Pirates and Eyepatches

[Martin Milner]

I know that an eyepatch is part of the common image of pirates, but just how likely is it that a man would receive an injury to one eye, and not have half his head blown or sliced off at the same time?

However I just read a theory that pirates (and other sailors) might wear an eyepatch so that they could go from the brightly lit top deck to the gloomy below deck areas without being temporarily blinded, by switching the patch from one eye to the other.

I can see that this might possibly be useful, but I've never read of it in any factual or fictional descriptions of pirates or any naval affairs. I would think the loss of depth perception would offset the benefit of temporary eyesight, so that this would be a practise limited to very specific job areas on board a ship.

Has anybody else read about this practise, or have any further insights or comments?

[cachalote]

well martin, i agree that the large presence of eye-patches in pirates is very strange. 

bullets were not as effective as they are nowadays, though - round-shaped and fired from pistols or muskets not that powerful.
from what i read, the main cause of injuries would be the wood splinters that came off from the ship when a cannon bullet "arrived".

i don't think light-blindness is a good explanation.
from my experience, when you are skylarking up and down the rigging of a ship, you want (need) to have "stereo" vision. 
with only one eye opened there's no way you can calculate distances properly and you will end up smashing yourself on the deck or on the water. 

you could cook, clean, mend, sew, think, drink, sleep with only one eye - all of them activities you do on deck or below-deck.
i can see no action that puts you up and down from the deck constantly and that benefits from a "shading" eye-patch.

for this to be a valuable accessory on a ship, "regular" sailors would use it and i don´t think they did it...

[Martin Milner]

I agree cachalote, if this were such a useful trick, I think it would be well recorded and known about.

In battle, the only people going below decks and back up were the powder monkeys, usually small boys bringing gunpowder from the magazine up to the guns. Other than that, on Royal Navy ships there was a marine stationed at each hatch to prevent cowards and laggards who should be above deck working the guns or the ship from escaping danger down below.

As you say, down below wasn't all that much safer. Flying splinters of wood would rip off an arm or leg as easy as a cannonball would above. You might be free from small arms fire, but the splinter woulds were nasty and more likely to cause complications and infection.

Only below the waterline, in the cockpit where the wounded were carried and the surgeon plied his trade, were you free from the danger of cannonballs, musket and pistol shot, AND flying splinters.

I suspect that the eyepatch became popularised in the same way as the "Jolly Roger", through incomplete accounts and mis-information.

[Richard]

Hello, Martin ...

I know that an eyepatch is part of the common image of pirates, but just how likely is it that a man would receive an injury to one eye, and not have half his head blown or sliced off at the same time?

However I just read a theory that pirates (and other sailors) might wear an eyepatch so that they could go from the brightly lit top deck to the gloomy below deck areas without being temporarily blinded, by switching the patch from one eye to the other.

I have two stories to tell you. One is true. And, one is not.


1. Many years ago (in the time of the pirates) a young boy became friends with an old pirate.

One day the curious young boy asked the old pirate how he had come to have a wooden leg.

The old pirate said, "Aaarg ... Well it be a cannon ball what took me leg, lad."

The young boy then asked the old pirate how he had come to have a hook for a hand.

The old pirate said, "Aaarg ... It be a sharp cutlass, in a duel, what took me 'and, lad."

The young boy then asked the old pirate how he had come to wear a patch over one eye.

The old pirate said, "Aaarg ... it be a seagull, lad."

"A seagull?" gasped the young boy.

"Aye, a seagull, lad. That bird be flyin' o're me 'ead. An' I looks up. That seagull lets loose a plop right in me eye. I forgets what I be wearin' this 'ere 'ook. Took me own eye right out, I did."



2. Many years ago, when I was young police officer, an old policeman told me about the "one-eyed" patrol.
"Son,' he said. "Don't ever search inside a darkened building with both eyes wide open. Close one."

Before I could ask why, he gave me this advice, "If there's someone in there who shouldn't be, they might flash a bright light in your face. When they quickly turn off the light, you'll be blinded, but they won't. If you have one eye closed, when they quickly turn off the light, you'll still be able to see."




Which story do you think is true? ... 


All the best,
Richard

[Timotheos]

Hi Martin

Playmobil I think just took the image and went to town with it.  Pictures I've seen of rugged crews whether in paintings or in movies don't have particularly many patch-eyes.  And, if Hollywood doesn't go overboard on it, you know it must not be very common.

I suspect most one-legged pirates would be en route for the retirement home unless they were an officer.  Prosthetic legs back then weren't actually designed for roughhousing in.

-Tim

[Gustavo]

Eyepatches are all right. Skulls on hats??! C'mon!

But, all right ... It's toy (again).
And I'll see to bring the "Barkeeper's friend" through Amazon.com!

G.

[Timotheos]

Hi Richard,
Considering I was the "young boy" who asked you these questions, I'll place my money on A.

But I'd hardly call last December "many years ago"...

-Tim

I have two stories to tell you. One is true. And, one is not.


1. Many years ago (in the time of the pirates) a young boy became friends with an old pirate.

One day the curious young boy asked the old pirate how he had come to have a wooden leg.

The old pirate said, "Aaarg ... Well it be a cannon ball what took me leg, lad."

The young boy then asked the old pirate how he had come to have a hook for a hand.

The old pirate said, "Aaarg ... It be a sharp cutlass, in a duel, what took me 'and, lad."

The young boy then asked the old pirate how he had come to wear a patch over one eye.

The old pirate said, "Aaarg ... it be a seagull, lad."

"A seagull?" gasped the young boy.

"Aye, a seagull, lad. That bird be flyin' o're me 'ead. An' I looks up. That seagull lets loose a plop right in me eye. I forgets what I be wearin' this 'ere 'ook. Took me own eye right out, I did."

[playmofire]

I suspect most one-legged pirates would be en route for the retirement home unless they were an officer.  Prosthetic legs back then weren't actually designed for roughhousing in.

-Tim

Sailors, not just pirates, who were disabled would often continue at sea acting as ship's cook.

[Martin Milner]

Sailors, not just pirates, who were disabled would often continue at sea acting as ship's cook.

Indeed, the "ultimate pirate" Long John Silver was hired as just such a cook despite his disability.

There were a number of specialist jobs on board (such as Ship's Carpenter) where a wooden leg might not be too much of a hinderance compared to skills worth retaining, but of course running up the rigging to work the sails would not be so easy.

Wooden-legged and other disabled pirates might be found ashore, wherever ex-pirates gather. Ships still have to come to land somewhere, and Pirates sometimes had safe havens with shore facilities.

Richard - interesting story, but is this just an perosnal anecdote, or is it standard police procedure? If the latter, wouldn't it be part of training, not passed on from one man to another?

[Richard]

Richard - interesting story, but is this just an personal anecdote, or is it standard police procedure? If the latter, wouldn't it be part of training, not passed on from one man to another?

You might agree with this statement, Martin ...

"Regardless of the intensity of an individual's formal training, there is often even more to be learned from one's occupational environment."

All the best,
Richard