Myths about Pirates
Much of what people know about pirates is based on myths—unfounded beliefs about the life of pirates for which there is no direct historical evidence. Stories and films about pirates have contributed to most of our notions about pirates and how they lived their daring and adventurous life.
One of the most common punishments we associate with pirates involves “walking the plank.” Some believe that when a pirate broke a ship’s Code of Conduct, he had to walk a long board from the stern of the ship into the menacing ocean below.
We don’t know if pirates were really forced to walk the plank, but some books mention the possibility. The guilty pirate was more likely flogged with whips, thrown overboard, or maroon.
Writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote Treasure Island in 1833, created the character Long John Silver, a fearsome pirate who had a pet parrot on the shoulder. The parrot would say, “Pieces of eight!” referring to the valuable coins sought by Silver.
Stevenson’s characterization of Silver and his parrot certainly added an interesting dimension to this pirate’s life, but most real pirates probably didn’t have talking parrots.
Historians don’t know for sure, but pirate ships probably had animals like dogs as companions. They might have traveled with chickens, pigs and other animals, but they didn’t keep them as pets—they ate them.
Books and movies often show pirates burying their treasure chests and creating elaborate maps that hold the key to the valuable riches that will one day be found. Pirates probably didn’t waste their time burying treasures for a couple of reasons. First, treasure was usually divided equally among the crew, so each man got paid a share of the booty.
Second, pirates liked to spend their loot when they went ashore. They probably didn’t save much for the future. Today, treasures may exist in galleons or pirate ships that sank and have yet to be discovered.
However, there is no real evidence that elusive treasures of gold and glittering jewels are buried underneath the white sands of remote islands.
One of the most common punishments we associate with pirates involves “walking the plank.” Some believe that when a pirate broke a ship’s Code of Conduct, he had to walk a long board from the stern of the ship into the menacing ocean below.
We don’t know if pirates were really forced to walk the plank, but some books mention the possibility. The guilty pirate was more likely flogged with whips, thrown overboard, or maroon.
Writer Robert Louis Stevenson, who wrote Treasure Island in 1833, created the character Long John Silver, a fearsome pirate who had a pet parrot on the shoulder. The parrot would say, “Pieces of eight!” referring to the valuable coins sought by Silver.
Stevenson’s characterization of Silver and his parrot certainly added an interesting dimension to this pirate’s life, but most real pirates probably didn’t have talking parrots.
Historians don’t know for sure, but pirate ships probably had animals like dogs as companions. They might have traveled with chickens, pigs and other animals, but they didn’t keep them as pets—they ate them.
Books and movies often show pirates burying their treasure chests and creating elaborate maps that hold the key to the valuable riches that will one day be found. Pirates probably didn’t waste their time burying treasures for a couple of reasons. First, treasure was usually divided equally among the crew, so each man got paid a share of the booty.
Second, pirates liked to spend their loot when they went ashore. They probably didn’t save much for the future. Today, treasures may exist in galleons or pirate ships that sank and have yet to be discovered.
However, there is no real evidence that elusive treasures of gold and glittering jewels are buried underneath the white sands of remote islands.