tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55188855991317521902024-02-07T04:30:33.916-05:00The Daily WooldingA collection of odd facts and opinions relating mostly to the life of pirates and piracy in the Caribbean in the 17th and 18th centuries.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-80201317993163888302014-08-09T06:53:00.000-04:002014-08-09T18:46:46.048-04:00A Pirates Personal Weapons<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqpJOAAQelr87o7S1OSOtCeIlPglANruO7Ltk-V9m3kkCPp13EnocK3pvMneF7bkPVQVteseOnitPgMijEMlRNxFVf9IQq2DNn5Y4gxY5-EnxyPvCj2m9_SRD4PFlU0bE2-bzrk8sRj9n/s1600/illus008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqpJOAAQelr87o7S1OSOtCeIlPglANruO7Ltk-V9m3kkCPp13EnocK3pvMneF7bkPVQVteseOnitPgMijEMlRNxFVf9IQq2DNn5Y4gxY5-EnxyPvCj2m9_SRD4PFlU0bE2-bzrk8sRj9n/s1600/illus008.jpg" height="320" width="203" /></a></div>
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During what is commonly referred to as the Golden Age of Piracy, the early 18th century, or "the Pirates of the Caribbean time", pirates were often armed. This is not surprising as they are criminals who take things by force. It may be, in fact, silly to think of them without weapons, as their weapons have become a part of their costume, so to speak. This is a short study of the common personal weapons that pirates most often used. Please understand that this is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Clearly weapons such as hammers, marlinspikes, whips, flails, and garottes could and I'm sure did come into play. Yet, those were not the common weapons of pirates, but rather the weapons of convenience. Knives, swords, axes, and guns were the common weapons of the time.</div>
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<b>Knives</b></div>
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<a href="http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?38165-A-Pirates-knife-yo-ho" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKD_N5U1IR4VqueXnve1T77V1pkBBOct6oyVc4AcesUIGawkUwdGE5kAe44MHne1DEvvIxIdMHNRbud6C9MOoe7aDFamyPxYHKaVmJFALyChIm9-SIo3GYUeXkt9k20rwtg-wCDXBzb6ue/s1600/pirate+knife.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The most common weapon was the knife because it was also a tool of both hunters and sailors, which is where Buccaneers came from. Knives were also commonly used because they're small and easy to carry concealed -or- between your teeth whilst climbing up the side of a ship that you're about to attack. Quick and quiet, knives made the best weapons for taking a ship in the dead of the night. Versatile, as they can be thrown, used to puncture or slash, plus lightweight and easy to carry. It is easy to see how the knife was clearly a pirate favorite.</div>
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(More pics of this great knife can be seen at http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?38165-A-Pirates-knife-yo-ho)</div>
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<b>Cutlasses</b></div>
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Pirates also used swords. The most common type of sword used by Pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy was the cutlass. Their short, heavy blades sharpened only on one edge made excellent machetes and shipboard tools, as well as weapons. The reason for this design was the use of the weapon; dual-edge swords can cut on both the forward swing and the back-swing. There is much less control on the back-swing and an accident could mean damage to the sails and sheets of the ship. It was true that some sailors and pirates used rapiers. This was rare however, because the rapier is primarily a thrusting weapon and it takes great skill to master. The rapier is the weapon of a duelist, not a murderous thug.</div>
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<b>Boarding Axes</b></div>
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One of the most common weapons, or tools, found on ships of this period is the ax. Most sailors probably thought of the ax as more of a tool, like a fireman's ax, than a weapon. No matter, as the ax makes an effective boarding weapon whether you choose to attack your enemy directly or damage their ship. Many of the French buccaneers used a small hand ax, not unlike the tomahawk, as an offhanded weapon. Additionally, every ship of the period should have AT LEAST 1 ax to cut away storm-damaged pieces of rigging and to cut wood for repair pieces.</div>
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<b>Belaying Pins or Clubs</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9md45bTWHxNxIRimUVhyphenhyphencYSRcbq0NvuAs5IqNudkkMKouODMfiCSKKQrZXnGnyzDA8i6R37P3mFBL8_plkjbidpwPPkm1S0QFJBp4mzAd3Lr7XY8WOyXqBYBDli_6SnuBD_lr0Y1cZoJ/s1600/belay_pin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9md45bTWHxNxIRimUVhyphenhyphencYSRcbq0NvuAs5IqNudkkMKouODMfiCSKKQrZXnGnyzDA8i6R37P3mFBL8_plkjbidpwPPkm1S0QFJBp4mzAd3Lr7XY8WOyXqBYBDli_6SnuBD_lr0Y1cZoJ/s1600/belay_pin.jpg" height="122" width="320" /></a></div>
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Surprising as this may be to hear, murder is not always the goal when taking a ship. Sometimes, especially if the crew are just poor merchant sailors, there is no reason for a great deal of bloodshed. If just beating down and frightening the crew will get you what you want, why go further? Also, it was not uncommon for pirates to recruit new members from the crews of taken ships; it's not real likely that you are gonna get someone to join with you if you just shot one of their friends and ran a sword through another. So, without further delay, I present to you the belaying pin.<br />
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The belaying pin is a piece of hard wood or brass 18" - 24" long in a pin or baton shape that fits into a set of parallel holes, one above the other, in the rails or around the masts. It is a tool on board a sailing vessel of this period that performs the same duty as the modern cleat; it serves as a place to "make fast" or tie off lines from the running rigging (that's the part of the rigging that moves). As each sail could have as many as 6 running rigging lines coming from it and each line needs a place to be tied off, you begin to see how there are many pins along the rails on both sides of a ship with 15 or more sails, as most vessels with 3 masts could easily have.<br />
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<b>Pistols</b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIikoCi8cRGglv13gICT_qy3vdGFMraIOsv5btYoK45R8JggVRVo7gnHH9SzEsA1VQkRzmvKq3ZigF_4v2vvz2azpZNiipRYEmX6V28Ry7hTljtL6OVD0NCuMvJOw0pwewt9sJYl6aj8s/s1600/Dollarphotoclub_11948055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikIikoCi8cRGglv13gICT_qy3vdGFMraIOsv5btYoK45R8JggVRVo7gnHH9SzEsA1VQkRzmvKq3ZigF_4v2vvz2azpZNiipRYEmX6V28Ry7hTljtL6OVD0NCuMvJOw0pwewt9sJYl6aj8s/s1600/Dollarphotoclub_11948055.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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From the Fifteenth century and the arrival of the Spanish in the Caribbean, pistols became the premier personal weapon. They were highly prized by pirates. In some ship's articles, it was agreed upon by the entire crew that the lookout who spotted a ship that ended up as a prize got the choice of the pistols found aboard. Unfortunately, despite their incredible popularity both in history and in fiction, pistols of this time period are neither accurate, nor reliable. This is especially the case when mixed with the humidity of the Caribbean region. Simply put, black powder weapons absolutely require dry powder to fire properly and it is incredibly difficult to keep powder dry in a place where the air is saturated with water. </div>
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Of course as the centuries roll by, black powder becomes more stable and the mechanisms of the pistols become better as well. Even so, pistol shots at close range still failed nearly a third of the time. Again, we must consider the pirate and remember his goal is usually thievery. Pistols, especially a number of them, are intimidating all on their own. A pirate might be able to convince common people to help him just by intimidation without ever having to threaten them directly. How comfortable would you be around a terrorist covered in weapons, which is roughly the equivalent of how people of the 18th Century viewed pirates at that time.</div>
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<b>Long Rifles</b></div>
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Long rifles, although they are black powder weapons, were much more stable. Used both by pirates and marines, these were the assault weapons of the period. When fixed with a bayonet, the barrel of the gun is plugged, but the weapon retains functionality as a boarding pike. In the period, some of the French buccaneers were renowned hunters and their accuracy with a long rifle, whether killing a boar or a man, was the stuff of legend. <br />
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It is interesting to note that although the British and French were known to use long rifles from the rigging (or more accurately from the fighting tops), the Spanish never did -- their Admiralty believed that the risk of fire in the rigging far outweighed the benefits of guns. Even as late as the 1700's, the Spanish used bows and crossbows in their fighting tops.<br />
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<b>Blunderbusses</b></div>
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<a href="http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2009/12/brass-barreled-blunderbuss-by-david.html" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwUQYQBsj6Ok3Y-5jkBLl39zT7iizHr_wip-2FYLIbzflROFimVuqqgu_u5y9Cn5_CmcxpHzTnE7f1erde5mKcmDq06ZZkpCqWj0ngqTUNdKBOXjnv2tvD3QXJwA7h043jHDEaXE3HaA1v/s1600/Blunderbuss+and+Horn+7.jpg" height="191" title="" width="400" /></a></div>
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If the long rifle was the assault weapon of the period, then the blunderbuss is like an AK-47 with undermounted grenade launcher. This weapon was 100% intimidation; 3 - 5 people standing in its explosive path would become the blood red paint that covered the people behind them. It was a terror weapon. It was used both to intimidate and to end boarding actions. If there were 4 of these side by side, they would clear a deck. Blunderbuss, when you absolutely want to make it clear that you are in charge and you are not afraid to redecorate in arterial red to prove it.</div>
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You can see more of this glorious piece at the following site. </div>
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http://contemporarymakers.blogspot.com/2009/12/brass-barreled-blunderbuss-by-david.html</div>
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Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-85514185327633657312014-08-09T06:12:00.000-04:002014-08-09T06:12:42.338-04:00Pirate D&D and a Question About Ball Bearings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zsTcOMXWm7_xyb9KWFtA6KNPuWIVp7u5pw0e0V6Eku6Rw4uJv89hQYbRm_Mn4nS_f8IXG66Kg9WE5v3itYY9vSTXNwZgCN3irwMjtCsrh_mr5VS523UPbxy5P7BZcs1b_rSvlBzUrqB8/s1600/186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5zsTcOMXWm7_xyb9KWFtA6KNPuWIVp7u5pw0e0V6Eku6Rw4uJv89hQYbRm_Mn4nS_f8IXG66Kg9WE5v3itYY9vSTXNwZgCN3irwMjtCsrh_mr5VS523UPbxy5P7BZcs1b_rSvlBzUrqB8/s1600/186.jpg" height="195" width="320" /></a></div>
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I have been running a pirate game for nearly 6 months now. We have bounced from system to system, but found nothing that really makes everyone happy. The announcement of 5e D&D has spurred my group into wanting to switch to this system. Unfortunately, the system is far from complete and I know much will need to be modified in order to make it work out for us. Let me give you some examples of what we are working with now.</div>
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Given the lack of character classes in the free release of 5e, we were forced to search afield for something we could home-rule together. We grabbed classes from <a href="http://www.dnd-wiki.org/" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3e6584; text-decoration: none;">here</a>, because what else can you do when you have 2 witch doctors, 2 swashbucklers, 4 pirates, and an assassin? We're also using pieces and parts from <a href="http://www.rpgnow.com/product/16916/HR4-A-Mighty-Fortress-Campaign-Sourcebook-2e?it=1" rel="nofollow" style="color: #3e6584; text-decoration: none;">A Mighty Fortress</a>, which I have had for years, as well as things from other systems. This blog will be about the trials and tribulations of trying to run a game with a Pirates of the Caribbean feel. I will share with you what we have tried and what we thinks works, as well as other thoughts, musings, and occasional pet peeves.</div>
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<img alt="Ball Bearings" class="image-style-large" height="480" src="http://community.wizards.com/sites/mtgcommunity/files/styles/large/public/ux_a10111000ux0140_ux_g03.jpg?itok=6HoAjseC" style="border: 0px; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" title="Ball Bearings" typeof="foaf:Image" width="480" /></div>
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SO here's the first one. On page 48 of the 5e rules, there is a section that discusses metal ball bearings. 1000 metal ball bearings can be purchased for 1 gp. What is the use of these obviously technological tidbits that makes them SO common in a fantasy world. In our world, steel ball bearings did not exist until the late 1800's. The soft lead balls used for ammo in the 1700's would just crush underfoot, they wouldn't stay round thus no trip hazard. Serious technology is behind the ball bearing. Why is it so common in D&D? Maybe I'm just crazy for wanting a little realism with my fantasy.</div>
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<br />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-24989521575033661372014-07-24T12:23:00.001-04:002014-07-24T12:25:22.171-04:00A Pirate Birthday Adventure -- You're never too old.Last weekend my nephew turned 22. He loves pirates and his wife, who was making him an excellent pirate outfit for his present wanted to have a pirate surprise party. She wanted to have a scavenger hunt type thing and so my incredibly talented friends and family pulled together to pull off an amazing pirate adventure.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L-tgyW4TCMF8-Qb11ooLvthqGIMcglEvP4zSxiMwEBMneBUGa5TLLwFvG3x-_RxYJGT6gsP-KFPuwslkxOPPgKJ1ASZb6jCU-8fYFICrAMyM-0dcnVlPA2wiAwpKqXe7NgYz-JI0Kn6-/s1600/Dollarphotoclub_1621332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2L-tgyW4TCMF8-Qb11ooLvthqGIMcglEvP4zSxiMwEBMneBUGa5TLLwFvG3x-_RxYJGT6gsP-KFPuwslkxOPPgKJ1ASZb6jCU-8fYFICrAMyM-0dcnVlPA2wiAwpKqXe7NgYz-JI0Kn6-/s1600/Dollarphotoclub_1621332.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></div>
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Here's the letter that started it all off, written by yours truly:<br />
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<i>Unto My Most Adventurous
Nephew,</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
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<i>From A Most Eccentric and
Unknown Uncle Who Has Watched Your Ways</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
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<i>Concerning A Coming of Age,
A Rite of Passage, and A Quest In Need of Finishing</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
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<i>I have little time left to
me on this spinning ball of mud and I will waste little of it
explaining myself. I am kin to you, but you were never told of me.
I am kept locked away now by the wasting of body and mind. We will
never meet, you and I, yet I believe that you are the one to finish
the quest that I have devoted my life to. They called my meticulous
work MAD, but you will prove them wrong! At least I think you're the
one. But wait; I'm getting ahead of myself. First, let me give you
some background.
</i></div>
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<i>An age ago when pirates
sailed did Jose Gaspar take up the “sweet trade”. He took many
rich prizes along the Gulf Coast, raiding shipping and settlements
alike. His brig, La Florablanca, was known and feared by all. In
his later years, Gaspar began to hoard his treasure, wanting not to
split it with the crew. Finally though when La Florablanca rode so
low in the water that the gunports could no be opened for fear of
sinking the brig, the crew handed Gaspar the “black spot” and
demanded a split of the booty.</i></div>
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<i>Gaspar did not stay a pirate
captain into his 60's by being a fool. So he put into Tampa Bay near
the mouth of the Hillsborough River at the dying of day. The order
was to disembark all crew and treasure into the boats. They'd count
and split the treasure onshore; the plan was to sail away again at
dawn. Unfortunately, there was so much treasure to be loaded and
moved ashore that the process took all night. Before the split could
happen, a ship could be seen entering Tampa Bay by the morning light.
Gaspar eyed her through his spyglass and saw she flew the colors of
Britain. She seemed low in the water, as well as poorly-handled by a
too-small crew. All the signs of merchantman come to trade at the
small nearby settlement.</i></div>
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<i>Gaspar put it to his crew –
“Look there what comes our way, hombres – a fat English merchant.
Who wants to make this pile even bigger!” The crew took little
convincing. They knew the now empty La Florablanca would quickly
catch and dispatch this merchant. They were blinded by greed and
that was their undoing.</i></div>
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<i>As many now know, that fat
British merchantman was no merchantman at all. It was all a rouse
and when La Florablanca pulled into range, the ship cut down the
British ensign and flew the Stars and Stripes. At the same time, 57
cannons unleashed Hell upon the deck of La Floriblanca. Captain
Gaspar watched from the quarterdeck as the grapeshot from the U.S.S.
Enterprise decimated his crew 8 times over. The fight was over
before the first boarding hook let fly from the American war ship.</i></div>
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<i>What happened next is the
stuff of legend. Gaspar ran from the quarterdeck to the fo’c’sle.
He wrapped himself in the anchor chain of his beloved Floriblanca
and screamed at the top of his lungs:</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><br />
</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><b>Gasparilla dies by his
own hand, not the enemy's </b>
</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Still
brandishing his cutlass over his head, he then leaped into the foam
and was never seen again. Those few men that survived the U.S.S.
Enterprise's attack upon La Floriblanca were rounded up and taken to
New Orleans. There they were tried as pirates and hung within the
tide marks, as naval law demands.</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><br />
</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Yet, we
need to go back to that beach. Once the crew decided to attack the
“British merchantman”, they had another vote to select 8 men to
stay behind and guard the treasure. For the most part, the men
chosen were ones that the crew, as a whole, trusted. Now it just so
happens that 2 of those men were long time friends of Gaspar, having
come with him originally from Spain: Juan Lorenzo ne Roja de Seville,
ship's surgeon and Diego Salazar de Cadiz, ship's cook.</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Once
the fight began and the fate of La Florablanca so quickly sealed,
these 8 desperadoes took what treasure each could carry and made
their good their escapes before full dawn could betray them on the
beach. Diego and Juan Lorenzo were the last to leave. They loaded a
longboat full of the remaining treasure and rowed as hard as they
could, as long as they could, up the Hillsborough River. Nearly
exhausted, but still fearing capture, the men slept hidden under
their boat for the rest of the day. That night they buried the
treasure under the waning quarter moon. They made a map with
directions on the back to the treasure what they had buried and then
made their way back into the small settlement of Tampa. Before going
their separate ways, they made a pact not to betray the other. To
enforce the pact they decided to tear the map into pieces and put
said pieces into a hat. Both men then chose an equal number of
pieces at random and they went their separate ways. Juan Lorenzo,
the surgeon, was your great, great, great, great grandfather on your
mother's side. I am in possession of his half of the pieces. I have
spent years researching journals, making contacts, and searching for
the remaining pieces of the map. With these clues and contacts,
perhaps you will be able to succeed where I never was and you will
find the lost treasure of Lorenzo and Salazar. Again though, I get
ahead of myself.</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
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<i>In
addition to this letter, I have sent an exam on the “sweet trade”
to validate you as a Master of Piratical Arts, which you will be
required to pass before you take possession of the first bit of
contact information. In the event that I am sadly mistaken and you
are unable to score a passing grade on this Master exam, do not be
concerned. I have made all of the necessary arrangements with my
proctor.
</i></div>
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<i><br />
</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Happy
Birthday Nephew and where-ever your voyages take you may the weather
always be fair, the wind always be strong, the sun always be warm,
and the rum always close to hand with the luck of the Irish rovers
forever in your soul.</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><br />
</i></div>
<br />
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Get
dressed now and go see the proctor.</i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Afterwards, he was given a <a href="http://josephlosteen.com/pirate_university/finals.html" target="_blank">test of knowledge</a> and then he had to make his way around town finding clues to lead him to pieces of the map. There were 6 stops in all. During his adventure, he had to find and dig up 2 treasures, solve a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Think-Fun-3001-ThinkFun-Pirates/dp/B000VBS6N6" target="_blank">pirate puzzle</a>, follow a compass, drink rum, climb a tree, sword fight an enemy pirate, and sail a boat upriver to the <a href="https://plus.google.com/117174683246052108656/about?gl=us&hl=en" target="_blank">"hidden spring"</a>. There were people to help out at every stop to keep up the theme. Great fun was had by all.</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-1681639668004039992014-07-04T09:42:00.001-04:002014-07-07T10:50:55.989-04:00America -- Founded By PiratesHappy 4th of July to Everyone! On this day when we celebrate the birth of American independence, let us not forget the pirates. Wait?!? What do pirates have to do with American independence? Quite a bit, actually. Pirates influenced our style of government, worked with colonial governors, and even fought in the Revolution of 1776.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the U.S. Flag Should Look Like</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
As you may remember from "<a href="http://thedailywoodle.blogspot.com/2010/06/you-want-me-to-sign-your-what.html" target="_blank">You Want Me to Sign Your What?</a>", pirates have a very democratic process for electing their captain and believe in rules agreed upon by the group as a whole and explained to everyone. All though it may not resemble it so much anymore, this was the root that our modern system of government in the U.S. came from. Many pirates were originally <a href="http://thedailywoodle.blogspot.com/2010/06/4-kinds-of-caribbean-cutthroats.html" target="_blank">maroons</a>; our modern freedoms have their roots in the settlements these former slaves set up for themselves. If you don't like that idea very much, then check this out.<br />
<br />
Pirates often worked with the governors of the American colonies. As a holdover from earlier and simpler times, colonial governors had some of the crown's executive authority. They could (and did) create privateers. One of the major values to being a privateer was having a port to sell your cargo in, as long as you could prove it was 'spoils of war'. Of course, you run the risk of being caught when you do this. Below is an excerpt from a letter Governor Dudley of Massachusetts sent to the crown:<br />
<i>. . .</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>1. That the government of Rhode Island does not observe the Acts of Trade and Navigation; but counteneces the violation thereof, by permitting and encouraging of illegal trade and piracy.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>2. That Rhode Island is a receptacle of pirates, who are encouraged and harbored by that government. . . .</i><br />
<br />
What you may not know is the good governor Dudley also licensed pirates to be privateers for the Massachusetts Bay Co. He wrote the crown because he was angry that these Rhode Island boys were cutting into his profits, not because he honored the <i>Acts of Trade and Navigation</i> so much or because he feared that pirates were a danger to his people.<br />
<br />
What about the pirates fighting in the Revolutionary War? Well that is a really fascinating story because it involves not only pirates, but also Ben Franklin. You can read all about it here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://privateerlukeryan.com/" target="_blank">Luke Ryan, the Irish pirate who fought for American liberty.</a><br />
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<br />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-68253535249995258932014-07-01T20:50:00.000-04:002014-07-03T07:29:49.227-04:00From the QuarterdeckI've had setbacks (my computer died leaving me a week behind before I could replace it), overcome them then met more setbacks (the art that I want to use is not up to the job, for a single example). I am working now to overcome these new setbacks. The learning curve for even a tiny, home-based publisher is incredible. It's very clear to me at the onset of this enterprise that time is the most valuable commodity we have as humans. Regrets for the past, blah blah, ok that's it - I've no more time for that bs. I've had a lot going on even with the setbacks.<br />
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<br />
First, I'm really excited to announce that I'm working with a fantastically talented 1st time writer who is telling stories of her farming life. I'm helping her to edit and assemble her first book: How NOT To Raise Pigs. It's being a true blast to work with Rebecca on this. Yet, this is really just a side project.<br />
<br />
I have nearly finished the first draft of the The Pirate GM's Fist, which I am pretty certain that I am changing the name of. But hey, that's life in the constant change of creation.<br />
<br />
I have laid out projects for BSE until the end of the year. The next project on the horizon for us is Seven Ships on Mysterious Missions. It will be a collection of warships with interesting backgrounds, crews, captains, and missions for use in swashbuckling and pirate games.<br />
<br />
Additionally, I have been contacted to consult on a surprise pirate enterprise that I am really excited to be a part of. I'm afraid that NDA prevents me from saying anything more here. It's really gonna be cool though because so many excellent people are involved. I am super honored that I was contacted. Woot!<br />
<br />
Mainly though there is a lot of work to be done and only one guy to do it. So I must run before the wind like a Jamaica Sloop. Until next time, mates.<br />
<br />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-66514496282065325502014-06-26T11:27:00.000-04:002014-06-26T11:28:39.416-04:00Captain Morgan Had Many Crumsters One of the things I treasure most about studying pirates and their ilk is the rich language they left behind. Sailing has a language all its own and crumster (also crompster or cromster) is an archaic word in that language. A crumster was a type of ship. Specifically, it is a dutch-made coastal vessel whose full name is a cromsteven, which means bent stem, referring to something in its construction, no doubt. A more English name for a crumster is a hoy. From the 16th to the early 19th century, the crumster was one of the most common types of ships sailing the seas.<br />
<br />
A crumster was built to be a coastal vessel. They have 2 (or 2½) masts, carry about 60 to 80 men, 12 to 16 cannons, and were often used as armed-merchantmen. They are square-rigged on the fore-mast, spritsail-rigged on the main mast, with either a boom-rig from the main mast or a small lateen-sail at the aft of the ship. These sleek and low-slung ships were favored by buccaneers and Caribbean merchants alike. <br />
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Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-69390849310798483962014-06-02T08:13:00.001-04:002014-06-02T08:13:53.415-04:00The Black Shark Swims Free<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Above is the logo for my new business, <b>Black Shark Enterprises</b>. I'm done with fear of what might happen if I do not put myself out there. I'm done with cowering in the dark always believing "Hey, I could do that" while I watch others succeed. I have decided to seize life with both of my hands and shake it until something good comes out of its ugly head. I have created a publishing house on <a href="http://drivethrurpg.com/" target="_blank">drivethrurpg.com</a> and today I will start work on creating the first product for the gaming side of the publishing house ~ <i><b>The Pirate GM's Fist : A Collection of Tables for Navigating the Tricky Shoals of Gaming with Buccaneers</b>.</i></div>
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I have also been working on a large project with the temporary title of <i style="font-weight: bold;">The Treasure Fleet. </i>It is an RPG supplement detailing a 20 ship treasure fleet during the age of piracy. It is my intention to do a Kickstarter campaign to get the money to publish this book. I have plans for gaming other projects as well, but I am most excited about the series of books that I will publish under the <b>BSE </b>banner.</div>
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I feel as if an enormous burden has been lifted off my shoulders. I cannot explain why I feel this way. Perhaps it is the public declaration of intentions that makes me feel so free. I don't know, but I have to get to work. </div>
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Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-2187848349668871922014-05-12T16:34:00.001-04:002014-05-12T16:34:05.568-04:00Pirates Like to Eat Things I am in the middle of re-reading <a href="http://voyages.lindahall.org/dampier.shtml" target="_blank">William Dampier's</a> books and I am struck by how much ole' Bad Bill (as I like to call him) liked to eat. In some regards I understand this because in my younger days I was curious to know what shipboard meals would be like in the 1600 - 1700's. This led me to learn how to make hard tack and salt beef. I made some and my friends and I managed to choke it all down with copious amounts of rum. (Just in case you are adventurous, here is how to make your own <a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Hardtack" target="_blank">hardtack</a> and <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1359876/Salt-beef-You-make-dont-forget-tell-half.html" target="_blank">salt beef</a>.) It was truly horrible; a taste experience so bad that it really put me in touch with the desperation of the 17th Century sailor. If left with only starvation as an option, then I am sure that I would be happy to eat the hardtack and salt beef. Yet, I would probably look for any opportunity to try for something better, as I would be sure that nearly anything would be better tasting. <br />
<br />
Perhaps this too is Bad Bill's motivation, because as he describes animals in his books, he often includes references to eating them. For example, while cruising off the coast of Panama:<br />
<br />
<i>" . . . who brought aboard some half-grown Tortoise; and some of us went ashore every day to hunt for what we could find in the Woods: Sometimes we got Peccary, Warree, or Deer; at other times we light on a drove of large fat Monkeys, or Quames, Corroses (each a large sort of Fowl), Pidgeons, Parrots, or Turtle-doves. We liv'd very well on what we got, not staying long in one place . . ."</i><br />
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<i><br /></i>
<i><br /></i> Ewww, monkeys. Somehow I just can't imagine eating a monkey or wanting to eat a monkey. Yuck! I just can't imagine it. Here's another great journal entry from Captain Dampier:<br />
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<i>From Bon Airy we went to the Isle of Aves, or Birds; so called from its great plenty of Birds, as Men of War and Boobies; but especially Boobies. The Booby is a Waterfowl, somewhat less than a Hen, of a light greyish colour. I observed the Boobies of this Island to be whiter than others. This bird hath a strong Bill, longer and bigger than a Crows, and broader at the end: her feet are flat like a Ducks feet. It is a very simple Creature and will hardly go out of a Man's way. . . . Their Flesh is black and eats fishy, but are often eaten by the Privateers. . .</i><br />
<i><br /></i><i> </i>In one of my favorite sections Bad Bill spends two pages describing the "sucking fish" and all of the different things that he finds them attached to, including the bottom of ships, old turtles, drifting planks, and even swimming sharks. At the end of the section he declares that this fish must be "the Remora, of which the Ancients tell such stories" and after listing every place he's seen them he ends the section like this:<br />
<br />
<i>They have no scales and are very good meat.</i><br />
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I have always loved pirates. My parents took me to Walt Disney World in 1972 and they had to drag me away from the Pirates of the Caribbean ride screaming after they refused to take me on it a third time. I wasn't really aware that eating everything in sight was a trait of pirates until now. I'm not really known for being an adventurous eater, but then I have a family history of gastro-intestinal problems. Hmm, perhaps if I ate more monkeys . . . No. Just no.<br />
<br />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-18503396991097903792014-05-06T12:47:00.006-04:002014-07-03T08:14:19.815-04:00A Brief Primer on Ships<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A: Capital Ship, B: Barque, C: Brig, D: Schooner, E: Sloop<br /></td></tr>
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To be a pirate you must know about ships. Pirates spent their lives on ships. They ate, drank, slept, worked, fought, and often died aboard them. In fact, it's almost impossible to be a pirate without a ship. So in this week's edition of the Pirate's Primer that is exactly what we are going to study. When we're done you'll know the difference between a boat and a ship, some common types of ships seen during the Age of Piracy, and why pirates chose the types of ships that they did. Since you can see how important this lesson is, I know that you'll be paying close attention. If you do nod off, you may wake up kissing the gunner's daughter. Now let's get to it.<br />
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The difference between a boat and a ship is a complicated question. A common definition says that a "ship is a square-rigged craft with at least three masts". The problem with this definition is that many ships from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century had only two masts. As for the "square-rigged" part, well that opens another large hole that we'll talk about in just a moment. First, let's get a pair of simple definitions that works for us: A ship can carry a boat. A boat must have a small enough hull to be carried by a ship.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a boat. A ship is in the distance.</td></tr>
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Before you can learn to tell the differences among the various types of ships, you're gonna have to climb the ratlines. Yes. It's time to learn about rigging. <ughhhh> Rigging is the one of the most difficult things you can try to learn without actually doing it. A completely separate language exists solely to describe it. There are nouns like backstay and pendants, verbs like hoisting and heaving, and adjectives like abaft and athwart. Look up into the rigging and you'll see a maze of ropes and knots. Every one of them has a name and in an emergency a sailor must know what to call each one without hesitation. But don't be scared off. Simple Simon will help you through it. This time it's just up the masts and right back down. Think of it as an initiation. You're no landlubber, right? You're a pirate. Let's go.<br /><br />Rigging a ship means attaching its sails to its masts, the tall poles that stick straight up out of the deck, so it can catch the wind and propel itself along the water. There are various ways to do this, but for right now we're only going to discuss two: Square Rigging and Fore & Aft Rigging. Both types are commonly seen on the sailing ships of the time. Both types have their own advantages and disadvantages. They were used together on some ships and separately on others. Knowing both types will help you to identify ships when it's your turn in the crow's nest.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dfdumDLs94s7RmcgATxqF9U5dQcYIum5QzM8JKr3gyb5M61j4RaK_1KUPNflBEBm3juuc-4ZUouaO1DHjn-dtC1cPVFFp24u1-wiyrZvL-WCYPk4xfwVpON1FfkfEUDcYdMveAD7-Abl/s1600/illo-181.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0dfdumDLs94s7RmcgATxqF9U5dQcYIum5QzM8JKr3gyb5M61j4RaK_1KUPNflBEBm3juuc-4ZUouaO1DHjn-dtC1cPVFFp24u1-wiyrZvL-WCYPk4xfwVpON1FfkfEUDcYdMveAD7-Abl/s1600/illo-181.jpg" height="383" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Square Rigged</td></tr>
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<br />A square rigged ship has square or rectangular sails attached to the yardarms that cross the masts. This way of rigging creates the common image that most people have of sailing ships. The advantage of square rigging a ship is speed. The more large sails that you can hoist, the more wind that you will catch. This is also one of the disadvantages of square rigging, as a strong crosswind could damage the sails or capsize the ship. The second disadvantage to square rigging is the lack of maneuverability. The large square sails are not designed to be moved about to catch the wind from different angles. They are fixed in basically one position. You now see the limitations of square rigging. Head winds (winds coming from the direction you are trying to sail) and bad weather make it necessary to have another method for rigging a ship.</ughhhh><br />
<ughhhh><br /></ughhhh>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIqUwDSH0SmgnkikaeqAd0Tb9UVvHuNd1zVfibT6w6bVoCYsg74wbPBIYhBDoppjh058cfc_v8Pn5Q7SqXFi5F486WWZRlGezZ2u5A5DtdAe0Qiyb08qBDntmZvsLrk3lN13OMjHdoimp/s1600/illo-051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAIqUwDSH0SmgnkikaeqAd0Tb9UVvHuNd1zVfibT6w6bVoCYsg74wbPBIYhBDoppjh058cfc_v8Pn5Q7SqXFi5F486WWZRlGezZ2u5A5DtdAe0Qiyb08qBDntmZvsLrk3lN13OMjHdoimp/s1600/illo-051.jpg" height="227" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fore and Aft Rigged</td></tr>
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<ughhhh><br /></ughhhh>
<ughhhh>A fore and aft rigged ship has oddly-shaped sails attached along the masts, at the top by a gaff (a swinging pole used to extend the top of a fore and aft sail away from a mast), and at the bottom by a boom (a swinging pole used to extend the bottom of a fore and aft sail away from a mast). This way of rigging creates an image somewhat like modern sail boats. Sail boats today still use a style of fore and aft rigging, but their sails are triangular so they only need a boom. The advantages of this way of rigging are stability and maneuverability. Because the sails are smaller and moveable there is little chance that the wind will damage them and almost no chance that the wind could capsize the vessel. Additionally since the sails can swing to any angle within 180 degrees to catch the wind, the ship is quicker to respond to direction changes. The disadvantage to fore and aft rigging is the lack of speed due to the limited amount of sail that you can put up. Now you can see why both types of rigging were used. By taking note of the way that a vessel is rigged you will be able to identify its purpose.<br /><br />There are many different kinds of ships. We are not even going to try to learn about them all. Be warned that the information provided herein is a summary and vast simplification of a very complicated topic. We are only going to examine five different types of ships because those five will be enough for our purposes. Being keen-eyed as you are, I'm sure that you have already seen the ships that we are going to talk about. You've probably also seen some differences among them. We are going to examine, in light detail, the Capital Ship, the Barque, the Brig, the Schooner, and the Sloop.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjfXRQQ76nlvvbg1Q5puCTs1x2hiQOe4y_e88FUmDLU4lpCA4pnsMAl_-v9a0tr04gulpytwjdck_OayV9nCJrHsMGv_QUu_KW1rrgzuWKTH0FzOMxBny8W8amyhcsxZG_w1DcIoiUSjR/s1600/frontispiece.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfjfXRQQ76nlvvbg1Q5puCTs1x2hiQOe4y_e88FUmDLU4lpCA4pnsMAl_-v9a0tr04gulpytwjdck_OayV9nCJrHsMGv_QUu_KW1rrgzuWKTH0FzOMxBny8W8amyhcsxZG_w1DcIoiUSjR/s1600/frontispiece.jpg" height="215" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capital Ship</td></tr>
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<br />For our purposes, the Capital Ship is a square-rigged craft with at least three masts. <now a="" also="" bad="" can="" carry="" definition="" just="" of="" rigged="" said="" ship="" that="" the="" wait="" was="" you=""> I see that I can't fool you. The problem here is a lack of words. Barques, Brigs, Schooners, and Sloops are all ships. However, when we discuss a capital ship we are referring to a large vessel, ranging from about 300 - 500 tons in weight and 80 - 100 feet in length, usually used to carry cargo, passengers, and/or troops that is square rigged with at least three masts. A galleon is a type of capital ship. So are naval warships and large merchantmen. A capital ship is almost always square rigged. During a storm a Ship will pull down her square sails and put up storm sails or "Trysails". These are a set of three fore and aft sails used for high winds. When the storm is over the capital ship will return to its fuller, square-rigged sails.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr8nzGN6imT6slZx5RdXNDctGBLdX1S3iGNk6n5U9AvzA5Rs4wPZNXJRITpjxTde4TO8QZR0SsDtIobzSfo3-eTFCywakzpYwKKhHZNkscRy3Sla_cLe0RjwRGiSp6I1ynPLYIHMK27PO/s1600/tsotbc03th.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdr8nzGN6imT6slZx5RdXNDctGBLdX1S3iGNk6n5U9AvzA5Rs4wPZNXJRITpjxTde4TO8QZR0SsDtIobzSfo3-eTFCywakzpYwKKhHZNkscRy3Sla_cLe0RjwRGiSp6I1ynPLYIHMK27PO/s1600/tsotbc03th.png" height="320" width="270" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Barque</td></tr>
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<br />The Barque or Barquentine is a three masted ship that is square rigged on both the foremast (the forward most mast) and the mainmast (the largest or main mast), but fore and aft rigged on the mizzenmast (the rear most mast). The Barque was more maneuverable than the capital ship and was sometimes seen in a military role, although mostly barques were used as merchant vessels. Barques ranged between 200 - 300 tons in weight and 70 - 80 feet in length. A Dutch fluyte, one of the most common targets of seventeenth century piracy, is a type of barque.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQRcGr1WjnAbE3ZUJTxAj15pCeuOPuJ33TIIREijsecGT0USHFWIfyRCD0ZCKawMukpSYdc0aBfr5fz0tCd2ECvoJ64HLpaHZjEMuRrWvP-nMiCGu3u2o4N700gOHsKiqnSe1oaujArlq/s1600/pcrib160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQRcGr1WjnAbE3ZUJTxAj15pCeuOPuJ33TIIREijsecGT0USHFWIfyRCD0ZCKawMukpSYdc0aBfr5fz0tCd2ECvoJ64HLpaHZjEMuRrWvP-nMiCGu3u2o4N700gOHsKiqnSe1oaujArlq/s1600/pcrib160.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Pirate Brig</td></tr>
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</now></ughhhh><br />
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The Brig or Brigantine is a two masted ship that is square rigged on the foremast, but rigged both fore and aft as well as square on the mainmast. The top section of the mainmast is rigged with square sails while the lower section is rigged with a fore and aft sail. The brig was highly maneuverable and faster than larger ships while still having room for cargo and a respectable number of cannons. The brig was sometimes used as a marauding vessel for pirates and privateers, but was most often used as a small warship by the English and French navies. Brigs were generally around 200 tons in weight and 70 - 90 feet in length. It is believed that Henry Morgan's flagship, The Satisfaction, was a brig.</div>
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<ughhhh><now a="" also="" bad="" can="" carry="" definition="" just="" of="" rigged="" said="" ship="" that="" the="" wait="" was="" you=""><br /></now></ughhhh>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Schooner</td></tr>
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<ughhhh><now a="" also="" bad="" can="" carry="" definition="" just="" of="" rigged="" said="" ship="" that="" the="" wait="" was="" you="">The Schooner is a two masted ship that is rigged fore and aft. The schooner combined the best of all things for most pirates and privateers. It was small enough to hide in remote coves and navigate close to the shoreline, but big enough to carry a crew of 75 men. The schooner was a fast and very maneuverable vessel. It was most often seen as a pirate or privateer vessel. Schooners were generally around 100 tons in weight and 60 - 80 feet in length.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0cqax2HgZ8ojvvCL0Ubd24W4OaYngf9nZE5IVe5BgXI5SywyEJbutNnfdSJioIY0l4Ew3PWqGrWtTxKYAsBYFxfD4fXM7WDTBe6rqwMUJ7l19sMdBEyWXbyFvMjajNzhoGT17D3YExG7/s1600/image_201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH0cqax2HgZ8ojvvCL0Ubd24W4OaYngf9nZE5IVe5BgXI5SywyEJbutNnfdSJioIY0l4Ew3PWqGrWtTxKYAsBYFxfD4fXM7WDTBe6rqwMUJ7l19sMdBEyWXbyFvMjajNzhoGT17D3YExG7/s1600/image_201.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A boat fleeing a burning sloop</td></tr>
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The Sloop is a single masted vessel that is rigged both fore and aft as well as square. The entire mast is rigged with square sails while the lower section is rigged with a fore and aft sail as well. Additionally, a jib, a large triangular sail, is often rigged between the mast and the bow. The sloop was the fastest and most maneuverable ship of the period. It was capable of sailing in very shallow water where other ships could not dare go for fear of running aground. Sloops were used by privateers, pirates, and pirate hunters alike. Sloops were small vessels. They weighed 100 tons at most and were 40 - 60 feet in length.<br /><br />There you have it, swabs. Now you know how to tell the difference between a ship and a boat, you know a little more about the types of ships used in the early age of piracy, and you know what types of ships Pirates chose to use. You also survived your first trip into the rigging. (I promise I won't make you go back up there until much later in the column.) Next time we'll discuss the differences between pirates, privateers, buccaneers, and maroons. Until then, go get some grog, mates. You've earned it.<br /><br />Copyright 2001, Mark S. Cookman</now></ughhhh>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-16333977118150802022014-05-06T12:43:00.001-04:002014-05-06T12:43:50.612-04:00Buried Treasure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQc-XbU-RUw1e61x388ph1u_hJ23prd6zTagbtSVSOCUKlPrIVWrT29BuQZUWW9OycpB_5TDRTpz68FbYpY41niqQ-VI1v4kDkAuTy49vCpfX-Sv_gBxfslhjjggbGNlBsTx9dTb64lN2/s1600/buried+treasure.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXQc-XbU-RUw1e61x388ph1u_hJ23prd6zTagbtSVSOCUKlPrIVWrT29BuQZUWW9OycpB_5TDRTpz68FbYpY41niqQ-VI1v4kDkAuTy49vCpfX-Sv_gBxfslhjjggbGNlBsTx9dTb64lN2/s1600/buried+treasure.JPG" height="416" width="640" /></a></div>
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Here's a little treasure map for you. I drew this up to celebrate finding this blog again. It really is like a buried treasure to me. I had forgotten all about this little blogger blog that I started a few years ago. I guess I got all caught up in working on <a href="http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/102906/Welcome-to-Mortiston-USA-An-AllAmerican-Zombie-Apocalypse" target="_blank">Welcome to Mortiston, USA</a> and just got zombie fever. Maybe the zombies ate my brain, I'm not really sure. Whatever the case, I have been thinking about all of my old pirate-themed writings, as my friends and I have been enjoying playing a game of <a href="http://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/14/14570.phtml" target="_blank">Poison'd</a> recently. I have really wanted to create some generic pirate gaming materials for a while, so this is where I will work on them.</div>
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I hope you like what you see.</div>
Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-89609304134061554222010-08-21T01:53:00.000-04:002010-08-21T01:53:34.472-04:00A Hot August Night in TampaFour players new to the game, Judge(Skyler) ,Tequila(James), Mad Dog(my son) and Sam Sei(me) rolled up to the warehouse. It was Thursday night; our usual time. Tequila killed the engine and we all went inside to split the loot.<br />
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I opened the bag and count it out; $55,000. A low whistle. Suddenly out come the guns. I'm pointing at Mad Dog and looking at three .45's pointed at me. I'm no wimp. I want my share. I'm not gonna back down. <br />
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Bang-Bang-Bang<br />
Bang<br />
Bang<br />
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<i>Friday, 8/20/2010 - Tampa: The body of an unidentified man was found in the G&G warehouse near the Port of Tampa. Police are still looking for leads . . .</i><br />
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1st time playing the game and I get taken out in round one. <br />
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I can't wait to play again.<br />
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What in the hello am I talking about? An interesting game called <a href="http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/19237/cash-n-guns">Ca$h & Gun$</a>. If you like gangsters, crime movies or ever had a secret desire to shoot any of your friends, then this is the game for you. Go check it out.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-73373445739117567212010-08-02T13:00:00.000-04:002010-08-02T13:00:47.410-04:00Zombie Friday Night 7/30/2010What a great weekend I just had! Friday night, we had friends over. We watched <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365748/">Shaun of the Dead</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> and </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106308/">Army of Darkness</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> while playing <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/62871/zombie-dice">Zombie Dice</a> , <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/5512/fighting-fantasy-battle-cards">Battle Cards</a> and <a href="http://www.boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/65244/forbidden-island">Forbidden Island</a>. If that doesn't sound cool to you, then you aren't geek enough to hang with me ; )</span></i><br />
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<i><a name='more'></a>We decided to host our miniature zombie fest when I discovered that my 8 year-old son had never seen either </i><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0365748/">Shaun of the Dead</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;"> or </span></i><i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106308/">Army of Darkness</a>. </i>This was discovered while we were on vacation when someone brought up Ash Williams and his "boomstick". My son did not know the reference so we resolved to rent Army of Darkness once we came back from vacation. After we got back from vacation, we learned that <a href="http://www.stonehill.org/necro.htm">Necronomicon 2010</a> was not cancelled, as we had previously thought. (Great news for us as we love Necro) Bonus for us, the theme of the convention this year is "Zombie Apocalypse". So we went to the video store and rented the movies, invited friends, added games and snacks, plus copious quantities of soda; before we knew it, 5:00 AM! It was all great fun! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XYu3Qadei8zCBXTrWAttr8xImMD_pPpaddpYBc_9q13GuSTe8AC3oI8zTVgDJNzycslRuLvI19V3xQVqJ0IGADjmKPoL63Vk1m3i_UpOBj5rR1YFS1O8WmwXIiWOGDc0O-gHjoZ9x4q2/s1600/pic617922_md.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XYu3Qadei8zCBXTrWAttr8xImMD_pPpaddpYBc_9q13GuSTe8AC3oI8zTVgDJNzycslRuLvI19V3xQVqJ0IGADjmKPoL63Vk1m3i_UpOBj5rR1YFS1O8WmwXIiWOGDc0O-gHjoZ9x4q2/s320/pic617922_md.jpg" /></a></div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-75557957560508199322010-07-13T11:31:00.003-04:002010-07-13T11:48:39.985-04:00Baggywrinkle or What I did 7/11/2010<div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3onq6e8dxn7jeH9xhpdv05euYf_BXgL4qlWBI4GqFgfKzweBSzaVFIHPc2it6BVIGc9LR__FzSkVCO3wOOjkZsIfAP6t6_9t4NTTqsXC7nxD5w3Bq3BqQYkbJChyphenhyphenZ-xBrUUlRII-jh7Q/s1600/Photo0147-793038.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492754190684331522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3onq6e8dxn7jeH9xhpdv05euYf_BXgL4qlWBI4GqFgfKzweBSzaVFIHPc2it6BVIGc9LR__FzSkVCO3wOOjkZsIfAP6t6_9t4NTTqsXC7nxD5w3Bq3BqQYkbJChyphenhyphenZ-xBrUUlRII-jh7Q/s320/Photo0147-793038.jpg" /></a></div><div class="mobile-photo"><br />
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</div><div class="mobile-photo">This is a picture looking up the mainmast of the United States Coast Guard Cutter Eagle taken from her temporary dock at Tampa while she is in town for the <a href="http://www.sailtampabay2010.com/">2010 Parade of Sail</a> . I went with family and toured her today. It was a hot and partly sunny wait in line at first, as they would only let about 40 tourists on board at a time. People of all ages lined the dockside and that line stretched into the parking area beside the dock; I was honestly surprised by the number of people that turned out to see the anachronism of a sailing ship in this modern era. After about an hour and a half of patient (and not so patient on the part of my 8 year old son) waiting, we were finally able to board the ship.</div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><div class="mobile-photo"></div><a name='more'></a>Just the climb up the gang plank was an adventure, as the steel ramp that lead up to the main deck of the Eagle was at a 45 degree angle. Once you reached the top of the ramp, you could step over the side of Eagle and descend a steep set of six steps to the wooden main deck of the ship. All of the steps onboard Eagle are steep, have two stout railings and are both narrow and close together; they are really more like ladders than stairs. I found that when going up and down the steps I used my arms on both railings to take more of my weight so that my feet could be more nimble on the steps.<br />
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<div class="mobile-photo">I could go on and on describing the ship, but I won't. I urge you to tour the ship yourself if you get the opportunity. If you want to know what life is like aboard the Eagle, then check out posts made by the crew of the ship on the Coast Guard's web page <a href="http://www.cga.edu/display.aspx?id=563">here</a>. Eagle is the last square-rigged sailing ship in service in the U.S. military. When she was in Tampa, she had a crew of 145 cadets, 55 enlisted and 6 officers. You have to be on the ship to understand how many people that is in relation to the space that is available. As I said earlier, the officers only allowed about 40 tourists on board at a time. While this did not make the ship seem overly crowded, it certainly did not seem that they could fit another 100 people on the deck. Yet, to hoist or lower sails, that is exactly what would be required.<br />
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Today's woodle is the answer to one of the most common questions asked by tourists who come aboard the Eagle: "What is that hay-like stuff on all of the cables?" The answer is baggywrinkle. Baggywrinkle is made from rope that is being taken out of service and is a vast collection of small pieces of rope that have been tied with a cow hitch over a doubled section of smaller line. The entire thing is then wound around the steel cables that make up the standing rigging on the Eagle. Without the baggywrinkle to protect the sails, they would soon have holes in them where they wore against the steel cables. If you zoom in on the picture above, you can see some baggywrinkle on the main stay. Click <a href="http://www.schoonerman.com/sailingterms/bagw.jpg">here</a> to see how to make baggywrinkle. Until next time, I wish you fair winds and royals.</div>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-48254486801508892722010-07-07T19:47:00.003-04:002010-07-13T11:49:01.357-04:00The Origin of CannibalsI'm sure that you know what a cannibal is, but where did the word come from? Do you know? I will give you a hint, the fellow that gave us cannibals is celebrated with his own holiday every October.<br />
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Christopher Columbus is the man who gave us the word cannibal. Let me explain, when he landed in Guadeloupe and found a Carib village, he and his men found signs of cannibalism everywhere. The stench of decaying flesh sickened them. They saw severed limbs hanging up inside houses, as if they were being stored for later feasts. They saw bones stacked by the hearths. They described acts of cannibalism.<br />
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Columbus brought this information back to Queen Isabella of Spain. She decided that the Carib people would be better off as slaves then to live such a horrible lives eating one another, so she declared that the Spanish colonists in the New World could enslave the indigenous population if they were cannibals. It is amazing just how many cannibals the Spanish were able to find in the New World, once they had an economic motivation to locate them. <br />
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The "real" story, according to some French missionaries, is that the Carib practiced ancestor worship (the bones near the hearth), trophy taking (the severed arms of defeated enemy warriors hanging in homes) and ritual cannibalism (if I take a bite out of this arm, then I will gain the power of the warrior who once had this arm). They did not, as Columbus and his crew accused them, eat human flesh as food. Yet, the culture clash was so great that Columbus could come to no other conclusion.<br />
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The word cannibal is derived from the Spanish word, <i>canibal. </i>Which is an indigenous person living on islands in the Caribbean Sea or on a section of the Spanish Main known as Caniba. Christopher Columbus coined the word to name the evil, flesh-eating natives that he had discovered. It is interesting to note that the Carib word for person is <i>karibna </i>and that the Carib are also called <i>caribales</i>, by the Spanish of the period.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-42919036396683603082010-07-06T20:14:00.003-04:002010-07-13T11:43:09.660-04:00Great Pirates Were Amateurs Once, Too.In my last entry, I mentioned Captain Edward Lowe. Ned Low, as he is sometimes referred to, was one of the most bloodthirsty pirates in history. His cruelty was written about by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and even in the New York Times. However, just because someone can bully and frighten others, it does not make them an experienced pirate.<br />
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One of Captain Lowe's first successes was to capture and plunder a fleet of 13 fishing vessels near Nova Scotia. Wow, north sea fishermen? Really? If you have ever seen <a href="http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/deadliest-catch/">Deadliest Catch</a>, then you know those guys have it hard enough already. Just imagine their job in the early 1700's. Lowe sailed into the middle of the fleet, hoisted his Jolly Roger and declared that all would be killed, if any resisted. He took the largest ship to be his new flagship and sank the rest of the fishing vessels. He filled out his crew by forcing many of the fishermen to sign his articles and become pirates.<br />
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Captain Lowe had a few more successes before making himself one huge 'lubbers mistake, that I am surprised didn't cost him his life. Before I detail that mistake, I must define two words: careen and scuttle. Those of you with your sea legs may already see where this is going.<br />
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Careening is a process of cleaning the hull of a ship so that the build up of barnacles, molluscs and seaweed, etc. could be removed. This could be done at port, but most pirates weren't welcome in ports. Pirates usually had to careen their ships on a deserted beach. The ships had to be taken to a very shallow area where they could be tipped over so that the crew could get to the mess from the waterline all the way down to the keel on one side and then rolled over onto the now clean side so that the other side could be scraped. Ships had to be careened as often as every 2 or 3 months. A ship in need of careening doesn't go fast and doesn't steer sharply; it is a tub. Pirates want ships that sail fast and maneuver well, so you can see why careening is so important.<br />
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Scuttles are commonly called "portholes" by landlubbers. The real word is French, <i>escoutilles. </i>It refers to small holes cut into the hatch cover or the side of the ship to allow light and air to reach the lower decks. You are probably more familiar with scuttle as a way to sink a ship, <i>i.e.</i> to open the stop cocks or blow holes in the hull below the waterline.<br />
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Captain Lowe needed to careen his ship, the <i>Rose Pink. </i>Due to his inexperience, Ned Lowe ordered the careening without securing the scuttles first. The result was that the ship tipped to far over and water rushed in the escoutilles. <i>Rose Pink</i> sank so fast she took 2 men and most of the provisions for Lowe's fleet straight to Davy Jones. His crews were reduced to a fresh water ration of 1 half pint per day, per man. Wow! I bet he slept really lightly, because it was July in the Caribbean Sea and he managed to live through that huge blunder.<br />
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So, when you think you have really screwed up big, just remember Captain Edward Lowe. He went on to retire in Brazil, according to the Maritime Museum in London. Some believe though that the French caught him and gave him what he truly deserved; a short drop and a hard stop.Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-82202508518078195022010-06-29T16:43:00.001-04:002010-06-29T16:50:42.656-04:00PinkI bet most of you 'lubbers are thinking by the title of this entry that it has nothing to do with pirates, etc, but you would be wrong. A Pink is a ship with a very narrow stern. It comes from the Dutch fishing boat or <i>pincke </i>and in the 17th and 18th centuries, pinks were often used as cargo ships to run between islands and thus were the targets of pirates.<br />
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Captain Edward Low, a notoriously cruel pirate of the 18th century, took a French pink as a prize once and made it his ship. He renamed her <i>Rose Pink</i>.<br />
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Another meaning of pink, according to Webster's College Dictionary, is to pierce with a rapier or the like; to stab. So that also is a piratical (or swashbuckling anyway) meaning to the word.<br />
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Isn't it amazing that pink and pirates are related?Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-8519499876246272102010-06-25T13:40:00.005-04:002010-07-13T11:43:46.860-04:00Louis XIV's Magnificent Machine at MarleyLouis the XIV, the self-proclaimed "Sun King", had a passion for art and architecture. While he was building up the fantastic palace at Versailles, he became keenly aware that there was not enough available water for his fantastic vision. In fact, the Sun King needed almost as much water for his pools and fountains every day as all of the people of Paris needed to drink to live. He challenged his architects and engineers to bring water from the Seine, which flowed some 3 miles north and almost 500 feet below the level of the Palace.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>It reportedly took over 8 years to build the machine constructed by a company of over 700 men, but eventually it was completed in 1684. In a series of three steps, the pumping machine lifted the water from the river Seine nearly 500 feet into an aqueduct that flowed 3 miles south and provided sufficient water pressure for the massive pools and fountains in the parks surrounding Versailles. Interestingly though, there was no running water inside the palace at all.<br />
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The machine continued to work for more than a century. It was a marvel of 17th century engineering and was visited by many, just as the Hoover Dam is today. Unfortunately the machine broke down often and was finally shut down in 1817. When it did work, the machine could pump about a million gallons of water in 24 hours time. Sadly, it does not survive until this day.<br />
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Here is a painting of the machine from 1723:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjFw4lHIjRsn4waUJ3dz-rpEip7-MJ_XU5d3ks8Wp6GEQzqv0aOhfuvkS0wZP2WiXgFghlNtXWYBTR7iS0BjN5QYXwXboYEP3ETTfkLroGLMeGVuUP0qYhue7vG98Z2woqw55K2CjlTnX/s1600/MM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPjFw4lHIjRsn4waUJ3dz-rpEip7-MJ_XU5d3ks8Wp6GEQzqv0aOhfuvkS0wZP2WiXgFghlNtXWYBTR7iS0BjN5QYXwXboYEP3ETTfkLroGLMeGVuUP0qYhue7vG98Z2woqw55K2CjlTnX/s400/MM.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
You can learn more about this wonderful machine at <a href="http://www.marlymachine.org/">http://www.marlymachine.org/</a>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-21732533977171415952010-06-23T11:34:00.000-04:002010-06-23T11:34:54.533-04:00The Styles of SwordplayDuring the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe, several different styles of sword fighting existed. The times and customs made the sword and swordplay almost common place. Schools and fraternities dedicated to the study of fencing sprang up all over Europe. Vast distances, both physical and political, made the spread of knowledge slow throughout the whole of Europe and so different styles of fighting developed in each country. Knowledge slowly spread and by the middle of the seventeenth century there were basically five styles of fencing. They are: the Old style, the Spanish style, the Italian style, the German style, and the French style. We will briefly examine each of them in turn.<br />
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The Old style was the basis of all other fencing styles. It was what remained of medieval sword fighting techniques. The weapons of this style were the dagger, the cutlass, the long sword, the 'hand-and-a-half' or 'bastard' sword, and the two-handed sword. The only defensive item employed with this style was the buckler, a small round shield that was held in the fighter's off hand. The Old style developed from the medieval arts of war with a single sword or a sword and shield. Using wider and heavier swords than the rapier, the Old style depended more upon physical strength than upon dexterity or finesse. It used a combination of attacks with the sharp edge of the blade (slashes), attacks with the flat of the blade (strikes), and attacks with the point of the blade (thrusts).<br />
<p>The Old style endured the longest in England. This is due, in part, to two factors that influenced the English strongly in the art of sword fighting: a book and a law. In 1599, a mercenary named George Silver wrote and published a book on sword fighting entitled Paradoxes of Defense. This book is a tirade against the rapier and foreign styles. It must have been well received by its audience since prior to this book's publication a law was written limiting the length of rapiers that were allowed on English soil. There is a case of a foreign diplomat running afoul of this law and having his blades broken to the proper length by the English authorities. Yet we cannot condemn the English for being non progressive as there were foreign fencing schools and masters teaching the other styles to any Englishman willing to learn.<br />
<p>The Spanish style was probably the first solid fencing style to develop from the Old style. Built upon medieval sword fighting techniques, it relied heavily upon almost full arm extension and footwork to keep the opponent at a set distance. The weapons utilized by the Spanish style were the long sword and the rapier. The style used no defensive tools; a single blade served as both offense and defense. It depended upon quick movements and used both the slash and the thrust as attacks. The slash was the stronger of the two attacks due to the distance kept between opponents.<br />
<p>The Spanish style has been described as "a complicated and mystical affair" due to its extensive use of geometry and its complicated "circle of defense" referenced by a French student of the style named Thibault. It is believed that the Spanish style developed from the teachings of alchemy that stressed perfection of the human form in all things. The difficulty in mastering the style, combined with the rigid laws and customs regarding dueling in Spain, meant that sword fighting did not become as popular in Spain as it did in the rest of Europe. Spanish sword masters and Italian merchants brought the Spanish style of fencing to Italy. The Italians incorporated some of the elements of the Spanish style into the style that they were developing.<br />
<p>The Italian style developed shortly after the Spanish style. It concentrated on the physical and mechanical points of swordplay, such as presenting the smallest possible target to the opponent and always keeping the tip of the blade pointed at the opponent. The weapons used in this style were the long sword, the rapier, and the foil, a long and thin blade with a sharp point and no edge. The defensive items utilized in the Italian style were the buckler and the baton, a cane like stick held in the off hand and used for parrying. Additionally, the Italians innovated the art of sword fighting by introducing the integration of attack and defense in both hands. This innovation was called Florentine fighting, after the city of its birth. Thus swordsmen using the Italian style often carried a dagger for use in their off hand. Some fought with two long blades. This style used two types of attacks: the thrust and the lunge. The lunge was another invention of the Italians, although at first it was basically just a running thrust.<br />
<p>The Italian style is the best documented of all of the styles, as instructional texts still exist written by such masters as DiGrassi, Agrippa, and Capo Ferro. The Italian style spread throughout Europe and influenced all of the other styles. The French style developed almost completely out of it. Additionally, the tenets of the Italian style are also, in a large part, the basis of modern epee and foil fencing.<br />
<p>The German style was developed in Germany and Eastern Europe (The Holy Roman Empire) at the same time the Italian style was being developed. Owing its origins to the Old style, the German style used a viscious system of slashes and cuts aimed at the upper torso and a box like system of parries. These attacks and defenses were based upon the moves that a man fighting from horseback would use. The weapons of the German style were long sword and saber. No defensive items were used in this style, although woodcuts would indicate that a secondary weapon, a sword or a dagger, was sometimes used. The style utilized three types of attacks: the slash, the strike, and the cut, a fast attack somewhere between a shallow thrust and a short slash.<br />
<p>Numerous German fencing texts from the period still exist. The style influenced cavalry fighting and sword fighting in warfare, such as it was in the period, throughout Europe. Much like the Spanish style, the German style emphasized keeping the opponent at a set distance. The style was spread across Europe by the landsneckt mercenaries. Finally, the modern techniques for saber fighting owe their beginnings to the German style.<br />
<p>The French style was the last to develop and was truly a synthesis of the best the other styles had to offer. This style stressed the use of strategy and thinking in combat to make every factor count for you and against your opponent. The style fully incorporated the Florentine method and combatants used long swords, foils, and rapiers for weapons. Defensive secondary items could be nearly anything: a dagger, a buckler, a baton, a cloak, a hat, a mug, a chair, etc. One of the most common secondaries was the dagger. A long daggers was developed for this purpose and took on a name of its own: the main gauche or left hand. The French style had three types of attacks: slashes, thrusts, and lunges.<br />
<p>In 1573, Henri Sainct Didier published the first book on the art of swordsmanship ever written in French. He is held by the French to be "father of their national science of arms", however his work is largely derivative of di Grassi and other Italian masters. The French style eventually achieved dominance over the other styles in the late 17th century. Today, it is the style of sword fighting that people identify with the rapier and The Three Musketeers. This is largely due to Hollywood of course. However, by the end of the 17th century, Paris was the home of numerous fencing schools.<br />
<p>By the 18th century fencing had basically begun to devolve into simply a sport. While duels still occurred in some places, more and more they were being fought with pistols instead of swords. For nearly all people the five distinct styles of swordplay that once existed in Europe have degenerated over time into only a general idea that once people fought with swords. Today, only a very few talented people keep the noble spirit and active study of classical fencing alive. In a future article I will describe some period duels as well as try to give you a feeling of what it is like to cross swords.<br />
<p><hr>Copyright 2001 by Mark S. CookmanMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-5894735586444333102010-06-22T19:41:00.002-04:002014-07-04T07:14:03.147-04:00The Navigational Cross-StaffFor over 20 years I have been heavy into historical re-creation and research. The following piece details the construction and testing of a navigational cross-staff that I entered into an <a href="http://www.sca.org/">SCA</a> Arts and Sciences competition years ago.<br />
Period/Culture: The navigational cross-staff, sometimes called the forestaff, was first developed in the fifteenth century. The cross-staff was initially used by astronomers as early as the ancient Greeks to measure the angles between celestial bodies. A German mathematician named Martin Behaim is credited with first using this instrument as a navigational tool while sailing with the Portuguese explorer Diogo Cao on his voyages down the coast of Africa in 1485. The cross-staff was used by every seafaring culture in western Europe. It did not fall completely out of use as a navigator's tool until the late eighteenth century.<br />
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The cross-staff consisted of a square-cut wooden staff, 30 - 36 inches in length. Affixed to this at a right angle was a much shorter cross-piece that could run smoothly up and down the main staff. The cross-staff is used by placing one end on your cheek just under your strong eye and moving the cross-piece until it is in a position that just spans the distance between the heavenly body you are taking a sighting of (generally the north star or the sun) and the horizon. The ratio between one-half of the cross-piece length and its distance along the staff from your eye defines one-half of the angle of elevation for the object observed. The staff is graduated in such a way that you read the full value of the angle you require.<br />
The cross-staff has many different names. The early Portuguese and Spanish ship's pilots were taught to aim this instrument towards the sky like a cross-bowman. Thus they called it a 'balestilja' or cross-bow. The later invention of another navigational instrument called the back-staff led to the name cross-staff fading out of use. The instrument then became known as the forestaff because you faced forward to use it. To use the back-staff you put your back toward the heavenly body that you wish to take your reading from.<br />
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Wider use of the cross-staff led to many changes in its basic form. Fairly quickly sailors realized that the closer you came to the equator the less useful the cross-staff became due to the fact that the single cross-piece was too large to be used at lower latitudes. This was because you could never move the single cross-piece to any location that did not block the north star if you lined the bottom up with the horizon line. This problem was solved in the sixteenth century by the addition of 3 smaller cross-pieces for use at lower latitudes. Another innovation came about from the same problem. In the sixteenth century latitude could be determined by applying simple mathematics to readings of the sun at noon. The pilots had in their rutters a list of the solar zenith distance as computed by astronomers. The zenith distance minus the declination reading taken with the cross-staff equalled the latitude. This innovation added to some cross-staves smoked lenses at the ends of the cross-pieces so that the sun would be less blinding to the pilot and he would be able to take a better reading.<br />
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Compared to modern methods of navigation the cross-staff is, of course, laughable. In period however, the instruments in the hands of a trained pilot often provided accuracy to within less than 1 degree.<br />
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Period Materials and Methods: In period the cross-staff was usually constructed out of hardwood. They were often constructed of oak, rosewood, or ebony. The construction methods were quite simple. Some cross-staves were constructed by simply tying the cross piece to the staff in a manner allowing the cross piece to slide. Finer examples had cross pieces that slipped over the end of the staff. In late period use, smoked glass was added to ends of the cross piece to ease the strain on the eye when taking solar sightings. The method for making the angle markings involved using a protractor to measure angles and drawing lines from the angles into a rectangle whose size was determined by the staff and the cross piece used with it. This method is the one I used and it is explained more fully below. The length of the cross pieces developed as needed and were simply a matter of record among period ship's pilots. The markings along the staff were carved into the wood and inked or painted.<br />
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My Materials and Methods: I attempted to duplicate as closely as possible known period materials and methods. My cross-staff is constructed of red oak. The cross pieces are held together with brass wood screws. The markings were made originally with pencil and then engraved and marked with a wood burner. My cross piece lengths were taken from the book Latitude Hooks and Azimuth Rings. My angle measurements were deduced using the period method explained below.<br />
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How I Constructed the Cross-staff: I cut the main staff to a length of three feet. I cut the cross pieces as described in the table below:<br />
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Latitude in Degrees Finished Cross Piece Length Cross Piece Cuts for Construction<br />
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0 - 10 2 inches 2 @ 5/8 "<br />
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10 - 20 4 inches 2 @ 1 5/8"<br />
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20 - 30 6 inches 2 @ 2 5/8"<br />
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30 - 40 8 inches 2 @ 3 5/8"<br />
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The cross piece cuts for construction had to account for the 3/4" thickness of the main staff to reach the finished cross piece length measurements.<br />
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The cross pieces were assembled on the main staff by using 1/4" x 3/4" pieces of oak at lengths to bridge the distance of the main staff. After the cross pieces were assembled I sanded the main staff to make them slide easier up and down the staff.<br />
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The angle measurements were determined graphically by using 4 pieces of poster board and a protractor. A series of rectangles were laid out on the poster board matching the size of the staff with the various cross pieces. Thus there were four rectangles (2" x 36", 4" x 36", 6" x 36", and 8" x 36") on four different poster boards all divided down their center line. The protractor was taped in place just inside the defined rectangle and radial lines were drawn from each side. The radials were connected with lines that crossed the center line and were perpendicular to it. These lines show where on the staff a certain angle marking should be located. For example, radial lines drawn through the 50 degree mark on each side of the protractor define an angle of 80 degrees or twice the difference between 90 degrees and 50 degrees.<br />
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Next, the main staff was made square along the center line and the markings were made with pencil. This technique was repeated with all of the poster boards using a different side to mark the angles each time. Next, the inch measurement scale to 1/4" marks were added on the 0 - 10 edge. Finally, the marks were etched with a hot iron to burn them into the wood.<br />
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How I Tested my Cross-Staff: In period a cross-staff was used for three basic tasks relating to navigation: 1) It was used to take readings from the pole star and the sun to determine the latitude of the ship; 2) It was used to measure the distance away from an object given that the height or length of that object was known; 3) It was used as a straight edge for plotting a course on a chart. After finishing my cross-staff I decided to test it against the first two of the three tasks listed above. I believe its usefulness as a straight edge is apparent.<br />
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For the first test I quickly discovered that I could not properly test the instrument because it is designed to be used on the open sea where a horizon line is evident. I live in the middle of a modern city and could not find an open horizon to properly test the instrument. However, my luck changed once I reached Lumberton Mississippi, the site for Gulf Wars. On a clear night I was easily able to find the north star and I proceeded to take six readings, three from the 20 - 30 degree scale and three from the 30 - 40 degree scale. My first three readings were 32 degrees, 31.5 degrees, and 33 degrees. My second three readings were 31.5 degrees, 32 degrees, and 31.5 degrees. Unfortunately, all I could do at the time was record this information for later because I did not know the real latitude for Lumberton. Later in the week, during a class on Elizabethan Shipboard Life taught by William MacArthur, the Meridies Patron for the Known World Nautical Guild, he had his wife demonstrate the use of the cross-staff. She had researched the latitude of Lumberton Mississsippi for her demonstration. It is 31.60 degrees.<br />
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For the second test I measured the height of a fence in my subdivision that I could see from some distance. The height of the fence was 66". I walked some distance away and used the cross-staff with its 4" crosspiece to determine a measurement on the staff of 25 1/2". By applying the trigonometric relationship between the cross-staff and the 90 degree angle between the ground and the known wall height (A:B = C:D), I was able to determine my distance from the wall. The calculation worked out to be 34.72 feet. I then measured with a tape measure to determine the true distance. It was 34' 7 3/8" or 34.61 feet. Two other measurements from the same location produced results of 34.59 feet and 34.79 feet. The average of these results was 34.66 feet.<br />
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Bibliography<br />
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Cameron, Ian. Magellan and the First Circumnavigation of the World. New York: Saturday Review Press, 1973.<br />
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Davis, John. The Seaman's Secrets (December 21, 2000)<br />
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Fisher, Dennis. Latitude Hooks and Azimuth Rings. Camden, Maine: International Marine, 1995<br />
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Johansen, Jan. The History of Navigation. (February 25, 2001)<br />
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Phillips-Birt, Douglas. A History of Seamanship. New York: Doubleday, 1971.<br />
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Taylor, E.G.R. & Richey, M.W. The Geometrical Seaman. London: Hollis and Carter, Ltd, 1962.<br />
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Copyright 2001, Mark S. Cookman<br />
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Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-26012686933385435652010-06-22T17:50:00.001-04:002010-06-22T20:57:05.906-04:00. . .And a Bottle Full for the ChantymanWelcome back my mates. In this issue of the Pirates Primer we will be discussing sea chanties. A chanty (or chantey or shanty) is a song sung by sailors in rhythm with their work. A chantyman is the person who leads the singing of chanties and adds or improvises verses as necessary. Chanties provide two large benefits. First, they unify the crew in its work and thus make that work more efficient. Second, they allow the crew some entertainment and relief from the long hours of repetitive work that is sailing. It is my belief that chanties are as old as ocean-going ships, but I cannot prove this through my research to date. Chanties can be dated much earlier than most people believe, however.<br />
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The singing of chanties are usually thought of as an eighteenth or ninteenth century ship board activity because many of the chanties that remain today came from the age of whale hunting, but the practice is actually much older than that. The earliest reference to sea chanties that I have found was in the journal of Felix Fabri, a Dominican monk who made two pilgrimages to the holy land around 1480. Father Felix describes the shanty-man as a sailor who sings while working making a concert between himself who leads and sings commands and the other sailors who answer singing. There are other period references to the singing of shanty songs on both Columbus' ships in 1492 and Vasco de Gama's ship in 1572. It only makes sense that long and hard labor that required men to work together would lead to work songs for the purposes of tempo. Different types of chanties developed to perform different types of work.<br />
<p>There are five different types of chanties. They are Short Drag chanties, Long Drag chanties, Pumping chanties, Capstan chanties, and Forecastle chanties. We will look at each of them in turn.<br />
<p>Short Drag chanties were sung for tasks requiring many fast pulls over a relatively short time, such as shortening or unfurling sails. They tend to be short and quick paced. Paddy Doyle (below) is an example of one.<br />
<p>To me,<br />
Aye,<br />
And we'll furl,<br />
Aye,<br />
And pay Paddy Doyle<br />
For his boots.<br />
<p>We'll sing,<br />
Aye,<br />
And we'll Heave,<br />
Aye,<br />
And we'll hang Paddy Doyle<br />
For his boots.<br />
<p>We'll Heave,<br />
Aye,<br />
With a swing,<br />
Aye,<br />
And we'll all drink<br />
Brandy and gin.<br />
<p>Long Drag chanties were sung for tasks requiring much heavier work and setup time between pulls, such as running a heavy sail up the mast or dropping the squares to put up the storm sails. Some have a chorus at the end of each verse to give the deck crew a rest while the sail crew worked in the rigging. A good (and likely period) Long Drag is Whiskey Johnny. On this one, the second and fourth lines of every verse are the chorus, also note the length and I don't have all of the verses listed.<br />
<p>O, whiskey is the life of man,<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
I drink whiskey when I can<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>Whiskey from an old tin can,<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
I'll drink whiskey when I can.<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>I drink it hot, I drink it cold,<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
I drink it new, I drink it old.<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>Whiskey makes me feel so sad,<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
Whiskey killed my poor old dad.<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>I thought I heard the captain say,<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
I'll treat my crew in a decent way.<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>A glass of grog for every man,<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
And a bottle full for the chanteyman.<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>O whiskey hot and whiskey cold<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
Oh whiskey new and whiskey old<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>Oh whiskey here and whiskey there<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
Oh I'd have whiskey everywhere<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>Oh whiskey killed my poor old dad<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
Oh whiskey drove my mother mad<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>Oh whiskey gave me this red nose<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
Oh whiskey made me pawn my clothes<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>If whiskey were a river and I could swim<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
Well I would strip right down and dive right in!<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>I wish I knew where whiskey grew.<br />
Whiskey Johnny!<br />
I'd eat all the leaves and the branches too.<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>If whiskey were a lake and I was a duck<br />
Whiskey Johnny!<br />
I'd dive right down and never come up<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>O, whiskey is the life of man,<br />
Whiskey, Johnny!<br />
I drink whiskey when I can<br />
Whiskey for my Johnny!<br />
<p>Pumping chanties and Capstan chanties are similiar in nature. Both are used for long, hard, and repetitive tasks that require a sustained rhythm. The difference between these two types comes in the tempo and the rhythm. Capstan chanties generally have long choruses during which the crew walks around the capstan pushing on the capstan bars to turn the capstan so that it in turn can haul up the anchor. During the verses, which are short, the men rest and the capstan is pawled (blocked so that it cannot unwind). Pumping chanties are generally give and take like the action of pumping, alternating verse and chorus like Whiskey Johnny above. South Australia is an excellent example of either a Pumping or a Capstan chanty depending upon how it is sung. If it is sung verses by the chantyman and chorus by the crew, then it is a Capstan chanty. If, however, the chantyman sings the normal text and the crew sings the italicized text, then it is a Pumping chanty. It is unfortunate that it is definitely post-period.<br />
<p>In South Australia I was born<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
In South Australia round Cape Horn<br />
<p>Chorus<br />
<p>We're bound for South Australia<br />
Haul away you rolling kings<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
All the way you'll hear me sing<br />
We're bound for South Australia<br />
<p>As I walked out one morning fair<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
'Twas there I met Miss Nancy Blair<br />
Chorus<br />
<p>I shook her up and I shook her down<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
I shook her round and round the town<br />
Chorus<br />
<p>I run her all night and I run her all day<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
And I run her until we sailed away<br />
Chorus<br />
<p>There ain't but one thing grieves me mind<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
To leave Miss Nancy Blair behind<br />
Chorus<br />
<p>And as we wallop around Cape Horn<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
You'll wish to God you'd never been born<br />
Chorus<br />
<p>In South Australia my native land<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
Full of rocks and thieves and fleas and sand<br />
Chorus<br />
<p>I wish I was on Australia's strand<br />
Heave away, haul away<br />
With a bottle of whiskey in my hand<br />
Chorus<br />
<p>Forecastle chanties were sung when the work was done and it was time to relax. For the most part they are funny stories, love songs, or songs of adventure, heroes, and battles. (Sounds a lot like a bardic circle doesn't it?) And since we have finished our brief look at chanties, I guess our work is done. I will leave you with the words for a cute Forecastle chanty called Strike the Bell. This one is also believed to be period. I'll see you next time mates when we'll be talking about time keeping on board a ship.<br />
<p>Up on the po-op deck and walk-ing a-bout,<br />
There is the se-cond mate so steady and so stout;<br />
What he is a-thin-kin' of he doesn't know him-self<br />
And we wish that he would hu-rry up and strike, strike the bell.<br />
<p>Chorus<br />
Strike the bell sec-ond mate, let us go be-low;<br />
Look well to wind-ward you can see it's gon-na blow;<br />
Look at the glass, you can see it has fell,<br />
Oh we wish that you would hur-ry up and strike, strike the bell.<br />
<p>Down on the ma-in deck and workin' at the pumps,<br />
There is the lar-board watch just longing for their bunks;<br />
Lo-ok out to wind-ward, you can see a great swell,<br />
And we wish that you would hu-rry up and strike, strike the bell.<br />
<p>Chorus<br />
<p>Forward on the fore-cstle head and keepin' sharp look-out,<br />
There i-is John-ny stan-din', longin' fer to shout,<br />
Lights' a-bur-nin' bright sir a-nd every-thing is well,<br />
And he's wish-in' that the se-cond mate would strike, strike the bell.<br />
<p>Chorus<br />
<p>Aft at the whe-el-house old An-de-rson stands,<br />
Graspin' at the he-elm with his frost-bit-ten hands,<br />
Look-in' at the com-pass though the courseis clear as hell<br />
And he's wish-in' that the se-cond mate would strike, strike the bell.<br />
<p>Chorus<br />
<p>Aft on the quar-ter deck our gallant cap-tain stands,<br />
Lookin' out to wind--ward with a spy-glass in hand,<br />
What he is a-thin-kin' of we know ve-ry well,<br />
He is thin-kin' more of shor-tenin' sail than strik-in' the bell.<br />
<p>Chorus<br />
<hr>Copyright 2001, Mark S. CookmanMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-86049227111435322902010-06-22T17:36:00.001-04:002010-06-22T20:59:55.884-04:00Hang the Musikers, TooHail Mates! Simon has returned from the war. I yet live, but it took me a while to recover. Perhaps sometime when we're not busy with learning about Pirates, I'll tell you about it over a cup or two of grog. For now though, I must apologize. I am sorry to have gotten behind on my column and I hope I still have an audience. This time we will be talking about another important part of some crews, but not all, the musicians.<br />
<p>It is difficult to prove that musicians were a part of every pirate crew, but there are two excellent examples from the pirate period that they may have been a common part of most ships of war, pirate and privateer ships included. The first example is from the early Seventeenth century. In Captain John Smith's advice concerning how to conduct a one on one naval engagement he remarks when preparing to board one should, ". . . sound Drums and Trumpets, and Saint George for England." The second example comes from the early Eighteenth century. In the articles of Captain Bartholomew Roberts it is stated: "The Musicians to have Rest on the Sabbath Day, but the other six Days and Nights, none without special Favour." When thinking about the musicians on board a ship in the 16th to 18th centuries, one must not think of a band. That would be far too organized a concept.<br />
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It is likely that ships of this period could have had crew members who owned musical instruments as varied as brass horns, mouth harps, fiddles, bag pipes and accordions. Furthermore, sailors could gather numerous instruments from the various ports of call their ship made. Examples here are numerous: cowhide and goatskin drums from Africa, dried gourd maracas from Cuba, bamboo drums and flutes from Hispainola, and even tambourines from Morocco. Pause a moment and consider the combined sounds of all of the instruments mentioned here. Now you know why a band is not the idea you want to have.<br />
<p>The musicians were popular with the crew as they were entertainment as well as a valuable battle element. The musicians played during meal times and during work breaks allowing the crew some entertainment to break the monotony of long hours of tiring work. This boost in moral was welcome at anytime, but was perhaps the most effective when used in battle.<br />
<p>From stories of Bartholomew Roberts crew and others, we know that when a ship with musicians approached another ship with the intention to fight, the effects of the music could be terrifying to the enemy. The musicians would play marches and other martial music. There were drum rolls, trumpet and bugle calls, and perhaps even a piper given the nationality of the crew. Add to this the noise of the ship's cook beating upon his pots and pans and the crew stamping their feet or beating their weapons against the ship. Finally top this off with the sounds of shouting, screaming, and shooting, both pistols and rifles as well as cannons and deck guns. Your imagination can supply you with the details of the scene. The intended result is achieved: the morale aboard the pirate vessel is raised to a fevered pitch while the morale of their intended prize is shaken.<br />
<p>While musicians and music may not have been a topic you were expecting in column about the history of pirates and the sea, I hope that you see their importance to the ships as whole in the period that we are studying. In the next column we will delve further into music as we talk about sea shanties or the work songs of sailors and pirates.<br />
<hr>Copyright 2001, Mark S. CookmanMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-42968428046403193452010-06-22T14:14:00.001-04:002014-07-01T20:54:03.186-04:00The Next in Line to HangIn this second part of a three part lesson dealing with the crew positions aboard a pirate vessel, we are going to look at the responsibilities of the Sailmaster, the Carpenter, the Cook, the Surgeon, and the Master at Arms. These were all lower officer positions and were either voted upon or assigned by the captain as discussed in the first part of this lesson. The sailors who served in these positions were skilled laborers and, as such, their skills were always very much in demand. These were definitely crew members that a pirate ship could not function without.<br />
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The Sailmaster was the most experienced crewman in the rigging. He was responsible for maintaining the sails and the rigging. The Sailmaster knew every knot, line, rope, block and tackle in the rigging as well as how to repair them all. He was also responsible for training and running the sail crew as well as overseeing the making and patching of sails. The Sailmaster took orders from and reported to the pilot.<br />
The Carpenter was a skilled wood worker, often with some shipwright experience, who did all of the woodworking required by the crew. He was responsible for repairing damage to the wooden portions of the ship and for plugging leaks that got too bad. (You should understand right now before you go to sea that all ships leak, mates. It's just when they really leak badly that you have to worry about it.) The Carpenter was also responsible for maintaining the tools of his trade. He took orders from and reported to the Boatswain.<br />
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The Cook was one of the most important of the lower officers. He was in charge of all matters relating to food on the ship. He made certain there was enough food, water, and rum on board for the planned cruise. He cooked the meals and suggested rationing when it was necessary. The Cook butchered the meat brought back by hunting parties and was the only man trusted to light a fire below decks. He maintained the necessary tools for both cooking and butchering. The Cook took orders from and reported to the Boatswain.<br />
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The Surgeon was likely one of the toughest men on the ship. He served as the barber/doctor/emergency surgeon for the entire crew. He was equally capable of shaving your beard and cutting off your damaged leg. The Surgeon dealt with not only the sick and the wounded, but also the dead. He, like the other lower officers, was responsible for maintaining the necessary tools of his trade. The Surgeon took his orders from and reported to the Quartermaster. It is unlikely that most ships had any real doctor and it was common for the carpenter or the cook to fill this role as needed.<br />
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The Master at Arms was often the most skilled warrior on the crew. He was responsible for training the crew in hand to hand combat. He also led the ship's boarding parties and hunting parties when they were necessary. The Master at Arms position was not a separate position on every vessel and often these responsibilities fell to the Quartermaster. When the Master at Arms position was filled on a ship, he took orders from and reported to the Quartermaster.<br />
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Well mates, that's it for this week. I apologize for the short column this week and no column next week, but the Sabine has been called to war. I will be at the war with the dread Kingdom of Ansteora next week. If I survive this, then I shall return to finish the series.<br />
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Copyright 2001, Mark S. Cookman<br />
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<br />Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-88455839423192607612010-06-22T14:00:00.001-04:002010-06-22T21:03:58.521-04:00Five for the Gallows PoleIf you are still interested in being a pirate, then you should know what the job entails. It's not all boarding ships, counting booty, and drinking rum like you might think. A great deal of hard work is required to run any sailing ship, let alone one populated by pirates. In this lesson of the primer we are going to examine the five principle officers on board a pirate ship, their duties, and their responsibilities. This is part one of a three part lesson. In the next lesson we will examine the duties and responsibilities of other officers and crew members with special duties. In the final lesson, we will look at one very special group of crew members that are almost always overlooked. Read on to learn what your shipmates would expect of their primary officers.<br />
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The principle officers of a pirate ship were the captain, the quartermaster, the pilot, the boatswain, and the master gunner. As stated previously, sometimes these positions were all elected by an equal vote of the crew and sometimes the captain picked the crew members he wanted to serve in the positions. The captain on a pirate vessel was almost always elected by an equal vote of the crew. On a privateer vessel this was not very often the case. Privateer captains were often the owners of the ship or were given commission by their monarch to take a vessel to sea. Such it follows with the other officers. If the captain was elected, then generally all of the officers were elected. If the captain was appointed or held his position by means of ownership, then generally he picked the officers. In either case, an officer on a pirate ship served at the whim of the crew. Even a man picked by the captain would be booted down to a simple crewman if he could not do his job. For the most part though, a person elevated to serve as one of the principle officers did so for life. The title of this article refers to the fact that most often the authorities that captured, tried, and hung pirates concentrated on the five principle officers of the ship. These officers were generally the most intelligent and skilled crewmen on board the pirate vessel. They were people that everyone else on board the ship admired for their ability to do their job. Diligent action is the mother of respect on board a ship.<br />
<p>The captain, however he came to his position, was chosen for his leadership, bravery, and cunning. The captain was responsible for everything aboard the ship; every item and every man. He was responsible for the overall decisions affecting the ship. The captain decided where to sail and what to attack. He was the voice of his crew to all beyond the ship. He often led his crew in battle. In terms of daily duties, the captain kept a log of the voyage, managed the affairs of the ship through the officers, and generally served a four to six hour shift at the helm.<br />
<p>The quartermaster (or first mate on a privateer vessel) was the number two man on the ship. He was responsible for enforcing the ship's articles and administering punishment when necessary. The quartermaster was the trustee of the ship and her crew. He directly represented the crew to the captain. It was his responsibility to serve as a counterbalance to the captain in decisions that might be hazardous to the ship or the crew. A wise captain made no decisions that his first mate didn't support. The quartermaster took responsibility for prize vessels and picked the treasure that the crew would take from a prize. He was also responsible for counting the booty and splitting the shares. Each day would find him working with his subordinate officers the boatswain, the master gunner, and the master at arms to effectively run the ship. The first mate also served a turn at the helm, generally a six to eight hour shift.<br />
<p>The pilot was the number three man on the ship and often the most educated. He served as the ship's navigator and was generally the best all around sailor aboard the ship. He was responsible for plotting the ship's course and maintaining that course. The pilot maintained all of the ship's charts and maps as well as the tools of navigation. He was charged with keeping a daily log of every event relating to the sailing of the ship. He recorded the depth, the currents, the wind patterns, the ship's location, the locations of reefs and sandbars, and the state of the rigging. He reported directly to the captain. The pilot oversaw the work of the sailmaster and almost always had at least one assistant (a pilot's mate) to help him with his duties. The pilot and his mate both served separate eight hour shifts at the helm in addition to taking readings from the moon and stars to plot and maintain the course. In a future lesson we will examine celestial navigation and its tools.<br />
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The boatswain was the number four man on the ship and often the most feared by the crew. He was in charge of the provisions for the ship. He maintained the stores of food, water, rum, gunpowder, shot, sails, rope, wood, and tar required to keep the ship and crew fit for action. The boatswain also directed the loading of cargo into the hold to maintain the proper ballast to ensure level sailing. He was in charge of keeping the watches on the ship and maintaining discipline among the deck crew. He was responsible for the ship's longboats and for picking a crew to man the sweeps when the longboats were used. The boatswain was charged with maintaining the ship's seaworthy status. He oversaw the duties of both the carpenter and the cook. The boatswain generally had a mate to help him with his responsibilities. In general, his duties were to make certain that all the work of running the ship was done. He reported to the quartermaster. The Boatswain was often the most feared man on the ship because his obligations often made him uncompromising. It was his responsibility to keep everything "ship-shape". Leniency was something the quartermaster might give to the crew, but it was not something the boatswain was in the position to give. Day and night, the boatswain would drive the crew to do whatever work was required. He maintained the watch log and reported any problems to the quartermaster.<br />
<p>The master gunner was the number five man on the ship. He was responsible for the care and cleaning of all firearms, culverin (deck guns), and cannons on board the ship. He was also responsible for training the crew in the use both firearms and ship's weaponry. The master gunner picked and ran the gunnery crew. He reported to the quartermaster, but was responsible to the entire ship to make certain that the cannons hit the declared target. He was also responsible for maintaining the inventory of powder and shot for all of the guns on the ship. The master gunner was the only crew member besides the captain and the quartermaster entrusted to carry a key to the ship's powder magazine. Additionally, the master gunner often led or picked hunting parties when they were called for. His day to day duties mainly consisted of drilling the gunnery crew and maintaining the guns. In future lessons we will look at the different types of ship's weapons and learn the steps followed by the gunnery crew to clear, clean, load, and fire the cannons.<br />
<p>Now you know the five chief officers on board a pirate ship, as well as their duties and responsibilities. In the next lesson we will examine the duties and responsibilities of the sailmaster, the master at arms, the carpenter, the surgeon, and the cook. Until then, keep your mind on your work and be diligent in your duties, otherwise the boatswain is likely to crack you on the head.<br />
<hr>Copyright 2001, Mark S. CookmanMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-79516288649330127372010-06-22T13:37:00.002-04:002010-06-22T21:13:16.710-04:00You Want Me to Sign Your What?Well mates, as promised, it is time to discuss ship's articles. Before you can join a pirate crew, you'll have to sign their articles. It doesn't really matter if you can't read them or even if you can't write your name. Pirates are very forgiving about a lack of formal education. You can just make your mark and become part of the crew. Now Simon knows that is never going to go over with you. You're smart and you'll want to know what you're signing. So, in this lesson we are going to learn what the articles were, why they were needed, and how they were decided upon. As an additional aid to really understanding what the articles were like, we will analyze the articles of Captain John Phillips and his crew (c. 1720) point by point to determine what kind of items appeared in ship's articles.<br />
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The articles were a set of rules that everyone on board the ship had to abide by. Discipline is not a luxury at sea; it is a requirement. The rules were agreed upon by every member of the crew for their own safety. There were many situations and potential problems that were covered by the ship's articles. It was to everyone's benefit that the rules of the ship be well known to everyone. The articles covered such important issues as the treasure split, ship safety, and disability pay. In effect, by unanimously agreeing to and signing the ship's articles, pirates formed limited corporations. The articles served not only as the rules of the ship, but also as the business papers for the ship's company. Now that we know what the articles were and why they were needed, let's move on to how they were created.<br />
<p>Most often pirates became pirates after a successful mutiny. This was not always the case, but it was a common enough occurrence that it serves well for our example. When the crew of a ship decided to go on the account, in other words to give up their legitimate lives to take up piracy, they would elect their captain. (Sometimes the other officers were elected as well, but this was not common). Usually the man chosen as captain was the most experienced sailor among the crew. The captain would pick his officers, then the captain and the officers would draw up the articles. After the articles had been drawn up, they were read to the crew so that every man could understand them. Any articles that the majority of the crew had a problem with were struck and perhaps more would be added until the majority of the crew was happy with them. Finally the articles were read to the crew in their final form and presented to be signed. To be a member of the crew, every man had to make his mark on the articles thus declaring that he would abide by the rules of the ship. Those that did not wish to go on the account were often marooned, but sometimes they were just shot and thrown overboard. When new recruits were taken from a prize ship, they were offered the same choices: sign or die. Thus, while the creation of the ship's articles might be judged a fair and democratic process, their application was often anything but. Let's take a close look at a set of ship's articles and see what sorts of rules pirates lived by.<br />
<p>The articles below were written in 1723 by Captain John Phillips and the officers of the sloop Revenge after she was stolen from port by five men. John Phillips proved a poor pirate captain as he was tossed into the sea when his crew mutinied, but regardless of his fate, his articles provide us a good example for analysis.<br />
<p><i>I. Every Man shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have one full Share and a half in all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain and Gunner shall have one Share and a quarter.</i><br />
<p>The first article deals with two issues found in almost every set of articles. First, everyone agreed to take orders from their superiors, as chain of command is a necessity when a crew goes to sea. Second, the division of shares is listed. The shares differed with every ship, but the officers always received more than a single share because of their responsibilities.<br />
<p><i>II. If any Man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marroon'd, with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm, and Shot.</i><br />
<p>The second article deals with desertion and treachery. Typically when pirates marooned a former member of their crew, they searched for a small sandbar that would be awash at high tide. The punishment was a death sentence. The bottle of powder, the pistol and the single shot were not for hunting. The crew offered this as a mercy to the marooned man, instead of starving to death or drowning, he could choose to take his own life.<br />
<p><i>III. If any Man shall steal any Thing in the Company, or game, to the Value of a Piece of Eight, he shall be marroon'd or shot.</i><br />
<p>The third article covers theft and gambling. In relation to gambling this may seem harsh until you know the value of a piece of eight. A piece of eight was equivalent to roughly 1/3 of a standard sailor's yearly pay. As with many of the rules that show up in ship's articles, this one is meant to prevent fighting among the crew.<br />
<p><i>IV. If at any Time we should meet another Pyrate that Man that shall sign his Articles without the Consent of our Company, shall suffer such Punishment as the Captain and Company shall think fit.</i><br />
<p>This article is unique to Captain Phillip's articles as far as my research has seen. Simon does not know how this differs from desertion covered in the second article, except that the guilty party would be under another pirate captain's protection.<br />
<p><i>V. That Man that shall strike another whilst these Articles are in force, shall receive Moses's Law on the bare Back.</i><br />
<p>The fifth article addresses fighting directly. Moses's Law is 39 lashes with a whip or a cat of nine tails. It differs from "kissing the gunner's daughter" only in its severity. It is, historically, one lash short of a death sentence. However, this fact did not comfort the many who died from this punishment. As I stated previously, discipline is not a luxury aboard a ship, it is a necessity.<br />
<p><i>VI. That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoak Tobacco in the Hold, without a Cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted without a Lanthorn, shall suffer the same Punishment as in the former Article.</i><br />
<p>This article deals with fire safety. The worst disaster that could happen on a ship from this period was to have their powder magazine catch fire and explode. Fire is not a joke on a ship, it is a very serious matter. Doing something that threatened the ship with fire, threatened everyone on board the ship.<br />
<p><i>VII. That Man that shall not keep his Arms clean, fit for an Engagement, or neglect his Business, shall be cut off from his Share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.</i><br />
<p>Article seven is a common article seen in different forms in different ships' articles. Simply put: Do your job or lose your pay and be judged by your peers who depend upon you to do your job.<br />
<p><i>VIII. If any Man shall lose a Joint in time of an Engagement, shall have 400 Pieces of Eight; if a Limb, 800.</i><br />
<p>Article eight is the insurance policy. This article is also a common feature in many ships' articles. Basically, the loss of a hand, foot, lower arm, or lower leg is the loss of a joint. A crewman who lost a joint or a limb was lucky to live, but if he did he would retire a rich man.<br />
<p><i>IX. If at any time you meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer present Death.</i><br />
<p>Article nine shows that the captain and his officers were gentlemen. This type of article often appears, but it usually refers to the harassment of any sort of any prisoner the pirates take. Again, this is just a matter of good sense. It prevents fights and protects prisoners that may be able to be ransomed back to their own.<br />
<p>Now you know about the ship's articles. Be careful to know what you are signing up for before you sign them though. Next issue we will look at the different crew positions on a ship and their responsibilities.<br />
<p><hr>Copyright 2001, Mark S. CookmanMarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5518885599131752190.post-84894854036878761602010-06-22T12:14:00.001-04:002014-09-05T07:28:18.048-04:004 Kinds of Caribbean CutthroatsWelcome back mates. In this lesson we are going to explore the differences between four types of seafaring scoundrels. They are pirates, privateers, buccaneers, and marooners. When we are done, you'll know what each of these names mean, you'll understand why the old adage 'once a thief, always a thief' also applies to pirates, and you'll also learn what pirates called themselves. So freshen your drinks, pull up your chairs, and let's begin.<br />
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A pirate is a person who practices piracy. <gee _moz-userdefined="" figured="" have="" i="" never="" one="" out.="" simon.="" thanks="" that="" would=""> Piracy is any robbery or other violent crime, for private ends and without authorization by any country, committed on the seas. Basically, pirates attacked any vessel they chose without regard to nationality in order to make a profit. Typically pirates would attack a ship to force it to stop, then board that ship. After taking the ship, or securing the surrender of the crew, pirates would plunder the ship of its valuables and take any prisoners worth a ransom. After that, the pirates might try to recruit crew members from the plundered vessel to replace their losses or fill out their own crew. Finally, the pirates would return to their own ship and sail away. Contrary to popular belief, pirates were not always bloodthirsty killers. Many pirates considered piracy their occupation. These men simply wanted to do their job and get away with their plunder as quickly and easily as possible. If the captain and crew of the captured ship were not a hindrance, then they could often escape brutalization altogether. Some pirates, however, were in the business of torturing and killing. These pirates left a trail of plundered ships and murdered men where ever they went. It is this second sort of pirate that has colored the meaning of the word. There were pirates of every nationality and a few ships were even mixed in nationality, but that was rare. Typically ship's crews were of the same nationality and not diverse. Pirates and privateers were very much alike and sometimes the same.</gee><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Am I a Pirate or a Privateer?</td></tr>
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A privateer was differentiated from a pirate by only one thing: a letter of marque. A letter of marque, which is sometimes called a letter of reprisal, was an official government sanction to harass enemy shipping granted most often during times of war. Sometimes these letters came directly from a king, but royal governors in the Caribbean could write them as well. A ship that carried a letter of marque was recognized as unofficial part of their country's navy. They were given the permission to attack ships of the nations defined in their letter without sanction from their own navy, provided that they gave the crown its share (usually 20%) in the spoils. In most things, however, pirates and privateers were exactly the same. It was not uncommon for privateers to attack vessels of countries not defined in their letter of marque and thus become pirates hiding behind a letter of marque. Another common practice was for privateers to continue their business after the letter of marque had been revoked because the war had ended. Thus, the distinction between privateer and pirate was always a very fine one. There is another factor to consider in this. Governments attempted to keep themselves informed of the actions of their privateers by means of the prize court.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">80% is a good deal, right?</td></tr>
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Privateers had to register their plunder with the prize court when they returned to port. The prize court inventoried the spoils of war taken by all privateers, deducted the kings share, and heard claims to the spoils by outside sources. For example, an English privateer engages a French privateer and wins the day. The English privateer captain decides to take the entire French vessel and their cargo as a prize. He selects a prize crew from his own crew to help man the French ship and keep its crew in line. Both ships sail back to the home port of the English privateer and the English captain turns the French ship and its cargo over to the prize court. The prize court, which was usually run by the royal governor, decides that the King will take the French ship as His share and publicly posts an inventory of the rest of the spoils for people to make claim against. Representatives of two English merchant companies look over the inventory and make claims against some of the French ship's cargo. The prize court hears their claims and decides that the first has no true claim to the goods as they can produce no proof that the goods are theirs. The second company presents a better case. They demonstrate that a little over half of the cargo of the French ship carries their company symbol. Furthermore, they present the cargo manifest of one of their missing merchant ships that is presumed lost. The cargo manifest seems to match the same cargo bearing their logo from the inventory of the French prize ship, so the court awards that cargo to the merchant company. This procedure takes a little over a month. When the English privateer returns to port, the captain finds that what he thought would be a great fortune for he and his crew is now just some petty trade goods that a representative from the first merchant company is willing to purchase from him at one quarter of its value. This is the life of a legitimate privateer. To duck the prize court or to hide spoils from it was an act of piracy.<br />
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There is another factor to consider concerning privateers. To illustrate it I will pirate a sentiment that was expressed by Benjamin Franklin when he was asked about the legality of the American revolution. (Understand that Simon doesn't often pirate the words of others, but Ben's phrasing is exceptional.) Privateers are completely legal in the first person, such as our privateers, it is only in the third person, their privateers, that they become illegal. When you are the victim of a privateer, they are a pirate and nothing more. Spain never recognized or sanctioned privateering as legitimate. All privateers were pirates in the eyes of the Spanish. Spanish dominance and cruelty in the Caribbean is legendary. The buccaneers were a creation of that cruelty.<br />
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From 1492, when Columbus claimed the new world for Spain, until 1588, when Admiral Lord Howard defeated the Spanish Armada, Spain completely dominated the Caribbean. Shortly after the defeat of her armada, Spain began to lose her colonies in the Caribbean to other countries. For the most part, the Spanish did not fight hard to keep these island colonies because they were busy plundering the natives of Mexico and South America of their riches. One of the colonies that was often contested was the French colony of Haiti on island of Hispanola. When the French settlers arrived they found wild oxen and pigs roaming the land. These animals came from the original Spanish settlers who had long ago moved further west. The early French settlers made a trade out of hunting these animals, cooking their meat in long strips, and selling the meat to passing Spanish ships. The rack that these meat sellers used to cook the long strips of meat were called "boucans", thus the Spanish sailors named these merchants "boucaniers". The Spanish government quickly decided that these "boucaniers" posed a threat to the security of their colony of Santo Domingo on Hispanola and began to move against them.<br />
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The buccaneers proved impossible for the Spanish to drive off. They began to retaliate against their Spanish oppressors using the tools at their disposal. Remember last week when I told you that it was hard to be a pirate without a ship. The buccaneers are why I did not say that it was impossible. The earliest buccaneer raids were conducted by canoes against Spanish ships moored off the shore of Haiti. The buccaneers, who prided themselves on their ability to hunt the wild pigs of Haiti with nothing but two long daggers, poured over the sides of the Spanish ships in the dark of night and silently killed all aboard. These tactics provided them with ships and from that point they differed only from Pirates in that their targets were almost exclusively Spanish. The marooners had a similar development.<br />
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The word marooner comes from the Spanish word, "cimarron", meaning wild or untamed. Cimarron was the name applied by the Spanish to runaway slaves, as well as Spanish deserters, in the Caribbean. It basically came to mean anyone of Spanish origin who lived in the wild away from Spanish civilization. The Spanish government made halfhearted attempts to destroy cimarron settlements, but the cimarron fought back using much the same tactics as the buccaneers. Just as the buccaneers, the cimarron, or marooners as they came to be called, targeted Spanish shipping and towns for their raids. A marooner came to be the name given to any pirate of African heritage. Maroon, the word for the act of leaving someone in a wild and untamed place has the same root, but does not otherwise relate to a marooner. We will discuss the punishment of marooning in a future lesson.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Boarding from a Small Boat</td></tr>
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What did pirates call themselves? Well that depended upon their education and status when they went to sea. Pirates often called themselves pirates among themselves and merchant crewmen when among those who might take offense to their occupation. Privateers usually prided themselves upon the fact that they were privateers. Privateers took to using the term "Gentleman of Fortune" to describe themselves. This term was quickly picked up by the pirates. This became the general term that polite society used to favorably describe pirates, as well as the term that many pirates adopted to describe themselves.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Gentleman of Fortune</td></tr>
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Well mates, that's it for this week. Next week we'll discuss pirate articles and see why the Caribbean pirates were among the first corporations in the western hemisphere. Until then, may all be well with you. <br />
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<b>Copyright 2001, Mark S. Cookman</b><br />
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Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12326471854772697947noreply@blogger.com0