Pirate swords and weapons

[fernando]

This is ( again ) from a book i have on Piracy and Corso ( Privateers ):
... Contraband operations by the Dutch caused the evacuation of local French residents from the western Hispaniola, which contributed for the abandon of several domestic animals which, in wild conditions, reproduced abundantely.
This has increased hunting activities. Wild bulls and pigs were then prepared the Caribean Indian way ( buccan ), which pleased passing by contrabandists, corsairs and pirates, both for its taste and also for its capacity to be stocked, due to its smoke treatment. This was the first reason for these guys being called buccaneers whom, gathering some wealth with the meat trade, became a threat to the people in the oriental part of the island. Quickly the hostilities started between both sides and, within time, most of these bucaneers quit their frequent wandering into the mountains, living in isolated straw huts, adopting piratic habits.
As weaponry, they used at the belt three or four knives and a machete (cutlass ?) and a pouch with gunpowder and lead. Generaly they used a musket made in Dieppe, of large caliber and long barrel, shooting bullits of two ounces weight. They preferred gunpowder from Cheerburg, at the time known as the best quality, becoming named as bucaneer gunpowder.
From what i understand, in a politic perspective they were not considered as "classic" pirates, but a disperse comunity of hunters and bandoleers ( bandits ), this not meaning they didn't worry the authorities. They lived as savages, regconizing nobody and accepting no leadership among therm, doing a thousand atrocities.

[VANDOO]

ISLAMIC CERAMIC BOMB/ GRENADES, 10 TO 12 CENTURY SOME WERE NO DOUBT JUST FIRE BOMBS NON EXPLOSIVE BUT WERE CHANGED WHEN GUNPOWDER BECAME AVAILABLE. i DON'T KNOW IF PIRATES EVER USED THEM BUT THEY MAY HAVE.

[Rick]

Great picture of the Indian smoking process Fernando .

Pity the poor Grenadier Barry; I'll bet those things killed as many throwers as receivers .

[A. G. Maisey]

From memory, Oxford defines 'machete' as a cutlass.

[VANDOO]

IT IS SAID RIFLES OR MUSKETS WERE FIRST CHOICE WHEN CLOSING IN BY PIRATES AND PISTOLS SECOND THEN THE SWORD OR AX. DURING THE TAKING OF A SHIP ANY SANE PIRATE WOULD PREFER TO SHOOT DOWN HIS ENEMY FROM A DISTANCE OR PERHAPS STAB HIM IN THE BACK THAN TO FACE HIM IN A SWORD FIGHT AS NOT ONLY COULD THE OTHER FELLOW BE A BETTER SWORDSMAN OR GET LUCKY BUT WHILE ENGAGED YOUR BACK WAS EXPOSED.
RIFLES AND PISTOLS WERE USUALLY LOADED WITH MORE THAN ONE BALL ,USUALLY ONE THAT FIT THE BARREL TIGHT AND PERHAPS 2 OR MORE THAT WERE A BIT SMALLER. THIS LESSENED THE CHANCE OF A NEAR MISS CONSIDERABLY AND ALSO ADDED TO THE KNOCKDOWN POWER OF THE WEAPON IF ALL STRUCK. I WILL TRY AND ADD SOME PICS OF SOME OF THE GUNS THAT MAY HAVE BEEN USED AND SOME STRANGE ONES AS WELL. THE RIFLE IS A SEASERVICE BROWN BESS CIRC. 1745, MADE SHORTER FOR SERVICE ON BRITISH SHIPS, THE PISTOL IS A SPANISH MIQUELET CIRC. LATE 16 TO EARLY 17 CENTURY. THE LAST IS A DUCKFOOT PISTOL ,ALL BARRELS FIRE AT ONCE SOME CAPTIANS CARRIED THEM AS THEY WORKED WELL AGAINST A MUTINY.

[VANDOO]

A FEW MORE GUNS FROM THE PERIOD THAT MAY HAVE SEEN USE BY PIRATES. 1. A BORDINGAX PISTOL GERMAN 1600'S, 2. A 1660 ENGLISH SMOOTHBORE FOWLING GUN (SMOOTH BORE GUNS WERE FAVORED BY BUCCANEERS), 3. 1717 FRENCH 69 CAL., 4. FRENCH TRADE GUN 1700'S, FRENCH MATCHLOCK 1690, 5. SPANISH 70 CAL. 1756.
THE PICTURES DID NOT COME OUT IN THE ORDER LISTED IN SORRY.

[VANDOO]

A FEW EDGED WEAPONS, ABOUT TIME EH?

1. BOUCAN KNIVES OFTEN MADE FROM BROKEN WEAPONS WERE USED BY BUCANEERS.
2. CUTLASS, 1500'S TO 1700'S STYLE
3. CUTLASS OPEN BASKET
4.HANGER
5.SMALLSWORD
6.BOARDING AX CIRC. 1700'S

SO FAR MY PIRATE POSTS HAVE MOSTLY COVERED WEAPONS FROM MORE RECENT TIMES AND OF EUROPEAN ORIGIN. THE FIRST MENTION OF PIRATES GOES BACK TO ANCIENT GREECE, ROME ECT AND NO DOUBT BEFORE WRITTEN LANGUAGE WAS INVENTED TO RECORD IT. AFTER ALL A GROUP ON ONE ISLAND OR CONTINENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN NOTED FOR PADDELING AND SAILING TO OTHER ISLANDS TO RAID AND PLUNDER SEASIDE VILLAGES BEFORE WRITING WAS AVAILABLE. THE VICTIMS OF SUCH ATTACKS WOULD HAVE HAD A TERM FOR THESE RAIDERS FROM THE SEA EVEN THEN. PIRATEING INCLUDED ATTACKS AT SEA AS WELL AS RAIDS ON LAND WHERE CONVIENT. SOME RAIDERS WERE CALLED BY OLDER NAMES BEFORE THE TERM PIRATE WAS COINED IF I REMEMBER IT CAME FROM A LATIN WORD USED DURING ROMAN TIMES.
THESE PICTURES AND INFORMATION IS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG AS THERE HAVE BEEN SEA RAIDERS ALL OVER THE WORLD FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THERE WERE AFTER ALL OTHERS BESIDES (PIRATES OF THE CARRABEIAN)