Mission

And now for a completely random new topic for which everyone has been waiting on tenterhooks. Let's start with an overlooked gem, Tom Tom Tomcat. (It's a gem IMO - mostly because of the version of Raymond Scott's "War Dance for Wooden Indians" over the last minute or so.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBiOzYCpcGk (Tenterhook: A hooked nail for securing cloth on a tenter.)

And here I was expecting to see a larch.

HB to you! Have fun cleaning your house.

Well, this is the first period reference I've seen in all my readings; I've read at least a dozen different period journals in the past two years. (Not to mention several period and near-period medical books written by former sea surgeons.) This is not to say that there aren't others or that I may have missed the reference in one of them, but since it jumped out at me here, I'd have thought it might have done as much in previous readings. As ever, I am open to correction here. I should note that this journal was translated from the original French in...was it the 1740s?...and I suspect the English in the edition I'm reading has been updated since the original translation based on comparison to other period journals I've read. (No .pdf of an actual period ms. I've read has been this well-stated and well-spelled, so I doubt this is the original English translation of the text.) Still, the author has preserved many of the original French terms when he thought they were interesting. At the end of all this, I'd say they were called "wooden cannons" just like in the ms. Labat appears to have taken great joy in unique things, stories and concepts and would have probably loved the term "Quaker-Gun" and the story behind it. Edit: FYI, Jean Baptiste Labat's journal was published posthumously in French in 1743 and appears to have been first translated into English in 1931 by John Eden from what I can tell.

Blue's clues! Ok, now I think I know it, but since I haven't seen it (and probably won't any time soon), I feel I'd be cheating.

And now for some real life period politics! Yay! "The island of St. Martin lies south-west of St. Bartholomew and is shared by the French and the Dutch. When war broke out in 1702 our generals [Labat was French ] wished to remove the French colony on account of its weakness and distance from the other French islands. But the settlers were weary of changing their homes so frequently, and preferred to run the risk of remaining in their portion of the island. They renewed the old concordat with the Dutch, so that if a French ship comes to the island to trade she is welcomed and does her business in peace and security. Should a French corsair attack the Dutch, the French take up arms to defend them, and the Dutch settlers assist the French __ should they be attacked by Dutch or English ships. These settlers may be truly called wise people, and it makes one wish that their example might be followed in all the other islands, so that they might remain at peace with each other instead of taking part in the quarrels of Europe." (Labat, p. 206-7)

This is sort of interesting, if only tangentially related. "[1701] We passed within three-quarters of a mile of Anegada, much of which is covered by the sea at high tides, and this is why the Spaniards gave it this name [Anegada is basically Spanish for "drowned island"]. It is said that years ago a great Spanish galleon laden with treasure wrecked on Anegada, and that the treasure was still buried on the island. There it still remains, or so they say, because most of the men who buried it were lost at sea, and the few survivors did not __ know where the treasure was hidden and were never able to find it. This treasure has caused many men including several filibusters to waste their time. I knew a man who stayed four or five months on the island, digging and sounding. he said that he had found something, but no one has yet discovered the real treasure." (p. 205-6, The Memoirs of Pére Labat 1693-1705, translated and edited by John Eaden.) It sounds like Oak Island. Some things never change.

oi...poor Mission an I were thinkin we was the only ones?!?! welcome aboard...by the way....know of any events of the piratical sort round the Port City of Detroit??....wev'e been lookin for one or two a bit closer ta home Someone just asked me how many MI-based pirate re-enactors I knew. Until now there was you and me and Rosabella and Count D'Booty out of Grand Rapids. (Although they're part of some larger pirate entertainment crew on the West side, so I guess I know OF more but hadn't actually met them.)

Hey, another SE Michigan boyo! Welcome!

So why would the captain tell him to burn them then? Edit - ah, never mind. I answered my own question. They don't seem like they'd provide much fuel, though.

From The Memoirs of Pére Labat 1693-1705, translated and edited by John Eaden. “While they [the merchants in the fleet] were sailing past us, a small vessel from Nantes came alongside. The captain came on board, and gave M. de la Herronier [the captain of the ship Labat was on] a dolphin more than seven feet long. He asked us to give him some water and wood, as all his store was finished. He was given two large casks of water and half a sheep, and was advised to burn four wooden cannons that he had on board, and only keep his two iron pieces which were one-pounders.” (Labat, p. 19)

I linked the author of the article to this thread. Maybe you should have him sign it. (I'm just glad he can't read the FB comments. Some of those are just embarrassing.) I'm glad you all enjoyed it. Thanks for the nice comments. Here's hoping it raises the visibility of the sport in the landlocked ol' Midwest.

There actually is an aquatic animal called by the name Sea Pig. It is far from being cute.

Ok, this is also from Labat. Anyone who has not read this book is really missing a treat. It is wonderful and very detailed. Sally forth to your local library today. (This is definitely a library book; it costs a mint to buy.) "[1701] Roving, the sacking of Cartagena, the loot from the Jamaica raids, and the trade which has started with the mainland since the Peace of Ryswick, has filled San Domingo with gold and silver. The settlers all gamble to excess, live very well, and vie with each other in displaying their wealth. Every one forgets who he was when he came to the island, and I could name a number of men who came out as engagés ["white slaves" or indentured servants] and were sold to buccaneers, but who are now such great seigneurs that they cannot walk a step but must always ride in their carosse and six horses. Were I to do so, however, I might hurt the feelings of many people, a thing I always try to __ avoid. I could not help smiling, however, when a man, whom I had known as a ship's cooper, came to town to buy the tools of his old trade for an engagé that he had imported. He was now so grand that he employed a man to choose the tools, and pretended to be ignorant of even what they were called. When I was at Léogane I saw a large number of carosses and chaises, and only the small settlers rode on horseback. it is not indeed an expensive matter to keep one's coach and six horses after the initial cost, as the coachman and postilions are slaves who receive no wages, and are employed on other work when not required for the carriage. The feed of the horse also costs nothing, as they graze all year round on the savannes, and the little corn they eat is grown on the plantation. The horses too are not dear, thought they are not very handsome. They have not been hunted for their skins so are found in legions in the forests and prairies. It is easy to recognize their Spanish origin. There is a district where the ponies are no larger than donkeys, but these are willing, tireless, far stronger than one would expect, and require very little fodder. I saw no horses in San Domingo as big as the carriage horses in France, but they are fast and willing, and hold themselves up very well. Numbers of these horses are caught in the paths in the forest between the savannes with the lasso, and are sold very __ cheaply. One could buy a beautiful horse for five or six pieces of eight, but it costs sometimes twice as much to break them in." (Labat, p. 165-7)

I'm hoping this will help. It is a larger photo that you can blow up without it getting quite as pixillated in the process for those of you looking. And here's a second large one, with people positioned slightly differently, which may help:

I was looking for the group shot and I came across these:

Like who? Let's make a list... I am curious how many of the people at PiP are on this board.

How'd I miss Sterling? That one is probably the most obvious!

Here you have it: http://www.monroenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100207/NEWS01/702079971 It's a pretty nice article about re-enacting in addition to everything else, I think.

There isn't already one? It sure affected my outlook on life. (I don't think we'll ever destroy ourselves. If such destruction happens, it will happen because of something beyond our control IMHO. Many of us do not give ourselves enough credit for our innate self-preservation instincts.)

There, I made a list just for you, Bob. Could #19 be Cutter? (I can't make him out well enough to say.) I think #27 was the girl hanging around with Spike's gf, but I don't know her name. Where is 1st Mate Matt? Is he MIA? How about madPete, Chrispy and Rusty Nell? (They may be in there, but with my little laptop screen this is more difficult.)

Marsha?

Merry Birthday! :)

I'm gonna attach this to the "What kind of weather are you having" post. Hope no one minds.

Bwa-ha ha ha! This is great. If you doubted that people are people, whatever the era, here is proof. It's from The Memoirs of Pére Labat 1693-1705, translated and edited by John Eaden. "Apart from the slave trade [in Martinique] there is a large business in ivory, wax, gold, bums, etc., etc., grass mats, parrots and monkeys. With regard to monkeys an officer of the ship told me the following story about his father, who was the principal agent in one of the companies' comptoirs. His father had asked permission to go to France on private business. His request had been granted, and at the same time he had received an order from one of the general directors to bring home four or five monkeys, but the number had been carelessly written 4 or 500 monkeys. The agent had never received a like commission and wondered for what __ country the company could possibly desire such settlers. He had some difficulty in collecting so large a number, but eventually 330 monkeys were obtained. He shipped the monkeys in cages and boxes, and they were landed in good condition at la Rochelle, except a few that escaped and jumped overboard. On his arrival the agent went to pay his respects to the director, and this gentleman asked him if he had been able to bring the monkeys. The poor agent trembled and replied that he had done his best, but had only been able to land 310. Picture the horror of the directer, who was so enraged that he told the agent he would be charged freight for all the monkeys over the four or five ordered. Further he vowed that he would see that the agent paid dearly for the ridicule such a cargo would inevitably attract to the company. The agent, however, had carefully preserved the director's order, and went to a lawyer, who made a true copy of the document. he then showed it to the director, who was thus convinced that the mistake was due to his own fault, and was obliged to debit himself with the value of this fine merchandise. The director was then able to give magnificent presents to all his friends and relatives." (Labat, p. 60-1) Speaking of monkeys and parrots (I find it interesting that such value was placed upon them outside of the traditional pirate/sailor stereotypes), Labat presents this bit: "Beside the furniture in their canoes, the Caribs also bring parrots, iguanas, chickens, pigs, pineapples, bananas and crabs to trade with us. The Indians catch parrots by first finding a tree on which a number of parrots roost at night. When it is dark they go to this tree and light a charcoal fire under it. Next they put gum and green pimento on the fire. This gives off a thick smoke and stupefies the parrots that fall to the ground and behave just as if they were drunk. The Indians then pick up and tie their wings and legs. To bring them to their senses they pour a little water on the parrots' heads. To tame the birds the Indians do not give them any food till they are really hungry, and then feed them by hand. If the parrot bites and is savage they blow tobacco smoke on its beak, and this suffocates the bird and makes it quickly forget its bad temper. Parrots __ are thus tamed and in a very short time learn to talk." (Labat, p. 78-9)