The Pirates of Panama: or, The Buccaneers of America; a True Account of the Famous Adventures and Daring Deeds of Sir Henry Morgan and Other Notorious Freebooters of the Spanish Main — John Shaqi
The Pirates of Panama: or, The Buccaneers of America; a True Account of the Famous Adventures and Daring Deeds of Sir Henry Morgan and Other Notorious Freebooters of the Spanish MainExquemelin, A. O. (Alexandre Olivier)
History
The Pirates of Panama: or, The Buccaneers of America; a True Account of the Famous Adventures and Daring Deeds of Sir Henry Morgan and Other Notorious Freebooters of the Spanish Main
Exquemelin, A. O. (Alexandre Olivier)
Buccaneers; Pirates; Spanish Main; West Indies -- History
Having got flesh sufficient for their voyage, they return to their ship:
here they allow, twice a day, every one as much as he can eat, without
weight or measure; nor does the steward of the vessel give any more
flesh, or anything else, to the captain, than to the meanest mariner.
The ship being well victualled, they deliberate whither they shall go to
seek their desperate fortunes, and likewise agree upon certain articles,
which are put in writing, which every one is bound to observe; and all
of them, or the chiefest part, do set their hands to it. Here they set
down distinctly what sums of money each particular person ought to have
for that voyage, the fund of all the payments being what is gotten by
the whole expedition; for otherwise it is the same law among these
people as with other pirates. No prey, no pay. First, therefore, they
mention how much the captain is to have for his ship; next, the salary
of the carpenter, or shipwright, who careened, mended, and rigged the
vessel: this commonly amounts to one hundred or one hundred and fifty
pieces of eight, according to the agreement. Afterwards, for provisions
and victualling, they draw out of the same common stock about two
hundred pieces of eight; also a salary for the surgeon, and his chest of
medicaments, which usually is rated at two hundred or two hundred and
fifty pieces of eight. Lastly, they agree what rate each one ought to
have that is either wounded or maimed in his body, suffering the loss of
any limb; as, for the loss of a right arm, six hundred pieces of eight,
or six slaves; for the left arm, five hundred pieces of eight, or five
slaves; for a right leg, five hundred pieces of eight, or five slaves;
for the left leg, four hundred pieces of eight, or four slaves; for an
eye, one hundred pieces of eight, or one slave; for a finger, the same
as for an eye. All which sums are taken out of the common stock of what
is gotten by their piracy, and a very exact and equal dividend is made
of the remainder. They have also regard to qualities and places: thus
the captain, or chief, is allotted five or six portions, to what the
ordinary seamen have: the master's mate only two, and other officers
proportionately to their employ: after which, they draw equal parts from
the highest to the lowest mariner, the boys not being omitted, who draw
half a share; because when they take a better vessel than their own, it
is in the boys' duty to fire their former vessel, and then retire to the
prize.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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