Caribbean Pirate Life: Tobacco, Ale ... and Fine Pottery

LiveScience ^ | Thursday, September 1, 2011 | Owen Jarus

[SunkenCiv]

From historical records scientists had known that by 1720 these Caribbean pirates occupied a settlement called the "Barcadares," a name derived from the Spanish word for "landing place." Located 15 miles (24 kilometers) up the Belize River, in territory controlled by the Spanish, the site was used as an illegal logwood-cutting operation. The records indicate that a good portion of its occupants were pirates taking a pause from life at sea.

Their living conditions were rustic to say the least. There were no houses, and the men slept on raised platforms with a canvas over them to keep the mosquitoes out. They hunted and gathered a good deal of their food.

Capt. Nathaniel Uring, a merchant seaman who was shipwrecked and spent more than four months with the inhabitants, described them in the book The Voyages and Travels of Captain Nathaniel Uring (reprinted in 1928 by Cassell and Company) as a "rude drunken crew, some which have been pirates, and most of them sailors."

Their "chief delight is in drinking; and when they broach a quarter cask or a hogshead of Bottle Ale or Cyder, keeping at it sometimes a week together, drinking till they fall asleep; and as soon as they awake at it again, without stirring off the place." Eventually Captain Uring returned to Jamaica and, in 1726, published an account of his adventures.

[SunkenCiv]

Archaeologists researching a site where Caribbean pirates "laid their hats" have found the drunken men not only smoked like the devil but also preferred fine pottery. They were sort of the real "Pirates of the Caribbean." CREDIT: KSL Productions LLC / Shutterstock	The scientists found bits of Chinese porcelain (shown at front), with a reconstruction of what they would've looked like if intact. CREDIT: Photo courtesy Daniel Finamore	About 36 percent of all the artifacts at the Barcadares are made up of tobacco pipes (shown here), indicating that the pirates were heavy smokers. CREDIT: Photo courtesy Daniel Finamore

[SunkenCiv]

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[Sawdring]

About 36 percent of all the artifacts at the Barcadares are made up of tobacco pipes (shown here), indicating that the pirates were heavy smokers.

They recovered chests of intact leather belts to prove this.

[Tennessee Nana]

“Ho Ho Ho Ho
A pirates life for me”

:)

[Steve Van Doorn]

I guess it was a time before the “no smoking” laws. I am sure there wouldn’t be any pirates if they lived under the statist governments we have today.

[momtothree]

The Chinese pottery is beautiful. Sort of a contradiction to what I would assume a pirate would like.

[AFreeBird]

Jack Sparrow: Last time... I was here a grand total of three days, all right? Last time, the rum runners used this island as a cache, they came past and I was able to barter passage off. By the look of things, they’ve long been out of business. Probably have your bloody friend Norrington to thank for that.

Elizabeth: So that’s it, then? That’s the secret, grand adventure of the infamous Jack Sparrow. You spent three days lying on a beach drinking rum.

Jack Sparrow: Welcome to the Caribbean, love.