Period Camping

[Patrick Hand]

I've been making, and getting everything together so I can go bycicle camping..... but I also have been getting stuff together so I can do period Buccaneer camping .... There have been a few post in beyond Pyracy from others that also do period camping....... figured a thread on period camping and how others gear works for them might be interesting........

[Gentleman of Fortune]

Patrick

You might be interested in this board as well Historical Trekking. I stumbled across them while searching flint lock info.

Be sure to check out their "Virtual round robin" for classifieds and the "Message Board" for discussion on period camping.

Good luck to you!

GoF

[Patrick Hand]

GoF... I did stumble across the Historical Trecking group (and bookmarked it...) there are a few members that are kind of close, but I think when I told them that I was re-creating a Buccaneer, It might have scared them ... (or they didn't take "The Buccaneer Project " seriously)..... But I might run into them at one of the local rendezvous.....

I figure part of the problem (for me anyway) is Taking the time and effort to put together a Buccaneer "impression", and the only place to "play" will be at rendezvous.... (hey...it IS pre-1840 ) A Buccaneer just dosen't Look like what people think of as a pyrate...... but it is an interesting time period. I don't think I will have any problems with the "buckskinners", they are cool, and I will only be a little "early" for the time period that most of them do. A buccaneer looks very simular to early Longhunter, just without any Indain infleunce....

I've gone to rendezvous befor, and always camp in the primitave camp. I will have to "back date" some of my gear, but I like making stuff, so it will be fun. Will have to make a new "tarp" I used a Wealand pattern lean-to that I made... it works well, but is outta period.

One question, in an old "Buckskinner" magazine article, Mark Baker said that he couldn't find any doccumintation for ground cloths, but used one any way (he didn't wanna mess up his Hudson Bay wool blanket). I will probably use a linseed oil waterproofed ground cloth also, but wondered about others thoughts on the subject......

[blackjohn]

Patrick, I suspect you've seen these guys before, but if not, here is a link to the Snowshoemen.

[MadMike]

Patrick,

You may also wish to try The Coalition of Historical Trekkers.

Wasn't it Pere Lebat who wrote about the nasty condition of the buccaneers?

What about using a cow hide for a "ground cloth"?

I haven't fully read Exquemelin's book yet (online), so who knows, there may be some info there-

http://home.wanadoo.nl/m.bruyneel/archive/...boa/tboa002.htm

Yours, &c.

Mike

Pirates of Massacre Island

http://www.geocities.com/flpyrate/index.html

[Patrick Hand]

Blackjohn.... yah, I've seen thier page, but unfortunately, they are on the other side of the country.......

What about using a cow hide for a "ground cloth"?

A cow hide looks good, but is way to heavy..... I had one that wasn't very well tanned, with the hair on... that I used when car/garbage camping * but it rotted/fell apart

I stopped by the closest blackpowder gun shop, and got the schedule for the next Rendezvous (July and October.....) I am getting better at explaining about "The Buccaneer Project" somehow by explaining how simular it is to early period Longhunters, makes it sound better.... the guy at the shop does 1840 Rocky Mountain..... but told me about a group (I think it is the same one that I already e-mailed) that does early period (F& I War)

* car/garbage camping is when you drive onto the site, and unload all you stuff..... sometimes it IS fun, but I'm doing more period, and carrying my stuff in..... When I did Rendezvouse, other than my firewood and tent poles (they kinda frown on cutting wood on site) I would carry everything on me....

[blackjohn]

Blackjohn.... yah, I've seen thier page, but unfortunately, they are on the other side of the country.......

Or... you are on the other side of the country.

Either way, good luck.

Have you gone through Dampier??? Seems like he would've said something about his camp either while buccaneering or in his logwood cutter days.

[Hawkyns]

What I've been doing for this type of camp is a square of canvas, about 8x8 cut from an old fly. Slightly ragged edges and leather reinforced at the corners, it looks like it came from an old sail. I bought a pair of cheap 6 foot oars and lashed them together just below the grips. Open them out to form an inverted V, then run a line from about 7 feet back, over the grips and down about 3 feet out. Peg it at both ends. Toss the canvas over the back rope and peg the corners to form an open ended wedge. Works in most cases, especially if you point the wedge into the prevailing wind. I carry a small piece of canvas to tie over the opening if the weather gets really nasty.

For a ground sheet, I carry a piece of oilcloth about 3x7. I've cut a slit in the center, so it works as either a groundcloth or a foul weather poncho.

Add a small brass or copper kettle, a small tin lantern, and a blanket, and you've got the basic camp kit.

Hawkyns

[blackjohn]

Hawkyns, where did you get the "cheap oars" and how much is "cheap" if you don't mind my asking?

[Hawkyns]

I live right on the CT coast, so I went to one of the local boatyards and bought a pair. I think I paid about $40 for the pair, 3 years back. Now, I wanted a pair that I can actually use with my dinghy, so I bought properly varnished hardwood. If that's not a consideration, and you're handy in the woodshop, you could probably dummy up a pair for just the cost of the lumber.

Hawkyns

[capnwilliam]

Sounds like a great basic rig, Hawkyns. Do you ever backpack this to site? Sounds like the oars are the "only" heavy item here.

Capt. William

[John Maddox Roberts]

The Time-Life book "The Pirates" has on p.56 an engraving of Captain George Lowther standing in front of a crude tent while his ship is careened. Inside the tent, three of his men drink punch and smoke. Of course, this scene was not taken from life. Actually, though, pirates were sailors and therefore handy with things like spars, canvas and rope. I imagine they could have erected some very efficient shelter in short order and it need not have been crude. There were usually spare sails and spars and plenty of rope on every ship.

[Patrick Hand]

There were usually spare sails and spars and plenty of rope on every ship.

Yah.... but kinda like what Hawkyns is doing...... I wouldn't want to carry that much stuff in for a camp.... (it would look good tho......)

As a wierd note: I got side tracked on my period camping stuff........ and it's all easy stuff.... a tarp, groundcloth, and a blanket (the Hudson Bay blanket is nice..... but not quite right for Buccaneer......)

[Nam Singh]

Have gotten a good deal of equipment from jas townsend and sons http://www.jastown.com/ It's reasonably priced, period, and VERY well made by and large.

NS

[Hawkyns]

I'm going to Fort at number 4 in New Hampshire this weekend and taking the period minimal kit. I'll try to get some pics of the camp.

Amyone that far north , it's an 18th century market faire and watercraft days event. It's right on the connecticut river, so we should have a number of pirogues and batteaus there.

http://www.fortat4.com/

Hawkyns

[Hawkyns]

OK, just a kit list of this weekend's rig:

Oilskin tarp, 7x7

20 feet hemp rope

6 wooden pegs

3x6 oilskin groundcloth

1 wool blanket

Knapsack containing:

wool blanket shirt

heavy wool hose

wool monmouth cap

1 pair elkskin moccasins

4 inch pierced tin lantern

2 tin boilers

cooking knife, pewter spoon, wooden spoon

fire kit (tow, fatwood, beeswax, charcloth)

Food sack with:

loose tea

turbinado sugar

2 small wax wrapped cheeses

ship's biscuit

dried rice and peas

salt and pepper horns

half a dozen landjagers

handful of jerky

3 or 4 shortbread sticks

Ditty bag with:

clay pipe and baccy

period glasses

book- Moll Flanders in period binding

flask of rum

horn comb, bone toothbrush, lye soap

The food sack and the ditty bag both go in the knapsack, the tarp ties on over, the bedroll goes under. Add to this my waistbelt with cutlass and belly box, canteen, and my blunderbuss and I can walk in and out of a muster in one trip. The oars are in the car in case I need them, otherwise I'll tie off to a fence post or tree. I keep a modern first aid kit in the car.

As i said, I'll get pictures.

Hawkyns

[Dorian Lasseter]

Rod,

An' how often do ye get ta 'play' at this fort?

Betwixt tha' an' all th' ships there..?

I'm livin' in th' wrong area.... not enough 18th C. stuff happenin' 'round here...

[JoshuaRed]

Hawkyns, that is truly impressive! Be swift with the pics!

[Patrick Hand]

Got a snapsack finished..... now have to get a chunka canvas for a ground cloth..... and make a few more small items....

Unfortunately... the next chance I have to camp is at a Renn Faire.... Should be interesting.... it's not period camping..... and other than my Ultra-light stuff..... all I have is period camping gear......

I'll post a list (and link to pictures) when I get everything finished......

Other than a Boiler (dang.... copper ones are running about $60.00 .....) everything else can be worked on durring weekends.......

[MadMike]

I haven't been on a period trek in about two years (in part thanks to moving and a few hurricanes).

Has anyone seen the lemon-eucolyptus oil mosquito repellent lately? Sorry, haven't tried bear grease but one fellow I know did... he reeked pretty bad (we were pretty much safe from mosquitos under a green elk hide though).

Well, thanks to ye, I'll be motivated into gathering up my equipment for a period canoe trip this coming month!

Yours, Mike

Pirates of Massacre Island

http://www.geocities.com/flpyrate/index.html

PS- here's a link I found detailing a snapsack. Pretty easy project (compared to hand sewing a new invented knapsack...).

http://www.southernrangers.org/snapsack.htm

[Patrick Hand]

I have to re-make my tarp, I still want to make it light weight, and I don't waterproof the tarp, I carry an oilcloth ground sheet, if it rains hare enough, I wrap up in the ground cloth...... I'm thinking on maybe making it like a spritsail... But it wouldn't be light then... still thinking about this.... This is for my Buccaneer gear, so it has to be portable......

I also have to re-do the trumpline for my bed roll. I used a three stranp plaited rope, but with the blanket, and groundcloth, the bedroll weighs 10 pounds, and I want a wider trumpline... maybe I'll try a 5 strand plait......

I did find a web page on how to make a copper boiler, so that will be one of my upcoming projects....

Still trying to decide if I want to carve wooden tent steaks, or just use the large nails that I have now......

Spring will be here soon enough, and I want my gear in order........

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

Mr. Hand,

If you get into the forge work, tent stakes are the BEST first project you could possibly choose. Wish I was closer, as I've made literally thousands of them in many different styles over the years. As wooden stakes are definately lighter, they have their shortcomings in being fragile after taking several beatings. Made from seasoned oak pallet boards, they are fairly strong and durable. Take some copper plumbing pipe cut into 1" peices and drive/fit them down onto the tops to prevent splitting, and they will endure alot of usage. This will be my next project as well, I need to "lighten up" my pack-in gear too. (make sure the pipe doesn't extend into the "byte" of the stake so it doesn't cut into the ropes/loops.)

Capt. Bo

[Patrick Hand]

seasoned oak pallet boards

I thougnt pallets were made from hickory....

But that is a good idea, and easy to get for making tent stakes......I'l have to try making some and see how well the hold-up......

[Monterey Jack]

I think when I told them that I was re-creating a Buccaneer, It might have scared them ... (or they didn't take "The Buccaneer Project " seriously)..... But I might run into them at one of the local rendezvous.....

I figure part of the problem (for me anyway) is Taking the time and effort to put together a Buccaneer "impression", and the only place to "play" will be at rendezvous.... (hey...it IS pre-1840 ) A Buccaneer just dosen't Look like what people think of as a pyrate...... but it is an interesting time period.

I've gone to rendezvous befor, and always camp in the primitave camp. I will have to "back date" some of my gear, but I like making stuff, so it will be fun. Will have to make a new "tarp" I used a Wealand pattern lean-to that I made... it works well, but is outta period.

I'm still working on my kit, though I'm sitting at about 1700-1720 for most of my gear; basically the tail end of the bucc period. The Heritage Faire I attended last weekend was nearly all voyageurs and longhunters and only one guy didn't agree with me being there. My clothes were a pre FI period waistcoat, long linen shirt , seaman's slops over leather leggings (and breeches) with centerseam mocs, handmade sash and leg ties, leather haversack, old tricorne and a few knives. Didn't carry the dragoon pistol or dutch cutlass/dirk but had them nearby. Got invited to join one muzzleloader group though who liked the idea of having a buccaneer around.

Still working up to a period camp out and I figure that much of the camp gear used in the colonies at the time would work just fine in the Caribbean as well, though for a wrap (in lieu of a groundcloth ) I have a huge blanket handwoven in Guatemala. Very warm but won't keep the rains out.

Dampier details a lot fo the daily life of the buccs; food, traditions, and even some basic structures. Should be something usable in his memoirs for you.

[Monterey Jack]

OK, just a kit list of this weekend's rig:

Oilskin tarp, 7x7

20 feet hemp rope

6 wooden pegs

3x6 oilskin groundcloth

1 wool blanket

<snip>

Really looking forward to seeing those pictures Hawkyns; I'm nowhere near as far along as I'd like to be and that's a damn good list ye have!