The Sea Rover’s Practice

To read of sea roving's various incarnations - piracy, privateering, buccaneering, la flibuste, la course - is to bring forth romantic, and often violent, imagery. Indeed, much of this imagery has become a literary and cinematic clich?. And what an image it is!

Dedication; Table of Contents ii; Preface viii; Chapter One; The Perils of Wealth by Stratagem and Force of Arms: Of Greed and Desperation 1-1; Chapter Two; Sea Rovers: Freebooters, Filibusters, Cruisers, Corsairs, Buccaneers, Privateers, and Pirates 2-1; Chapter Three; Wealth by Force of Arms: of Purchase as Purpose 3-1; Chapter Four; Roving Spirits, Charter Parties, and Stout Commanders: The Recruiting, Organization, and Leadership of Adventurers 4-1; Chapter Five; Piraguas, Sloops, and Ships: Tools of the Trade, Part One 5-1; Chapter Six; Of Small Arms and Fireworks: Tools of the Trade, Part Two 6-1; Chapter Seven; Cruising for Purchase: Forewamed is Forearmed 7-1; Chapter Eight; Baptisms, Pissdales, and French Volleys: The Routine at Sea 8-1; Chapter Nine; Riches and Dangers at Sea: Pirate Prey and Pirate Hunters 9-1; Chapter Ten; "A sail! A sail!" Descrying and Espying the Prey 10-1; Chapter Eleven; Colors True and Colors False: In None We Trust 11-1; Chapter Twelve; Stand to Her Forefoot: Giving Chase 12-1; Chapter Thirteen; Hailing and Showing Teeth: The Prey in Range 13-1; Chapter Fourteen; Plucking a Crow: Small Arms and Great Guns 14-1; Chapter Fifteen; Volleys, Grenades, and Cutlasse: Laying Her Aboard Under Fire 15-1; Chapter Sixteen; Surprizals at Sea: "Jesus! These Men are Devils!" 16-1; Chapter Seventeen; Surprizals at Anchor: Quiet Oars, Quiet Waters 17-1; Chapter Eighteen; More Surprizals at Anchor: Of Trade and Other Pretenses 18-1; Chapter Nineteen; Sending a Smoker and Catching a Tartar: More Stratagems at Sea 19-1; Chapter Twenty; Houses, Towns, and Cities Sacked: The Sea Rover as Soldier 20-1; Chapter Twenty-One; Plunder and Prisoners: The Sanguine Spoils 21-1; Chapter Twenty-Two; Rum, Women, Dice, Turtle, and Honor: The Routine Ashore, and Soon Another Venture 22-1; Chapter Twenty-Three; Of Greed and Force of Arms, Part Two: Dying by the Sword 23-1; Appendix One; Comparative Actions of Sea Rovers A1-1; Appendix Two; Privateer, Buccaneer, and Pirate: A Sea Rover's Lexicon, Part I A2-1; Appendix Three; Galley, Sloop, and Piragua: A Sea Rover's Lexicon, Part II A3-1; Appendix Four; Mariner's Language 1630 to 1730: A Sea Rover's Lexicon, Part III A4-1; Appendix Five; Roving Writers and Some I Wish Had Been A5-1; Appendix Six; Spirits and Belly Timber: Some Culinary History and Recipes for the Adventurous A6-1; Appendix Seven; Ranges, Distances, Weights, and Measures A7-1; Notes B-1; Bibliography; Author's Biography.