon".
It was Luís who first noticed a certain shop.
A modest stand run by a young man with a tanned complexion, probably back from the colonies. On the raw wooden table, strange objects were arranged: small, smooth, shiny balls that were slightly sticky to the touch.
"João, look! What is it?" asked Luís, holding out his hand.
But João had already stopped. He stared at the small latex balls as if he were contemplating a gold bar. His dark eyes shone with a rare intensity, a mixture of wonder and greed.
"It's not gold, Luís, but it could be," he whispered, his low, deep voice masked by the hustle and bustle of the market. He grabbed one of the balls with his fingertips, squeezed it lightly, watched with fascination as its natural suppleness was. "A different, surprising material"
The salesman, intrigued by the unusual attention, leaned forward slightly. "It comes from the trees of the New World, senhor. The natives call it 'rubber'. They use it to make waterproof objects... and those bullets."
Luís, still skeptical, pouted. "Bullets? Who wants small balls?"
But João was already no longer listening to him. His calculating mind was agitated. He visualized cannonballs for shrapnel, cannonballs devastating the sails of enemy ships, he looked at a way to be ennobled, for a major contribution to the war effort in Portugal.
This material was not just a toy, it was a raw resource, a dormant revolution.
"We need to learn more. This 'rubber', as you say... How much for the whole?" João said to the salesman, his tone betraying a new impatience.
Luís raised an eyebrow, puzzled. "Are you seriously going to buy this? João, you're not serious!"
But João smiled, a smile that mixed ambition and secrecy. "Hey, Luis, do you want to become a nobleman?" He put a firm hand on his friend's shoulder. "And trust me, with that, it's almost guaranteed, I feel it."
"Ho the "Capitan" and his flair, how much do you go for it?" adds Luis, turning to the seller.
Thus, under the Lisbon sun, João held in his hands what he already saw as the gold of the new colonies: not yet refined, but ready to transform the world. While the harbour bells were ringing in the background, João and Luís had, perhaps, just laid the foundation stone for their ascent to the circles of the nobility.
______
Joao and Luis returned to Mestre Domingos' house to manage the rest, in their purses, full of these little balls.
After further discussion with the seller, Joao learned that these balls are taken from a tree liquid and that they hardened according to the shape given to the liquid, before starting to keep this shape.
Joao also learned that if it's heated in the sun it gets sticky, like the ball in his hand, and that it can get very hard too, and crack.
Ideas jostled.
"Ha, you're back! Thanks for the forge, I'll be able to hire new disciples and take more orders! At least that's for after our affair."
"Yes, by the way, before we talk about that: you could, he took a ball out of this "Rubber" to show it to the blacksmith:
I would need a service: could you heat these balls in such a way as to make them look more. Liquid, twice the temperature in direct sunlight, about "
"Strange request! But yes, it won't be difficult..."
The small group went where Maester Domingos was going to carry out this operation
Walking through the workshop where the blacksmith's disciples are working on their tasks, some make nails, others rivets, others all kinds of ustensils: knives, pots, pans, skewers for cooking.
When he arrived at the place decided by Maester Domingos, the latter put down the ball, which he kneaded curiously and found this material strange.
Joao took a few more balls out of his satchel and added them to the place where Domingos had placed the first ball
"Did you have any sulphur?"
"Are you thinking of making gunpowder?"
"haha," Joao laughed: "sort of"
"What, do you seriously think this thing could replace gunpowder?" Said Luis
" Yes, if I'm not mistaken"
This provoked an uncontrolled fit of laughter by mestre domingos, a contagious laugh by the way...
While the balls were starting to liquefy in a way, surprising the trio with the liquidity of the material, mestre domingos, as if taken by surprise, went to get sulfur and added it to the mix. Joao took a small iron bar that was there, and began to turn the mixture.
"No great reaction .... "
"No, especially it doesn't work," Joao said, a little disappointed
"The "captain" has a flair, sometimes he doesn't know it yet, but there is something, his flair has never failed" retorted Luis before continuing: "a little warmer maester please"
"Okay, how much?"
"Why not double it to begin with?"
"Ok..."
1 hour later to turn and turn the mixture again.
"Still nothing special"
"Bah .. we leave half there to rest and cool and we continue to heat more for the rest" said Luis, who has become the commander of the operation, "there is still the question of the form, anyway it will be resolidified" said Luis, casting a questioning look at Joao
"Round and empty inside, can you do that maester?"
"Just put it on a ball actually?"
I guess it should be enough, you just have to be able to remove the thing from the ball so uh ...
"yes it's okay I get it, I'll do this and then, shall we double the temperature again for the rest?" asked the maester, turning to Luis, with an amused look.
"yes!" replied Luis enthusiastically
A few minutes later: the mixture begins to decompose
"Ok" announces Luis, we'll stop here for the tests, it won't keep as hot.. and not even explosions" operation: let's save this thing while we still can, maester! Same thing as for the other half please!
"Ok ok" replies the maester a little disappointed by the experiments
They then discussed how to melt the rest of the 5 tons of silver into these small silver ingots stamped in Cathayi
So Maester Antonio, after having solved his problems with the tax farmer, decided to buy a new forge in the south, a little in the countryside, it will be the forge for the remelting of the ingots, Maester Domingos has obtained his agreement to postpone the opening of his new workshop, and as a good friend of Maester Antonio, will go and help him settle there, while his disciples will take care of current orders.
This is the plan that mestre domingos has had in mind since he looked at the 30 kg bar thrown on the ground by Joao, as if he and Joao were on the same page. This did not fail to surprise Luis.
After that, the trio decided to inspect the results of their recent experiments.
A satchel and two satchels and three satchels, and 4 satchels a total of 10 small satchels.
Those from the first experiment were better "held" than those from the following experiments
"How much did you pay for those balls?"
"1200 reals"
"Ha yes anyway ... it's expensive to get a satchel"
"...."
"They probably have something special," Luis said, a little frustrated
"Yes, like for example containing things lik other bags ...." a partially depressed Joao spoke
"I don't know, something ... something that the usual bags can't contain !" invective Luis
"as ... water?" Joao said
"Come on, let's try with water then," replied Domingos, skeptical.
After the water got poured in :
"the most impressive thing I've seen in a long time" says the maester "These little satchels... are indeed specials, they can contain water, and not only that: water does not leak ...."
"Yes", Joao
"Yes, special", Luis
"As long as it's the right size it could be used for sealing boat hulls," added Joao, "at least for makeshift repairs"
"Ha, we would have to test them over the long term to be sure," says domingos
"Or waterproof shoes..."
"Of what?" asked the blacksmith
"on a boat: waterproof shoes," Luis reaffirmed.
"Or a shoe sealer," adds Joao.
"So I'll recap the formula: twice the temperature in the middle of the heat, with sulfur, and then at twice that afterwards there is a kind of change in texture, and then to cool," said Domingos
"yes, as I said, the "Capitan's" flair is never wrong," Luis announced proudly.
"yes.... jackets to start with," Joao announced.
"So new and practical, anyone who can buy them is certain will do so" Luis added
"Hmm, the only problem is the molds for the coats, I guess you don't think of making "custommade" for sailors' clothes?" asked Domingos
"Molds?" João turned to the master blacksmith
"Yes molds: with coats you will have to break them each time to recover the coat obtained, in addition you will need an experienced blacksmith for the temperatures of making this special "rub ber" thing"
"Maybe, we are not craftsmen maestre"
"Or a mold with leather, you put a lot of pieces of leather during cooling, and then you remove it and presto: a waterproof coat" said Luis
"Ha I hadn't thought of that, but it should work, it's not iron or bronze," replied the maester.
"Well, it's not for now, for the moment it's certainly expensive to buy, but this "rubber"... Special... I will order this product with the grey anchor" says Joao.
The day drew to a close, and the three companions separated.
Joao and Luis headed for the grey anchor, to place an order for this "rubber".
The negotiations had almost come to an end after a few debates: a barrel for the same price as a barrel of sugar, refined at that!!
But the availability of the product is not obvious from what the negotiator explained, it is a product of the natives, and not very in demand, hence the price, considering the transport etc ...
In the end 3 barrels of 300 liters for a total of 2000 cruzados.
The deed of the "casa de moeda" stating that the payment is guaranteed. And the deposit of the 200 cruzados already stored, being the initial payment.
Here they are with a contract to buy the grey anchor for a product that does not interest many people for the moment.
________
2 weeks later
After retrieving the 2000 cruzados at the casa de moeda, and depositing them at the grey anchor, the trio Joao, Luiz and mestre Domingos prepare to leave for the place where the rest of the ingots will be melted
After scouting the place and filling up on goods and buying a cart, Joao and Luis head to join the others near Carrasqueira.
After nearly a month of separation, the others began to worry, and prepared a small expedition of their own.
That night they celebrated, with much more tranquillity after Joao read to them, in the manner of the notary, the various documents, supported by Luis's little stories.
In the end they didn't move much from there.
The next day Joao presented them with his new plan, and to know if they want to participate in it, pirate tradition: do you vote for me again or not? Here is the new project:
Joao decided to present their current situation as follows:
So the situation is as follows: I made a calculation error: it's not 40 million but only about 200 thousand.
After a difficult awakening and a few celebratory vomiting attacks, the survivors looked at Joao haphazardly, while Luis tried to hide his laughter.
"What? About 200 thousands ???? "with an air of disgust..." but it's not possible, it's 5 tons of silver at least
"Yes he's right, indeed you must have made a mistake somewhere"
"What do you mean, not 40 million?"
"Joao left the suspense prolong little before announcing: about 200,000 cruzados"
" .... that ... Cruzados? "
"yes cruzados, like those noble merchants used to pay for cargoes..."
"You can even buy a Gallion with that, if not more!"
Another a little less familiar with cruzados asked: "How much is it in reals?
"about 80 million" announced Luis
There: there was a small crowd: "80 million !!! ????!!!!"
"Pinch me, I must be dreaming there ...." said one to another of his companions
Ouch!! But who asked you to really do it!
"80 million !!!," the pincher gloated.
Joao then continued his explanations
"So there you have it: I thought we could set up a chartered company, each of us contributing our share, about 20,000 cruzados to the company
With that we buy forges and a few small companies, we know each other here, we import we export, some could make commercial crossings, but no more piracy, possibly buccaneers can do.
Why no more piracy? Very simple: Here it's not like in India, there are mostly "work for" and not many "work with", I won't explain it again
Then we make it all profitable, and in 5 to 10 years we will be able to afford a captaincy in Brazil, that's the basic plan, with solid foundations in Lisboa and Porto, we will be able to become big landowners in Brazil, and even conquer Brazil and obviously establish our new country! "
"Conquer Brazil?"
"What's this part of the plan?"
"Our country . . . It makes me dream a bit ....."
" uh .. Ahem.... In reals please, now I can't keep up: 20000?"
"hahahaha 8 million" Luis replied quickly
"Madre de dios! 8 million !!! ??? !!!! "
"It's too much for me, I'm going to invest"
"Same"
"Count me in the company"
After getting everyone's agreement, Joao, satisfied, continued:
"So, we will have to invest in the wars with Spain and the Netherlands, if independence is contested, everything we have accomplished could simply end up in Spanish hands and we will end up with these "work for": what you have bought has not been bought from the right authorities, and therefore, whether we make this company or not, The Spaniards would steal everything from us. So we have to invest so that Portugal wins this war, and also against the Dutch, since they are contesting Brazil, which should become our country! "
"yes, yes Our country yes... When you talk about enlisting, do you want us to join the line infantry maybe? This question launched by Pietro obviously summed up everyone's questions, since all without exception looked at Joao questioningly.
"No! Of course not! But we have to contribute to this war, so sometimes we could make donations, such as equipment for example"
"Speaking of equipment: we found something that would have been very useful to us: croutchoux to make sailors' coats" says Luis
"Crunchy? What's that?"
"A kind of thing that doesn't let water through, I think it could even replace the tarmac to insulate boat hulls" replied Luis
"And where does the rubber come from?" asked Joao, turning to Luis
"Ha! It's the rubber, I didn't understand the name with all these variations" replied Pietro
"From Brazil!! And be careful guys, it's the flair of the "Capitan" who found this thing."
Immediately the small group took it much more seriously than before.
"In short, if we manage to contribute significantly to the war where at least some of us could receive titles of nobility, moreover, for the moment Spain is entangled with Flanders, and other places, but when it is over, they will gather their forces to strike more direct blows, and so, it is before that that we must contribute, After that, it's win or lose."
" Uh.. I was weighing in on that: but why can I invest directly in Brazil? It would be simpler"
"Yes certainly, if you plan to play blacksmith, mason and all the trades once you arrive, yes ... Otherwise, 5 to 10 years old and a hint of the Brazilian dream, then we will be able to have a solid foundation as soon as we arrive"
One of the 9 turned to Luis: "and that's also the flair of the "capitan""
"If it's not, it looks like it."
Luis and Pietro answered at the same time.
( the guys are playing wordgames about "caoutchouc"( rubber) , i didn't anticipate the wordgames would not be sustain in english sorry )