The Buccaneer Project

[Patrick Hand]

For that extra, ineffable touch of authenticity, don't bathe for six months, soak yourself and your clothes in cow and pig blood

Is that almost the same as my Confederate uniform..... when worn outside, you hardly notice the smell..... but inside it does get a bit "wiffy"

[John Maddox Roberts]

What about period edgeware? Did the buccaneers use the sort of swords we think of as cutlasses or were they more like machetes: swordlike blades but without guards, in other words working tools adaptable for combat? And were they likely to have daggers or butcher knives? As plunderers many conventional weapons must have fallen their way. So did they use one set of edged tools for hunting and another for raiding, or did they plunder with the tools they hunted with? Or did some do one and the others, the other? Just to add a little confusion here.

[JoshuaRed]

My little collection of period buccaneer images shows a lot of them with short cuttoes, which is really just a sexier machete.

[Fox]

The trouble is, how do you define buccaneer?

The hunters and pig-smokers of 1620s Haiti were the true buccaneers, or boucaniers, but the men who attacked thingy-wotsit with Myngs in the 1660s might also be described as buccaneers. Most people, when thinking of buccaneers would probably think of Morgan and his band of multi-national cutthroats, others might think of the intrepid seafarers like Dampier, Cowley and Sharpe.

All of those groups of people might be legitimately described as buccaneers, but each might have had their own fashions in clothing and equipment. The early boucaniers probably had clothing and gear which was particularly suited to their hunting, long shirts, bare legs (very Red-Indian), long muskets, machetes and axes. Myng's men were largely of European origin, and their clothing and arms would probably have reflected this; for example I believe they used pikes which the boucanier hunters certainly did not. Morgan's men would have been different still, being such a mix of nationalities and origins. Finally the likes of Dampier and co probably looked more like seamen than any of the aforementioned.

So, what kind of buccaneers are we talking about?

[JoshuaRed]

I assumed we were talking about 1660-1680 European dirtbags (I mean that in an endearing manner) who squatted on Spanish islands and hunted wild pigs, while occasionally canoeing out to board Spanish ships. Ya know, buccaneers!

[Patrick Hand]

I are duscussing a long period of time,, 100 years,,,,I am looking at the later period ,,,buccaneers.. Capt, Morgan.... to Dampher (1668-_ 1680)

Delpier (just found the book ;it's an autoboiography.) so I can take t9 with a grain of salt...... gottta find his ori inal book..... anyway,,,, about 1880.. a bunch of buccaneeeds decided to raid the south sea (kinda funny now... the southe sea then west around Panama).... anyway... it was a total clusterfuck,,,,,,,,, they didin't get nothing... but they siailed around the world,,,

so late period buccanneer.. is what I wannna do...............

dang... to much rum..... can't type...... but I know what I want............

,

[Patrick Hand]

I wanna re create the ...(hawk what do they call a buch of men....) guys that went with Dampier when they tried to riad Panima,,(and it didn;t work)..........

[JoshuaRed]

LOL you'll have a blast when you look at these posts tomorrow morning after you've sobered up mate...

[Fox]

I assumed Patrick was getting into his role by beginning with authentic 17th century spelling?

[Belladonna Bess]

Nah, he hasn't capitalized the Nouns.

[Patrick Hand]

I think my keyboard had to much to drink also........

[Belladonna Bess]

Glad to see it has recovered then. Does it have a hangover as well?

Ok, not being quite so silly here, I'm reading Dampier at the moment and I'm finding it really interesting.

For me, whether a costume is authentic or pure fantasy, it is the extra effort in the details that makes the difference (even though what those details are will be different). I'm no help on authentic costume tips (my costume is along the lines of what Howard Pyle might have done if he painted female pirates, and I'm quite happy with that), but I did have a couple of thoughts on details.

For Dampier an obvious accessory would be the bamboo tube with the wax-stopped ends that he used to keep his journal dry when crossing the Darien (presumably he used it elsewhere as well).

Another one would be the dodgy commissions that he sailed under. Dampier states that he considered his trade to be legal at the time he was doing it (although from his wording, he later changed his mind). The commissions that the crew carried were generally a bit secondhand. He mentions a time when Captain Davis was offered a commission by Captain Gronet (Grogniet). Basically the governor of Petit Guaves gave his captains a number of blank commissions that they could give out to anyone they liked, and it was one of these that Captain Davis accepted because his commission was the one that had belong to at least 2 other captains. So to have a commission where it had obviously been passed around (several different captain's named crossed out etc) would be an interesting Dampier crew accessory.

The good news is that Dampier considered washing to be a good idea so if anyone tells you that you are too clean to be a pirate you have an answer for them.

I'm sure other Dampier fans will be able to think of others.

Belladonna Bess

[Fox]

On the whole, and contrary to popular belief seafarers of the buccaneer age DID think washing was a good idea.

...the Swabber of the ship, and his office and charge is, to make and keep the ship clean, and that as well in the great cabin as everywhere between the deck; to which he hath also a mate or two allowed him, according to the burthen or bigness of the ship. And they are to see the ship to be well washed within board and without, and especially about the gunwhales and chains. ... The chief swabber is also to oversee every private and particular man's cabin and sleeping place, and to admonish them all in general to be cleanly and neat; and to inform the Captain of all such as are not, that they may not by their nastiness be offensive to their neighbours.

From Butler's Dialogues, written in the early 17th century, but published in 1685.

[Belladonna Bess]

I'm sidetracking Patrick's buccaneer thread, but thanks Foxe, that is really interesting. The way Dampier specifically comments on twice-a-day bathing in the tropics indicates that he thought it would be unusual and interesting to his audience (because he states at the beginning that he would leave out things that he thought would be familiar to his readers, no doubt to the great chagrin of modern historians).

Of course Dampier's audience was people on land in England, not seafarers.

Do you have any further information on this? For some reason I think the history of washing is a really interesting subject. (Yes, I realise I'm strange. I just don't care.)

[Patrick Hand]

Well I found my leather dye, so I can start working on a hunting pouch. None of the picture that I've seen show one, but the Buccaneers had to carry thier bullets somewhere. In one of " the Book(s) of Buckskinning" there is a chapter on hunting pouches, and it said that eairlyer hunting pouches tended to be smaller, and the powder horns bigger due to the larget caliber of earlyer guns , I figure they were refering to maybe the 1750's, but it sounds right....

I was reading in Dampier, and there was a reference to "snapsacks".... is this a haversack or a pack? Also what was it that Morgan's men boiled the leather of to eat enroute to Panama? was it thier haversacks ? I'm thinking of making a haversack out of leather to carry stuff in..... (I have half a hide of light grey leather... will have to dye it tho......)

I was looking at a pattern for 1615-1620 Breeches or Venetians from Janet Arnolds book. The cut of them looks almost the same as the picture Foxe posted of the sailor.(gathered at the waist, and tapering to fit below the knee) They have hook and eyes to close the inside of the legs below the knee, but the very narrow waistband also has hooks to attach to the doublet....

I think I will make a pair with a slightly wider waistband,(won't be wearing a doublet) out of some cotton canvas that I have to see how the pattern works.

Now the above shows where there is a LOT of guessing about Buccaneers... so far do my guesses sound right... or am I going way off track ?

[Patrick Hand]

Hummmm.... I found some light weight denim, that I will use for the Test breeches (want to save the canvas for another project...)

Figure I will make them tomarrow, just to see how they turn out.... if they work, then I will get "period" cloth for the next pair......

I was "draping" (fancy way to say... messing around with the fabric) and it looks like the lower part of the leg will form just like in the pictures (I won't know for sure untill I make them...) But in the pictures, it looks like you can see "knees" but then thier legs get kinda thick just above the knee....

I still think they were wearing breeches, and not bare legged..... If Buccaneers went bare legged, there would be more mention of it, I think it is just breeches that are tight at the knee.... Will see if I'm right tomarrow......

[JoshuaRed]

Good luck! I'm eager to see the results.

Re: Dampier & Snapsacks. I always assumed he was referring to what we call haversacks...are we on track with this Foxe?

[Patrick Hand]

Well they came out interesting.....

https://pyracy.com/gallery/details.php?...624&mode=search

They are in General Pyrate photos.... breeches or try new.....

I changed the waist band (the ones that I took the pattern from originaly hooked to the inside of a doublet, these just button in front (and I added a tie in back for size adjustment) They are also realy high in the waist.... just below my ribs... kinda feel wierd.....

At first I was worried about the pockets.... they are 18" deep... but with the waist so high, they are just about right.

I guess my arguement about the Buccaneers in the drawings, maybe wearing breeches isn't very good right now..... even with them tight below the knee, they are "wrinkly"....

[JoshuaRed]

Hey lookin' good, Hand! Nice.

So, perhaps just maybe some buccaneers really did "go commando" while ashore? Seems feasible, considering the heat and isolation from the civilized world...do you think they ever hacked their slops/breeches off above the knee for the period equivilant of shorts?

[John Maddox Roberts]

Great looking outfit, mate!

[Patrick Hand]

do you think they ever hacked their slops/breeches off above the knee for the period equivilant of shorts?

That is starting to sound more likely... (I can't belaeve they wouldn't wear breeches.... there would be more reference to that....) But why cut off the legs, and then cover the lower legs..... if the leg covers are for brush.... I'd want something covering my knees also.....

One of the problems with the "Basic test Buccaneer" .... it dosen't look very piraty does it ?..... maybe when I make the real one... and the proper "acessories" it will look better.

[JoshuaRed]

If you're going for authenticity Hand, less is more! I think your rig is lookin pretty good. I'd maybe pass on the Jane Fonda leg warmers...but they would look cool for a pic...get some rips and bloodstains on 'em from slewsloggin' thru the dense tropical jungle while hunting....

[Patrick Hand]

JoshuaRed,... That is just the "test" one, I want to make another that is handsewn and using period materials (that one is made outta cotton) I also want to make a "Hunting smock"...a canvas sorta jacket, like the ones shown in Hawke's eairler post....

I think leather "gators" or leg wraps might make it more Buccaneerish.... as well as the proper accuterments, and hat. I'm still looking for an unmarked machete that I can re-haft (change the handles to wood instead of plastic) but so far all of them have the manufacturers names stamped into the blade.... Maybe I can ask a friend to see if he can find one next time he goes to Mexico (and some of the cheap kitchen knives..... cut off the rubbery/plastic handles, replace them with wood, and they make good period knives)

I saw a realy cool machete scabard on a web page about Costa Rica.... (not sure if it is realy period....) but it was heavy leather that was held together with copper washers and rivets. It also had a metal "loop" riveted to the front, for a sash to wear it. The sash wasn't long, but it went through the loop, was knotted in the back, and then tied aroung the wearer. (not aligator... but it looked good)

Right now with only the (test) shirt and breeches, it looks like "Reni" wear, or someones first attempt at pyrate.... But I watched part of the new "Last of the Mohecains"... and realized, that even with "simple" garments.... it will be the accuterments and acessories that will make it right.....

[JoshuaRed]

Yeah I know it's just a test, but the cut is looking good. I can't wait to see the results!

[Belladonna Bess]

get some rips and bloodstains on 'em from slewsloggin' thru the dense tropical jungle while hunting

OK, another case of a Belladonna Bess sidetrack I suspect, but would the hunter/buccaneers have slashed through thick tropical jungle? They hunted pigs and cattle, right? Pigs do fine in forest but I think cattle are really grassland animals. Savannah (grassland interspersed with trees) would seem more likely. Abundant wild cattle would certainly encourage a grassland ecosystem rather than forest. I'm pretty sure that both rainforest and savannah are found in the Carribean and on the mainland depending on soil and rainfall.

If they were mostly in savannah, then having the lower legs covered with thick gaiters would seem to make practical sense, even if they were wearing some early equivalent of shorts or basically had bare legs, (think snakes and tropical grasses with burr-like seeds).

Moret diversion, but this suggests possible clothing differences with the logwood cutters, since they were effectively working in swamp forest (cutting down spiny trees - nice job). I'm trying to imagine standing in the swamp all day with leather gaiters on. Not appealing.