Captain Jim

While looking for a more detailed picture of Selkirk's sea chest (posted in Twill, Campaign Furniture) I came across this from the NYT, December 27, 1910: CRUSOE MAY HAVE OWNED THIS GUN; English Tourist Here Tells of Buying an Old Flint-Lock for Twenty Shillings. The article describes the purchase of the gun and it's authentication by the British Museum. It also states the the man, Randolph Berens, was going to Florida for the winter. I have found no other references to the gun other than this. So where is the gun now?

Right, Paint was the wrong term; I meant "finish." Them damn words....

This is what I suspected, but the prices paid were huge. Especially the chest.

That's about how long it took me, too.

Thank Capt. Bo for all of that stuff. Mission! Look at the value/price differential. Is there something about a dead man's belongings that we haven't seen, such as some sort of talismanic property ascribed thereto? To whom did the funds go in that particular auction?

I read somewhere once that it was made of camphor wood, a relatively light, strong but brittle wood that has natural insect repelling properties, not an unusual choice at the time. Now to find a supplier of camphor wood lumber 24 inches wide...located the hardware...outer surface paint? Which reminds me: the interior is unfinished, which would support the argument that it is camphor as does the thickness of the top. Camphor would need to be thicker to support weight and the lock hasp because of it's inherent brittleness.

That was a timed shot not using flash where the shutter stayed open and the picture exposed using only ambient light. Both the camera and the figure in the shot moved during that time blurring both the lanterns and the figure, but the figure to a greater extent because of the combined movement. Anytime you want me to make a ghost of you, just let me know and we'll jog on down to the fort, do an ambient or reduced flash shot and leave the shutter open for a while as you leave the shot, pausing once as you go. The result would be you in the shot twice, once on the flash and once on the pause with a trail (you all blurry) between them. Again, sorry to burst bubbles and all, but these are simple to explain and reproduce.

Dated to 1704-1709. 36x24x18, just a tad larger than the one I had at PiP. Some things to look at: the hinges, or lack thereof. I think these are snipe hinges: Installed this way (Thanks to Horton Brasses for the photographs) : Horton also has a chest lock: The fellow on the left marked TL-3 is nice, 4 1/2 x 5 1/4 but it's $400.00 Perhaps modify this one from Shenandoah, 3 1/2 x 2 3/4, only $72.00: I've never been able to find any pictures that are better than these and entreaties the the museum went unanswered. I, too, think that it is dovetailed. Notice no handles, as the overhanging ends provide a grip area. The interior shot shows that it has a lidded till permanently located on the left side. Also notice that the top does not appear coopered, but is one thick piece of wood that has been arched on top. That would seem to make for a heavy chest, but does account for the rather large bolt/rivet heads on the top.

Chest open. I've posted this before, but for documentation purposes it doesn't get much better than this, the chest of Alexander Selkirk. The item ID is below. Online ID: 000-190-000-838-C Image Rights Holder: National Museums Scotland Project: 0098: National Museums Scotland Project description | View all records in project Ref: National Museums Scotland H.NT 7 Date: 1704 - 1709 17th or 18th century Material: Dimensions: 610 mm x 457 mm x 914 mm What: Sea chest Subject: Miscellaneous (NMAS Classification) Who: Alexander Selkirk (Owner) Robinson Crusoe Where: Chile, Juan Fernandez Islands Scotland, Fife, Lower Largo | NO 415 025 Event: Description: References: Keay, J. & J. (eds). Collins Encyclopaedia of Scotland. London: HarperCollins, 1994, p 861. Translations: Related Records: Pathfinder Pack on Selkirk [Alexander Selkirk (1676 - 1721)]

OMG, why, oh why, I can I see this so clearly in my head? Now that made me chuckle; I see it so clearly. As for gate duty, I'm in as we all should be. Two or more at a time though, two hours max and some sort of seating/place to get comfortable.

OMG! The Ghostly White Feather! Oh...ye meant those two wee specks of dust that got caught in the camera flash... OK, reality check: all of the "orbs" I've seen in these pictures have occurred under flash conditions in dusty, dirty places with from several to a boatload of people moving about to stir it up. It's dust, people. Not to spoil the fun and all, but let's look for something that cannot be explained so easily. Mind you that I would love to see a spirit caught on film, but I know too much of camera work to let such things go unchallenged. Now catch me an orb without using flash and we'll go national. Now Brig's story intrigues me. I don't trust cameras for they are always recording things that we can't see but yet are perfectly normal (they see faster that we do), but her story rings true. I want to believe it and yet those clever spirits always seem to manifest to just one person: no corroborating witnesses. Complicates things a bit.

The one incident to which Brig refers was finally resolved when I informed the lady in question (who had repeatedly crossed the line I had pointed out to her) that the wind was blowing in her direction, sparks and fire come out the business ends of the guns and that if the big-arsed feathers in her hat caught fire I was going to throw it, and her, into the moat. I may have growled a bit. She retreated to the second row of spectators. Of course that didn't stop the next batch from pressing forward. A rope line might be a bit better.

Obviously you had a camp upwind of 'im... Just kidding, this year, anyway. Last year it was a bit warmer and you could calculate direction and distance to Patrick just using the prevailing wind.

yer in a good handful or two.... even caught ya smilin' :) in return ??? nada...the cost is so small, even with postage that it is not worth collecting.. ( less than i buck, i figger ) I'm in the same boat: no camera this year. So, you bein' so generous and all, I'm in. I'll PM you my address. And I'll stand you one of my outstanding Smithwick's Ales next year.

I'm about an hour away so I may have to make this again. Also I think I might like to do trapper/frontier in the future, being a hunter and biologist and all. Sort of a "Lewis and Clark" frontier naturalist sort of thing. It'd give me a good excuse to order a L&C parts set from TRS, a gun that slightly predates the Harper's Ferry gun. Perhaps I'll see you there. Edit: We would be there on the Saturday.

Jessica Rabbit = Red Jessi! I have noticed that I've never seen the two of them together at any time...Hmmm...

You guys are going to need a bigger trailer...See, a captain would be expected to have all of this furniture in his possession so Sterling, I'm afraid you are simply going to have to have a tent set-up like Bob and Ted's or the rest of the captains will think poorly of you... Is the pot sufficiently stirred?

Hey, us old guys rock when it comes to makin' the grade and knocking the curve all out of whack. Congratulations.

Thanks, love!

She is a cute one, she is. Merry Christmas to her, as well.

No, and anyone who doesn't want to actually "do something" can just be background, doing what needs done like sweeping a tent, making coffee, cleaning a gun, rolling cartridges. Or taking a nap; It's one of Patrick's better living history demos or at least the one for which he is most famous (not counting the woad guy.) A good movie set has foreground and background action. We should have the same.

Happy birthday William, quartermaster supreme.

I didn't get any ...the ones he brought to the Hide disappeared. hehe That stuff evaporated...all I found at the Hide were empty bottles. Speaking of Don, what happened to him on Sunday night? He was supposed to stay in the Oar House II but dissappeared around 2 or 2:30.

Yes and I look damn good in them, too. You will be pleased to know that they are now reserved for Halloween and Fantasy type parades. And perhaps to hang around while Sterling tries to do living history... I like the idea of using the battle as a timing device: It allows you to get all of the crowd while they are together and move 'em where you want 'em. It also is the only time to get Mission a couple of victi...ah...patients on whom to ply his trade. Speaking of which, several pyrates, some wounded, could lead the procession back to the encampment, perhaps with one small skirmish with Pyrate Hunters along the path. Nothing large, just a pyrate running back down the path warning of pyrate hunters and a few shot exchanged (3-4 from each side) to drive off those pesky mercenaries. This buys a little time for those who were in the battle to get set up in camp. Then on to the now fully operational Death Sta...sorry, wrong movie...pyrate camp. Dump the wounded at Mission's, the dead at Sterling's and go on about your pyraty business. Aannnnd...Action!

Yes, do add me to the list please. Thank you Captain! Oh, good, you'll be there again...I'll be lurking for you...Mwahahahaha!