Interesting Period Descriptions

[Mission]

If asked me to describe my method of presentation, I think that "whimsical and distubing" would be an excellent response.

[Captain Jim]

Raphael Mission, churgeon, for all your whimsical and disturbing medical needs...

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Quote from The history of the pyrates: containing the lives of Captain Mission. Captain Bowen. Captain Kidd ... and their several crews 1728 (http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/17002) Nothing really special but nice quotes about many things like provisions and pirate and ladies....

"In the mean Time Vane made towards the Coast of Hispaniola, living riotously on Board, having store of Liquor, and plenty of fresh Provisions, such as Hogs, Goats, Sheep, Fowl, which he got upon easy Terms, for touching at a Place called Isleatherer, he plundered the Inhabitants of as much of their Provision as they could carry away: Here they cruised to about February, when, near the Windward Passage of Cape Mase, they met with a large rich Ship of London, called the Kingston, loaden with Bale Goods, and other rich Merchandize, and having several Passengers on Board, some English, and some Jews, besides two Women.

Towards the North-End of Jamaica they also met with a Turtle Sloop, bound in for that Island, on Board of which (after having first plundered her) they put the Captain of the Kingston, and some of his Men, and all the Passengers, except the two Women, whom they kept for their own Entertainment, contrary to the usual Practice of pyrates, who generally sent them away, least they should occasion Contention.

The Ship Kingston they kept for their own Use; for now their Company being strengthened by a great many Recruits, some Voluntiers, and some forced Men out of the Neptune and Kingston, they thought they had Hands enough for two Ships; accordingly they shifted several of their Hands on Board the Kingston, and John Rackham, alias Callico Jack, (so called, because his Jackets and Drawers were always made of Callico) Quarter-Master to Vane, was unanimously chosen Captain of the Kingston."

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Recently I was amazed about that how many of the early books of 17th and 18th centuries can be found on wed.

Being a lucky one I found this as and e-book without even searching it more than a few minutes : A voyage round the world, by the way of the great South Sea performed in a private expedition during the war, which broke out with Spain, in the year 1718 2nd ed., rev. and republ. / by George Shelvocke, Esq. by Capt. George Shelvocke. Published 1757

http://www.archive.org/stream/avoyageroundwor00schegoog#page/n157/mode/2up/search/cap

Too bad so some pages are missing in this e-book including pages that covers the period of may and early June of 1719 and so the yellow pirate flag part I was originally looking for is not in this e- book version

This is not really piratical or even nautical but of the period and Americas

But there is an interesting description apparently about Spanish American Indian clothing. Anyway it almost fits to that we know about hunter buccaneers of the earlier time. Also did British postilions use montero cap style hats? Well apparently yes...

Picture of the page here

http://ia600308.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/28/items/avoyageroundwor00schegoog/avoyageroundwor00schegoog_tif.zip&file=avoyageroundwor00schegoog_tif/avoyageroundwor00schegoog_0158.tif&scale=4&rotate=0

And picture than came just before and it is apparently linked to that description

http://ia700308.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/28/items/avoyageroundwor00schegoog/avoyageroundwor00schegoog_tif.zip&file=avoyageroundwor00schegoog_tif/avoyageroundwor00schegoog_0156.tif&scale=2&rotate=0

[Swashbuckler 1700]

More from Shelvocke

An interesting situation where the gunner put his foot in his mouth by sympathizing Spaniards. It also shows that sailors still knew that they would have been money to be had in the Red Sea. So the treasures of the Orient were not forgotten even thought the era of the super successful Red sea rounds-men was gone. Thought in this era there were still many pirates like England or La Buse in the Indian Ocean but not many at all sailing the Red Sea....

See the second paragraph

http://ia700308.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/28/items/avoyageroundwor00schegoog/avoyageroundwor00schegoog_tif.zip&file=avoyageroundwor00schegoog_tif/avoyageroundwor00schegoog_0063.tif&scale=7.284109149277689&rotate=0

[Zaknesbitt]

An interesting description of Sailor's Slops comes to us from Ned Ward's book 'A Frolick to Horn-Fair', published in 1699. Fascinating because, it describes in detail the sailor-tenants of Deptford in their typical dress, including round-toed shoes, showing they were in vogue among sailors well before the 1706 slop contract.

Ward describes them as wearing 'New course[coarse] Cloth-coats, Speckled Breeches, Grey Stockins, Round-Toed Shoes, Picked Heels, stitch'd round the Quarters, ty'd on with Scarlet-Tape instead of buckles, with mittings on his hands, a Fur-cap on his Head, Arm'd with an Oaken Cudgel, with a Head as big as a four Pounder.'

Apparently this fashion was rather common, as Ward goes on to say, 'I observ'd they all, Spaniard like, kept up to one fashion, so that the same descripion would serve any I saw, with a very slender variation.'

Certainly does give us insight on how sailors dressed, at least when ashore in London.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Zaknesbitt

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Certainly does give us insight on how sailors dressed, at least when ashore in London.

Indeed nice quote. Thought when in Madagascar or the Bahamas people would certainly have left the fur cap out. Living north were people frequently dress with fur caps during the winter and autumn seasons I know that no way you can wear a fur cap when in hotter weather. But in London there is still quite cold in winter. Thinking also that in London there was "considerably" cooler back then where there was "the little ice age" and The Thames froze almost every winter.

[Zaknesbitt]

Actually, I've been sailing in the Caribbean, and even in our modern day, hot as it is ashore during the day time, it's a different story out at sea, especially at night; it can get fairly cold, with the wind chill and damp from the sea-air around you, indeed there were some nights when I would've loved a pair of 'mittings', and a sailor's jacket would've been a necessity.

Also, perhaps not fur, but there is evidence of sailors having thrum-caps in the West Indies... I believe it was the crew of Thomas Antis while they were having a mock-trial on the Isle of Pines.

Edited February 6, 2013 by Zaknesbitt

[Mission]

You always have to be careful with fictional books, though. Especially humorous ones. There is truth underlying humor, but it's often exaggerated for comic effect meaning you probably want to have a confirming source for it. (The stuff you posted sounds pretty banal, though, so it may be pretty safe. May be...)

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Actually, I've been sailing in the Caribbean, and even in our modern day, hot as it is ashore during the day time, it's a different story out at sea, especially at night; it can get fairly cold, with the wind chill and damp from the sea-air around you, indeed there were some nights when I would've loved a pair of 'mittings', and a sailor's jacket would've been a necessity.

Also, perhaps not fur, but there is evidence of sailors having thrum-caps in the West Indies... I believe it was the crew of Thomas Antis while they were having a mock-trial on the Isle of Pines.

Quite right. The nights might be colder at sea. I think the thrum-caps were used in The Caribbean in Elizabethan era as well. Thrum-cap used by the man in the mock trial was probably an imitation of the judges wig because I think the man had glasses as well and he was presenting the judge. Anyway it proves that pirates had those caps. Some of the Early Johnson's book editions mention that Blackbeard had a fur cap and there is pictures of BB with fur cap. I wonder why the fur cap was taken off both from the text and pictures by the second edition of 1724.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

From The four years voyages of capt. George Roberts.... 1726

The real writer was really Defoe

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&source=gbs_navlinks_s

Google book (so blame them of the bad copying)

Pages 30-32

Two notes I make: The cursing! and mentions of clothing especially the gold laced hat. That is odd since it was used by ordinarily pirate gunner. And in this era the most common hat style that would have had a gold lace is the gentleman style tricorn.....

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA30&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U0gZhk0KukmYynTkxR-T2vGH0bfrA&ci=137%2C123%2C760%2C1477&edge=0

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA31&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U35BdIrCayUCX8NU8daHsrUlirnyg&ci=63%2C117%2C922%2C1529&edge=0

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA32&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U3VGOBLdo9YVv27RQB04o_SuuU3hQ&ci=130%2C104%2C769%2C1473&edge=0

Edited February 17, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Swashbuckler 1700]

Interesting book http://openlibrary.org/books/OL7232970M/The_journal_of_Sir_George_Rooke_admiral_of_the_fleet_1700-1702

The journal of Sir George Rooke, admiral of the fleet, 1700-1702
edited by Oscar Browning. Published 1897 but it is the original journal with some additions and explanations. Thus it tells something about Gaop period naval things but it is not too detailed.... At least the lists about the Names of English, Spanish, Swedish etc. ships are nice.

The first page of the introductions tells what the book is about: Rooke's missions at the Baltic sea and in Spain.

http://ia600304.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/0/items/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_jp2.zip&file=journalofsirgeor00rookuoft

_jp2/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_0013.jp2&scale=5.727126805778491&rotate=0

Here some English warships names: http://ia600304.us.archive.org/BookReader/BookReaderImages.php?zip=/0/items/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_jp2.zip&file=journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_jp2/journalofsirgeor00rookuoft_0294.jp2&scale=5.727126805778491&rotate=0

Edited February 23, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

From The four years voyages of capt. George Roberts.... 1726

The real writer was really Defoe

No, it probably wasn't. http://tinyurl.com/aqdz43h

There were a series of very badly researched attributions to Defoe, especially by J.R.R. Moore whose primary goal seems to have been to make a name for himself by massively expanding and the co-opting the American public library system to accept his various attributions to Defoe in the 1930s. Although the first person to attribute the work to Defoe was the unpublished work of Henry Hutchins, even he admits he's not sure as you see via that link. Moore's attributions (which included The General History of the Pyrates) are not to be trusted.

Google book (so blame them of the bad copying)

Pages 30-32

Two notes I make: The cursing! and mentions of clothing especially the gold laced hat. That is odd since it was used by ordinarily pirate gunner. And in this era the most common hat style that would have had a gold lace is the gentleman style tricorn.....

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA30&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U0gZhk0KukmYynTkxR-T2vGH0bfrA&ci=137%2C123%2C760%2C1477&edge=0

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA31&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U35BdIrCayUCX8NU8daHsrUlirnyg&ci=63%2C117%2C922%2C1529&edge=0

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA32&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U3VGOBLdo9YVv27RQB04o_SuuU3hQ&ci=130%2C104%2C769%2C1473&edge=0

You should post the quotes in the relevant posts you're talking about. Remember not everyone here has read all your posts and they don't know why those things are notable.

[Swashbuckler 1700]

From The four years voyages of capt. George Roberts.... 1726

The real writer was really Defoe

No, it probably wasn't. http://tinyurl.com/aqdz43h

There were a series of very badly researched attributions to Defoe, especially by J.R.R. Moore whose primary goal seems to have been to make a name for himself by massively expanding and the co-opting the American public library system to accept his various attributions to Defoe in the 1930s. Although the first person to attribute the work to Defoe was the unpublished work of Henry Hutchins, even he admits he's not sure as you see via that link. Moore's attributions (which included The General History of the Pyrates) are not to be trusted.

Google book (so blame them of the bad copying)

Pages 30-32

Two notes I make: The cursing! and mentions of clothing especially the gold laced hat. That is odd since it was used by ordinarily pirate gunner. And in this era the most common hat style that would have had a gold lace is the gentleman style tricorn.....

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA30&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U0gZhk0KukmYynTkxR-T2vGH0bfrA&ci=137%2C123%2C760%2C1477&edge=0

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA31&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U35BdIrCayUCX8NU8daHsrUlirnyg&ci=63%2C117%2C922%2C1529&edge=0

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&hl=fi&hl=fi&pg=PA32&img=1&zoom=3&sig=ACfU3U3VGOBLdo9YVv27RQB04o_SuuU3hQ&ci=130%2C104%2C769%2C1473&edge=0

You should post the quotes in the relevant posts you're talking about. Remember not everyone here has read all your posts and they don't know why those things are notable.

Indeed it was probably written by someone else than Defoe. I learnt that just after that post...

Oh and those quotes are notable because, at least I, was wondering the bad language among pirates alike. Hats and clothing are relevant since there was, previously in this tread, talk about quotes of sailors appearance (with the fur cap and all). I was also thinking merchant captain's appearance and that is why the Robert's morning suit was relevant in my opinion and I saw that someone else might be interested as well, especially since the dialogue between pirates and Roberts was rather funny. Indeed I should be more clear. I want also to say, just in case, that I am not trying to justify any one vision of history but I make notes when the evidence there, like the gold laced hat, is suggesting something that I see notable, interesting or extraordinary.

Edited February 24, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

You don't have to put them in the appropriate threads. I was just remembering that you started a thread on swearing and I believe you have started more than one thread on fancy clothing - getting down to a granular level like hats and coats and whatnot. My suggestion is that you put those comments (and the links if you like, although it would be nicer to have searchable text) in the threads you started so others can benefit from your discoveries on a topic. Throwing them all in one giant topic like one this make them less useful than putting them in specific threads about the topic. It's your choice, of course, but since you've gone to all the trouble to find them...

[Swashbuckler 1700]

I indeed thought (i really did) that perhaps they should be in those treads but.....

Anyway the incident about The King of England was rather interesting. It seems that Russel was a Jacobite. Pages 72-75

http://books.google.fi/books?id=OWsBAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&hl=fi&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=twopage&q&f=false

Edited February 24, 2013 by Swashbuckler 1700

[Mission]

Here is a description of making a tent from a sail after the shipwreck of the Scipio caused by hitting rocks off an island during a storm around 1727 or 1728. This is from An account of the life: and dealings of God with Silas Told, first published by Told in 1785 near the end of his life. (1805 edition).

"We speedily hoisted out our long-boat, and stowed several bags of bread therein, together with an old fore-sail, wherewith we intended to make a tent on shore; but the boat being exceedingly rotten, with many leaks in her bottom, and having no tools on board to stop them before we could reach the landing-place, to our mortification the boat sunk to the gunnel, and totally spoiled all our bread; yet, by the assistance of the Almighty, we all escaped to land with the fore-sail, with which, and the help of two long poles, we erected a small tent for the purpose of keeping off the insufferable heat, and scorching influence of the sun." (p. 35)

I think it's notable that the reason given for making the tent was not as shelter while sleeping.

[Mission]

I also found this in Silas Told's account and thought it was sort of interesting in that it was a Spanish pirate [or possibly the Guarda Costa, although Told leans towards it being a pirate] plundering an English Slaver/Merchant off Cuba. It was related by Told in 1785 near the end of his life, although the date of the event would have been 1727 or 1728.

"When we were boarded, the Spanish sailors began to plunder us, stripping and taking all away, from the captain down to the cabin-boy; nor did they spare the cloaths on our backs, but in turn of them clothed us with their filthy ragged frocks and drawers. They killed all our poultry, and set us to picking [plucking] them; put on the ship's large kettle, and boiled both fowls and ducks. They likewise took away all our compasses, save two that had been spoiled with the rain on the Coast of Africa. In short, they took away every useful article, and left us totally destitute of carpenter's, cooper's, and boatswain's tools. They then informed us, that, at eight o'clock the next morning, every one of us, without distinction, partiality or reserve, should be hanged, and that without ceremony, and had also the barbarity to present to us the place and the scaffold erected for that purpose, which was on the platform under Cape Nichola; and we had every reason to fear that they would have carried their designs into execution, had not the providence of God interposed, by making me the instrument of our deliverance therefrom." (Told, 1805, p. 32)

(The rest of the story is long and not relevant to my point. Basically the captain of Told's ship agreed to trade hidden gold and silver watches for the lives of the crew, which Told was sent to retrieve. A pirate crew member followed Told, knocked him out and stole the watches before he could bring them back. When the Spanish pirate captain discovered this, he turned his attention to punishing the thief and let Told's crew go.)