Misson

(This is why you need to keep a sharp eye on your kids!) Ok...does anyone mind if I use these photos to put together another Surgeon's Tale? Mary? Silkie? Cheeky? Micky and Kate...ie?Pm me if you're shy about telling ol' Mission what a hatchet job you think he does and you wouldn't let him near your work with a ten foot Oar posing as a tent pole. I won't be offended. Much. (Oh, per withoutaname's request, I am going to give photo creds on each pic this time. Sorry I didn't think to do it last time.)

Hey, this is kinda' cool - I was searching for a site for the Vigilant (trying to find an email addy for Susan the Apothecary whom Dutch tells me is with the Vigilant crew) and I found their pics from the event: http://vigilantcrew.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=441

Nope, the ones they had were supposedly in my room and they were blue and white. However, the number is: 1-757-838-0200. Have your credit card ready; you have to pay the freight.

That sound like a good idea to me.

Dampier's not much on details of sea surgery, but he has lots to say about food! Here are a whole slew of interesting quotes. I'll start with my favorite: "I saw a few Flamingo's, which is a sort of large Fowl, much like a Heron in shape, but bigger, and of a reddish Colour... They are very shy, therefore it is hard to shoot them... The Flesh of both young and old is lean and black, yet very good Meat, tasting neither fishy, nor any way unsavoury. Their Tongues are large, having a large Knob of Fat at the Root, which is an excellent Bit; a Dish of Flamingo's Tongues being fit for a Prince's Tables." (Dampier, 1683, p. 56-7) "In our way thither (to Virginia) we took several of the Sucking-fishes; for when we see them about the Ship, we cast out a Line and Hook, and they will take it with any manner of Bait, whether Fish or Flesh. The Sucking-fish is about the bigness of a large Whiting, and much of the same make toward the Tail, but the Head is flatter... When any of them happen to come about a Ship, they seldom leave her, for they will feed on such filth as is daily thrown over-board, or on there Excrements." (Dampier, 1682, p. 53) Yummy! And now, a recipe for shark: "While we lay in the Calms we caught several great Sharks; sometimes two or three in a Day, and eat them all, boiling and squeezing them dry, and then stewing them with Vinegar, Pepper &c. for we had but little Flesh aboard." (Dampier, p. 62)

Oh, I know. I've seen it (and complained about it) with fair regularity. In Woodall, it is very much like an f, however. None of the accounts I've read use the double s, although I have seen that before. If the cross-stroke is shorter, it is not much shorter. Read through John Yonge, Woodes Rogers or Woodall and you'll see what I mean. (Plus, I like to read without my reading glasses (ironically enough, my ophthalmologist tells me reading w/o my glasses keeps my eyes stronger) and I sure as heck can't see the difference in the cross stroke. (If I can even see the cross-stroke at all.)

That's a fascinating point! I may use that in me tome.

I thought that might be as well, but "sanitary" and "sterilization" had precious little to do with medicine at this time. In fact, although I was mainly playing in the above post (Woodall really is a bitch to read and I was just having fun with that) I looked sanative up in my beloved thefreedictionary.com and they say it means "Having the power to cure; healing or restorative." Huh. On the topic of sterilization. I have actually read (although not from a period reference, from a modern one) that the more gore coated your apron was, the better surgeon you were thought to be. During battles on ships, they typically went from patient to patient without washing their hands because they had no understanding of germs or the need for cleanliness. Water was so precious on shipboard that they almost definitely wouldn't have used fresh water to wash up between every patient. If they would use anything it would be sea water and even that was a pain to get. One account explained that large piss tubs were put around some ships because the urine could be used if there was a fire. I've even read that some people even believed urine was better for putting out fires than sea water. (Perhaps the stench convinced them that it was really effective. Anyone who has ever put out a campfire by peeing on it will probably know that doing so stinks like nothing you've ever smelled.) Still, I appreciate your help and interpretation. If you would like, I'll send you the whole thing and you can help interpreting it. My plan is actually to quote parts of his book verbatim since it is so important and look things up as I type them in. 'Cause I sure can't read it like a book. (I have started Woodall three times. It gives me a headache.)

Actually, in a related note, new boats were sometimes thought to cause illness because the wood was more freshly cut and still had the scent of the tree, making the whole ship smell. It sort of goes along with the idea that "bad air" (sometimes called "mal"air...ia) caused fevers. So old wood was considered to be more healthy for sailors than new wood. (And I'll just leave that right there.)

Anyone object to my using what pictures I can to create another surgeon's journal on my website? If so, I don't think there are quite enough yet, so if other folks would share and permit me to use them... (More pics of the modern boats and all their silliness, the Bone Island Buccaneers, some night shots if anyone has them, pics of the battles, a pic of bcddutchman, a pic or two of cutter (the Blackbeard Crew's surgeon) and the one picture I know was taken of me with Mary and Scarlett Jai by a woman in Blackbeard's crew (whose name I didn't get - she was short and thin with blond hair) would be particularly welcome.)

It appears Red Sea Trade be right. I had my engineer cap on when reading Dampier and so Copper suggested wires and pipes, when, in fact, he was most likely referring to medicines. Consulting Woodall's much-revered period sea surgeon's reference, The Surgeon's Mate we find...hmm...it's in here, but it looks like it's written in Norse Ruins. First he gives the Latin, then the common name (I guess) and then an explanation of what it's for. This was considered to be a great help to surgeon's mates, not all of whom could read Latin. Still looks like Norse ruins to me... Anyhow, plunging recklessly ahead: "Alumen. - riue fanatiue, retrigeratiue &c [sorry, can't make heads or tails of that.] Allum (Crude) - Deficcatiue [Desiccative? - the u's appear to be v's in most cases which I will substitute going forward], a. stringent, corosive [corrosive], mundificative fanative [don't know this one, but it's the second time he's used it. I think the f is an s - sanative?] retrigerative, &c Alumen - Combustum. Allum (Burnt) - An easie and a good corosive medicin, which also induceth a good fiacatrix. Alumen - Plumosum, Allum (Plume) - A secret in restoring a withered member by a certaine hidden speciall vertue it hath" (Woodall, 315-6) and, finally. "Vitriolum Coppras - It is best which is made of copper." (Woodall, p. 328) So there you have it. Actually, I'm not entirely sure what you have, but you must admit that you do have it. Yessir, a great help.

Ok, here's my last Dampier quote until I read some more of the book. He talks about red dye in his New Voyage Around the World, first published in 1697: "The Body [of the red Mangrove] is not so big as that of the black Mangrove, but always grows out of many Roots about the Bigness of a Man's Leg, some bigger some less, which at about 6, 8, or 10 Foot above the Ground, join into one Trunk or Body, that seems to be supported by so many artificial Stakes... The Timber is hard and good for many uses. The Inside of the Bark is red, and it is used for tanning of Leather very much all over the West-Indies. " (Dampier, p. 46)

Since I'm on a Dampier quote posting jaunt, I was wondering about his mention of aluminum. First, to quote something I found on the history of aluminum, which is, naturally, a website. ( http://www.historyofaluminum.com/ ) "The metal originally obtained its name from the Latin word for alum, alumen. The name alumina was proposed by L. B. G. de Moreveau, in 1761 for the base in alum, which was positively shown in 1787 to be the oxide of a yet to be discovered metal. Finally, in 1807, Sir Humphrey Davy proposed that this still unknown metal be referred to as aluminum." So that dates it's name from about 1761. However, to quote Dampier's New Voyage Around the World, first published in 1697, "By the Sea, on the South-side of that high Hill [on Isles Roca's], there's fresh Water comes out of the Rocks, but so slowly, that it yield not above 49 Gallons in 24 Hours, and it tastes so copperish, or aluminous rather, and rough in the Mouth, that it seems very unpleasant at first drinking: But after two or three Days any Water will seem to have no taste." So it would seem my reference is older than the history of aluminum's. I wasn't aware that they used aluminum at this time. Of course, my reference is primarily the surgical instruments which were mostly steel, cast iron, pewter, brass, wood and so forth.

Here's a period account of the wreck of most of a fleet that's great fun from Dampier's New Voyage Around the World, first published in 1697, "The Count d'Estree lost his Fleet here [on the "Riff or Bank of Rocks...[which] runs along the East-end to the Northward about 3 Mile, then trends away to the Westward making, as it were a Half-Moon [on the Isle of Aves]]... Coming from the Eastward, he fell in on the Back of the Riff, and fired Guns to give warning to the rest of his Fleet: But they supposing their Admiral was engaged with Enemies, hoisted up their Topsails, and crouded all the Sails they could make, and ran full sail ashore after him; all within half a Mile of Each other. [ ] For his Light being in the Main-Top was an unhappy Beacon for them to follow; and there escaped but one King's Ship and one Privateer. The Ships continued whole all Day, and the Man had time enough, most of them, to get ashore, yet many perished in the Wreck; and many of those that got safe on the Island, for want of being accustomed to such Hardships, died like rotten Sheep. [Like rotten Sheep. Dampier's a wit!] But the Privateers who had been used to such Accidents lived merrily, from whom I had this relation: and they told me, that if they had gone to Jamaica with 30l. in their Pockets, they could not have enjoyed themselves more: For they kept in a Gang by themselves, and watched when the Ships broke, to get the Good that came from them, and though much was staved against the Rocks, yet abundance of Wine and Brandy floated over the Riff, where the Privateers waited to take it up. [bloody pirates!] They lived here about three Weeks, waiting an opportunity to transport themselves back again to Hispaniola; in all which time they were never without two or three Hogsheads of Wine and Brandy in their Tents, and Barrels of Beef and Pork; which they could live on without Bread, well enough, tho' the new Comers out of France could not. There were about Forty Frenchmen on board in one of the Ships where there was good store of Liquor, till the after part of her broke away and floated over the Riff, and was carry'd away to the Sea, with all the Men drinking and singing who being in drink, did not mind the Danger, but were never heard of afterwards." (Dampier, p. 43-4) Isn't that great?

Here's an interesting quote for tentage from Dampier's New Voyage Around the World, first published in 1697 (this book is just starting to get interesting). This part of the account is from 1682... "We went from hence [the Isle of Aves] to the Isles Roca's, to careen the Sugar-prize, which the Isle of Aves was not a Place convenient for. Accordingly we haled close to one of the small Islands, and got our Guns ashore the first thing we did, and built a Brest-work on the Point, and planted all our Guns there, to hinder and enemy from coming to us while we lay on the Careen: Then we made a House, and cover'd it with our Sails, to put our Goods and Provisions in." (Dampier, p. 45)

...including your own shoes. That's what the tour guide on the Mayflower told us 4th graders, about the pilgrim's voyage from the Netherlands/Southampton to Cape Cod. Hmm. I guess shoe leather doesn't sound so bad when you're hungry. ...at least it's edible. I'm sure this has been brought up before, but to give a topical reference, pirate Henry Morgan's men were reduced to eating their leather shoes and satchels in their hike at Torno Caballos because they couldn't locate food like they expected to on their march. I don't have the exact reference to quote, but I know they gave us all a recipe to try out - first, cut the leather into small pieces, then boil it making a sort of soup. Then chew (and chew and chew) and swallow. Naturally, this recipe tastes like chicken. I have a sort of interesting food reference from Dampier's New Voyage Around the World, first publisehd in 1697. "We cruised among the Islands [near Boca-toro], and kept our Muskito-men [local Indians who Dampier says were excellent hunters], or Strikers out, who brought aboard some half-grown Tortoise; and some of us went ashore every day to hunt for what we could find in the Woods: Sometimes we got Pecary, Waree, or Deer; at other times we light on a drove of large fat Monkeys, or Quames, Corrosoes, (each a large sort of Fowl) Pigeons, Parrots, or Turtle-doves. We liv'd very well on what we got, not staying long in one place; but sometimes we would go on the Islands, where there grow great Groves of Sapadilloes, which is a sort of Fruit much like a Pear, but more juicy; and under those Trees we found plenty of Soldiers, a little kind of Animals that live in Shells, and have two great Claws like a Crab, and are good food. One time our Men found a great many large ones, and being sharp-set had them drest, but most of them were very sick afterwards, being poisoned by them: For on this Island were many Manchaneel Trees, whose Fruit is like a small Crab, and smells very well, but they are not wholesome; and we commonly take care of meddling with any Animals that eat them. And this we take for a general Rule; when we find any Fruits that we have not seen before, if we see them peck'd by Birds, we may freely eat, but if we see no such sign, we let them alone; for of this Fruit no birds will taste. Manyof these Islands have of these Manchaneel Trees growing on them." (Dampier, p. 36) As an aside, these trees must have been a real issue, for they are mentioned in several related accounts. From Lionel Wafer's book A New Voyage and Description of the Isthmus of America which is account of different parts of the same voyage, “There is on the Islands, a Tree which is called Manchinel, and is Fruit the Manchinel Apple. ‘Tis in Smell and Colour like a lovely pleasant Apple, small and fragrant, but of a poisonous Nature; for if any eat of any Living Creature that has happen’d to feed on that Fruit, they are poisoned thereby, tho’ perhaps not mortally. The Trees grow in green Spots; they are low, with a large Body, spreading out and full of Leaves. I have heard that the Wood hath been us’d in fine carv’d or inlay’d Works; for it is delicately grain’d.. But there is danger in cutting it, the very Sap being so poisonous, as to blister the part which any of the Chips strike upon as they fly off. A French-man of our Company lying under one of these Trees, in one of the Samballoes, to refresh himself, the Rain-water trickling down thence on his Head and Brest, blistered him all over, as if he had been bestrewed with Cantharides. His Life was saved with much difficulty; and even when cured, there remained Scars, like those after the Small-Pox.” (Wafer, p.100-1) In a footnote to the Dover edition of Wafer's book, “In the History of the Bucaniers (London, Maltus, 1684), p. 181, it is said that, ‘the Tree called Mancanilla, or the Dwarf Apple, is found here, whose Fruit is of a most venomous quality, for being eaten by any Person, immediately he changeth colour, and is taken with such a thirst, that no water can quench, and within a little dies perfectly mad. Yea, if a Fish eat of it (as sometimes they do) it is poisonous.’ The sap of the manchineel is very injurious to the eyes, but otherwise not as dangerous, at least not to persons in good health, as the above would imply.” (Wafer, footnote, p. 101)

That syringe is my best period surgical investment yet. You should see the looks it gets when you explain it. Thanks for posting those!

Sunday I was bound and determined to sleep in, which I had to keep telling myself when I woke up every fifteen minutes (you probably know what I mean). I finally gave in and got up. Heading to the site, I stopped at Micky Ds to grab something quick. The car had become filled with junk from the trip, so I stopped at the trash can and got out to clean things up. (This will eventually become relevant, I swear.) Arriving at the parking deck, I was heading down the ramp when another group of re-enactors said, “We have to find Mission.” Now, I did not know these folks, but my curiosity was peaked. “I’m Mission,” I volunteered. “Oh! We have your wallet.” “You couldn’t have, I just used it at McDonalds.” “Yes and you dropped it when you got out of your car to throw out trash.” It seems they were right behind me and stopped to pick it up! What are the odds? Thinking I would be late for I know not what, I hurried to the campsite where the daily meeting had just begun. Apparently I was not late for a I know not what. Today was to be living history day which meant I would have an opportunity to play doctor. (...nah, still too easy.) When this was brought up, it turned out that Cutter, the Blackbeard crew surgeon would be doing an amputation and another woman was outfitted to be an Apothecary. So we agreed to join forces...the period surgeon superheros. Cutter is a really cool guy with a bushy white beard and spectacles who used to do Civil War surgery and had all the gear for that. We had chatted yesterday for quite awhile which is something I did not report on because you haven’t truly experienced Annoyance Level Ten until you’ve been between two geeks discussing their pet hobby. Cutter recently got into pirate era surgery and has been slowly acquiring surgical gear and is (like every new pirate, Tudor seaman, English revolution navy or otherwise sea-oriented surgeon) looking for Woodall’s book, The Surgeon’s Mate which I explained to him how to get. Since Cutter was outfitted to do a complete amputation re-enactment, I loaned him my amputation knife and saw for his demonstration. I talked about various aspects of surgery other than amputation leaving that to Cutter. He generously corrected me in the aspects I was explaining incorrectly, which he only had to do two or twenty times. The Apothecary had a beautiful set-up with all authentic herbs and she completed our display. Quite a full line-up of surgeons and gear for the attendees. This turned out to be to the good, because there must have have been one or two hundred of them, most of whom listened quite attentively. I got so into my litany of gross stories and descriptions that I had to be stopped by one woman because the three five year old girls were getting a bit green. Other people could only listen for long and then turned sort of pale and ducked behind everyone else. One very serious young lad come up, looked at my bloody clouts (linen rags) and said very matter-of-factly, "That's fake." Figuring him to be about six or so, I said (against my tendencies) "Yes." Then he pointed at my paint/blood spattered apron and said with great gravity, "That's fake too." "Yes." Then he pointed at Cutter, who was standing a few feet away wearing his bloody apron and said the same thing. I admitted it was. Then he looked quite satisfied and left. I happily stayed in my spot, explaining all my grotesque tools and procedures, picking up tips and ideas from patrons and their re-actions for three hours before it was time to leave. In doing so, I missed an opportunity to row the Expedition which was like a longboat having five or six banks of oars, a steersman and room for a couple of passengers. I heard from Michael that he and Mary Diamond rowed under the tutelage of bcddutchman while Kate and Cheeky rode as passengers. I had really hoped to chat with bcddutchman more, but he was heavily involved in organizing the festivities. He has wonderfully filthy togs that remind you of what the clothes probably were actually like on the typical sailor. I think he rolled around in every mud puddle he could find. He showed me a bit of the seine he was making (a sort of fishing net, see our discussion about seines in Twill if you're curious). This astounded me; one chance citation from a book on the forum and he had started creating a period correct seine! At 1:30, we living historical surgeons working the campsite also heard a great deal of noise as the pirates on shore attacked three ships who were sailing through the harbor and returning tit for tat with cannon fire. It sounded quite exciting, but I was enjoying explaining my surgical tools so much that I missed it as well. Too bad, because the Royaliste was one of the ships involved. Michael and I had gone over to the Royaliste yesterday, but we missed the ship's captain. She’s a beautiful ship. It was docked near the children’s area, so we checked that out as well. The festival was spread out throughout several blocks of Hampton and the children’s area was the furthest from our campsite. (My feeeeet!) There were several other events including something called Scallywag’s School which was apparently very popular. But none of this was nearly as important as rattling on for the stream of people filing through living history display about how to use the giant syringe for enemas, removing a bullet, the lack of hygiene and anesthesia &c. (I could go on, in literally nauseating detail, if anyone would like.) I should also mention that withoutaname and I sort of determined that we must have been separated at birth and we were fast friends, although she rejects my new name of Mouse (I was sorta' thinking of Mouse from the Cartoon "Reboot" - the character is about 2/3 of the way down that page - however, she was thinking of Minny so it just didn't work for her). Plus she and Justin were generous with their Goslings rum which is a good way to warm the good old ship’s surgeon heart to you after hours. Then I drove back home with Michael, Kate and Cheeky (we picked up an extra hand - well, we took an extra hand to the airport.) Cheeky kept us entertained with a bright discussion of the weekend for the hour drive to Richmond or something like that airport and I got hugged again, causing me to vastly exceed my annual quota. Ok, I was a willing participant as Cheeky will tell you. After we bid her adieu, Kate nodded off for awhile leaving Michael and I to have several very philosophical discussions about religion, politics, Myers-Briggs, the brain and whatnot. It was fun traveling with them. I arrived home at 5am and promptly went to bed for a few hours. I woke to discover that (in what was apparently another minor theme for me this weekend) I left my phone at the hotel - along with some shoes. Actually, I didn't leave the shoes because I never owned any shoes like the woman at the hotel described to me, so that was just odd. I told her to send me the phone, but not the shoes. Come to think of it, I should have asked her what size they were first. Oh well. Definitely an action-packed weekend.

Saturday Evening Returning freshly showered proved a pointless venture as I was indifferent sweaty within 25 minutes of leaving the vehicle. Fortunately, dinner was just getting underway and I didn’t care. Dinner was apparently period correct, to be eaten on period correct dishes (of which I have none), but Abbigail supplied me and I was able to partake. Being vegetarian, I was concerned, which was all but ill-founded. They had corn chowder not made of a chicken base (huzzah!), corn-on-the-cob, various breads and something that reminded me remarkably of Irish stew without meat (which I love). There was also hard tack, which I finally decided must be a souvenir of some form as there could be no reason for a human to ingest it. I had read in Thrower's book that you had to soak h.t. in the soups or stews that were frequently served on Naval vessels. This was apparently some form of 18th century prank played on newby pirates, because 10 mins. of soaking produced precious little softening results. Personally, I saved my piece of hard tack which I plan to shellac and use to kill cockroaches with. Following dinner, I was once again pressed into carrying something – this time a huge basin of water which we filled at a generous condo-dwelling family that lived on the border of the park. I then repaired to the grassy knoll where the Bone Island Buccaneers were hanging out, eating a late edition of dinner (they weren’t period correctly dressed and thus couldn’t enter the campsite where dinner was served, but Cookie, the chief cook who worked with Aminjiria’s parents, gave them a fine repast there on the g.n., which they enjoyed immensely from all reports. (As proof that the universe is completely unfair, Scarlet Jai, who is nice and slim ate three times as much as Nigel, who is robust.) They disappeared to visit a rum distributer (which I will relate later) and I was joined by withoutaname, her significant other and Kate Souris. Kate insisted I hear all about the proposed slogan for PiP 2008 directly from the source – who was none other than Cheeky Actress. I can’t possibly recite the tale in all its glory here (ask Cheeky), but suffice it to say that their proposed slogan for PiP ’08 is “Reach for a Leech.” They seemed to feel that I had some responsibility for this although I wasn’t anywhere near them when they came up with this thing. (Leaches are NOT PERIOD for surgeons as near as I can tell, dammit. They were definitely around after and may have been around before, but I've found no reference to them in period material. So there.) Shortly after that happened they were joined by Captain Sterling and Aminjiria who began to discuss things that seemed to involve your humble surgeon in some way and this whole NON-PERIOD leach thing behind my back (they having formed some sort of mutant circle behind the original circle formed by me, Kate, withoutaname and Justin.) Finally, I was forced to find a space so I could at least face these incorrect surgical procedures head one with my own self. Finding this to be an utter failure, I wandered off to the boat dock to see the disco ship at night (which I had heard was quite the spectacle). Of course, once on the boat docks, I quickly found the disco ship (which was indeed quite the spectacle) along with the cool haunted ship with blacklights and many other oddments. There was quite a party going on among the boat people. Among the many other oddments were none other than the Bone Island Buccaneers, Mad Mary Diamond and Lily. They were all hauling around cases and bottles of Pirate’s Choice Rum so I darted off to find the on-ramp to the docks where all the fun was. The case of rum included some molasses flavored- and a really fascinating Key Lime flavored-Rum, of which I wound up carrying a bottle, much to the detriment of the bottle. Before I could carry it, however, Nigel proved that full bottles are less likely to break by bouncing it off the concrete dock. The Pirates C. rum distributor was leading the parade, so I handed out samples from my bouncing Key Lime bottle with the best of them and bonded with the Bone Island Buccaneers. Very yummy, although not exactly like traditional rum. Somewhere along the way we lost the majority of the Bone Island Crew and I wound up being escorted, arm in arm, by Scarlett Jai and Mad Mary (which is a picture I badly wanted to have for my surgeon’s journal - alas.) Scarlett pulled out a bullwhip (OF COURSE she had a bullwhip) and tried cracking it. Failing that, your humble surgeon tried. Failing that, Mad Mary tried and succeeded, a fine bit of irony that resulted in more celebratory rum drinking and the further escorting of the ship’s surgeon (why not?) We eventually wound up back at camp and shared rum with everyone we met along the way. (Drinks all around!) We wandered over to the campfire that was formally the cooking fire where some truly astounding shanties were being sung. Being somewhat drunk at this point, I joined in without really knowing the words. After several songs, I was extremely tired, having gotten only three hours of sleep last night…this morning….whenever I wrote this, so I went back to the fine Holiday Inn. All I can say is that I wish I had a picture of me with Mad Mary and Scarlett Jai…

I think the pub was down this weekend, so I couldn't post the Surgeon's Tale of Hampton. However, lucky you, I typed them up in Word and saved them as the event unfolded. So I will post them now as I would have posted them had I been able. ________________________ Saturday Day Michael, Kate Souris and I began the morning trying to find a Burger King using their GPS (which they've named Susan – or maybe Kate's father has named it Susan – or maybe her father's sister is named Susan and this somehow relates to the GPS…maybe all three…maybe I'm off track.) Of course, this meant it took about a half hour to find - with several scoldings being delivered by Susan to me since I was driving - for not following her apparently random directions. She eventually did lead us to a BK where we met one of the nicest BK window workers I've ever met, whom I will declare was named Michelle since no one else could see her name tag and can't contradict me on that point. We then went to the camp where we found free parking for event workers (huzzah!) and proceeded to unload Michael and Kate's stuff. There we met Captain Sterling, Joshua, Silkie, Mary Diamond, Abbigail Normal, Lily and Edward O'Keefe – all from PiP '07 fame (see The Surgeon's Tale of PiP '07 for more on that). I did not meet Amanjiria, who was still sleeping it off- er, who was not awake yet. I did meet Cheeky Actress, who was very friendly and hugged me. Actually, so did Mary, Silkie and Lily and I think I've filled Mission's required annual hug quota at this one event. I started the morning by being on the cannon crew again (it's becoming a habit of mine). I was in charge of the little pin used for pricking the powder once it was rammed into the cannon. There were seven cannon (I believe) including one with a hole too small for my prick. (,,, Nah…too obvious.) So they went in search of someone with a smaller prick (…still to obvious) and then the cannon were fired using a slow match. They didn't use the same sort of fuse that we used as PiP. Instead they rammed the load home, pricked it and then used this little tool to insert some sort of fuse powder in the touch hole. This was then touched with the slow match. I am now versed in firing two kinds of cannon. If ever I decide the surgery is too much for me, I can enlist in the hot, noisy, dangerous gunnery crew. (Nah, it doesn't sound like a very good idea to me either.) We then proceeded to head for the waterfront where Captain Sterling was assigned the job of Harbor Master for the event, which meant we had to keep an eye on things there for the duration. I was assigned to carry a barrel which established what would be a recurring theme for the weekend. The harbor is a nice area and there were several period boats and loads of non-period boats festooned with all manner of pirate decorations from mechanical treasure chests to pirate flags to costume bejeweled chests to an apparently disco-themed pirate boat (seriously) to inflatable skeletons. No, I don't want to know anything more about the inflatable skeletons, even though I am usually a fan of such. It was very festive and the many of the small craft owners seemed to be having a jolly (by which I mean rum-sotted) good time. We were not to accept any offerings from boat owners, so I can report that the harbor master job is truly hell. A re-enactment with Blackbeard on one ship and (I think) a target merchant on another ship ensued ensued in the morning. Alas, it was very windy and the period-correct mikes picked up the wind something fierce which made the dialog difficult to follow. However, I also met withoutaname and Justin and we had a jolly time discussing costuming, re-enacting and things that happened at PiP after hours which they seemed recall much better than I for some reason. I suggested that if she needed a name as her name implied, she take the name Mouse, but she demurred and so I tossed that idea aside. I also ran into a skeleton crew (hah) from the Bone Island Buccaneers who are out of Key West. I was able to chat with Spike, Scarlett Jai, Nigel and Dead Eye quite a bit more than I could at PiP since they weren't running the event. The most salient thing I learned for pub consumption was that they have a position on their crew one normally doesn't hear about – the crew tattoo artist. Apparently he uses the old fashioned method for tattooing. It was news to me that there was a new-fashioned method (involving some sort of gun, natch), so we all learned something Important today. I was going to play surgeon at a battle that followed, but everyone forgot to fall down during the melee so there was no one to doctor. (It's amazing how we fire weapons at each other standing twenty feet apart and yet no one ever gets wounded.) I suppose I could have tripped someone, but I might have actually hurt them and then we would have to find a real surgeon…either that or rely on my first aid skills. Trust me, no one wants that. The Archangel crew all fired their guns, including Edward's new gun and Aminjiria's whacking great blunderbuss that reverberated all over under the bridge where the battle was taking place. Unfortunately your humble surgeon knows little about ear damage, so I prescribe a dose of externally applied mercury paste and a good bleeding or two. We went back to the dock where there was another exchange between Blackbeard on one ship and Lieutenant Maynard on the other. This was much easier to follow on the docks as the wind had died down. Of course, Blackbeard got his head handed to him (heh) after which we harbor-tenders were responsible for herding people toward the parade that followed. I happened to be standing near the front of the procession herders which meant that when the guys who were carrying a treasure chest from BB's ship got tired, I was shanghai'd into being a chest carrier (…still too easy to be worth it.) Alas, the chest was top heavy (…nope) and started to tip, so two more people volunteered and we got the thing from the dock to the stage where the trial of BB's crew was to take place. My fellow carrier and I (for the other two assistants disappeared) set it up on a barrel and arranged the trinkets inside for best viewing. It turns out that much of BBs treasure was made in China. He was a well-traveled man, that Blackbeard. A bunch of pirates were seated in a semi-circle around the stage with the crowd seated behind them in a semi-circle on benches. I didn't quite know what to do as the trial began, having finished my (top) heavy lifting, so I plopped on the ground next to a girl I had seen several times who was seated with several other girls. Seemed like a good idea at the time. However, it turns out I was sitting with the wives or wenches or some such of Blackbeard's crew. So I inadvertently became part of BBs crew's wives or wenches. (Let's just leave that one right there, eh?) It was a good seat, but I wasn't good at yelling about how unfair the trial was on me husband. At the end of the trial, all but Israel Hands was sentenced and the people on the stage started throwing the Chinese booty into the crowd. In fear of being trampled by hundreds of booty-seeking children, I went back to the campsite. The campsites are pretty cool – they are all roped off so that the public can watch, but not walk through. From the outside, it's a nice view of pirates doing everyday things in an encampment – eating, talking, smoking pipes and so forth. While the public is not really obnoxious, but it's nice to have your little space. I was then asked to carry a gun in another enactment on the docks. (There was a lot of walking back and forth between the docks and the encampment/stage.) I was to be a militiaman who breaks up a fight between a bunch of women attacking a guy who appears to have been too free with his amour. We finally arrested him for causing the spillage of rum. (Insert tired 'Alcohol abuse!' comment here.) Amanjiria was in charge of our militia, Keith and Michael Bagley were the other two members of the team. Cheeky played MC and, although I couldn't really hear her that well because the docks are at a different level than the crowd and the speakers, I understand she was quite good. From there we went back to camp and I got a chance to check out the vendors. There were several period correct vendors and I ran into the Official PiP Period Correct Vendor - 2007 – Greg from the Weeping Heart Trading company. We chatted for quite awhile, I bought far too many things from him and I learned something tragic: the guy who makes the green onion bottles that are so popular at PiP committed suicide and Greg didn't have another source lined up. So I immediately bought one before I missed another chance to do so like I did at PiP. The rest of you can fend for yourselves. After all this, I learned dinner wasn't for several hours and returned to the hotel to shower. This even is far more event-packed than PiP. Being in the middle of Hampton, it is also a very different environment and it attracted hundreds of people throughout the day that I saw.

It looks to be indifferent good weather this weekend. Michael, Kate Souris and I arrived at 2am and thank God they had Captain Sterling's phone number or we'd have never found the campsite. There's nothing like a 9 hour drive into the wee hours to turn your mind into mush. I believe the captain roused from his sleep and drug Mad Mary Diamond along to the street corner (insert witty, clever comment here) we needed to be at then guided us to the site. We were then given passes to the local Holiday Inn due to the logistic challenges of setting up camp with heads full of oatmeal in place of brains. (I'll be returning to the HI because your old surgeon Mission is as soft as a Hostess Ho Ho when it comes to luxuries.) I guess I've been shanghaid by the Archangel crew this weekend - oh the fortunes of the surgeon in the pirate world... I'll try and report back later on tonight.

Huh. I've been there and I don't remember anything about them finding cremated bodies. (Which may actually say more about my memory than anything. Although I would think I would have remembered something about finding remains...) "Team member Andrew Chamberlain suggested that that the cremation burials represent the natural deaths of a single elite family and its descendants, perhaps a ruling dynasty. A clue to this, he said, is the small number of burials in Stonehenge's earliest phase, a number that grows larger in subsequent centuries, as offspring would have multiplied. Parker Pearson added: "I don't think it was the common people getting buried at Stonehenge — it was clearly a special place at that time. One has to assume anyone buried there had some good credentials." I think that's quite a reach on the part of the scientists. People could have been buried there for any number of reasons which we can't even begin to grasp. Heck, it could have just been a small village's burial plot. Curious that the bodies were buried before the stones were put up - what if the stones are nothing more than a monument to the dead and the arrangement is not really relevant to their original purpose? (They go on and on about the arrangement of the stones in the audio presentation on-site.)

Gee...twenty bucks for a bottle and a certificate. "Exactly what are you a doctor of, Mr. Venkman?" "Well, I have a PhD in parapsychology and psychology." "And now, you catch ghosts?" "Yeah, you could say that." "And how many ghosts have you caught, Mr. Venkman?" "I'm not at liberty to say. "

The saw I covet: http://antiquescientifica.com/saw_amputati..._wb_overall.jpg

*Sigh* Now it's gotten too expensive: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...:MEWA:IT&ih=003 You know, a year ago, if you'd have showed me this auction, I'd have laughed at you.