Port Royal, Jamica. JOINT THREAD

[hurricane]

Just a note. If you were speaking Spanish in Port Royal 1660 to 1680, you'd be considered a spy and hung. Depends on the time period of whether anyone would be speaking Spanish, since they were the bane to privateers and sailors living on the island at the time.

-- Hurricane

[Ransom]

Oh, good. Now they REALLY won't like Trilby harassing them and making a scene.

[CrazyCholeBlack]

Just a note. If you were speaking Spanish in Port Royal 1660 to 1680, you'd be considered a spy and hung. Depends on the time period of whether anyone would be speaking Spanish, since they were the bane to privateers and sailors living on the island at the time.

-- Hurricane

yes & that's exactly the point now isn't it?

[hurricane]

Sorry, I don't follow the thread, just point our technical issues. If a Spainaird is stupid enough to enter the town during that period, it wouldn't be 24 hours before the militia would round him up (just for speaking Spanish), try him in the Court of Admiraly and hand his sorry arse at Gallow's Point.

Just the way it was, during that time. After and up to the earthquake, Spaniards were tolerated by not liked in town. And, of course, the town was 1/3 the size at the time and not pirate friendly at all.

-- Hurricane

[hurricane]

Here's a treat for you. I was working on my Port Royal presentation and came across this - it's a 3D flythrough of the town before the earthquake and it pretty closed to dead on from the perspective of layout and architecture.

Have fun in town...

http://www.ats.ucla.edu/videos/portroyal_ref.mov

-- Hurricane

[Thomas Neede]

I've taken the first step and dove in.

Hopefully I can help add to the town.

[Rats]

Excellent choice and well done!

Rats

[Thomas Neede]

Thank you.

[Ransom]

Hello Mr. Neede. A new face in PR is always welcome. Glad you decided to join us.

[Thomas Neede]

Thank you for the kind words False Ransom.

I do have a "period" question:

When I finally come ashore, whom would I see about buying and Inn or Tavern?

[Capt. Sterling]

Welcome! Good to have ye!

['Bastian Devareaux]

Something I came across...Bon Apetit, Amies

Port-Royal

Arguably the largest English city in the New World, Port-Royal sits on a narrow spit of land jutting westward from the southeast corner of Jamaica. Port-Royal sits in a rather desolate part of the Jamaican coast but the Location is singularly defensible. The harbor is deep and defensible with good winds and shelter from the weather.

The island of Jamaica is roughly rectangular with mountains along the coast rising to a plateau rich in limestone and bauxite. The central mountain region of the plateau is thickly forested and home to a large population of escaped slaves and surviving natives.

The island of Jamaica was settled in 1509 by Juan de Esquivel. The Spanish held it for more than a century until 1655 when an English squadron landed in what is now Kingston. The small army sacked and burned the Spanish settlements, conquering the island. Spain has never retaken the island.

The soldiers set up the city of Port-Royal and the colony begins the cultivation of sugarcane. This income is soon augmented by a growing level of privateering based in Port-Royal.

By the 1660s, Port-Royal is the greatest pirate haven in the Caribbean and her governor, Thomas Modyford hands out Letters of Marque and Reprisal to any man with a boat who can keep an oath not to attack English ships. Port-Royal becomes known as the 'wickedest town on Earth.'

The population of Port-Royal numbers about 7,500 permanent residents with nearly 5,000 men in the garrison. From 2,000 to 5,000 sailors roam the streets and alleyways each night adding even more to the population.

On June 7, 1692, a large part of Port-Royal is forcibly removed from the Earth by a devastating earthquake which slumps most of the town into the sea. Thousands are killed and Port-Royal is never fully rebuilt. Huguenots claim that the earthquake is the work of God. The British throne, being ever so much more prudent, does very little to help in rebuilding and instead turns its attention to it's number two colony: Massachusetts. The city has been rebuilt by the beginning of the early 18th century and has become more respectable, becoming one of the main bases against Piracy, although many pirates still frequent the dockside inns, taverns and brothels.

Anything can be sold in Port-Royal. The only factor is the price. Any goods may be bought in Port-Royal at base price.

http://www.kipar.org/piratical-resources/pirate-carib-guide.html

[Thomas Neede]

Pardon for continuing questions, what time of night is it? Is it night, correct? (By reading those posts prior to my first I took it as such.)

[Ransom]

As far as purchasing an inn, I think you can just make something up, without having anything "Official" to do. You can imply that all the offical stuff was done, but I don't think you need to describe it.

As for time of day - that's an ongoing issue in PR. Some characters can be as much as a whole day ahead of some of the others. But, I think at this point we're all on the same day, if not the same hour. Ransom and Sebastian are in late afternoon, I think, or by now, early evening. With Trilby and Lady Violet, it's not an issue.

Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong in any of this.

R

[Cheeky Actress]

This question is for Dan Reid (aka Captain MacCraige).

What does Mate look like? Is he a black Scottie? Is he a pure black pomeranian? Is he a mutt?

I know that Thomas Gainsborough painted a lovely shot of a Pomeranian Bitch and Pup. c.1777

I can just see Lilly love'n up on something like a pomeranian!

[Capt. Sterling]

Why can I not see a tough Scottish Laird with one of those little yappy things??

[Cheeky Actress]

Perhaps not, I know that pomeranians did not come into true popularity until the 1800s...but they were around during the late 17th century.

I think they originally came from Iceland or something like that.

Now Scotties, there's a scrappy dog for you. My Aunt has one named, MacDuff. Very lovely dog, good tempered and loves to be active! He chases anything....rabbits, chickens, small newphews!

[Dan Reid]

I would like to think he is a Scotty, but I do not know if the breed existed at the time. If it didn't, then he is a mutt that looks like a scotty..hehe. As far as a Scotsman having a small dog like that. Remember, MacCraige is a ship's master and the dog has an important job on board as a rat catcher. I know the Dutch used a breed called a Schipperke for such a purpose. Hamish has a big heart, so the little dog would fit nicely with him, I think.

[Cheeky Actress]

Oh they would have been around, Dan. Their Highland History goes back to the 1400s!

Good, it is settled then. An Aberdeen Terrier (Scottie) it is!

[Capt. Sterling]

To Mr. Spindlethorpe, it was tantamount to the end of the world as he knew it.

couldn't have picked a better place for a few fistacuffs...

[hurricane]

The population of Port-Royal numbers about 7,500 permanent residents with nearly 5,000 men in the garrison. From 2,000 to 5,000 sailors roam the streets and alleyways each night adding even more to the population.

A small correction. The population of Port Royal at the time was indeed approximately 7,000. But there was never a permanent garrison of 5,000 men at that time. The British military presence was one full time officer and two assistant gunners. They were supported by 1,500 militiamen who guarded the entire island. These were supported by volunteers in the town who operated the 145 cannon available. The population included the sailors - the town, built on 51 acres, never could accommodate 2,000 to 5,000 visitors ever. Believe me, 7,000 people are a lot of folks to pack onto that amount of space on the Pallisadoes.

There's one thing you couldn't get on the island, by the way. Good bread. The bread there was terrible, partly because the wheat was already stale or spoiled by the time it arrived from overseas and yeast didn't do its job well in the tepid heat. That explains why there was only one baker listed in the merchant roster at the time.

-- Hurricane

[Ransom]

Bump

[Cheeky Actress]

Thawk! ...it's much better than bump..

[Capt. Sterling]

Oi anyone going to write any more? And don't tell me yer all busy sewing... snigger.

[Dan Reid]

Im in the midst of a sixteen week algebra class squeezed into one month...hehe....have a hard time finding time to sleep much less write. Hamish is with Lilly and I trust her to use him as she sees fit till I can take back over in a couple of weeks.