Corsairs

M ELEY · 8th August 2015, 11:59 PM

Spectacular 3 masted brig! You've got great taste in maritime art, Rick!

Alan, haven't seen it yet, but I'm told it's great. Some controversy, though, about the real Phillips putting the crew in danger in the first place? I can't remember the details...

Jim, you're talkin' my language...sa'ifs, Berber sabers, Turkish kilich (spelling?). I always wondered if the bright 'barber pole' sails were accurate depictions of the Salee rovers? I've seen other paintings indicating such, and of course there's that infamous play with the 'pyrates' dressed in loud colors.

Shakethetrees · 9th August 2015, 04:19 AM

Great picture!

As far as the one painted on Masonite, I was under the impression you thought it was from the period, c.1800. My mistake.

A. G. Maisey · 9th August 2015, 04:58 AM

Mark, I don't know the real story, only what I saw in the movie, but to my mind that ship was in danger from the moment it was routed through the area off Somalia where pirates operate.

The crew signed on for the trip.

The captain appeared to follow his guidelines to the letter.

What stuck in my mind was that it stripped any romantic ideas of piracy right away.

Back in the 1970's I met two men who had been involved in piracy in the South China Sea. What I saw in Captain Phillips aligned very closely with what these two men and their family told me.

There is nothing romantic about piracy. I don't believe there ever was.

PS --- sorry, I got the title wrong in my first post.

fernando · 9th August 2015, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A. G. Maisey

... There is nothing romantic about piracy. I don't believe there ever was ...

I concur with your perspective, Alan. Although a fascinating theme, romantic piracy was only the strong prop of film industry ... to put it crudely.

Rick · 9th August 2015, 03:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shakethetrees

Great picture!

As far as the one painted on Masonite, I was under the impression you thought it was from the period, c.1800. My mistake.

Thanks .
I'm not even sure that style of rendering was used in the early 19th C. .

The second painting is Flying Cloud done by the god of marine painters Montague Dawson; I feel blessed to have it .

rickystl · 9th August 2015, 07:50 PM

Hi Rick.
What a wonderful piece of art. Congratulations!!
Rick.

M ELEY · 9th August 2015, 09:04 PM

With extremely rare exceptions, I agree with you, Alan, about piracy. I met a man my age (nearly 50) who was a Cambodian refuge in a camp with his mother and 4 siblings. He told me a horrific story of a man who came from upriver to the camp distraught and in anguish. He and his wife had been attacked by river pirates, who stole all of their belongings, abused his spouse and killed her in front of him. The man later took his own life in front of many in the camp. Seeing the pain on my friend's face, knowing what he saw (the man killing himself) at such a young age was devastating.

In my new novel, I do try to be fair, showing pirates for the low lives and treasure seekers that they were. However, many privateers and sailors serving their nation were sometimes accused of being plain old pirates for the sake of defaming their character (John Paul Jones, Sir Walter Raleigh, etc). Likewise, having read about the Caine mutiny, the harsh lives of sailors and the unfairness of the times, can one really wonder why 'going on the account' was so appealing?

A. G. Maisey · 9th August 2015, 11:49 PM

I know very little about pirates Mark, but I've probably gained a little bit of general knowledge about them from occasional reading, film documentaries, and of course my first hand contact with the family in Jawa that I mentioned.

Your Cambodian story fits well with what I was told of the way that SE Asian pirates operate. The people I spoke with used small boats to get close to bigger boats at night, they would get one man on board, he'd lower a rope or rope ladder and the others would get on board then they'd take over the ship and anybody who offered resistance was immediately killed. In fact what one of these men said to me was that anybody who looked dangerous was killed. If they got the right type of ship they'd sell the entire ship off for scrap.

What I've read of the old-time historic pirates tends to make me think of them as sea-born motor-bike gangs:- intensely democratic, capable a high degree of brutality, totally untrustworthy. But compared with the life of an ordinary seaman of the time, especially one pressed into service, maybe they had a somewhat better life and possibly better long-term prospects --- if they survived.

It is often very difficult to understand and evaluate the ways and standards of people from a different time and place.

Rick · 10th August 2015, 12:07 AM

A friend of mine's Uncle was a M.M. Skipper; whenever they entered the S.China Sea 35 years ago or more they rigged huge hoses pumping high pressure seawater over the sides to discourage S.C.S. pirates from trying to board .

8th August 2015, 11:59 PM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	Spectacular 3 masted brig! You've got great taste in maritime art, Rick! Alan, haven't seen it yet, but I'm told it's great. Some controversy, though, about the real Phillips putting the crew in danger in the first place? I can't remember the details... Jim, you're talkin' my language...sa'ifs, Berber sabers, Turkish kilich (spelling?). I always wondered if the bright 'barber pole' sails were accurate depictions of the Salee rovers? I've seen other paintings indicating such, and of course there's that infamous play with the 'pyrates' dressed in loud colors.

9th August 2015, 04:19 AM	#2
Shakethetrees Member Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Louisiana Posts: 363	Great picture! As far as the one painted on Masonite, I was under the impression you thought it was from the period, c.1800. My mistake.

9th August 2015, 04:58 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	Mark, I don't know the real story, only what I saw in the movie, but to my mind that ship was in danger from the moment it was routed through the area off Somalia where pirates operate. The crew signed on for the trip. The captain appeared to follow his guidelines to the letter. What stuck in my mind was that it stripped any romantic ideas of piracy right away. Back in the 1970's I met two men who had been involved in piracy in the South China Sea. What I saw in Captain Phillips aligned very closely with what these two men and their family told me. There is nothing romantic about piracy. I don't believe there ever was. PS --- sorry, I got the title wrong in my first post.

9th August 2015, 07:50 PM	#6
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,630	Hi Rick. What a wonderful piece of art. Congratulations!! Rick.

9th August 2015, 09:04 PM	#7
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,141	With extremely rare exceptions, I agree with you, Alan, about piracy. I met a man my age (nearly 50) who was a Cambodian refuge in a camp with his mother and 4 siblings. He told me a horrific story of a man who came from upriver to the camp distraught and in anguish. He and his wife had been attacked by river pirates, who stole all of their belongings, abused his spouse and killed her in front of him. The man later took his own life in front of many in the camp. Seeing the pain on my friend's face, knowing what he saw (the man killing himself) at such a young age was devastating. In my new novel, I do try to be fair, showing pirates for the low lives and treasure seekers that they were. However, many privateers and sailors serving their nation were sometimes accused of being plain old pirates for the sake of defaming their character (John Paul Jones, Sir Walter Raleigh, etc). Likewise, having read about the Caine mutiny, the harsh lives of sailors and the unfairness of the times, can one really wonder why 'going on the account' was so appealing?

9th August 2015, 11:49 PM	#8
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 6,992	I know very little about pirates Mark, but I've probably gained a little bit of general knowledge about them from occasional reading, film documentaries, and of course my first hand contact with the family in Jawa that I mentioned. Your Cambodian story fits well with what I was told of the way that SE Asian pirates operate. The people I spoke with used small boats to get close to bigger boats at night, they would get one man on board, he'd lower a rope or rope ladder and the others would get on board then they'd take over the ship and anybody who offered resistance was immediately killed. In fact what one of these men said to me was that anybody who looked dangerous was killed. If they got the right type of ship they'd sell the entire ship off for scrap. What I've read of the old-time historic pirates tends to make me think of them as sea-born motor-bike gangs:- intensely democratic, capable a high degree of brutality, totally untrustworthy. But compared with the life of an ordinary seaman of the time, especially one pressed into service, maybe they had a somewhat better life and possibly better long-term prospects --- if they survived. It is often very difficult to understand and evaluate the ways and standards of people from a different time and place.

10th August 2015, 12:07 AM	#9
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,336	A friend of mine's Uncle was a M.M. Skipper; whenever they entered the S.China Sea 35 years ago or more they rigged huge hoses pumping high pressure seawater over the sides to discourage S.C.S. pirates from trying to board .