Note: A brass tray for holding cannon balls. The expression "cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey" came from the fact that, in extreme cold conditions, the brass monkeys would contract, expelling the cannon balls they were holding.
Beliefs and Values
Beliefs and values of Pirates Since pirates were not part of a nation they were basically a nation on their own. Every rule, decision and order was made by the captain and when everyone agreed to the decision. Pirates often valued their ships and keeping them seaworthy was their foremost desire. If they ever needed a new ship, they would most likely steal a ship. Pirates were often superstitious. They believed in many omens and good luck tokens.
Some of their beliefs are:
· Black sea bags brought bad luck on board the ship.
· Fridays were unlucky days to start a voyage.
· Women aboard ship were unlucky for any voyage.
· Porpoises were never killed and brought good luck swimming around a ship under way.
· It was unlucky to kill an albatross or sea gull as they were souls of sailors lost at sea
· Losing a bucket or mop overboard was a very bad omen.
· Repairing a flag on the quarterdeck was sure to bring bad luck.
· It was unlucky to wear clothes of sailors who died on the same voyage.
· The word drown was never mentioned at sea. Many sailors never learned to swim as it was considered useless to fight the sea.
· Many old pirates had open eyes tattooed on their eye lids to see while they slept.
· It was bad luck to look shoreward after the ship left shore.
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