Captain Jim

*Captain Jim scratches his head while pondering the picture...* "Hmmm...we got the boots to the beach, now to get 'em onto the boat..." Never say die...perhaps the reason we try so hard to put bucket boots on pyrates is because they are so much fun, in a Hollywood/Errol Flynn (moment of reverent silence) sort of way...not to refer to another thread or anything... *Rubbing hands together* "Must be time for some Photoshop majic..." *Evil Laugh*

He's thinking, "I've got a pyrate fest coming up this weekend: where can I get me a pair of those boots?" Bucket Boot envy.

Calico is a fabric made from unbleached, and often not fully processed, cotton. It may contain unseparated husk parts, for example. The fabric is less coarse and thick than canvas or denim, but owing to its unfinished and undyed appearance, it is still very cheap. http://www.apparelsearch.com/Definitions/F...lico_fabric.htm Sooo, cotton fabric was so common that the British had to ban it to protect the home textile industry. Interesting. And another reason to mention the wearing of it by a Pyrate is that it was seditious to wear banned and probably smuggled cloth. And this Pyrate apparently flaunted this apparel. Also, not mentioning a thing is not proof that a thing did not exist. Perhaps these things were so common that they did not merit any mention? Now don’t get yer calico undies in a wad: Playing Devil’s advocate here. As a scientist in the RW, I never try to prove that thing does not exist; only that it is improbable. It is so much easier to prove the existence of a thing or phenomena. Now we know that tall boots existed in European societies before, during and after this time as riding and military gear, especially cavalry gear. It is not out of the realm of possibility to imagine that one pyrate somewhere wore tall boots ashore, or one Pyrate captain liked to stride the Quarterdeck wearing such boots, trying to fulfill his own desires and conceits with a perhaps misguided parroting of the upper crust. To prove that all I need is one reference. To disprove it takes researching all references to that time period, not only as relates to Pyrates but to general clothing, social mores and conventions as well, both known and unknown. Tomorrow the one reference will surface. Always tomorrow. Then there is this: At the end of the reign of Charles II (1630-85) the militarty still wore an old style heavy boot. This was replaced by a light leather leggings covering the boot called houseaux. The heavy boot was still used for riding. In 1663 the first seamless boot was made by a Gascon shoemaker called Lestage. King William of Orange (1650-1702) introduced the jackboot, which was of sturdy construction and worn high above the knee, quartered, and heeled with immense breadth for the toes. Thigh high boots were fashionable for soldiers and horsemen; worn tight on the calf they were ample enough to be folded over in a buccaneer fashion above the knee. Sometimes covered in decoration with punched designs they covered the whole leg and were held in place with garters or suspenders from the doublet. The above knee section was known as bucket tops and were worn with leathers and spurs. The boot offered protective armour to the leg and is still worn by the Household Cavalry. Before the advent of gum boots the style of boot was worn by fishermen. Thigh high boots were originally worn by pirates and smugglers, who tucked contraband or "booty" into them. The practice gave rise to the term, "bootlegging'. Curtin University of Technology. http://podiatry.curtin.edu.au/boot.html#spike But it is improbable. Now mind you that I am just beginning to release my inner Pyrate and catch up to the rest of you on the research, but as a scientist the one thing that I notice is the appalling lack of historical record of Pyrates for a time period not that far removed. Much is being inferred in the absence of data. While this is a good a strategy as any to form a general hypothesis as to what Pyrates wore, it does not rise to the level of a theory defining what they would not wear. What we need is to expand our references beyond Johnson, Dampier, Exquemelin and any other reference that deals specifically with Pyrates and out further into the general history of the time. Who would a Pyrate emulate? What was the most flamboyant segment of society at the time? Where was rank and privilege, and what did they wear? As fighting men would they not have emulated the elite fighting men, the fighter pilots of their time, the cavalry? Are there no references from the locals or merchants in the Caribbean regarding the comings and goings of Pyrates and what they bought, how they dressed? Also as a scientist it is my job to shoot at hypotheses and theories alike, both mine and others, to see if they can stand up to abuse, sorry, I mean testing (one tests one’s own hypotheses and abuses someone else’s). So if a shot rings out from my direction, don’t duck, this shot is not meant for you personally and I am not questioning your scholarship. Indeed, withstanding the questions and doubts of others is what makes scholarship stronger. So don’t be alarmed, it’s just me poking at hypotheses.

Havin' thrown off the conventions of a repressive society anyway, and having bettered my economic status through the forced reassignment of wealth, I would certainly dress better, even if I purchased the clothes with me plunder.

Huzzah fer yer promotion lad. An' I'll be 'avin' some o' tha' rhum iffen ye please...

Ah, yes, the famous picture of Anne Bonney. I do notice a couple of things (ahem) that are not standard navy issue, but come standard on wenches pyratical or otherwise. For someone trying to blend in she sure is "standing out."

Wonderful thread Gentlemen. By the way, where are the ladies? Oh, hell, another thread, and a dangerous one, too. I agree with all of you. On board ship practicality would have been the driving force in clothing selection. If Navy garb is what you were used to and available, that is what you would most likely go with. Same as for weapons for boarding other ships…go with what works, only more so. As a ship became more successful, it would acquire more arms, be they divided among the crew or kept by the ship, so a pyrate is more likely to have multiple pistols of various makes, and cutlasses from various countries. And let us not forget that broken cutlasses were cut down to make seaborne mains gauche. Practicality, not individual taste, would have ruled at sea. And what of individual taste? These Pyrates have thrown off the constraining mantle of convention. As an example, I give you Calico Jack Rackham. Or Edward Teach. Would the Pyrates serving under such not have tried to emulate them, to become as daring as their leaders? Aye, but let us go ashore. In a Pyrate den such as Port Royal, would it not be better to be identified as a Pyrate than as a Royal Navy seaman? And as Hurricane said, when one is wenching, one must have one’s finest feathers on, to impress that you and your ship are successful and rich. And would you not have tried to emulate, no, parrot with greater or lesser success the styles of the upper class, whose clothing you purchased in port or stole from all of those ships that you have been raiding? And of course there is the world traveler aspect. These Pyrates would have been exposed to all of the diversity of the exotic ports that they visited. Some of the culture (sometimes fungal) would have rubbed off on them. Hence, the keeping of parrots and monkeys, and the eating of exotic foods, the wearing of earrings and other adornments. Lots of questions, all speculation until we get solid documentation, documentation that seems unlikely to surface at this late date. Although we see individuality in the GAoP through modern eyes, there was indeed individuality back then as well, even though it was not well documented.

Eating Rum? Now that be a stiff drynk! I'll be 'avin' two...an'a bit o' floor ta be fallin' on...

Well, yes lass. Did it no' occur to ye tha' copious quantities o' alcohol would be required ta think up such a volume? Can ye no' see a bunch o' well heeled execs sittin' aboot in th' tastin' room, wonderin' wha' ta do fer promotin' th' brand?

Well I canna say tha' I am feelin'sorry fer the likes o' ye, yer bein' in Port Royal an' all, but I was lookin' fo'ard ta makin' yer aquaintance...us all bein' Central Florida Pyrates...When we get back 'r mayhaps before PiP, the stars'l line up 'r summat like tha'. Til then, fair winds...

John, Congratulations on yer DP Status.

Aye, GoF, this 'ere be a topic tha' inspires ramblin', fer ye be wantin' ta be fair an' still state yer own case an' not put anyone down...an' there I go...

What we ‘ave ‘ere be a continuum. I be tryin’ ta go wi’ the historical look, but I just canna’ resist them tall boots. So’s I gots a pair o’ buckle shooes fer when it be “History Tyme” down a’ the Library or whatnot. When educatin’, get it right; when ‘avin’ fun, ‘ave fun. Still, I gives credit fer tryin’…Pyrate ”T” shirt an’ eye patch wi’ a plastic sword is just not right…but I’ll not run the lubber through wi’ me cutlass fer wearin’ it.

Mr. Warren was enjoying the spectacle on the Chasse de Mer , the fine clothes, silver, china and wines reminding him of another time far away in Virginia, when the finest families would invite him and his wife to sup, not for social reasons, but because it was he who could supply them with the very wines that they plied him with. As first a merchant who fronted for smugglers, then a smuggler who’s front was as a merchant, Jim had become one of the most wealthy and influential men in Virginia, while never being quite accepted in polite society. Perhaps it was his rough speech, lack of proper education or the company that his livelihood caused him to keep that caused the first families of the colony to keep their distance. Perhaps they knew that his end would come and they did not wish to be associated too closely. Power and influence, without such allies, had led to his undoing. So here was power and influence, once again. In this cabin were the powers in these waters, the officers of the Chasse and the Dog . Jim laughed to himself, the wine revealing the humor of the situation at last: the Hunt and the Dog. “Aye, that be us a’right, two huntin’ dogs sizing each other up. Now to find out whether we hunt together, or rip each other’s throats out.”

Oh, bloody 'ell GOf, another web site I was blissfully unaware of. Now, i'll be 'avin' ta clean more noseprints offen me computer...drool out o' me keyboard...

"Aye, an 'ere I am again, in the middle o' the road wi' cannons at bow an' stern. Not unlike me life..."

Having received orders to join with the officers on the gun deck, Mr. Warren had hurriedly repaired to his sea chest. From deep within he retrieved his last suit of clothes from his days before he took up the sweet trade. A deep blue coat with crimson edging, matching breeches and a crimson waistcoat, all from a time long ago…Dressing quickly, he gained the gun deck as the cutter was brought alongside… “Sorry ta be late, all. Just had ta brush up some old clothes…”

GOF, I am often found infront o' my computer, droolin' a' the offerin's a' Track. Someday soon, they'll be gettin' a parts order from me. 'Till then, Loyalist arms will 'ave ta do.

Arrr! 'Twould be the most likely, yet in tha 'eat o' battle I canna' recall. An' no one 'as ever 'eard it an' lived ta tell the tale...

Jim Warren and the barge crew boarded the search party onto the Dutch trader and continued to search the water through the night. Toward six bells of the morning watch, as light began to lighten the horizon, the weary barge crew retuned to the Watch Dog without having spotted either of the missing crewmembers. Misters Cirian, P.E.W., Firethorn and Straw were still searching aboard the Danzig. Rounding the bow of the ship, a voice among the crew said, “What the bloody ‘ell is tha?” Looking up from under the bow of the ship, Jim and the barge crew could see what was invisible from above and only visible from the water in the growing light. It was a tattered sleeve, blood soaked and rudely cut from an oilskin. It lay impaled on the anchor hook at the cathead. A silence fell on the crew as each imagined the last desperate struggle for life, the decision to cut free and the last sickening fall into the sea. Mr. Warren untangled the sleeve with a boathook, and took it on deck for the captain. “Good work lads, clear th’ barge an’ stow ‘er. I’ll see abou’ an extra ration o’ grog fer ye, an’ relief from th’ next watch ta rest yerselves. An’ bring me tha’ powder barrel: th’ Captain’l be wantin’ ta see tha’ as well.”

“Aye, I have it!” Having gained the object in the water, the barge crew maneuvers to pick it up. It appears to be a barrel, about the size of a small powder keg. On closer inspection, a shirt is found caught on one of the barrel hoops. “Ello the boat! ...We ‘ave found what appears to be tha’ Dutchman’s shirt!... Wrapped up on this ‘ere barrel! ...We’ll continue on ta th’ Danzig an’ board the search party!... Then we’ll scout th’ other side o’ tha’ ship an return wi’ th’ barrel an’ shirt!”

“Aye, Diego! Ye ‘eard ‘im lads, ready: pull away! We’ll make short work o’ this distance.” A few stout strokes of the oars and the Samson is approaching the area indicated by Diego. “Diego! Where away?”

“Barge Crew, to the boat. Clear away and lower when ready; Mr. P. E. W. and Mr. Cirian, torches for the boat if ye please. You two, Mr. Straw an’ Mr. Firethorne will search the Danzig when we come along side. ‘Tis dark, so keep a sharp eye. The Monsignor will keep the water alight wi’ fire arrows. Anyone sees anything report immediately. Strange things ‘ere lads, so be watchin’ out fer each other as well. Now set to it!”

Noting the presence of the French Captain, Jim gained the Quartermaster’s side and whispered, “Mister Lasseter, sir. I did as ye bid me, at least as far as findin’ Mr. Sons. Shipwreck ain’t aboard sir.”

Hours had passed. Jim had searched all of the decks, holds and storage lockers. Any place that a sailor could hole up for some much needed rest or a secretive noggin of grog. No one on the ship had seen John Sons since before the storm. His hammock was stowed, his sea chest secured. No clothing that could be identified as belonging to Mr. Sons could be found hanging among the drying clothes and oilskins, and Christine could not remember seeing Shipwreck at table or requesting coffee. John “Shipwreck” Sons was not aboard the Watch Dog. Jim Warren hurried back to tell the Quartermaster the news.