Capn_Enigma

Not. A Piece of Eight has a value of one Peso or eight Reales.

Sorry, but I beg to differ. "The Pirates Own Book" does make for interesting fiction, but certainly not for a reliable scientific source. Half of the book is copied from the "General History", and souped up by fictional details lacking any historic base. As an accurate historic source, utterly worthless. Stick with Exquemelin's "Buccaneers" and the "General History" for starters.

Because it a ) is decorative, b ) in the case of a facial tattoo, gives a rather fierce look to the bearer and c ) bears witness to the bearer's ability to endure pain, even if it isn't necessary. This is a moot point, as circuses and "freak shows" displayed - albeit heavily - tattooed people even in the sixties of the 20th century, when tattooing was much more commonplace.

I have also posted this question on two other forums and I finally received the answer that I was looking for. I have bought a similar item made by Franklin Mint on ebay, but without the instructions. Someone there had the instructions and mailed them to me. I am posting them here so that anyone reading this thread will have a definite answer to my initial question, and not an open end.

3 posts in a row: Talking a bit to ourselves today, are we?

Ah! Because you mentioned the "traditional buccaneer" in your original post, i assumed that you also meant it that way.

To clarify this: Jan Rogozinski writes:

Do you have a source that matchlocks were not used by the buccaneers for hunting? A. Konstam: In the Caribbean, winds blow very steadyly. So the buccaneers would approach their prey from the leeward side, where the smell of the matches would be blown away from their prey.

Exquemelin writes in The Buccaneers of America (1678): These muskets would not have been a doglock, but almost certainly a matchlock, which still was the weapon of choice in the Caribbean in the early 1670s. Please note also that the barrel is 54" long and has caliber of .663 (16 gauge) and not .75 (10 gauge)

For anyone with the slightest experience in RC modeling, it is nigh impossible to convert a man- o- war static display model into a swimming, let alone radio controllable model. You almost invariably end up scratch building the hull again, because the displacement of a model is nowhere near big enough. A scale model with a scale hull would sink like a stone. Also, you will need to build a detachable keel, as the center of gravity would be too high in a model and the model would capsize in even the slightest breeze. And I am not even talking about controlling the running rigging so that such a model can actually perform real sailing maneuvers. In other words, RC tall ships is model building's Big League and definitely not for the uninitiated.

... whilst the Union Flag was first used in 1606.

This is the galley layout on the VOC Retourschip "Batavia" (1629). (Note that you need a QuickTime VR plugin for this link to work, but you may probably already have one installed). Just "turn around" and you can see the galley. Above the brick walls there is a copper lined section that leads the smoke to a chimney on deck. This layout is typical of the 17th century ships. No "iron stoves" there. There is even a skewer to roast livestock like pigs.

Like this? Or this?

This is a 17th century gunner's level and sight: How is this device used? I know that the plumb bob and angle to the right is for measuring the depression/ elevation of the cannon. What I do not understand is the extractable ruler to the left. My best guess is that it is a sight for the various pieces' calibers (12 pounder, 24 pounder etc) and that it probably was placed on the breech of the piece, but the exact function of this device eludes me. And how does the second scale "1, 2" etc. fit in? Can anyone provide more precise information?

In another thread, hitman asked: The "Seeadler" was originally a British- built, American- owned 1,500 GRT, 250 ft, three- masted bark, the "Pass Of Balmaha". When WWI broke out, she was impounded, outfitted as an auxiliary cruiser with hidden engine and armament and renamed "Seeadler", which indeed translates as Sea Eagle. Here is a brief summary of "Seeadler"'s history. Google for it, and you will find more. It is true that the "Seeadler" ran aground, but the circumstances have been shrouded in a fog mainly initiated by Luckner himself to divert blame from himself and his officers. The ship anchored at the entrance of Mopelia atoll on July 31, 1917. Luckner himself, in his report to Admiralty, claimed that a 45 ft. tidal wave, caused by an underwater earthquake , washed "Seeadler" ashore. A few crew members of "Seeadler", however, gave this testimony: The ship was anchored outside the lagoon, because the prevailing wind and the current coming from the entrance of the lagoon would prevent it from running aground. However, on the morning of August, 2, the wind had slackened and the ship was rolling in the swell, coming ever closer to land. Unbeknownst to the crew, the anchor started to drag the ground. Most of the crew then made for land to have a picnic ashore, with the ship left in charge of the 3rd officer, an engineer and an 11 year old cabin boy from one of the American prizes. Suddenly, the shore party saw "Seeadler" set her foresheets and then they heard a cannon shot, followed by two star shells, which was the agreed emergency signal. They made back for the ship and on approach they saw that the had was run aground with her stern first. She made water in the engine room and was abandoned. Another crew member corroborates this version:

I have opened a seperate thread on this. And now, it's back to puss kitties.

Kass, you have to take any of Luckner's quotes with a very generous amount of salt. True, he was a good seaman, but his reputation in that field is nothing compared to his expertise as a storyteller. You could call him a major yarn peddler and still not wrong him. In Germany he is known for that. He meven managed to blame the cabin boy (and a giant tidal wave, BTW) for the loss of the "Seeadler". A hundred cats, eh? Why, certainly, dear Count.

Reminds me of the movie "The First Great Train Robbery" with Sean Connery, which plays in 1855. In it, there are some rather explicit scenes of what a terrier will do when pitted (literally) against a pack of rats...

Now that was explicit! And the good news is: They'll ship before Christmas!

During the Buccaneer era, the Davis Quadrant ("backstaff") was in use, succeeded by the octant in the mid- 1730s. "Sextance" (I thought this was something adult at first) or octants are about as "authentic" for navigation in the early 1700s as are Colt Governments for a brace of pistols. Oh Paul, while you mentioned "Latitude Hooks And Azimuth Rings": I have just finished another wooden Davis Quadrant (walnut, mahagony and cherrywood) with the assistance of this excellent book. A real must for all those interested in building their own proper navigational tools!

The material: Wool or cotton would be best, but I'd also settle for synthetics, if there's no other option. The size: 1.5 m (5 ft) on the staff side minimum.

Here is a toughie for all of us who are interested in flags: I am looking for a set of flags of the main countries involved in the Catibbean during the buccaneer era. Does anyone know a shop where these flags can be bought? (Preferably in Europe, but I take what comes! ) Any help would be very much appreciated! Specifically, I am looking for these flags: England Cross Of St George France Naval Ensign or Royal Standard Spain Galleons' Ensign and Burgundy Cross Flag Holland Triple Prinsevlag

From the TLAPD home page: Arrr! - This one is often confused with arrrgh, which is of course the sound you make when you sit on a belaying pin.

SPANISH MAIN, THE (1) (pirate victim, Caribbean, about 1520 - 1730) A geographical term referring to the Spanish possessions in the Americas. For 16th- century-English raiders, "The Spanish Main" meant only the northern coast of South America (and the adjacent waters), from Panama to Trinidad. The term distinguished this region from the islands in the Caribbean - perhaps as a translation of the Spanish name Tierra Firme (The Mainland) for the same area. The English word main can mean a broad sweep of sea as well as a stretch of land. For some Buccaneers of the late 17th and early 18th century, the "Spanish Main" meant the Caribbean Sea itself. (They thus exactly reversed the original definition.) Authors of pirate fiction employ the phrase to add local color to stories and movies. In this loose usage, "Spanish Main" can refer to any place in the Caribbean or along the coast from Florida to Brazil. (Source: Pirates! An A - Z Encyclopedia, Jan Rogozinski, Da Capo Press, 1995)

... and / or smugglers.