Cap'n Coyote

Which brings up another question...well, actually several dozen more questions, but I'll research the others and just ask this one: The Royaliste flies US colors, but is considered a foreign vessel? Is that due to ownership, registry, the fact that she was French-built, some bureaucratic geek's Magic 8-Ball? I have read references to ships being registered in other countries in order to exploit loopholes in certain laws (your basic espionage-type airport novel), which implies a certain amount of freedom in registering, but have never run across any breakdown of the registry system itself, so it could have been artistic license.

Not a veteran, but damned appreciative of the burdens our military shoulders to our benefit. Best birthday wishes and a snappy civilian salute!

Best wishes, lads! Many more years o' rum an' plunder t' ya!

As usual, your answers generate about a hundred new threads of research. About brails: You used it as a noun, but all references I have run across use it as a verb: i.e. "To gather the Mainsail to the Mast" Fun with Synonyms: Spreaders, Crosstrees, Yardarms, Booms. The same thing? Also, since you used offwind and downwind separately, I'm assuming that in this case offwind means "from the Quarter?" Have you ever thought of offering a "Total Immersion" package, like they do for other foreign languages? You know, live on board and hear nothing but shipspeak for a month or twelve, until you can't help but understand. (For some reason, the campfire scene from 13th Warrior popped into my head). Thanks, Gary.

Slowly trying to accumulate knowledge here (but damn it's like trying to drink from a fire hose! Soooo much information out there!), and wanted to see if I understood this correctly. (I am looking at the picture of the Royaliste on www.theroyaliste.com) The gaffs are the spars angling diagonally from each of the masts, correct? It seems that they are mounted to a pivot at the base of the gaff. Yes? If so, do they only pivot up and down? Or is it part of a rig that moves side to side as well? Why would a gaff-rigged ship be preferred over other types of rigging? Does it give better speed, more maneuverability, an extra place to hang swabbies from? Thanks.

A friend of mine used to make chain mail for the local SCAdians, and had a few bracelets and such like. It occurs to me that if you were to slightly pinch a chain mail link, it would go oval like an anchor chain link. Have you given any thought to braided leather cords? You may want something sturdier, but it would echo the anchor ropes.

I actually started to include a disclaimer about historical context, but decided not to. It only occurred to me after looking at a map of Acadia-Nova Scotia from the late 18th C. It was there that I noticed Cap Se Marie, among others, and I just followed a logic chain. I know little of the history of that time period, I just knew that the French and English were then fighting for control of that land. Do you agree that Sarah seems to use the word Messiers? That struck me as kind of odd. I also could not find any record of ships known specifically as 'cannonades,' but I was allowing for the possibility of a slang term referencing their firepower. I had not read any of the posts between yourself and Deacon Frye before I tackled it. I was pleased that I had reached some of the same conclusions ya'll did (oops...slipped into my native North Carolina tongue for a minute). It was a fascinating letter, and I thank you for sharing it, both for the firsthand account and the cryptographic exercise. Looking forward to the others. CC

Claire, I don't know how far you've gotten with this letter, but this is what I have come up with: To his Honor: Major General Washington Commander in Chief of the Continental Army in America. Honored Sir, We your humble petitioners beg leave to lay our pitiful circumstances before you & entreat your favors. We would hope from your Elevated Station & goodness that something may be done in our favor. In the month of August in the present year, Messiers Robert Fulton, Robert Clarke, Joseph Berry, Thomas Harvard our husbands, with John Patten, William Patten and David ( ), young men, went in a Sloop eastward as far as St. Mary's Bay, in the Province of Nova-Scotia, to get to a (?) (Hay?) for themselves & were unfortunately taken by two Sloops of War, Cap (?), Cap (?) being cannon- ades of France & were then sent to Boston. We have, some of us, large families of children & are unable to help ourselves or them. Our Friends & Neighbors, tho' ever so willing, can afford us but little (?) by reason of the great scarcity of Provisions occasioned by the Drought, the sterility of the Land, & trade being stopped- We would humbly entreat you, honor'd Sir, to give our petitions a gracious hearing: & if you please, upon the Redemption of Captives to favor the above mention’d Persons it will cause our Hearts to sing for Joy. Sarah Fulton. Jannet Berry. ( ) Clarke. Hannah Harvard ( ) on October 12. 1775 from Sarah Fulton et al Sarah Fulton & others A couple of notes: Cap was the old French for Cape. Could she have been naming the sloops instead of referencing the Captains? I'm pretty sure that 'Charity' is not the word used in reference to the Friends & Neighbors. There is an older English word that translates to pretty much the same thing, and it's on the tip of my brain, but hang me if I can remember it. Hope this gets you further along. And Happy Birthday.

I may be able ta pressgang a couple o' computer geeks wi' some video editing finesse ta' add yer FX an' soun'track. If any group of rum-swilled wretches an' wenches could pull this off, it would be this crew. There's just too much creative energy pent up in this board to declare otherwise. :)

Aye. Don'cha hate it when ya c'n 'ear it in yer 'ead perfect, but end up spoutin' gibberish? Arrr!

Avast, Lass! Thanks be ta ya fer th' link. What a great site!

That reminds me of an article I found recently about "High Tech" pirates using GPS receivers and cell phones to coordinate hijackings of merchant vessels. Some of the pirates have even had missile launchers. If I remember correctly, the ICC recorded something like 260 pirate attacks in 2002. Wish I could find the link again.

Aye, Lass! 'ere's ta ye! May ye have fair winds for another year!

Thanks, Royaliste. That be why I'm here...ta learn.

Ye did work tech support didn't ye.

Aye, that helps. As much as I am a fan o' Albrecht Durer, I 'ave ta say the steel print design suits me fancy a mite more. *scans horizon for ships to plunder for enough doubloons to keep Redd in rum*

The sample you posted, is that an example of woodcut or steel print? I have seen woodcuts, but to my knowledge have never seen a steel print. What are the differences? BTW: 'tis a fine piece o' artwork, indeed!

According to me magic box (a Google search, actually): The Black Ballers were fast packet ships of the American Black Ball Line that sailed between New York and Liverpool in the second half of the nineteenth century. A sailor would arrive in America within four weeks of leaving England, and the return trip was usually less than three weeks. The faster the ship, the quicker a sailor would get paid, and the quicker he would be back to England, so naturally many sailors wanted to sail on the Black Ballers. Sea life in those days was ruled by the whip, and the captains of the Black Ballers had a reputation for being particularly brutal. When a sailor said that a man was blown down, it meant that he was knocked to the ground. Blow th' Man Down is a song about the unfair beating of sailors aboard these ships. (An I jest know that Cap'n Weaver will have some damn limerick 'bout black balls and whips!)

Ye'll have ta blame Cap'n Weaver fer all th' silliness. I've been collectin' limericks fer years, an' she be forcin' me ta pull 'em outta me arse jest ta keep up wi' 'er. Glad ya be likin' 'em, mate. Cheers! There was a young girl named Bianca, Who slept while the sloop was at anchor; But awoke with dismay, When she heard the mate say: "We must pull up the topsheet and spanker."

She called the front desk and said "Joe, They're making such noise down below." "Well, they're holding," he sighed "An Elk's ball just inside." "Well then tell them," she said, "to let go."

Sorry, Redd. 404 on that link.

Thanks to ye, Cap'n Slappy! Wi'out yer weblinks, I'd ha' ne'er found this 'ere crew o' raucous wharf rats! Ye'll not 'ave to pay fer yer grog fer at least another week! *checks loot bag* Make that fer another 20 minutes or so!

*slaps hand to head, falls over backwards, describing a perfect arc in the transition from vertical to horizontal*

By all means, lass, send it on. Me particular pirate curse is to be enthralled wi' all types of music, but bein' unable to play a lick!

Best be keepin' yer hand off'n yer cutlass, mate, or ye'll need TWO eyepatches, fer ye'll go blind! Can't I just do it 'til I need glasses?