Pirate Dictionary P-R

PIRAGUA

A war canoe used by the buccaneers in the Caribbean.

PIECE OF EIGHT

A type of Spanish coin.

PILLAGE

The act of seizing by force the goods from a merchant ship in time of war. The pillaged goods are referred to as plunder, loot, booty or spoils.

PIRATE

To raid a merchant ship. Although the terms are often used interchangeably, the difference between a pirate and a privateer is that the privateer was commissioned by a government and the pirate was non-commissioned. (See Privateer)

PLUNDER

The act of stealing goods from a merchant ship in time of war. The stolen goods are referred to as plunder, loot, booty or spoils.

POLE STAR

Used in navigation, the pole star is located almost due north and its position in the Northern Hemisphere is constant. It's known as Polaris, which is Latin for north star. In the Southern Hemisphere, there is no pole star, but the constellation Crux is closest to the south celestial pole.

PORT

When facing toward the front of the ship (the bow), the left side of the ship is called the port side (the right side is called starboard). Previously the term for the left side of a ship was larboard, which was used up until the mid 1800's. (See larboard)

POWDER MONKEY

The boy who is in charge of bringing the gunner the gunpowder is referred to as a powder monkey.

PRAHU

A light, fast boat used by the Dayak pirates of Southeast Asia.

PRIVATEER

A privately-owned, armed sea vessel commissioned by a sovereign government to attack and raid the merchant ships of a hostile nation. The term also applies to the ship's owner, its captain or crew.

PRIZE

This is the term used by pirates when referring to an enemy ship which was captured in battle.

QUADRANT

A navigational instrument made of metal in the shape of a quarter-circle. From its center hung a weight on a string which crossed the opposite edge of the circle. The navigator would sight the North Star along one edge, and at the point where the string crossed the edge would show the star's altitude to determine the ship's latitude.

QUARTER

Mercy granted to an enemy in battle on condition of surrender.

QUARTERDECK

This smaller deck located above the main deck is where the officers control the ship.

RAÏS

A sea captain in the service of the Barbary corsairs.

RATLINES

Rope ladders were used to reach the sails, mastheads, yardarms, rigging and the crow's nest on sailing vessels. The large vertical ropes were called shrouds, and the smaller side-to-side ropes were called ratlines.

RHUMB LINES

On the ship's charts, the lines from the compass rose were extended outward in plotting a ship's course. These lines were referred to as rhumb lines.

RIGGING ROPES

The rigging ropes used on a ship to support the masts and control the sails are referred to as rigging. The person in charge of rigging was known as the rigger.

ROPE LADDERS

Rope ladders were used to reach the sails, mastheads, yardarms, rigging and the crow's nest on sailing vessels. The large vertical ropes were called shrouds, and the smaller side-to-side ropes were called ratlines.