Pirate life was hard but fair among pirates, unlike society ashore, each pirate had an equal share in decisions and in the booty. There were no noblemen, lords, or dukes aboard a pirate ship, and no one was called sir. But men with special skills did have special names.BOSUN is the short version of boatswain, which means the ship's husband. The bosun was an important man. He and his bosun's mates made sure everything from the tiniest pulley to the paint on the hull was in good order.
THE MASTER wasn't the captain. His special duty was navigation, knowing the vessel's location at all times. The master kept careful measurements of the vessel's course and speed. He used ocean charts and calculated the vessel's position at sea using the height of the sun and stars from the horizon, measured by devices like this quarterstaff close to shore he needed to know how deep the water was.
THE LEADSMAN stood in the forechains the rigging at the base of the foremast. He threw a long line with a lead weight at the end, feeling the lead strike at the bottom. Then, reading the depth from marks on the line, he called it out to the Master.
JACK O' THE DUST AND JEMMY DUCKS were important at mealtimes. Jack kept the ship's biscuit safe, dry, and away from rats. Jemmy took care of the chickens and ducks often kept in a pen on deck.
JACK O' THE DUST AND JEMMY DUCKS were important at mealtimes. Jack kept the ship's biscuit safe, dry, and away from rats. Jemmy took care of the chickens and ducks often kept in a pen on deck.
SAILS made and repaired sails. Most sailors were handy with needle and thread, and they usually made their own clothes.
COOPER was the barrel maker. Everything pirates ate and drank was kept in these watertight containers.
SPARKS was the vessel's blacksmith, who made bolts and rings for the rigging and also took care of the cutlasses, pikes, and axes.
CHIPS was the vessel's carpenter. He repaired storm and battle damage, plugged holes, and kept the ship's small boats in good shape.
GUNS was the gunner, the expert in charge of the vessel's cannon, pistols, and muskets. He and his gunner's mates were the only men allowed in the magazine, the closed room where the gunpowder was kept. This room was lit through an inside window by a lamp outside the magazine no flames near the powder! The gunner filled bags with the right amount of powder for each cannon.
