****************************************************************************
*                                                                          *
*                 Documentation for:  HIGH SEAS TRADER                     *
*                                                                          *
*                     By the one and only: MERLIN                          *
*                                                                          *
****************************************************************************

A mouse is required to play HST but here are some keyboard equivalents:
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Steer Left [Z]

Raise/Lower Sail [S]

Steer Right [C]

Pause [P]

Increase Game Speed [=]

Decrease Game Speed [-]

Exit to DOS at any time [ALT] + [X]

Object of the game:
------------------

In HST, you are a merchant sea captain in the 17th century.  Your goal is
to rise in the ranks of the merchant's guild by increasing your ranking in
four catagories: daring, honor, loyalty, and nobility.  You will begin with
the status of Peddler, and then you will advance to Journeyman, Tradesman,
Merchant, Master Merchant, and finally to Viscount.  Most of the activity in
HST takes place at the ports, including hiring crew members, buying charts,
and stocking up on supplies.

A few hints:
-----------

- Dont try and sail into uncharted waters, your crew can revolt against you.

- Avoid pirate areas, storms, rocks, and sandbars.  If you run into a storm,
  your ship, especially your sails, may be damaged, or you may be swept off
  course.

- Rocks and sandbars may cause hull damage.

- Watch your crew's morale as your voyages progress.  It will change 
  periodically.  Your first mate will warn you if morale drops too low.

- Use the trade winds to your advantage.  You will travel faster when they
  are at your back.  Trade winds are stronger than winds closer to land.

- Buy all the charts you can, until you have one of each kind. That keeps your
  cowardly crew from making you walk the plank at the first sign of the unknown.

- Beware the scurvy dogs who try to get you to transport contraband.  If you 
  smuggle, you may find yourself in for a fight as soon as you set sail.

- Dont pick up passengers who want you to run half-way across the world, unless
  you are already going that way.  It is much more efficent to pick up 
  passengers and run them between close ports.

- If you run into rocks or other hazards when the first mate is sailing, you
  will probably want to sail back out of the area, then clear your old course
  (by clicking on the Course button) and chart a new one around the obstacle.

- Everybody loves a world traveler.  Visit as many ports as possible.

- Avoid piracy.  As soon as you open fire on ships from your home country,
  you will find yourself under constant fire.

- Remember to store your money in a bank, this will be the only way to buy 
  a new ship if yours sinks, or is boarded and taken.


This is enough to get you started-- The rest is pretty simple to figure out,
there is a map that you need for the game, I have scanned it and it is included
within the original zip files.  Hope you enjoy this...  L8r


							-Merlin



