What they carried?

[Jib]

I am reading "The Buccaneers of America" for the first time (yeah I know, shame on me). I have the Dover edition. As I read over this book I often think back to posts I have seen here on the Pub. One topic I thought that might be worth re-visiting would be the idea of personal equipment carried by a sailor/ pirate/ or Buccaneer during the Buccaneer period. Now I know this topic was discussed for GAOP and that Patrick Hand has done tons of detailed research on the period. Perhaps we can use this thread as way to introduce new finds and re-invent the old topic with a new spin?

In another post people spoke to the topic of hauling to much gear about. I think the thread spoke that historical pirates would never have all these items dangling from their belts like a "Ren Fest Attendee". As I read through the book I notice that Exquemelin often mentions that people are often hunting or traveling across Hispaniola. Now certainly these men would have carried supplies. Some might be unique or personalized? With the constant threat from the Spanish would not these brave fellows have been ready for war? I know that the soldier who fought in Vietnam often carried a good number of personal items. How about during the march across Panama? Might the Buccaneers carried items like small pots, mugs, pipes, whetstones, gun oil flasks, bed rolls, and other items of the ilk? What do you think?

[Hawkyns]

I am reading "The Buccaneers of America" for the first time (yeah I know, shame on me). I have the Dover edition. As I read over this book I often think back to posts I have seen here on the Pub. One topic I thought that might be worth re-visiting would be the idea of personal equipment carried by a sailor/ pirate/ or Buccaneer during the Buccaneer period. Now I know this topic was discussed for GAOP and that Patrick Hand has done tons of detailed research on the period. Perhaps we can use this thread as way to introduce new finds and re-invent the old topic with a new spin?

In another post people spoke to the topic of hauling to much gear about. I think the thread spoke that historical pirates would never have all these items dangling from their belts like a "Ren Fest Attendee". As I read through the book I notice that Exquemelin often mentions that people are often hunting or traveling across Hispaniola. Now certainly these men would have carried supplies. Some might be unique or personalized? With the constant threat from the Spanish would not these brave fellows have been ready for war? I know that the soldier who fought in Vietnam often carried a good number of personal items. How about during the march across Panama? Might the Buccaneers carried items like small pots, mugs, pipes, whetstones, gun oil flasks, bed rolls, and other items of the ilk? What do you think?

I have no doubt that they carried such items. I think the question is in how they carried them. Hanging from various loops or hangers on the belt would be a nightmare. On ship they would catch on rigging and ship's gear, on a march across Hispaniola, they would catch on every bush. I would guess that they carried them in snapsacks (tubular bags slung across the back), in ditty or small seabags slung the same way, or perhaps in some type of haversack. I also have seen the collections of crap that pirates like to hang on their belts at ren fairs and it looks ridiculous. Tankards, floggers, shackles- non of these would be carried when not needed and rarely , if ever, off the ship. Enough knives to start their own cutlery store- I carry a sword, a fighting knife and a working knife. Why would I need more? The one thing I rarely see, and which would be much more likely to be on the belt would be a small charge box and a small powder horn. I see lots of people carrying pistols with no way to reload them.

Hawkyns

[Dorian Lasseter]

I agree with Master Hawkyns...

It would be the same throughout many centuries. Think about a 'professional soldier/sailor'... When you're trekking across an area, yes, you might have all your necessities slung on your back, but in a bag, pack, etc. Once at your destination, you'd set camp or make a gathering point, then leave all your extra gear there, stripping down to your 'battle dress' and heading off. Hunters would do this too. There's no way you'd go off through the woods carrying all your gear to bump around and make noise, catch on the brush, etc.

[Cascabel]

I have no doubt that they carried such items. I think the question is in how they carried them. Hanging from various loops or hangers on the belt would be a nightmare. On ship they would catch on rigging and ship's gear, on a march across Hispaniola, they would catch on every bush. I would guess that they carried them in snapsacks (tubular bags slung across the back), in ditty or small seabags slung the same way, or perhaps in some type of haversack. I also have seen the collections of crap that pirates like to hang on their belts at ren fairs and it looks ridiculous. Tankards, floggers, shackles- non of these would be carried when not needed and rarely , if ever, off the ship. Enough knives to start their own cutlery store- I carry a sword, a fighting knife and a working knife. Why would I need more? The one thing I rarely see, and which would be much more likely to be on the belt would be a small charge box and a small powder horn. I see lots of people carrying pistols with no way to reload them.

Hawkyns

Aye !!! I would love to see people get away from the "walking junkyard" look !!! Rattling and clanking everywhere they go.

>>>> Cascabel

[hurricane]

The buccaneers, when on campaign, traveled lightly. The typically carried their fusil boucanier rifle, a cartouche on their belt with 30 charges I believe, four Flemish knives and a machete or cutlass, and a small tent of linen or sailcloth that was carried like a bandolier. This served as their shelter from insects at night. They slept at night on a bed of grass or leaves, their gun between their legs, under this awning, which was set on short sticks, until the buccaneer crawled under it and collapsed it, like curtains, over him.

If in need of a drink, the buccaneer typically found a broadleaf plant and use it to fetch a drink from a stream. The knives were sufficient for butchering any game that came their way and doubled as the primary eating instrument. Food was served on broad leaves, that were found.

These men had to carry everything with them, so they approached it from a philosophy of absolute need.

I have seen no reference to how casks of powder would have been carried, or balls beyond what each buccaneer carried on his person. Food was usually found along the way and it was unusual for the buccaneers to do without for several days, particularly on their treks through Central America.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, Benerson Little, author of the Buccaneer's Realm is the best source.

And this should make Sterling happy - his next book due out in February is on the pirate hunters, their tactics and such.

-- Hurricane

[Jib]

Thanks Hurricane! I will pick that book up!

[Fox]

IIRC Labat talks about ther buccaneers wearing their fly-sheets rolled up around their waist.

[MarkG]

The buccaneers, when on campaign, traveled lightly. The typically carried their fusil boucanier rifle, a cartouche on their belt with 30 charges I believe, four Flemish knives and a machete or cutlass, and a small tent of linen or sailcloth that was carried like a bandolier. This served as their shelter from insects at night. They slept at night on a bed of grass or leaves, their gun between their legs, under this awning, which was set on short sticks, until the buccaneer crawled under it and collapsed it, like curtains, over him.

If in need of a drink, the buccaneer typically found a broadleaf plant and use it to fetch a drink from a stream. The knives were sufficient for butchering any game that came their way and doubled as the primary eating instrument. Food was served on broad leaves, that were found.

These men had to carry everything with them, so they approached it from a philosophy of absolute need.

I have seen no reference to how casks of powder would have been carried, or balls beyond what each buccaneer carried on his person. Food was usually found along the way and it was unusual for the buccaneers to do without for several days, particularly on their treks through Central America.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, Benerson Little, author of the Buccaneer's Realm is the best source.

And this should make Sterling happy - his next book due out in February is on the pirate hunters, their tactics and such.

-- Hurricane

They had to have caches somewhere. Not only did they have powder and ball to worry about, they also had all of that dried beef and hides waiting for buyers.

I have heard that the cloth that they carried was more like cheesecloth than linen since it mainly served as mosquito netting. They probably wrapped what few things they carried in this and used it as a snapsack.

BTW, the use of the term snapsack to mean a long bag worn across the back is modern. I think that was begun by the Saint Mary's City Militia in the 1980s. "Haversack" is actually the older word and "snapsack" was a synonym.

Mark

[hurricane]

On campaign, they did not. There are instances during the Panama trek where the buccaneers were boiling their own leather for food as the Spanish had moved all their herds inland and emptied their grains inland. When they were hunting, they would simply cut a hole into the middle of the side of beef and throw it over their heads. If the load became heavy, they sawed off pieces to lighten it. But that is how a buccaneer carried his raw meet. The powder and balls were in the cartouche they carried. Additional shots were typically gained by seizing the enemy's fortifications and stocks of powder and ball.

-- Hurricane

The buccaneers, when on campaign, traveled lightly. The typically carried their fusil boucanier rifle, a cartouche on their belt with 30 charges I believe, four Flemish knives and a machete or cutlass, and a small tent of linen or sailcloth that was carried like a bandolier. This served as their shelter from insects at night. They slept at night on a bed of grass or leaves, their gun between their legs, under this awning, which was set on short sticks, until the buccaneer crawled under it and collapsed it, like curtains, over him.

If in need of a drink, the buccaneer typically found a broadleaf plant and use it to fetch a drink from a stream. The knives were sufficient for butchering any game that came their way and doubled as the primary eating instrument. Food was served on broad leaves, that were found.

These men had to carry everything with them, so they approached it from a philosophy of absolute need.

I have seen no reference to how casks of powder would have been carried, or balls beyond what each buccaneer carried on his person. Food was usually found along the way and it was unusual for the buccaneers to do without for several days, particularly on their treks through Central America.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, Benerson Little, author of the Buccaneer's Realm is the best source.

And this should make Sterling happy - his next book due out in February is on the pirate hunters, their tactics and such.

-- Hurricane

They had to have caches somewhere. Not only did they have powder and ball to worry about, they also had all of that dried beef and hides waiting for buyers.

I have heard that the cloth that they carried was more like cheesecloth than linen since it mainly served as mosquito netting. They probably wrapped what few things they carried in this and used it as a snapsack.

BTW, the use of the term snapsack to mean a long bag worn across the back is modern. I think that was begun by the Saint Mary's City Militia in the 1980s. "Haversack" is actually the older word and "snapsack" was a synonym.

Mark

[Hawkyns]

[bTW, the use of the term snapsack to mean a long bag worn across the back is modern. I think that was begun by the Saint Mary's City Militia in the 1980s. "Haversack" is actually the older word and "snapsack" was a synonym.

Mark

The term can be documented to ECW and to the colonial period.

http://www.crookedtreefarm.com/history/snapsack/snapsack.html

Hawkyns

[MarkG]

[bTW, the use of the term snapsack to mean a long bag worn across the back is modern. I think that was begun by the Saint Mary's City Militia in the 1980s. "Haversack" is actually the older word and "snapsack" was a synonym.

Mark

The term can be documented to ECW and to the colonial period.

http://www.crookedtr...k/snapsack.html

Hawkyns

The term is early 17th century (1633 according to the OED) but it was used interchangeably with knapsack which predates it (the OED says 16th C). I remember one of the Saint Mary's newsletters proposing using Snapsack to distinguish between the long bag worn across the back and what would later be known as a haversack.

Mark

[Cuisto Mako]

Actually Exquemellin mention that the hunters did store some powder (very good quality powder btw) in some calabash sealed with wax. This was probably left at the base camp and not caryed with them while hunting. The mosquito net thing was use by hunters when hunting for more than a day and not returning to their base camp. I'm not sure they would have use this while campaining or that it would have been use by other non-hunters adventurers.

Again based on Exquemellin, L'Olonais, in one of is expedition, named one of his ship " La Poudrière" because it was carrying mostly powder and ammunition.

On campaign, they did not. There are instances during the Panama trek where the buccaneers were boiling their own leather for food as the Spanish had moved all their herds inland and emptied their grains inland. When they were hunting, they would simply cut a hole into the middle of the side of beef and throw it over their heads. If the load became heavy, they sawed off pieces to lighten it. But that is how a buccaneer carried his raw meet. The powder and balls were in the cartouche they carried. Additional shots were typically gained by seizing the enemy's fortifications and stocks of powder and ball.

-- Hurricane

The buccaneers, when on campaign, traveled lightly. The typically carried their fusil boucanier rifle, a cartouche on their belt with 30 charges I believe, four Flemish knives and a machete or cutlass, and a small tent of linen or sailcloth that was carried like a bandolier. This served as their shelter from insects at night. They slept at night on a bed of grass or leaves, their gun between their legs, under this awning, which was set on short sticks, until the buccaneer crawled under it and collapsed it, like curtains, over him.

If in need of a drink, the buccaneer typically found a broadleaf plant and use it to fetch a drink from a stream. The knives were sufficient for butchering any game that came their way and doubled as the primary eating instrument. Food was served on broad leaves, that were found.

These men had to carry everything with them, so they approached it from a philosophy of absolute need.

I have seen no reference to how casks of powder would have been carried, or balls beyond what each buccaneer carried on his person. Food was usually found along the way and it was unusual for the buccaneers to do without for several days, particularly on their treks through Central America.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, Benerson Little, author of the Buccaneer's Realm is the best source.

And this should make Sterling happy - his next book due out in February is on the pirate hunters, their tactics and such.

-- Hurricane

They had to have caches somewhere. Not only did they have powder and ball to worry about, they also had all of that dried beef and hides waiting for buyers.

I have heard that the cloth that they carried was more like cheesecloth than linen since it mainly served as mosquito netting. They probably wrapped what few things they carried in this and used it as a snapsack.

BTW, the use of the term snapsack to mean a long bag worn across the back is modern. I think that was begun by the Saint Mary's City Militia in the 1980s. "Haversack" is actually the older word and "snapsack" was a synonym.

Mark

[hurricane]

I did forget the calabash gourds. In Jamaica to this day, they are still used for a variety uses and I can see why they would have been good for storing powder. Very handy, they are.

-- Hurricane