How did Pirates Live?
Unlike modern beliefs and cinema, most pirates lived and ate poorly. Pirates readily accepted outcasts from the society. Even though they raided ships, most did not bury their treasure. The ‘treasure’ was often stolen food, water, alcohol, weapons or clothes. During the age of British imperialism, law required merchants to use trade vessels to ferry goods.
These were protected by warships; living conditions were horrible; worm infested food, scurvy and other diseases; brutal captains; gang boys being forced to replace crippled or dead crew. Many crews would mutiny during an attack and offer themselves and their ship to pirates as a new vessel and crew. These were skilled seamen with intolerance for absolute authority; that’s probably why the captain of pirate vessels was always chosen unanimously by the crew.
Life constantly at sea was a bore for pirates, and conflicts and fights were common. The captain could interfere but not do much since pirate vessels were run democratically. For the long voyages, they would stock up on bottled beer since water would be too salty. Hard tack or long –lasting biscuits and lime for vitamin C would be the staple diet. If lucky they would have a few hens onboard for eggs and meat. Mostly they would easily catch turtles, especially abundant in the Caribbean.