William Brand

April 12 - On this day in 1557, Cuenca was founded in Ecuador. And on this day in 1606, England adopted the Union Flag, replaced again in 1801 by the current Union Flag/Union Jack.

April 11 - On this day in 1700, the HMS Katherine arrived at Downs carrying the prisoner Captain William Kidd. Kidd, having acquired a sewing needle from a slave girl, spent the evening sewing documents into the lining of his clothes to protect them for his impending trial. He also wrote two pleading letters to Lord Orford of the Admiralty and Lord Romney.

And yet you find the most excellent citations on the subject. It's the same with all subjects, but I have wondered about water enough to find these invaluable.

April 10 - On this day in 1700, the HMS Advice reached Downs bearing two sealed wooden boxes full of documents relating to the case of Captain William Kidd. Captain William Kidd would arrive at the same destination the following day aboard the HMS Katherine.

Their surgeon was no Joseph Lister and could barely give aid to a blister He was pressed into service proved reluctant and nervous except with a mercury clyster

Please do. How about this? "Bale Seals, Company Emblems, Logos, Maker's marks, & Trade Symbols of the Period"

Yes, and tonight's main course is beef stir-fry with avocado salad.

April 9 - On this day in 1682, Robert La Salle claimed lower Mississippi (Louisiana) for France. And on this day in 1691, French troops occupied Mons. Also on this day in 1731, British mariner Robert Jenkins' ear was cut off by Spanish Guarde Costa in the Caribbean, this was a later catalyst for war between Britain & Spain.

I made the mistake of looking back through this thread while hungry.

I have found several references to vegetables fried in tempura in Japan as early as the 16th century, as noted by the Portuguese, so Depending on how you define the classic onion ring, it's possibly as old as the 1500s.

Here's a link to some fine cakes. http://www.historyextra.com/feature/17th-century-great-british-bake-recipes

April 8 - It is traditionally believed that Anne Bonny was born on this day in 1702, but it is unverified.

Done and Done.

April 7 - On this day in 1521, Magelhaes' fleet reached Cebu. Also on this day in 1541, Francis Xavier left Lisbon on a mission to the Portuguese East Indies.

April 6 - The first European to reach the cape was the Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias in 1488, who named it the “Cape of Storms” (Cabo das Tormentas). It was later renamed by John II of Portugal as “Cape of Good Hope” (Cabo da Boa Esperança) because of the great optimism engendered by the opening of a sea route to India and the East. The land around the cape was home to the Khoikhoi people when the Dutch first settled there in 1652. The Khoikhoi had arrived in these parts about fifteen hundred years before. They were called Hottentots by the Dutch, a term that has now come to be regarded as pejorative. Dutch colonial administrator Jan van Riebeeck established a resupply camp for the Dutch East India Company some 50 km north of the cape in Table Bay on this day in 1652 and this eventually developed into Cape Town. Supplies of fresh food were vital on the long journey around Africa and Cape Town became known as “The Tavern of the Seas”. Also on this day in 1688, Raveneau de Lussan and his followers arrive at Santo Domingo aboard an English lugger.

April 5 - On this day in 1621, the Mayflower set sail from Plymouth on a return trip to England. And on this day in 1722, Jacob Roggeveen became the first European to discover Easter Island.

April 4 - On this day in 1581, Francis Drake was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I aboard the Golden Hind at Deptford. One of many knighted pirates down through the ages. And on this day in 1655, the Battle at Postage Farina, Tunis took place, wherein the English fleet beat the Barbary pirates.

April 3 - One this day in 1513, explorer Juan Ponce de Leon claimed Florida for Spain and became the first known European to reach Florida.

April 2 - Mauritius, Hollandia and Amsterdam, these were the names of the three merchant ships that set sail from Texel for “the East”, together with the small ship the Duyfken, on this day in 1595. It proved to be an exciting adventure. Only three of the four vessels returned in August 1597 and only 87 of the 249 man crew. The revenues were modest. But still, this first Dutch sailing expedition to Asia was a success because it opened a trade route to the East. And on this day in 1691, French nobleman Charles d'Angennes and buccaneer, died. Charles d'Angennes became a buccaneer in the Caribbean and sold his castle and title to Madame de Maintenon. He was the son of Louis d’Angennes de Rochefort de Salvert, Marquis de Maintenon et de Meslay, and Marie Le Clerc du Tremblay, and as oldest son, he inherited the title of Marquis de Maintenon. In 1670, Charles d'Angennes sold his title to Françoise d'Aubigné, who later married King Louis XIV of France. He arrived in the same year in the Caribbean on La Sybille, of which he took command in 1672 after the death of its captain. He joined the expedition against Curaçao and attacked British ships near Saint-Domingue. He returned to France in 1673 but sailed again to the Caribbean in 1674. In October 1675 he left Nantes as commander of the Fontaine d'Or, (24 cannons). In 1676, he gathered a fleet of 10 ships with 800 buccaneers and attacked Isla Margarita and Cumaná. He became Governor of the island of Marie-Galante (1679–1686). In 1681 he obtained the monopoly of the trade between Venezuela and France and hunted down his former buccaneer allies on the French Navy ship La Sorcière. After 1686 he lived in Martinique with his family where he died in 1691. He had married Catherine Girauld de Poincy and had 4 children.

Hello! It's good to see so many returning faces. You've been missed.

April 1 - Thomas Cocklyn was an 18th-century English pirate, known primarily for his association and partnership with Howell Davis and Oliver La Buze. He was reportedly elected captain "due to his brutality and ignorance" when first sailing from New Providence in 1717. On this day in 1719, Cocklyn was a participant in the capture of the West African-bound English slave ship the Bird Galley at the mouth of the Sierra Leone River. The three pirate captains celebrated their victory on board the ship for nearly a month before releasing its captain, William Snelgrave, and giving him the Bristol Snow and the remaining cargo left from the pirates' week-long occupation of the ship.

March 31 - On this day in 1702, Colonel Quary received a copy of the petition sent to Lt. governor Markham relating to the inhabitants of New Castle. The petition was a plea for defense against pirates. On this day in 1705 the following report was by John Brinckley. Spelling and grammar errors are from the original. "In presence of Mr. James Graham, Judge Admiral, John Brnckley, cooper of the ship Worcester, being desirous to make a confession of the crimes whereupon he and the rest of the crew were pursued; declares, That some time after the ship the Worcester came upon the coast of Malabar, that she and the sloop gave chase to a country boat, which escaped by reason ofher oars. That afterwards the ship and sloop sailed in company to Cochin, where they were denied access to clean; and therefore they thereafter sailed to Callecut, where the sloop (which had been spoiled by the worms) was haled upon the shore, and cleaned, and thereafter was manned with about 10 men, and 2 guns, 2 patteraroes, with other small arms put aboard. From Callecut, the sloop was ordered to sail towards Tillicherry, but there was no goods sent along; and Ill ' about six or eight days thereafter,‘ the sloop came back in chase of another ship ; declares, that when the ship the Worcester saw the sloop in chase of the other ship, she slipt her anchors, and made out to sea to meet them; declares, that he saw the sloop board the said ship towards night; and that the long boat was after ordered to be manned, and captain Madder went along in the long boat ; declares, he does not know what became of the men who were on board the taken ship; but that the declarant did see_they were white men. And the reason why he knows not what became of the men, is, that the declarant was never on board the taken ship; and that the sloop which had boarded the shi , was ordered away next morning; and he onbts not but the men were alongst which were taken out of the prize-ship; declares, that the ship which was taken, was manned with some of the \Vorcester’s crew, and sailed along with the Worcester till they came to Callicoiloan, where they found the sloop ; declares, that whilst the Worcester, with the other ship, came in sight of the sloop, the sloop weighed anchor, and stood to the offing; so that the taken ship came into Callicoiloan betwixt the sloop and the Worcester; and all three came to an ‘anchor together; declares, that after they came to an anchor, the taken ship rode under the stern of the Worcester, and was thereafter sent into Callicoiloan river, and sold to Coge Commodo, as the declarant supposes; declares, that thereafter the declarant was sent ashore for water to the [beck of Callicoiloan, where he mot with doctor May ; and that he sent on board a pinguetta with water, accord ing to his orders; declares, that some time alter, the came to an anchor bcfore Callicoiloan ; an before the declarant was sent ashore for water, as above, they saw a ship at sea, coming from the southward; that the sloop was under sail at that time, being a cruising about: That she sailed towards the sea, and bore down the ship towards the Worcester. That the Worcester, when the ship came near, slipt from her anchors, and made towards the ship which thereafter was boarded, first by the sloop, and then by the VVorcester, about ten or eleven o'clock in the forenoon ; declares, that there was both whites and blacks on board that ship, and most art whites; but the declarant did not know w at became of them ; but that the sloop went off in a few hours after the engagement, and did not return till after two or three days. That the declarant does not know what became of that ship; but declares, that he was in a Moorish king’s house, with about six of the crew: and that that king was Co 0 Commodo’s master, who had bargained or one of the taken ships ; the declarant cannot be positive which: And that at the same time, the supercargo, who was along with them, presented the king with a small fowling piece; declares, that the declarant stayed ashore trimming the casks, for about six weeks thereafter: And does not remember at present any more of the aliair. And declares, he cannot sign but by this mark. + J antes Gnarun."

March 30 - On this day in 1519, Hernán Cortés landed at Mexico. In 1683 Governor Juan Marquez Cabrera formed a company of free mulatto and black militia in St. Augustine. It consisted of 42 men and six officers. Juan Merino, a free African blacksmith, was the unit's lieutenant. 300 pirates had landed near Matanzas Inlet on this day in 1683. They captured the Mantanzas Inlet watchtower but were turned back on Anastasia Island. The Pirates proceeded to sack San Juan del Puerto and Santa Maria.

March 29 - On this day in 1721, Charles Vane was hanged at Gallows Point in Port Royal. He died without expressing the least remorse for his crimes. After death, his body was hung from a gibbet on Gun Cay, at the mouth of harbor at Port Royal, as a warning against piracy.