History of "Brethren of the Coast"
Around 1640,
the buccaneers on the island of Tortuga began calling themselves the Brethren of the Coast. In order to join the elite
band of brothers, members had to vow to subscribe to a strict code of conduct called the Custom of the Coast. Before
setting out on any expedition, members also had to attend a council aboard ship to negotiate the exact destination of their
forthcoming voyage ... where to stop for provisions, what their exact target would be and how the booty would be divided between
them. The pirate leader would always receive five to six times the amount of any ordinary crew member, while the higher-ranking
officers would receive portions preportinate to their rank. Any pirate found stealing from another member
of the crew would have his nose and ears cut off. If a man repeated the offense, he would be stranded, either on an
island or a deserted piece of shoreline with only one pitcher of water, a musket and a shot. The most notorious leader
of the Brethren of the Coast was Captain Henry Morgan.
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| A good day of fall fishing |
