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Pirate Facts Main
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 Rewards
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The Rewards of Piracy
It is probably an obvious statement to say that the main force behind
piracy, has always been the search for wealth. Pirates were able to acquire amazing
riches, and goods, through their campaigns. The assets, of which the most noted, and
often most prized were; gold and silver pieces, currency, jewelry, and precious
stones. But the actual pirate booty, was acquired from looted merchant ships which
usually included items such as linens, cloths, food, anchors, rope, and sometimes
medical supplies. The cargo even included rare articles such as spices, sugar,
indigo, and quinine.
The types of goods pillaged, depended on the type of ship encountered,
therefore many pirates were very selective in the ship they attacked, to be certain
that the booty received was worth the risks of battle. It was equally important for
the captain to choose the most rewarding area to monitor. One such area was the
Spanish Main, rewards of which attracted many pirates. It was a well known fact in
the pirate archives, that the Spanish treasure fleet made frequent yearly visits to
Portobello to load treasure from Peru, which was twice the yearly revenue of
England's King, and often included 25 million pesos in the form of silver bars, and
coins.
Choosing the right ship and the right cargo to pillage, was an essential
part of any pirate ship captain’s duty, wishing to avoid mutiny. However, failing
to attack a promising ship, could also result in a similar outcome, since most of
his crew were sailing, for a share in the plundered goods.
Another concern was the actual method for dividing the assets acquired. The
pirate code, stated that, any loot plundered, had to be shared out equally. Some
treasure was more easily divided among the crew than others. For example, certain
coins, such as pieces of eight were cut up into smaller change. However, jewels were
not as easily divisible. Evidence of the dividing process, can be observed in the
Pirate knife markings on some of the pirate loot, on exhibition in museums around
the world.
The idea of buried treasure is mostly a mythical one, as it is romantically
portrayed in books such as Treasure Island. One pirate however, who may have
started the myth, and was known for burying his treasure was Captain Kidd. But even
though some pirates may have hid their plunder in this way, a great deal more money
was spent searching for it, than has ever been uncovered. Most pirates were extreme
squanderers and rarely accumulated enough treasure to bury. Due to the danger and
uncertainty of their profession, they were usually determined to live life for the
present, and not save for the future.
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