Typical Activities Aboard the Pirate Ship, the Pirate Code

Discover what life was like aboard a pirate ship, from the hierarchy and roles of the captain, quartermaster, and gunner to the harsh living conditions and shift times. Learn about on-deck atmosphere, punishments like the cat-o-nine-tails, and the infamous Pirate Code. Explore the culture of piracy and the notorious Port Royal.

For years, Hollywood and entertainment in general have provided a highly romanticized image of pirates, and we will cover most of the particularities in the following article. Possibly the most prevalent one was the daily life of a regular pirate aboard a vessel being an exciting and testosterone-fueled affair, with scurvy dogs gambling, going after each other’s throats, or singing sea shanties while their captain stared off into the distance, pondering on his next target. And as bizarre as the next sentence might seem, one of the most accurate depictions of a typical pirate crew’s day was shown in the opening episodes of Space Pirate Captain Harlock, an anime adaptation of the science fiction manga of the same name created by Japanese author Leiji Matsumoto.

In the show, we see pirates lazing around their massive spaceship, sleeping, or generally having fun, with the titular captain Harlock himself rarely forcing them to do anything. However, the minute danger strikes, the entire crew springs into action, and Harlock takes command, front and center.

But before we delve into what a regular day was for a pirate, we first need to address how a pirate ship operated and how people got involved in the sweet trade to begin with. Pirate ships rarely recruited sailors in a similar manner to the Royal Navy or a privateer; indeed, the majority of people would join pirates either willingly (after their vessel had been raided and plundered) or by force. And even then, a pirate ship was not going to pick up just anyone. You had to be a skilled sailor with at least a basic knowledge of seafaring to be spared or invited aboard. Other people were either left on board the plundered ship or set adrift.

Pirate Hierarchy

The pirate ship is the center of our existence. Aside from occasional shore excursions, work, play, and everything in between takes place aboard the ship.

To assure that all goes smoothly, a true democracy must exist. Color, class, and creed are all non-factors – every pirate is a free man and shares in all successes fairly. In fact, pirate ships are far more democratic than they’re routinely given credit for; by comparison, life aboard the ship is a much fairer existence than on a merchant or Royal Navy vessel. By signing the Articles, you go on account and are given all the rights and privileges that your mates enjoy, ensuring that you are an “equal among equals.”

For example, a pirate captain, regardless of his heritage or past exploits, is voted into office by a majority vote. Every ship’s Articles establish the terms by which booty is distributed. Most Articles decree that any man seriously injured in battle, to the point that a limb is lost or requires amputating, will receive an additional share of the plunder (if not more), proving that there truly is honor among thieves.

A merry life and a short one shall be my motto.

Each pirate also has the opportunity to distinguish himself and be promoted accordingly to a ship’s officer, all the while reserving the right to leave the “life of fortune” at a time of his own choosing. This is the polar opposite of the British Royal Navy’s class-based system, whereby crewmen receive no money, no title, no connections, few (if any) liberties, and, of course, no possibility of ever attaining an officer’s rank.

Our democratic process applies to booty as well. All plunder is distributed by a fair system that provides slightly more for the captain and others in “management” or skilled positions, and equal shares for the rest.

Captain

Leading the so-called “management team” is the captain. Like the Pirate Mentors detailed throughout this book, this position requires heaping mounds of courage, jack-of-all-trades knowledge, ruthlessness, seafaring skills (navigation chief among them), and a whole lot of luck to lead a crew of rough-and-tumble, desperate, and hard-core men such as we to a life of rum, riches, and romance.

The pirate captain needs to be “pistol-proof” – that is, an expert at ship handling, crew control, and naval warfare. He must also exude confidence and exert strong leadership whenever he’s in the crew’s presence, all the while keeping the men content and in good spirits.

Captaining a pirate ship is like walking a tightrope over a pit of vipers – just one slip and he can go from reaping the rewards of countless treasures, to being marooned on a deserted island, finding himself impaled on a cutlass, or gargling on the barrel of a loaded flintlock.

Since many pirates have suffered severe abuse while crewing under tyrannical captains in the merchant service and/or the British Royal Navy – many crewmen are pressed into service against their will – we are, as a result, not a trusting lot and want to ensure that our rights are protected at all times. By signing the Articles, we effectively split the ship’s command between the captain and the quartermaster, a sort of “checks and balances” system.

Similarly, the captain can also be voted out if a majority of the crew is dissatisfied with his performance. The only time a pirate captain has absolute, unequivocal authority is when the ship is engaged in battle. In those instances, too many cooks don’t just spoil the soup – they get men killed! But as soon as the fighting’s done, the captain is returned to being “first among equals” and the democracy resumes.

Quartermaster

Other key roles aboard pirate ships include the elected position of the quartermaster, the appointed position of the sailing master, and the earned and highly respected post of the navigator.

The quartermaster has the authority to adjudicate any and all differences between captain and crew. His essential duties include maintaining order among the crew, meting out justice when required, overseeing the distribution of sustenance, and selecting and distributing the plunder from a captured prize. Oftentimes, the quartermaster will become the captain of a captured ship and will either sail the newly acquired vessel solo or in consort with the primary pirate vessel.

As one would expect, the sailing master’s chief responsibility is to oversee the navigation of the ship and to keep the sails properly trimmed at all times. And the navigator is tasked with making sure the journey through the expansive seas, ever-treacherous river waterways, and uncharted shallow shoals does not result in becoming lost at sea, wrecked on a reef, or captured by the authorities or pirate-hunters.

Gunner

Another vital role on pirate vessels is the position of gunner. The success of every encounter with a treasured merchant ship, Spanish galleon, or hated Royal Navy warship all boils down to one thing: superior firepower. The most powerfully armed and passionately engaged ship and crew will usually win the day. It is the gunner’s job to keep the cannons, ordnance, weapons, and crew in top-notch fighting shape at all times, regardless of the conditions at sea or, much more important, aboard the ship itself.

Other key members of a pirate crew, for obvious reasons, are the “sea artists” – specialized positions that include the boatswain, cooper, carpenter, and surgeon. In many cases, the carpenter and surgeon are one in the same; scarily, they use the same tools! Pirates who are so severely wounded in battle that they are no longer able to fight often become sailmakers or cooks so that they can remain on account and continue sharing in the plunder of prizes.

Not as obvious but equally vital to the crew’s overall mental health is the ship’s musician. This talented ruffian brings levity and merriment to the monotony and boredom of extended time at sea. And in battle, his music is used to motivate the crew to a fevered frenzy, not to mention scare the living daylights out of the prey’s crew.

Cooper (A. K. A. Barrel-maker) – because virtually all food and drink (especially freshwater) is stored inside wooden casks, no pirate venture can be successful without even a modestly capable cooper.

Boatswain, or bosun, was the next in line, and his job was to keep track of what the ship needed. He would look after the wood, the ropes, and the canvas for sails, and he often would go ashore with the crew and look for materials for repairs or supplies for restocking. He also oversaw the anchor dropping (and raising) and maintained the deck and the sails. Considering he was one of two men who kept the ship in good shape, a boatswain was an incredibly valuable member of the crew.

Another member of equal importance was the carpenter, whose task was to perform repairs on the ship while at sea. He reported directly to the boatswain and had to do most of the grunt work regarding filling holes, keeping the mast in good shape, etc. On rare occasions, he would also perform the duties of a surgeon if a surgeon could not be found.

And speaking of, a surgeon was incredibly vital to any crew. In fact, they were so vital that anytime a pirate ship raided a vessel, they would recruit that vessel’s surgeon by force. Injuries and diseases were frequent on every voyage, so a person well-versed in the medical arts (or handy with a saw if a limb needed to be cut) was a valuable asset.

Of equal value was the ship’s navigator. While a skilled captain would usually be able to navigate the ship himself, he would never turn down a crew member who was skilled in reading maps and keeping the ship on the right track. Much like surgeons, navigators were also often recruited against their will.

Living Conditions

Now we know who made up a typical pirate crew. So, what was a typical day for these men like? Well, unless they were in the middle of a raid or ashore drinking themselves to a stupor, their life at sea was incredibly mundane. As stated, most of these men were skilled sailors, and just like any other sailor, their entire time on deck was filled with them working around the ship and keeping it from sinking. They would hoist sails, raise or lower anchors, steer the vessel, tighten or loosen ropes, clean the deck, fish, do minor repairs, or none of the above. It was a dreadful existence, one that these men knew full well even before joining a pirate crew.

Unfortunately, living conditions for the crew of most pirate ships are atrocious, and that’s putting it mildly. Below decks is a dark, damp, and dreary environment, reeking with the combined stench of accumulated bilge water, unwashed bodies, and rotting meat and fish. Although meat is generally salted and preserved in barrels, it often goes rotten before the crew has a chance to enjoy their stores.

The water smells awful and the biscuits quickly become infested with ugly black-headed weevil maggots. Stormy weather and leaks in the weed-infested hull will send seawater sloshing down the hatchways, causing the bilges to constantly fill with foul, muck-laden water.

The customary drill on pirate vessels is to fumigate the below decks with pans of brimstone or burning pitch, but nothing can prevent the permeating stink, ungodly filth, and rampant infestation of crawling and scurrying creatures that accumulates during long months at sea. Joining the vile party are the unending deluge of refuse particles, food morsels, rum spillages, and animal feces that collect in the bottom of the ship’s hull, becoming a breeding ground for rats, cockroaches, countless other night critters, and a wide range of health-squelching bacteria. So if you’re squeamish about such things, I suggest you seek “employment” elsewhere.

All sailors on the high seas are well aware of the unpleasantries and perils of life below decks. And because pirate ships normally carry a crew three to four times larger than merchant ships, this large company – while great for battle – results in an even more cramped and volatile environment. Sleeping side by side on the steerage floor, or on tightly packed hammocks swaying from the rafters in one continuous motion, is the norm.

Although there is always work to be done aboard a pirate ship, we still enjoy plenty of leisure time—too much, in some cases, as there are long periods of boredom between the action and excitement of sighting a prize’s sails. Crewmen occupy their “downtime” with music, boarding drills, and games of cards and dice (although gambling aboard most pirate vessels is strictly prohibited—and set forth in the Articles—due to its disruptive effect on the confidence and cohesion of the crew). Nevertheless, many pirates with pocketfuls of fresh plunder prefer to risk the consequence of getting caught rather than squander an opportunity to increase their wealth.

On-Deck Atmosphere and Punishments

As outlined earlier, life aboard a pirate ship was largely uneventful. When they were not busying about with the ship’s affairs, the pirates on board would either drink excessively, sleep for hours, or laze around doing nothing in particular.

Musicians helped pass the time, sure, but their music made little headway in quelling the many issues that a pirate might face on the open sea.

The Pirate Song

Virtually every major event or task aboard a pirate ship is accompanied by a song or chant: raising the anchor, raising the masthead, trimming the sails, pumping out bilge water, plundering a prize, celebrating a victory over an enemy, etc.

The chanter (a. k. a. chantyman) sings the body and we pirates shout the chorus back:

Problems were aplenty, whether it was two pirates fighting over a mundane issue or a crew member stealing an extra ration of food. Each crime had a suitable punishment, and they were usually carried out by most of the crew or the quartermaster himself. Captains would dole out punishments too, but real brutalities, like those of Charles Vane, were rare.

Considering that pirates, in general, aren’t sweet and cuddly – an errant glance among them can easily be the start of bloodshed – adherence to the Articles guarantees the peace. At the very least, it lets transgressors know what to expect should they decide to break the code. And when the Articles are breached, punishment is swift – and it ain’t pretty!

Understand, the punishment isn’t harsh because pirates crave violence and bloodshed – at least, not all of them – but because it must serve two purposes: to keep the rule-breaker from ever running afoul of the Articles again, and, more important, to serve as a visual (and visceral) lesson for the rest of the crew.

The most common punishment for breaking one of the ship’s Articles is flogging -b eing lashed with a cat-o’-nine-tails across the bare back. As specified by the Articles, if one of the ship’s commandments is broken, a vote is taken to mete out punishment. In keeping with the piratical democracy, even friends will vote against their mate if an Article has been infracted. To insure the captain doesn’t simply flog men whenever he feels the urge, the flogging is only carried out by the quartermaster after a majority vote from the crew upholds the ruling, followed by the captain’s order to commence.

However, if the quartermaster feels the punishment doesn’t fit the crime, he may call for another flogging vote – and possibly for the deposal of the captain!

Once guilt has been confirmed, the transgressor is secured either standing belly-up against the mast, bent over one of the big guns, or prone atop the deck grating. One dozen strokes is the usual sentence, administered by the quartermaster with the entire crew in attendance. In extreme cases the entire crew not only watch, they participate, delivering a stroke or two apiece. This is true judgment by your peers. Just imagine the damage to a man’s body after 180 able-bodied men take their turn with the cat! To make matters worse, salt and/or brine is often introduced into the open wounds, intensifying the pain of the flogging, adding a horrific exclamation point to the penalty.

Whether a pirate’s punishment involves a cat across the back or being clapped in irons in the ship’s hold, he should consider himself truly lucky that he isn’t marooned or, worse, keelhauled. These two fates are usually the end of the road; the latter is almost certainly a trip to Davy Jones’s locker.

Aboard BARTHOLOMEW “BLACK BART” ROBERTS’s Royal Fortune, when a drunken crewman, Thomas Jones, cursed Black Bart for killing another drunken crewmember, the enraged captain drew his sword and stabbed Jones. Jones did not take kindly to the attack; he threw Roberts over a cannon and beat him unmercifully. Following the fight, Black Bart had his quartermaster call for a vote. The crew voted unanimously to uphold the captain’s honor and dignity. So when Jones’s stab wound healed, he was tied to the mast and given two lashes with the cat by all 180 members of the crew.

Marooning is a drastic measure of punishment often reserved for cowardly conduct, such as deserting the ship during battle or defrauding fellow crewmen of their proper shares of plunder. To be made “governor of an island” entails being left on a deserted island with the bare minimum of supplies – usually just a flask of rum, a flintlock, some gunpowder, and one round of shot. Often that single round represents the fastest and least painful way off the island. Failure to drop the hammer on yourself almost always means a slow death by dehydration, starvation, or exposure to the elements.

Keelhauling involves binding the condemned man’s hands and feet with rope, tossing him overboard, and hauling him from one side of the ship to the other, directly under the vessel’s keel. This punishment is bad enough in itself, but then there are the secondary side effects to consider. Razor-sharp barnacles that cling to the ship’s hull will turn the vessel into the world’s largest cheese grater, scraping and tearing the skin, leaving the victim a raw and bloody mess. Or, if the keelhauling is done too deep, the penalized man might escape the perilous barnacles, only to receive virtually the same treatment from a coral reef.

Oftentimes, only a shredded and bloodstained rope is pulled back onto the deck. Those who do return topside are usually just lifeless corpses, with drowning or shark attack to blame. But even the victims who are strong enough to survive the initial ordeal don’t elude the Grim Reaper for long; the multiple infected wounds only delay the inevitable.

Forcing an Article-breaker to walk the plank isn’t a usual punishment, despite many rumors to the contrary. Instead, we simply tie the miscreant to a dead body and chuck ’em both over the gunwales.

Tied to the Mast

Another form of punishment involves tying the offender to the mast for any length of time and letting Mother Nature mete out justice. The time of year and the ship’s location when the sentence is carried out have a lot to do with how well the victim will fare.

A newspaper article from 1726, “The Tryal of Captain Jeane,” provides a graphic account of how the cruel and sadistic CAPTAIN JEANE of Bristol tortured his eighteen-year-old cabin boy for stealing a mere dram of rum. After being whipped, pickled in brine, and then tied to the main mast for nine straight days with his arms and legs fully extended, Captain Jeane decided more punishment was necessary.

So he untied the boy, laid him along the gangway, and trampled over him, back and forth, ultimately encouraging the entire crew to join him. Rather than join in the abuse, the men deposed Captain Jeane in the most serious manner possible – they hung him!

Crow’s Nest

What could be considered a form of punishment – but is actually a vital role aboard the ship – is being selected to man the crow’s nest as “lookout.” This duty requires carefully ascending to the top of the mainmast (often higher than a hundred feet above the deck), climbing into the crow’s nest, and keeping a spyglass focused for sails (both enemies and prizes) on the horizon. The lookout is the ship’s only early-warning mechanism, and the fate of the entire vessel often falls squarely on his shoulders—or more accurately, his eyes.

But beyond the importance of the duty, there are the rigors that go with the territory. Even the most hardened sea dog will regularly suffer severe seasickness courtesy of the crow’s nest’s extreme height off the main deck, which amplifies its sway mightily on even the calmest of seas. And during severe weather conditions and high seas – forget it! Definitely not a place you want to relax with a mug of grog.

But despite the gruesome living conditions, strict codes of conduct, brutal nature of the “jobs,” and the relatively short life spans, life aboard a pirate ship is the most exotic and romantic existence you can possibly experience.

Captains Logbook

From hence they resolved on a cruise between Cape Meise and Cape Nicholas, where they spent some time, without seeing or speaking with any vessel, till the latter end of November. Then they fell upon a ship, which ’twas expected would have struck soon as their black colours were hoisted; but instead of that, she discharged a broadside upon the Pyrate, and hoisted colours, which showed her to be a French Man of War. Captain Charles Vane desired to have nothing further to say to her, but trimm’d his sails, and stood away from the French man. But Monsieur, having a mind to be better informed who he was, set all his sails, and crowded after him.

During this chase, the pyrates were divided in their resolutions what to do: Vane, the captain, was for making off as fast as he could, alleging the Man of War was too strong to cope with. But one Jack Rackam, who was an officer, that had a kind of check upon the captain, rose up in defense of a contrary opinion, saying:

That tho’ she had more guns, and a greater weight of metal, they might board her, and then the best Boys would carry the day.

Rackam was well seconded, and the majority was for boarding; but Vane urged, “That it was too rash and desperate an enterprise, the Man of War appearing to be twice their force.”

The mate, one Robert Deal, was of Vane’s opinion, as were about fifteen more, and all the rest joined with Rackam, the QuarterMaster. At length the captain made use of his power to determine this dispute, which, in these cases, is absolute and uncontrollable, by their own laws, viz. in fighting, chasing, or being chased; in all other matters whatsoever, he is governed by a majority. So the brigantine having the heels, as they term it, of the French man, she came clear off.

But the next day, the captain’s behavior was obliged to stand the test of a vote, and a resolution passed against his honour and dignity, branding him with the name of coward, deposing him of the command, and turning him out of the company, with marks of infamy; and, with him, went all those who did not vote for boarding the French Man of War. CAPTAIN CHARLES JOHNSON, A General History of the Pyrates (1726).

Port Royal

Port Royal, on Jamaica’s southern coast, was often referred to as “The Pirate Capital of the World.” Located along shipping lanes between Spain and Panama – happy hunting grounds for prizes – it was perfectly situated for launching raids against Spanish settlements.

Heralded for its debauchery, the city had at least one tavern or grog shop for every ten residents. Unfortunately, on June 7, 1692, the gods put an end to our Jamaican romps by hitting Port Royal with three powerful earthquakes and a devastating tsunami, wiping out two-thirds of the city in one fell swoop.

Articles (The Pirate Code)

As disorganized as pirates could be, at least in comparison to lawful naval officers of the time, they still operated under a set of rules. Each crew had a particular code that they had to follow, which varied from captain to captain, sometimes even varying from one voyage to the next. Such a document was called a pirate article or, more commonly, a pirate code.

There are several such codes preserved from historical documents, with probably the most famous one being that of Black Bart.

Black Bart Roberts’s Articles, from his ship, Royal Fortune:

1. Every man shall have an equal vote in affairs of moment. He shall have an equal title to the fresh provisions or strong liquors at any time seized.
2. Every man shall be called fairly in turn by the list on board of prizes. But if he defrauds the company to the value of even one dollar of plate, jewels, or money, he shall be marooned. If any man rob another he shall have his nose and ears slit, and be put ashore where he shall be sure to encounter hardships.
3. None shall game for money either with dice or cards.
4. The lights and candles shall be put out at eight at night, and if any of the crew desire to drink after that hour they shall sit upon the open deck without lights.
5. Each man shall keep his piece, cutlass, and pistols at all times clean and ready for action.
6. No boy or woman to be allowed amongst them. If any man shall be found seducing any of the latter sex and carrying her to sea in disguise he shall suffer death.
7. He that shall desert the ship or his quarters in time of battle shall be punished by death or marooning.
8. None shall strike another on board the ship, but every man’s quarrel shall be ended onshore by sword or pistol.
9. No man shall talk of breaking up his way of living till each has a share of 1 000. Every man who shall become a cripple or lose a limb in the service shall have 800 pieces of eight from the common stock and for lesser hurts proportionately
10. The captain and quartermaster shall each receive two shares of a prize, the master gunner and boatswain, one and one half shares, all other officers one and one quarter, and private gentlemen of fortune one share each.
11. The musicians shall have rest on the Sabbath Day only by right. On all other days by
    favor only.

You can beat us, but you’ll never defeat us. Immediately following the destruction of the Ranger by the HMS Swallow, CAPTION JAMES SKYRM – who sailed in consort with BLACK BART ROBERTS – ordered their black flag thrown overboard so the Royal Navy could not display it in triumph.

Most other pirate codes contain similar sections that generally deal with splitting the loot, ship responsibilities, or settling disputes. Every time a new member was recruited, the senior officers (usually the captain or the quartermaster) would present them with the code and ask them to sign it. Then the pirate would have to swear to abide by the article, usually on a copy of the Bible. These rules applied to every single member of the crew, including the captain. In other words, the ability to vote the captain out of his position was not just a frequent occurrence; it was pretty much a requirement if the need arose.

Captain John Phillips Articles, from his ship, Revenge:

1. Every Man shall obey civil Command; the Captain shall have one full Share and a half of all Prizes; the Master, Carpenter, Boatswain, and Gunner shall have one Share and quarter.
2. If any man shall offer to run away, or keep any Secret from the Company, he shall be marooned with one Bottle of Powder, one Bottle of Water, one small Arm, and Shot.
3. If any Man shall steal any Thing in the Company, or game, to the Value of a Piece of Eight, he shall be marooned or shot.
4. If any time we shall meet another Marooner that Man shall sign his Articles without the Consent of our Company, shall suffer such Punishment as the Captain and Company shall think fit.
5. That Man that shall strike another whilst these Articles are in force, shall receive Moses’s Law (that is, 40 Stripes lacking one) on the bare Back.
6. That Man that shall snap his Arms, or smoke Tobacco in the Hold, without a Cap to his Pipe, or carry a Candle lighted without a Lanthorn, shall suffer the same Punishment as in the former Article.
7. That Man shall not keep his Arms clean, fit for an Engagement, or neglect his Business, shall be cut off from his Share, and suffer such other Punishment as the Captain and the Company shall think fit.
8. If any Man shall lose a Joint in time of an Engagement, he shall have 400 Pieces of Eight; if a Limb, 800.
9. If at any time you meet with a prudent Woman, that Man that offers to meddle with her, without her Consent, shall suffer present Death.

Lesser offenses, such as fighting between crewmembers, are normally settled on land, where the antagonists are instructed to settle their differences via duel-pistols at ten paces (see Black Bart’s Article 8). Conflicts among crewmen are not seen just as a morale buster but as a display of complete and utter disrespect for the captain and his officers.

These articles are often used by some historians to show that pirates created a de facto democratic society on board their ships. And while there’s some truth to that, a pirate ship was far from a liberal democratic society where everyone got their say in the matter. For example, young officers and new crew members, usually powder monkeys, had very little say in the everyday matters of the voyage and were usually ignored by the senior members. Furthermore, both current and former slaves, if they found their way on board a pirate vessel, also had no say in any matters. As far as democracies go, these ships were not that different from any other corner of the planet in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

More importantly, the ships were nowhere near as “independent” from their native country as people might think. There were definitely pirates who went against authority, but by and large, they were loyal to the country from which they originated. Benjamin Hornigold, for example, refused to attack English ships, partly to preserve his guise of a privateer but mostly because he was genuinely a patriot in a sense (which goes some way into explaining his loyalty to Woodes Rogers during his first term as governor).

Pirate Duels

Simply put, any and all shipboard disagreements between pirates would be settled at first landfall, either by pistol or sword (or both, depending on the result of the first volley). And so, to the duel we go:

• Adversaries begin the duel back-to-back, pistols cocked and ready.
• At the quartermaster’s call (“One!”), dueling pirates take one pace forward.
• Forward progression continues with the next pace occurring at the exact moment of the quartermaster’s decree.
• Some combatants hold their pistols tight to their bodies, muzzles pointed skyward, elbows at a right angle. Fools!
• To win the duel, have your pistol already aimed – as much as possible – thereby requiring less movement, and allowing for a faster shooting action, when the final pace is announced.
• Rather than having to spin, lower the weapon, aim, and fire, keeping your pistol aimed from the start (waist high is ideal, as the ball will rise en route to its target) will tip the scales in your favor.
• Becoming a smaller target—by crouching, for instance – while taking the paces is a sensible approach to not only winning the duel but surviving it. By “becoming small,” duelers have a better chance of steadying their weapons, improving their aim and the likelihood of a hit on their opponent.
• Looking cool and/or brave is immaterial; someone is going to suffer pain, and, if you want it to be the other guy, anything you can do to tip the scales in your favor is worth trying.
• Don’t wait for the call of “Ten!” to turn and fire. Instead, after the ninth pace, take a breath, turn, and fire.
• When it comes to gunfights and duels, there are no second chances. You’re a pirate. If you have to cheat to win (and live), so be it!