Columbus's first voyage to the New World began on August 3, 1492. By the time he reached the Bahamas, it was already October; the journey had taken two months. That was partly because he was unfamiliar with the route, but also because of the technological limits of ships at the time. The Mayflower, which set out in 1620, likewise took two months to reach Massachusetts.
Sailing ships naturally needed wind for propulsion. The Greek allied fleet commanded by Agamemnon also sailed vessels driven by the wind, and the wind's direction was beyond human control. A skilled sailor could only manipulate the rigging to expose more of the sails to the wind and thus increase the ship's speed.
The cruiser Agamemnon, however, had a steam engine and could travel quickly even without wind, though that engine had been added later.
Before 1796, Nelson had commanded the Agamemnon in battle, until HMS Victory became his flagship. He had met Miss Hamilton aboard that ship. Even though Nelson died after the Battle of Trafalgar, the Agamemnon remained at the heart of history's turbulent events.
Wind could provide power, but it could also stir up trouble, making mountains and valleys suddenly rise from a calm sea.
Georgiana, who had abruptly changed direction, now found a ditch before her. She pulled the reins and brought her horse to a halt. The horse could have jumped that distance, but the carriage was another matter.
The Mamluks followed behind. Perhaps because their Arabian horses were unaccustomed to the cold climate, they were not running as fast as usual. Their hooves were more accustomed to soft yellow sand than forests carpeted with dead branches and fallen leaves.
Fortunately, it was winter, so there was no deadly miasma in the forest, nor were there any Doxies in this area.