Hi, I'm new here. I've recently been reading quite a bit about pirates during the Golden Age of Piracy and I have some questions. Hopefully someone here can answer these for me. And hopefully this is the right place to ask, if not, I'm truly sorry.
1). When did pirates divide their plunder? I guess I always pictured them getting paid once they reached harbor, but I read somewhere they were paid after each prize captured. If all they plundered was currency, that would make sense, but how did they divide up cargo? If they looted goods that needed to be sold, would they wait until they reached a pirate haven, then the quartermaster would take the goods ashore to be sold and then come back to the ship to pay the crew? Or would they just meet up at the local tavern later after the goods were sold?
2). Did pirate captains typically retain the same crew from voyage to voyage, or were the crewmembers essentially free agents who would sign on with different captains regularly? If the ship docked at a port and the crew went ashore to spend their earnings, when the Captain was ready to leave again, did he just make an announcement in the tavern and take the first guys to sign the ships articles until he had a full crew? If a crew member wasn't ready to leave when his ship left, could he just easily sign on with a different captain the following week?
Thanks!
1). When did pirates divide their plunder? I guess I always pictured them getting paid once they reached harbor, but I read somewhere they were paid after each prize captured. If all they plundered was currency, that would make sense, but how did they divide up cargo? If they looted goods that needed to be sold, would they wait until they reached a pirate haven, then the quartermaster would take the goods ashore to be sold and then come back to the ship to pay the crew? Or would they just meet up at the local tavern later after the goods were sold?
2). Did pirate captains typically retain the same crew from voyage to voyage, or were the crewmembers essentially free agents who would sign on with different captains regularly? If the ship docked at a port and the crew went ashore to spend their earnings, when the Captain was ready to leave again, did he just make an announcement in the tavern and take the first guys to sign the ships articles until he had a full crew? If a crew member wasn't ready to leave when his ship left, could he just easily sign on with a different captain the following week?
Thanks!
