[Extracted from Douglas Botting, "The Pirates, The Seafarers Series (Alexander, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1978), pp. 50-51, 57.]

The most popular ship's specialist were the members of the pirate orchestra. These were seamen who had been impressed from captured ships because of their ability as musicians.

A pirate ship with a band was doubly blessed. The bandsmen were constantly on call to play a jig or a hornpipe at a pirate dance or to serenade the pirates as they took their communal meals.

The bandsman also served a more practical function—during a battle they were ordered to play nautical tunes and aggressive war notes on drums and trumpets to demoralize the enemy and encourage their own men.

Captain Samuel Hyde, master of the EAST INDIAMAN DORRILL, reported that on July 7, 1697, he was attacked by a pirate ship that bore down on him and came under his stern after making a great cacophony "with the music of Hautboys and drums."

(A Battle At Sea)

Some pirate captains with a gift of showmanship projected themselves as monsters; others appealed to sweet reason.

In the Malacca Straits off Sumatra in July 1697, pirate captain Robert Culliford hailed the EAST INDIAMAN DORRILL, China-bound from Madras with a rich cargo and a great deal of specie. "Gentlemen," he said, "we want not your ship, but only your money. Money we want and money we shall have!" [This is probably the same incident as reported by Hyde above.