hurricane

Patrick's dead on - 1668 was the raid on Porto Bello, Morgan then was almost killed aboard the Oxford when she exploded in 1669 and the Sack of Panama was in 1670. Port Royal then was akin to a wild west town, with about 750 men, 550 women and the rest of the 2,000 residents slaves and children. It was still small by later standards, when the population swelled to 7,000 just before the earthquake. But after the Sack of Panama, the tide began to turn once Modyford was imprisoned and Morgan was sent back for trial. Once he returned, he turned against the privateers and pirates as the planters gained a foothold on island politics and the Spanish were no longer a threat. Anyone who wants to know what it was like during this time as a buccaneer should read up on the various resources I gave for the Morgan's Sack of Panama. -- Hurricane

I was just reading up on the breeches of the time. They are petticoat breeches. All are baggy, some have the two legs sewn together as one, much as a kilt. Some of the examples had up to 10 yards of material in them. Egad. Could use that as a tent on its own. -- Hurricane

Cool o - I personally love that year, historically for the buccaneers. We will be setting up a test kitchen of sorts in the backyard here to see if we can bring one of the illustrations to life for cooking boucan. That way Animal will have been through it for real first, before trying it down there. This is going to be a great addition to the presentation!!! Can't wait to see what you guys cook up (pun intended). And I'm glad all your work on this to date will be on display down there, Patrick. -- Hurricane

I can see that. When we did the games and the sugar cane demos, we just did them whenever someone was interested enough, whether it was one or two people or a small group. We didn't want anyone to feel compelled to get edumacated -- there were some that were really into it, others weren't and that was fine. We just worked with the ones that were into it and did the demos whenever they wanted one. Otherwise we just went about our business of running the encampment and doing our living history life. Usually, the latter were the photo opp moments the tourists wanted to get - like posing in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride, only with real pirates in them. I think the twice a day - lead visitor out to the encampment so they can see living history in action -- is a good plan. Not too formal but it gives visitors the chance to see both places and get a little feel for what it was like to be living the life of a pirate... people mending ropes, a surgeon cleaning his gear, people playing games in a makeshift tavern, people at rest, others cleaning guns, the meals being cooked, an argument here and there, general discussions of the day. -- Hurricane

The Sally Port is an ideal place for that or the mess tent, which was underutilized. I know when we did demos in the fort the year before, we had good crowds. I'm planning to do a presentation on Port Royal in the Sally next year. We told Harry and Spike we need more content to keep visitors at the festival and going back and forth between the two areas. Diosa even suggested leading groups back and forth between the two and having pirates (or pirate hunters) in the woods to roust them along the way. If I had an ideal we would add soldiers on horseback to chase the raiders away and lead them to the edge of the path. We cold liberate those poor horses at the Navy yard, he says slyly. -- Hurricane

I have to agree. I don't think we'll ever be the X to X time folks. When people visit the buccaneer period tavern, we engage them and ask them if they'd like to play the games of the period. Or we talk about what it was like at the time in Port Royal and show artifacts from the sunken city. It's more interactive and impromptu, like the visitors are simply walking into a snapshot of the time. I think I'd go mad if I just had to stand there, waiting for a fly to walk into my spider trap. It'd feel like the guy who sells those absorbent towels from Germany... you know, the ones that suck up a whole bottle of soda. But I digress. :) -- Hurricane We do plan to do more historical stuff once we get out to the encampment. We weren't able to do it as well this year as last because we were amidst the vendors. It was much easier to do when were were in the casements. With any luck Diosa can do the sugar cane demo again.

That's the main reason we abandoned them this year... they were getting sticky. Next year we plan on hitting Animal with real ones... far more fun (and deserved) :) -- Hurricane

Buccaneers worked with cattle and wild pig alone. They didn't hunt other game as a rule. I would go with the Cornish hens as well - much easier to work with and you won't run "afoul" of regs in the park. The biggest challenge will be getting green wood and green vines there. They may have to be shipped in to make the grill portion. Also, it require four large forked sticks for the posts, which are driven into the ground. Finally, remember that the representation period Harry set was 1675 to 1725. Of course, buccaneers were still from 1675 to roughly 1685, so you're still good within those dates as well. That's one of the reasons why we set our pub in 1681. Good start all. I will try to get around to posting more of the stuff I have on the period once I get another two projects out of my way workwise. -- Hurricane

Diosa, I and the crewe will make the sign for you, if you want. We can make one like the ones we did for the Catt & Fiddle or the Tea & Tings, either a stand alone or to hang from the Hide. We could just bring it down next year. Of course, that's only if you don't want to take Bo's wonderful offer. We're volunteering because we love making those things each year and don't have a project on the horizon for next year sign-wise. -- Hurricane

Buccaneer's Realm covers the period from the beginning of the buccaneers on Tortuga through their demise as the planters took over Jamaica. Other good choices: Memoirs of a Buccaneer - Dampier The Sack of Panama - Peter Earle Harry Morgan's Way - Dudley Pope In Search of the Buccaneers - Anthony Gambrill The Great Buccaneer - Philip Lindsay Sir Henry Morgan - Rosita Forbes Tomorrow I start Wafer's A New Voyage And Description Of The Isthmus Of America... The description of the exploits, the strategies and lifestyle of the buccaneers can be gleaned through these. You'll also find that Esquemling's stories were apocryphal at best. A surgeon would have never been on the front lines - rather, he would have been far behind enemy lines tending to the the wounded. A surgeon was too far valuable to risk in battle. Don't waste your time with Empire of Blue Water. It's a good story, but the fictional character gets to be a pain after a while. The author really didn't need him. By 1669 the buccaneers were primarily soldiers and land forces. So these works have a lot of good information about life as a buccaneer in the times of battles mentioned. Also, Port Royal was an extremely wealthy town and the buccaneers there could have anything they wanted when they returned, so the look of them can be quite diverse, compared to earlier buccaneers of the Tortuga times. If it was in London at the time or anywhere in Europe for that matter, it was in Port Royal and could easily be had by trade, purchase or theft. Also, Animal - I have the American Heritage book and the complete Time Life series if you want to take some notes. Glad to see others taking an interest in this time. Thought Patrick and I were the lone wolves all these years. -- Hurricane

For true boucan, you'd better practice your bird shooting skills. The birds went inside the pork or beef to roast. The buccaneer who got the least number of birds had to drink as many shots of rum as the number of birds the winner shot. There's a lot more, of course, including weaving the bowls and whipping up the gravy. A better description is in Benerson's book. It's the one Animal will be using as the guide. -- Hurricane

I've already begun my design... I only worry that the Cat 4 wind portion of the ornament may cause some damage in the winner's home. But, then again, there's the argument for authenticity in the ornament's representation. -- Hurricane, The Blowhard I really don't think there should be any limitations on what people come up with.... I find the personna idea intriguing..... I just have no idea what I would come up with for me..... By the way... did you notice that Capt Sterling said "yer wish is my command' to me? Just thought I would point that out... Watch out Cheeky.... I'm moving up the mistress list... :)

Congrats chica! Well earned and well deserved. The world is lucky to have you in the working world now... good luck on your new job! -- Hurricane

I came across http://www.britishcampaignfurniture.com -- they seem to have a bent on the historical pieces of which you speak. I'm drooling over the campaign desk they have. Here's an article that the book's author wrote on Georgian Campaign Furniture: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m102...157/ai_63333012 Hope this helps. -- Hurricane

Your children were such a delight -- I've never heard so many great train jokes... :) I enjoyed hanging with them -- if all kids could be that wonderful the world would be so much better off... We'll take care of your brood next year and not let them get into too much trouble. We'll be out at the beach and they can hang at the Catt & Fiddle. I hope they have some more jokes for me to tell around the fire. -- Hurricane

For once, I am speechless... -- Hurricane

Hope you had fun in Vegas. You wouldn't even recognize PiP anymore -- so much bigger, hundreds of pirates... the whole fort was overflowing with vendors. So much better than the old days... hard to believe they're the same festivals. -- Hurricane

That's perfect! Inspired by my own crewe I have decided to take up fire twirling and swirling at PiP next year. I can show you both my skill with the baton... "The baton aflame flew in the air, Where it landed I know not where. Tent aflame how could that be? Perhaps too much of Green Fairie." -- Hurricane

I've always fancied this illustration of Henry Morgan meself. - Hurricane

Ah, dear captain. I doubt you have enough to wager against me. The Archangel, her crewe, the snotties, D'ogge and even the coffin would not add up to the 1/10th of one Diosa. Yes, she is priceless indeed. And besides, who would carry me back to camp? -- Hurricane

Have you tried these guys? http://www.flintlocksetc.com/ They're the only full distributor of Pedersoli in the U.S. -- Hurricane

Just don't drop them in front of the public and you'll probably be good. :) -- Hurricane

Oooo, the Co-champion Brother Invocation.... Bloody Brilliant 'Dogge!!!!! Eventually we're going to have to do DNA testing if you come up with any other brothers... beginning to feel like the Chinese in the last Olympics. It's bad enough you're starting to spawn your own future champions for the 19th and 20th Annual Walk the Plank Championships. -- Hurricane

Can we have a duel to the death over her next year? Love a fight to the death, as long as it's not mine. Sorry, Harry - forgot she were spoken for... -- Hurricane

Yes, those should work, as far as I know. I am going to get Willie to chime in here. He's been to Searle's -- we were invited to go at St. Arrgustine so we're excited to try the earlier representation. I'll bug Willie to get in here (the voice of experience?). :) -- Hurricane