Captain Jim

Using your shirt to clean your BP weapons works too. Just use the portion you want to be dirty.

What state are ye locatin' to? For if it be Florida, some scurvy dog already has "Pyrate," So I had to take "Pyrate 1" for my truck and "Pyrate 2" for the first mate's.

Also, to make the color more permanent, add vinegar to the tint water. This will make the water acidic and more "active" in dying the cloth.

Wild Imports I Don't own that one (yet), but at under $1000, it's the one of the more accurate full-size cannon around. Sure, it's not a full-size six-pounder, but it's a step up from my 75 caliber field piece. One step at a time and eventually I'll end up with a pyrate ship...

Build it flush-decked and you'll have room for a couple of these:

Aye, I just love science.

Dang, all of it my size and no money in the till. Dang!

Here’s something that just occurred to me: None of the testing done on blunderbuss patterns states that they are using period-correct shot, shot that is almost by definition odd-shaped. While perfectly round shot might not go astray while leaving the barrel, oddly shaped pellets might and probably would. Also, the tests do not address the type or quality of wadding on top of the shot. Anything other than a flat felt pad is going to affect pattern. Lastly, the wad on top of the shot and the wad behind would serve as a compressor, air resistance on the front wad working in concert with the gas pressure from the powder charge, collapsing the shot column before the gas can escape around the back wad. In other words, the front wad would start to decelerate as it hit the flare in the barrel while the back wad would still be accelerating, pushing the pellets outward and spreading the pattern out where the odd shape of the pellets would take over. Just a thought.

That's the reference I was talking about, thanks Blackjohn. Pouring lead through a sieve into a bucket will acheive spheroids, but not perfect or near-perfect spheres. The lead doesn't have time to form into spheres before hitting the water, so they hit imperfect and semi-fluid, further deforming them. William Watts, a plumber, figured out that lead poured through a sieve had to fall a significant distance to form a sphere and to solidify enough to resist deforming on impact with the water below. In 1782, Bristol, England, Watts added three floors to his house, cleverly disguising it as a Gothic tower so as not to annoy the neighbors, and created the first shot tower. He soon quit the plumbing business.

Not to be confused with the other thread about Caribbean Pyrates (I hope) two other offerings. Modern Marvels: Pirate Tech on July 9 at 7PM. Deep Sea Detectives: Blackbeard's Mystery Ship on July 10 at 10PM. So you can watch Pirate Tech and then True Pirates back-to-back.

OK, I think I know what happened here now. There were actually three shows being confused with each other. The tag on this thread reads "Real Pirates of the Caribbean, History Channel, July 9th" and that is where the confusion begins because there is a show called "Real Pirates of the Carribean" but it's not on the History channel, its on A&E Biography. The history channel presentation is in fact called "True Caribbean Pirates". So, some links to clear it up once and for all (yeah, right) On the Hallmark Channel, on June 17th (past) "Blackbeard." If you missed this you were lucky. On A&E Biography, The Real Pirates of the Caribbean, on July 6 at 8PM. On the History Channel, True Caribbean Pirates on July 9 at 8PM

I was on a roll. Now to get back to work so I will have a job tomorrow. I was thinking the same thing, Mr. Lassiter, except for the "hilarity" with which Wafer was recieved. The tattoos must have been quite extensive, as he was not recognised right away. Reading further in Dampier, he states that the crews spent much time ashore, dining, sleeping (both for rest and pleasure), and celebrating with the natives. All of these activities are described in some detail and yet no mention is made of adopting or rejecting the custom of tattooing. The question is whether it was not mentioned because it was so common or was so rare as to escape notice? Tattooing of the Polynesians was not rare, Dampier even going so far as to buy a native for display back in England. But why the lack of any other mention? Frustrating it is.

There is mention of one period sailor, Lionel Wafer, Surgeon in Dampier. The following exerpt is taken from the Gutenberg Project version. Footnote in Dampier: Later they were there joined by Lionel Wafer, the surgeon, who had been severely injured by an explosion of powder during the transit, and was left with other stragglers in the charge of friendly Indians, with whom he remained some five months. Wafer, by reason of his medical skill, lived "in great splendour and repute," and was so "adored" by his hosts that they tattooed him "in yellow, red, and blue, very bright and lovely." When he rejoined his friends at La Sound's Key he was at first not recognised, and then with hilarity. Sounds like they tattooed a Tweety Bird on his chest.

And of course let us not forget Jeoly, the Painted Prince that William Dampier bought and brought back to England to display.

While tattooing was not common among most Europeans, there was one group that stood out. From Tattoo History: a Source Book, by Stephen G. Gilbert (italics mine): A typical example is the French explorer Gabriel Sagard-Thêodat's account of tattooing among the Hurons, written in 1615: But that which I find a most strange and conspicuous folly, is that in order to be considered courageous and feared by their enemies [the Hurons] take the bone of a bird or of a fish which they sharpen like a razor, and use it to engrave or decorate their bodies by making many punctures somewhat as we would engrave a copper plate with a burin. During this process they exhibit the most admirable courage and patience. They certainly feel the pain, for they are not insensible, but they remain motionless and mute while their companions wipe away the blood which runs from the incisions. Subsequently they rub a black color or powder into the cuts in order that the engraved figures will remain for life and never be effaced, in much the same manner as the marks which one sees on the arms of pilgrims returning from Jerusalem. It has for centuries been the practice to get a Jerusalem Cross as a mark of having visited the Holy Land, and these were not unknown in England but were reported to be more common on the continent. One other note: Tattooing among North American natives was commonplace and yet was not as well recorded as the Cook expedition to Polynesia’s record of tattooing in 1769. It was after the return of Cook that tattooing among sailors caught on and by 1862 the Prince of Wales (the future Edward VII) got a Jerusalem cross, followed by several other tattoos and the floodgates of European tattooing opened.

I suppose the primary goal of this whole shanty collection is for our own amusement/education/entertainment in the encampment. It is only secondarily a vehicle to entertain/educate patrons and lastly to drum up more patrons, even though it would be an extremely effective tool for such an endeavor. Fortunately, my experience with professional entertainers and bar managers has been completely different. I've managed bars and restaurants, booked the acts and crashed more than a few stages myself. Not a few of which were in Key West. Musicians, in my experience, are always looking to take a break and are glad to see something different happen than the same-ol' every night. Bar managers are usually very supportive of civic activists, such as the Friends of Fort Taylor. I know that I was. Now I'm talking about bars and bar singers here, not concerts and one-time special appearances. Anyway, it’s worth a try. If they say no, its no and we'll stroll down the street to the next place, or street corner as Silkie suggests, drumming up patrons as we go. Or not. We are, after all, volunteers/patrons ourselves and are not compelled by contract to sing anywhere or to drum up business for the event. But there are those of us who are truly hooked on this event and will do what we can to make the event richer and fuller for all who attend, including the vendors and paid entertainers. This is, in the final analysis, all for us. Or all for me grog, me jolly, jolly grog…

It could be anything, including shot, ball or a combination (Buck and Ball). The same applies to a blunderbuss, but you're talking about a 75 caliber ball or better. That's a huge chunk of lead to throw at one person and a waste of the gun's capabilities. Make a dandy door opener though. Square shot would certainly spread the pattern, but in a completely unpredictable way. While we're on the subject, I remember there being a prohibition against using "square" shot cut from sheet lead on Christians, but that it was OK to use it on non-Christian opponents. Anyone know/remember the reference on that one?

I thought one or two of those might get a rise out of you who have been watchin' but not posting. Hooked like a trout you were. So, do you have any suggestions for songs and sources? It would be helpful if those who have criticism, especially good criticism such as this, would step up and pitch in some ideas as well. That is exactly what this thread is for. It would be great to use only period shanties, 1650 to 1740(ish), but most of what I have found recorded has been OOP, mostly from the whaling era. And remember too that we are out to have fun, and to entertain and educate ourselves as well as the public. A few (very few, I should think) of the songs might well be ones that the public will recognize, such as "Drunken Sailor". Imagine that song sung in a bar during an evening pub cruise to drum up business for the next day. Think it would be effective? Follow it up with a couple of call-and-response short- or long-haul shanties and finish with a windlass shanty as you leave and you’ll have ‘em hooked. Four songs and a beer and on to the next bar. "A Pirate's Life for Me" might be a little over the top, so rest easy on that account. None of the song selections is chiseled in stone, as this process is just beginning. I would like to build a consensus, but I would also like to publish at least ten songs by mid July, sort of a preliminary group, so that the learning can begin and improvements made to the delivery vehicle, whatever that turns out to be. So step up and share what you know. If we spend all of our time here pointing out what I don’t know, we’ll be at this forever.

Yes, Drunken Sailor is difinately in, and Blow the Man Down. Also Paddy West and Leave Her Johnny. More to come.

No, we'll definately have to schedule that after hours, else the wenches will be after a codpiece contest.

Let us clear up some confusion, shall we? On the Hallmark Channel, on June 17th (past) "Blackbeard" On the History Channel, on July 9th, "True Caribbean Pirates" [edited by moderator to correct name] We can only hope that the History Channel lives up to its name, as the Hallmark production left us all who saw it stunned with its utter lack of any historical accuracy. Also, the costumes, acting and direction were horrid. So, to stipulate: The History Channel “True Caribbean Pirates” has not yet aired. I would give this one a chance before burning your television, at least because it helps to support the Royaliste. Also, Christine Lampe of No Quarter Given is in it.

Thanks, Hugh, that'll be a big boost. I'm scouring song lists and begining to come up with a list of the most common songs recorded or listed as well as the most common lyrics. You would not believe how many variations some of these songs have, or how incomplete recent recordings are as concerns the whole story often told by these shanties. I think that the pro's, the good ones anyway, will appreciate it when we know the words and sing along with. We also need to think about singing as advertisement as we walk along KW's main street at night, drumming up business for the next day. Even four or five Pyrates singing along an avenue will cause even jaded Conchs to pause. And if the entertainers and vendors don't know free advertising when they see it, well... After all, the more bodies we get to come to the Pub and listen to the entertainers, the more tips they'll get, savvy? (Did I just say that?)

Blackjohn is correct, it really has no effect. This was known to gunsmiths at the time. The flare is generally held as being easier to reload multiple round- or oddly-shaped projectiles under adverse conditions, such as a pitching deck or coach-top. Looking down the big bore of a 'buss barrel also had an effect on your adversary's desire not to have that thing go off in his direction.

Respectfully I disagree that this is a weapon. Part of the tang is missing, which would lead me to believe that this barrel was salvaged from a broken gun. But why have a stock, even a makeshift one, on a match-fired handgun? The only reason to have a stock is to position a lock in relation to the touch-hole. I would refer you to early Chinese hand guns that were made without locks and without stocks, simply a barrel with a touch-hole. One-shot guns would not heat up, so hand protection would not be needed. So, a little speculation. I believe that this is used in a situation that would cause the barrel to heat up, so a fire-starter is a possiblility but it is too short to blow into and keep your ear out of the fire. A pipe, to replace one lost or broken? Seems more likely, especially since the touch-hole seems to have been enlarged. Still, smoking from a barrel would heat the barrel to the point that one could not draw from the touch-hole, especially as the coal approaches the touch-hole. Also, we are not allowing that this may have been an unsuccessful attempt at some sort of makeshift substitute, making speculation impossible as the maker of this thing did not know what he was doing either.

OK, here it is, the songlist thread. Just a few simple requests for song nomination. They should be period or in period style. Include a source for lyrics if you know one, or a recording if you know one. I'll try to divide the songs into appropriate categories, such as working songs and forecastle/drinking songs. If any public domain sources are known to you, please share. the object here will be to produce a songbook and a CD or download site so we can all practice the same arrangements. So, how many songs should we learn? Ten seems too few, thirty might be a bit much. Twenty or so? Nominations and suggestions will now begin.