sign in sign up
<<
Home , Blunderbuss

Argh! Speak like ye shud ye dirty landlubber: Here is a list of common pirate phrases. You can use these in the dialogue portion of your story to add description, detail, and a flare of character. Make it pirate!

Ahoy: Hey! Avast: Stop! Aye: Yes Black spot: to be 'placin' the black spot' be markin' someone for death. Booty: : a pirate who be answerin' to no man or blasted government. By the Powers!: an exclamation, uttered by Long John in ! Cat o' nine tails: whip for floggin' mutineers Corsair: a pirate who be makin' his berth in the Med-...Medi-...that sea 'tween Spain and Africa, aye! Davy Jones' Locker: the bottom o' the sea, where the souls of dead men lie Doubloons: pieces of gold... Fiddlers Green: the private heaven where pirates be goin' when they die. Furner: a ship which be yer own, not one ye steal an' plunder. Gentlemen o' fortune: a slightly more positive term fer pirates! Go on the account: to embark on a piratical cruise Grog: A pirate's favorite drink. Jack: a flag or a sailor : the skull and crossbones, the pirate flag! Keelhaul: a truly vicious punishment where a scurvy dog be tied to a rope and dragged along the barnacle-encrusted bottom of a ship. They not be survivin' this. Landlubber: "Land-lover," someone not used to life onboard a ship. Lass: A woman. Lily-livered: faint o' heart Loaded to the Gunwales (pron. gunnels): drunk Matey: A shipmate or a friend. Me hearty: a friend or shipmate. Me: My. Pieces o' eight: pieces o' silver which can be cut into eights to be givin' small change. : a pirate officially sanctioned by a national power Scallywag: A bad person. A scoundrel. Scurvy dog!: a fine insult! Shiver me timbers!: an exclamation of surprise, to be shouted most loud. Son of a Biscuit Eater: a derogatory term indicating a bastard son of a sailor Sprogs: raw, untrained recruits Squadron: a group of ten or less warships Squiffy: a buffoon Swaggy: a scurvy cur's ship what ye be intendin' to loot! Swashbucklin': fightin' and carousin' on the high seas! Sweet trade: the career of Thar: The opposite of "here." Walk the plank: this one be bloody obvious. Wench: a lady, although ye gents not be wantin' to use this around a lady who be stronger than ye. Wi' a wannion: wi' a curse, or wi' a vengeance. Boldly, loudly! Yo-ho-ho: Pirate laughter

Know yer ship! Here is a list of common nautical (or sea) terms. You can use these in the description of your story to add authentic detail and flare. Make it pirate!

Mast: a spar or structure rising above the hull and upper portions of a ship or boat to hold sails, spars, rigging, booms, signals, etc.,

Main Mast: the chief mast of a sailing vessel with two or more masts; tallest mast of the ship

Deck: a floor-like surface wholly or partially occupying one level of a hull

Port: a city, town, or other place where ships load or unload

Port: left side of a boat of ship when facing front

Starboard: right side of a boat of ship when facing front

Sail: large piece of fabric suspended from the masts and rigging of a ship to catch wind so the ship can move

Helm: a wheel or tiller by which a ship is steered; the steering wheel of a boat

Fore: front; forward; situated at or toward the front

Aft: rear; back; at, close to, or toward the stern or tail

Bow: the forward end of a vessel or ship; the front portion of a ship

Stern: the back or rear of a ship

Crow’s Nest: a platform or shelter for a lookout at or near the top of a mast

Figurehead: a carved full-length figure or bust built into the bow of a sailing ship

Hull: the hollow, lowermost portion of a ship, floating partially submerged and supporting the remainder of the ship; the hollow inside of the boat

Rigging: the ropes, chains, etc., employed to support and work the masts, yards, sails, etc., on a ship

Powder Keg: a small, metal, barrel-like container for gunpowder or blasting powder Command Yer Crew! Here is a list of typical crew positions and a brief description. You can use these in the description of your story to add authentic detail and flare. Info From: http://www.brethrenofthegreatlakes.com/forum/index

Captain Most pirate captain's were democratically elected by the crew, and possess qualities of leadership and courage that inspire their crew to follow them and rely on their acumen in battle. Daring and decisive during any engagement, the captain is commonly looked upon with respect, as a knowledgeable leader of men. During chase or in a battle the captain's power is absolute and he can discipline anyone who disobeyed his orders. He also has life or death power over anyone taken as prisoner. The captain has skills in navigation and seamanship, but first and foremost he has the type of personality required to hold together a rowdy crew of seamen. Other than battle, the captain usually would be delegating most of the everyday tasks to the quartermaster or other junior officers. He needs to be overseeing all shipboard activity with the barest level of discipline necessary to keep an even keel.

1st Mate The first mate on a pirate ship is the man the Captain picks as his second in command. In the event the Captain is killed the job falls to the quartermaster. Some ships also had second, third, even forth mates creating a chain of command. Some pirate ship crews had this position as the captain's right-hand man and the one who would assume his role if he were killed in battle or could no longer perform his duties. On most pirate ships the quartermaster and First Mate were often the same person.

Quartermaster The quartermaster is next in line after the captain in exercising authority over the crew. His authority on the ship takes up where the captain leaves off. Whenever the ship is not in chase or battle, the quartermaster makes most of the decisions regarding the day-to-day ship activities. He distributed rations, powder, work, prize, and punishment. Pirates didn't trust authority and therefore saw no reason to let all the power of a ship rest on one man. Therefore they split the power between the Captain, who led the ship in battle and navigated the ship, and the Quartermaster, who usually led the way on any boarding party, and kept custody of all prize or booty. As expected all gold, silver, or coin was taken, but beyond that, it was the quartermaster who decided what else was worth taking. The quartermaster also watched over the treasure until it was divided among the crew. The quartermaster who did the dividing, with the crew's supervision, and there was rarely a dispute about how the loot was divided. The quartermaster also settled individual quarrels and if need be, acted as a witness to any duels, to insure that duels were fair and just. Serious crimes were tried by a jury of the crew, but the Quartermaster could punish minor offenses. Only he could flog a seaman after a vote from the Crew. The Quartermaster usually kept the records and account books for the ship.

Boatswain / Bos'n / Bosun This position may be compared to the modern chief petty officer. The Boatswain supervised the maintenance of the vessel and its supply stores. He was responsible for inspecting the ship and it's sails and rigging each morning, and reporting their state to the captain. The Boatswain was also in charge of all deck activities, including weighing and dropping anchor, and the handling of the sails. A ship of any size would require the boatswain to oversee several junior officers who would share his responsibility for the crew's morale and work efficiency as well as the maintenance and repair of the hull, rigging, lines, cables, sails, and anchors. Bosun's Mate

Ship Master / Sailing Master This is the officer who is in charge of navigation and the sailing of the ship. He directs the course and looks after the maps and instruments necessary for navigation. Since the charts are often inaccurate or nonexistent, his job is a difficult one. It is said that a good navigator is worth his weight in gold. He is perhaps the most valued person aboard a ship other than the captain because so much depended upon his skill. Many Sailing Masters are forced into pirate service.

Master Carpenter A person in this apprenticed trade worked under the direction of the ship's Master and/or Boatswain using their skill to not only repair battle damage to masts, yards, hatches, and the hull, but to keep the ship's leaky seams in check with wooden plugs and oakum fibers. He would often have separate quarters combined with a workspace. Each carpenter would usually have an assistant in apprenticeship. There could probably be no more highly regarded artisan in a pirate ship crew when your life and livelihood depended on the soundness of the wood around and beneath you.

Master Gunner The Master Gunner is responsible for the ship's and ammunition. This includes sifting the powder to keep it dry and prevent it from separating, insuring the balls were kept free of rust, and all weapons were kept in good repair. A knowledgeable Gunner is essential to the crew's safety and effective use of their weapons.

Gunners A gunner would be the leader of any separate group manning the . His special skill would be in aiming, but he would oversee the four to six men required to take the through the steps of loading, aiming, firing, resetting, and swabbing for the next load. He would also work to ensure the gun crew's safety in avoiding dangerous overheating or excessive recoiling of the weapon. A master gunner would help to coordinate the timing and accuracy of the individual crews, especially when a broadside was ordered.

Sailmakers In charge of maintaining all of the fabrics and canvases of the ship. Sails, Flags, hammocks, etc.

Surgeon Another highly valued position, surgeons would often be grabbed from crews of captured ships, although they would not be ordinarily be asked to sign the articles. He would be expected to deal with colds, fevers, or sexual diseases with an assortment of mercurial medicines or other current treatments, and the carnage of battle often required amputations in hopes of saving the wounded. In the lack of a surgeon, a carpenter or even a cook would be asked to fill in. A carpenter would be certain to have the similar tools and cutting experience, but a cook as a surgeon would be quite a stretch.

Cook More often than not, a cook would be a disabled pirate who was allowed to stay on ship if he could make food that didn't kill crewmembers. Perhaps it was felt that if a pirate crew survived his cooking, he could make something to help heal as a stand-in surgeon.

Cooper If a pirate captain was fortunate enough to have a prosperous career, perhaps he could afford the services of a cooper, a barrel maker. Most everything not in a crate or canvas bag was in a barrel. Using steel hoops and strong wood, the cooper would make containers to keep gunpowder dry, food free of pests, and water and spirits from leaking into the bilge. With a changing environment and the constant shifting of the cargo, the hoops and staves of the barrels required constant upkeep to remain intact and tight.

Musicians Those who could play drums, bagpipes, trumpets, accordions, fiddles, and other instruments were so well liked that they escaped torture if captured by pirates. With entertainment at a premium on most uneventful days at sea, they would be expected to play a jig to dance to, lead a shanty for work tempo, or provide dinner music. Musicians would usually play prior to and during a battle, blaring out martial tunes, nautical favorites, or simple loud noise to inspire the crew.

Able Seamen The common sailor, which was the backbone of the ship, needed to know the rigging and the sails. As well as how to steer the ship and applying it to the purposes of navigation. He needed to know how to read the skies, weather, winds and most importantly the moods of his commanders.

Striker A Striker was a native of the West Indies. They were expert hunters who trapped sea turtles and manatees; fished for sharks and other large fish; and also hunted wild game when the crew came ashore. Their knowledge of local plants aided in collecting edible fruits and vegetables as well as medicinal plants and herbs. Their expert ability at hunting and fishing earned them a spot among the crew. Their hatred of Spain assured their loyalty and ferocity in battle. Their job was to catch fish and kill Spaniards.

Cabin Boys The cabin boy is typically a young boy of privileged birth who is sent to sea to learn the maritime trade. Typically the cabin boy waits upon the officers of the ship. In some instances he may act as the Captain's servant. The cabin boy will run messages and errands for the officers, prepare their uniforms, perhaps even fetch their dinners. Because he is an apprentice of sorts, he is also expected to learn all aspects of the maritime trade. The cabin boy works long hard hours. Even on pirate ships, the captain might employ a young energetic fellow as a cabin boy.

Powder Monkeys Powder monkeys were probably pressed into service, being kidnapped by press gangs and forced to serve aboard ship. Often the powder monkeys were young lads no more than eleven to thirteen years old. They mainly assisted the gun crews and learned most of the ships basics but were paid little (if anything), treated poorly, and were expendable. If they managed to live a few years, they might eventually make it to a position of more importance on the ship. Often, due to their harsh life, powder monkeys were quick to sign articles and desert a ship. On a pirate ship, new comers would serve the function of powder monkeys.

Prisoners / Brig Not all ships had a brig, but if need be someone could just be restrained in many ways. Arm Yer Pirates! Time be to arm yer crew. Know the weapons many pirates used and add some action to yer tale. Info From: http://brethrencoast.com/Pirate_Weapons.html

SMALL SWORD For European pirates in the '', these were normally the one handed type popular in Europe at the time called a small sword. This straight bladed short sword was designed mainly as a thrusting weapon, and was normally used for dueling. This sword weighed about two pounds, and was thirty to forty inches long. Some skill was needed to wield this sword in anger. And it could be broken if used against a heavier blade.

CUTLASS The pirate cutlass in swashbuckling lore is perhaps one of their most popular weapons. According to legend, invented the cutlass, but this may not be factual. It is said to have evolved from the long knives used by the early buccaneers to butcher their meat. It had a blade length of about two feet, and was straight or slightly curved with a single edge. Strong enough to hack through heavy ropes, canvas, or flesh and bone. It's short broad blade proved to be an ideal tool for hand to hand fighting in the confined area of a ship.

RAPIER The rapier was another straight bladed sword that may have been used by some pirates. Some skilled pirates may still have preferred it. Rapiers were usually about a foot longer than the small sword, and were used in much the same way. One of the more difficult swords to master, its blade could also break when used against a heavier sword. Because of its size and the space needed to properly use it, the rapier probably was not used much by pirates as a boarding weapon. But rather for its intended purpose of dueling.

DAGGER & DIRK The Dagger was accentually a small knife much the same as it is today. It was small enough to be hidden under clothing. And deadly in cramped areas where there was no space to swing a sword. Daggers weighed between one and two pounds, and were twelve to eighteen inches in length. They were carried by most sailors and pirates because of their small size and variety of uses. Such as in cutting rope, sail, and food to eat. Daggers also served as the last means of self-defense in a fight. A Dirk was just a specific type of small dagger. It was designed to be used mainly as a thrown weapon.

BOARDING AXE Common and popular on ships for fighting fires and boarding parties alike. It was used by pirate crews as often as the cutlass. The boarding axe helped pirates climb the high wooden sides of a large ship. It was also very useful in cutting through the rigging lines, bring down the enemy ships sails. The boarding axe weighed around four pounds, and was roughly two to three feet in length. They were a handy tool in opening closed doors and hatches while boarding. The axe was used effectively as a deadly hand to hand fighting tool as well.

BOARDING PIKE Pikes were basically long spears with a wooden handle and metal point. The ship board version of the pike was usually slightly shorter than its land based counterparts. They could be thrown at a target, or used held by the sailor while fighting. The boarding pike weighed around six pounds, and was between four to six feet in length. It was a common weapon on board a ship. They were often kept in racks around the base of the ships mast. Because of their length, they would have been most effective against swords and knives in a boarding action.

BOW & CROSSBOW These proven weapons had been used for centuries by many countries. When in range, the bow and arrow could be used by the pirates to pick off personal from the decks and rigging of the victims ship before boarding. The bow was eventually replaced by the development of . The effective range of the bow as compared to firearms at that time varied. Due in part to the skill of the user, and the quality of the firearms of the period. However, the bow could be difficult to accurately use aboard moving ships unless the wind and seas were relatively calm.

MUSKETOON This was a shorter version of the type . It was less accurate than its longer brother. Because of its short barrel, it was easier to use while fighting in the cramped conditions aboard a ship, where accuracy was not as important. It used the standard firing mechanism of the time. The weighed between ten and fifteen pounds, and was around two to three feet long. Many had a large bore diameter that would normally be loaded with multiple pistol type balls which spread as the shot traveled. The damage could be quite devastating at close range. Like the standard musket, it was considered a shoulder fired muzzle loaded weapon. Unlike pistols, pirates probably only carried one of these at a time in battle because of their size.

BLUNDERBUSS The blunderbuss was much like the musketoon in that it was a close range weapon. Some fired a very large ball. While most were loaded with a cluster of pistol balls, nails, glass or just about anything else that was in good supply. It was very deadly with these anti-personnel loads, and could maim and kill several people with a single blast. The blunderbuss weighed between ten and sixteen pounds, and was two to three feet in length. It had a large barrel bore diameter of around two inches. The barrel was flared outward at the end like a funnel. This odd looking flare design was supposed to help give the gun a wider shot pattern. It was truly the crude type weapon of its time. One of the major problems that if the gunpowder got wet the gun would not fire correctly, trying to keep a gun dry aboard a ship at sea could be very difficult.

MUSKET The Musket was one of the first attempts at small arms with some accuracy. Which eventually became the model for the rifle. Early used the old firing mechanism. But these were replaced by the flintlock which was more reliable, especially in the wet conditions aboard ships. The flintlock musket weighed between twelve and eighteen pounds, and was about four to five feet in length. The musket was used mainly as a long range sniping weapon in calm winds and seas, or against the opposing ship’s crew shortly before boarding began.

FLINTLOCK PISTOL A favorite weapon among pirates for its small size and light weight. An ideal weapon for personal defense and in boarding enemy ships. The firing mechanism was exactly like the larger flintlock . Most fired a single shot and were loaded through the front of the barrel. Reloading was such a lengthy process that pirates would often carry several pistols and various bladed weapons into battle. was known to have carried six pistols, and was said to wear four pistols. These pistols were sometimes tied to their belts with silk cords to avoid dropping them overboard during a boarding attack. There was a variety of pistol sizes used by the pirates. Some preferred to carry larger ones that weighed around five pounds, and were roughly twelve to eighteen inches in length. Others carried smaller pistols that weighed about four pounds, and were six to ten inches long. These smaller pistols were normally not as accurate as the larger ones and caused less damage. But a pirate could carry more small pistols.

MULTI-BARRELED PISTOL This was a muzzle loaded pistol that normally had between two and four barrels. Each barrel was designed to be fired separately. There was a wide variety of multi- barreled pistol styles that were produced at this time by the different countries of the world. Most were simply double barreled, side by side types that used two flintlock firing mechanisms and two triggers. Some used one firing mechanism, and two or more barrels that had to rotate into the correct position to fire each shot. This was known as a turnover type pistol. Multi-shot pistols were difficult and more expensive to produce than there single shot counterpart. It could also be an awkward and heavy pistol to carry around.

GRENADE (GRENADEO) An early form of hand grenade that was in common use by 1700. They were also called powder flasks. The ones used by pirates were normally small hollow ceramic balls with a fuse sticking out. These weighed about two pounds, and were roughly four inches in diameter. Grenades could also be made of iron, glass or wood. Common items like small glass bottles may have been used by some pirates to make them. Most were filled with gunpowder and small metal objects, which exploded into fragments. The explosive result could cause great bodily damage, and might totally demoralize a merchant ship crews will to fight on. Some may have been stuffed with tar and rags to create a fire or smokescreen effect. The grenades fuse was lit just before being thrown at their intended target. However, they were not totally reliable, and could present a serious danger to the person using them as well. Damp weather and climate conditions could affect the fuses and gunpowder, causing them to not always burn at the same predictable rate of speed.

CANNON Cannon usually required a crew of three or four men to effectively fire and reload. Taking a couple of minutes for a trained crew to repeat the firing process. It took a lot of practice and training for a gun crew to be effective. In later guns, a flintlock firing mechanism began to replace the slow burning match and touch hole. This proved to be a safer and more reliable method of fire. It worked by pulling a lanyard to activate the firing mechanism. The main guns were normally placed along the sides of a ship. Battle tactics for attacking another ship were usually a broadside style attack. This required a ship to expose its side to the enemy ship, then fire all of these guns repeatedly.

A ships cannon was referred to by the weight of the shot that it fired. The cannon itself usually weighed around two hundred times the weight of the shot it fired. Hence, an 8 pounder cannon weighed some 1600lbs, but fired an 8 pound ball. The weight of gunpowder needed was approximately half the weight of the shot fired. Ship cannon were made in various sizes from small 2 pounders, to large 24 pounder ship wreckers. Shore fortifications often boasted even heavier cannons. The big 32 pounders were commonly used for this. A typical gun size on a pirate sloop or small schooner would be 4 to 8 pounders. They could fire a cannonball over 1,000 yards. But the maximum effective range was more likely 100 to 200 yards. Cannonballs did little damage at long range, and cannon fire was notoriously inaccurate. Since pirates did not normally intend to sink their prey, their guns were usually loaded with a selection of ammunition effective against personnel or rigging and sails.

ROUND SHOT The standard iron cannonball. They were made in several common sizes but because of production quality, no two were exactly the same. These relatively loose fitting balls were not very accurate at long distances. But they could travel farther then other types of shot, making them a popular round at medium to long ranges anyway, especially in a defensive role.

BAR & CHAIN SHOT These odd looking shots consisted of two cannonballs or two halves of a ball attached together either by iron bars or chains. They were designed specifically to damage a ships rigging and sails. This type of shot was generally not very effective against a ship’s hull, and did not have the range of a standard cannonball.

BUNDLE SHOT This was simply several short iron bars bundled together with a length of rope. The bundles were custom made to fit snugly inside each cannon. When fired, the rope would loosen and the iron bars would begin to spread apart. It was devastating damage to flesh and bone, or wood and sail.

GRAPE & CANISTER SHOT Small iron balls about three quarters of an inch in diameter were packed in bags and used as grapeshot. The bag disintegrated when the powder ignited releasing a cluster of balls in a wide shot pattern. This load was very deadly against crewmen at extremely close range.

SANGRENEL This anti-personnel round was basically a cloth bag filled with small jagged pieces of scrap iron. The bag disintegrated when the round was fired sending jagged bits of metal flying forward in a rain of destruction and terror.

EXPLOSIVE SHELLS & HOT IRON SHOT An explosive hollow cannonball fitted with a crude fuse that was lit just before it was fired. The intent was for the shell to explode when it reached the enemy ship. Timing was critically important to be effective. The hot iron shot was heated to a red hot condition just before being fired. The purpose of using this shot was to set the victims ship on fire. This type of round could also be extremely dangerous to a gun crew, as the heat

of the shot inside the cannon could cause the gunpowder to ignite prematurely.