HISTORICAL FICTION BACKGROUND

Underwater archaeologists in St. Augustine, Florida, have discovered a small, highly decorated, and surprisingly well-preserved pistol in a shipwreck believed to date back to the 1700s.

The dig has also produced several hand tools, a 15-inch tall cauldron, and a navigational divider.  Experts analyzing the artifacts hope that a maker’s mark on the pistol will help date the wreck.