Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 27th June 2017, 04:22 PM

Hi Norman,
Thank you so much for sharing this 'costrel'!! I never stop learning with you guys, I had never heard this term before, and honestly was unaware of this type of 'luggage'.

This does remind me a great deal of the kinds of baggage seen in much I have read on the land going version of pirates (though usually single operators)...the highwaymen. Apparently these also much fabled and romanticized 'scoundrels' also had a 'golden age' similar to the arbitrary period set for pirates....in their case about 1660-1714. These kinds of bags it seems I saw in many illustrations of the coaches in references to these instances of highway robbery.

Also much as with the sea going bunch, the highwaymen often came from the ranks of ex soldiers (English Civil War) now misplaced without means, as were the privateers.

I was going through "Treasure Island" again and in finding the passages about Captain Billy Bones and his 'sea chest', where the treasure map is found....in the lining!! of course.

27th June 2017, 04:22 PM	#33
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,747	Hi Norman, Thank you so much for sharing this 'costrel'!! I never stop learning with you guys, I had never heard this term before, and honestly was unaware of this type of 'luggage'. This does remind me a great deal of the kinds of baggage seen in much I have read on the land going version of pirates (though usually single operators)...the highwaymen. Apparently these also much fabled and romanticized 'scoundrels' also had a 'golden age' similar to the arbitrary period set for pirates....in their case about 1660-1714. These kinds of bags it seems I saw in many illustrations of the coaches in references to these instances of highway robbery. Also much as with the sea going bunch, the highwaymen often came from the ranks of ex soldiers (English Civil War) now misplaced without means, as were the privateers. I was going through "Treasure Island" again and in finding the passages about Captain Billy Bones and his 'sea chest', where the treasure map is found....in the lining!! of course.