The Black Book of Corsairs

 IX. On Disease

1. On longer journeys, diseases are likely to strike a ship. Diseases are painful and numerous onboard ships, and especially voyages of exploration suffer from these greatly.

A Corsair once wrote about the Scurvy: " It rotted all my gums, which gave out a black and putrid blood. My thighs and lower legs were black and gangrenous, and I was forced to use my knife each day to cut into the flesh in order to release this black and foul blood. I also used my knife on my gums, which were livid and growing over my teeth. When I had cut away the dead flesh and caused much black blood to flow, I rinsed my mouth and teeth with my urine, rubbing them very hard. And the unfortunate thing was that I could not eat, desiring more to swallow than to chew. Many of our people died of it every day, and we say bodies thrown into the sea constantly, three or four at a time. For the most part they died with no aid given them, expiring behind some case or chest, their eyes and soles of their feet gnawed away by the rats."

2. To avoid diseases, eat vegetables as much as possible. Try to conserve dried food in a dry part of the hold, and prevent salt water from spilling on it. Use good barrels for water and stir the water every now and then.

3. If possible, make landfalls to replace and to replenish your food supplies.

4. Keep seriously ill men separate from the healthier men. Throw the dead overboard. Keep log of causes for deaths, durations of sufferings, symptoms and changes.

X. On Sailing Together

1. One man cannot beat a group in a battle. One ship cannot defeat a squadron. One man can flee a group of men; a ship may outrun her pursuers. But to flee is not to win, and to not win is to fail. Whenever force is needed, a squadron of ships should be collected.

2. A mumak cannot sneak like a mouse. A mouse cannot fight like a mumak. Force and subtlety do not combine. Always choose between subtlety and power. If delivering a message, choose subtlety. If raiding a City, choose power. For subtlety, sail alone in a fast ship. For power, sail together in a visible and colourful squadron.

3. An army without balance is weak. Archers will rout as soon as combat is initiated; cavalry will perish before spears; footmen will retreat from before unreachable archers. For the Seas, fast ships outrun the slow; but the slow are often crowded with more warriors and will triumph when boarding. Heavy warships may burn and sink when desperately chasing a sleek prog with ballistae, and all their soldiers sink without a chance to fight. It is vital to know the opponent's weaknesses and strengths. Often, it is wise to be prepared for anything.

4. A warrior may defeat a scholar easily in battle; yet when a hundred scholars take daggers at one warrior, the man is doomed. While escorts may be too costly for traders at Sea, squadrons of ships may combine their interests or pool resources to acquire proper escort.

5. A merchant squadron must always sail in a line, with escort ships in the lead. Should an enemy engage, they will start from the last to avoid the escorts. By starting from the last, they let the rest of the merchants flee as the escort ships will soon block their way. 

6. When sailing in a war party, sail in a formation. May your formation be like a wave front and the enemy will have to choose a ship to attack while the rest will have the freedom to encircle and entrap them. May your formation be like a wedge and every enemy engaging the leading vessel shall face two of ours from the sides. May your formation be split in two, and one half may sail to the aid of the other the way they best see fit. May your formation be in no particular order, and your ranks will fail at the first sign of battle.

7. Let the command of a Fleet be such that the Fleet Master or Captain of the highest rank, experience and reputation shall lead from the lead ship. Let Captains of lesser rank, experience and reputation be in command of squadrons or smaller portions of a squadron, however under the command of the supreme commander.

8. Let every ship in your squadron have a pair, so that no ship will be left in peril alone.

9. When engaging an enemy squadron, make sure that two ships do not go after one, for doing so will leave one of theirs unhindered to strike from behind.

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