Most pirates were in their twenties. Lack of fresh water in which to bathe meant that these young men were often stinky critters and it also gave them a certain unmistakable patina. Brown leathery skin and filthy clothes were the norm. Pirates were known to solve the problem of untidy hair permanently by dipping their braid, their "pigtail", in tar.
Still, it was said that some pirate cpatains loved to impress the natives and stodgy officials with their fine appearance. Bartholomew Roberts wore a crimson waistcoat, a hat with a red feather in it and a big diamond studded cross on a gold chain and tall swaggering Blackbeard braided his luxurious beard, tying it up with red satin ribbons. Sam Bellamy wore his thick black hair naturally, never, ever donning a periwig.
Pirating meant living in a very rough and very active way in which only the young and strong did well. Constant exposure to the elements at sea, battling, often suffering horrendous wounds, and running ahead of the laws of all civilized lands, plus the dangers of sailing, including storms at sea, and crippling or deadly falls from the ship's rigging.
Yet, for dashing adventurers there were great draws. Pirate democracy was well known; ships, often taken at sea, belonged to the crews, and spoils were divided, usually fairly, by shares.
Pirating was exciting, serious, dangerous business which lasted only about seventy years. Today, lots of us like to dress up and play pirates, thinking it such cool fun... ;)...
"Fifteen men on a deadman's chest!!!...
Yo-ho-ho, - and a bottle of rum!!!...
The drink and the devil had done ofr the rest!!!...
Yo-ho-ho, - and a bottle of rum!!!"
---"Treasure Island," by Robert Lewis Stevenson.
And, I write pirating adventure stories. Oh, yes, Mateys, - I just can't stop!!!...
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