Wattpad brings you a guest post from Dianne Greenlay, author of the historical adventure “Quintspinner - A Pirate’s Quest”:
Life on board a pirate ship in the 1700’s, while immensely better than that of an enlisted sailor in an official Navy, was still pretty rough. Fresh water was scarce, and the water that was stored in casks and barrels, in the heat of the tropics, quickly grew algae and bacteria, becoming slimy and green-tinged, much like the water that can be seen in summer horse troughs and shallow ponds today.
Frequently, water sources for the cities of the times were dangerously polluted with raw sewage and rotting carcasses, so it was assumed (and rightly so!) that to bathe in water, or to consume much of it, would result in illness. Many sailors and pirates never learned to swim as water became a thing to be avoided, and baths were undertaken seasonally at best!
“Grog” was a cheap alternative to supplying drinking water on the ships sailing in the West Indies. Initially it was a strong, harsh rum, made from the sugar cane grown there and fermented into alcohol. “Kill-devil” as it was referred to, was so strong that it often produced alcohol poisoning in those who over-indulged. Two servings per day became an early standard, although the “tots” were often doubled or quadrupled before going into battle, as the “liquid courage” made the crew members more pugilistic and wounds would be more easily borne when a sailor was drunk.
The straight rum issued to the men on a daily basis, however, resulted in chronic drunkenness and lack of discipline. This was a dangerous combination for men who were both prone to violent behavior and who routinely carried sharp daggers in their waistbands. Arguments between crew members of the same ship often escalated to the point that two warring crew members would be put ashore to settle the issue. Such fights commonly ended with one or both pirates losing a limb or eye, and on occasion, only one would live to be victorious.
Eventually the rum tot was cut with, or added into, the water rations. This not only cut down on the drunkenness, but it made the stored drinking water more palatable, and the antiseptic qualities of the strong alcohol made the water safer to drink. As time went on, sugar, lime, nutmeg, or cinnamon were added to improve the taste.
“Powder monkeys” were children, some as young as the age of five, and many, although not all, were orphans who were abducted from the streets of the large cities. Powder monkeys, chosen for their small sizes and agility, were forced to sail and work upon the ships. Even these youngsters were permitted a portion of the grog with which to fortify their courage, as their job was to quickly haul bags of highly explosive and unstable gunpowder up to the gun crews during battles.
Powder Monkey on a ship (Photo: Wikipedia)
A daily liquor ration was administered to sailors in the US Navy until the mid 1800’s and the practice remained in place in the British Navy until July 31, 1970 when the 300 year old naval tradition officially ended, on a day that is still referred to as “Black Tot Day.”
Although official records are not kept, pirate crews, to this day however, are assumed to be reluctant to give up their historical drink of choice!
Yessiree, life in the days of the pirate was much different from how we live now. I researched heavily for my novel, Quintspinner – A Pirate’s Quest and came across all kinds of strange facts and juicy tidbits to weave the story around. As a result, the novel has won 14 book awards in the categories of Best Historical, Best YA, Best Commercial, and Best Beach Read.
I am so pleased to be able to share the novel in its entirety with Wattpad members. Quintspinner is also available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.
I’m excited to also announce that Book Two in the Quintspinner series, Deadly Misfortune will be released very shortly! Join me at www.diannegreenlay.com for free chapter previews and posts about all things pirate-y!
In the words of a long ago pirate – “Here’s to your fortunate proceedings, a good hot fight, and a long life to each and all.”
Read Quintspinner - A Pirate’s Quest on Wattpad!
As the daughter of a London physician in 1717, sixteen-year-old Tess Willoughby has seen her share of horrors and been to some of the city’s shadiest quarters. But a simple trip through the chaos of a London marketplace takes a bizarre twist. Tess witnesses the murder of a renowned elderly seer and unwittingly becomes the mistress of the woman’s prophetic spinner ring. Even worse, Tess’s panic-stricken trip home leads her to discover a secret family history that shocks Tess to her core.
Unable to give up the bejeweled ring, Tess must embark on a treacherous voyage to the pirate-infested waters of the West Indies. Trapped on a merchant ship and unwillingly betrothed to the murderer who covets the power of her ring, Tess finds strength and comfort in the company of a handsome sailor, even though this growing temptation will most certainly jeopardize their lives. Even stranger, she soon realizes that even though her fiancé is ruthless, he alone can secure her safety throughout their perilous journey. Thrust into a world she doesn’t understand to fulfill a role she is only beginning to grasp, Tess questions everything she has believed up to now. Her only hope of saving those she loves is to accept her destiny. And yet, the strange influence of her spinner ring could change everything…
Full of high seas action, dangerous magic, and a dash of romance, Quintspinner is a swashbuckling adventure that twists and turns with the fury of a hurricane.