April 26, 1882

Spanish East Indies

Richard Owen

Superintendent

British Museum (Natural History)

South Kensington, London, England

Honored Sir,

Please forgive the tardiness of my reply as I have been unable to favor you for several months. At your suggestion I have traveled to the South Seas islands in search of specimens for your collection. Once there, I found a small island that the natives referred to as Gaepan. While exploring its vast lava caves I came upon a discovery of substantial geological and historical significance. Inside the largest of these caves are the remains of a sailing vessel not unlike those of the eighteenth century. However, judging by the mineralization I would estimate it to be ancient in origin.

I have just begun to catalogue the contents but stopped to post this package to you. Enclosed you will find a small game board found in the master?s chamber of the ship.

After endeavoring to translate the text and taking a few liberties, I believe the rules are as follows.

You are awarded one unit for commanding a ship and three for controlling all of the seas within the dark borders. The ships have the advantage of attacking adjacent spaces with one additional point and you are penalized one attacking point for passing through the rifts in the land. As for the other rules it is very much like other games of conquest.

I have also included drawings that may be of particular interest to you. They illustrate four new creatures that I believe may have been part of the ship?s crew. Again some liberties had to be made in reassembling the skeletal remains, but I feel confident that my work will stand up to scientific scrutiny.

Please accept these as gifts and I look forward to your reply.

Respectfully,

Edmund Coles