It sounds like something out of
the movies, but among the specialists aboard many pirate ships were
seamen-musicians whose major duty was to perform in a ship's orchestra that
played jigs, sailor's hornpipes, or any other tune their shipmates called for
while they were eating their delicious salmagundi (their favorite meal, made of
many fish, fowl, meats, and vegetables) or were deep in their cups. The pirate
bands were recruited from the crew - a seaman had a much better chance of
sailing with a good pirate ship if he played a musical instrument - or were
composed of musicians impressed from merchant ships. Pirate ship hands are yet
another example of the very real sensual pleasures of sailing the bounding main,
but the bands served a purpose in the raids of the corsairs as well. When
pirates attacked a ship, the musicians would sound war charges with trumpets and
drums, frightening and discouraging the enemy while spurring their pirate
shipmates on to victory.